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
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Email Jason D | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Safari, Superior Staff and Coordinators
We did a long safari (5 days Kenya, 8 days Tanzania, 5 days Zanzibar). We were met at the Nairobi airport and loved our Kenya guide. He really worked hard getting to locations broadcast on the radio with rarer animal sightings. The whole family loved Ken the driver. We knew about Masai Mara and Amboseli but Crescent Island and the walking safari amongst the animals was an unexpected highlight. We transferred to Tanzania midway through the safari which is an awkward border crossing. Our Tanzania driver was very knowledgeable. We had wonderful upscale resorts throughout our stay. It was a mix of luxury tent and gorgeous hotels. My wife developed pneumonia in Kenya that didn't improve with oral antibiotics. Our coordinator Natasha in Tanzania was superb with rearranging our trip so that my wife could get IV antibiotics and we could see game parks closer to Arusha. We still had awesome hotels and I was so impressed with how helpful and caring she was.
HR
Email KruKop | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Maximum Africa Experience
The most important thing when you're booking a safari is to have an experienced driver - and this is the trademark of SoA. The right driver will take you places other drivers do not know of, he/she knows where to find animals and has special connections in local stores and camps. Also, they can choose the right chef for the trip, give you valuable information on the animals and be a pleasant companion. Natasha is one of few safari company owners who finished a demanding safari management program (which includes spending a month in a safari camp and handing vast amount of info about the local flora and fauna) so you can tell her your wishes and fully rely on the safari package she will tailor for you. Best drivers and best management - once you get there, you will appreciate it, as it is the only guarantee you will return back home with memories and experiences exceeding your expectations.
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Email Don Basler | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Photo Safari - Even better than expected
Matt and I want to thank you so much for the fantastic experience with Shadows of Africa in February. As this was our first photo safari we had many questions pre-travel and we very much appreciate your team, especially Jake, for being responsive and patient with our inquiries. Once on the ground in Tanzania our guide and driver, Richard, was on top of every detail, including his recognition of the camera equipment we brought and a trip enhancing suggestion to remove the two middle seats in the Land Cruiser. This gave us the room we needed for our tripod and other equipment. As you know, we requested a very specific 2-person photo safari experience. The Shadows of Africa team responded to that request from the beginning to the very end, even arranging for a place to shower and change on the way to the airport on the final day. This allowed us to have a full last day on Safari.
Natasha, special thanks to you for meeting us at the hotel to adjust our itinerary at the last minute in response to my request to spend an additional night in the Serengeti tent camp. It proved to be a good choice as we lost a half day to rain and the extra night was needed to have a complete experience. All of these details and so much more made our experience a positive memory we can cherish.
By the way, we got some great photos and video of the great migration, lions, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, hippos, etc. etc. Even some great bird shots. This is why we went to Tanzania and you, Jake, Richard and your whole team made it great. I can’t imagine any other tour company doing better, and the price was very reasonable. I would highly recommend Shadows of Africa to anyone considering such a safari.
Best wishes, Don & Matt Basler
Carolinas USA
Email Marcel Zakrzewicz | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
By far the best Safari ever !
We planned to go Skiing in Germany but after three days the snow started to melt so we decided to see if we can go on Safari as my wife has never been to Africa. I got in contact with Shadows of Africa and everything was arranged in just two days with all the parks and attractions we wanted to see. Service was perfect, from the first pick-up at the airport back to the drop off after one spectacular week. Our driver was very friendly and most important very knowledgeable, we had a lot of fun during our week.
We even decided to change some accommodations for some days while already on Safari and it was not a problem at all, you can really plan your safari on a budget or as luxury as you want and Shadows of Africa makes sure it will be your best vacation ever.
Natasha is a professional in her field, very focused on customer satisfaction which you will notice once you are picked up and the drivers phone rings to make sure you have been picked-up in time and all it ok, outstanding service.
