Mahlatini Luxury Travel Reviews 150

We had the vacation of a lifetime thanks to Stuart and the Mahlatini team. From our initial inquiry about traveling to Africa through to the final details of the trip, the entire planning process was seamless and stress-free. Mahlatini did an excellent job tailoring the experience to match both our priorities and our budget, while providing expert guidance every step of the way. Their attention to detail made all the difference. Because everything from transfers to the smallest logistics was so thoughtfully arranged, we were able to truly relax and enjoy every moment. We felt completely taken care of throughout the journey.

Stuart was incredible to work with. From our very first call, I knew we wanted to book with Mahlatini. He struck the perfect balance between professionalism and genuine enthusiasm, which made us excited about the trip from the start and confident in trusting the process, especially since it was our first time not planning a trip ourselves. He was thoughtful in designing an itinerary that truly fit our needs and remained flexible when we requested adjustments. We really appreciated his expertise, recommendations, and the helpful suggestions he shared along the way. Stuart was also consistently responsive, which made the entire experience smooth and reassuring.

In short, I have had nothing but excellent experiences with Mahlatini. I used them to safari in South Africa in August of 2021 and they were exceptional. This round, I employed Mahlatini to travel to India to photograph wild tigers. I had initially done research on the best reserves to travel to in India for tiger sightings, but my guide, Scott Dunn, convinced to travel to a reserve I had never heard of previously – Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve. What some degree of caution, I agreed and I am so very glad I relied upon Scott’s expertise to guide me to Tadoba. I did eight safari tours (two each day – a morning tour and an afternoon tour) and of the eight tours I saw multiple tigers on six of the eight tours. The sightings were remarkable. For example, I watched a female tiger grab her hidden kill and drag the kill (a spotted deer) around our vehicle. She stopped roughly 35 feet from the vehicle, dropped the deer, and then stared for minutes into the vehicle before she resumed dragging the deer into bush – breathtaking… On another occasion, I watched a tiger emerge from the bush, walk into a small pond, then emerge onto a small island in the pond where it rested on the bank of the island for several hours. The photo opportunities were exceptional. Also, the lodge Mahlatini selected for my stay was excellent – Svasara Jungle Lodge (I’ll write more about the lodge in a separate review). I do however want to recognize my guide at the lodge – Swarna Chakrabarty, whose command of the flora and fauna of Tadoba, was unparalleled. The itinerary Scott developed for me was outstanding. I was also able to tour Delhi for a day with a really talented guide, Karan, and the logistical support in India was remarkable – Sucheeta Dubey helped me in country with airport transfers and tickets and hotel stays in Delhi and Nagpur (she was just super!). All in all, this was an exceptional trip. I am so grateful to Scott and Mahlatini for their exceptional support and guidance. I am planning a trip to Madagascar in September with Mahlatini and given their previous performances I am thrilled I’ll be again traveling with them. Mahlatini is just best in class.

Claire is wonderful to work with. She is not only knowledgeable but also professional in her approach to travel. You will not be disappointed.

The communication is terrific and the way they handle the details of our multi-destination trip is excellent. They are second to none! Forever thanks to Kitty Pollick and Jeanette Redshaw!

Absolutely fabulous - so exceeded our expectations

Aaron and the whole team were so helpful and the organisation of our trip was faultless

My wife and I just returned from our honeymoon in the Maldives and it exceeded every expectation. Yes, the travel days were long, but the moment we arrived, we knew it was absolutely worth it.

Sun Siyam Villa Reef, the properties we stayed at were stunning, and the staff made us feel so welcome throughout our stay. Everything was thoughtfully planned and executed perfectly. The few minor questions we had were handled immediately. The attention to detail was incredible.

If you're looking for a dream honeymoon destination, the Maldives delivers. We're already talking about when we can return. 10/10 experience.

A brilliant experience. We enjoyed every moment and it was above and beyond our expectations. I would say it was a once in a lifetime experience but having done it once, we now all wish to go back and do it again.

Excellent service from Caroline and the team. We were a bit lost with no real previous experience before we got in touch with Mahlatini. Caroline gave us all the information we needed and helped us make a great choice for our safari.

