Has any magazine or tour guide published any sort of listing or rating ie good better best of African Safari companies?
one competing company agent said "A and K has fallen to 12th". yes I know he is selling the other product.
Any listings anywhere like for S Africa and Botswana?

I don't know the answer to your question, although it would be a good thing to know!

I will tell you that we were EXTREMELY happy with Wilderness Safaris for our trip in May, and basically satisfied with Fish Eagle Tours as our agent. It seems kind of stupid, probably, but the one thing that I could 'complain' about with regard to Fish Eagle is that we didn't hear anything from Bert after we got home. It would seem to me that if you spend close to $20,000 on a trip, that the agent should call you after you got home and ask how it was?? We did hear back a couple of months later and he apologized for not calling when we got home.

out agent calls after each trip - usually the next week.

Odd bumps along the africa planning road- we got an Africa A and K quote- we had a 3 night (2 day actually) written estimate for a 3 day capetown add on side trip staying in a nice $500 a night per the web hotel - price quoted was $4350 not including any air fare!!!!!! This is for the 3 days i thought it was rand at first but no, US$. our travel agent called and asked they said it ws for a really nice room- odd on a first quote I thought.

Huhm, guess some folks think that people that can afford to travel to Africa have unlimited funds and no brains, huh? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

We hardly use a travel agent any more except for the AFrica trip, but the one that we use for the Caribbean also follows up soon after each trip, yes. If you've been to Africa already, do you have pictures or a trip report you could post?

Had a excellent trip with Thompsons Safaris in Tanzania.

Anon--when was your trip?? Did you do a trip report? Would love to read it!

Hello Carol,
I am new to Traveltalkonline. I am a South African, born and bred, living in America. Came here for 6 months in August 2002 and one of your blokes stole my heart. I come to this website to see what you guys say about our country and I love to hear the news from travellers. I don't miss South Africa as much as I miss the culture. It took a while, but I think I feel at home now in America.

I really am glad you heard from Bert, however, would you like to tell me exactly when you heard from him? I just am asking as I saw your original log. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Devil.gif" alt="" />

I get mad when our guys don't treat you guys well. I am proud of my country. I lived in Namibia for 10 years. Now THERE'S a country you need to go to. Here's a website for you to browse through. http://www.africat.org . Wayne and Lisa Hanson inherited this farm from their dad in the early 1990's. The farm is called "Okonjima" and they deal with Big Cat conservation, specifically the Cheetah. You HAVE to go to Namibia!

Liz

Liz--Welcome to TTOL! I love having people with first hand experience in country participating here!

Thanks for the link! I think cheetah are the most beautiful animals on earth!

Would appreciate your imput on questions that folks post here, if you have the time.