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Carmen and her staff treated us like family! 🤗🩷 They were so welcoming, kind, thoughtful and so patient! Being in a foreign country can be a bit overwhelming, but Carmen and her team made sure to make us feel completely at home and completely welcome. It was like we’ve known them forever! Each adventure that we scheduled was completely unique and the only way to truly describe it is the most magical 🤩experience anyone could ever wish for! Words just aren’t enough to express the gratitude that I feel for this trip of a lifetime! Carmen and her team made it greater than I couldn’t ever imagined! Thank you so much Carmen! 🙏 🩷
I am so thankful for this beautiful oasis. The hubby was on a hunting safari and the Kartula Adventures provided an opportunity for us ladies to experience all that Africa has to offer. We did the Cat Sanctuary, Pottery class, Elephant Adventure (my most favorite was swimming with the elephants!) and the paint and sip. Her whole team were just simply amazing 👏. Thank you Carmen, Altus, Perry, Elizabeth, Surita and Mari-Ana, etc for making our trip memorable. I will definitely come back for more. God bless you all ❤️
Carmen’s adventures are an absolute MUST see and do! Everything was perfectly organized and first class!
A group of new friends I and thoroughly enjoyed a day of pampering with massages, an incredible lunch and day at the pool while visiting the big cat sanctuary. Highly recommend!
My boys and I absolutely loved the 2 day Big Five with a stay at the fabulous resort- wow! The Elephant Encounter is fabulous, as well! Where else can you pet elephants!
So thankful we found Carmen because her excursions truly made our trip so very special!!
If you want experiences off the beaten path, Carmen's Kartula Marula is the way to go. It's a family oriented (3 generations), community-immersed experience! Altus advised me of the best South African-made souvenirs for my teenage grandsons and I was able to get wonderful, locally-made gifts for others in my family. Marilize prepared wonderful food including an eland schnitzel I had not experienced even in Germany.
My husband was concerned for me while on his hunting expedition, but Carmen attended to my interests and safety. Whether it was arranging a driver while we were in Capetown, or having her mom take us to a great restaurant and The Cradle of Humankind in Johannesburg, to a horse safari and hot air ballooning, even a luxury spa experience, it was truly personalized and memorable. What we thought was going to be a once in a lifetime trip has become embracing new friends and making them family.
We had the absolute best time and Carmen is to thank for all of it. She handled everything and made sure that all accommodations and excursions were the best. We enjoyed having her with us on our adventures. She is incredibly kind a joy to talk to. Her knowledge of all things South Africa made the conversations endless. I could listen to her talk all day and never get tired of it. We even had the pleasure of meeting her family and they are just as amazing. I would love to come back again someday and I can guarantee that if I do, she will be the first person I call.
Was so easy to book and have Carmen take care of everything for our excursions! We had the best time on all the adventures we went on. Carmen and her drivers went out of their way to make sure everything was perfect! We had the best lunches and experiences seeing what Africa is about!
Can’t thank her and her staff enough!
What an amazing holiday with Carmen and her team! My husband and I booked two nights - three days with her to see Pilanesburg and this was a trip of a lifetime. From being picked up and delivered back to the airport to personalized tours in the park -- every detail was attended to. She even arranged an intimate final dinner in the lodge restaurant to celebrate our "honeymoon" (married 27 years and finally taking our trip!) complete with roses, candles and a beautiful (and yummy) chocolate ganache cake. I can't thank her and her team enough for creating a forever memory for me and my husband. And yes, we are returning again and again. In gratitude, Dana
I 100% recommend all non-hunters to venture out with Carmen! So sweet, professional and full of love for her country. Her shop is also so adorable and her mother in law is just so darling and makes a great latte. She also introduced us to her 2 darling boys and I really enjoyed my day out to the local village primary school. Cat sanctuary is something you'll never experience again. All so amazing. Made our visit really end feeling like a vacation/holiday.
Reply from Kartula Deli & Adventure hub
2025.07.25
Thanks Chrissy for the kind words❤️
Carmen is so sweet and genuine and truly wants you to have an incredible and authentic time in Africa while you visit! We were at the hunting camp through Kuche safaris and while our husbands hunted some days, the wives enjoyed the elephant encounter, 5 photo safari, and cultural experience. Carmen was great at scheduling eveything for us and letting us know where to be and when! The drivers were so kind and timely and made extra stops for us when asked. The drinks and food were delightful and well thought out. Highly reccomend Carmen’s adventures as her and her staff truly made our trip 10xs better! We hope to be back someday again!