Overall experience was so memorable. The biggest challenge was the high level of logistics with our itinerary, and everything worked so smoothly and easily. Mahlatini ensured that there was always someone available to meet us, or guide us to our places we were visiting, or assist with airport transfers and security. That truly made the experience so stress-free and enjoyable! They also arranged very knowledgeable guides and experienced drivers, which made visiting and experiencing the sites on our itinerary so much more enjoyable and comfortable.

Michael Calvert is especially professional, highly responsive and listened to what our interests were when planning our itinerary and places we wanted to see. He followed up with us regularly and frequently prior to and during our travel to ensure we had everything we needed, and he was always available if we encountered any problems (which we didn't!!).

This is was our second time using Mahlatini for a trip, and like our first time, we were impressed! The trip looked great on paper but blew us away on the ground.

Caroline is wonderful at watch she does! Knowledgeable, professional, and patient, she organizes beautiful trip, offers great suggestions, and is always willing to continue refining the details. Her excellent customer service is why we recommend her highly to friends and family. The other Mahlatini team members were also professional and personable and always willing to help.

We had a fantastic time, we couldn't be happier. The trip was full of memorable moments and we're really pleased with how smoothly it all went. It was definitely the greatest trip we've ever been on.

Scott was excellent from start to finish. The time and effort Scott went to to help build our trip at the beginning is really commendable. His enthusiasm for travel and impressive knowledge of India meant we really trusted his advice, and I'm glad we did. We had a lot of difficult requests because we wanted to fit so many activities in on specific dates (including building the trip around Dev Diwali in Varanasi), but Scott went the extra mile to make sure we got everything we wanted. The service was impeccable and we really felt listened to throughout the process. Thanks to this, we were able to enjoy our dream trip that we weren't even sure would be possible!

We can't share enough praise for Mahlatini for planning the most epic honeymoon. We had an incredible experience over the 15 day trip starting off in Tarangire National Park at Lemala Mpingo Ridge to the Serengeti National Park at Lemala Nanyukie Lodge and wrapping up the trip in the Seychelles. Kitty organized it all from transfers to/from the airport, the most elaborate and beautiful stays, and the amazing excursions (game drives, night drives, bush walks, hot air balloon safari). Kitty and the Mahlatini team were great throughout the process providing us with a complete breakdown of our trip, guidance on what's best to do and where to go (to ensure minimal crowds), travel advice, and more. She was very knowledgeable and truly planned the most incredible experience, perfect for a one in a lifetime trip for our honeymoon.

We had an unforgettable family trip to Sri Lanka and the Maldives in July 2025, organised by Mahlatini Luxury Travel, and honestly, we are all still daydreaming about it. From the first phone call, everything felt easy and personal — no generic package or rushed replies, just a real understanding of what we wanted from the holiday. They were very clever at creating an itinerary that was tailored to a family of two adults and two teenage girls.
Our Mahlatini consultant, Scott (who was absolutely brilliant) helped us design a route through Sri Lanka that mixed culture, wildlife, and relaxation. Every hotel felt like it had been chosen with care — charming, welcoming, and often with small touches that made all the difference. The infinity pool at Jetwing Vil Uyana is my all-time favourite pool in the world. Our driver-guide, Ranjith, was not just knowledgeable but genuinely kind, sharing stories, local tips and food that brought the country to life. Highlights for us were climbing Sigiriya Rock at sunrise, staying overnight at tea estate in the hills, and visiting the Sacred Temple of the Tooth in Kandi at dusk — moments we’ll never forget.
Then, just when we thought it couldn’t get better, we flew to the Maldives for a five days of total bliss. Mahlatini nailed the choice of resort — intimate, stunning, and so peaceful, yet with plenty of activities for our teenaged daughters. After the energy and colour of Sri Lanka, the calm turquoise water and white sands were exactly what we needed.
What impressed us most was how smoothly everything ran. Every transfer, every check-in, every tiny detail was taken care of. We never once had to worry about a thing it was so relaxing. Unfortunately, our flight to the Maldives was cancelled due to a storm, but it was incredibly reassuring to be able to telephone Mahlatini, and speak to a member of the team in the middle of the night. Hhe organised an alternative flight and overnight accommodation whilst others were stuck in the airport — honestly, this level of service made a huge difference.
We travel quite a lot, but this was something special. It felt curated, thoughtful, and genuinely personal. Huge thanks to the Mahlatini team for helping us create family memories we’ll treasure for a long time. We’re already talking about where to go next!

