Testimonials

What Our Clients Say

While the impeccable luxury of our safari experiences speak for themselves, nothing conveys the expertise & quality of Rothschild Safaris as powerfully as the words of our clients.

Herb Lesnoy & Loly Farnós

We recently returned from a three-week trip to Africa that was planned for us by Rothschild Safaris. The trip truly was amazing and magical! It covered five countries; Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Botswana. In our initial conversations with Rothschild, we provided the parameters for the trip; the specific month, number of days, countries and activities desired. With that guidance, our Rothschild travel designer prepared a proposal. 

Every aspect of the itinerary was perfect; from the accommodations, to the activities and, critically, the logistics! Every transfer from one location to another was seamless, including the hand-offs for the four Cessna flights we took. There was a meet and greet at every airport and a Rothschild representative to usher us through every customs and passport control point. 

All the highlights of the trip are too numerous to enumerate. However, here is a sampling: sitting with 14 members of a gorilla family in Rwanda; seeing a wildebeest river crossing in the Serengeti; taking a hot-air balloon ride over the Serengeti; watching two secretary birds in a courtship ritual; seeing a leopard and her two cubs just feet away from our safari vehicle; the spectacular location of our camp on the Mara River in Kenya with hippos and other wildlife in clear view; seeing a cheetah on the prowl for prey; the incredible experience of feeding and petting adult elephants at a rescue center near Victoria Falls; watching a lioness stalk a juvenile zebra; the view of the iconic Mount Kilimanjaro from our camp near Amboseli National Park; seeing pink and white flamingoes in Amboseli; watching lion cubs eating prey killed by its mother.

Hats off to Rothschild Safaris! You enabled a dream trip of a lifetime to be just that! We definitely will use Rothschild Safaris for future trips and highly recommend them to others.

Gero Heine

I went to India to hopefully see and photograph tigers in 2010 and 2011. I combined both of those trips with cultural excursions to the Taj Mahal, Varanasi and Rajasthan. Because I do photography as a profession, I require certain permits, as well as my own drivers and guides. I returned to India to visit the Himalaya Mountains of Ladakh in 2023 and earlier this year. The emphasis was on locating snow leopards, but when in this culturally rich location, there is some of that as well.

Leora Rothschild and her company has always emphasized attention to detail. Rothschild Safaris’ India specialist walked me through a customized itinerary based on my needs and wishes. We worked out exactly where I ought to stay and for how long. Their firsthand knowledge of India and contacts on the ground were spot on in furnishing the perfect trips for me. From the airport pick ups to the transfer hotels to the lodging in the final locations it all worked out just as planned. It was easy working with Rothschild Safaris’ main office to organise my journey. Likewise, booking my flights with the consolidator was a piece of cake. The India visa process can be a little complicated, but Rothschild staff walked me through it step by step.

My on-location guides have not just made it possible for me to be in the right places at the right time, but they were also very accommodating to my change of plans or suggestions while on location. I have remained friends with my guides long after the trips have ended. Needless to say, I did get my tiger and snow leopard sightings.  I look forward to booking another India adventure with Rothschild Safaris in the not too distant future.

All Images: Gero Heine Photography

Reed Spangler

There are a number of safari outfitters to choose from and we are so glad we chose Rothschild Safaris. We relied entirely on our Travel Designer and she put together the trip of a lifetime covering four locations across Kenya and Tanzania. We received great treatment from the land and transportation teams, and the guides assigned to us made the journey very special. All guides (I think there were eight) were very personable, knowledgeable and so enthusiastic every day.

There were too many memories to include here, but in addition to close-up viewing of lions and cheetahs, we got to see two Mara River crossings during the great wildebeest migration.

Having such success on that trip, we soon asked our Travel Designer to plan another one for us, this time to Machu Picchu, followed by five days in the Galápagos Islands. This was another fantastic journey that was well-planned, plus in Peru we had the best guide we have ever encountered.

Needless to say, we highly commend Rothschild Safaris. We have our sights set on a different safari and have already been in touch with our Travel Designer for her input.

Lauren Willis

We went on safari in August of 2022 with Rothschild Safaris and had a trip of a lifetime!

