Madagascar Travel Agents & Reviews

We had excellent communications with Zicasso’s travel companies before and during the tour. I'm happy that I didn't have to plan this trip. 

Every hotel, train travel, tour, and experience they chose for us was excellent. We appreciated having Japanese and American tour guides. We really appreciated the daily summary page and the detailed instructions in the Info pack about each excursion, including which exit to use when leaving the subway. It was handy to have the PDF version of the info pack to avoid carrying more paper on excursions and to share with my travel companions. The travel app wasn't as helpful because it didn't contain the detailed info the info pack did. 

I contacted the travel company once during the tour, on January 1, and they responded within a day. I was surprised and happy about that because it was a holiday. 

There was only one situation where the info in the info pack didn't agree with what happened. That was a change in tour guide in Kyoto, but it was okay, since we really enjoyed our guide. Well done overall!

This was a trip of a lifetime! The details large and small were flawless, leaving us to enjoy the trip with no worries.

We started in Kenya. All accommodations were beautifully appointed and the staff were very friendly. The locations were strategic, allowing us to view different animals based on the area. Our first stop was Lewa Conservancy, where the rhinos and the grazing animals were the highlight. Then, in Maasai Mara, the migration and hippos were the draw. We also viewed the migration from a hot-air balloon, which gave a different perspective. Naboisho Conservancy is known for its cats and it did not disappoint. We saw leopards, a lion pride with 17 babies, and a cheetah hunting a gazelle.

We then traveled to Uganda to visit the gorillas and were nervous because it was considered a level 3 advisory by the US Department of State. However, once we were there, we felt very comfortable and were glad we went. Trekking with the gorillas was a highlight of our trip. We did two trips and each was very different.

The small details like the transfers, having help through the airports, and ensuring we had packed lunches when traveling from one location to another were flawless. This trip was complicated and on past trips the transfers were always the weak link. Zicasso’s travel company nailed it.

We would highly recommend this trip!

Our honeymoon was truly tremendous! Our Zicasso agent and I spoke on the phone numerous times and connected via email consistently. She took everything we asked for and put it into the perfect itinerary. All of our transfers were on time, the accommodations were perfect, and everyone we interacted with was so incredibly kind. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience. We would 10,000/10 recommend this company!

Our African safari, organized by Zicasso’s tour company and its agent, was a trip of a lifetime. Their partnering with the local travel company was absolutely brilliant. Our guide was of the highest quality that could have been expected. 

The accommodations at the Ngorongoro Crater were amazing. The other accommodations were a bit more rustic, but they seemed perfectly located for our safaris. 

We would not recommend the "walk" to the elephant caves without more disclosure about the difficulty of the trek and the footwear required. We were not thrilled with the visit to the Maasai village. We felt taken advantage of. We would have preferred a visit to a village where our participation was more authentic and where we did not get a high-pressure sales pitch.  

Booking the hot-air balloon ride with the chosen company was an excellent choice. We have come back with so many memories of our time in Tanzania (including our stay in Zanzibar). We would highly recommend our travel company and agent to anyone considering an African safari.

Our recent two-week adventure through South Africa and Botswana, meticulously planned by Zicasso's travel partner, was nothing short of extraordinary. Our agent's deep knowledge of the area allowed us to experience the rich culture and breathtaking landscapes in a way we never could have imagined. Her expertise in selecting the best lodgings to suit our needs ensured every accommodation was comfortable, luxurious, and ideally situated. Our travel agent's strong planning and organizational skills made our journey seamless and stress-free, allowing us to fully immerse ourselves in the experience.

Our travel partner truly went above and beyond to cater to the diverse needs of the three couples traveling together. Her ability to manage our varying interests and preferences was impressive, ensuring everyone had a memorable and personalized experience. When a weather-related issue threatened to disrupt our plans, she swiftly and efficiently resolved the problem, showcasing her exceptional problem-solving skills. This level of service and attention to detail made it the best experience we've ever had with a travel agency. We highly recommend them to anyone seeking an unforgettable travel experience.

A fantastic trip and the holiday of a lifetime. Every connection worked and we were provided with everything we could have wished for, to a very high standard.

I just got back from a wonderful two-week trip to Southern Africa and want to thank Zicasso for putting me in touch with the travel agency and Shannon, who did a wonderful job of constructing my dream trip. Everything was top-notch and well-executed, and Shannon was friendly, responsive (I'm very picky and made many revisions), and a great communicator. 

When there was a wrinkle (which fortunately was very rare), she was right on top of it (in one case a lodge had booked us into their other property and tried to move us there, but Shannon showed them proof that we had booked over a year in advance and insisted we stay in the original property. They honored that).

