Makasa is owned & managed by Selma and Ngomi Kamm
Makasa Tanzania Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2009)
- Member Of:
- Tanzania Association of Tour Operators
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $300 to $2,000 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Fantastic Safari Arraned By Makasa!
After a couple months of research by my husband, we decided to work with Makasa Tanzanian Safaris for our trip this summer. As many people say, a safari in Africa will probably only happen once, and there's a lot of pressure and questions about how to 'get it right'. We spoke at length via Skype with the owner Selma - told her our main goal was to see as many great animals as possible, and to stay in tent cabins. We didn't want to stay in luxury lodges, although all the tents, whether in the 'bush' or not were amazing! I will be reviewing them separately on Tripadvisor. Back to Selma. My husband was so impressed that we were speaking to the owner (along with her husband Ngomi), and that she took the time to really listen to us and help us craft a safari that would achieve our trip goals. They send you an itinerary that includes pick up at the airport (at 2 am!!!), and details about each day and each night's accommodations. In fact the first morning we had a delightful breakfast with the two of them as they greeted us before we took off on our adventure. We went to national park preserves: Tarangire, Lake Manyara, three nights in the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater. We were wonderfully and ably guided by David for the entire trip in a huge Toyota Landcruiser with a pop top for easy viewing and photography. The guide is key. David had worked for the company for several years and was amazing. He was a phenomenal driver (you have to be - he wound up helping several stuck drivers). At each park he told us he couldn't promise what we'd see, but he always had a 'nose' for finding all the great animals, and was able to identify and tell us all about the trees, birds and lifestyles of all the amazing creatures we saw. And boy did we see beautiful creatures. We were blessed with good cameras, but David is blessed with the ability to find them, get us in good position and often with no one else around. In fact, because we both had long zooms, one night he went into a town and had bean bags made for us to be able to better position and steady our cameras. Now that's above and beyond. If I could give Makasa 10 stars I would.
Helpful notes: Although Makasa will send you a very nice 'before you go' doc, here are my words to the wise:
Bring 1's, 5's and 10's in US dollars dated 2009 or later. Dollars are widely accepted and the TZ sterling notes are not needed. No need to get your visa in advance. When you arrive there's a window before you go through customs. $100 cash for US Citizens and $50 cash for all others. Bring cash for a tip at the end of the safari for your guide. Bring a good camera. You'll be happy you did. Each person should have their own binoculars. It makes spotting and observing extra fun. Don't dress like Steve Erwin - it looks silly. You probably won't be fighting thru the bush - you'll be sitting in a nice vehicle. Wear comfy clothes for warm weather - although it gets chilly at night. Embrace DEET. It's only for two weeks and its a necessity. Really. Get your Yellow Fever shot at Walgreens. Its expensive but the so-called 'travel doctors' are a rip off. Ask your doctor what other medicines to bring or shots to get. We also got tetanus and Hep A. We brought along prophylactic drugs (not rubbers).
And most important: Book your safari with Makasa!
ES
Email Jordi G | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Great professionals ... extraordinary result!"
A few weeks ago, we made a safari with Makasa. Traveling with two girls, age 11 and 15, we were looking for an agency that offered a safari package designed for families. Makasa worked out perfectly. Our trip took place in late August 2016. Selma of Makasa sent us a daily detailed itinerary that included each night's accommodations. Every place we stayed on safari was incredible, much better than we expected with both luxury and service.
From our arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport until our departure at Dar es Salam 13 days later, we were perfectly taken care of by everyone involved. The first evening at Mosh, we had a delicious dinner at MCF Kilimanjaro Lodge, with beautiful gardens, very pleasant, ideal to recover after a long trip. Kilimanjaro Lodge is part of Mama Clementine Foundation: a secondary school for young girls in Tanzania. We had the first tastes of the local beers on their deck.
Next morning Selma, her husband and their newborn baby came to greet us before we began our 8-day safari. We also met who would be our guide, driver, and friend for the next 8 days, Humphrey, the best guide you can have. He was real fun, teaching us songs like Jambo, Jambo bwana, Habari gani, Mzuri sana. The vehicle was a 4WD safari vehicle equipped with a specially designed open panoramic roof (allowing you to stand in the vehicle to take pictures). Humphrey was a very responsible driver, very cautious and when we were stopped (which often happens) by the local Police, he was able to convince them quickly to let us drive through. As a guide, he was very professional, at each safari drive he was able to show us the big five game and the ugly five as well as many other animals, birds and trees. He was like a living dictionary, there was no question he could not answer regarding the animals we saw and the places we visited.