We got to see Arusha National Park, Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Northern Serengeti. We saw the Big 5 of animals and so many more! We also saw a wonderful and large crossing of the great migration at the Mara River.

Everywhere we stayed was amazing and the people and guides couldn’t not have been more wonderful and accommodating. This whole experience was a bucket list experience for sure and Rothschild did a great job making it that way!

Lynne Bolduc

Could not have been better! The team at Rothschild Safaris curated exclusive, personalized accommodations and experiences for us, not just once, but twice.

We felt like celebrities without the celebrity price tag. [The service] exceeded all expectations and our safaris to Zambia and Uganda surpassed my wildest dreams.

Thank you, Leora Rothschild and team. We’ll be back!

Bonnie Marcus

We have traveled with Rothschild Safaris three times. Our adventures have included Kenya and Tanzania, Zambia and India.

From our initial phone call to discuss who we are as far as our travel requests and experiences, to having in-depth conversations about specific regions and goals, Rothschild far exceeded our expectations. They heard and understood who we are and specifically what we were hoping to experience.

We have traveled extensively and have used other companies for different regions. We have found that Rothschild knows how to plan each detail to meet our needs and not cookie-stamped itineraries that other companies put together in an itinerary.

Telephone calls are easily arranged as the trip approaches. Right before our departure there is always a phone call to again review all of the specific details. Upon our return, a phone call to discuss our experience.

Without hesitation we Highly Recommend Rothschild Safaris for a unique and memorable travel adventure. We love who they are and have booked a fourth trip with them! You will not be disappointed.

Cynthia Harper

We had a fabulous trip to Patagonia. The Rothschild staff made all the arrangements. Their itinerary and hotel recommendations were perfect. The transfers were seamless and stress free. I would definitely do another trip with Rothschild Safaris.

Neil Osheroff & Cheryl Guyer

Rothschild Safaris is outstanding in every respect. My wife and I just completed our third bespoke African safari trip with them (Kenya), and we have two additional trips to South Africa planned with them for 2022.

Trip after trip, Rothschild Safaris manages to exceed the lofty expectations that they have already established. Their safari planner’s advice as to when and where to go, where to stay, and what to do are always spot on. Bookings are superlative, and the safari camps are amazing with fantastic accommodations, attentive staff, wonderful food, and incredible guides. Once you are in Rothschild’s capable hands, the planning is enjoyable, informative, and impeccable and once you leave on your journey, everything runs like clockwork from the time that you land at your destination until the time that you fly home.

We had to reschedule some of our recent trips due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rothschild’s staff members were very understanding and worked with us to make sure that everything was rebooked to our satisfaction and with no penalties. They walked us through all the travel requirements related to COVID-19 to ensure that everything ran smoothly.

The Rothschild staff is highly professional, amazingly competent, and always warm and welcoming. They are so excited every time that they book a “trip of our dreams” for us, and they check in with us during and after the trip to make sure that there are no problems and that everything went well. Rothschild Safaris is a top-flight, one-stop shop for all things “safari.”

I cannot imagine traveling with any other safari outfitter and I consider them to be the top safari outfitter in the world with no exception.

Ron Shulman

Nothing but kudos for Rothschilds. We first connected with them for three safaris in South Africa and Zambia, all of which were wonderful.

We then learned that they offered itineraries in New Zealand and Australia, so when Covid subsided, we connected with them for three+ weeks in New Zealand. We could not have been more pleased. First rate, not inexpensive but absolutely worth it. 

Doug Andonian

If you’re looking for a seamless, quality safari experience to anyplace in Africa, allow the team at Rothschild Safaris to arrange your travel. I’ve used their professional services for twenty five years and have not experienced one second of stress on any of my many visits to southern and eastern Africa.

In my opinion, they are the gold standard of the industry.

Mike Lloyd

We have used Rothschild Safaris for many years and every time, the job they have done for us has been exceptional. We have recommended them to many different people and they have all stated that the job Rothschild Safaris did for them was outstanding.

In all of our travels, we have not found a better travel company to do business with. They are #1.

Mary Jane Sesto

I have been travelling with Rothschild Safaris since the very beginning and continue to travel with them always. They are the best in the business, from start to finish and everything in between.

