East Africa Wild Adventures
- Located In:
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Canada
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2008)
- Member Of:
- ATTA, APTA & Consumer Protection BC
- Tour Types:
- Custom luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $480 to $1,200 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
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Email James | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing, transformational experience!
In all candor, we were a bit concerned whether a small company based in Toronto would provide a safari trip and accommodations that were up to standard. But this trip far exceeded our expectations. The lodges were spectacular. The private safari was a real luxury. We had one small issue at the start of the trip: The itinerary suggested that dinner at the originating hotel in Arusha would be including. Our guide informed us that it was not and, admittedly, the language in the itinerary was a bit ambiguous. But an email to Alym at East Africa Wild Adventures quickly resolved the issue: Our wonderful dinner was covered with no fuss!
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Email Liqi | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Experience
I would definitely rate this company very well. I had a lot of concerns and questions about both booking over the internet and traveling to Tanzania. Alym responded promptly to all of them, and we could customize our package as needed. The trip itself went off without a problem and or guide was knowledgeable and helpful. I would not hesitate to book with Alym and his company again.
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Email Karen | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a lifetime!
We had an absolutely amazing experience on our safari. Alym was careful to listen to what we were looking for, and he delivered on every aspect. Each of the accommodations were top-notch, and we saw more than we had ever anticipated. Our driver was friendly, knowledgable and genuinely concerned about showing us the best of each area we visited. Couldn't have asked for a better trip! We highly recommend Alym and his associates - we are truly grateful to them!
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Email Bryceson & Catherine Dodge | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Serengeti / Zanzibar Honeymoon
Alym was terrific to work with - he was able to accommodate our budget while also ensuring that we received great value for our money. In terms of the safari, the tour operator that he setup for us was knowledgeable, friendly, and an excellent driver! We saw just about every animal that the Serengeti has to offer (including the wildebeest crossing the Mara river and a lion hunt/kill). In terms of the resort, Blue Bay was spectacular - it was clean and beautifully appointed. Our expectations were entirely surpassed and we couldn't have been happier with our decision to work with Alym!
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Email Siri and Alex Appel | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A Dream Safari!
Alym helped us plan our absolute dream of a trip to celebrate our anniversary. Given that we'd never been to Africa before, he gave us the guidance we needed to feel comfortable and confident we were about to take the best trip possible. We appreciated the extra steps he took to connect us to the Lodge proprietors when we asked and everything turned out flawlessly. Thank you Alym!!
Exceeding expectatios, excellent arrangements and exciting game drives.
Communications worked seamlessly before the safari: quotation with good details, payment arrangements, flights from Dar to Kilimajaro, etc. We wanted to see Ngorongoro and appreciate that a game drive in Lake Manyara was added en route to the crater. Fabian was an excellent driver and guide. I think we managed to spot all the major mammals in the Crater. We saw two lions i Lake Manyara, four on the first day in the Crater and 15 the second day including five cubs. Serengeti next time!
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Email Jeff | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Tanzania Safari
Alym from EAWA was very responsive and flexible when booking our trip to Tanzania. His recommendations were very good, and everything was well organized while on the trip. The various guides and drivers were friendly and made travelling effortless. It was easy to get in touch with Alym at any time. I would highly recommend booking through EAWA to anyone!
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Email Dennis | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Couldn't have been better!
Hadn't been planning on going to Tanzania but all of a sudden a business opportunity appeared. As soon as it was confirmed that i would be going to Tanzania, a friend said it was a once in a lifetime opportunity to take a safari and that i should take my kids with me. Before I knew what was happening, my 23 year old daughter had agreed to accompany her dad although her two older brothers were uninterested. So, we had like three weeks to decide on how we were going to do this over the hectic Christmas vacation into early January..
I started to negotiate with one company but when it came down to making a significant payment, I all of a sudden became concerned about Internet scams and started to look for another company that had more reviews on the SafariBookings website. Although I subsequently was advised that all of the companies listed with SafariBookings are reputable and reliable , my search lead me to East Africa Wild Adventures, primarily because they had an office in Vancouver with a number I could dial and a person I could talk to. That person was Alym Bhanji who picked up the phone right away and made me feel he was a person I could trust. I asked Alym to review an itinerary I had been offered and to give me a quote. He was very knowledgeable about the safari business and quickly offered me a range of itineraries from which to chose. After a bit of mixing and matching and asking Alym for advice with respect to which combination of accommodations was best, we chose to stay two nights at the Sopa and two nights at Serengeti View mobile camp. The Sopa was a wonderful way to start while Alym felt that the mobile camp would provide a more "in Africa" feel to the safari. I felt very comfortable following his suggestions. They seemed to make sense.
Now, these safaris aren't cheap but when you come to realize that the lodges are pretty much 5 star hotels in the middle of nowhere with what must be astronomical provisioning costs, you start to understand, The camps are not as high class although the permanent camps have running water and electricity but all of these have to have everything hauled in over the Serengeti Super Highways which were little more than mud tracks and rivers in many places when my daughter and i were there in January.