Afterwards, we left to Olpopongi Masai, a village some 3 or 4 hours’ drive from Mosh on the foothills of Kilimanjaro Mountain, which we had the fortune to see clearly that evening. We really appreciated having the first night at Olpopongi, as it allowed us or understand and appreciate the Masai way of life, as we encountered many more Masai along the way. You spend the night in a real hut, made by women; the Masai people tend to your needs, cook for you, dance/sing and demonstrate their traditional ways. They take you out on a bush walk to show you how and where they gather their herbs for medicines, tea making and hut-building materials, the incredible 96-year-old 'grandma' will prepare their special herbal tea for you! At night, sit round a central fire after dinner and watching the stars!
Day 2 of our safari took us to Lake Manyara that offers dense forests, rivers and the lake. We saw enormous concentrations of baboons. Afterwards, we headed to Croatia Valley Lodge, located on the boundary of Ngorongoro Reserve. A wonderful, truly special place, we were very happy to spend the night there. After a night at Olpopongi, the luxury of this lodge was very much welcomed. We visited the Children’s Home, an orphanage for those kids whose family cannot take care of them, a project supported by the owners of the Lodge. The Lodge is composed of 15 tents, an open dining area; the food comes from their own gardens. Visiting Croatia Valley allows you to experience a sustainable and self-sufficient Lodge while showing solidarity with the orphanage that is maintained by the Dutch hosts. All the personnel were very kind and we wished we had stayed more nights!
The next day we drove to Serengeti, this endless plain offered us an abundance of wild animals that we saw at close range, many lions, cheetahs, leopards as well as elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, etc. … and a few gazelles ;).
At Serengeti, we spent 3 nights at beautiful Kubu Tented Lodge, which had only been open for about 3 months when we arrived. It was the best accommodation during our 13-day trip.
The setting of the Lodge is perfect, it is located on a hill; from the terrace and the cabins, and you can admire the vast plains of Serengeti and watch the animals below migrate in search for water.
When it gets dark, two Masai warriors, for safety reasons, must escort you back to the cabin since there were wild animals (gazelles, zebras, buffaloes, and wildebeest) just a few meters from our room! At night, you could hear the lions roar and the hyenas hunting nearby.
Our family cabin was huge, with two rooms, a huge balcony and incredible views. All the drinks (including alcoholic beverages) were complimentary. Finally, our girls went swimming every afternoon at the infinity pool, maybe the most beautiful pool we have ever seen, you can take the most amazing photos of the pool with the Serengeti background.
After Serengeti, we visited Ngorongoro, a unique crater known as a caldera. Nearly all the big wild animals can be seen in the crater. Apart from large herds of zebra and wildebeest, we saw many lions and finally the black rhinoceros. Thanks so much, Humphrey!
We stayed the last 2 nights of the safari at Endoro Lodge, also located on the edge of Ngorongoro Reserve.
Next, we visited Zanzibar for 5 days staying at Kilima Kidogo at Paje, an ideal place to disconnect from the world, to enjoy the sun and sea at one of Zanzibar’s best beaches! It was really nice, good food and friendly staff. There are many games for the kids, ping-pong, a pool table! Kilima Kidogo is a small place; there aren’t many guests, which creates a sense of exclusivity, life in slow-motion. We must highlight the hospitality of its owner, Dina, who was waiting for us at the airport, and the rest of the staff carrying out their work with passion and trying to please the most pampered guests. Good food and possibility of beautiful excursions. A place to return someday!
Helpful notes: Bring dollars in small bills (especially 1 and 5 dollar bills for the tips) but we also used local shillings that ended up being useful also, you can get them from ATM at Arusha.
No need to get your visa in advance. When you arrive at the airport we payed $50 in cash for each of us. In addition, people should have their own binoculars. It makes spotting and observing extra fun.
Finally, from the comments we heard from other visitors, we would recommend skipping Lake Manyara visit and choosing instead Tarangire National Park.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceeded every expectation!
