One of the best experiences of my life, would happily recommend Bench, the trip was amazing and our tour operator Maria was perfect!

Bench is the only way to travel Africa!

From the beginning, right up to when we returned home, everything was perfect and the small personal touches were everywhere!

I asked a thousand questions & my consultant had a answer for everything! I got a very special pack for my documentation approx. 2 weeks before I departed on our tour. Bench put together a day by day personalised itinerary to take on the trip with me.

We were in Africa for about 10 days staying in the most spectacular properties. Our first stay was Camp Jabulani. This was beyond amazing! A great start to our trip! The personal touches & the food was something the lodge took great pride in. If you are going to South Africa, this property is a must!!
After this we traveled to Makutsi for three nights. This is a beautiful, family-feel lodge! There was no Wi-Fi or TV's in the rooms, which was my favorite part! We would wake up and there would be Impala's at our front door, it was amazing! The staff were incredible & extremely helpful! It is in the perfect location & would be amazing for groups or families!
After this we traveled to Thornybush Game Reserve and stayed at Shambulala & Thornybush Game Lodge. Both are spectacular!
Shambulala was my favorite during the trip. Their attention to detail, and again the personal touches were everywhere! We first walked in the door and they already knew our names & never forgot them during our stay. We had a host for the time we were there. She was incredible and made our stay all the more special. The food, again, was absolutely amazing! They made a simple pear salad into the nicest meal I have ever eaten! It is the greatest place to relax as their pool faces out to the Game Park, you can just watch the animals walk by you! I cannot speak highly enough of this lodge or the staff, it was incredible!
After this we headed out to Thornybush Game Lodge, this is another beautiful 5 star property in the reserve. We had a South African braai for dinner one night and it was beautiful! The staff couldn't be more helpful and the rooms were beautiful. When we first arrived, we were told there was a Leopard, that morning, sleeping on one of the decks! One thing you must know about South Africa is that you will forever be eating! All the food & fruit is just too good!
Our final stop was The Palace in Sun City. This was a fantastic end to a once in a lifetime trip! There is so much to do & see here! It is quite literally like a small city! There is the 'Gary Player' gold course, which is one of the best, a man-made beach, maze, zipline - The list goes on! Again, another must do experience while you are in South Africa! It is only a 2.5hr drive! Well worth it!

All in all, Bench is an incredible way to travel Africa! You can travel so many different ways to so many different places & do it however you would like! The reservation department were absolutely incredible, & honestly that was where the 5 star service began. They are the Africa experts!! They know every corner in Africa, so many of their experts have lived there.
I cannot put it into words how incredible the whole experience was with Bench! I urge everyone who travels anywhere in Africa to speak to Bench about their trip! It is sure to be amazing!

Had the best time in Tanzania and Kenya.
From first speaking with Maria about a year ago to getting home safe and sound and very happy with our experience.
The guides the accommodation the animals the people, everything was more than we expected.

Going to Africa for the first time can be a little daunting. Though Bench were so easy to deal with and happy to answer all of the silly little questions. We were always kept well informed throughout the whole process - the flights that would work out best for us, when to expect documents etc etc.
The whole trip came together magically.. We stayed in a great range of accommodation and loved how we were able to see what the different star ratings had to offer.
Camp Jabulani: such a great start to the trip! the food, rangers, accommodation, can not fault a thing! All staff were so welcoming and attentive, such an amazing experience.
Nungu Camp: Really good feel to the camp, loved how we were able to sit around the fire every night and socialise. Ruan and Tina were such an asset to the camp, the food they cooked was amazing! The accommodation was very basic, rondavels were roomy and beds were comfortable though lots of insects around. Showers had good pressure, though once again lots of insects.
Makutsi Safari Springs: The rondavels were very comfortable and lots of space. Love how they were able to do our washing at such a good price. Great areas for socialising and viewing. Food was perfect! Loved how they cooked traditional South African food. Most staff were friendly.
Shumbalala: Amazing!! Such a personal experience. Love how the décor had a ‘safari’ feel to it. Love how they can prepare an amazing meal at the drop of a hat. Dinner experience was so special and one to never forget.
Game Lodge: Rooms were just gorgeous, the best décor yet. It had a massive balcony and a great bath with a view. Food was incredible and the staff were very accommodation.
The Palace Sun City: Huge variety of things to do here to keep the family entertained, also lots for those who want to get away from it all and have couple time. Love the man-made beach, adults only pool area, children’s pools, spa’s and wide variety of activities. Lots of choices of restaurants. Rooms had lots of space, very clean and comfortable and had amazing beds!
Bench made the experience what it was, Lara was the perfect host and I felt like I was travelling with a friend! This makes a trip go from amazing to absolutely perfect!!

The booking process with Maria at Bench was seamless and her expertise and knowledge is impressive. We have been to Africa 3 times and still Maria manages to exceed our expectations with recommending amazing properties that suit our travel style and budget. We'll be booking again with Bench for our next African adventure...hopefully soon. Thanks for a truly memorable experience!

Very happy with the service and knowledge of Julie who helped me organise a family trip for 14 members of our family. Organising for so many, ranging in age from 7 to 66 was no easy task.
A wonderful time was had by all and the organisation was first class.
Would definitely use Bench Africa again.