African Budget Safaris Reviews 

My requests were very specific and difficult because the lion I was hoping to see would always be on the move ,so booking a lodge to see a moving lion was difficult, but Claire my safari organiser was very very patient and helpful in booking 3 lodges in the hope I could find and see the lion I was after ,almost 2 months of organising the lodges were booked, and my flights within south Africa were also finalised .all confirmations were emailed to me.easly understood and explained, I got to see my lion which was not expected to see in malamala, this was like a one in a million chance to see my lion but everything lined up so unexpected ,my accommodation was beyond what I thought or expected on safari, the land the animals and the people were all amazing. Thank you very much Claire.

Claire at African Budget Safaris put together an AMAZING holiday package for us (two newly retired couples). She worked with us via email and zoom to understand our needs and the end result was SUPER. We loved our safari lodge stays in two lodges, Cape Town tours and short stay in the wine country. We would do it all again in a heartbeat. SA is awesome, people are friendly, all the private drivers were on time, lodges and food were great. I highly recommend Claire and African Budget Safaris! My only regret is that we couldn't stay longer!

I couldn't be more happy with the service and the people at African Budget Safaris. I specifically worked with Claire and she was amazing! She kept me informed and provided amazing information and help before, during and after my self drive in Namibia.

When I book another African tour, this is the company I would do it with. Not only that, but I would ask to work with Claire again because not only was she a true professional, she became a friend. This is important when working with companies, you don't want to be just another cog in a wheel.

Here, they make you feel special and adhere to your needs and also when surprises come up and you have to change your bookings (several times).

Thank you so much for your impeccable service and amazing options and amazing tour you provided for me! It was the memory of a lifetime!

We have been working with Claire Monson of African Budget Safaris for a few years. The first time we approached her, our plans changed. The next time was 2020, when Covid prompted cancellation of our trip. At last, we were able to go last month and the experience was amazing. Claire has been supportive, patient and prompt. She provided guidance, helped us with the booking and really cared for our satisfaction.

Claire was absolutely outstanding. We had to put this trip on hold twice and she was always 100% accommodating and supportive of our decision. We also decided to change from our original safari when we finally knew we could head to Botswana. She listened to what I was looking for, took our price point into consideration and made the perfect suggestion. If we ever book another safari I would definitely use African Budget Safaris again. In addition to helping pick the perfect trip Claire made sure our transfers and lodges outside of the tour were taken care of in addition to offering helpful suggestions about any questions I had. The tour itself was the 9 day classical lodge safari and our guide said we were some of the first people on it. 10/10 would recommend. We were lucky enough to see everything we wanted in our first day. Our guide was amazing and the tour has a great combination of all lodging experiences.

Claire helped us so much getting the vacation of our dreams set up! She originally had us all set up right before Covid hit. We had to cancel due to restrictions on travel. She helped us over two years rebooking us until it finally was allowed to happen. She was very patient and helpful with all of our questions. I would definitely use this company again to book future vacations. We did an all inclusive seven day mobile tented Safari with Lataka in Botswana. I cannot even describe the amazing experience we had!

Dreams do come true! With Claire's guidance and expertise, she planned the most amazing trip for me in Tanzania with safari tours, taking a balloon ride over the Serengeti and learning about the culture. She was so friendly and made it easy to plan an itinerary to meet my needs.
I visited a Maasai Village and had the pleasure of listening to students recite the alphabet in school. At certain lodges, the Maasai warriors kept me safe at night from animals roaming the area.
The lodges I stayed in were clean and beautiful. Every morning there was a large assortment of breakfast foods and homemade omelettes. One morning on my way to breakfast a herd of wildebeest crossed in front of me.
On the safari tours I was able to see many, many animals (lions, elephants, Cape buffalo, leopard), giraffes, baboons, and many more. My driver was very knowledgeable, friendly and knew the area well.
The early morning balloon ride over the Serengeti was spectacular with a delicious breakfast afterwards being served under an umbrella tree on the African plains.
The people in Africa were so kind, friendly and ready to help in any way. I had the pleasure of visiting one of our guide's home and meeting his lovely family. I will truly miss being there and so thankful to have the opportunity to be a part of their culture.
Thank you, Claire Monson, for planning this perfect trip for me. Memories to last a lifetime❣️ Jane
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It was an amazing trip! The gorillas in Uganda were absolutely magnificent as was the summiting of Kilimanjaro. I couldn’t have asked for more, even including clear skies!

The 7 day Tanzania safari was great too, with all the big 5, (5 leopards) and literally a thousand photos. We even had a pride of lions hanging around the Kati Kati Tented Lodge which kept things adventurous.

Everything went so smoothly. Food, lodging and organization was excellent and exceeded expectations for a “mid-budget” trip. My guides Dennis in Uganda, Tumaini (safari) and Bacchi & Paulo on Kilimanjaro were outstanding. The Engagi Gorilla Lodge was awesome as was Burunge Lodge & the Farmhouse Lodge.