From the minute I chose to book a safari for my husband and I with Makasa, I was not disappointed! In fact, I was truly blown away by the care and attention Selma took in planning our safari, and keeping in touch with me throughout the whole process, including matching us up with another traveller to share our safari experience with and reduce our overall cost.
The night before our safari commenced, we stayed at MCF Kilimanjaro Lodge, and were lucky enough to meet Selma, her husband Ngomi and their beautiful children. It was obvious to see how passionate they are about Tanzania and the Safari industry. We were made to feel very welcome, like part of the family really! It was the perfect start to our week - beers on the deck amidst the picturesque gardens, complementary snacks, and delicious, home-cooked meals. All staff at K-Lodge were super friendly and made sure that our night there was a comfortable one!
Below is a copy of the email I sent Selma after our safari - I think it sums up our feelings about Makasa:
Hi Selma,
I am just writing to say thank you so much from Tom and I for the most wonderful experience with Makasa!
Firstly, Peter, our safari guide, was an absolute legend! We got along with him so well, and he worked overtime to make sure that we didn't miss out on anything. We felt like we had the best guide in the whole of Tanzania. He was very well-informed about the animals we saw and the places we visited, he had an answer to every one of our millions of questions, and he was a complete gentleman, and made sure that we didn't go without anything! He really must be commended for the outstanding job he did whilst on our safari - we couldn't possibly have asked for any more from our guide!
Esther was a blast - we're really glad we were able to share our experience with her. We shared the same interests and had a lot of laughs along the way. We are currently missing our safari family of Peter and Esther very much!
The parks were a spectacle within themselves. Our favourite day was a 5am start to drive to the northern entrance of the Serengeti. We felt like the only car in the whole place, and we really had a chance to get up close and personal with the animals.
The accommodation exceeded our expectations like you wouldn't believe. After a night at Olpopongi, the luxury of Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge was very much welcomed. Kenzan lodge was very comfortable, and the service was amazing, as with all of our accommodations.
By far, our favourite accommodation was Endoro Lodge. We felt very lucky to experience such luxury basically in the middle of nowhere. The staff there were absolutely outstanding, and made us feel like family. The rooms were spectacular and the food was scrumptious!
All in all, we had the week of a lifetime! The itinerary was perfect and we honestly wouldn't change a thing! We really appreciated having the first night at Olpopongi, as it allowed us or understand and appreciate the Maasai way of life, as we encountered many more Maasai along the way. The group at Olpopongi were exceptional, and we had a really meaningful experience there (along with amazing food).
I have already started recommending Makasa to people we have met in Arusha, because I don't think that the package you arranged for us could have been beaten!
Thank you again, Selma and Ngomi, it was really lovely to meet you and your family.
Kind regards,
Claire and Tom Green
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Photo Trip of a Lifetime
My wife and I decided to celebrate our 45th wedding anniversary with a trip to Tanzania and go on a photo safari. We booked it on-line with Makasa Tanzanian Safaris. I communicated on-line with Selma Kamm and she is the best communicator for travel services I have ever worked with. Ngomi Kamm provided us with a 10 day safari that was fantastic. Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, and the Serengeti National Park were visited. The abundance of wildlife was beyond what I ever imagined and we got superb pictures of a wide variety of African wildlife, including all five of the "big 5 dangerous game animals". The photo we got of a leopard is the best photo I have ever taken in 40 years of working in the photo business. The accommodations were first class and the Kamms have become life long friends. It was trip of a life time, and we will cherish this trip as the best of our extensive travels.
NZ
Email Mary and Graeme Fogelberg | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
A+++ Tour and Tour Operator - you won't do better!!!
This was an extraordinary trip and my husband and I are seasoned world travellers from NZ - our retirement lifestyle while we can! Selma and Ngomi, who own and operate Makasa Tanzanian Safaris, were instrumental in making this such an amazing trip - they provide excellent drivers/tour guides - ask for Kalibi, he was exceptional, nothing was too much trouble and a wealth of knowledge with excellent English language skills (tho talking to other Makasa-ites we ran into at various lodges, they were equally delighted with their guides).
