Africa Endeavours - Chicago, Illinois

Isabelle G.

Our family has just returned from the most wonderful trip to Africa, organised by Shannon of Africa Endeavours. In the nearly three week long trip we went to South Africa on safari, followed by a beach holiday in Mozambique.

Working with Shannon before our travels was easy and enjoyable. Shannon is a great communicator, responding promptly to our messages, setting up video calls and making sure we were on top of everything needed for the trip. After finding out what we were looking for, Shannon gave us some options to choose from, which ensured we went on a trip tailored to our liking.

Our holiday was like a well-oiled machine: all transfers were well organised, all accommodations were beautiful and welcoming, and all activities were perfectly planned and executed. We had nothing to worry about, we were in great hands.

It was clear to us throughout our trip that Africa Endeavours has some excellent connections who they can rely on to make their clients’ travels as seamless and friendly as possible.

Our South African safari was just perfect. The lodgings was a small private game reserve. The land it was on was huge! But the safari camp only had 24 guests at a time, and we were in our own private camp which was only for our family of six. With it being so small, it offered a very personalized experience with staff who took care of our every need.

Our game drive guide and tracker were very experienced and made our outings so much fun. They were not only good trackers but also very safety conscious. We saw the big five several times, as well as so many other animals. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the animals and also the bush in general. The experience was thrilling!

Our week in Mozambique was pure bliss! The resort we stayed at was again very small which meant a personalized touch to our stay. Shannon was not wrong when she said that the beaches in Mozambique are stunning. They truly are.

We stayed in a tented ‘suite’ which was a first for us. It was like glamping. The lodging was so comfortable and unique, it is a special memory we will treasure forever. Each suite had their own, small pool with a view over the Indian Ocean. We enjoyed spending time on our deck.
We also loved swimming in the ocean at the resort. The water was so warm, we joked that it was like being in a warm bath, and on some days it even felt like a hot tub.

The resort offered some delicious and healthy food, as well as a daily massage in your room or at a hut overlooking the beach.

They also offered various outings, including visiting nearby islands, where we snorkeled and saw the many colourful fish they have in that area. We also saw dolphins, but missed out on seeing whales due to it being the wrong season for whalespotting.
We also went on a sunset boat ride in one of the traditional fisher boats, with drinks and snacks provided by the resort. It was a very charming outing.
We visited the nearby town which we enjoyed a lot as it allowed us to learn a little about the local culture.

All in all, our experience was very positive and we are grateful to Shannon and Africa Endeavours for organising such a marvelous trip for us. The many happy memories of our African travel will stay with us forever. Thank you!

Toni M.

This is the second trip that Corinne (and team) planned for our family. Our Australia trip in 2018 was so phenomenal that Corinne was the first person I contacted when we decided we wanted to travel to Africa. The team at Africa Endeavours took the time to learn what our family likes (and doesn’t like) and created a tailored travel experience that we will never forget! We had just the right number of days on safari, which bookended experiences in Victoria Falls and Capetown. The team on the ground in Africa was easy to communicate with and tremendously helpful. We would not hesitate to book again with Africa Endeavours/Australia Endeavours! Corinne and Doug- next up is probably New Zealand and Fiji!!!

Felicia C.

I cannot say enough great things about Africa Endeavours and specifically, Shannon Bradley! I usually like to make my own plans and had never used a travel agency before, however, knowing very little about this "bucket list" destination, I knew that we would need assistance. Shannon helped us plan a trip to South Africa for four adults. It turned out to be one of the best trips I have ever taken!

Shannon has been to Africa several times and I relied on her completely to make suggestions based on our group's "must see or do" list and to provide options to help us stay within our budget. She was very responsive and quick to make changes as we made final decisions. Before we left, we had a beautiful itinerary that laid out every detail, from flights and transfers to hotels and tours.

Due to Shannon's planning, once we got to South Africa, everything went very smoothly. We didn't have to wonder where to go or what to do. Our itinerary had instructions and we were met in every location by an Africa Endeavours (or local affiliate) representative who guided us through everything, including several border crossings. Every hotel or lodge was lovely and had an accommodating staff, every transport vehicle was clean and well-appointed (with snacks and drinks!) every tour we took was perfectly planned and on-time, every guide was knowledgeable, fun and considerate.

