Mahlatini Luxury Travel
Mahlatini Luxury Travel
Mahlatini Luxury Travel
5
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Full view
About
A B Corp™ certified and award-winning luxury African & Indian Ocean travel specialist with offices in the UK and South Africa. Named Europe's Leading Sustainable Tour Operator at the World Travel Awards 2022 and 2023. Won Tripadvisor's Travellers' Choice Award 2021 - 2024 and Feefo's Platinum Trusted Service Award 2017 - 2024.
Cape Town Central, South Africa
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2024
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Mahlatini Luxury Travel
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
271 reviews
Excellent
270
Very good
0
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
1
James
1 contribution
Jan 2021
Over the past several months during the COVID pandemic, my fiancé and I have been working with Nicki Malherbe Wray to organize our dream honeymoon – an African safari and beach getaway.
Nicki was extremely diligent, thoughtful, and responsive as we explained what we were looking for (safari and beach) and eventually came up with our perfect Tanzania itinerary that fit our budget.
For 2 months, Nicki promptly replied to dozens of our emails, spoke with us via phone, and adjusted our itinerary no less than 5 times due to changing COVID travel restrictions, availability, and our preferences to ensure that we finalized our perfect trip. She answered all our questions about hotels, safari activities, transportation, and fees that made the whole process very easy. Importantly, she worked with properties to secure adequate refund protection in the event we are unable to take our honeymoon in June 2021 due to COVID.
In a challenging time for international travel, Nicki and Mahlatini did an amazing job securing our perfect honeymoon with sufficient travel protections in a low stress process. We can’t thank Nicki enough and are looking forward to our trip in a few months!
Nicki was extremely diligent, thoughtful, and responsive as we explained what we were looking for (safari and beach) and eventually came up with our perfect Tanzania itinerary that fit our budget.
For 2 months, Nicki promptly replied to dozens of our emails, spoke with us via phone, and adjusted our itinerary no less than 5 times due to changing COVID travel restrictions, availability, and our preferences to ensure that we finalized our perfect trip. She answered all our questions about hotels, safari activities, transportation, and fees that made the whole process very easy. Importantly, she worked with properties to secure adequate refund protection in the event we are unable to take our honeymoon in June 2021 due to COVID.
In a challenging time for international travel, Nicki and Mahlatini did an amazing job securing our perfect honeymoon with sufficient travel protections in a low stress process. We can’t thank Nicki enough and are looking forward to our trip in a few months!
Written 14 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks so much for your glowing review! It’s been a delight working with you both and I can’t wait to see your exquisite photos after the trip!
All the best,
Nicki
Written 21 January 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
BirdNerdMaine
Saco, ME125 contributions
Mar 2020
Words can hardly express how amazing our trip was, and how smooth Nikki of Mahlatini Travel made the entire process from initial planning to trip end. We worked closely with Nikki to determine our schedule, interests, and budget and she took it from there and went out of her way to work in some "special" requests. Nikki paid attention to details and responded quickly to any questions we had. The experience she arranged exceeded our expectations. Transfers were on time and went smoothly, all accommodations, food, and staff were 5 stars, and we couldn't have asked for better safari guides and wildlife sightings. In particular, our guide Godson Birdiy (yes, his real name) from Legendary Expeditions, was amazing - a walking encyclopedia of natural history and wildlife. If you're looking for a trip of a lifetime to Africa, we highly recommend you reach out to Nikki and Mahlatini Travel.
Written 1 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for this amazing review. It was so incredible to work with you both and plan this trip of a lifetime. I hope just the beginning of your love affair with Africa, and I cannot wait to work with you on the next trip.
Best wishes,
Nikki
Written 27 April 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Stephanie W
Memphis, Tennessee1 contribution
May 2020
From the moment we started working with him, Steve Meinhold was amazing. We were two families with teenagers and young adults planning a trip to Africa and came to him with a bucket list of things we wanted to incorporate into our trip. After asking us questions about the type of experiences we were looking to include in our trip, Steve worked to come up with an itinerary that included everything on our wish list including city, safari and beach elements within our itinerary. Steve was attentive to each detail and patient with us as we worked through our options to finalize our itinerary. Due to COVID we had to postpone our trip but we look forward to working with Steve in the future when we are able to re-book our trip.
