The Amazing Shadows of Africa Guiding Team!
Shadows of Africa
- Offices In:
-
United States
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2010)
- Member Of:
- ATTA, TATO & TTB
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $250 to $1,500 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
Email Gary & Lesley | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
7 day life changing journey with Paul in Rwanda
We searched carefully to find a reputable company, that understood our requests of what we would like to achieve for our 7 day safari into Rwanda. We were very impressed with Shadows and their very high quality informative well priced quote and in particular Paul’s recommendation to flip around the direction we explored so that we could capture exactly what we wanted.
We had been in Tanzania for 8 weeks, and so the 1st surprise was how different, modern, clean, green and 1st world Rwanda is by comparison. From all the reading we had done about the country before arriving it didn’t prepare us for what we saw.
Our main aim was to trek with the Gorilla’s in Volcanoes National Park – this experience WOW, was so awesome that there aren’t any words that can get close to how describing the feeling when you are first see them and sit amongst the family as they just hang out!!.
Our other surprise was the journey we encountered with Paul. As we visited different areas of the country, driving through villages, tea and coffee plantations, seeing Chimpanzees, Colobus monkeys etc, Paul shared more and more of his Rwanda, its history, the changes over the last 25 years since the Genocide of 1994 (a visit to the Genocide Museums in Kigali are musts), the justifiable pride Rwandan’s now have in their country – and some of Pauls own experiences. Our lives are changed immeasurably from our time with Paul.
He’s also the consummate fixer – after we started we wanted to add in cycling a section of the ‘Congo-Nile trail’ – Paul found us someone excellent and adapted our journey to fit this in.
In short, we highly recommend Paul personally, and we know he has a great team working with him in Rwanda, and he is supported by the wider team of Shadows in Africa. You can’t go wrong by joining up with him.
IL
Email Aharon | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
AMAZING!!
i traveled in north Tanzania , arriving in Kilimanjaro and visiting Arusha national park, Tarangire park, Manyara park, lake Eyasi, Ngorongoro crater , and Serengeti Park for a period of 9 nights and 10 days. i arranged my tour online with Inge who was very helpful and prompt in her replies. i was met at the airport by Ukardi, my Tanzanian guide and driver for the next 10 days.
My stay in Tanzania was like a dream, i lost count of the days and didnt care what day it was.
At one stage i decided to change my itinerary and this was done with efficiency and ease via the office.
i saw leopards, cheetahs, several types of monkeys, turtles, crocodiles, many species of birds, and of course the lions, giraffes, hippos, rhinos, buffaloes, zebras, gnus, mere cats, several types of deer,a variety of insects and reptiles, the abundance of wildlife left me in awe.
And it was the people of Tanzania that made my stay memorable with their ready smiles and curiostity and their world of contrasts, where the Masai tribes people walk 8 miles to the supermarket with their cellphone tucked into a beaded bag and the bush people with their amazing archery skills and gentle laughter at my attempts .
But it was Ukardi that brought it all together with his knowledge of the terrain and his wealth of information on all aspects of Tanzanian life, its people , birds and animals, big and small. i felt safe at all times and was touched by his caring both of me and his fellow Tanzanians, was a pleasure to have known Ukardi and his "eagle eyes" that saw animals in places that only an eagle could see. And last but not least a big thank you to our cook, Roman, who kept me well fed.
I would highly and warmly recommend Shadows of Africa.
Email Pauline | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing 4 day safari to Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater with driver/guide Ukadi.
Ukadi spoke excellent English and told me all about the areas we were passing through and identified animals even when they were hidden from my view by leaves and undergrowth. He would stop for a clear view and patiently explained where to look for a good sighting. His driving was safe and confident and he obviously knew all the routes as he managed to get close to lions and elephants and cheetahs after seeing them in the distance. We had tasty lunches which he picked up en route and served at the well maintained rest areas. Standing in the land cruiser gave a wonderful view of the surroundings and I saw thousands of zebra and wildebeest and gazelles as we drove through Serengeti. Giraffes were grazing on the thorn trees and lions dozed by the roadside as we traversed the park. On the way to Serengeti we stopped at a Masai village and had a very friendly and informative tour by the Chief's son as well as demonstration of Masai skills, all helping to explain the red clad figures we had seen herding cows and goats by the roadside. On our final drive to Ngorongoro at dawn, a leopard slunk across the road and then as we entered the crater we saw a black rhino sauntering across the grass. An incredible end to an amazing experience made possible by Ukadi's wealth of experience and professionalism.