For example, on the day we were scheduled to see penguins from canoes, we encountered an issue with wind that would make the complete tour impossible. The canoe company's guide quickly made a different arrangement so we could still canoe safely and watch the sea lions while our transport guide was able to call her office and make an alternative penguin viewing arrangement, without us having to ask and at no additional cost to us. Excellent customer service! We were so pleased!

We took a helicopter tour over Victoria Falls. We were able to swim in Devil's Pool. We spent a half-day in the Winelands where the offerings were wonderful! We went on a food tour in Cape Town that we still talk about to this day. The guide took us to places that we would not have experienced otherwise (including a street vendor with the BEST samosas and pastries) and provided interesting information about each stop. Our safari days were absolutely amazing! Due to our fantastic guide and tracker, we saw all of the Big 5 AND their babies! It required some off-roading but that made it all the more fun. That said, what we really appreciated was that our guide and tracker truly respected the animals and although they wanted us to have the best experience possible, if they thought our tour was disrupting or distressing the animals at all, we moved on quickly or didn't stop at all and made a different plan.

Our Africa trip is one of the few trips I've taken where we were able to do everything that we set out to do and in such a seamless manner. It is all due to the expertise of Shannon and Africa Endeavours. I truly feel that because of their advance scouting efforts and the great relationships they have with the local affiliates, who are outstanding as well, this is the best company we could have chosen to plan our trip. I would highly recommend them to anyone!

Samantha S.

My husband and I originally had planned our South African honeymoon with Africa Endeavors in 2019 for September 2020... well, we finally went in October 2022 and it was magical! Africa Endeavors - Laura in particular - was so wonderful throughout the three year process of planning, rescheduling and executing! It was so seamless to change our dates, not once but twice. Laura took all our wishes and turned them into a wonderful 10 day trip across South Africa - Cape Town, Hermanus and the Makalali Private Game Reserve near Kruger. I cannot say enough great things about how wonderful this company treated us - quick to respond, flexibility with scheduling and prices, great recommendations and truly sustainable tourism. Our favorite part was the local tour company that they partnered with in South Africa - the guides were so open to discuss their experience and the history/culture of the country. It was a fascinating and unique experience that truly shaped our trip. Thank you Laura for making our honeymoon planning (and replanning) so pain free, and thank you for planning the experience of a lifetime. We will 100% recommend all our friends to use Africa Endeavors for their safari needs, and we will definitely be back to plan future trips with Laura.

Chad H.

Vanessa planned an amazing multi-generational trip for our family. From hiking Table Mountain in Cape Town, to an amazing stay at Tintswalow Safari Lodge, to a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River above Victoria Falls everything was absolutely top notch. Every detail was handled expertly and every change or request we made prior to leaving was quickly and easily taken care of. Vanessa also planned a fantastic trip to Australia for our family and will be planning our future adventures as well. I can't recommend Vanessa and Africa Endeavours enough. They will truly give you the trip of a lifetime!

Donald L.

We had been planning the trip of a life time to Africa for years, but then covid hit, and we had to reschedule for a year later. However, African Endeavors took care of everything. We finally took our trip, and it was excellent. They took care of all the details big and small. Even with all the complications of covid and covid testing, everything went smooth. We usually plan our vacations our self, but with this complicated itinerary, we could have never done this with out them. Every detail was carefully planned out for us. We would highly recommend them!

Steven C.

Thank you Corinne and Katie for helping us experience an amazing South Africa vacation. As in our past trip with you, your ability to tailor a trip around our interests and input made for an adventure that we'll talk about for years to come. Even more impressive was your commitment and responsiveness to helping us navigate several delays and rescheduling during Covid restrictions. Of particular note, Savanna Lodge at Sabi Sands and Grootbos in the Overberg were amazing!

Alap P.

We have only had amazing experiences working with Shannon at Africa Endeavors. She helped us plan an amazing safari, including activities that we never would have identified if we tried to book the experience on our own.

More recently, Shannon also helped us plan a dream vacation to the Maldives. We cannot overstate how amazing our experiences have been, and how much better they were because of Africa Endeavors.

Shannon really gets to know you and your style to tailor the perfect experience that exceeds your expectations. We have worked with Shannon on multiple large trips, and we have no hesitation to continue to work with her and Africa Endeavors going forward.