Reviews
Email Dennis Mawira Mbaabu | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
He was so friendly
From the experience that I had with my family,I can simply say Charles African Safaris is one of the best
Excellent
Thankyou very much charles , our time in Lake Oloiden resort (flamingo)was awesome . We are grateful and looking forward to more traveling/booking with you🙏🏻🙏🏻. Charles African safaris limited always the best 👍
IN
Email Aditi De | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wild, with a touch of magic
I wasn't sure what to expect on my first African safari ever when I spent two days visiting the Masai Mara in July 2024 with a group of Indian tourists.
The Kenyan safari took me by surprise - and altered my perspective powerfully. I realized that our planet did not really belong to humankind.
With patience born from years of experience, our expert guide-driver Charles took us offroading in his mini-van with a pop-up top across rough tracks with acacia trees, to slowly but surely reveal the Big 5 (Lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, rhinoceros, and leopard) and the Ugly 5 (warthog, hyena, marabou stork, vulture and wildebeest). It was electrifying. He made sure all our safari dreams came true.
What our city eyes saw as distant 'rocks' morphed into herds of wildebeest. A clump of savannah grass rustled to life, slowly parting to reveal a leopard. A herd of elephants appeared alongside the rough tracks, as if on a calm pre-sunset walk.
We spotted a pair of cheetahs feasting on their wildebeest prey... a pregnant lioness yawning and stretching, belly up... a two-horned African rhinoceros... and vultures and hippopotamus, foxes and hyenas, zebras and giraffes...
I was fascinated by the see-saw rhythm of the Great Migration in real time (not like a National Geographic documentary, honestly). Hundreds of wildebeest and zebras gathered at the edge of a steep incline overlooking the Mara river. They seemed to be afraid of the crocodiles lying in wait for prey in the waters. A few reversed towards known though depleted pastures. The rest followed. On the first evening, we watched this natural progression live on repeat dozens of times. Never boring!
The next morning, one of the regular crossing sites from Masai Mara in Kenya to Serengeti in Tanzania was jammed with safari vehicles. Would the herds cross - or wouldn't they? They amassed, approached and retreated, time and again. Four larger wildebeest on the other bank seemed to signal that it was safe to reach the other bank. Through a tangle of hooves, we counted animals descending to the river bank. Ten minutes later, 13 wildebeest and zebras started to climb up towards Serengeti in Tanzania. They had swum safely across.
Overall, it was like being on a safari with a magician, who had the power to show us every Masai Mara animal we could imagine.
Having Thomas, an expert Masai tracker with us, helped to zone in on these wonders in the wilderness.
Charles handled every hiccup on the trip with confidence, common sense, calmness and courtesy, with our safety and comfort in mind. Always professional. I appreciated that deeply.
Would I recommend that you travel with Charles African Travels? Oh yes. Without a second thought.