Shadows of Africa put together a superb itinerary and accommodation at Eileen's Tree Inn at Karatu was a highlight of my visit with excellent food and spacious, comfortable surroundings.
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Email JnJ Sacramento | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing 21-day private safari
We can’t say enough nice things about Shadows of Africa, Jake, Stacy, and especially our fantastic driver-guide, Fredy. Over several months, Jake and Stacy helped us plan the most fantastic 21-day safari imaginable. Their great suggestions and patience resulted in the best trip we have ever taken. And then, there’s Fredy: Warm, funny, patient, and always looking for ways to make our experience the best it could be. Thanks also for teaching us some Swahili. We’ll never forget “Sawa Sawa,” “Hakuna Matata,” and our favorite, “Pole, Pole. Sisi ni waze!” (Slowly, slowly, we are old!) Asante sana, dear friend. We miss you!
We visited parks in Arusha, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro, Serengeti (Ndutu and Seronera regions), as well as Zanzibar, and took countless tours, from tasting banana beer and visiting a coffee plantation, to hunting with Hadzabe tribesmen and observing Datoga blacksmiths at work. Of course, we saw an amazing variety animals, not to mention all of the big five (including three rhinos and two leopards in trees). Thanks to our wonderful guide, Fredy, we saw so many animals up close that we usually didn’t need our Nikon P900’s 83x zoom lens.
With only one exception, our lodging was great throughout Tanzania (staff warm and accommodating, rooms comfortable and roomy, and food tasty and plentiful, especially the soups). We stayed in Moivaro Lodge (Arusha), Lemala Mpingo Ridge (Tarangire), Kisima Ngeda Tented Camp (Lake Eyasi), Lake Manyara Kilimamoja Lodge, Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge, Kenzan Luxury Camp (Ndutu), Ole Serai Luxury Camps, Moru Kopjes (the 5 lions roaring outside our tent all night were a nice touch!) and Turner Springs, My Blue Hotel and Maru Maru Hotel (Zanzibar). The only bad experience we had was at My Blue Hotel in Zanzibar, and Julia at Shadows of Africa quickly solved that issue for us.
We will never forget our amazing Tanzanian experience, and we are so grateful to Shadows of Africa for making it possible. Fredy, we will never forget you. We wish you all the best!
CA
Email Veda Ko | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing once in a lifetime trip with knowledgeable coordinators and staff to help along the way.
This is my first safari and when I started my research it was difficult to decide which company was best suitable. I wasn’t sure how many days was ideal, or what a realistic budget would be, but after e-mailing and obtaining prices from a few companies I decided to book with Shadows. I choose a luxury tent experience (options were tent, luxury tent, or hotel). After the experience, I think what we paid (~$3,200 USD pp, ~$500 USD/day) was reasonable for 7 nights and 6 safari days.
COMMUNICATION: From the beginning, I worked with Jake and he was nothing but professional, responsive, and very helpful in all aspects of the planning process. As our trip came closer, he would touch base via e-mail to see if we have any questions, and to ensure that we were planning and packing accordingly.
During the planning, I was very confused about how many days I should go for and wasn’t sure what parks I should go to. Communicating via e-mail was nice but I wanted a more instant response and to talk to a live person as I wasn’t understanding the breakdown of the safari trip. I was able to speak with Jake and get a understand of what a safari trip was like, and this helped me with my expectations greatly.
Prior to arriving, my partner and I also got into a bit of a tangle in Rwanda and was afraid that the same situation would happen when arriving in Tanzania, JRO. I had reached out to our coordinator in Tanzania, Natasha, and cc’d the group. Our concern was addressed and taken care of. Airport pick-up and drop-off were also stress-free.
THE EXPERIENCE: Knowing what I know now, I would say for my partner and me, 30 y/o active couple, 4 to 5 safari days would have been ideal. The rides are long and bumpy. Our guide, Loma, was amazing; laid back, always on the lookout for animals, and had suggestions when we asked/were curious about other things/experiences during our safari. We were lucky and got to see all the animals we wanted to up close, except for the rhino that was far in the distance.