Thank you Shadows of Africa and our driver Sariko for a wonderful week .... !
EG
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable Experience
Our honeymoon was in Tanzania in November 2013. It was split into beaches at Zanzibar and Safari in Tanzania mainland…The safari part was organized by Shadows of Africa and it was beyond amazing. Natasha, owner of Shadows of Africa, has provided us with excellent and prompt support at all stages whether at preparation or during our stay. Also, she helped us with great advices, tips and some arrangements for our other part of stay in Zanzibar, although it was not related to her offer.
It was a 4 days Safari, exploring Serengeti, Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro crater. We have booked Medium accommodation and venues were all perfect, clean and at nice locations with great views. Having at least one night in a tented camp is an experience that we shall not forget and shall not be missed :) Our driver and guide was friendly, attentive and punctual; and we have almost managed to see the big five (the rhino was a bit far away :)). The weather was excellent, however, it was almost end of dry season, so big part of lake manyara was dry and lands were of much less greenery, however, it was still rich of wildlife and we enjoyed our time.
This was ana experience beyond expectations…If you are into wildlife and considering going over there, there is no room for hesitation, just book now :D
BG
Email Mihaela Pavlova | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable Vacation - Kilimanjaro and Safari
My husband and me spent two wonderful weeks in Tanzania, all arranged by Shadows of Africa. What can I say, this trip has certainly become a trip of my lifetime. Kilimanjaro climb was well organized; we had a nice team guiding us to the top. The guide Rashid, was very motivating and keeping it positive in challenging moments when I was about to give up on the way to the mountain. For this I am sincerely grateful as in other circumstances I would probably quit along the way. As for safari all I can say , had an amazing time. We took 5 day safari to Manyara, Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro. All parks are beautiful, but Serengeti was the place worth staying for days and if I come back I will choose to visit more days in Serengeti for sure. Driver Timothy was funny, witty and informative with wildlife facts and safari stories. Food on safari was also good and tasty, lunch boxes we received were very generous in size and portions in comparison what we saw with other people on picnic spots. For us this package was exactly what we wanted, we didn’t go on Zanzibar but maybe next time..
Safari - Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater - The Shadows Of Africa Way
Me and my girlfriend just returned from an awesome, 4 day camping private safari trip. Before we decided for Shadows of Africa, we searched and searched on the internet for the agency. At last, a friend of ours recommended us Shadows of Africa. We emailed them and they responded right away. We were searching for a low budget safari. They offered us a lot of information and helped us organize the whole visit in Tanzania, including Zanizibar. The driver/guide was amazing. He knew a lot about the animals, nature, culture ... His english was very good, his patience for our questions unlimited and good mood refreshing :) And then, there was the chef ... His cooking was incredible, serving as well (considering, we were on a camping safari in the middle of nowhere). Every day we had a cooked meal. Pancakes, eggs, bread, jam, fruit, coffee, tea etc for breakfast, lunch was usually packed in advance in a lunch box and we ate it on the way (we didn't want to miss a minute of this fabulous trip ;) ) In the evening we had cooked meal with soup, salad and main dish. My girlfriend is a vegetarian and he always prepared her something special without meat. Everything was very well organized and the trip passed by in what seems a blink of an eye. In the end of review I would like to note that the owner of Shadows of Africa agency personally came to welcome us and was always reachable for any questions or help that we needed.
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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 Rachel Perteet | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Professional, knowledgeable, flexible, confident
A trip to Africa was dream of mine since I learned of Mt. Kilamanjaro in a National Geographic magazine as a child. After much research (and talking with MANY safari companies), we chose Shadows of Africa and couldn't be happier that we did. From the beginning, we appreciated Jake and Stacey's quick and thorough communication. They listened to our desires and made recommendations based on what we wanted and their experience. They were always very open to the changes we wanted to make and gave us options to make the trip just we wanted. I am normally a "budget" traveler but wanted to really enjoy the "extras" in my dream trip. We chose to do a private tour for 2 weeks (this was the right amount of time for us) and really enjoyed how customized it was.
