You cannot go wrong with CO. We believe they are the best.

This safari was for myself, my adult daughter and one of her friends. The experience was tailored to suit us perfectly. We loved the itinerary, the camps, the guides, and of course the ANIMALS, including GIZA the black leopard!

Describe your dream to CO, and they will make it come true!

Thank you so much, Darren and Kate. We have so many new wonderful memories to daydream about, thanks to you and your team. You can expect to hear from us for our next adventure in the foreseeable future!

Transit across the countries was smooth as the team was waiting for us at each airport and the instructions of what to expect upon crossing borders was clear ahead of travel, allowing us to handle some aspects ahead of time to expedite. The variety of activities was well thought out and matched our preferred cadence very well. The places that we stayed all exceeded our expectations, each being very customer focused and having unique qualities. More than anything, the local guides and safari guides were exceptional! They got to know us and our preferences quickly and both provided recommendations and experiences that enhanced our trip. If you want an incredibly memorable experience, work with Compass Odyssey!

We were especially appreciative of the pre-planning help Compass Odyssey provided as we had some non-standard requirements that made our itenerary a bit complicated. However, they listened to our requests and responded with options that made the whole process easier than we had a right to expect.

Highly recommend Compass Odyssey for any African Adventure.

Darren was also infinitely patient in putting together our itinerary (which changed many times!), and providing the best advice so our trip would flow well and we could make the most of our time there. We communicated our priorities in Namibia to photograph Deadvlei at sunrise which led to him proposing we stay within the park instead of outside. Our guide Elvis was an incredible driver and a more incredible person to spend our time with – he could spot animals from literally a mile (he pointed out mountain zebras that we could really only see through his binoculars). He sorted out every detail, and shared so much about Namibia and their culture, during the long drives. Once he dropped us off at the water hole while he took care of procedures, and we saw a black rhino there! In 40 hours (highly recommend anyone else to stay longer) in Etosha we saw lion, cheetah, rhino, elephant and MUCH more, all thanks to Elvis. I also threw Darren a curveball after we ‘finalized’ the itinerary leaving him to book a horse ride for me out of nowhere – he found the best stable that treated their horses right, and gave us a beautiful Moonscape ride.

In Sabi Sand, Darren had arranged a private game drive vehicle which felt incredibly luxurious (and also the extra space helped my condition). All transfers were also organised smoothly, our safari began immediately with Surprise, our driver, pointing out animals between the drive from the airport to the lodge!

Compass Odyssey were very quick to respond to any and all queries we had (we had alot!!) – we felt like we were their only client. Being traditionally “DIY” travellers that booked our own trips, booking via an agent went against every instinct but I can safely say its paid off beyond what we imagined. We felt like we got great value out of this trip and most importantly felt very well supported. We definitely plan to use Compass Odyssey when we return to Africa.

Other reviews have outlined the professionalism of the guides, the high level of accommodations, the excellent food, the outstanding game drives and animal sightings, and our experiences certainly mirror those views. But for us, it being the first time in southern Africa, to know that Darren was available at any time should we need him, made for a most memorable and stress free adventure. His recommendations for safari parks were exceptional and our Guides (Elvis/Mortimer/Innocent) were quite simply, wonderful. Their knowledge of the wildlife, flora and fauna was outstanding. We feel truly blessed that we found Darren, Kate and Compass Odyssey and would absolutely recommend them to anyone thinking of travelling to Africa. As we say in Australia..’Do your self a favour’ and contact Darren – you’ll be so glad you did. Happy African travels.

From the moment we arrived in Joburg til the day we left we felt supported but with the flexibility to adapt where needed. All our guides were knowledgeable, friendly and helpful, as well as putting up with endless questions on all topics. We did a lot in the two weeks but the pace was maintainable with balanced time between drives, river tours and other adventures such as the Devils Pool and rafting at Vic Falls. The accommodation was all amazing and exactly the type of thing we would’ve chosen ourselves. And the service provided at each location was also above and beyond. None of us could fault the trip and while it wasn’t of course cheap, the costs were always clearly spelt out and we know exactly what was and wasn’t included. Compass Odyssey were happy to work within our budget at all times. The safaris themselves were beyond description and despite it being summer with lots of growth we saw the big 5 plus many, many other creatures large and small. We will definitely return to Africa and 100% would use Compass Odyssey to assist us. If you are thinking about a trip- do it!!

Mortimer met us again in Victoria Falls, and he and his wife and son were wonderful hosts during out time in Zimbabwe and Zambia, as well as our transport to Chobe in Botswana. I highly recommend the Elephant Cafe in Zambia if you like the idea of close interaction with elephants, combined with excellent food and wine! The Chobe River Lodge, and the safari drives, on land and in boats, are among the best I’ve done in all the places I have gone in Africa. The leopard siting was fabulous. And Garth, our tour guide in Capetown is as good as one gets. His understanding of South Africa history, and his ability to explain the historical context of the places we are visiting makes a significant difference in the enjoyment of the places we visited. I highly recommend Compass Odyssey, with Darren and Kate, to help you put your special visit to Africa together!