Testimonials
Hear from previous customers
"I was fortunate to join Wayne and David when they hosted Kruger 2024 and have been raving about it to anyone and everyone since I got back.
Going on a safari was something I never thought I’d have the opportunity to do as a solo female traveller but this opportunity was too good to pass up and the experience exceeded all my expectations. It was very well organised with every aspect thought out and planned for. We saw all of the BIG 5 and more, were introduced to delicious South African Cuisine and left with amazing memories and new life long friendships.
This was the authentic Kruger experience with plenty of highlights and Amarula. However the best part of the safari was seeing both Wayne and David’s fierce passion for Kruger. That was not something that any tour operation could have provided us with. They love what they do, know the good sighting locations, kept us safe and are full of so much knowledge.
I am so grateful for the experience they’ve given me and can’t wait for my next safari adventure to Botswana with them."
Farhana, April 2024
"We spent nine nights in Kruger National Park hosted by GRW Safaris. Our hosts were game ranger Wayne and game ranger Dave. Going on a safari in Africa has always been on the bucket list for me (Steven) and finding a suitable host was part of the reluctance of going sooner.
We spent the entire trip staying inside Kruger National Park at the rest camps in Lower Sabi, Satara and Skukuza. It is extremely difficult to describe the experience in words as Kruger has to be experienced! However, the highlights of the trip were seeing the BIG 5!, wild dogs, hyena and not to mention lions every day of the trip! This is in addition to wide range of other animals we saw during our trip.
Our hosts Wayne and Dave were excellent. They were attentive and personable, catering to everyone's needs and were very knowledgeable with facts and information about the animals and the Kruger ecosystem. The experience was exactly what we signed up for - an authentic visit to Kruger National Park where we live, stay and play like the locals. This includes cooking using a braai and staying at the rest camps in Kruger itself (rather than staying in a lodge outside Kruger and doing visits into the National Park as a day trip which is common for overseas visitors).
We cannot recommend GRW Safaris enough and plan to book a trip to Botswana with game ranger Wayne and Dave soon!"
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Steven and Tanya April 2024
"Prior to our recent trip to Kruger with GRW, Wayne Hofer wrote to me. In his email he included a quote that I can now reflect on. "The only person I envy is the person who has not yet been to Africa, because he/she has so much to look forward to". A trip to Africa is a memory those who have been will inevitably be changed by. It is an experience that is hard to describe because watching and sensing animals in their natural surroundings is all about living in the moment. It's witnessing nature as it unfolds in all its uniqueness and incredible beauty. It's unpredictable, exciting and peaceful all at the same time.
What made our trip so special though was not only seeing the Big 5 and many other animals, but the care and attention provided for us by Wayne and David as our trusted guides. I have travelled to RSA previously but I did not experience the sights and care on that trip that I did with GRW. The thoughtful planning and passion for Kruger shown by Wayne and David was the best anyone could ask for. I am looking forward to my next trip and I'll definitely feel confident I can leave the planning in the hands of GRW. I know I'll experience everything Kruger has to offer and so much more."
Karen Pohio
Hamilton, New Zealand
"It’s the moments that take you out of your comfort zone that truly allow you to feel alive. Conveniently for you, Botswana provides a unique opportunity to leave your comfort zone on a fairly regular basis. The wife and I definitely experienced this in spades during our Safari tour with Wayne in August 2017.
After a longer than expected visit to the local shops in Maun, we set off for the Moremi Game Reserve, and the start of our long-anticipated Safari adventure. Along the road, before we even made it to the reserve gates, Wayne signaled for us all to stop, reverse up, and drive towards a clearing on the right side of the road. He had somehow managed to spot 3 Cheetah whilst driving at 50kms/hr! Wow! We had our first animal sighting, and we hadn’t even made it inside the park.
There were far too many epic moments on this trip to run through them all here. Our time in Botswana was absolutely magical. We saw four of Africa’s “Big Five” animals, with the Rhino all-but extinct in Botswana these days (a fact we also learned on our trip). We witnessed a mother Leopard playing with her cubs, and then deciding to head out for a hunt, taking the route within the 4ft between our 4x4 trucks. There were more Lions than you could count - even adorable Lion cubs crossing a river! We saw so many amazingly powerful Elephants - they often had a penchant for getting a little too close for comfort! There were African Wild Dogs, Hippos, Zebras, Giraffes, Monkeys, all kinds of crazy birds, and Impala for, well…. Africa :)
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I can’t speak highly enough of our Hosted Botswana Safari experience. Wayne planned everything out for us and it all went off without a hitch. During the Safari we had our fair share of hitches, however, e.g. 4x4s getting stuck in the Okavango Delta water channels or deep sand but that is often the making of an outstanding trip, and that is definitely Africa for you. You’ll know exactly what I mean when you get back from your self-drive Botswana Safari with Game Ranger Wayne!"
Phil, Hosted Botswana 2017
Flying into Skukuza gave me such a sense of anticipation and its fair to say I was not disappointed. Kruger absolutely blew my mind.
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Wayne planned the whole trip and I simply had to meet him at Johannesburg International Airport. After a short flight up to Skukuza, we were in the game reserve and it wasn't long before we came across Wild Dogs! Over the next 7 days we traversed two thirds of Kruger from Malelane Gate up to Letaba Rest Camp and most roads and Camp sites in between.
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On one memorable day we had four separate Leopard sightings, another Wild Dog sighting, 60-70 Hyenas from rival clans fighting over a Hippo carcass and, the best of all, Lion Cubs killing and devouring an Impala 2 meters off the road on a night drive from Lower Sabi Rest Camp. Wayne was the best safari host. He planned everything from itinerary to food and drinks and all I had to do was follow along and I was rewarded with some sightings I will never forget.
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We topped off our trip with a short stay in the Elephant Plains Lodge in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve - and saw even more Leopards. I highly recommend doing Hosted Kruger with Wayne and David.
Matt, Hosted Kruger March 2020
"I joined Wayne on the Hosted Botswana and Hosted Kruger Safaris in August and September of 2017.
I really loved the wildness of Botswana. Our first night in the Moremi Game Reserve we had two male Lions walking through our camp at about 3 am roaring. Needless to say I think the only people that got any more sleep that night was Wayne and Lara. I enjoyed setting up camp every night as dusk encroaches not know what animals are behind the shadows. In fact, one night we had a Spotted Hyena in camp trying to steal food off the "braai" whilst setting up camp. We had to scare it off a few times before it got the message. Another memorable experience was having sundowners watching Elephants cross the mighty Chobe River less than 100m from our camp. Botswana was amazing and I cannot wait to get back there as a host of GRW Safaris.
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Kruger was a lot less wild than Botswana. The Rest Camps all have fences around them so although you may see animals you have a sense of protection. The accommodation is basic but more than adequate given you spend most of the days either in the park or next to the pool. It was my first ever time in Kruger and managed to see the Big Five on day 1 including mating Leopards. The game viewing in Kruger is unbelievable.
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I preferred Botswana for the overall experience of being in the wild and the challenging 4x4 driving but if you prefer to play it a little safer I would recommend Hosted Kruger."