Umfulana Testimonials

South Africa Tour: Vivien Tait

Vivien Tait

This was our 3rd trip arranged by Umfulana and was once again perfect. We had one small misunderstanding with the accommodation at Ithala though. Our itinerary had quoted self-catering facilities available, but the hut they wanted to put us in, did not have this. It was one of the conference huts, very close to the others, nowhere to sit outside and definitely not what we expected or had last time we stayed at Ithala in 2004. However, after some discussion between the lodge manager and Umfulana, this was straightened out and we were given a fantastic private lodge. Apart from that everything went very smoothly � the distances and times were very accurate and all accommodations were super and lived up to our expectations. Our next trip to South Africa will certainly be arranged by Umfulana again. They are the BEST!

Australia Tour: Wojciech Orlof

Wojciech Orlof

For the second time I had a pleasure to go on the trip with the help of Umfulana.

First time was Namibia (great time) and now it was Australia, Vietnam and Thailand.
And it was perfetc. My wife and mine expectations were met, the quality of accomodation and balance of programme was exactly as agreed (thru adjustments and discussions with Umfulana � thanks for your patience).
Everything was smoooooooth and eeeeeasy, leaving no space for stres and worries.
There was only one very minor case in Bangkok when I had to call Umfulana and Gabi responce was faster then light:-) � situation was resolved in minutes.

So, thanks all in Umfulana and I am looking forward to see another adventure with You.

Thank you and all the best!!!

Diana Zipser-Orlof and Wojtek Orlof

Austria Tour: Anita Soosay

Anita Soosay

I wanted to thank you and your team from Umfulana for a well organized holiday to Vienna & Salzburg. The hotels you selected were excellent in both Vienna and Salzburg and exceptionally close to the major shopping streets and attractions. Everything was well organised from the hotel locations to our train timings � typically the kind of service we enjoyed the last time when we travelled to Italy with Umfulana. We had absolutely NO complaints except that we wish we had a little longer in each city, perhaps one additional day to get a little bit more out of what the cities have to offer � maybe better planning on our part the next time!

Once we have settled back into a routine, we will perhaps begin to plan our next holiday. If the location is on your provided list, we will be sure to contact you yet again.

Kind regards and many thanks once again for a job well done.

Anita

New Zealand Tour: Roslyn Kaplan

Roslyn Kaplan

First and foremost, I would like to thank Susanne and the staff of Umfalana for the most perfect itinerary one could wish for. Your humour, patience and professional answers to the many questions I asked is certainly an asset to the company when dealing with clients via the internet. Now for our trip.

On our arrival at Christchurch airport, we collected our car � no problem said AVIS and as everything had been paid "up-front" we were out on the road very quickly. We had a very long way to travel (5 hours) in pouring rain, but the welcome we received from Eva and Roly made it all worthwhile. All our B&B's were very good, receiving good advice from them on what to see and where to go first. Only the B&B at Te Anau was not at the level of the others, nor was our hostess and instead of being able to sit in the living room (with or without the hosts as in the other places), we spent the rest of the evening in our rooms.
The descriptions and directions to the various places, including all the wonderful sights to see, was as good as having our own personal guide sitting beside us. It was spectacular, made all the easier by having the compact folder (in which we kept our passports, the papers of the car, and all other papers required at a moment's notice.

Thank you, once again and we sincerely hope that we will be able to use Umfulana again one day on one of our future trips.

Roslyn Kaplan

New Zealand Tour: Gene Heupel

Gene Heupel

Hello Susanne,

From the time we landed in Auckland to the time we took off from Queenstown, our New Zealand Christmas vacation was perfect. Every one of your arrangements went so smoothly, from the driver who met us at the airport to the rental cars, the B&Bs, the Interislander ferry, the Kaikoura Maori tour and Doubtful Sound. Your itinerary book was indispensable, the travel time estimates were accurate and your directions were good. (However, we highly recommend having a GPS!) The only way our trip could have been better is if you could have gotten the Kiwis to drive on the other side of the road�

Our B&B in Devonport just outside Auckland was the perfect place to start. The home was so beautiful with every amenity, and our host Judy went out of her way numerous times to help us get acclimated, especially to our car. In Rotorua, my husband and I were ready to move in permanently with Anneke and John. Christmas dinner in Blenheim with Heidi, Werner and their other guests was superb and an unforgettable evening. The rest of the trip was equally marvelous. Every B&B in Kaikoura, Christchurch, Tekapo and Te Anau was totally different from the next one, but every one had lovely rooms and usually an exquisite view and/or gardens to go with them. Every host made us feel immediately welcome, gave us great breakfasts on our schedule and excellent advice on what to see with the best way to get there. The final home in Queenstown took our breath away, and Derek and Margaret�s hospitality made it even harder to leave New Zealand.

