20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Extraordinary tour guide
A Majestic Journey through Moremi Game Reserve with Lion Track Safaris
Embarking on a safari with Lion Track Safaris into the heart of Moremi Game Reserve was an experience beyond compare. Led by the knowledgeable and passionate guide, Justice Taolo, every moment of the journey was a testament to the raw beauty of Mother Nature and the wonders of the African wilderness.
From the outset, it was evident that Lion Track Safaris prioritized professionalism and excellence. Our guide, Justice Taolo, was not only well-versed in the intricacies of the reserve but also deeply committed to ensuring our safety and satisfaction throughout the expedition.
The wildlife sightings were nothing short of spectacular. From graceful giraffes grazing in the distance to majestic lions lazing under the shade of acacia trees, every encounter felt like a scene from a nature documentary come to life. Justice's keen eye and intimate knowledge of the reserve ensured that we were always in the right place at the right time to witness these awe-inspiring moments.
What truly set Lion Track Safaris apart was their dedication to providing an authentic and immersive experience. Whether it was tracking elusive leopards through dense foliage or marveling at the vibrant hues of a sunset painting the savannah in golden light, every aspect of the safari felt genuine and unfiltered.
Furthermore, the professionalism and hospitality displayed by the entire Lion Track Safaris team were commendable. From the comfortable accommodations to the delicious meals prepared with local ingredients, every detail was meticulously taken care of, allowing us to focus fully on the natural wonders unfolding around us.
In conclusion, my journey with Lion Track Safaris into Moremi Game Reserve was an unforgettable adventure that exceeded all expectations. Under the expert guidance of Justice Taolo, I was able to witness the unparalleled beauty of Africa's wildlife in its purest form. For anyone seeking an authentic and enriching safari experience, I wholeheartedly recommend Lion Track Safaris.
BR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Just perfect!
Our experience was amazing, unforgettable! We have nothing to complain. Besides that, Stanley was very polite, patient and friendly!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Friendly, reliable, helpful service which created a truly magical trip
This trip was a positive experience from the outset. I sent in a booking enquiry and received a quote back from Bev really quickly. The quote gave a detailed breakdown of what I could expect from the trip (a 3-day Kruger safari experience), what was included and so on. The price was reasonable (and, with current exchange rates, good value for money). Every time I went back with a query I got a prompt and helpful response, including advice about weather, clothing and what to pack. This was a big adventure for me and my partner to celebrate a milestone birthday, and Bev really went the extra distance to make sure we were well looked after from start to finish and that the experience was really special for us. It felt a bit of a leap of faith flying to a city we'd never been to and then getting on a shuttle bus to be dropped off 5 hours later in a town we'd never heard of. However we were provided with all the information we needed, including the registration and driver name for the shuttle bus, and everything ran to clockwork. Bev was there to meet us on arrival and take us to our hotel, which was stunning. The Elephant Whispers experience was a wonderful way to settle us into our safari trip, meeting these magnificent animals up close and learning more about them. The two safari days were fantastic. The guides arrived exactly when they said they would (and coped with our bleary-eyed incoherence at being up so early in the morning). Both days we arrived at the gates to the park at first light and had a wonderful time. We felt in utterly safe hands with our friendly, knowledgeable and experienced guides (Vuyo on the first day, Bhekife on the second day). They were brilliant, especially Bhekife, who spotted things at an incredible distance, and stopped frequently to peer out and look for footprints in soft sand to spot which animals had been by recently. Both guides were keen to help us find and see a huge variety of wildlife, including as many of the 'big 5' as possible but many other incredible sights. They were generous in sharing their incredible knowledge of the animals and birds and answering all our questions. They also made sure we were comfortable, offering blankets, rain ponchos and bottled water throughout the day. They were very good at picking up on what we were interested in and finding more of it to show us - my partner and I were interested in birds as well as animals and we saw so many species of birds we had never seen - an unexpected aspect to what we thought would be predominantly an animal safari. In our one full day and one half day we saw 3 of the big 5. We narrowly missed the elusive leopard (Bheki had spotted tracks from one and returned to that area several times, but no leopard appeared there until one was reported just as we were leaving the park), but we did see a cheetah instead. We also didn't see rhino - which given their vulnerability wasn't all that surprising, but we were able to catch up on rhino at the incredible service-station on the road back to Johannesburg. On our final day Bev and Brendan arranged a seamless handover of our luggage ready for our transfer back to the airport, and even arranged to print off our boarding passes for us (which was great as our phones were out of battery by the time we got back to the airport!!).