My husband and some of our close family booked a hunt through Kuche Safaris. My husband came in contact with Carmen to be able to help the women of the group find excursions to do on some of the days the men were hunting. We did the elephant adventure, big 5 safari and the cultural experience that was put on by Carmen and her staff themselves. Carmen was so amazing to work with and super prompt with replies and very organized. On top of being the sweetest lady around! The drivers were always on time and made sure we made it to our destinations on time and even catered to making additional stops for us. Carmen is very dedicated to everything she does and making it such a great experience for everyone involved. Carmen also operates a coffee and curio shop near the cultural experience which was a fantastic place to pick up some goodies for back home. The products there are made from people in the community as well, which was so cool to get to see. I would HIGHLY recommend booking anything through Carmen if you are in the South Africa area and looking for adventures to do. Carmen was a delight to work with and we hope our paths cross again in the near future. :)
Reply from Kartula Deli & Adventure hub
2025.06.03
Hi Natalie thank you so much for your kind words, it was our pleasure to host y`all, thank you for supporting our business and hopefully we will meet again. Take care
Carmen Bousema is the best! Great coffee shop and so much more! She was able to juggle our group between hunting lodge and two different locations providing a personal guide (Perry! Awesome job Perry!.... thanks again) and transportation between various safari's, trip to Sun City and onto the airport over 3 days!
We had previously booked a hunting safari thru a separate vendor and added the Adventure Big 5 Photo Safari to our trip. Carmen arranged Perry to meet us at the hunting lodge and bring our group to the beautiful Pilanesberg Safari locations of 'Kwa Maritane' and the 'Shepherds Tree Game Lodge', both of these are 5 Star venues! Perry meet us daily so our group could remain together and enjoy the safaris together.
Accommodations were spectacular. Every employee met, greeted us with a smile and eager assist and any way. The Boma was amazing and a 'Must see' on your trip to Africa.
I would highly recommend booking your next adventure with Carmen! She will make sure your are completely taken care of!
Thanks again Carmen! Jason and Christy
Reply from Kartula Deli & Adventure hub
2025.06.03
Thanks Jason and Christy for the kind words and supporting our small business. We are really happy that you had a great experience with us, we are very fortunate to have Perry part of our team! Please send our regards to Robert, Vikki and Bryan.
My wife and I were on a hunting safari with Kuche Safaris. I had contacted Carmen when i heard that she is very involved in the local school. My group of 8 hunters brought school supplies for the kids at the local school. We went to the school to personally deliver them and what i experienced was AMAZING! Carmen is very dedicated to helping these kids in every way she can. She is very passionate in everything she does. We also went on the big cat experience which also was phenomenal and highly recommend. on the way back to the airport we stopped at the Big 5 safari which also is recommended. Carmen operates a coffee and curio shop near the camp which was a fantastic place to pick up some curios for home. The products made there are from people in this community as well, which generates revenue for them. Everything Carmen does is helping the local people in some way. She is what we all should strive to be like. Kind, polite, works hard, empathetic, and not a kinder soul on earth! Carmen, until we see each other again, you will be in Lori and I heart and thoughts! Please help Carmen keep doing what she does.
Reply from Kartula Deli & Adventure hub
2025.06.03
Hi John, thanks for the very kind words. We really appreciate that you, Lori and the rest of your team brought those amazing school supplies. We know that we have made friends for a lifetime with y`all. Please take care.
My family went on a hunting safari. We did not wat to spend our last day sitting at the airport. Carmen arranged to pick us up from hunting camp, provided a great tour of the Big 5 through the Pilanesberg Park, and tasty lunch. Jerry our driver did a fantastic job of getting us to the airport in plenty of time to catch our flight. Carmen has a delightful shop with all the fancy coffee stuff you coffee drinkers could wish for. She and staff are amazing. Would certainly recommend letting Carmen helped you with your safari plans.
Reply from Kartula Deli & Adventure hub
2025.05.10
Thanks Linda for the kind words. Hope you travelled home safe.