We started in Uganda to see the gorillas. I would never have known to visit Uganda otherwise and we were so happy that we started our trip there. I can't say enough good things about our guide Patrick. He made us feel like his friends from the very beginning. He was knowledgeable, funny, attentive, and seemed genuinely excited to show us his country and the animals in it. We felt completely safe and welcomed by everyone we met. Though seeing the gorillas (within a few feet!) was the most incredible part of our trip, Patrick truly was the gem of our Uganda trip. We were up and out early every day to see as much as we could. Patrick gave us options to take it slower if we wanted but we loved his willingness to spend our days exploring. We headed to Tanzania next and this was my feeling as we left...
"Looking out the small window as the warm plane takes speed and height over the bumpy Entebbe runway, I am struck with an acute mix of sorrow and gratitude. I am overwhelmed to say goodbye to a place I never knew I wanted to visit and came to deeply love in a span of six days. This spectacularly beautiful, rough, chaotic, welcoming, exquisitely unique, corner of Eastern Africa will forever be embedded in my memories. As we rise through the clouds and the patch of Lake Victoria disappears, a brightness grows steadily as my mind wanders back to the hours my eyes were opened to see Uganda."
Go to Uganda. :)
Tanzania was everything you think of when you see pictures of Africa. SOOOO many animals. The herds were huge! The landscape was breathtaking and I spent so much time feeling like I was in a movie and this couldn't be real. My pictures could not do it justice. The Serengeti is stunningly beautiful. We stayed in the park and were able to see the stars of the southern hemisphere. It was an unexpected joy. We spent the last two days in Kenya in Maisa Mara and enjoyed a hot air balloon ride. It was a great experience to see the animals and landscape from that view.
The lodges and camps that Jake and Stacey chose for us (we did a mix of mid-range and luxury and asked for a mix of"tents" and lodges) throughout the trip were wonderful. We did not spend a lot of time at our lodging as we wanted to be out on game drives as much as possible but each one was unique and comfortable. Some of the nicest accommodations I have ever had were on this trip.
Overall, our trip was more than we could have possibly imagined. We were very pleased with Jake and Stacey's planning and the comfort and ease they gave us as we planned such an unforgettable trip. With any trip, things can happen you don't expect and we were always pleased with their handling of our questions and concerns. You won't be sorry that you took a trip to Africa. I said it was the trip of a lifetime but now its hard for me to grasp that going back wouldn't be in my future.
Thank you to everyone at Shadows of Africa for taking such great care to show us the trip we could never have imagined.
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Email Dave Pryor | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
HIGHLY RECOMMENED TOUR WITH PROFESSIONAL STAFF
NOTE: The bottom line to a successful safari is your driver....period! His knowledge of off-road driving, translating local dialect, wildlife identification, and inside information on Africa is paramount to your safety and pleasure.
Our driver, Dickson Julius, was one of the best 4WD vehicle handlers I've ever met....and I personally know a LOT of good drivers, including F1 and NASCAR racing driver friends. His driving skills, stories, knowledge, and sharp sense of humor made our trip a remarkable experience that I'll never forget. Highly recommended! Be forewarned: This experience includes vehicle breakdowns, getting stuck, hot weather, and extreme terrain driving. It's as real as a safari gets and that's the beauty of and this trip.
The food overall on our safari was of good quality and served ample portions. All of the Massai warriors (who provided our protection) and staff we encountered were both friendly and professional. The days we spent "roughing it" in luxury tents (with functional toilets and showers) were stimulating in particular sort of way. There was just enough "grit" to get a realistic feel of camping while the calls of lions and hyenas lurking just outside your tent made your senses come alive. Anyone wanting to experience what it feels like living on the edge in the wild?....then this is for you. You will not regret it.