Our travel agent Nicki was very helpful in planning our trip from the US to Tanzania & Kenya. She worked closely with us to develop a package that met our needs. She was very responsive and addressed all our questions. read more

Destination Southern Africa 400 N. Toole Ave., Suite 280 Tucson, AZ 85701 October 22, 2016 Attention: Terry Von Guioleaume, Jo Ann Elam, Kristina Kowalczewski, Sherry Larson Ref: Sept. 15-Sept. 28, 2016 trip The trip was an expensive mess, thanks to Sherry Larson's non full disclosure. Here is the good, bad, and ugly. Cape Town: Southern Sun was lovely hotel. City tour was waste of time, money. Cable car wasn't running because of wind. Tour guide, Geno, and assistant did not know what to do with us. They suggested we get out at Beach area and walk for half hour. They would pick us up later. We declined. Instead, they just drove around. We would have done better on a Hylton Ross big bus tour. We saw their big buses at the Southern Sun. When I asked Kristina about the bus, she replied, "We don't do that." Maybe you should. Langa township tour: four passengers. Driver harangued us for 3 and a half hours about apartheid as though we were personally responsible. He even pulled over to side of highway, turned off engine and ranted about the governmental abuse. We stopped at church and had to stay for half hour through service, boring. It's not my religion. Cape Point tour: Excellent. Vicky, our driver, 12 passengers, was a true professional. She gave us a memorable trip. Ivory Tree game Lodge: Cabin was beautiful, maid service excellent. Three day stay is too long. Visitors stayed overnight or two days at most. The pool is lovely. Otherwise, excluding game drives, there is nothing to do. Game drives: A farce. One elephant, three wildebeest, five Impala, three lions after dark. We had to use binoculars to see animals. Guide shined floodlight on lions as they walked farther out of view. That was all we saw during 3 full game drives. Page 10 of the printouts said nature walks. Reception said those were at Sun City. Sun City was not "minutes away", but a 45 minute drive. Reception offered no assistance to go there. Call it a resort, but not a game lodge. Food was mediocre. We don't like buffets. The chocolate cream birthday cake you ordered was exceptional. It was as though it did not come from same kitchen. We shared it with our favorite staff members. Ann Van Dyke Cheetah Reserve: We saw cheetahs through double wire fences. Touch experience was putting our hands on cheetah's back for 30 seconds, while staff took photos. Unrewarding waste of a day. Peermont Mondior Hotel: A fortress. Small, cramped room. We were unimpressed. We were exhausted after the endless drive with the driver who wouldn't shut up. Yes, we paid for his lunch and tipped him. Royal Livingstone, Livingstone, Zambia: I told both Sherry and Kristina that we were not snobs. We just wanted clean, functional, safe lodging. This is not a five star hotel. The grounds and pool were beautiful. With the exception of Kennedy our gracious butler, the staff was arrogant. Other American guests remarked about the attitude of the staff. They acted as though they were doing us a favor to respond. They were very slow. Ten minutes in dining room to get a spoon for milkshake. On departure day, maid wanted to clean room at 9 A.M. Check out is 11 A.M. We were packing at 9 A.M. Barman cheated Francine. He charged $3.00 for $1.50, 6oz. ginger ale. She returned to room, checked listed prices. Returned to reception, told desk clerk. Clerk called barman over, asked him what he charged. He admitted it. He asked Francine if she wanted $1.00 back. She said yes. He pulled same crisp dollar from his pocket which Francine had given him. Food was expensive and mediocre. $16.50 for a hamburger. As other guests noted, everybody had their hand out for doing nothing. African Queen Zambezi River Cruise: As my daughter called it, the booze cruise. The captain took boat out 10 minutes into river, then shut off engine. Boat drifted for an hour and a half. Boat stayed in pretty much same position because we remained opposite the same 3 hippos which we saw and heard from the hotel. Last 20 minutes, Captain started engines to return to dock. It wasn't a cruise. It was a drinker's event. We don't drink. The elephant safari was a joy. We each had separate elephants as you requested for us, Kristina. Victoria Falls tour: Tour guide was fine. We flew 7000 miles, 34 hours travel to see Victoria Falls, not Victoria Rocks. There was no WATER falling. Guide told us that because of Dam, waterfalls March to July. Sherry Larson knew this. Sherry Larson lacks common ethics. She did not tell us there was no WATER over the falls in Sept. Or that we needed to go to Zimbabwe to see waterfalling, which required a visa. How do we get that in Zambia? We were functional illiterates there. She was too greedy to say, " I want to sell you a trip, but wait until March to July to visit Victoria Falls. Make other plans for your Sept. birthday. When we first called and spoke to Sherry about our wishes for plain hotels, etc. that was the time to tell us her agency was not for us. read more

