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
LU
Email Walter | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Amazing experience
We had the absolute best time with our guide Edwin in Tanzania!
The planning was perfect, we never had to worry our selves about anything and could be certain that our tour will be excellent.
Everything was perfect, but our guide made our experience unforgettable. He is one of the most friendly people that I have ever met, always had a smile on his face, helped us with everything and last but not least has a great understanding of Tanzania, the area, the people, the wildlife.
We really enjoyed our experience with Shadows of Africa and our guide Edwin.
We would 100% without a doubt recommend them to any body.
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Email Jeff Perry | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
If I could rate 100 I would
Superb in every manner. This was a complicated vacation for my 80 year old father that was put together without any issues. All credit to the shadows of Africa team and Lies. I plan a lot of scuba travel but this was very different adding in my father. I needed help and guidance and did not want to go through the American travel agencies that just slam you into want they want and who they like. It took a bit of time but Lies was always there for emails and questions ans we hammered it out over a few weeks. She put in a tremendous amount of time and I felt like she genuinely cares about my father and us having rhe best possible itinerary. She helped guide me to places and what to avoid during the planning. Her knowledge and ability to match what we needed with a price point was just stellar. Now that we are back we we very pleased with every accommodation that we booked. Our tour was 9 days starting in Arusha for 1 night to rest. Then off to tarangire for 2 nights. 1 night on lake Manyara. 1 night in ngorogoro. 2 nights in central Serengeti and 2 nights in northern Serengeti. I will recommend every location and lodge we stayed at. It was the perfect blend. We saw everything we came to see and had the greatest guide possible. I know everyone loves their guide but Loma is the best. He was so polite and genuine and took great interest in my father and wanted to please him. He truly made the trip even more special. He is a friend for life and you would be blessed to have him tour his country with you. He consistently put us in the right pace for the action and is just an overall great human being. He’s a tremendous asset to Shadows. I highly suggest you ask for him if you go. Addition ( forgot to add Assad to my review. He was just as intrumental getting us to the airport rapidly to finalize our covid tests. We had an 11:45 pm fight and wondered last minute if the covid testing center closed. They did at 8 pm. What could have been a disaster was avoided thanks to his connections at the airport and willingness to go the extra mile Many thanks Assad :))
I can assure you no details will be overlooked if you book with Lies and Shadows. They are super professional and care about every detail. Literally nothing was a problem at all.
I can’t recommend this company any higher then I do. Book with them and go now. It will be the best decision in your life.
Thank you Loma, Lies and everyone who made this journey for my father the most meaningful and spectacular event of his life. You are all truly amazing and I am forever grateful.
See you again for sure
Jeff
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Email Chris Hatfield | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The trip of a lifetime! Exceeded our expectations in every way possible!
My wife and I spent two years planning this trip, so we looked at every tour service out there. Nearly all of them had great reviews, but we were able to narrow it down to a few that we reached out to for more information.
What set Shadows of Africa apart from the very beginning was how thorough and thoughtful their responses were to all of our (sometimes silly) questions. We often didn’t even know what to ask, but we wanted to be as prepared as possible for this trip, so we sent many emails to Shadows, and without exception got the answers to all of our questions and many more!
Our contact, Inge, spent literally months helping us make decisions about how to create the best possible itinerary based on exactly what we were hoping to do and see. She was so patient with us, as we made change after change to our trip. Dates, lodging, where and how to see the most spectacular wildlife Africa has to offer, we would approach Inge with questions about what we could add (like the hot air balloon safari that was one of the absolute highlights of the trip) or how to change our route to ensure staying at a certain location (like the Melia Serengeti Lodge…another highlight). Inge told us that Shadows of Africa understands that for many people, like us, this is truly a once in a lifetime experience, and she and the company will do everything within their power to make sure it’s perfect.
By the time we headed to Africa, thanks to Inge, we were perfectly prepared for everything in store for us. We had no idea that our already-high expectations were going to be exceeded every single day.
