We've just returned from two glorious weeks in Uganda and Rwanda. Simon Gluckman made our trip planning process fun and easy. We were looking forward to Gorilla trekking, and in "exploring" the region. Simon has significant expertise in Africa, and after carefully listening to our ideas, he came up with many wonderful suggestions.

We experienced a Chimp Habituation Trek in the Kibale Forest National Park, game viewing by boat... read more on the Kazinga Channel, traditional game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park, a Gorilla Trek and a Gorilla Habituation Trek in The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (Bwindi is absolutely beautiful!.. THE BEST!), and a Gorilla Trek in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Our experiences with the Gorilla families were all so different and so beautiful!!!... Plus a day and a half in Kigali to explore the area and visit the Genocide Memorial & Museum.

Add to that, our fantastic guide, the unique local villages, and the friendly people we met on the way. We've been to Africa in the past (Kenya and Tanzania), and have been on wonderful Safaris. This time, we developed a true appreciation for the local people who support and benefit from tourism. We stayed in 4 different lodges/camps. Each were very different and equally beautiful.

Joe, our guide for 12 days, was simply amazing. He spoke 5 different African languages, and fluent English. He was able to converse with ease, respect and genuine friendliness in every village. No matter where we were, we always felt welcomed. Every village was a new experience and the scenery as we drove throughout both countries was spectacular (fair warning: the roads in Uganda are not paved and are very rough)...

We travel quite a bit and have worked with many travel companies. We would never plan another trip to Africa without Simon... He and his team managed every detail from beginning to end, including the airlines, packing lists, visas, etc. His response time was immediate, and we always felt confidence in him and his team.

This was our very best adventure, yet! Our thanks to Simon and Intrepid! read less

I can’t begin to decide what made my 50th birthday trip, organized by Intrepid Expeditions, our best trip ever. Could it be the personal service? From the very beginning, Simon made sure he knew what we wanted and our expectations. He narrowed down each area we wanted to visit with three suggestions of lodging and let me research and pick. All spot on suggestions and we could not have been... read more happier with our choices.

Could it be our amazing stay in the Winelands? Four nights at a picturesque farm with one of the best restaurants in the area, Bablyonstoren was everything we hoped for. A great guide, who chose all the right stops for our wine tour and the most amazing day in Cape Town (including the highlight of my birthday, holding a penguin!).

Could it be the safari lodge that took our very high expectations and blew the top off of them? Sabi Sabi Little Bush was amazing. From the manager, to our ranger and tracker, to the service staff, every single person was immediately like family. The animal viewing was unbelievable even spotting 2 of the Big 5 on the way to the lodge from the airport! Four nights, all of the Big 5 plus cheetahs, hippos, giraffes and more , numerous amazing meals in a different location each night later, we were sad to leave but excited about our next stop.

Could it be relaxing at the most beautiful spot on the Zambezi River? Two nights in the tree house followed by two nights in the honeymoon house made for the cherry on the top of the most glorious trip ever. Hippos, champage bubble baths, sitting on the edge of Victoria Falls and meals with the most exceptional views in the world brought our journey to a happy end.

Could it be all of it rolled into one amazing company called Intrepid Expeditions? Yes – I believe that had we not had the experience, diligence and oversight of these wonderful people, our trip would not have been what it was and it was perfect. read less

Best. Vacation. Ever!

My family started planning a trip to Africa with Simon (Gluckman) and Jack (Kenner) last summer. Simon helped us tailor our trip such that we found the perfect balance between safety for my pre-teen kids while truly experiencing Africa’s incredible tapestry of nature and culture. There were numerous times along the way that I called Simon and questioned... read more itinerary, lodging, and more ... and he was always patient with me, tweaked a few things here and there, but ultimately reassured me that he knew Africa, knew safaris, and was confident it would exceed my expectations.

The flight over was filled with second guessing ... and then we landed in Jburg and we’re met by Simon’s contacts for assistance through immigration. OMG! Talk about the rock star treatment. We were escorted to the front of some line ... whisked through ... our luggage was collected and we were delivered right to the front desk of our transition hotel. Every day, every hotel, every guide ... it just got better and better with every day for two solid weeks.

Jack joined us for our second week and taught us nature photography for six days. We’d literally be bumping along in the safari vehicle and Jack would be telling us to setup for a certain F stop or shutter speed ... or would be asking the ranger to get us to a certain place to get the best light. Jack got extra trips scheduled, fixed meals, and turned my family into fairly capable nature photographers. We took (literally) 9K photos, and much of what we got in the second half of our time with Jack is simply stunning. I’ve already converted our best 30 photos into a coffee table book.

We were absolutely thrilled with our Safari ranger, and on the last evening said ranger (JJ) mentioned Simon’s name. I asked him if he was talking about Simon Gluckman ... and he says “of course!” So I’m like, “how do you know Simon” ... and JJ replies, “He visited here and specifically asked for me to be your ranger.”

And THAT, folks, is why you need to give Simon a call if you ever considered a trip to Africa. He doesn’t recommend any hotel, destination, activity, or guide that he hasn’t personally vetted onsite.