Dear Travel Agents and Travelers to Africa, I recommend read the resume and ask the work experience of a professional Africa specialist before hiring them to organized your African vacation. Be involved with the process of planning your Africa vacation. Ask prices for all parts of your vacation include all types of transportation. Know what is included with the hotels, lodges, and camps. Be aware of airport location, flight time, and airport hotels. I made a mistake hiring Kristina Kowalczewski, South African Airways Vacations and Destination Southern Africa, Inc. to plan my African vacation. I arranged my airfares departing from Orange County Airport, California January 4th, 2019 and returned to Los Angeles Airport, California February 6, 2019 with American Airline mileage for a five week vacation to Kenya, Uganda, Zanzibar, and South Africa. Kristina Kowalczewski, professional Africa specialist for South African Airways Vacation and Destination Southern Africa Inc. coordinated my vacation hotels, flights, and transportation. Since I have traveled to Africa several times, I told Kristina the hotels, camps, and lodges that I wanted to stay during my vacation. I also enjoy exploring new areas and hotels. Kristina highly recommeded the lodge, The Sanctuary at Ol Lentile, Laikipia and one hotel in Entebbe, Lake Victoria Serena Resort. Kristina had me fly to an airport that was a three hours drive away from the lodge, Sanctuary at Ol Lentile. There is an airport one hour away and an airstrip at the lodge. I hired a bush plane to come to the airstrip to avoid the three hours drive back to the airport for my next flight. At the Santuary Lodge my house was in the middle of a mountain. I had to be assisted to climb flights of rock stairs to the library, pool, art gallery, and jeep. I ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner by myself in my house. My safari drives were also by myself. One morning, I demanded to be taken on a safari drive. The game viewing was minimum. I had an intestinal infection from the food that I ate at the Sancturary. Kristina highly recommended this lodge. It was not the type of Kenyan lodge and tourist atmosphere that I expected. I should have stayed home. Kristina made poor choices of flight routes to my destinations. She routed my flights: Kenya, Zanzibar, Uganda, and South Africa. The cost and time efficient route should have been Kenya, Uganda, Zanzibar, and South Africa. I paid for an extra first class ticket on Kenya Airways from Zanzibar to Nairobi. Kristina Suggested buy an extra seat for my luggage to Zanzibar. An extra suitcase would be a lot less money and possibly nothing. It would depend on the ticket agent. Kristina recommended for a late in the afternoon arrival the Lake Victoria Serena Resort in Entebbe. The resort is a 40 minute drive from the airport. The next morning, I had to be at the airport 7:00am for my next flight. There is a nice Marriott Hotel at the airport. According to Mr. von Guilleaum , president and CEO of Southern African Airways Vacation and Destination Southern Africa Inc. Kristina wanted to give me a five-star hotel experience. That decision should have been presented to me during the planning. Mr. von Guilleaum stated that Kristina has excellent communication skills. She never discussed the types of room at the hotels, camps, and lodges, flight routes, and transportation. I was not notified with a three nights stay at the Sanctuary, the fourth night is free. I went to see the gorillas in Uganda. There was no discussion about trekking to see the high mountain gorillas in Uganda or the low mountain gorillas in Rwanda. According to Mr. von Guilleaum, the mistakes were made by the hotels. Flight choices were because of booked hotels. Kristina should discuss other hotels choices. The hotels were only two-third full during my stay at them. There are more mistakes made by Kristina. Mr. von Guilleaum paid me for the charter flight that was a better option for my transfer from the Sanctuary at Ol Lentille back to the airport and a credit refund for previous booking. When I inquired about the credit, Kristina told me that there was no record of my credit. At DSA Vacations, cutomer satisfaction is something that we take very seriously and would never compromise under any circumstances was written by general manager Joanne Elam. I WAS EXTREMELY ANGRY, UNHAPPY, AND STRESSED RETURNING HOME FROM MY FIVE WEEK AFRICAN VACATION COORDINATED BY PROFESSIONAL AFRICA SPECIALST, KRISTINA KOWALCZEWSKI, SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS VACATION AND DESTINATION SOURTHERN AFRICA INC. read more