Written 7 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It has been an absolute pleasure assisting and working with you thus far!
Thank you kindly for the wonderful comments.
I am still extremely positive that we can make future travel a reality. As always, my pleasure and I look forward to working with you in the future.
Kindest, Steve
Written 8 July 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
mlblm
10 contributions
Oct 2020 • Couples
I found Mahlatini on a google search, to be completely honest. After searching for confirmation it was not a fake website (since I am from America and had not heard of them), I started the planning with Mahlatini. Our first contact was Stuart. He is definitely the best travel expect I have even been in contact with, ever. He was always available by email/phone and gives sincere advice 100% of the time. Stuart and I have been in contact for over two years now. It would’ve been about one year, but we have been in touch for longer due to the pandemic and two rescheduling, which happened seamlessly. When we reached the Maldives, we had people waiting for us and calling us by name. From the transfer by boat to Ozen, to our trip by sea plane to Hurawalhi, we felt special and knew someone had spent a lot of time on the behind the scenes planning. Everything was super well explained, we received vouchers, and detailed itinerary, surpassing our expectations. I could not recommend Mahlatini and Stuart any higher. We will 100% be using them again, and without any hesitation I recommend them highly.
Written 22 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It was a pleasure working with you for such a special occasion Murilo. Twice, with the postponements.
So pleased you were able to go and enjoy it so much.
Kind Regards,
Stuart
Written 29 October 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
RobsTayfs
Brisbane55 contributions
Jul 2022
We have booked with Mahlatini 6 times spanning South Africa, Kenya, Egypt and now Zimbabwe. Claire and the team at Mahlatini have extensive knowledge about safari locations and camps across Southern Africa and are always a pleasure to deal with. We loved our first visit to Zimbabwe. We stayed in 6 different accommodations and our itinerary had us visiting Victoria falls, Hwange national park, Mana Pools national park and Lake Kariba, over 2 weeks. We mostly stayed at camps managed by African Bush Camps and very much recommend these camps to others. Each camp offers it’s own amazing experience but what was common across all of them was the wonderful staff and exceptional service. We had fantastic game viewing including witnessing a lion kill and seeing elephant close up at Hwange, sitting with wild dog and cruising the Zambezi river with crocs and hippos in a canoe at Mana pools, and seeing the exceptional sunsets over the vast lake Kariba from the top of the hill at Bumi Hills. Despite some flight changes by airlines, Mahlatini was able to flex our bookings to account for the changes and everything went to plan during our trip. We had some exceptional game sightings and met some wonderful staff at the African Bush Camps locations. Thanks again for yet another amazing safari experience with Mahlatini.
Written 31 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for the comprehensive and delightful feedback! It sounds like you had some incredible sightings. I am so glad you had such an amazing time and we cannot wait to send you on your next adventure whenever you are ready!
Kindest regards Claire & the Mahlatini team
Written 1 August 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Leah L
Seattle, WA110 contributions
Aug 2021 • Friends
We absolutely loved the 17 night Tanzania safari and beach vacation that we booked with Mahlatini. The lodges were all fantastic and well located and our guide with Predators Safari Club always made us feel safe, cared-for and welcome. The experience of being on safari with so few other travelers was a once in a lifetime experience.
Donna was super and I would book with her again tomorrow! I gave a budget and a timeframe and Donna came back with a trip that was perfect for us. I really liked Mahlatini’s personalized travel site containing our specific travel details; it made it so easy to research the trip and share it with friends and family. The communication before, during and after the trip was superb and there was a lot of it- planning a 17 night safari with children during a global pandemic. Donna made us feel very assured of our plans while being very honest with any and all situations and potential concerns. When we wanted to leave Mara Mara Tented Lodge early, Donna was right there on the phone and e-mail, on a Saturday night, to help us. The revised itinerary she pulled together in a few hours worked so much better than the original itinerary for us and it got us out of the lodge that wasn’t working for us. I can’t wait to book another trip with Mahlatini!