We certainly made the right decision spending that little extra to have our own car and guide all to ourselves - we were able to rearrange some of our time schedules to suit our needs, eg, late starts and also an early sunrise start out of the Serengeti which provided us with much active wildlife observation - during the heat of the day, some animals such as lions, like to nap for lengthy sessions
The lodges and tented camps we stayed in on the mainland advised by Makasa were perfect for us - we would have loved an extra night at the Rhotia Valley Lodge and Orphanage - an amazing setting high up in the hills overlooking spectacular valleys - 1 night here not enough as the perfect place to enjoy a day off, maybe go on a village walking activity, visit the nearby Orphanage the Lodge supports or simply wile away the day with a good book, swimming in their beautifully landscaped pool or just looking at the scenery - great food, luxury large tents and excellent Dutch hosts.
We also spent a night at the Maasai Village, Olpopongi, recommended by Makasa - this is definitely NOT a tourist trap as some of the villages are surrounding the Ngorongoro conservation area - here, not far from Mt Kilimanjaro, you get to experience actual Maasai village life in a real hut, made by the women, with a cowhide bed (no worries, they do provide proper toilets and showers)- the actual Maasai people tend to your needs, cook for you, dance/sing and demonstrate their traditional ways, also take you out on a bushwalk to show you how and where they gather their herbs for medicines, tea making and hut-building materials...the incredible 96-year-old 'grandma' will prepare their special herbal tea for you - delicious! At night sit round a central fire eating BBQ food and sharing stories.
Also we stayed our 1st night at the beautiful rustic, but simple, Kilimanjaro Lodge - Kilimanjaro Lodge is part of Mama Clementina Foundation: A secondary school for young girls in Tanzania. It is a nice friendly hotel with good service and a nice environment. The hotel is located a bit out of the centre of Moshi and therefore very quiet and peaceful. With your stay you will help the school - we had the pleasure of meeting Maria, the Chairperson of the school board, who won Tanzania's Woman of the year, 2013...a special genuine lady who has done much to enhance the empowerment of women in her country.
Have to say tho, with the accommodation, the Kenzan tented lodge located at the Ikoma (North-Western) gate (the Ikoma tribe the smallest of all 150 Tanzanian tribes) was the highlight, even tho, ironically, the most basic - but no better way to experience the Serengeti with wild animal sounds to send you to sleep or as alarm clocks to wake you early - rest assured, they have ensuites so no need to visit outside loos during night-time hours...and local guards to ward off any 'wild' night-time guest who may visit the campsite unexpectedly - the 5 guys looking after us and cooking for us, were delightful, what they cooked in the make-shift kitchen was jolly good fare! You're amongst it all here in the Serengeti - a Ikoma village walk is a treat as well, but if you want to go inside an actual village and take photos of the people and their huts, including interiors, which we did, it is appropriate to give a few US dollars or Tanzanian shillings to the oldest female member to buy some food for her village or treats for the children. While on the Serengeti, this Savannah is amazing, we saw a couple of migrations, wildebeest and zebras, which was beyond our imagination fantastic!! Just the whole area and the animals we saw was quite an overwhelming experience - ask any of the guides and they will tell you, the Serengeti is their favourite Safari to visit in Tanzania.
We also had a couple of weeks visiting Zanzibar, which we organised thru Makasa as well - 2 or 3 nights in Stone Town is a must (we loved Kisiwa House, but a few others are worth staying at as well) and 12 nights at beach resorts - Next Paradise, stunning, ask for a beach cottage - the waters in Zanzibar are turquoise blue and the white sand powdery soft - great for snorkelling, diving and kiting
There were a couple of small issues, one with a car to the Maasai Village and the other with accommodation on Zanzibar that didn't suit us, but both of these issues were rectified immediately - Selma was on to these without hesitation and sorted it all out for us on the spot, so really not issues!
A couple of changes we would make if we were to repeat our trip - 1: forget the Manyara Lake tour, waste of time and boring, for one, the climbing tree lions have not been seen for years and 2, the salt lake with pink flamingoes too far away to see properly even with binoculars - you will see this much more up close and personal at Ngorongoro Crater, plus loads more that you won't at Lake Manyara - request to visit Tarangire National Park instead - the comments we heard from others, a must visit as within the same area location as Serengeti and Ngorongoro.