Nineteen days allowed us to see some of both islands' highlights, but left us wanting to go back to some places for a much longer stay and curious about the places we missed. I'm glad you recommended that we spend at least two nights in each place; three would have been even better. Thank you, Susanne for your hard work in finding these wonderful accommodations, all of whose hosts spoke highly of Umfulana. Thank you especially for always being so prompt in returning our e-mails. You were a joy to work with!

Karene and Gene
Minnesota USA

South Africa Tour: Felix & Marianne Bruijning

Felix & Marianne Bruijning

Dear Merwin,

After an unforgettable journey by car from Johannesburg through ZA we arrived safely in Paarl.
We enjoyed our trip tremendously and would like to compliment you on your impressive and various itinerary, perfect directions and the perfect organisation.
We where time after time amazed and surprised about the differences in landscapes, inhabitants and accommodations.
Who where all in their own way very beautiful, impressive and interesting.

Kind regards,
Felix and Marianne Bruijning

Germany Tour: Jonathan Koenig

Jonathan Koenig

Jerry, the twelve-day trip to Germany was phenomenal. The accommodations you arranged were outstanding and it was a pleasure working with you to set up the trip. You were very flexible and responded immediately to my questions and concerns. And you took time to give me a very informative personal tour of Cologne on the day before Christmas, which I appreciated.

As a first-time traveler in Germany, it was very helpful for me to have someone knowledgeable set up a basic itinerary. But it was also important that I have some freedom to explore and improvise.

In short, I enjoyed building upon the excellent itinerary and recommendations you provided based on my own personal interests. For example, I took a side trip to the Zugspitze en route from Munich to F�ssen. Easy to do and LOTS of fun (especially on a sunny day, as it was!). I also enjoyed visiting Maria Laach Abbey while staying in the Rhine region (there is a beautiful nature trail there). And while in Munich I made a pilgrimage to Altotting, which has a most interesting Marian shrine.

Of course, as you predicted, the hotel near F�ssen stands out among the accommodations. Tony and Herta were friendly, welcoming hosts and the amenities were superlative. As was the food at the hotel restaurant, which I would describe as "nouveau cuisine with a Bavarian twist." The Alpine views were breathtaking.... well worth the hair-raising trip up the hotel "driveway."

Your suggestion to stay at the airport Sheraton on the night before my early departure from Frankfurt was an excellent one, although the place was very sterile and antiseptic compared to all the charming places booked through Umfulana.

My single criticism is not a criticism of Umfulana but of the car rental company (AVIS). Upon arrival in Frankfurt, I was asked if I wanted snow tires for an additional charge of 14 euros per day. As you may know, "all-weather tires" have been standard in the States for many years. Changing over to snow tires in the winter is no longer necessary. It is either different in Europe or AVIS seeks to capitalize on confusion about the issue. At any rate, I said "yes" to the snow tires and I was glad that I did, since we had some snow and ice during my visit. Perhaps all the car rental companies in Germany approach this the same way; in which case the best Umfulana can do is to warn clients who travel in the winter-time to expect a hefty add-on charge.
Other than that, I would rate the trip an A+. It was the trip of a lifetime. I do not ordinarily travel in such style...but I enjoyed every minute and would love to do another trip someday using Umfulana's services.

Best wishes for the new year.

JONATHAN KOENIG
Wauwatosa, Wisconsin USA

--
Jonathan

Germany Tour: Jane Bomba

Jane Bomba

Our trip to Germany and the Czech Republic (Prague) was outstanding. Dr. Crippen worked with us, up until the day we left. He even met us in Cologne and gave us a tour of the city.

All hotels were of exceptional quality, save one, in Weimar. Having said that, I would highly recommend the services of Umfulana Tours and Dr. Jerry Crippen.

