Africa VIP Travel
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- www.africaviptravel.com
Reviews
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best & friendliest service
Kambona & company have the most professional & traveler friendly organization. They bend over backwards to make sure everyone is comfortable, and also do everything in their power to accommodate last minute changes. I would recommend everyone to go through Africa VIP for Kilimanjaro or Serengeti excursions as they are the best!
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Email Marv & Robin | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
The best choice of who to trust to guide your safari! Africa VIP Travel
My wife and I decided to take the trip that we would would take over any other. This would be the trip of our lifetime. The choice of where to go was actually very easy - an African Safari. We love the outdoors, live our lives as conservationists and love animals. That choice was the easy part. The harder choice was how to choose our guide and trip organizer. As we searched the internet the choices became overwhelming. The price ranges were all over the place. There were trips all over Africa. There were large companies, small companies, trip brokers and so much information that we became overwhelmed.
In talking about our desired trip with others, we found someone who solved that problem for us. He and his family had taken a safari last year with Africa VIP Travel based on a recommendation of someone who had also been very happy with them. He said we could trust them, they were wonderful people, paid attention to all of their needs and were experts at what they do.
They were right in all of what they said! We started email conversation with the company owner, Kambona six months before we would take the trip. He guided us through an understanding of what was involved and what arrangements would best meet our needs. Over six months he answered all of our questions and concerns, made us feel like he really cared about us and seemed as excited to be our guide as we were about going to Africa.
Here is a list of why our dream came true and how Kambona and his brother James made that possible.
1. Kambona and James are Maasai and are able to express what the culture is like through their life experiences. This was more than a trip to see animals, this became a trip to experience Tanzanian culture and learn its history.
2. They know where to go to see all the animals, the animal behaviors, and freely shared their knowledge with us in comfortable conversation. They are easy to understand, have a great sense of humor and made us feel very comfortable.
3. They never seem to get tired! They worked hard at meeting our needs and went as long as we could every day. They paid attention to safety and respected the animals and their environment.
4. The lodges and tent camps were excellent and met our needs after exhausting wonderful days.
5. We are amateur photographers, and they positioned the vehicle and moved it based on our needs for the best view and lighting conditions.
6. The price was right - saving us a significant amount compared to larger companies with more overhead. I truly believe that we received more value than we would have with larger more well known companies.
7. More than anything else - they can be trusted and are wonderful people!
Marv & Robin (contact us be email if you have any questions)
Great trip!
Dear Kambona,
I am writing this email to thank you for the wonderful time we had with your company while we were in Tanzania from February 24, 2014 to March 11, 2014. I also tried to post a review on your website, but I must have done something wrong.
You and James did a WONDERFUL job in making this trip the trip of a lifetime! Your knowledge of the Tanzanian and Masai culture, as well as your knowledge of all the different animals we saw, really helped us appreciate all that we experienced on our trip. The hotels and campsites that we stayed in were very comfortable, and our food was first rate. If anyone asks, we will recommend your company, and we already have to our dentist (you may be hearing from him soon). Thank you again for all that you did.
Sincerely,
Kay & Brad Ames
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The best challenge of one's life
As the coordinator of a trip for 5 to climb Kilimanjaro followed by a safari, I can say the communications with the Africa VIP Travel were nothing less than timely, informative, clear and professional. When we arrived to Kilimanjaro airport and all through our 2 weeks with Africa VIP, the communications and service from everyone was terrific. Kambona runs a wonderfully organized operation and it is clear his number one priority are his customers, followed closely by his employees. He and his guides were clearly concerned when anyone on the climb didn't make it to the dining tent in a timely fashion. Someone always checked in to see if everything was ok. We knew they were all looking out for us. On the safari we had great accomodations and wonderful, knowledgeable and friendly guides and staff. At one point we learned that the hotel we were scheduled to return had a water line break. Kambona very seemlessly transferred us to a differ hotel just 10 minutes down the road that was of equal quality. He was very transparent with us every step of the way, from the day we booked our trip all the way through to the day we left. The whole trip exceeded my expectations. I would not hesitate to recommend Africa VIP Travel to anyone looking for a Kilimanjaro climb expedition and safari.
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Email Nicole D | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kili: Trip of a Lifetime
Kambona Mollel and his team at VIP Travel are the absolute BEST. They facilitated an amazing climb to the top of Kilimanjaro. The overall experience was enjoyable from the moment we met the team at the hotel to the moment we got back to the hotel one week later. They are professional, organized, fun, safe, caring, knowledgeable about the surroundings, dedicated and determined to get you to the top. The food was delicious. Kambona is a Jedi mind master. I'd go to the ends of the Earth with him. Each day was a challenge and very rewarding. If I ever climb Kili again, VIP Travel is the only company I'd hire.
Attentive, 5-star service with Africa VIP!
My father had previously been on a trek to Kilimanjaro with Kambona and his group 4 years ago. I had planned to take a trip to East Africa on my own, and decided to contact Kambona to see if I could add on to a group that he already was booked. He not only made accommodations for me, but my brother, our friend, and my father (who decided to come again). Kambona personally picked us up from the airport and waited for an extra hour (due a luggage issue). He made sure to take us to the airport the next day to pick up bags which were essential for our hike. The hike itself was intense but made all the more achievable by Kambona, his main guides, and the porter team (which he picks and tries to work with on every trek). Our camping experience in the Serengeti was also excellent, with another familiar team of helpers and cook, that have worked with Africa VIP for years. This is a group that really knows what they are doing, and really knows how to give visitors an authentic, but attended trekking and camping experience. Kambona has many friends scattered throughout the world, and we share his fantastic reputation with our closest friends, so they too can have the best experience in East Africa.
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Email Vonda, from Virginia | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The Tanzania safari was a lifetime dream come true! What a FANTASTIC adventure!
Kambona cares that you get the most from your journey to experience the best of Northern Tanzania! My guide, James, was very reliable, punctual, spoke excellent English, super at spotting wildlife, and kept the safari cruiser in top form. The guides at the various sites told me I had an extraordinary driver/guide taking care of my interests, as many safari companies just dropped off their clients at each site, then took a break, not seeming to care about their customers' experience at that particular location. I am most thankful that I was with such a caring guide and travel company!
CA
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our African Safari with Africa VIP Travel and Kambona Mollel exceeded our expectations
My spouse, brother-in-law and I traveled with Kambona on a photo safari and it was magnificent. I wanted to book directly with an African-based company and wanted to bypass the large travel companies that obviously take a percentage of the cost of a trip. It was a great feeling knowing that the entire cost of the trip went to an African entrepreneur. I have nothing against the large international travel companies but wanted to support a smaller company in Africa. Wow, the communications were amazing!!! I would send an email from my home in Canada with a question and in one case the answer came back 11 minutes later. If Kambona would be unavailable for a few days he let me know in advance in case I had any pressing questions. I thought that going on a safari with just 3 people, rather than a group, would be too expensive but the cost was well worth the trip. Whatever we wanted to do, e.g., spend more time watching lions, we did. This was excellent rather than having to be subjected to the vote of a larger group that wanted to take a photo and move on somewhere else. Kambona was very knowledgeable, carried lots of reference books and often joined us for supper at the end of day. Our days were well planned and we saw everything we hoped to see. It was always our decision to move on to our next stop. The itinerary, service and accommodations were excellent. Although we had a minor vehicle problem (as did some other very large tour companies), which is not unexpected on the rough roads, our problem was fixed very quickly. What stands out in my mind is that when our trip started we were customer and client. When we left Kambona we felt we were leaving a very close friend.
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.