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Africa Calls is Magic

Africa Calls is “magic”. I have traveled to Botswana, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia with Africa Calls. Every trip was absolutely PERFECT!! Christina and Babette only recommend safari camps that they know personally. And they build a variety of experiences through the camps they select. I have experienced the silverback mountain gorillas in Rwanda, rode horseback with animal herds in Botswana and seen game riding an elephant on safari. We prefer small, intimate camps with great guides like Phil Berry in Zambia. All aspects of each of our trips including air, transfers, city hotels, bush transfers and of course the game camps have exceeded our expectations. We are ready to plan our next trip with Africa Calls.
Kay and Bill Jones
Jackson, WY

Trip of a Lifetime

We wanted to thank you so much for the outstanding job you did planning our trip to Botswana, South Africa and Zambia last fall. Your welcome letter included a promise that we would enjoy “the trip of a lifetime” and so we did! From the outset, we were impressed with your first-hand knowledge across the board. You advised us on distances, seasons and possible itineraries. You juggled timing to put us into all of the best camps, despite their very limited capacities. You managed bookings for all of the complexities of our inter-country flights and transfers (of which there were at least a dozen), and lined us up with outstanding guides at every location. Complexities notwithstanding, our trip ran like clockwork and managed to exceed our incredibly high expectations on all fronts.

We have been told that you can’t explain Africa to anyone who has not been there. Happily, we now understand. The incredible wildlife in its natural habitat; the truly warm and lovely people, the unbelievable accommodations somehow engineered into the middle of the wilderness, the vast beauty of the landscape – words simply do not do justice to the experience.

Suffice it to say we are anxiously looking forward to our NEXT African adventure, and look forward to working with you on planning it!
Bailey and Tina Schell
Kiawah Island, SC

Fourth Trip with Africa Calls

I have led four trips (of 18 people on each) to Southern Africa, using Africa Calls on each, and they were all amazing in every way. The two heads–Babette and Christina– an unbeatable mother/daughter team—are fantastic and make sure that every detail is covered. They, at all times, are efficient, organized and so lovely to work with. Nothing is too much trouble for them and they know what they are talking about as they themselves visit all the places they will recommend to you. Their contacts throughout South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana were charming and so knowledgeable. If you have specific requests, Babette and Christina will accommodate. I have sent several of my friends to Africa Calls and each one has raved about their particular trip. If you choose to go with them, I am confident you will rave also.
Nicky Chapin
New York, NY

Safari Experts

Babette and Christina Alfieri are two absolutely top-notch safari experts. They do a superb job of recommending an outstanding itinerary, patiently working out all the details to perfection. No one could possibly ask for more than that. And, best of all, you made it great fun to talk with you before, during and after our all-too-short adventure came to an end. We have had the good fortune to share thirteen African safaris and can gladly testify to the rewarding experiences gained by becoming clients and friends of the caring and capable professionals at Africa Calls, Three generations of our family share our feelings. All I can say is THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
Bob Shaw and Family,
Linwood, NJ

Filled with Gratitude

I would like to give my heartfelt thanks to Africa Calls for the extraordinary detail, care and creative travel executed by the Alfieri women. I was privileged to travel to South Africa with Babette, and then to East Africa with Christina. They prepared trips that were by far the greatest blessings of my life. I dream of one more, and one more after that. Every need was considered, and I came home filled with gratitude.
Virginia Kiser
Santa Monica, CA

Most Skillfully Planned Travel

If you have always had a hankering for the most skillfully planned travel to darkest Africa that will unfold to be one of the best experiences you have ever had, then sign on with Africa Calls. Babette and Christina Alfieri have lived in and are at home in the countries they steer you toward. They know from experience where, how and what to do at each location. If you wish to be part of a seemingly empty landscape that is so full of animals you can’t believe it, if you wish to be guided through high savannah grass that most likely hides the possibilities of photographic and heart stopping action, then go with Africa Calls. I have traveled with both Babette and Christina. I know the food in each camp is extraordinary, the guides, charming, learned and fun. I know all the accommodations vary with interest, but all have their particular beauty, all are comforting and luxurious. After dark, your nights become crossroads of leopard stealth, lion staccato, hippo graze, bush baby leaps, hyena chortle; mummers, mutters, rustles and yips are its orchestra while you lie warm and secure under blanket or soft river air with another display of other crossroads that glitter over head high up in the sky. What do you take away? An internalized indelible script that can’t be traded– your own engraved memories–an awareness of the new power of your own senses, a sharpening of vision. None of this can be traded and my unshakeable advice is to go and open yourself up to new horizons with Africa Calls!
Beth Henry
Santa Fe, NM