I imagine no two trips are alike, as with a safari, you plan your trip around where the animals move to during very specific times of the year. So, there’s no point outlining which route we chose for the particular dates we were in Tanzania, but we visited the following locations (sometimes more than once):
• Lake Manyara National Park
• Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area
• North Serengeti National Park
• Central Serengeti National Park
• Southern Serengeti National Park
• Arusha
Every location was wildly different and wildly…wild. If you’re even considering a trip to Tanzania, you know the appeal already. Lions, elephants, giraffes, leopards, hippos, rhinos, every type of gazelle you can imagine, etc., etc., etc. All in one of the most beautiful and unique countries on Earth. What we were not prepared for was the sheer amount of all of this wildlife and beauty. Around every corner, down every road. Something in every part of every park that will stay with us for the rest of our lives. And it just doesn’t end. And that’s to say nothing of the experience of visiting Tanzania. It is a completely sensory experience that words and even photos don’t begin to do justice. Speaking with the locals, eating the foods, driving the roads, and hearing and seeing everything Tanzanian culture entails can only be experienced in the flesh. We had friends and family who had been before, and they all said essentially the same thing. “It changes you.”
The last thing I want to say is that our trip would have been outstanding regardless of who we were lucky enough to have as a guide. But our guide, Moody Kabongo, may have been the best part of our entire time in Tanzania. From the time Moody picked us up at the airport until the time he dropped back off to head home, we were smiling and laughing. I honestly don’t know that I’ve ever met a person with the kind of infectious charisma Moody brings to every conversation. Every single place we visited; everyone knew Moody. I’m sure all of the guides are knowledgeable and friendly. You couldn’t last long in that business without those skills. But Moody is something special. If you’ve ever been around someone who seems to effortlessly be instant friends with everyone they encounter, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
It’s hard to imagine this trip without having Moody as our guide. He was a huge part of what made our time in Africa so completely perfect, so when you go to Tanzania, first…get in touch with Inge at Shadows of Africa, and second (and I cannot stress this enough), tell Inge you want Moody.
What was great:
• Communicating with Inge from beginning to end
• The truck! We had everything we needed, including TONS of space to move around to get the perfect view of all the wildlife.
• The accommodations. Every place we stayed, at every price point, was breathtaking.
• The food! Both at lodges/tent camps, and even more importantly, while we were out on game drives, the food was absolutely incredible. This is one thing Shadows of Africa does better than any other tour operator (now that we’ve been and eaten with and around other guide services), and it’s really not even close. Every meal we had was a) delicious and b) ridiculously elaborate. When guides are out on game drives during the day, they pack lunches for their clients, and usually will all get together and eat in picnic areas out in the bush. This is fun for everyone, because the guides (and their guests) get a chance to talk and have a good time over lunch before getting back out to the wildlife. What we found is that our meals, which were hot and prepared by the lodge that we had come from, were always met with longing stares from the clients with other guides. I’m sure their food was good, but Moody would set out our table full of hot food and wine and coffee and tea, and it just made our days that much better knowing that whenever we were hungry and needed a break for a bite to eat and something to drink, it was going to be every bit as good as the food we were getting at the lodges!
• The value. These trips cost a good deal of money. They involve traveling across the world, staying in (often) luxurious lodges and eating world class food, all while having a driver with you every step of the way that takes care of every need you might have. We saved a lot of money to go on this trip, and all I can tell you is that we’d do it again in a second. I never once found myself thinking we should have found a way to cut a corner here or there. We got every dime’s worth out of this trip, thanks entirely to Shadows of Africa making everything easy on us. All we ever had to worry about was running out of memory card space on our cameras.
What we would do differently:
• Now that we’ve done it, the only thing we would change is somehow figuring out how to do more. Adding another day or two. Visiting one or two more parks. That’s it. I only wish that we had found a way to do more. But we’ll be back!
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Email Anne Hatfield | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
These guys are experts at planning perfect safaris!
We did a seven day/ six night safari with Shadows Africa and it was the most incredible trip of a lifetime. We’ve traveled a lot and felt like very confident trip planners, but quickly realized how important a travel agent is when visiting Africa. You absolutely need someone to help you plan it who is an expert in where the animals are at what times of year, the best lodges and camps to stay in, and just navigating the culture there. Tanzania is like no place we’ve ever been, and there is literally no way you can plan a trip to a place like this by yourself.