2 - as mentioned above, definitely 2 nights, not 1, at Rhotia Valley Lodge and Orphanage
We can't recommend Makasa highly enough - and to top it all off, extremely competitive prices for the quality of service, accommodation and touring we received compared to others we researched - also, Selma and Ngomi as a husband/wife team, with the extra personal touch come FREE! We would not hesitate to use Makasa again should we venture to this part of the world.
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent!
I have known Makasa Safari in internet. After a long correspondence with Selma we "built" the perfect holiday.
8 day safari to Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro and a week in Zanzibar.
Flawless organization from the welcome at the airport, excellent facilities and accomodations, the guide (Humphrey) really prepared and professional.
I have to thank Makasa for allowing me to live a dream.
US
Email Bob and Barb | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The heart of the Serengeti
My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our visit into the Serengeti with Makasa for several reasons:
1. We wanted to understand as much as we could about the ecosystems, more than just animals but all the flora and fauna
2. We wanted comfort and coziness but not obsequious luxury and we had great accommodation-just right for us.
3. We wanted to see and understand what we saw; the staff (Ngomi and David) did a superb job.
4. The office through whom everything was set up was clear and efficient in the process.
Overall, a great experience and we intend to go again soon with a son and grand daughter added to the experience.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
We highly recommend Makasa, they gave us our dream Safari trip in Tanzania
We found Makasa online, and began working with them because they are a local company. They were very easy to work with, they responded quickly and gave us a recommendations for a range of tented camps and lodges, and what was reserved for us was exactly what we wanted. The tour guide/driver was exceptional; his knowledge of the animals and birds and their behavior was excellent, he was friendly and enthusiastic, and he could not have done more for us. He was able to find animals we would never have seen.
We spent time in Manyara, Ngorongoro and Serengeti, and each park had its unique features.
US
Email J Almond | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Makasa's flawless planning & perfect execution exceeded our high expectations
Tanzania Northern Park Circuit: Sept. 22 to Oct. 6, 2015 (14 nights)
Summary: From our initial email to Makasa Tanzanian Safaris to our (oh, so sad) drop-off at Kilimanjaro Airport (jro), we were delighted. We consider ourselves experienced travelers with high expectations. Makasa's flawless planning and execution gave us delights and experiences we didn't dare hope for. We give Makasa our highest possible recommendation & would never consider any other operator should (when!) we return to Tanzania.
Operator Selection: George, age 61, & I, 56, had talked "safari" and googled options for 4 years. Finding Makasa's great reviews & fairly priced sample safaris on Safaribookings.com (& Trip Advisor) inspired us to finally act. The "hands-on" owners' backgrounds meant they quickly became our choice among the many operators we researched. As almost-fit middle-aged Americans on our first trip to East Africa, we were reassured by 1) Ngomi Kamm's family background in safari tourism, his German heritage (stereotyping yes, but I trust German's to deliver on high standards!) and his college time in the U.S. and 2) his wife & partner Selma's background as a Dutch nurse raising two little ones in Moshi said to us that she'd know how to keep clients safe and healthy in the wilds. Also, Makasa's sample itineraries on Safaribookings offered tremendous value for totally customized trips (just two of us with our personal guide going precisely where we wanted). From our first email contact, Selma's prompt professional responses exceeded our every expectation. She was patient & so helpful as we continued to add days to our trip, only possible because Makasa was offering such great value!
Guide: We've read many reviews about how kind, knowledgeable & professional all Makasa's well trained English-speaking guides are & that was repeated by several Makasa clients we encountered with various Makasa guides at crossroads during our safari. That said, we still can't say enough good things about our guide, Humphrey. He has remarkable eagle eyes, and we learned much from him about every animal & bird & culture we encountered. (We frequently said "It's ok we don't have Internet access now. We don't need Google; We have Humphrey!") He was wonderfully accommodating to our every idiosyncrasy (yes, George needed 50 shots of every bee-catcher & Humphrey wouldn't let me apologize for needing to tinkle every 30 minutes; he was happy I was following his wise recommendations to stay hydrated). He shared so much knowledge of our beloved Serengeti enroute that we were calling it "Humphrey World" before we got there. It would have been the trip of a lifetime if that were all there were to Humphrey but that's just the beginning! We were kinder, happier people because we were with Humphrey: He urged us not to boast at lodge lunch & dinners about our remarkable wildlife encounters (and there were many!) because it could make other safari clients, regardless of their operator, less content with their day or guide if they had missed something. And my, how we laughed. Big clowns ourselves, Humphrey's intelligence, quick wit & cleverness means we'd love spending time with him anywhere.
