Africa VIP Travel
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- www.africaviptravel.com
Reviews
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The absolute peak experience!
Although it is now over 4 years since our Kilimanjaro adventure, it lives in our hearts like it was only yesterday. Our main goal was to do the climb, but I am thankful we combined it with the safari, as both were equally impressive in their own ways.
Kambona and his team are what made this trip so perfect. He has assembled a solid and knowledgeable group of guides that enrich your experience of the land and the people. The simple fact that he grew up amongst the Masai tells you that he has a connection with people that no western tour operator can hope to reproduce.
We had the good fortune of meeting him at a presentation he gave in Phoenix, and we immediately felt that this was the man we wanted to guide us. His deep knowledge of the mountain, of the savannah, the plant and animal life helps you to see a deeper texture in what Tanzania has to offer. I have to laugh every time I think of our driver James exclaiming, while driving, that he has just seen a Cheetah, and the rest of us see nothing but endless, unbroken grassland until ten minutes later when we are parked just a few yards away from a serene mother with her two cubs eyeing us suspiciously...
How would one know what to pack for a trip like this? Kambona does a terrific job at outlining exactly what you will need, nothing more and nothing less, and out in the wilds on the roof of Africa, I was happy to find it was indeed exactly as he had said. Safety is a big priority, and he has covered all bases, much more so in my opinion than some of the larger companies. Comfort and food are more than adequate and usually excellent, considering the challenges of a moving camp on the mountain! The safari tents were great, and felt very secure, even with the sounds of lion roaring nearby at night...
My daughters (at 24 and 25) were a bit skeptical about the physical challenges, but managed it with ease, and now have an incredible story to tell for many years to come.
I would absolutely recommend Kambona to anyone considering going...explore his website and you will see what I mean (as well as seeing some pictures of our group)!
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Email Luke Mahler | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fantastic personalized Kilimanjaro climb and safari - Highly recommended.
My brother, father and I worked with Kambona in 2012 to put together a combined Kilimanjaro climb and safari to Tarangire, Lake Manyara, and Ngorongoro Crater. I'm a biologist with a good bit of experience in Tanzania, so I'm picky and I had specific goals in mind for this trip - in short, I wanted an honest and down-to-earth outfitter who would put up with lots of special requests (e.g., a slower hiking pace so we could spend more time looking at plants and birds) and pair us with guides who knew their natural history. Kambona was recommended to me by a knowledgeable friend who organizes high-end adventure travel trips from the US. He had partnered with lots of Tanzanian climbing and safari outfitters, but Kambona was his unambiguous recommendation. This worked out fantastically - our trip was exceptional.
Kambona's approach to preparation set him apart from the beginning. Kambona skyped with me over half a dozen times in the year leading up to the trip to work on customizing the experience. He spent a lot of time discussing alternative options and making sure our plan would give us the best chance of summiting Kilimanjaro, as well as seeing what we wanted to see on safari. He made sure we had an appropriate 6-month training plan in place for the climb, and helped us choose the right gear.
This paid off in Tanzania. The Kili climb was a huge success - we reached the summit and learned a ton about the mountain on the way up and back. Our climbing guide was Faraja Mwaijande, who has been leading trips regularly since the 1990s, and we took the Lemosho Route, spending 8 days total on the mountain (highly recommended for both acclimatization as well as the additional time in these amazing ecosystems). Kambona put together a very reasonably priced package for what we got - we had a personalized 3-person outfit for about the same per-person price as some of the massive group climbs. The gear and food were very good, and the guides and porters were great companions.
The safari was also a success. Our driver Juma was knowledgable about all of the wildlife at the three parks we visited (long stay in Tarangire, short visits to Manyara and Ngorongoro Crater), and was willing to entertain all sorts of odd requests (e.g., seeking out the best places to see lizards, or drab birds). We spent most of our time off the beaten track (i.e., on the less-traveled park roads) and we came across several pretty amazing animals when no one else was around (e.g., a leopard, and a small group of wild dogs!!!).
Most importantly, Kambona is trustworthy and will do anything to make sure you're satisfied with your trip. He's a genuine and incredibly nice person and is easy to communicate with. He has decades of experience in this line of work, and he's very attentive. If you're looking for an ultra-luxury trip with expensive silverware, etc., you should probably look at other companies, but if your goal is a personalized experience in the East African outdoors, you can't do better than Kambona.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Traveled with Kambona in 2007 and 2010 and will do so again!
We love to travel and had wanted to do an African safari for a long time. Did not want to do a group tour...wanted a guide for four people...with more flexibility and freedom to explore. Didn't have any idea of how to find "the guide". After attending a meeting where a previous client of Kambona's talked about his trip to Africa and his experience with Africa VIP Travel...my husband said: we've found our guide, we can schedule our trip to Africa! We traveled to Tanzania in February 2007. Kambona and his staff provided an experience we'll never forget. The level of preparation, knowledge, attention to detail, sharing stories, patience with our questions and wonderful sense of humor presented by Kambona and his staff were beyond our expectations. The tent camping in the Serengeti was definitely a highlight of the trip, as were the game drives, the excitement of finding and observing the animals in their habitat was outstanding. There is absolutely no hesitation in referring our traveling friends to Kambona. They always return with positive experiences and we receive many thanks for helping them find 'the guide' to take them on their 'trip of a lifetime'. In 2010 we returned for our second safari with Kambona. We look forward to returning with family members in order to share the experience with them. Kambona has become more than 'the guide', we now consider him our friend from Tanzania and can't wait to introduce him to our traveling friends who are interested in making their first 'trip of a lifetime' in Tanzania!
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Email Lynne | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
One of the most memorable tours I've taken, exceeded all expectations, wonderful safari, and guide.
While planning this safari, we had many questions, having not been to Tanzania before. Responses from Africa VIP travel were always quick and complete. The tour was fantastic and our guide, James, was very knowledgeable about the birds, animals and their behavior and was always finding something wonderful for us to photograph. Our tent camping in the Serengeti was an experience I'll never forget, comfortable accommodations , excellent food and great staff. All other lodges along the way, were also very nice and comfortable with friendly and helpful staff and exceeded all our expectations. I would highly recommend Africa VIP Travel for a wonderful safari experience and great value for the cost.