Why Cedarberg Africa

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The Cedarberg Way – why we love what we do!

No, it’s not a long-distance footpath, but a way of working which is uniquely ours. The way we dream, get inspired and build your perfect trip together.

We are dedicated, impartial and passionate. We craft unforgettable journeys for couples, families and people looking for that once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Cedarberg clients range from time-pressured honeymooners to first-time safari visitors. From parents keen to make sure that all the family’s needs are met. To safari veterans keen to try somewhere ‘different’.

You bring your ideas, thoughts and dreams. We add our expertise, a generous dash of enthusiasm, insightful questioning and a twist of inspiration. Together we curate the perfect safari for you. We love Africa and it is our passion and pleasure to invite you to come and explore, experience and enjoy it YOUR way.

“I never know of a morning in Africa when I woke up that I was not happy”

Ernest Hemingway
 

Attentive Listening

We are active, attentive listeners. We take time to get to know you, making sure that we get to the heart of your adventure. We design your trip to suit your dreams and offer other ideas you may not even know you wanted.

We make it out mission to unearth what you really want from your holiday, not to dictate. Yes, we bring our expertise into the conversation and we love to talk about Africa. But we never forget that it’s all about YOU and what you want. We focus on getting to know what makes you tick and what you want from your safari. That’s why we ask you more questions than most others.

“Really communicative and just very on the ball. From the planning and payment, all the way through to arriving back home. The transfers, hotels, everything was spot on. Couldn’t have been happier with how our honeymoon went.”

Clark Hoy

Three decades of experience

We know what we’re talking about! Our team travel to each of our destinations, reviewing our favourite lodges and checking out new options and unique experiences. We know what works and what doesn’t.

We recommend only tried and tested lodges, hotels and experiences.

 

Honest, candid advice

We aim to be hassle-free, transparent & flexible. Our approach takes the stress out of safari planning. You can be as involved as you want to be.

We listen, we don’t push any agenda. We are here to be a sounding board for your ideas. But we are not afraid to tell you when your plans are too ambitious. (4 countries in 10 days anyone?) Or when the hotel which looked so nice on the website is not so great in real life


 
 

Sustainable, Impactful Travel

We all enjoy a fun holiday. But we also want to know that we are not negatively impacting the areas we visit. Luckily, tourism to Africa has a positive impact on local communities: from providing employment and creating micro-industries to more impactful positive support to schools, clinics and infrastructure.

 

“Cedarberg website is great with lots of tips. I thought the booking information and itinerary were outstanding and all the pre-holiday information made us feel really looked after.”

Lottie Murphy
 

Save you time and money

Let’s face it. These are commodities that none of us has enough of. Who wants to waste precious hours navigating apparently endless possibilities, getting more confused than when you started?

We know which hotels and lodges are worth splurging on. And simple ways where you can save.

Whether it’s your first or your fifteenth Africa trip, our role is to ensure your peace of mind and provide you with the best options. Our expertise means you save both time and money by working with seasoned safari experts.

 

“Cedarberg was professional, responsive, and personable. All flights, all transfers, all accommodation, all activities, and the safari itself went exactly to plan. The experience, end-to-end, exceeded all expectations.”

Michael Barnard
 

Interactive Inspiring Itineraries

We use some of the latest travel tech tools to make planning your trip a breeze. Take a look at one of our sample itineraries here.

All important details can be found on your personal itinerary such as maps, flights and transfers to make for a hassle-free, easy holiday. Once you’ve booked,  Digital Travel Wallet which has all the information needed for your trip including pre-travel info, directions if applicable, area descriptions and suggested things to do in any free time.

 

“The service that Cedarberg provided for us was outstanding. The itinerary that they put together worked seamlessly, all the pick-ups were as they had stated and whenever we had a query about any aspect of the trip they came back to us quickly and provided all the information that we needed. I cannot recommend them highly enough.”

Kevin Wilson
 

Financial Security Guaranteed

You get the full financial protection and 24/7 support which you forfeit if you book in a piecemeal fashion.

UK Version

Your financial security is guaranteed through Financial Bonding with the CAA ATOL scheme. See our Financial Protection page for more info

SA Version

Your financial security is guaranteed through our Financial Bonding with SATSA. Your financial outlay is covered, and your holiday protected. We also guarantee no currency surcharges.

 

Team of 14 – Large Enough to Count, Small Enough to Care

Founders, Ginny Russell and Kate Bergh, are fortunate to draw on the expertise of a team of talented and enthusiastic safari planners. Between us we have hundreds of years in safari travel bringing a deep knowledge of the destinations we offer.

We are based in South Africa so we know what’s happening on the ground – the latest news, best new eateries, lodges and unique adventures.

We are here to support you 24/7 with an Emergency Contact Number and Duty Manager on hand at all times.

But you’ll always have a dedicated person who looks after your booking from start to finish.

“Milandi puts together excellent bespoke itineraries, is proactive and provides excellent customer service. She quickly organised a Johannesburg airport hotel and alternative onward flights when our BA flight from Heathrow was cancelled last minute for which we are very grateful.”

Mrs J
 

So what’s next ?

Let’s pour a cup of coffee and you can tell us about your dream trip. We’ll ask plenty of questions and now the fun really starts. As we curate your perfect trip together.