Here is my review of specific aspects of the trip:

Cape Town. I can't say enough about the hotel, which was one of the best we'd ever stayed in. The property itself (it's a very modern and beautiful boutique hotel steps from the beach) and the customer service were wonderful. We stayed for four nights and I can't imagine a better place to stay in Cape Town. We spent one night in the wharf area before coming to the hotel and I'm so glad we opted to stay near the beach instead. Having a beautiful ocean view and being able to walk to the beach to watch the sunset every night was incredible. 

Also, the staff were over-the-top amazing; they were so flexible and accommodating (if you wanted breakfast early or after the regular serving period, they would happily oblige; if you walked in with take-out, they would plate it for you and bring it to your room. They would also pick up take-out and deliver it to you). 

There were also many special touches - free wine, free, stocked mini-bar, free hot cocoa, and popcorn that they would deliver to your room any time - we felt very cared for. One of the managers led us on a guided hike up Lion's Head mountain, which was super-fun (he not only brought tea and snacks, but is an excellent photographer and took beautiful photos of us that he shared). I highly recommend the activity to anyone who is reasonably fit (the views at the top are outstanding). We also did a peninsula tour and an all-day food and culture walking tour the next, and highly recommend our guide - she was delightful and fun.

The lodge. Wow, I had read all the five-star reviews of this lodge on a private reserve near Kruger before we left and wondered how it could ever meet such high expectations, but it exceeded them. This was more like 10-star than 5-star. The staff (much like the staff at our hotel in Cape Town) were so friendly, professional and responsive. They would do anything to make you happy. And like them, all of the warmth and special treatment felt genuine rather than fake or forced. 

The food was amazing (and plentiful - all meals, alcohol and high tea were included), but what set this lodge apart was the amazing rangers (we were lucky to have the head ranger and his tracker). I learned so much from them about animal behavior as they were incredibly knowledgeable (and extremely respectful) of the animals. As a result, we saw all of the big five multiple times (my favorites were seeing three leopards and seven lions, including both male lions sleeping after a kill and female lions slowly hunting Cape buffalo in the early evening). We met people at this lodge who had stayed at multiple other five-star lodges and all said this one was the best, which I can believe.

Victoria Falls. The lodge was the number one rated lodge in Victoria Falls and though it was very nice, it did honestly pale by comparison to our lodge near Kruger (the outdoor bathtub and pool were both dirty and not usable. I'm not sure how one would remedy this, other than to re-order the trip so one ends in Sabi Sands). 

The staff were nice and the food was wonderful, and like our other lodge, activities were included (the guided trip to Victoria Falls was very informative as was the private "sundowner" river cruise we had on our arrival night. We saw male elephants engaging in "horseplay" in the water, a trip highlight. However, the game drive (no tracker and a much smaller park) paled in comparison to those we did in Sabi Sands). 

The optional (extra charge) elephant interaction at their sanctuary was really amazing and we highly recommend it to anyone staying in Victoria Falls. The falls were about a third dry because we went after the winter dry season. Shannon had warned us about this in advance, so they were a little underwhelming, but I'm still glad we went because we wanted to see them and weren't sure if we'd get back to this part of the continent on another trip. If you want to visit the falls, be sure to look at photos of how they look during certain months so your expectations are met. 

Chobe River Cruise (Namibia).  I'm so glad we did this cruise because it was a great way to end our trip on a really high note. We originally wanted to book the Zambezi Queen (which is bigger, more modern, and more luxurious), but only the Chobe Princess was available for our dates and we ended up getting the smallest (four rooms) of the three CPs. I thought it might be underwhelming, but I was wrong. We had a great time on our small ship with six members of a German family. 

The staff were wonderful (amazing food from Chef Edgar!) and "game drives" on the river turned out to be a game-changer. Although we saw many animals during our land-based safaris, we did see different behavior from the water (elephant herds crossing the river; baboons at play for 30 minutes at a time, whereas on land, the baboons would run away; huge groups of giraffe in an open field). 

Unlike on land, where you would sometimes drive 30 minutes or an hour in search of a sighting, we saw animals the entire time we were on small boat excursions from the larger boat. Essentially, we'd spend 30 minutes watching elephants and then move to crocodiles, baboons, and giraffes, etc.). Of my top recommendations for people going to Africa, it's to do this river cruise in addition to land-based safaris.

Thanks again to Shannon (and Zicasso) for making our dream trip come true. Although we've been to many wonderful places (including Patagonia, Bora Bora, Australia/New Zealand, etc), my wife and I agree that this was the best trip we've ever taken. And we will be back!