Inge Olgert was our travel agent and planned the most incredible trip for us within our budget. She helped us to choose the most spectacular lodges and camps. Each of our accommodations surpassed our expectations. They were all immaculately decorated for luxury, comfort, and the perfect safari theme.
Shadows of Africa handled all the logistics for us. Our guide Moody Kabongo picked us up at the airport, helped us with all our bags, and transported us everywhere we needed to go. He taught us all about the culture in Tanzania, and knew about every animal we came across. I don’t think there’s an animal he doesn’t know about. These guides seriously know their stuff. We were extremely impressed. He was so friendly, and we trusted him completely. We had the vehicle to ourselves for the whole week. Moody basically just handled everything for us (all the park fees, travel navigation, and luggage), while all we had to worry about was taking pictures of all the animals we saw and enjoying ourselves to the fullest. Moody easily became one of the best parts of our trip. If you end up traveling to Arusha, he is the guide you want. Moody is the absolute best.
Shadows even handled all the covid logistics for us there. The guides, lodges, and camps all took covid very seriously there and did their best to operate safely. We had to get covid tests for traveling back to the US, and our guide was able to schedule it for us and take us to the clinic. This clinic was pretty remote and pretty much everyone was not speaking English, so we were extremely thankful to have our guide handle everything for us.
I cannot speak highly enough of this travel agency. Everyone we worked with planning this trip was an absolute pleasure. Inge Olgert is an expert and is among the best of the best at putting together memorable trips. Moody Kagongo was the best guide we could have asked for. These people helped us to have the best trip of a lifetime. Because of their hard work, we’ll have incredible memories we’ll cherish forever. If you’ve ever dreamt of going to Africa, you want these people to help make it happen.
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Email Brock Rexius | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a Lifetime!
We are an adventurous, well-travelled family that goes to great lengths to make sure our trips are well-planned and ultimately "epic" in nature.
We could not be happier with the job Inge and Moody did in fulfilling that goal.
From day 1 in the planning process, Inge (and Shadows of Africa) stood out above every other safari company. Inge was detailed, kind, honest and answered EVERY question we had in a timely manner... ultimately building the perfect trip for our family. She bookended a well-balanced blend of national parks with eye-opening cultural experiences that became some of our favorite moments of the entire vacation.
Getting paired up with our driver (and now "friend") Moody was the icing on the cake...and really moved the whole experience from epic to "magical". Moody was kind, knowledgeable, protective, sensitive and delivered a one-of-a-kind experience that we'll be talking about for the rest of our lives. Moody is obviously well-respected and loved in his field by his peers. I can not tell you how many times he was greeted lovingly by other safari guides, park staff and even people on the street. He has a passion for both the animals and the humans in his sphere. Consider yourself blessed if you are paired with this friend!
AT
Email Sophie Brunner | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very nice company, super flexible and definitely to recommend!
We had a really nice time with Shadows of Africa and our guide and can definitely recommend this company!
The service is really good upfront and tries to find the perfect offer for special requests.
We had a last minute change, which was no problem.
The lodges are very nice, the food is good, the car in a good condition and the driver very experienced and nice!
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Email jokemaster | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
7 Day Safari trip with Charles - BEST TRIP EVER - 5 Stars - 10/10 - August 2020
We researched and decided to make a last-minute safari trip to Tanzania after reading about the COVID restriction. We contacted numerous safari tour operators, and Shadows of Africa immediately stood out with their quick response and budget-friendly options. Our main point of contact before arriving in Tanzania was Lies. Lies was very quick to respond through Whatsapp and helped cater the trip to our preferences. Typically planning a safari takes months in advance, but Lies got everything set up in the span of 2-3 days!
We literally finalized the trip and paid our final bill on the same day we flew to Tanzania (a 24-hour flight). We were crossing our fingers and hoping everything would go well the moment we arrived at the airport since there was no way to contact while we were in the air.