The only story we’re interested in is yours. So share away


Dedicated, impartial & informed personal safari planners

You bring your ideas, thoughts and dreams. We add our expertise, a healthy dash of enthusiasm, some insightful questioning and a twist of inspiration. Together we tailor the perfect safari for you.

Our consultants are not paid on commission and so offer you their impartial opinions. We have no interest in pushing you to use a particular lodge or hotel. Check out our Meet the Team page.

“Really communicative and just very on the ball. From the planning and payment, all the way through to arriving back home. The transfers, hotels, everything was spot on. Couldn’t have been happier with how our honeymoon went.”

Clark Hoy

 

Inspiring, interactive tailormade itineraries

The process starts with our tailor-made itineraries and interactive digital itineraries. Click here for an example. These allow you to see the route, check out the hotels in detail and decide on unique excursions.

Once you’ve booked, we provide comprehensive pre-departure documents with directions and routes, suggested things to do, and tour descriptions.

 
 
Exceeded our expectations
“We absolutely loved EVERYTHING and our trip absolutely exceeded our expectations. Thank you so much for your help in planning our trip and organizing it as well as you did. “ – Mrs Elena G, UK
All your arrangements/transfers worked like clockwork
“We have had the most fantastic holiday and that all your arrangements / transfers etc worked like clockwork. The accommodation and food was excellent everywhere we stayed. It has left us hungry for …” – Laughton Family, UK
Competitively Priced
“Cedarberg were helpful, easy to deal with, competitively priced. “ – Mrs Jane Perrins, UK
You delivered us a near perfect experience
“We had a wonderful trip largely thanks Cedarberg Travel. THANK YOU!! Thank you again Mari. We had a trip packed with fun, laughter, wildlife and bucket showers, all at a relaxed pace which made us …” – Mr Dennis Lee
Enjoyed the charm of the accommodation
“I want thank Mari for helping us create a vacation tour that worked for my husband son and myself. We got to see everything we would like to see that worked within our budget. “ – Mrs Janouska, USA
 

Excellent Pricing

You bring your ideas, thoughts and dreams. We add our expertise, a healthy dash of enthusiasm, some insightful

We also have to deliver this expertise at the right price point. Luckily, though we are an independent African specialist, we are also part of the largest buying group in Southern Africa, TravelSmart Crew.

What does this mean for you? Well it’s simple really – good prices! We have negotiated the best buying rates with all the safari lodges, hotel groups and independent hotels.

This means that we can compete on price with the online booking portals. See our interesting article comparing our prices with a well-known online booking site.

“Cedarberg were helpful, easy to deal with, and competitively priced. It’s extremely likely that I will recommend you to others.”

 

Team of 12 – large enough to count, small enough to care

Founders Ginny Russell and Kate Bergh are fortunate to draw on the expertise of two teams of talented and enthusiastic safari planners in South Africa and the UK. Between us we have hundreds of years in safari travel bringing a deep knowledge of the destinations we offer.

In our open plan offices, it’s easy to share our knowledge from recent research trips. But you will always have a single person who looks after your booking from start to finish (except where leave or research trips preclude this).

Check out the unusual Story behind Cedarberg Africa 


“Cedarberg was professional, responsive, and personable. All flights, all transfers, all accommodation, all activities, and the safari itself went exactly to plan. The experience, end-to-end, exceeded all expectations.”

Hassle-free, transparent & flexible

Our approach takes the stress out of safari planning. You can be as involved as you want to be. We are here to be a sounding board for your ideas, but we are not afraid to tell you when your plans are too ambitious (4 countries in 10 days anyone?), or when the hotel which looked so nice on the website is not so smart in real life


As tailormade specialists, we offer flexibility so that you can refine your trip until it suits you perfectly.

“The service that Cedarberg provided for us was outstanding. The itinerary that they put together worked seamlessly, all the pick ups were as they had stated and whenever we had a query about any aspect of the trip they came back to us quickly and provided all the information that we needed. I cannot recommend them highly enough.”

Kevin Wilson

 

Characterful hand-picked accommodation

In a world of anonymous hotel rooms which could be anywhere, we have identified those smaller hotels and game lodges which exhibit friendly exuberant service and local style. Many are owner-managed. You don’t give up any creature comforts but you do forgo the uniform impersonality of the ever-present resort hotel.

“Very helpful discussions beforehand to give us lots of options. The personalised website was really good. The pre-holiday booklet was really useful as well.”

Rachel O’Connell

On the  Ground Support

We have our own offices in South Africa so we know what’s happening on the ground – the latest news, the best new eateries, lodges or unique adventures.

Naturally, we have emergency back-up either from our own staff in South Africa or from our local ground handling agents in East Africa.

Generally all our trips run very smoothly but sometimes even the best laid plans go awry – whether because of Icelandic ash clouds, unexpected illness or other unforeseen events. It’s how we deal with those situations which sets us apart.

We are here to support you 24/7 with an emergency contact number and Duty Manager on hand at all times. With our on-the-ground knowledge, we can get your safari back on track with the least inconvenience and stress.

“Cedarberg were helpful, easy to deal with, and competitively priced. It’s extremely likely that I will recommend you to others.”

Mrs J

 

Financial security guaranteed

Your financial security is guaranteed through financial bonding with the CAA ATOL Scheme and with ABTA

Next Up : Meet the Team

See our Financial Protection page for more info. We are also to be found on SafariBookings.com