I was very pleased when very soon after I submitted my request for information on a trip to South Africa, I was approached by Sikeleli’s representative and a phone call was set up for the very next day.

Sue was very easy to talk to, and she understood all my needs and requirements.  She gave many good suggestions for our trip, specially catered to a mom traveling with her 15-year-old son.

We didn’t have too many days for the holiday, but our final itinerary was perfect!  A combination of adventure, relaxation, structured guided tours, personal exploration time, culture, food, history, natural beauty and safari!

The guides and drivers in Cape Town were on time and professional, with very good knowledge of not just the tourist basics, but we were also able to learn so much about life in South Africa from true locals.

Rive Lodge in Lion Sands was more than we ever expected, and we felt like we were in heaven in the bush. We were very fortunate to see the Big Five within our first three drives.  Of course, we also saw so much more, and now we are hooked and want to go on more safaris!

The domestic flights and transfers etc went without a hitch, as Sikeleli organized everything so well.

For Cape Town, going up to Table Mountain and being able to hike for several hours above the clouds was really a highlight.  We were able to see so far in all directions, we felt like we were in another world.

But the best part of the trip was surely the safari.  I guess it’s because we had never been on one before, but I think it will be quite hard to beat our experience at Lion Sands.  We were so pampered and well taken care of!  We met a lot of nice people and the atmosphere was very pleasant.  The accommodations were gorgeous, and we could not have asked for anything more!  A special bonus was when the lodge organized an outing to a local kindergarten and village, and we were able to interact with the kids there.

I think the trip was perfect for the amount of time we allowed.  I wouldn’t do anything differently, except maybe bring all my kids next time!