CN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Both my son and I enjoyed the Safari and the company's professional service.
Just came back from Tanzania Safari, the company and the team provided very professional service. Especially thanks to the guide/driver Apollo and the cook Fazile's service.
US
under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Once in a lifetime experience! It was beautiful everywhere you looked!
The tour itself was magical! The guides were all so nice and very informational, they could answer any questions we had. There were so many animals of all kinds and each very beatiful! I enjoyed every minute!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A wonderful experience and lifelong memories thanks to Makasa.
Selma tailored our itinerary to exactly what we wanted, and it was perfect....we saw Arusha park and Mt. Meru, Tarangire, Ngorongoro, and central and western Serengeti with a flight back to Kili at the end.
All accommodations she selected were great, our favorites were the Maramboi tented camp, Gibbs Farm, and the Chaka camp. Our guide, Kaleby, was outstanding in his knowledge and professionalism--I can't imagine a better guide. Tanzania and it's wildlife are simply amazing, and it's people warm and friendly.
We highly recommend Makasa!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent tour for a reasonable price!
I was looking for a 3-day safari that I could afford on a student's salary. With only a couple week's notice, Max helped me book a wonderful tour to Tsavo West and East. Our guide was knowledgeable and found an abundance of wildlife on every trip. I have never seen so many lions or elephants in such a short period of time. Highlights included lions with their kill, a family of elephants in Tsavo West heading off into the sunset, and cheetahs in both parks. Both of the hotels that we stayed at were very comfortable and had a lot of character. I'm thankful that I found a trip that fit my travel dates and budget and would definitely recommend. I will connect with them again if I'm ever back in Kenya!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Thornybush Game Reserve by Debbie JT
Thornybush is a relatively small private reserve in the Greater Kruger. Although currently fenced, plans are in place to remove the fencing adjacent to the Timbavati reserve, which in turn is open to the Kruger National Park.
The wildlife viewing was excellent. We stayed for a week, and saw six individual leopards (two of whom were busy producing the next generation!) and lions with young cubs. Being 15ft from a male lion when he started to roar was an experience not to be forgotten! All the usual suspects are present: giraffe, elephants, buffalo, rhino (we saw both black and white on our trip), kudu, impala. They limit the number of vehicles at a sighting to two, giving a very private experience. Safari vehicles use both a ranger and an experienced tracker, whose skills must be seen to be believed.
We stayed at N'Kaya, a small lodge with only four rooms, each of which is an individual cottage with bedroom, living room and two bathrooms. The food was superb, and the hospitality second to none. The lodge overlooks its own waterhole, so time between game drives can be spent watching what visits the lodge.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A beautiful wildlife haven
Madikwe is an enormous fenced reserve on the South Africa / Botswana border, about 5 hours drive from Johannesburg. It is also possible to use a FedAir shuttle service, as we did, to fly in to one of the two airstrips serving the park. The flight from Johannesburg is about an hour by light aircraft, and representatives from your chosen lodge will pick you up when the plane lands.
There seem to be a number of different habitats within the reserve: areas of low scrub, interspersed with more open grassland; rocky outcrops and lush valleys with taller trees. These support a good diversity of species - with healthy populations of zebras, wildebeest, impala, cape buffalo, giraffe and elephant. We were lucky enough to see both black and white rhinoceros during our seven night stay, and had wonderful sightings of lions with their young cubs. In addition, we observed two different cheetah coalitions, and were privileged to watch a successful hunt on one occasion. Our main reason for choosing Madikwe was to try to get a glimpse of wild dogs, and I'm happy to say that we did. I was envious to hear that our companions in the truck had got to follow a wild dog hunt the day before, but to see them in repose gave us some good photographic opportunities. The leopards eluded us on this trip - but not for want of our guide trying to track one. He apparently succeeded the afternoon we left! Bird life was fairly good, with raptors including a Marshall eagle, snake eagle, greater kestrel and gymnogene.
Reserve policy is to only allow three vehicles at a sighting, which means the animals are less stressed and as a consumer you get a better view. The guides ably manage a 'queueing' system for more popular sightings, so everybody has a chance to see. When compared with parks I have visited in the Greater Kruger area, I felt that the wildlife here is less habituated to vehicles, but with the professionalism of the guides, that it didn't adversely affect the viewing.
We stayed at the Motswiri Private Safari Lodge, over on the western side of the reserve. It is an intimate place to stay, having only five rooms. There is also a self catering cottage which is suitable for larger parties. We had a fantastic time there. The staff are warm and friendly, the food was amazing and the accommodation comfortable. Each room is, in fact, a separate cottage, with its own deck. The bedroom has very comfortable beds, complete with mosquito net. The bathroom has an indoor bath and an outdoor shower, with twin basins. A gas fire keeps the cottage cosy on winter nights, with an air conditioning unit for the hot summer days.
One note for anyone going on safari in the South African winter (we were there in July): Take lots of layers! In the middle of the day, the temperature was lovely for a Brit abroad (mid 20s) but before sunrise or after sunset the temperature sank very swiftly. Don't underestimate the wind chill of going along in an open safari vehicle. Even with five layers and the large blanket provided I was freezing. Gloves would have been a good idea.
In conclusion, Madikwe is a wonderful place to experience a safari, and I would recommend it heartily.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about South Africa by Debbie JT
South Africa is a beautiful destination, with a wide diversity of landscape. As a country they have wholeheartedly embraced wildlife tourism, with a good balance of public and private reserves that cater for a range of budgets. For a Brit abroad it's great: they drive on the correct side of the road, and the majority of people speak English. Exchange rates are favourable, and the comparable cost of living is reasonable.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
2 outstanding bases, one in the Masai Mara reserve, the second at Eagle View, Naboisho Conservancy
Starting with service, we were greeted so warmly in both of our bases and we found all of the staff to be very proactive in ensuring that we got the best from our visit. Our expectations were exceeded, by far, without doubt. My wife's birthday was marked by just about the whole of the Eagle View staff, with singing and dancing, vocal rhythms and harmonies with a stirring shuffling march and Adumu dancing. Electrifying stuff.
The safaris were of varied length and the guides had excellent knowledge. We saw some breath-taking sights, as you might expect, but what really made the visit special was the whispered and fascinating background information from our guides as we watched the animals in their habitats.
Food at Eagle View was particularly excellent. Wherever we are, we eat out regularly and we eat well, so our idea of "excellent" represents a very high standard and the superb, imaginative and delightfully presented meals were an unexpected treat.
We all agreed - this was an unconditionally successful and memorable visit to Kenya.
US
A Wonderful trip
This was a wonderful holiday from beginning to end and Safarihub lived up to its great reputation.
All the accommodation, internal flights and everyone we dealt with was, without fail, excellent and we would not hesitate to use Safarihub to arrange out trips in the future.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great Trip
Africa Zim handled our trip to Chobe National Park in Botswana very professionally. They were very prompt in responding to our queries about the safari. The payment process and transportation were well managed. They also made arrangements for vegetarian meals for us. Overall, a great experience.