Itinerary: Our main objective was the Northern Park Circuit wildlife, but our trip was even more enriched because we trusted Selma to guide us on other experiences: cultural, philanthropic & more. We asked for an easy first day around Moshi, and were thrilled with the informative Chagga Village Cultural Tour & the phenomenally beautiful Marangu Falls. Makasa's in-town guide Theo was a wonderfully knowledgeable host and ambassador of Tanzanian culture. Olpopongi Maasai Cultural Village overnight was a life-time experience -- comfy & accommodating to western standards, yet a genuine education on how a renown people continue to live & honor their culture. We loved the Mama Clementina Foundation Kilimanjaro Lodge, first stop in Moshi from Kilimanjaro Airport (jro). Yes, our other lodgings were more modern & polished, but this clean comfortable lodge gave us a glimpse into a school that's uplifting and educating girls in a country that's trying hard to catch up on women's rights. Like every accommodation booked by Makasa, we wish we could have stayed longer to enjoy the delicious meals, our gracious host Ruth and her sweet students, training to work in hospitality. The lush mountain setting for Rhotia Valley Tented Camp, also supporting a school, took our breath away. We're also delighted that Makasa's good value package and our flexible timeframe gave us a day Lake Manyara & about 3 at Tarangire national parks.
Accommodations: All Makasa's picks exceeded our expectations, with gracious managers & staff, beautiful settings, comfy to luxurious accommodations and very good to fantastic food. I'll review, eventually, Maramboi (Tarangire) & KatiKati Tented Extra 1 (Serengeti) -- both are Tanganyika Wilderness Camps properties, Endoro Lodge (Karatu) and Ngorongoro (Crater) Sopa separately. Summary: We would have loved to stay longer every place Makasa booked us.
Wildlife: We embarked on our safari knowing that the landscape, people, culture & any animal sightings would be new & exciting to us; we were determined not to worry if the rare black rhinos or cautious cheetahs decided not to come out for us. What follows are major highlights among hundreds of sightings. Serengeti: two huge male hippos fighting above ground, multiple cheetah sightings, including one very close to road eating Thomson gazelle, herd of 18 elephants crossing road to waterhole, and lion, hunting, crouching, stalking, using nearby jeeps for cover. In transit, Serengeti to Crater: Caracal hanging by roadside; Ngorongoro Crator: 4 different black rhinos sightings, one very close and one of mother & child, herd of zebras, with one or two at a time, rolling in dirt about 20 feet from jeep and then surrounding jeep, Manyara National Park (a favorite for me for its intimacy & forest setting!): hundreds of pink flamingos, small herd of elephants (about 10) surrounding jeep as they crossed road. Tarangire National Park: 2 lion brothers finishing up a kill & much, much more. As for the total number of lions, I stopped paying attention to the guys' count around 90, spread among all the parks. We're so delighted that our abundance of time & Makasa's value pricing meant we got adequate time in all these parks. We had great experiences in every park.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Fantastic 5-day safari to Tarangire and Serengeti
Thanks Selma and Ngomi for organizing a perfect trip and Tuma, the guide/driver, for great company and a professional performance! We saw literally hundreds of elephants in Tarangire, we didn't know so many could fit in one 360deg field of view! Game viewing in Serengeti was excellent, with several prides of lion, cheetah, hyaena and even a close encounter with a leopard. Also all the other animals - gazillions of gnu of course, grazing from horizon to horizon on the green plains, topi (a new sight for us), dik dik and many others, birds such as ground hornbills, the colorful buffalo weaver, a secretary bird, kori bustards, various birds of prey, and others we still need to identify from photos. Tuma got excited with us over a busy dung beetle, and was always happy to stop for anything that tickled our fancy. I even got (painlessly) sucked on by a tsetse, also a novel experience (!?!) The accommodation was excellent. A booking glitch at one lodge was instantly resolved by Selma (while over-seas herself). The best thing about Makasa? The two delightful and professional owners.