We finally arrived at Kilimanjaro airport, showed our COVID results, paid for Visa, picked up our luggage, and then headed out to the arrival lobby.
Charles, our safari specialist, was holding up a sign with our names. Once we went to him, we were immediately greeted and brought to our epic safari truck. He helped us load the luggage, provided us with masks, gave us hand sanitizer, and wiped down the car's seats and door handles. We were exhausted from the trip, but little did we know that we were about to embark on the safari experience of a lifetime.
Our itinerary was as follows: Arusha, Tarangire, Masai Village, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro Crater.
We are not going to go into the details of each day of our trip. But having Charles as our guide in Tanzania made the experience that much more memorable and unique. We have never met a guide who is more knowledgeable, hard-working, and has a passion for wildlife like Charles. The way he drove us around each park and showcased each animal to us was terrific. We had a goal of seeing the big 5 (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and African buffalo) and Charles went above and beyond and made sure we saw each animal. Charles even drove 100 kilometers deep into Serengeti just to show us cheetahs. Charles was so dedicated to making sure we saw all the wildlife, and we were so happy.
You know you have a great Safari tour guide when all the tour guides on the road are asking Charles for guidance on where to spot the animals. Charles can spot wildlife many miles away without binoculars, and we were always amazed. Charles's positive attitude is infectious and puts a smile on your face. He was social and friendly and conversed with us on the long drives.
Each day was an exciting new experience and allowed us to see so many of Tanzania wildlife. On our first day in the Serengeti, we were heading back to the camp after an exciting day time game drive. But we got lost because the original camp closed down due to no tourism. What should have been a scary experience, because it got pitch dark in the Serengeti turned into one of the most exciting adventures on the trip. We experienced a nighttime game drive, and Charles was pointing out all the animals as we were driving at night. I wished we would get lost every night!
Overall, we have ZERO complaints about the trip. We had such a fantastic experience. The parks were so empty because of COVID, so we really felt like we were the only ones and could see all the animals without interruption. Lies professionally handled our booking, and Charles expertly guided us throughout Tanzania.
If you decide to do a Safari, we wholeheartedly recommend Shadows of Africa and ask for Charles!
Email Pablo | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Awesome Safari experience!
We did the four day Safari with Shadows: Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro.
Since initially contacting them we got the response from Inge who was super helpful during all the process of deciding what to do and where to stay. She also helped with all practical questions such as weather, clothing, tips, etc.
Our tour guide was Moody and he was absolutely amazing. He always tried hard to get us everywhere so that we could spot all the animals with the best views.
He has lots of experience and was able to respond all of our questions with knowledge.
The food was very good and we had picnic lunches including soup, a few options for main dish and some fruit or desert. Everything served with proper plates and cutlery which is nice.
We would 100% recommend Shadows and Moody as a Safari guide.
DE
Email Karolina | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
best exprience ever
Fantastic communication, fast responses, top of the top in organization — everything what we wanted to see and do, was organized for us. We had the best guides ever, and we felt super welcome during the whole tip. We will recommend that place and use this company for our next African trip. :)
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Email Sarah R. | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Experience of a lifetime! - contemplating on booking? JUST BOOK IT!
Our safari experience was more than I ever could have imagined! We booked an 8 day trip including 5 day safari through Tarangire, Serengeti, and Ngorogoro Crater and 3 nights in Zanzibar to end the trip. The safari was by far the best part of the trip - I highly recommend visiting all the parks we visited! We saw all of the Big 5 animals and even got the chance to see 2 leopards up close which is hard to find! All of this is due to our amazing driver, Sule. He made this trip all that it was! Sule was incredibly knowledgeable, fun and personal, and is a very experienced driver. I never once felt unsafe and he made the experience so much fun. I definitely recommend asking for Sule - we got so lucky having him as our driver! Overall, shadows of Africa did an amazing job. They are great at communicating prior, during and after your trip, booked the best places for us to stay, and truly made this experience very enjoyable. I highly recommend booking with Shadows of Africa!