Donna was super and I would book with her again tomorrow! I gave a budget and a timeframe and Donna came back with a trip that was perfect for us. I really liked Mahlatini’s personalized travel site containing our specific travel details; it made it so easy to research the trip and share it with friends and family. The communication before, during and after the trip was superb and there was a lot of it- planning a 17 night safari with children during a global pandemic. Donna made us feel very assured of our plans while being very honest with any and all situations and potential concerns. When we wanted to leave Mara Mara Tented Lodge early, Donna was right there on the phone and e-mail, on a Saturday night, to help us. The revised itinerary she pulled together in a few hours worked so much better than the original itinerary for us and it got us out of the lodge that wasn’t working for us. I can’t wait to book another trip with Mahlatini!
Written 29 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Leah,
It was entirely my pleasure and I’m thrilled that you and your lovely family got to experience the trip of a lifetime under such unique circumstances! Your photos and videos were amazing! I will be waiting to hear from you when you are ready to return to Africa and looking forward to planning more epic adventures together.
Kind regards,
Donna
Written 1 October 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Laura burdus
Leamington Spa, UK4 contributions
Sept 2020 • Family
Thank you Caroline for helping us book our holiday of a lifetime. From the first contact you made me feel at ease that I had an experienced and reliable person looking into our holiday options. You took the time to listen to our needs and wants and you put together a holiday that was perfect for our family. You did everything you could to get it as close to our budget as possible and thank you for being so patient as we had many questions. My dad and I felt that we were in safe hands and it’s been a fantastic booking experience.
I’m sure your boss knows that he/she is lucky to have you and that you are a strong advocate of Mahlatini that will definitely attract people to book their holidays through you. I’d definitely recommend you based on our experience so far and I look forward to enjoying this exciting holiday and writing an outstanding review once we’ve been.
Thanks again and speak to you in a year when we get the flights booked.
Laura
I’m sure your boss knows that he/she is lucky to have you and that you are a strong advocate of Mahlatini that will definitely attract people to book their holidays through you. I’d definitely recommend you based on our experience so far and I look forward to enjoying this exciting holiday and writing an outstanding review once we’ve been.
Thanks again and speak to you in a year when we get the flights booked.
Laura
Written 7 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Laura
Thank you so much for the review, it is hugely appreciated. We can’t wait for you to experience this holiday of a lifetime!
Warm Regards
Caroline
Written 16 September 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Patrick
Campbell, CA4 contributions
Mar 2020
Overall, this trip exceeded our expectations and has enabled us to create some of the greatest memories of our lives! We hiked, explored, swam with Great Whites, took a helicopter tour, saw the big 5, and met some incredible people from around the world!
Perhaps the best part of traveling with Mahlatini was the way people treated you. We felt like rock stars from the minute we arrived in South Africa until we touched back down in SFO. After seeing our photos, all of our friends want to plan a trip to South Africa!
Bjorn was outstanding! We really enjoyed working with Bjorn from start to finish. He did an excellent job understanding what we were looking for, putting together and walking us through an incredible itinerary, and being available even when we were on our trip to confirm details. We would work with Bjorn again and would happily recommend him to friends and family.
Perhaps the best part of traveling with Mahlatini was the way people treated you. We felt like rock stars from the minute we arrived in South Africa until we touched back down in SFO. After seeing our photos, all of our friends want to plan a trip to South Africa!
Bjorn was outstanding! We really enjoyed working with Bjorn from start to finish. He did an excellent job understanding what we were looking for, putting together and walking us through an incredible itinerary, and being available even when we were on our trip to confirm details. We would work with Bjorn again and would happily recommend him to friends and family.
Written 22 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi both,
Thank you so much for your lovely review and kind words – I am delighted to see that you had such a fantastic time, it really warms my heart.