For the 6 days, we went to Arusha National Park, where we did a hike and a kayak ride. The hike was nice as we came across some giraffes and got some fun photos, but I would skip the kayaking experience. Lake Manyara National Park, which I personally didn’t enjoy because I felt like I didn’t get a lot out of that day. There are flamingos there, but we aren’t allowed to go up close to them or get out of the car. The next 3 days were spent in the Serengeti (south, east, centre and west). Jake had recommended more time to spend here as the park was very big and that the animals roam around. Yes, the animals move around freely, and you can be driving for hours not seeing anything new or fascinating, but we also came across some neat things. We were lucky enough to see vultures surrounding three hyenas eating a zebra, family of elephants up close, lions (literally behave like cats), etc. Ngorongoro Crater, we were hoping to see rhinos up close but instead, they were far in the distance…. But we did get to see hippos.
Whenever we were having our picnic lunch around others, my partner and I noticed that our meals were nicely prepared with a lot of options, not to mention tasty. We were very happy with the food. The overnight experiences were also nice. Overall, we enjoyed our lodges/big tents as they were all very comfortable. For all the reasons I have mentioned, I would 100% recommend this safari company.
Email Robert Marshall | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The staff on the ground were fanstastic and well organised and able to meet all requirements
Our tour guides Ameri and August were fantastic and were on top of anything we required without there help we would have not made it to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro also our team of porters and chef Paul were great and very accomedating.
DISAPPOINTING was the lack of follow up from Christopher Michael Walker Bush in providing what was agreed in writing and paid for up front but once again our guides came to the rescue but the most dissapointing thing WAS THE NON SUPPLY OF A PORTABLE TOILET AS AGREED and also the camp cots.If not for your professionalism of the ground staff the whole hike could have been very disappointing
Joel,Robert,Liam and Shane
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Email Keith | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Shadows of Africa "hit it out of the park" for us! Expections were exceeded on every level!
If you are like me, you are experiencing some trepidation on making your choice for the best safari company to help you with your trip to Africa. Hopefully, our insight about our experience will make your trip memorable and enjoyable.
The Bottom Line:
We highly recommend Shadows of Africa as your safari tour provider to make your safari dreams come true!
The Details:
We wanted our African adventure to include the following:
1. An experience with the Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda
2. Spend several days in the Serengeti of Tanzania
3. Have time to “wind down” after out safari for a few days on Zanzibar
Shadows of Africa absolutely “hit it out of the park” for us! Our trip was customized specifically for me and my wife. They were quick to respond to all of our questions. They are professional, efficient and honest. Any issues we had were resolved promptly and fairly.
Your first interaction will be with a safari consultant who will answer any and all of your questions about the type of trip you desire. We had the pleasure of working with Jake and Stacy who are based in the U.S. on the West Coast. Any question we had was always answered promptly. Jake and Stacy will help with all your inquiries, your trip booking and follow up with you after the trip. Traveling to any foreign country can create anxiety for the traveler. Shadows of Africa removed all concerns we had about this journey. Coordination with flights, visas, in-country pick-ups, immigration / customs matters and hotel / camp accommodations all went smoothly.
Once the trip is booked Shadows of Africa will sent you a wealth of information. You will receive details about the countries you are visiting, hotels, camps, customs, pack lists, visas, clothing options and much, much more.
Our trip was excellent! Our visit with the mountain gorillas was fabulous. It exceeded our expectations on all levels. From just feet away, we were able to experience a large group of mountain gorillas. According to our park guide we saw 22 of the 24 gorillas the group we visited. The chance to interact with the Mountain Gorillas was an exceptional experience. We also visited the golden monkeys in the same region (separate day) and found them both enjoyable and interesting to observe.
The staff in each area we visited was amazing. Rwanda - Paul Ruganintwari was an excellent tour guide & driver in Rwanda. He is outgoing, friendly and made us feel very welcome. His pride for his country and his job was very evident. He gave us a history of Rwanda and an overview for our visit. He was never at a loss to provide us with information. When we asked – He had the answers!