We are looking forward to working with Umfulana in the near future, for a trip to Africa.

Thank you, Jerry and Umfulana.

Jane and Peter Bomba
Anthony Hall

New Zealand Tour: JinSik (Jimmy) Kim

JinSik (Jimmy) Kim

It was a great experience and route in general. Most of accomodations were excellent. Ones in Queenstown and Dunedin were best because of diffent reasons. Queenstown host lady was great and the house was exceptionally great. Dunedin accomodation should be the best place for the family with children. You can't find similar one with great selection of pets and kettles to entertain kids.

If I have a choice, I will stay the second B&B in Christchurch than the first one. Rooms were large and the gentleman showed real kiwi hospitality.

I don't particularly recommend the Te Annu housing and the first Christchurch B&B. The near Hokitika B&B were not great location but kids liked dogs, horses etc.

Based on the advice, I filled up the gas at the Haast. But the girl at the counter were ready to take advantage of tourists' weakness. She said the credit card machine was not working for a few minutes which leave me only option of cash payment. She gave me less changes. When she saw me to study changes carefully, she gave me the rest. The most unpleasant experience.

In Queenstown, the Asian supermarket lady scanned my vegetable of small amount and changed it into the larger one's price. I was watching the monitor and challend. She changed the amount subsequently.

When we returned our rental car, AVIS at the international terminal was closed. It seems the one in the domestic is the one open all the time. Please advise folks to be prepared more times at the airport since i didn't know we should pay departure tax etc.

Other than those few occasions, we loved every minute of NZ. We all want to go back some day.

We appreciate your help and all the advice.

Best,
Jimmy

New Zealand Tour: Kirsten M.

Kirsten M.

Hi Jessica

My brother and I had an absolutely wonderful time in New Zealand overall. It is such a naturally beautiful country and your careful planning of the itinerary was really great.

I just want to make some comments on the accommodation: Barry and Trish on Coromandel Peninsula were really wonderful and this was our top pick for comfort and hospitality. Trish did some washing for us and forgot my scarf on the line and sent it on to our next destination with a little note attached, which was really kind. The quality of the B&B in Rotorua was also very commendable as we stayed in one of the rooms off of the main house and it was very spacious and homey to have a kitchenette, cloak room, ensuite bathroom, huge bedroom with twin beds, plus a separate lounge with a couch and a TV, so that was really appreciated. The apartment near Wellington was also exquisite with its view and we enjoyed the relaxed self-catering. These are just 3 places that stood out for us but pretty much all of the places had unique aspects that we loved.

On the not so good side, we were only unhappy with one place � in Queenstown. We were put in a TINY room that had 2 twin beds squashed into it and the bathroom bizarrely contained a mixture of the hosts' (I assume) Radox bottles and other such bottles of shampoo etc. sitting on side of the bath, alongside individually wrapped soaps and brand new-looking matching towels. I found this extremely strange and the attention to detail in this respect was obviously not professional. [Umfulana: All pump bottles and bath soaps in this bathroom are for guests' use!]. I don't know what the room was like downstairs on this property, but we really left this B&B feeling a bit 'ripped off' because of how amazingly squashed we felt in this room. The hosts were very kind and entertaining hosts, and also very helpful and informative, but their personalities really couldn't make up for the second-rate bedroom and bathroom that we were given. Also, trying to turn the car in the driveway involved about a 20 point turn whenever we left and this isn't really desirable in a rental car, considering there were always also 2 and sometimes even 3 cars parked in the same area. We would definitely never stay at this B&B again and would not recommend it to anyone.

Other than the above, we had a fantastic time and the only other glitch was scraping the first rental car on the particularly steep drieway in Wellington (entirely my driving error). I was very glad to have so much insurance as a safeguard, although Avis did make the error of still charging me the excess, something which I sorted out at the Avis counter in Christchurch, and they assure me that the amount will be credited to my credit card.

Thank you all again for so much help and professionalism and I shall definitely book through Umfulana for my next round of international travel.

Kind regards

Kirsten M.

South Africa Tour: Joseph Dey

Joseph Dey

Thank you once again for arranging another memorable holiday for us.
This time we had a very enjoyable visit to Cape Town and the Cape.
The guest houses we stayed at were all of a high standard and the management and staff were friendly and provided excellent service.
The great care taken by Merwin and Umfulana in choosing places to visit and stay really benefits the traveler.
We are very grateful to the team at Umfulana for all their efforts.