This is what Africa is all about – beautiful scenery and amazing people, the perfect combination to have an unforgettable experience.
I hope to welcome you back to Africa (and your family and friends) very soon.
All my best and warm regards,
Bjorn
Written 31 March 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Taylor H
2 contributions
Jan 2022
Truly speechless. Since our return many people have asked what my favorite part of the trip was and my only response has been "every single second." I believe my husband and I just lived the best three weeks of our lives. In the moment, it was impossible to believe that we could be so lucky to be seeing all that we were seeing. The wildlife was stunning, the lodges were amazing and the kindness of each and every person we encountered was moving. On safari, the guides absolutely blew us out of the water with their knowledge and ridiculous eye sight. We woke up every morning thinking "what could we possibly see today that is different than yesterday," and sure enough they proved us wrong. Transfers were seamless and every person we encountered greeted us by name and knew where we needed to be and when. I have never before cried when leaving a vacation but this one did it to me.
Steve is the MVP!!! We are so grateful to have been connected with him for our honeymoon. He was a rock through the ups and downs of trying to plan a wedding and honeymoon during a pandemic. No matter when unexpected hurdle arose (cancelled flights, variant breakouts, emotional break downs haha!) Steve provided comfort and a voice of reason, assuring us everything was going to work out no matter what. He edited our itinerary many times to accommodate continuous, unexpected airline changes. He was always reachable and responsive, despite our 8 hour time difference. He even kept in touch during his vacation, as it fell just the week before our planned departure, and also made sure he had someone covering (claire, who was also great!) From the moment we stepped off the plane in Nairobi our trip was absolutely seamless thanks to Steve. We chatted with him throughout whenever we had questions. There were some additional last minute flight changes while we were in Zanzibar and thanks to Stave, we didn't even have to think about it because he took care of everything and just sent over confirmations when all was said and done. Its truly hard to put in words how perfect this trip was but what we can say is that it's all thanks to Steve.
10 out of 10 would recommend planning a trip through Mahlatini. The expertise and attentiveness is unmatched.
Steve is the MVP!!! We are so grateful to have been connected with him for our honeymoon. He was a rock through the ups and downs of trying to plan a wedding and honeymoon during a pandemic. No matter when unexpected hurdle arose (cancelled flights, variant breakouts, emotional break downs haha!) Steve provided comfort and a voice of reason, assuring us everything was going to work out no matter what. He edited our itinerary many times to accommodate continuous, unexpected airline changes. He was always reachable and responsive, despite our 8 hour time difference. He even kept in touch during his vacation, as it fell just the week before our planned departure, and also made sure he had someone covering (claire, who was also great!) From the moment we stepped off the plane in Nairobi our trip was absolutely seamless thanks to Steve. We chatted with him throughout whenever we had questions. There were some additional last minute flight changes while we were in Zanzibar and thanks to Stave, we didn't even have to think about it because he took care of everything and just sent over confirmations when all was said and done. Its truly hard to put in words how perfect this trip was but what we can say is that it's all thanks to Steve.
10 out of 10 would recommend planning a trip through Mahlatini. The expertise and attentiveness is unmatched.
Written 29 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Taylor & Pat,
Thank you so much for your glowing review!
Having read your review this morning brought a serious smile to my dial. I am absolutely thrilled you had a fantastic time and more. It was fun working with you and I would be delighted to assist if I was ever called upon again.
Steve
Written 2 February 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Vivian P
Huntington Beach, CA36 contributions
Jul 2022 • Couples
I don’t know how I found Mahlatini but I’m so grateful I did! They are trustworthy and experienced, and provided top-notch service from the time I inquired pricing and itinerary options, until we returned back home. They helped craft the dream honeymoon. We will be using them again for future vacations.
Written 1 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the wonderful review! We are so glad we could help you craft your dream honeymoon. We can’t wait to plan your next great adventure.
Kind regards,
Mahlatini
Written 2 August 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
No questions have been asked about this experience