With the help of Leora and her team they have put together my trips to South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya and Namibia for the past twenty five years. All the staff in every country has been a pleasure to be around, they take such good care of their clients and treat us like family.

I highly recommend Rothschild Safaris and will always use their services.
The sights, the sounds, the people, the smells, the landscapes, the animals, the birds… I can’t wait to get back to the African bush.

Thank you so much for taking such good care of me over all these years.

Larry Mondello

I interviewed a number of companies for our African safari and was so happy with our decision to use Rothschild Safaris.

Everything was perfect from the moment we landed in Nairobi to the minute we left two weeks later. They had every detail handled to perfection. Accommodations were exactly what we wanted, the schedule was perfect and the experience was a memory of a lifetime.

We will use them again for our next adventure and highly recommend their services. They will not disappoint!

Ann Cromie

Whether traveling to Australia or Africa, Leora and her team leave nothing to chance.

Our bespoke experiences included diving in the Barrier Reef on our own yacht, trekking to see gorillas in Rwanda and game viewing in Kenya. The Rothschilds team is knowledgeable, professional and extremely diligent. And for their effort and hard work came the most memorable family experiences.

Unsurpassed is the single word that comes to mind when I think of Rothschild Safaris.

Geri Spieler

We have used Rothschild Safaris for three trips.

We researched this company when we wanted to plan our first trip and spoke to three other companies. Leora, the owner, called me on the phone instead of emailing me and asked how she could help us plan “our” trip, not some canned trip she just plugged in. 

It went seamlessly and of course, we contacted her for our second trip and had the same excellent experience. She takes very good care of her clients every step of the way. So, again, we used her for this last trip to see the gorillas in Rwanda and then a safari in Tanzania.

The next time we travel, if Rothschild includes it in their lineup, there is no question we will use her again. There is no detail too small in their planning and they design the trip to you, your budget and your style.

Neil Osheroff & Cheryl Guyer

Thank you Rothschild Safaris for our fantastic recent trip to India.

This was the seventh trip that we have taken with Rothschild Safaris. Over these trips (five to Africa and one to Chile), we have learned to have extremely high expectations and our trip to India more than lived up to those expectations.

Major kudos to Rothschild Safaris for ensuring that we had a wonderful time. The team worked closely with us to tailor the trip to our interests and maximize our experiences within the time available, while remaining within our budget. We toured in Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur, but the highlight of our trip was a tiger safari in Ranthambhore.

The variety and quality of Indian and other international cuisines throughout the trip were fantastic. Furthermore, all of the ground crews were outstanding, including our driver Harinder, who was with us for most of our trip, our guides in each city, and our naturalist Irshad in Ranthambore. As always, all pickups and tours ran like clockwork (you never have to worry about logistics with Rothschild!). We had five tiger sightings over six game drives in Ranthambhore and got a number of spectacular pictures of the big cats.

All in all, this was a really special trip. We are very much looking forward to our next trip with Rothschild Safaris, which will be to Sri Lanka and the Maldives in 2024.

John Killian

Rothschild Safaris helped us create two trips to South Africa in 2022. Our original trip was actually scheduled for 2020, but was delayed two years by Covid. Leora and her team were exceptional in helping us navigate the uncertainty around the pandemic, and we finally made the trip in August of 2022.

We had 16 people on that trip, and the Rothschilds team went out of their way to accommodate everyone’s needs – we rented an accessible house in Cape Town with an elevator to accommodate one of our family members’ with mobility issues – the team made a site visit to make sure everything was as advertised.

It was great to have a team in the US and on the ground in South Africa. The majority of our group went on to a fantastic safari and further on to Vicrtoria Falls, but after my son had a medical emergency, we ended up at a hospital in Johannesburg. The Rothschild emergency team could not have been any more helpful – this really pointed out the benefit of having a team on the ground in South Africa!

After we returned home, we knew we had to finish our trip, so four of us took another trip to South Africa in December. Leora and team made sure that this trip was tailored specifically for my son’s medical issues and everyone along the way was extremely helpful in accommodating us.