Claire Monson at Africa Budget Safaris was great to work with every step of the way! Thank you Claire for helping making the dream come true!

We were able to thoroughly enjoy our once-in-a-lifetime family vacation thanks to Claire and her team. It was so hard to know who to trust and which company to pick as there were so many options as I began our search. From the moment I spoke with Claire at African Budget Safaris, I knew I had found exactly what I was hoping for and so much more! She helped us work out all the details - big and small to create a very safe , beautiful, amazing family experience! We were treated as friends and not merely clients the entire time - before, during and after our trip! Thank you African Budget Safaris for being a company we can trust as well as going above and beyond to tailor a perfect trip to our family!

We had the time of our lives in the Okavango Delta in Botswana. Everything was so well and discretely organised to enable a wonderful full experience without a single hiccup - which we were prepared for! A huge heads up to Desert and Delta Safaris and all their local staff especially Luckson our guide at Xugama Camp and the Chobe Angles. We so admired their respect for their environment and the animals. Huge thank you to Claire Monson of African Budget Safaris who was so helpful & patient with our changing ideas and tight budget. This trip was near perfect so we shall certainly use African Budget Safaris again.

African Budget Safaris was excellent with quickly answering any question coming up about our Namibia safari and extremely helpful and effective with handling our arrangement and booking. Our contact was Claire, who was always very kind, patient and effective - a real sweetheart ♥️ 5 Stars deserved!

Our Cape Town to Victoria Falls safari was our second trip that we booked through African Budget Safaris (we booked our first one, through Tanzania, with Bronwyn four years ago, and she did a magnificent job !). This time, we worked with Claire, and she too, did a phenomenal job communicating promptly and answering all of our many questions throughout the booking process. She was very patient and did quite a bit of research, on our behalf, to make sure that we had all the answers we needed to book the right safari. We also appreciated that Claire followed up with us to ensure that we had a great time on safari and to see what sort of feedback we had for her. On the safari itself, our guide Saima and driver Trust, were very professional, knowledgeable, and friendly, and made the trip thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining. Overall, the trip was more than we could have ever hoped for, although there were a few minor hiccoughs (as can be expected in Africa :) ) that were quickly fixed. All in all, we were thrilled with our experience, and look forward to finding a third safari to book with African Budget Safaris, and with Claire and Bronwyn !

I am very happy I booked my safari with ABS. Claire was very easy to communicate with. She provided great assistance with my travel plans. She's knowledgeable about the different options and is eager to ensure that her clients have an unforgettable experience. I 100% recommend ABS for anyone looking for a fantastic experience in Africa.

We had a great experience
Claire Monson was very helpful answered all questions and made us feel at ease. The places she sent us to I would definitely recommend No 1 was Sango : a lovely comfortable friendly place , excellent professional guides and great cook in Botswana No2 was really nice too but more crowded The walking safari was interesting, somewhat strenuous , i felt safe in the jungle
It was a great experience Thanks Claire

Claire was the absolute best in helping us plan our Safari trip to Tanzania. She worked with us for over 2 years during the pandemic as we had to postpone our trip 3 times. The wait was certainly worth it! We had an incredible time. All the lodges we stayed at were beautiful and so comfortable. Our driver John was amazing and so kind. We learned so much about the culture and history of Tanzania. This trip will truly be one that we never forget. We can't wait to explore more of Africa and we will be sure to use Claire again.

We are just back from the most amazing 3 week family holiday to South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. We are a family of two adults and two teenage kids aged 15 and 13. This trip was two years in the making/planning and I could not have done it without Claire in African Budget Safaris! Claire listened to our every wish and came up with an itinerary that made sure we had the most exhilarating, exciting and best family holiday experience ever. She was extremely patient with my many questions and queries!

Our 9 day tour of winelands and garden route meant that we captured the best of what this part of SA has to offer. We did everything from cycling around the winelands, to viewing penguins on Boulders beach, to ziplining across the ocean in Mossel Bay, to cage shark diving, viewing the Cango caves, bungy jumping, Kayaking in storms river and experiencing the wildlife of a private game reserve as well as Addo Elephant park. Our guide for this trip was fantastic. Every day was better than the next!

We then went on a 4 day trip to Zimbabwe which included a safari to Chobe National park in Botswana!!! Just WOW!!! Our sunset dinner cruise on the Zambezi river is an experience I will never ever forget. The sheer expanse and noise of Victoria falls was amazing both from ground level and from the helicopter ride!

Claire kept in touch with me throughout the trip to ensure we were happy with everything which was a really nice personal touch.

Fantastic company to book with, don't hesitate, just book with them!!
Ten out of ten all around!

My daughter and I are just back from a Mountain Gorilla trek and Golden Monkey trek in Rwanda arranged for us by Claire at African Budget Safaris. Claire is great, very pleasant and knowledgeable, and she made the planning of the trip a great experience. She was helpful throughout the whole process of booking the trip and when helping us to deal with a few unexpected airline issues, as when Brussels Airlines eliminated our flight into Rwanda. Besides the two treks, our trip included a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial and to the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, which was located just a 10-minute walk from our hotel near the Volcanoes National Park. Seeing the gorillas was the reason for the trip, but our visit with the Golden Monkeys was fascinating, as well. We are pleased with Budget African Safaris.