We entered Tanzania via Kilimanjaro Airport. Our driver, Yusuph, picked us up and drove us to our first night's accommodation just outside Arusha. He was very friendly and helpful.
Our driver / guide for our Serengeti experience was Alex, He was great at his job. He shared lots of information about the animals and birds we saw. He carried animal and bird books to show us the various species we observed. In the park he had the ability to find game that we would have never have seen on our own. By the end of our trip we felt we saw every animal /bird the Serengeti had to offer, thanks to Alex. He was very patient with us. We never felt rushed. The spirit of “hakuna matata” prevailed throughout our journey.
The experience on safari was so much fun for us. The game runs, seeing all the animals and our evenings in camp made for so many wonderful memories.
Zanzibar - Once we made it through the hectic airport Mohamed, our driver / guide was there, waiting for us. He was very professional, had a pleasant personality and was helpful. He shared detailed information about Zanzibar and Stone Town as soon as we departed from the airport. We booked a couple of tours with him the following day as we made our way to the northern part of the island and the Royal Zanzibar Resort.
The best thing about Shadows of Africa is its people. They really care about you and your trip. They are committed to making your trip the best trip for you. We’ll be recommending Shadows of Africa to all our friends and family.
If we were to return to Africa in the future we’d most certainly use Shadows of Africa again!
Take the stress out of planning your safari experience. Turn the process over to the pros at Shadows of Africa. You’ll not be disappointed! Sit back, relax and get ready to enjoy the safari journey of your dreams!
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Email Tom | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We had an awesome time!
The diversity of the places we stayed over the course of the vacation gave us all a “True Taste of Africa” (just what we ordered
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Email Gary & Cher | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
See everything you expect to on a Safari. Absolutely Spectacular
When most of us plan a trip to Africa, we see 2 sides of the coin. First, there are so many things I to see and to experience. Second, how can I do this and who can I trust?
The answer to the second question is Shadows of Africa, and in particular, ask for James Meimutie as your guide. This tour company handled every aspect of our trip, from the time we arrived at Kilamanjaro Airport for 5 days in the bush seeing more animals than I can count. Great accommodations, good food, comfy Landcruiser. We just sat back and enjoyed. The pre-trip communications were complete with lists for everything we needed to know. Things to bring, clothes to pack, cash to carry and in what currency, and local phrases that will help out while travelling. When we asked questions, we got timely responses. Payments were easy, and we were handled like royalty.
Your tour guide is crucial to having a great experience, and ours was James. He is a modern Masai, fluent in English as well as several Masai dialects. His first question was what are the most important things we wanted to see. He made sure to remember that, and when the opportunity arose, he shifted plans to put us in the most likely spot to see our dreams. Even though we were a late in the season for the wildebeest migration, he found herd crossing, and we sat for an hour in the middle of 10’s of thousands of wildebeest, just 20 yards away.
James saw to our every need. We saw lions, leopards, rhinos, water buffalos, elephants (the big 5), zebras, giraffe, hippos, antelopes, gazelles, impalas, baboons, crocodiles, and even a cheetah make a kill. We spent time with a Masai community, and were invited into their home. James knowledge of the local people and the animals is deep, allowing us not mis-step with folks we met, and knowing every animal we saw by name and habits.
When we go back, we will travel with Shadows of Africa and James Meimutie. If you want the trip of lifetime with every detail handled, you should, too.
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Email Ken | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
A great tour company that is friendly, always willing to accommodate requests and responds promptly.
Jake and Stacy did a wonderful job setting up our two week safari to Kenya and Tanzania. They made suggestions for itinerary changes, cultural experiences including a wonderful visit to the Africa Maasai Lodge, a variety of accommodations, and ensured quality guides and transportation connections. They responded promptly to emails and all arrangements and payment went very smoothly. The tour visited Maasai Mara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire, and Amboseli. The animals were plentiful and we saw the Big Five with up close experiences with lions, elephants and leopards. The guides were friendly, experienced and very informative. They saw to all of our needs and were amazing in their ability to find animals in the tall grasses. The accommodations were a mix of luxurious lodges and "rustic" tents which were a wonderful and interesting experience. We highly recommend Shadows of Africa for your safari experience!