My family is going back to Africa year after next. Jack will be with us. Simon will do all the logistics. And we’re taking the training wheels off! read less

I have been to three countries in Africa, and each one has been a thoroughly remarkable, life-changing experience. Simon, the owner of Intrepid Expeditions, is the quintessential travel agent for planning your trip to Africa. He generously gave his time listening to exactly what we were looking for on a safari, and each time was truly a “grand-slam” and perfection in every single way. We feel very fortunate to have... read more found Intrepid Expeditions, and can recommend their incredible expertise for designing your African adventure without reservation. We are already excited to see what extraordinary African destination Simon will plan for us next! read less

Our first trip to Africa in 2012 was flawless start to finish. Simon of Intrepid Expeditions had been referred to me by a friend whose honeymoon he'd arranged, and they were beyond pleased. What sets Simon apart from other travel agencies is his ability to REALLY listen to your personal preferences, and plan the perfect trip completely suited to you. We were totally blown away by the... read more lodges, the animal viewing, the ease of transportation, and every other detail that Simon had so meticulously planned out for us in South Africa and Botswana. We even witnessed the birth of a baby giraffe! When we decided to return to Africa last fall, contacting Simon again was a no-brainor. This time we wanted an "action packed" safari, that if possible included daily hiking, fishing, and canoeing. To say Simon came through again is an understatement! We spent 9 indescribable days in Zimbabwe on the Zambezi River, and what we experienced will be at the top of our memory "bank" forever. Once again, Simon put together the most perfect trip imaginable, and it was EXACTLY what we wanted...and so much more! Simon flawlessly has planned the perfect Africa experience for us twice, and we are already completely excited to have Simon work his magic for our next adventure to what is truly the most incredible, indescribable, amazing place on Earth! read less

"Simon, On behalf of my family, I want to thank you for everything you did for us in planning and organizing our trip to Africa. I can’t even begin to explain to you how perfect our trip was. We knew the trip would be great but the places that you found for us, the arrangements you made, and the companies you used were absolutely amazing. In addition to that, every... read more single place had special little things for Case and went above and beyond to make sure he had things that he needed and that he was included. In Cape Town, the 12 Apostles Hotel was beautiful. They were not full so they upgraded our rooms at no charge. Our tour guide was Suleiman Soeker and he was absolutely fantastic – would highly recommend him if you can request tour guides. We were able to go to Robben Island because of the level of waves in the water; but, he worked with us to find some other great things to do – including the #1 rated coffee shop in the world. I don’t drink coffee but my parents do but their hot chocolate was delicious! Also, they had a little kids size cup and they made Case some hot chocolate with a little bulldog face. It was the perfect start to the trip to be able to see a lot of things but also get used to the time change. Cape Town had a special feel to it and I’m glad that we were able to go. Sabi Sabi was our very favorite part of the trip. The lodge was indescribably beautiful. Everyone was extremely friendly. Our guide was Bethuel and our tracker was Zulu. They were absolutely phenomenal. And they were so great with Case. We would absolutely visit this place again if we ever went back. The food was great, the people were great, the experience was great (I mean – they had hot water bottles in the cars in the mornings and in the beds at night!!! WOW!). We saw so many animals and they tried to make sure we saw a wide range of places on the reserve. I just can’t even put into words how much we loved it! Livingstone was good because we enjoyed seeing Victoria Falls and going to the Village. One evening, my mom and I went over to the sister hotel of the Avani and they were a little friendlier than the hotel we were at. The Avani was beautiful but the staff were definitely the least friendly of any of the hotels we were at. Also, this hotel doesn’t have any sort of heat in the rooms and it was chilly enough at night that it needed some. We asked at the other hotel and they do have heat in their rooms. So, if we went back to this area, we’d probably rather stay at the other hotel. I think it was called The Royal Livingstone. But, the price point may be entirely different. I don’t know. But, the guides we had for Victoria Falls and the Village were great. Getting to the Serengeti was an experience . We enjoyed the Serengeti and we were glad that we were able to have two different safari experiences. Everyone was nice at the camp. We ended up being really glad that we scheduled the things to do in Nairobi because we had a fantastic time. The elephant orphanage was a great experience. We found out that our elephant had been moved to another location because he was getting older – so, if someone else does the same thing that we did – we would recommend making sure they adopt one of the youngest elephants. We’re not upset at all and Case understood why we couldn’t meet his elephant. But, just giving you a heads-up. We still enjoyed meeting all of the elephants that were there and learning about their stories. Carnivore was absolutely delicious and a great experience. We all really like it a lot. Just wanted to give you a quick summary. But, we just cannot thank you enough for this amazing experience. Several people have asked who we used and I gave them your contact information/website. If you have any other questions or want any other feedback, please don’t hesitate to ask. We’re happy to help/give feedback/recommend you to anyone! Thanks again!" read less

"We just experienced a 22-day totally private and customized African safari of a lifetime, and Intrepid Expeditions made it all possible! Amazing and perfect in every possible way. Their attention to detail, enthusiasm, knowledge, and experience are unparalleled! Perfection!"

"I just wanted to let you know that my safari was fabulous. It was everything I could have wanted and more. The accommodations were superb , the people at all lodges and camps were wonderful, and the game was plentiful. I had to be restrained from jumping out of the vehicle to pet the lion cubs (just kidding) Thanks for arranging all this for me. "