Darren at Compass Odyssey was recommended to us by a friend, and we would without hesitation recommend him to plan your Africa adventure. He was exceptionally patient with multiple adjustments to our itinerary to meet our preferences, and listened carefully to the experience we were hoping to have on this bucket list trip. Our itinerary took us from Cape Town to the usual attractions but flexible enough we were able to fit in a mountain bike ride in the wine region. 

his trip was seamless, everything went according to plan and as scheduled. All the guides were knowledgeable, helpful and personable. We learned so much about each country from talking with the guides. All the lodgings were stellar and we had only positive experiences wherever we were. The tour covered everything we asked for while giving us the flexibility to adapt if we desired. Compass Odyssey representatives checked in with us often throughout the tour so we always felt like someone had our back, knew where we were and what we were experiencing. In addition, it was obvious that the guides were in touch with representatives as well.

Our family of five had an incredibly memorable and personalized safari experience. The communication with them was always clear, timely and provided us an array of options. We traveled with our three 30ish adult children who had vegan cuisine requests, extreme sports requests and different people arriving and leaving on different dates. In other words, it was like herding cats. Compass Odyssey put together a safari itinerary that encompassed four different lodges which were all very well appointed, providing unique lodging experiences and wildlife experiences.

Our fantastic adventure with Compass Odyssey was remarkable. Everything worked impeccably with Mortimer the perfect charming, helpful and reliable host. The exclusive Toms Little Hide in Hwange National Park was simply fabulous – amazing accommodation, super food and delightful staff. Our guide Brendan was a star – and so knowledgeable- we saw just about everything possible to see! Chobe was another great experience- we saw a leopard out in the open and elephants swimming the river as well as much more.

Darren and Kate at Compass Odyssey made our trip to Africa such a seamless, wonderful experience! We emailed them a list of our must-see activities, and they made it happen! We saw hyenas stealing impala meat from lions and laughing about it, elephants at their watering hole from our chalet at Senalala, a giraffe being chased by a lion (the giraffe won), two hippos having a disagreement, and so many other amazing animals and the beautiful Victoria Falls. It isn’t like the US, where you go to a national park and may or may not see animals. In Africa, you WILL see animals every trip out! We saw the Big Five within our first two days.

I put off writing this review for a while, mostly because I wasn’t sure I could do Compass Odyssey justice. Our family of four had our South Africa holiday organised by them, and it’s hard to put into words how much of a difference that made.

From the start, they were extraordinarily helpful in guiding us through every decision, especially the safari. There are so many options, and left to our own devices we would never have landed on the one they proposed for us. It turned out to be a perfect match, tailored to exactly what our family wanted without us even fully knowing how to ask for it.

Compass Odyssey – Darren and Kate – are excellent, in the truest sense of the word. We plan through them for all our safaris and they never let us down. I’ve continued to recommend them to fellow travelers. They value a quality experience, ethical travel, are fast communicators, are understanding and flexible. This time, on our trip to Kenya, we saw all the animals we wanted to see, had amazing food, some really wonderful guides, and overall had a wonderful time w/ memories that will last a lifetime.

This was our fourth safari (fifth trip) with Compass Odyssey (CO). As usual, Darren and Kate did not disappoint.

Honesty; integrity; reliability; responsiveness; patience; knowledge; expertise; kindness; safety; cost effectiveness; attention to detail… I could go on and on; but, in essence, excellence is what characterizes them, and this is why we keep going back.

This was a particularly tricky safari to organize for various reasons. Nevertheless, CO guided us through the process, ever mindful of our wants and needs, with zero pressure to eventually travel.

Compass Odyssey designed and executed a 16 day trip for us that included 4 countries and various experiences including, but also beyond safaris. Communication during the planning phase was easy and smooth despite a 9 hour time zone difference. From an execution perspective, Compass’s communication prepared us for what to pack, what to consider regarding vaccine/malaria meds, how immigration/customs would work, etc. 

We were treated like visiting family. They took care of everthing so you don’t have to think of the whole trip. Amazing hospitality.

We had a great experience with Compass Odyssey on our Father-Daughter trip in June 2026. The most important thing to convey about the trip is that everthing Compass Odyssey committed to us happened exactly as they said it would. Every pick-up, every transfer, every accomodation, every flight, and every experience was flawless. Not a single bit of unwanted drama in the whole trip.

Our safari with Compass Odyssey in Sabi Sand and Namibia has exceeded our expectations beyond our wildest dreams. A few weeks prior to departure I had an injury that affected my mobility, and immediately Darren made arrangements on all our flights so I would be assisted appropriately and ensured my rooms would be situated most conveniently for my injury. The trip was extremely well organised, and we felt assured we were in good hands every step of the way. When I texted Darren to say I needed to be connected at all times with phone signal (a mission in Namibia!) due to an emergency at home, he immediately checked and reassured me that thankfully the lodges upgraded their wifi.

This was our third trip to Africa organised through Compass Odyssey and we had another exceptional experience. We were travelling to Kruger with a large group and Darren and Kate made everything seamless for us. Their communication is fantastic and they take the stress out of organising a big overseas trip. We could not recommend them enough.