Joe & Elizabeth Dey
Sheffield
UK

Italy Tour: Randall Harris

Randall Harris

Jerry,
The tour you set up through Sicily was in general very well done. The hotels were all wonderful with the exception of Palermo. Although well situated we found it a little sub par. The B&B near Cefalu was the outstanding pick of all. This spot we could have stayed in for another couple of days, so relaxing and the food and hospitality beyond expectations.
The road instructions were complete and well done except for finding the hotel in Agrigento. We, to this day, marvel at how we found this spot. My wife who copiloted had a few choice words for Umfulana at this juncture of the trip. The hotel was worth the search though, so all is well that ends well.

Jerry, I want to thank you for all the extra work you did in arranging the car with automatic transmission, this worked out well because of my foot and I appreciate it. As for Umfalana, we both feel that you and your company have really done your homework and are of real value. Your itinerary was well paced and well planned, allowing us ample time to explore and relax. We are happy that we engaged your services and would recommend you, (we already have), to anyone.

Randall & Leonora Harris

Italy Tour: Nicholas Bilington

Nicholas Bilington

Jerry,
The holiday was fantastic. The accommodation was first class. The hotel in Venice was only meters away from St. Marks square. The villas near Florence and Sienna were beautiful, with excellent meals in the evening. The hotel in central Rome was a fantastic location, with easy access to all the sights. The staff at all the villas and motels were most helpful, particularly the staff at the Florence villa who managed to get us 'rock star' access to see the statue of David. The car hire was very good and I am glad of your suggestion of the GPS, which was essential.

On behalf of my wife and children I would like to thank you very much. I would not hesitate to recommend your company to anyone.

Regards Nicholas Bilington

Germany Tour: Ron Shank

Ron Shank

Hi, Jerry,

We were very satisfied with the arrangements for our five-night trip across southern Germany. We enjoyed the hotels and were most impressed with accommodations in Rothenburg and atop the peak near F�ssen (driving up the steep single lane in the snow keeps you focused). These locations were special and their kitchens were great. We found the name Umfulana was widely recognized at each hotel.

We squeezed in a side trip to the top of the Zugspritze on Tuesday which took us several hours and a couple hundred kilometers off the planned itinerary, but it was a thrill.

My only criticism would be that the directions were a little vague. We did not use a GPS device. Some detail on distances would be helpful indicating how far to the next turn or destination. We only saw one sign for the Romantic Road. Most times, road numbers (especially in the country entering the Black Forest) were not displayed at all on signage�just the next nearest town which often didn�t show up on our maps at all. We actually made the trek from Garmisch to Munstertal in the dark and it was a challenge�arriving at midnight. Of course, this was entirely our doing and no fault of yours.

The car was a Mercedes A180 and was flawless and new. I quite enjoyed it. The speed of traffic in the left lanes of the autobahn made lane changes to pass exciting.

We would recommend you personally and Umfulana to anyone exploring a trip in Germany. Thank you,

Ron Shank

Germany Tour: Steve Kilpatrick

Steve Kilpatrick

Hello Jerry,

Our trip was wonderful! Except for the few glitches at the hotels in Zurich and Salzburg, everything was great. The rental car went smoothly, each of the hotels was expecting us and very gracious, and the sights were fantastic. We had a lot of wonderful experiences, but mostly we enjoyed driving the back roads and seeing the small towns and villages. You were right, the Rhine was beautiful and the castle hotel in St. Goar was our favorite of the whole trip, following in a close second place was the hotel in Rothenburg. We loved Rothenburg and being in that hotel right on the street in the village was great! Our least favorite hotel and city was in Innsbruck. We had a difficult time finding the parking garage for the hotel and the walk to the hotel was made more difficult because it was raining.

I think the best day we had on the whole trip was when we were in Switzerland. Early one morning we left Luzern and had an enjoyable drive to Lauterbrunnen, where we rode the cable car and train to Murren. On the way up it started snowing. We did some hiking on the mountain trails out of Murren in the snow. It was like being in a fairy tale.