The Cape Grace Hotel and Tintswalo Safari Lodge were exceptional, and the staff there had obviously been briefed on our needs. No review of our trip would be complete without mentioning our intrepid guide Darren – he was so helpful on the first trip that we invited him again on the second trip! Darren made everything seamless and really felt like part of the family by the end of our trip!

A trip to South Africa should be high on anyone’s bucket list, and planning with Rothschild will make sure it is truly once in a lifetime (or twice if needed!).

Laurie Knights Danko

The safari you put together for us (right before covid — incredibly lucky timing) was magnificent, magical. Cottars was our last camp.

Upon arrival, not an animal was seen on the ride from air strip to camp. Our last day, driving back to the air strip, animals were gathered on both sides of the road as if to say goodbye. I cried. I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to return as much as I’d love to, but how overwhelmingly grateful I am to know the feeling of being so affected, so privileged to have been in their midst.

Looking out over that vast savannah day after day, I have never felt such serenity and peace.


Eric Aust & Family 

5 stars! Great trip! Rothschild provided professional guidance and impeccable service again (2nd trip with Rothschild!). Our guides were always prompt and ready to take us where we needed to be. Our travel designer exceeded our expectations, keeping us continually updated with the changing covid landscape

Ida DeField

I was not at all surprised at her delight in Leora’s excellent suggestions and arrangements. My husband I have traveled to Africa twice on trips organized and arranged by Leora according to our specific requirements, and we were thrilled with her excellence in every aspect of each trip. Her thoroughness and attention to detail were apparent every step of the way.

Never once were we not met as planned or were the connections incorrect, nor were there the myriad other types of frustrations that can irritate or even ruin a trip. Leora goes to Africa every year and would not send her clients to any place she has not personally visited.

She is the only agent I have ever heard of who gives you a phone number where you can reach her 24/7! We had occasion to call her once on a Saturday night at 11:30 p.m. (her time) and she was as gracious and helpful as if it had been the middle of the day. That is what I call extraordinary service.

I recommend her very highly to anyone thinking of going to Africa.

Scott & Maribeth Marboe

Tonight we return to the states and our presence here in Africa will be no more. However, because of you and your team; our souls will forever remain a part of this beautiful place. I don’t know how to thank all of you enough. The itinerary , the stops, the people and places we encountered along the entire journey went off like clockwork. From the minute we stepped through the health check until we were returned safely to our flight, it was seamless.

They say perfection is an unattainable goal; that nothing is perfect. After what you and you’re team did for us, that phrase may not have the same meaning anymore because for Maribeth and I , this was perfect.

Please pass along our thanks to everyone involved.

My friend Greg Carr shared a saying with me when he decided to help the people or Gorongosa. “ If you can only visit two continents in your life time, then choose Africa twice”. How right he is.

Look forward to our next adventure with you.

Robert Smallwood 

It was an amazing trip. My travel designer was first rate! All in all we received better service than we expected. Way to go Rothschild, you are top rate!

Bryan & Tammy Asher

This was the best vacation we have ever taken. Every detail was planned and executed above our expectations.  Our trip changed many times due to Covid and Rothschild was there every step of the way to help us. Airport guides and transfers where always on time and very helpful eliminating travel stress.

Ashley & Chad Chafee

It was the best experience of my life. I will absolutely be going back. The camps were incredible and I met some lifelong friends. The ladies I was beading with invited me to their village for the evening and my husband had to drag me back to camp or I would have stayed! Our guide was superb. I appreciate all your efforts, the trip was flawless.

Amy Lundberg

Wow, wow, wow!! We are back in LA now, recovering from jet lag and still in shock and awe regarding our experience. From the moment we landed in South Africa to the moment we touched down in LA, our experience was seamless and amazing. Thank you for making our journey so memorable. We are very grateful for your professionalism and perfect execution of a rather complex itinerary and are singing your praises to all of our friends!!

Betsy Robertson

We were thrilled with the trip. It was as good as or better than described at every turn. The prep, attention to detail, willingness to make changes and ensure we were ready and prepared was outstanding. Our Travel Designer was awesome! She understood our goals, worked with us to create an amazing trip, made changes when we had someone drop out of our group, ensured only the best experience and was fun to work with! couldn’t have been better! We loved every minute. Thank you!