For the wildlife geeks reading this, we have a long list of what we saw -
Animals - impala, gnu/wildebeest, hippo, elephant (many), zebra (many), giraffes (many), kudu, hyena, nyala, buffalo, baboon, velvet monkey, lions (several), warthogs, crocodile, turtle, iguana, chameleon, steenbok, crocodile, cheetah
Birds - hooded vulture, woodland kingfisher, glossy starlings, egyptian goose, blacksmith lapwing, red-billed oxpecker, hammerkop, saddle-billed stork, african fish eagle, plover, grey heron, tawny eagle, white-headed vulture, african hoopoe, brown snake eagle, marabou stork, helmeted guinea fowl, swallow, bataleur eagle, grey lorrie, white-backed vulture, purple heron, yellow hornbill, red hornbill, white-fronted bee-eater, magpie shrike, lilac-breasted roller, brown hooded kingfisher, goshawk, ostrich
A special mention should also go to our hotel, Ashbourne Country Escapes. Rob and his staff treated us like royalty from the moment we arrived. Our room was wonderful (even though we didn't have as much time as we would have liked to lounge around and enjoy it). The sundowner bar is a magical spot and our dinner both nights was utterly delicious. We also set off both days with a delicious packed breakfast to eat while out on safari. Rob is a truly delightful host with lots of interesting tales to tell at the bar of an evening. It's a wonderful hotel - the service is discreet, attentive and meticulous and it is in a breathtakingly beautiful spot. Can't recommend it highly enough.
I was hoping that this trip would be a memorable, magical experience and it exceeded my expectations by some way. We felt safe, confident and well looked-after throughout the experience and were able to relax and concentrate on soaking up the sights and filling our heads with incredible images and memories. I think that is a tribute to the personal care and attention to detail by Bev, Brendon and the Elephant Herd team, and the superb guides Vuyo and Bhekife. We are enormously grateful to all of them for opening our eyes to such wonderful experiences. We hope to return someday. We definitely left wanting more!!
DK
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Yet another great tour with Hidaya
This is my third trip with Hidaya and I will for sure be booking with them again next time. For me it is important to have an operator that you trust and make you feel safe on the roads. This is exactly what I get from Hidaya. So my best recommendations for this operator.
FI
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Enthusiastic travel expert & entrepreneur with good connections
I'm a solo traveler and were looking for a reasonable priced trip on a short notice to some Tanzania national park from Zanzibar. I got an offer within an our of the request (monday at 9.30 pm) for the two days trip to Mikumi national park on Wednesday morning. The trip was amazing! We had a ferry from Zanzibar to Dar Es Salaam and continued from there with a nice clean minivan. It was nice to see some hustle of the city and local life, but also see the nature and smaller villages on our way to Mikumi. Tour Guide Fessal was very nice and gave me plenty of information about Zanzibar and Tanzania on our way.
We had a Game Drive in Mikumi at the late afternoon. We were lucky to see plenty of animals there. Lions, giraffes, elephants.. Even a small crocodile! Accomondation in Mikumi Park cottage was nice and a buffet dinner was tasty. We had another game drive early next morning.
I highly recommend Imara Tours for similar trips. Fessal was a true professional and I really enjoyed the experience. If you are looking for a bit different and less expensive trip to Mikumi, choose Imara Tours! The trip involves some sitting in a car, so if you have a busy schedule, you might want to consider flying e.g. another side.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
4 day Tanzania Safari: Local operator raised in a Masai tribe.
