A Leading Kruger Park Safari Specialist
Shinzelle Safaris
- Office In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2014)
- Tour Types:
- Customizable private tours and fixed group tours
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $7,936 to $20,408 per person per day (MXN, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
PT
Email João Mota | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience! Thank you Brandon and Dani
Me and my family had a great safari experience, we had the opportunity to see all the big 5 until 12pm! Guide Brandon is the best guide, knows everything about the wildlife and you can see that he is very passionate about his job. He tells every single detail about every animal! Truly amazing! And Dani, an amazing chef!! I told her i needed to have a special diet and she studied every ingredient to make the best and different meals for me. Also she wont let you be hungry, so many food to eat during the day! Fruits, juice, sandwiches, protein bars, everything!
I can truly recommend you Shinzelle Safaris, A lovely couple who is very passionate about wildfile and his costumers!
Thank you Guide Brandon and Chef Dani!
BR
Email Rafael Alberto | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great people!
We did the 3 days safari, it was wonderful. They are so welcoming and good people. The safari was great, Brandon kpet the tour always with enthusiastic we had such a good experience, we loved it. Danielle has excellent cooking skills.
DE
Email Marlene & Jacob | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unique experience in Kruger National Park with Shinzelle Safaris
We are very happy about our choice and had an amazing experience with Shinzelle, Brandon and Danielle.
First of all:
A Safari is an expensive thing to do and there is a lots companies you have to choose between. Some will treat you as a mass tourist, traveling around in big groups, and others will make it a quite personal and therefore unique experience. We couldn't imagine a more personal experience than the two gave us - so if you are looking for that, you found it.
Safari and tours:
Brandon is a skilled, passionate and experienced guide for over 10 years now. He was as excited as we were watching the animals - except impalas, they are just everywhere :D.
we were two days out in kurger national park with him and it was just awesome.
brandon gave us tons of information about the flora and fauna and the landscape of the park. as you are out in nature, of course, there is no guaranty for animal spottings and good weather. we got really lucky and saw all of the big five and many other fascinating animals as well. but whatever might happen, brandon surely will make the best out of it :).
we also decided to do the panorama tour on day 2, which is as well recommendable and allows you to relax a bit, just ask them about it :).
accommodation and food:
accommodation will depend on availability. we stayed in a beautiful spacy hut on the brink of a creek build on stilts. you will be accompanied by the sound of birds and amphibia - therefore you will never lose touch with nature, which we enjoyed.
the food was amazing! or as they say in SA "lekker"! Danielle is a professional chef and everything she prepared for us was delicious. for the two of us it was way too much to eat so you most certainly won't have to be afraid to stay hungry. also, we were very happy to hear, that the leftovers will be given to charity!
All in all we fell in love with the place and this lovely couple and their efforts. we couldn't have chosen better and would totally recommend this tour with "Shinzelle Safaris" (which means honey badger in Englisch :).)
CN
Email Sarah | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Beyond the value
It was excellent game safari with Shinzelle safaris. My friends and I did enjoy every moment of the journey. Brandon and Danielle works very very hard to make our holiday comfortable and pleasant. We felt the couple love this job and have all enthusiasm to make their guests happy. Well done!
Reply from Shinzelle Safaris
Posted on Nov 1, 2016Dear Sarah,
thank you for this lovely Review, it was our pleasure hosting you and enjoyed your company as well :)
If you ever need anything in the future we would be only too happy to help. Wishing you Jie and Xu all the best.
Warm Regards
Danielle & Brandon
DE
Email Sabine | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Shinzelle Safaris is very individual. They are very heartful and friendly.
Brendan made unforgettable tours in Kruger National Parc with us. He was so friendly and knows vry much about Fauna and Flora. He showed us special places and w had lots of fun. It was a wonderful time. Danielle cooked for us the best meals and always was so agile and heartful and made all wishes come true. They both are high ambitioned to make their guests the best days they can have. If we could make another tour to Kruger Park we would always choose Shinzelle Safaris. We recommend them to everybody!
Reply from Shinzelle Safaris
Posted on Oct 24, 2016Dear Sabine,
thank you for this lovely Review, it was our pleasure hosting you and enjoyed your company as well :)
If you ever need anything in the future we would be only too happy to help. Wishing you and Michael all the best.
Warm Regards
Danielle & Brandon
ES
Email Juan Molina | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Tour guide Excellent. Administrative client attention very poor.
Jeffrey did an amazing job with full day Kruger Park, 5 stars. However client attention is not as it should be, they didn’t send any follow up messages for confirmation, I had to do the follow up even 9pm the day before the tour started.
Furthermore, Blyde River Canyon tour is super overrated, it should not cost more than full day at Kruger (€100 per person) since its only a drive to the places and payments of very cheap entrance fees.
We did couple of tours with other company, and client attention eclipsed this one, sorry guys, for that 4 stars maximum
Email Graciela | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Strong Safari Guides, Very Disappointing Hotel Experience
Our experience with Shinzelle Safaris started very strong. We booked a 4-Day Kruger, Canyon & Boat Tour through them at what was described as a “Luxury Safari Hotel.” The itinerary was beautifully designed and was the main reason we chose this operator over others. Unfortunately, parts of the experience did not consistently meet the expectations we had.
Several communications were sent shortly before activities and contained multiple typographical errors, which made us feel uncertain about details. As this was my first safari, I would have appreciated clearer and more detailed communication in advance. Our package included dinner with a limit of R395 per person, but this detail was not clearly explained to us in advance, and we only became aware of certain limitations during the trip. Drinks, including water, were not included, which we discovered when we received the bill. Clearer communication about meal inclusions and limits from Shinzelle would have helped set expectations and avoided confusion. When we raised concerns about our hotel issues during the trip, Shinzelle did respond and assisted, which we appreciated at the time.