Jia’s amazing safari in Botswana

Ever since I read the series of books by Alexander McCall Smith about the Ladies’ No 1 Detective Agency set in Gaborone and surroundings, I have wanted to go to Botswana. Claire Monson and African Budget Safaris made it possible.

First of all: the service from the safari company. It was stellar. Claire answered all the zillion questions I had within the next day (9-hour time difference to California). Because of her quick and detailed responses, I selected this company and chose an 8-day, three locations safari.

As I arrived by air in Maun, a person was waiting for me with my name on a clip board. He quickly and easily took me to the small Cessna that was going to ferry me to my first destination: The Deception Valley lodge in the Kalahari Desert. “Desert” is a misnomer; it’s a semi-arid area with plenty of vegetation and watering holes. The lodge was spectacular and my little “house” was perfectly appointed. The chef was amazing! I had a private guide, Knowledge, who was super accommodating and true to his name. He taught me a lot about the ecosystem, the vegetation, and the animals. Some great shots! One day, we even drove out to see the San (bushmen) demonstrate their hunting techniques and how to make fire. Awesome.

Every lodge and camp has an airstrip, and I was picked up right on time and flown over to the Okavango Delta. There the Delta Camp was another very eco-friendly place with open air cabins on stilts where you could look out over the water. The main building was where we met for meals (wonderful meals!) and drinks and conversation. My guide there was Leo, and he took me on private walking safaris, pointing out animals and again teaching me a lot. Since this was June, the water had begun to come down from Angola, and we got around by mokoro (dugout canoe). That is to say, Leo poled the mokoro and I just sat and enjoyed the quiet, the birds, the elephants, and the hippos. Elephants all over!

The third stop was a “tented camp” in Savute National Park. Tented camps are total glamping, with a lovely bed, separate bathroom, and enclosed outdoor hot shower. Luxury! I had two guides here with a Toyota Land Cruiser safari vehicle, and we were lucky to see a pack of wild dogs, two prides of lions, jackals, and a leopard. Loads and loads of close ups with my favorite, the giraffes. Then back to the airstrip.

Since safaris are primarily for tourists, I wanted to spend a few days in Maun after the exhilarating animal spotting, and I rented an Airbnb cottage privately. The host picked me up at the airport and drove me to his place. He recommended two things: visiting a place where they rescue elephant babies who have lost their mothers called Elephant Havens and a horseback safari at a private game reserve. Both were fantastic. We also went out to dinner and of course I needed to do some gift shopping. I really loved being able to meet and chat with locals.

All in all, it was an amazing two weeks. Yes, it’s a long, long way from California, but all the planes arrived and left on time, so I was well taken care of. I recommend this once-in-a-lifetime safari for everyone!

My sister and I wanted to book a safari for my parents for a milestone birthday. Obviously there are many choices out there but after reviewing several packages that African Budget Safaris had to offer, I reached out to them via email with questions about one particular trip. Claire responded very quickly. Over the next several weeks, I had a number of correspondences with Claire which was meant to increase my confidence in booking such a big trip with her company, as well as finalize the details. One particular detail I wanted was some additional days added to the beginning of the trip in order to extend it a bit longer to allow for any recovery from jet lag. Claire gave me several options which were a variety of high end and standard options. She also suggested some activities to do at each location. I think it was because I selected a very high end place for these additional days that she went back to revisit my initial trip selection and gave me some additional upgrade options that she thought I'd also prefer. You might call this an upsell but I did not view it that way at all. These upgrades were not mentioned to me until it was clear about the type of accommodations I preferred. I viewed it as Claire partnering with me to design my perfect trip. In fact, we had so many correspondences between us, most of which included detailed itineraries with our new options and changes, that I doubt the additional time she spent was worth it for the company!

As for the trip itself, although I did not attend, my parents had a fabulous time. Apparently my mother cried every day with how wonderful everything was. They sent me pictures every day and I was even able to FaceTime them. Claire also arranged for my parents to get a birthday cake at each location! This was a surprise to me as well as to my parents. In fact, with all the correspondence regarding trip details, I had forgotten that I even told Claire the trip was for their birthday!

Towards the end of their trip, there was an issue with one of the return flights and Claire had to step in to get it resolved. I doubt my parents would have been able to fix it without alot of undue stress and hassle. I am so thankful for Claire and her company for making my parents trip the trip of a lifetime!

It was wonderful working with Claire as she assisted us all the way. She answered specific questions about logistics and also provided helpful suggestions. She booked our Kiboko tour from Windhoek to Victoria Falls. Everything, from the accommodations to the food to the guides far exceeded our expectations. Claire also helped us with extra days in Cape Town and Vic Falls, and arranged transfers. It was a thrilling 3 weeks!