This being our 3rd trip to Safari in Africa we didn't think it could possibly get any better, we were pleasantly surprised because we were even more spoiled by the terrific timing of unique animal sighting experiences, wonderful weather, and our magnificent driver/guide Mahlisa who was very personable and spoke English clearly. Realizing the weather and animals are not in our control keeps us humble in how fortunate we were to have the best of both, and getting assigned to a guide with 16 years experience certainly helped get us to the right place at the right time on many occasions. Our decision to choose the mid range package of accommodations was perfect for us. Our lodging experience went from the least luxurious to the most, however; the itinerary wasn't originally set up that way as it was changed due to a group that cancelled their trip. No complaint on our end for that! Upon arrival we stayed one night at Karibu Heritage before starting our Safari, and one night after finishing our Safari - Not impressed with their lack of adherence to time commitments. When you tell them you are getting picked up at 6:30 a.m. and are assured you can have breakfast at 6 a.m. don't expect the cook to arrive until 6:30 and you eat while your jeep waits! Happened twice at that hotel, but the accommodations were fine. Shuhudia Adventure Tented Lodge was nice as far as luxury tent camping goes. Clean and comfortable bed, bathroom in your tent with a shower, hot water and enough pressure to get the water through the pipes, but don't expect a massaging shower head. Ngorongoro Rhino Lodge had good food in a nice lodge and the room had a nice view of the jungle and a back deck to relax on. Be forwarned, if it rains, the metal roof makes it sound a lot worse than it is. We were worried about the tent campers traveling with us because of what we thought was a torrential downpour at night and they hardly new it rained! Our last night was the best at Marera Valley Lodge for comfort and a pool. Staff was accommodating and the lodge was very well kept and clean. Bookending our trip was the tour operator Nole. After picking us up at the airport upon our arrival, informing us of itinerary changes he left us in the hands of our Driver/guide Mahlissa. At the conclusion of our tour Nole helped us arrange a day trip to the Materuni Falls and Coffee plantation where we ground and roasted our own beans for coffee and had lunch, then dropped us back at the airport. He was in contact with us before our arrival and kept us informed about any changes, as well as helped with any info we needed along the way. His love for his job shows through his actions and his desire to educate about the Masai culture and history was an added bonus for us. What we paid for the trip was well worth it for us.
LU
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Reliable operator with good 4X4 vehicles & excellent driver/guide
Going on a safari in Africa has been our dream for a long time. We approached several travel agencies in Kenya and Nairobi to request a few offers. After comparing the different options, choosing Morning Star for our safari was easy. Thank you, Dennis, for organizing our safari. We visited Amboseli, Aberdare, Lake Nakuru, and Masai Mara and experienced Kenya's diverse and beautiful nature and animals.
We began our journey at Amboseli National Park and stayed two nights at the cosy Kibo Lodge. The tents were spacious and clean, the food was delicious, and there were gluten-free options. The staff was friendly, and the views of Mount Kilimanjaro were epic. Kibo Lodge is close to the amazing Amboseli National Park.
From Amboseli to Aberdare, we sat in the car for several hours. Before our safari, we debated whether to skip the Ark Hotel and the mountain area due to the long distance. Luckily, we didn't, as the area was beautiful and different from other National Parks we visited. However, it's worth noting that the bus trip from Country Club to The Ark Hotel was more of a transportation than a game drive. Despite the need to update the rooms, The Ark is an old and charming hotel where we felt a sense of community.
The third stop was Lake Nakuru's National Park and the luxury Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge. The lodge staff was friendly and helpful throughout our stay. The kitchen staff was exceptionally great and advised on gluten-free options. The buffet food selection was extensive and diverse. The garden was well-kept and large, and the pool area looked lovely. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to enjoy it. The lodge is inside the National Park, and our guide, James, spotted two female lions only a few hundred meters after the lodge gate.
Our last leg was the breathtaking Masai-Mara National Park. We stayed in Zebra Plains Mara Camp, a mid-range tent accommodation with friendly and caring staff. The food, also gluten-free, was very good, but the menu itself could have had some more options. Common areas are comfortable. The walk from the common areas to our tents was long but good exercise after sitting in a car most of the day. We liked listening to the sounds of the night: birds, hyenas, lions. The park was just in front of our eyes and ears.
Our guide and driver, James, made the experience incredible and unforgettable. He was always communicative and willing to answer our questions. He is an excellent and speedy driver who prioritizes safety on the road. He is also a good photographer and took many good photos for us. Thank you James!
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing Safari Experience with Mixden Tours and Travel
My safari experience with Mixden Tours and Travel was amazing and unforgettable! All was handled with professionalism and genuine care
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
It was an adventure!
Raymond was amazing. He was our tour guide and driver and we had an amazing time because of him. The hotel was also really nice, I was shocked on how beautiful it was for the price. The food was also great. We got to see 4 out of the big 5 and I would highly recommend this tour.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Safari
From the moment we contacted Viva Safaris everything went smoothly. All information was provided for us to make our choice as to what type of accommodation we wanted and the length of safari.
We were picked up at our hotel and transported to the lodge just in time for our sunset safari and bbq.
The accommodations were lovely, all the staff were fantastic, and the meals were amazing.
All our safaris and bush walks were very informative. The guides were very insightful and knew just where to find the animals.
All in all, this was a fantastic experience!