Dawn Jacobs

Choosing a safari expert is never easy given the choice and lists upon lists of “top suppliers”….but we made the BEST choice for us….why….because above all, Rothschild listened ….really listened to what we wanted to experience. This was a trip for four great friends gathering in Tanzania from all over the world and we loved every minute….although we probably tried to do too much and didn’t build in enough “relaxing” time. The team at Rothschild along with the on-the-ground support in Africa, made sure that they were in constant contact with us. The camps and guides were superb, the guidance they gave was “spot on” and their responsiveness beyond our expectations. If you are looking for a custom adventure, look no further than Rothschild….you will not be disappointed.

George Kowalski

It was a well organized trip. It was easy to get around since we were guided through all of our itinerary. Everyone was pleasant and very helpful. This is an excellent way to travel. Rothschild Safaris did very well and brought a fantastic African experience to us. Thank you! Comments on your travel designer: I think you all did very well. Our Travel Designer dealt with us knowing that we have never traveled to Africa and its hard to explain to newbies the Continent they will be traveling to, never mind the individual countries.

Jackie Smith

My trip was beyond AMAZING! I truly enjoyed every moment. The itinerary allowed me to experience a variety of different activities all of which I enjoyed! When I originally thought of going to Africa I was just thinking of safaris. This trip opened my eyes (and my family/friend’s) to so much more Africa has to offer.

I cannot THANK everyone enough who made this trip so INCREDIBLE! I will be talking about it for a long long time! I will be highly recommending your company to family and friends!

Jamie Scarlett

Trip was PERFECT!! Every single detail was planned out and the accommodations and people were wonderful. This trip exceeded all of our wildest expectations.

Every place we stayed was just lovely and each each camp had a different vibe, which was really neat. Everyone we worked with was outstanding. Thank you for creating the most perfect itinerary for our family holiday. The memories we made and the experiences we shared will last a lifetime and we could not be more grateful.

Joe Moravec

On behalf of the Moravecs and the Stones… thank you for arranging a trip of a lifetime. Every detail was accounted for and all the recommendations were perfect. It honestly could not have gone any better.

Kim Mather

The Rothschild Safaris Travel Designers were extraordinary at crafting THE PERFECT safari for our family of 8. They listened (actually ‘read’ my email) to EXACTLY what we wanted, within the budget that we needed, and miraculously pulled off miracles in obtaining the properties that we wanted! When working with them, I felt that I was the ONLY customer that they had! They answered emails quickly and with CHARM and HUMOR! As a matter of fact, I loved working with them so much, that I have tentatively scheduled a trip out to Denver in order to meet them personally!

Lisa Anderson

Every aspect of my trip went according to plan and the plan Rothschild’s help me to orchestrate was magnificent!

I loved every lodge that I was blessed to be in! They were all very different yet all high end and very accommodating. From the location of the lodges to the rooms to the food to the incredible staff, every aspect was excellent. Leora has an excellent team, they strive to get it right and make their clients trip an amazing experience. They listen to the desires of their clients and mold just the right package for them. I was extremely impressed at all the hand holding and organization that goes on behind the scenes. The package of information (detailed booklet) that arrived before I left was my bible while I was traveling in a foreign country on a solo journey. They covered every detail, nothing was left to question. I truly am grateful to all of the team at Rothschild for helping to make this trip happen for me, it was an experience that I will never forget. I think if I hadn’t been so well looked after by the handlers, guides, lodge managers and staff the trip would have not been the same. I could completely relax and forget about any concerns knowing I was in good and well organized hands. I’ve never been so at ease on a holiday.

Mary & Rob Johannigman (and family)

It was the most exciting, scenic, inspiring trip we’ve ever taken. To say it was a trip of a lifetime doesn’t begin to capture our experience. The Rothschild team did an outstanding job of helping us plan this trip. They really listened to our concerns and opinions and was so helpful as we sorted out what sort of experience we were seeking. Our Travel Designer had endless patience for our constant emails and frequent phone calls. The whole team was remarkable for their prompt and friendly responses. Then the execution of the plan was flawless! Not a hitch anywhere along the way! It far, far exceeded anything we had imagined before leaving. I’m sure the use of superlatives is overkill, but I don’t know how else to express it! What an incredible experience for our family! Rothschild is an outstanding team!