Our first safari experience was better than we could ever have imagined – it was the perfect honeymoon. The Mahlatini team were an absolute dream to work with. Planning a wedding is stressful enough and I honestly don’t think I could have managed organising a honeymoon on top of it – having them take care of everything felt like a huge weight lifted off our shoulders. As first-time visitors to South Africa, having their expert guidance and planning made all the difference. Every single detail was thought through so carefully – from the seamless transfers between hotels, airports and accommodation, to the incredible selection of places we stayed. Everything was completely stress free, allowing us to just relax and enjoy the whole experience. All of the accommodations were brilliant, with our safari lodge being the absolute highlight – we’ve come away with the most amazing memories that will last a lifetime. We are so grateful to Mahlatini for making our honeymoon everything we dreamed of, and more! We just want to do it all over again... Karen and the wider Mahlatini team were fantastic – responses were always super quick, and the documentation they provided made everything really clear and easy to understand. It made the whole process smooth and stress-free.

Amazing trip - everything we could have hoped for and more. Everything went very smoothly and all aspects of the trip were amazing.

Great service. Super helpful and knowledgeable

Highly recommend Mahlatini. Grace did an amazing job of organising an unforgettable honeymoon for us in Mauritius. At a time when we were so busy with wedding planning, we were very grateful for Grace’s excellent support.

I have never really used a travel agent before, so I was a bit unsure what to expect. Everything was fantastic and the planning was flawless.

Excellent communication, service and very knowledgeable of all things travel related

The trip was INCREDIBLE! Definitely the trip of a lifetime. Every detail was perfect, from the transportation to the hotels to the experiences. We enjoyed every moment and couldn't be more grateful to the Mahlatini team for making our dream come true exactly as we hoped for (and even better!)

Gemma planned the perfect trip for our family! Every request we had was taken into account and she made sure we had all the information we needed. She truly delivered and made this trip an incredibly special experience that we will remember forever. Jessica was super helpful while we were on the trip and was quick to respond when we had a question regarding one of our flights. We were super grateful to be put in such great hands.

We had such an amazing time on our trip. From the moment we landed in Cape Town we were blown away with the treatment we received, being fast tracked through every airport, hosted by such stunning hotels who all went above and beyond knowing that it was our honeymoon. I think it's a testament to the trip that we left every place wishing that we had one or two more days in each spot, but at least that means we are eager to come back in the near future. Mahlatini made the trip what it was, with such great recommendations and tips along the way + taking any stress away from us during the booking / planning stage.

The Mahlatini team, and Gemma in particular, were so helpful throughout. From our initial consultation were we discussed where we wanted to go and what we wanted to do, to getting the final pack through and seeing our dream honeymoon on paper. Having Gemma check-in during our trip was a real comfort. Knowing that someone was there if anything did go wrong (nothing did go wrong). Having her and her team guide us through the trip and what we needed to do in terms of forms / medication / packing was essential, we could not have done it without that help. A massive thank you to the team, you made it an unforgettable honeymoon, memories we will cherish for the rest of our lives.

To say we had an amazing trip to Kenya would be an understatement! Claire at Mahlatini planned an incredible adventure for our multi-generational (20s-70s) family trip that exceeded our expectations. We were able to see the Big Five (and plenty more!) within the first two days of visiting Maasai Mara. In northern Kenya, our cultural experiences with the Samburu people were unforgettable. Being able to meet the orphan elephants at two elephant sanctuaries was a highlight of our trip. This was our second trip planned by Mahlatini, and we will continue to return and refer them to others!

This is our second time working with Claire and the Mahlatini team, and she did not disappoint! Claire is responsive and professional, and we fully trust her expertise. Everything went according to plan, and there was always someone waiting for us at the next location. We highly recommend!