Anyway, our itinerary had us flying in from Dar es Salaam where my business meetings took place to Kilimanjaro where we were to be met by our guide Hasan. Never having flown to meet a stranger before, I must admit i was a bit apprehensive but Hasan was standing outside the arrival area with a sign that had our names on it. He smiled and laughed when we met, grabbed our bags and led us to our safari vehicle and we headed towards the Serengeti. Now, it's a bit of a drive from the Kilimanjrao Airport to the Ngorongoro and Serengeti National Parks but you do get a marvelous first hand view of rural African life on the way to and through Arusha and beyond. On this drive we also saw countless zebra, giraffe, wildebeest and buffalo. We were awaken at about 6AM our first day by about eight elephants having breakfast right outside our hotel window. Over the next four days, we saw lions, cheetah and leopard (4 of them!) all with kills. Warthogs, tortoise, crocodile, jackal, impala, dik dik, gazelle and enough hippos to make your head spin along with numerous birds of prey. Our guide, Hasan, had the eyes of a hawk. He noticed all of the leopards up in trees and all about 100 metres away from the road. He would slow and stop and point without the help of binoculars while i would scour the country side for minutes before locating the leopard. Without his keen eyesight, we would have missed an awful lot of animals and without his skillful driving, we may still have been stuck on the serengeti waiting for someone to rescue us!
Before this safari, if you had asked me if i ever planned to go to Africa, I would have answered "Not likely" but now that I have been, i have already told Alym that I want him to help me plan a return visit for next year! When I think of the short period of time I had to plan this safari, I don't know whether there are many operators who could have made it happen. Alym somehow was able to communicate with all the necessary people to make arrangements for what has to be the most interesting vacation i have ever taken. He was also able to make an excellent suggestion for a hotel in downtown Dar es Salaam for the night we returned from safari since our flight out of Dar was scheduled for the next day. It was relatively close to the airport which is a bonus when you take into account the ridiculous traffic jams that are a feature of driving in Dar.
The next most important person is your guide and Hasan was absolutely amazing. When you go, make sure that your guide has a well maintained vehicle and that they know how to drive it 'cause the going can get tough!
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Email Heinz | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Simply fantastic
What a great job in giving us the ultimate safari experience. Our itinerary was set up with everything that we wanted to check and a few optional tours we could have taken. Before and during our trip there was constant communication where they inquired how we were doing and if there was something that we may require. Our guide was first class and he provided us with a immersive experience regarding the culture and wildlife of Kenya and its many preserves. Our hotels and lodges were first class, and we felt welcomed. I would definitely recommend East Africa Wild Adventures to set up your custom, personalized safari tour. He will do everything possible to make sure your experience is u forgettable.
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Email Russell | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A Huge Leap of Faith on a Company That Really Delivered
I had been researching safaris for many years and when we finally decided the time was right, I found a customisable Kenya safari through East Africa Wild Adventure on the Safaribookings.com website. What appealed was the fact that the company had an office in our home city, Vancouver. I asked for a quote and received a very prompt response from the owner of the company, Alym. After some discussions he came up with a nine-night safari for us, and we completed the booking in April 2015. Alym was very helpful. He was prompt in responding to our questions, and assured us that everything was booked and confirmed. A seasoned traveller, I was used to booking things myself: getting receipts, vouchers and confirmations etc, so leaving everything in the hands of someone else was totally alien. It was reassuring to meet up with Alym although it was a huge leap of faith to part with so much money and have only verbal assurances and a printed itinerary to take with us on our travels. So, it was with some trepidation that we set off. After a thirty-hour journey we exited JKIA arrivals hall to be met by a man holding a placard with our names on it, although he was from a different tour operator, Big Five Africa. It transpired that they were the ones East Africa Wild Adventures had arranged to carry out the day-to-day operation of our safari. We hadn’t been told that, nor expected it, but no harm done.
This was our first safari, so we were unsure of what to expect. Fortunately, we had our own vehicle and driver throughout which made huge difference. Our driver, Mr John Waweru, was exceptional. He regularly went above and beyond: making sure we had a constant supply of drinking water; ensuring the vehicle was properly maintained and clean before each drive, and much, much more. We cannot speak highly enough of him. There was one aspect of the safari that we hadn't truly been prepared for: the amount of travelling. I stress that this is not a criticism of the tour operators. I fully understand the notion of trying to cram in as much as possible to see as much as you can to avoid disappointment, but we were "on the road" for at least eight hours each day, either driving to the next location and/or being on a game drive. Couple that with the appalling condition of some roads, and all the access routes to the various conservancies/National Parks, and you have a very uncomfortable ride. If you have a bad back, then beware!
Accommodation and meals were obviously a significant part of the package, but ultimately we were there for the wildlife. Nevertheless, we were amazed at the high standard of accommodation. Tented camps were luxurious, all with en-suite bathrooms. We even had hot-water bottles waiting for us in our king-size beds! It is worth noting that they were needed too as the temperature really drops after sunset. With one exception, food was wonderful: varied, plentiful, and of a very high quality.
From experience (whale watching etc) looking for wildlife can be very hit or miss, so it would be very naive to judge the overall safari experience on that. Fortunately, what we did see was beyond our expectations. This was largely down to our driver/guide. His knowledge of the areas, the wildlife, and not just blindly following the crowd, meant that we saw so much. For that, we will be eternally grateful.
Overall, East Africa Wild Adventures (and Big Five Africa) came up trumps. For those, like us, who usually book everything themselves, rest assured that Alym, and the team on the ground in Kenya, will have everything in place for you. As the title of this review suggests, it did require a tremendous leap of faith on our part, but we were not disappointed.