Peta-Ann Macnicol

We had such a wonderful time on our trip! Many thanks to you all for organising and planning so perfectly.

Everything ran so smoothly, and I was particularly impressed by the way we did not have to think about any of the arrangements – it was all done for us! Everybody, from guides to hotel/safari camp staff were so very organised and friendly! The only time we were a little bit intimidated was at a few of the airports/border crossings – so it was really wonderful to have guides to help us through. A really nice touch was the assistance at Nairobi where the guides were waiting for us as we got off the plane!

Richard Scarlett

You guys exceeded my expectations. The trip was a once in a lifetime experience that I’ll treasure for the rest of my life. Thank you.

Robert Pedowitz

Our trip was amazing, and it truly exceeded our expectations. When we left for Africa, I figured it was a once in a lifetime experience. Now we are already thinking about when we will be able to return.

I wanted to express our appreciation for the fantastic planning and attention to detail, in addition to the various ‘surprises’ you planted along the way. They were delightful.

Again, thanks very much. I just can’t tell you how great it was. Best trip of our lives, and we’ve been on a lot of fantastic adventures.

Robert Scaglion

Rothschilds had people with us every step of the way. This was a trip of a lifetime and we got lucky to have the best tour guides arranged. I can’t thank the Rothschilds team enough for guiding us through every step of our journey. Imagine being in the bush on safari for a week with no internet connection, flying on a small plane an arriving at a new location and being greeted by a Rothschild rep. We will be booking all further trips with them

We lucked out or were so very well taken care of. Almost every guide arranged for us was the premiere guide in the area. We learned this by listening to other guides checking in for directions from our guides.

Roberto Flores

I have no words for the quality of everything related to this trip.

Beautiful lodges with excellent activities and locations.

One of my best trips of my life has been with Rothschild safaris. We will definitely do another one soon.

Sherry Smith

I absolutely loved my trip!! Everything went along perfectly. I actually had a group of people traveling together ask me if I made my own arrangements. I laughed and said no way that I had a safari company that has arranged five safaris for me. One of them said that I must like my safari company and I said that I trust them from the time I get off the plane to the when we are dropped back at the airport.

Stephanie Carden

Guides were excellent (well-informed & fun to be around), activities were engaging and “as-described,” and all personnel were helpful and attentive. The trip ran very smoothly, and the information provided before we left the US by Rothschild personnel was helpful and complete. Overall, a wonderful trip! Our Travel Designer was very accommodating and excellent at listening to what we wanted. Executed our vision perfectly!

Tania Mahajan

My husband and I just returned from an eight week trip to Africa. Rothschild Safaris planned the entire trip for us and did an incredible job. We visited seven countries, which meant a lot of safari decisions and travel arrangements needed to be made. The team’s recommendations were spot on – we enjoyed a wide variety of national parks/game reserves and avoided redundancies. The landscapes and animals were mind-blowing and there were so many “wow” moments during the trip. When we were in Africa, all the transitions were seamless and the team was very responsive to our email messages. During the planning process, Our Travel Designer was very helpful and patient. She paid close attention to what we wanted and her vast knowledge of Africa was so useful.

Like many other travelers, I fell in love with Africa and will definitely use Rothschild Safaris for my next trip. I am confident that they will plan a fantastic vacation and Africa will surpass all my expectations!

Africa completely blew my mind and surpassed all my expectations. I continue to think about our trip and can’t wait to go back after a few years.

Everyone I worked with at Rothschild Safaris was super professional and friendly. We couldn’t have planned this trip by ourselves. I will definitely use them again.

Viviana Buxeda

I learned of Rothschild Safaris via Travel + Leisure as I started doing my research on possible Safari companies. From the beginning the Rothschild Safaris team was very easy to work with and most of all VERY patient! Creating a trip for five ladies can be overwhelming and they listened, adjusted, returned, cancelled, recommended, adjusted again and again… From the beginning our Travel Designers really helped us create a bespoke Safari, trip of my dreams! Overall satisfaction 5* ++++++ 🙂