Most of our disappointment related to our stay at the Radisson Safari Hotel. In our experience, the property did not match what we personally consider a “luxury” standard. We were placed in a small ground-floor room at the back of the property. The accommodation photos shown in the itinerary did not reflect the type of room we received at all (nor were room categories ever mentioned or upgrades offered). The room itself would not have been an issue for us had it been clean and had we not experienced the other problems.
The floors in our room were so dirty that our clean socks turned black shortly after walking around the room. We had to raise this concern four separate times before it was properly addressed. We also noticed what appeared to be mold or dirt (gross looking either way) in and around the shower area, which we also pointed out to them, and despite requesting extra towels more than once, we did not receive them during our stay. Additionally, after using the pool, there was dark residue on my skin after touching the pool edges, which made me concerned about the pool’s cleanliness. Overall, we felt there were major management and service consistency issues at the hotel during our stay.
We had dinner at the hotel restaurants each evening and felt that there was major room for improvement on the service side. On one occasion, we asked for dessert multiple times before receiving it, and twice we were served incorrect items. The food quality varied from meal to meal. We did find the Pegasus restaurant to be better than the main restaurant. Again, nothing to drink was included in the bill and had to be paid for separately.
While many of the issues occurred at the hotel itself, our contract and booking were with Shinzelle Safaris. We raised our concerns during and after the stay and requested a partial refund specifically for the hotel portion due to the cleanliness and service issues described above. I followed up multiple times by message. After initial responses, communication stopped and we did not receive further replies regarding our request. From our perspective, the matter was not resolved and we did not feel our concerns were meaningfully addressed.
On a more positive note, the safaris themselves were excellent. Our first evening game drive was phenomenal. Our guide, Shane from MyAfrica, was outstanding. He actively tracked animals, positioned the vehicle carefully, and made a clear effort to give us the best possible sightings. We were fortunate to see four of the Big Five, including a leopard at close range.
Our full-day Kruger Safari with Jeffery from Shinzelle was also wonderful. He was knowledgeable and shared valuable insight about the park and wildlife. We also joined a half-day Panorama Route tour. In our personal opinion, this portion involved a lot of driving, and for us the highlight was Blyde River Canyon Reserve. We probably would not do this day if we were to book again. Our final morning private reserve safari with Tasmin again from MyAfrica, who did an overall excellent job, was another excellent experience, where we saw four of the Big Five, including an entire pride of lions.
In summary, the safari guides and game drives were the highlight of our trip and truly memorable. If we had not experienced the hotel issues, it would have been an otherwise great trip. However, the accommodation problems, communication issues, and our feeling that our concerns were not acknowledged or properly followed up on left us disappointed with our overall experience. We understand these things happen, but it is in my opinion, they should have done more to better address the situation. Afterall their website states: "We pride ourselves on our dedication to guest experience and service excellence. Your comfort, safety, and enjoyment are our top priorities, and we go above and beyond to make your journey seamless and unforgettable."
Reply from Shinzelle Safaris
Posted on May 11, 2026Thank you for taking the time to share this, Graciela. We are sorry your stay did not reflect the experience we work hard to deliver. The concerns you raised about the Radisson Safari Hotel, including cleanliness, room standard, and service consistency, were heard and taken seriously. Following persistent feedback that the property was not meeting the standard our guests deserve, and after the hotel failed to address the issues to our satisfaction, we discontinued this package entirely. It is no longer offered. We are glad the safari drives and your guides left a positive impression. That part of the experience is what Shinzelle Safaris is built on, and we will not compromise on the parts that surround it.
Email Ash | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Issac was amazing!
We had the absolute pleasure on a safari with Shinzelle Safaris, and it truly exceeded all our expectations! The wildlife sightings were nothing short of incredible — we had up-close encounters with elephants, lions, and even rhinos!
Isaac was knowledgeable, passionate, and really made the experience come to life with their insights about the animals and the environment. Every day brought something new and exciting, and I couldn’t have asked for a better safari adventure.
If you’re looking for a truly memorable safari experience with an exceptional team, I highly recommend Shinzelle Safaris. They go above and beyond to ensure you have an adventure of a lifetime!
Email Thomas Bricknell | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a lifetime
Shinzelle Safaris gave us the best first safari experience we could have hoped for. From start to finish, the service was exceptionally well-organized and made the entire trip feel effortless and relaxing. We were made to feel like royalty, with every detail thoughtfully arranged to make us feel truly special — particularly as we were celebrating a very special birthday. The experience was definitely worth every penny and offered exceptional value for money. We stayed at the luxury lodge, which I can’t recommend highly enough. The staff were outstanding, and the food was truly 10/10.
While in Kruger, we were lucky enough to see every animal we could have hoped for — it was like the wildlife came out just for us. The experience exceeded all expectations and that was down to Shinzelle and everyone involved.
Our personal game driver, Godfrey, was a standout — he truly made the trip unforgettable with his expertise, enthusiasm, and genuine care. Couldn't sing his praises enough!
IT
Email Silvia P. | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing choice
Danielle gave us a personalized quote for our family, everything was perfect, from choosing the resort to the airport shuttle, the communication was constant. Our guide Isaac was fun and he gave us a lot of information and told us many curiosities. I recommend this agency to everyone.