Although we enjoyed the big cities of Luzern, Munich, Salzburg and Vienna, the traffic and difficulty of finding parking was a challenge. We decided that on our next trip to Europe we will stay in the countryside and small towns and villages and avoid the big cities.

One of the real highlights of the trip was the food! Each meal just got better and better. Fantastic!

Jerry, you and Umfulana have been great and a pleasure to work with. You always responded to my emails and questions very quickly and professionally.

Especially helpful was the GPS coordinates you gave me for the hotels. I brought my own GPS with maps of Germany, Switzerland and Austria loaded and it was a lifesaver! I don't think we could have made it without it.

Thank you for all your help and for a wonderful trip. We went to Scotland two years ago and didn't think anything could top it, but my wife and I both agree that this trip to Germany, Switzerland and Austria was better for both the scenery and food.

Thank you,
Steve

Italy Tour: Don and Cathy Metz

Don and Cathy Metz

Wow, I don�t know where to begin. It was truly a trip to remember. I did survive driving...of course got lost several times but found our way with the help of the Garmin and our hosts! I�m asked repeatedly, �What was your favorite part�? I loved every part equally. Thanks to your planning we saw so much of the country. We were non-stop, however; but we would not have changed anything. When we go back, we will spend more time in certain areas.

All the inns were exceptional. However, our least favorite was the one in Venice. The courtyard was a little unkept. We stayed in the Garden Room that had a kitchen in it. It just was not the ambience and quality of the other inns. I cannot say enough about our other accommodations. The inn in Rome was absolutely perfect. When we first arrived at the door, we were a little unsure, but once inside�WOW. After we FINALLY found the B&B near Todi, it perhaps became our favorite of the trip. We spent the day in Assis while there. Dievole was quite a treat. Our wine tasting there was co-hosted by a very well known Tuscan author, Dario. He was very charming and was an additional bonus. We spent some time in Siena. Florence was a wealth of knowledge and the hotel was 5 star�.excellent service. Our guide was fantastic. We went to Pisa from there and had lunch in Lerici. We got quite adventurous with our map and Garmin. From there we tried to find the B&B at Lake Garda. Rafael had to finally come and have us follow him. We visited the castle at Sirmone. His selections for our dinners were incredible. He was very gracious and left us coffee and cookies the morning we left, as we were leaving early for Venice. Venice was a place we are definitely glad we went, but was our least favorite. A day trip would have been enough. We spent one day on Murano. Venice was just too busy and perhaps we were tiring from our two weeks of travel. Our host Larry was most helpful and met us at our water taxi to help us find our way.

Again, we want to thank you for a great trip. We could have never planned it on our own. Hopefully, we will contact you for future travel. I won�t be as apprehensive after experiencing driving in Italy.

Cathryn Metz

Italy Tour: James Corwin

James Corwin

Great job and great trip. My wife and I just returned from a 16 day driving tour of Italy and it was a trip of our life time. We had super accomendations in all the cities and all the reservations and arrangements were perfect, no surprises along the way. Umfulana and Dr. Jerry Crippen did a fantasic job.

Jim & Susan Corwin
Lenexa, Ks.

Italy Tour: Ralph Mongeon

Ralph Mongeon

Hi Jerry. Our trip to Southern Italy was wonderful. We had a great time. I think our favorite place was Positano: the views were outstanding. The weather was beautiful throughout our whole trip. We had no problems but we were glad that we did get a GPS. All of the B+Bs and hotels we stayed at were really nice, the people were very nice also. I am glad that we found Umfulana Tours on line. We are very happy!! Thanks so much Jerry. We will be in touch with you for our next trip.
Ralph and Sandra Mongeon

Italy Tour: Tracey & Eddie Tait

Tracey & Eddie Tait

Eddie and I have arrived home from our 16 day tour of northern Italy and Rome. Not only did the country live up to its fabulous reputation but the accommodations and hosts were exceptional! The B&B�s we stayed in were so comfortable and the views – each one was better than the last if that could be possible. The hosts were so extremely helpful especially for dining authentically.

We would travel with, and recommend Umfulana to anyone going abroad!

Two notes from the now wise Italian traveler: don�t bother with a GPS and bring a German dictionary for Bolzano!

Thank you so much Jerry and Umfulana. You helped make our first trip to Italy easy and memorable!

Tracey and Eddie Tait
Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada