"We had such a FAB time at Tangala ! Leanna & Johan are great peeps and it shows they love what they do !
I really learned a lot about the different animals that we saw, as well as having the excitement of having to track them everyday !
We saw all the animals we wanted to see apart from Cheetah but the leopard on our last night there (with her cub) more than made up for it !
Thanks Kez, you know your stuff!"
Elaine & David Rough August 2007 To see our photos click here
"We've returned in one piece and I wanted to thank you for organising a fantastic holiday for us. It all went extremely well and we all enjoyed ourselves - especially at Blyde River Canyon Lodge and at Tangala (which was excellent).
Thanks again for putting together a fantastic trip - it hit all the buttons - Debbie saw her old university and we also managed to tag along with a party from Reading and got a tour of the Newlands Rugby ground in Cape Town."
Mrs D Buckland August 2007
"We really enjoyed our short time in Soweto and thanks for all the good work with the on-the-ground arrangements; the background information you provided was really helpful too.
David and Kate run a well organised outfit: David does the pickups and tours and is very knowledgeable about the whole history of S Africa (not just Apartheid and Soweto). Kate runs a very smart and tidy B&B - the master bedroom and ensuite is huge! Breakfasts good too.
No-one should leave Soweto/Jo’berg without visiting the Hector Pietersen Memorial and museum - and the Apartheid museum is a must: one of the best designed and laid out museums I have been to in recent years: the subject was a revelation for my teen kids."
Hugh McCormack August 2007
"Within 5 mins of arrival I had my first elephant encounter and immediately after dinner our first hippo encounter. The first days safaris were simply outstanding
Then simply the absolute HIGHLIGHT of the entire trip was the Lion encounter. Absolutely amazing a truly unforgettable experience for the family. The microlite flight over the falls was spectacular. The White Water Rafting was awesome,
So ALL in ALL it was the best holiday we have ever had . Debra’s recommendations and hard work sorting everything out for us is really really appreciated. I would have no problem giving a testimonial for close encounters."
Mark Davies - August 2007
"We had an absolutely wonderful trip to SA, thanks to you - you thought of everything!
The hotels were all brilliant, and the view of Table Mountain from our room at the Vineyard Hotel was just stunning."
Brian & Gill Fearn - October 2006 To see our photos click here
"Kapamba lodge was brilliant. The photo with the huge bath facing the river didn’t do it justice, we enjoyed an afternoon bathe watching the wildlife wander past. Tafika was the highlight. Beautiful huts to sleep in and wonderful people manning the lodge. Plenty of sightings of game – we saw so many leopards – more than all my other trips combined. The microliting was brilliant, food good and we had a hippo grazing right outside the door to our hut each night... Could have stayed here a lot longer. [Sindabezi] The setting looking over the Zambezi was lovely. Private too and the sound of the frogs at night with the fireflies going past was superb. We did a full day white water rafting."
Peter & Claire Hall - October 2006 To see our photos click here
"Glad you switched us round so Aventura was first. The scenery is breathtaking, what a view of the Three Rondavels. I am so glad you persuaded us to have the three days at Phantom Forest. We'd paced ourselves well, but it was still nice to relax for a while in such luxury. We did take the boat to the Featherbeds nature reserve, well worth it for the view of the heads, the walk down the hill and the blue duiker."
Dave & Kate Watson - September 2006 To see our photos click here
"We had a great adventure for our honeymoon in Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique. All the arrangements went like clockwork with no hitches and we had about 8 honeymoons in one because each place we visited was so different from the others. We took loads of photographs but here are a few of
The best ones:"
Anthonny & Vanna Leathart - July 2006 To see our photos click here
"Thanks very much for putting together our holiday of a lifetime. This was our first trip to Africa, but it won't be the last...! The package was very well thought out and gave us a taste of Southern Africa without rushing us. All the accommodation was very comfortable and we felt pampered wherever we stayed. On Valentines night we got engaged after a romantic dinner overlooking the beautiful Zambezi River. A perfect end to a perfect holiday.... Thanks Kez."
Mat McClernon & Emma - Feb 2006 To see our photos click here
"Just a note to say thank you for arranging our honeymoon in Tanzania! We had an amazing time and the hotels and camps that you put us in were incredible. The people we met were so helpful and friendly, and the places we stayed were out of this world. We cannot thank you and Close Encounters enough for the experience of a lifetime."
Mr and Mrs Jones Telford - August 2006 To see our photos click here
"I can report no problems with any of the connections for flights or transport or any of the tours that we booked, it was just a matter of keeping up with our itinerary, which of course you perfectly prepared for us. I will certainly recommend you to anyone wishing to do the same & you never know if we want to go back i will be back in touch"
The Curd Family - July 2006 To see our photos click here
"Thank you very much for organising such a wonderful honeymoon – we had the time of our lives, it was a great start to married life!”
Rebecca & Chris Marr.
“Our trip to South Africa was just fantastic the whole Kruger experience was just super. Our guides Dean & Verity were lovely and so well informed and very knowledgeable about environmental issues, animals etc. Loved every minute and have come back big fans of Africa.”
Sam Pearce, London.
“All in all a fabulous holiday – no complaints – and a great big thank you.”
David Hislop.
“The holiday you booked for us was brilliant, and I have to say it’s one of the best I’ve been on! We are so pleased with how you looked after us and not to mention your professional attitude and follow up calls”
Clayton & Carrie Borg
“Thank you for organising our wedding/holiday. The itinerary you put together worked brilliantly. We met some extraordinary people amidst the breathtaking scenery and the choice of venue for the wedding was inspired!”
Nick Moulton, Nottingham.
“I am writing to both thank and congratulate you for putting together such a fantastic holiday and wedding package. I couldn’t have wished for a broader based or better organised trip”
Sam Kingham, Ruddington.
“Thank you so much for your help with organising our holiday, it really was incredible from start to finish and couldn’t have gone more smoothly.”
Karen Egan, Nottingham.
“A very enjoyable holiday and everything we wanted in the planning stages was realised in the eventual end result. This is of course in no small measure due to the efforts that you put in on our behalf for which we are both very grateful.”
Ronnie, Keswick.
“Now I’ve returned from a wonderful trip, I wanted to say a big thank you for organising my travel arrangements and I can’t wait for my next adventure.”
Jacqueline Clarke.