Attention to Detail

Africa Calls has expertly planned two safaris for us. They have been perfect in every way, but we have especially appreciated the attention to detail and the diversity of accommodations selected. Babette and Christina have always paid special attention to us an to our travel needs. Because they are so familiar with Africa and all that it has to offer, there is never any guess work. Everywhere we traveled, Africa Calls was known and respected.
Joan and Huntley Baldwin
Wilson, Wyoming

Flawless Vacation

I would not hesitate to recommend Africa Calls to anyone planning a trip to Africa. They have the experience and expertise to design a perfect itinerary to suite your interests and to follow through with the arrangements to make it happen flawlessly. Their intimate knowledge of the continent and their efforts to keep up with new destinations is unsurpassed. Bravo to Christina and Babette for the fine job that you have done for us, and thank you for arranging the best of our many trips to Africa. I am looking forward to the next one!
Chuck and Norma Scott
Santa Fe, New Mexico

Greatest Trip of our Lives!

Without a doubt, it was the greatest trip of our lives. An adventure that we will treasure forever. I cannot tell you how many times we looked at each other and said, “This is the best!” There were dozens/scores of these moments from the initial sighting of a baby elephant and immediately followed by the ear flapping and trumpeting mother, who wanted us to have nothing to do with her baby… all this, just 10 minutes after we arrived!… all of it was spectacular…one building on another to make the memories of these glorious days and nights stay alive for us for the rest of our lives.

Everyone was great to us and the land is glorious. The foliage, the vegetation, the river, the plains, the ravines. The animals were exciting to say the least and the birds astounding. One episode I want to share from here came on the return trip to Mfuwe when our driver spotted a lone male lion slowly walking through the savannah while herds of Impala and Wildebeests carefully watched his progress. We pulled off the “road” and drove down to meet the lion. He walked purposefully and slowly, directly passing the Impala and other creatures and after about 2-3 minutes passed about 3 feet from our vehicle not caring who was watching because he was indeed the king of the jungle. When he cleared the savannah and got passed the “road” that we had left, he began to roar. A sound that filled this entire valley letting everyone…know that ‘This is my land’. It was THRILLING.

The people here were wonderful and the food terrific. These are people that I greatly respect for their ability to live with the land, the creatures and understand them and respect them. There is a power in these men (and women) that we in the “civilized world” don’t have and frankly, to me… that is the real power of man…not running companies, having say over other people’s lives or making tons of money.

So, that is a “brief” summation of our trip. I started out to write a few paragraphs and give you “an appetizer” of what we had. Instead, an entire meal plus coffee and sweets that I laid out for you…hope it wasn’t too much. The planning, knowledge and experience was as they say in the ads “priceless” in making this the best trip of our lives.
With great thanks,
Ira & Sandy Zuckerman
Napa, California

Planning by True Professionals

We planned our trip to Africa with Africa Calls one year in advance. The detail that was discussed to plan this trip was amazing.  No request was too big and nothing was overlooked.  Christina made sure we were taken care of every step of the way.  The customized itinerary said it all – what to expect, what time we would be picked up, what we were to do that day.  It required very little thought on our part as everything went seamlessly.

We went to 6 camps and then ended in Cape Town, a fabulous 4 week trip.  There was so much coordinating required to carry this out as we took small planes and various forms of transportation to get from one place to another.  The accommodations in each location were amazing, all different.  This was well planned in that we saw different terrains, various camps of which no two were alike, superb service and many animals in their natural environment.  This takes planning by true professionals.  None of the camps were commercial, they were all natural and we were not in any areas that looked like “hotel row”. Each camp was specifically selected for it’s qualities, professionalism and service.  We highly recommend Africa Calls if you want a trip of a lifetime.

Harriet and Karl Schreiner
Santa Fe, New Mexico

The Africa Calls Experience

We recently celebrated my wife’s birthday on a trip arranged by Africa Calls. The trip was donated by Africa Calls to the Cancer Foundation for New Mexico. Africa Calls makes this donation every year. We were the luck bidders this year.

This was our first trip to Africa so we didn’t know what to expect. I think back when I asked Christina what do we do if the person who is supposed to meet us in Lusaka isn’t there? She answered not to worry he will be, and he was. As was every other person who was supposed to meet and greet us along the way. We stayed in 7 different places, in hotels and bush camps and were picked up and delivered on time every time to every connection.

The accommodations, people we met and the wildlife we saw made this trip a true experience of a lifetime. I really can’t heap enough praise on Christina Alfieri and Babette Alfieri for creating the whole Africa Calls experience.

Sam and Robin Rodar
Santa Fe, NM