50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A taste of the wild.
With only one full day in Livingstone, we wanted to try and pack in as much as we could - in addition to a visit to the Victoria Falls of course. We chose to go on a early morning walking tour with Savannah Southern Safaris with the hope of seeing at least some of the country's wildlife.
We were picked up early (6am) from our lodge and following one extra pickup from a nearby lodge we headed out for the very short drive to the start of our safari.
Our first sighting, as we looked across the Zambezi, was of two hippos calmly making their way along the river. We then started the walking part of the tour.
The guide was excellent with a real in depth knowledge of the plants, birds and animals that we encountered. We were accompanied by an armed guard just in case there were any unwelcome encounters but the guides were expert in getting us close enough to observe the wildlife without them getting disturbed by our group.
The trails were generally flat and the walking wasn't difficult, however stout shoes were definitely recommended for the two hours or so that we were out in the bush.
Our walking and patience paid off with sightings of Wildebeest, Zebras, Buffalo, Impala and a fantastic view of White Rhino. This was interspersed with various birds, facts about the trees and vegetation.
Overall we greatly enjoyed the safari and we saw more wildlife than I expected. For a touch of Zambian safari which fitted into a tight schedule this was perfect.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Everything was exactly as they said it would be.
The communication was excellent. I always knew what to expect and then they delivered on what they said they would do. Accommodations, service and the tour was five star!!
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Not only a Safari, Mubarak was the right Guide for the real Adventure. We really enjoyed it.
Everything great, good Equipment, customized Trip and very good Guide!!!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An unforgettable experience!
We chose Eastern Sun Tours Safaris based on their excellent reviews, and they certainly did not disappoint! We have never traveled in Africa before, so it's so important that you book with a trustworthy company - it's a lot of money, and a good chunk of it has to be paid before by a bank transfer, but everything worked 100% and we had absolutely no issues with anything. Nancy emailed us as soon as the transfer went through, to let us know all was well, and we felt in very good hands.
From the beginning, the communication with Nancy was excellent. She responded promptly always and answered all our questions. The 8-day trip she ended up putting together for us was just amazing.
I think we were very, very lucky to get Hassan as our driver! He's probably the best driver, I've ever driven with. He knows his landcruiser like an extension of his own body and always adjusts the speed to the conditions of the road and the traffic. We felt very, very safe with him. On top of that, it is obvious that he is very well liked by his peers, and has a ton of friends (not surprising, when you get to know him!), which means he always knows where the good sightings are. He'd "smell" a leopard from five km away, and then drive straight there and get us in the best spot of all. He did this over and over again, it's like he knows exactly where the animal is heading and can place the car right where it will cross the road fifteen minutes later. Amazing! We got absolutely stunning photos of two cheetahs walking straight toward us and crossing the road right behind our car. And an unforgettable experience with nine lions trying to ambush a wilderbeest - it got away, but it was still very exciting. We even got to see the almost extinct black rhino in the Ngorogoro Crater quite close up. It felt like every day was better than the day before - which had also been absolutely unforgettable.
We started in the Tarangire National Park, and had to stop every two minutes to take photos of new wildlife. We soon discovered, that if we stopped for every single one, we'd never get anywhere, there were so many new species. We totalled 42 different species of mammals during our trip, and this includes lion (we saw over 60 in total, including the most adorable cubs), leopard (five in total), cheetahs, elephant, buffalo, rhino (one), giraffes, serval cat (rare, because it's nocturnal), hippo, hyena, jackal and lots of different types of gazelles and other mammals. And that doesn't even cover the birds, which were also absolutely stunning.
Next up was Lake Manyara, where we spotted our second leopard, when it ran across the road right in front of our car. Wow! Then the road to Serengeti took us through the Ngorogoro conservation area - so, so beautiful! In Serengeti, we decided against taking the long drive to see the big migration, but stayed in the proximity of the hotel (Four Seasons - amazing!), and we saw so much there, that we did not regret it. This was where we had our close-up with the two cheetahs and Hassan also found a spot where a big group of lions were feeding on a newly killed zebra.
In Ngorogoro, we were lucky to see a black rhino. We were told, that the three days before we came, there had been no spottings, and we were lucky to get close enough to get good photos, which was also rare. Be sure to bring a good camera with a good tele-lens! I saw people trying to get safari shots on a go-pro camera (I'm not kidding) - what a shame to spend so much money on a safari and come home with go-pro shots. Go-pro is great for mountainbiking, for safari - not so much... That being said, we actually got so close to many of the animals, that we came home with great iPhone shots, too.
We ended up in Arusha National Park, which is small (it didn't feel small at all, though), and absolutely stunningly beautiful. We went on a walking safari with a ranger there, and got up close to giraffes and buffalos (not too close, of course). That was fun! We also got amazing photos of flamingos flying in front of Mount Kilimanjaro. Ahh...
Another highlight of the trip was our visit to a Masai village on our way back from Serengeti.
The car is a Toyota Landcruiser with a roof, that pops up, so you can stand up and take photos. There is a powerpoint, so you can charge your devices, which was a very nice feature. And also a cooler for drinks. It was surprisingly comfortable, considering how much of the driving was on dirt roads (where you get the "African massage"). We stayed at luxury camps and lodges, and they were all amazing, but I'm sure you can also get a great experience with the cheaper lodges. Most of your time is spent on the road anyway. I think, Eastern Sun Tours Safaris got some good deals with the lodges - we felt like we got a lot for our money.
I could go on and on, but to sum it up, I'd go back in a heartbeat. And I'd definitely choose Eastern Sun Tours Safaris again! They were amazing!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Truly Unbelievable African Adventure!
Brenda and Kakasii, owners of Tanzania Choice Safaris, did an amazing job putting this trip together and I couldn't be happier with the final outcome! Brenda was in constant communication before we left and I really appreciated her video-chatting with us ahead of time to go over the travel plans, touch base with us and answer all of our questions. She has a talent for organization and it definitely showed in how smoothly everything came together.
We started our trip by spending two nights at Kakasii's childhood home in Uswaa, which was an incredible experience. Meeting all of Brenda and Kakasii's friends and family, eating a traditional barbecue and being able to experience part of Tanzania that you would totally miss out on with a giant, impersonal tour company was truly a great way to start the trip and would have alone been worth the trip to Tanzania!
After that we completed a six-day Kilimanjaro climb. Brenda and Kakasii had us complete the climb with a guide named Festo and I couldn't be happier with how well he had the trip organized and the friendliness of the guides and porters. We ate each meal with the guides and learned so much about local Tanzanian politics, customs and daily life. Festo clearly knows what he's doing and safely got us all to the summit, even when none of our group had previous high-altitude experience!
Kakasii was our safari guide for a five-day safari to Tarangire National Park, Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Kakasii is so friendly and social that I don't think we ever stopped laughing with him, which was tough to do since we were all so tired from the climb! He has so much experience going on safaris that it clearly showed. We were able to see so many amazing animals standing just feet from our car that it was really more than I could have hoped for. We saw leopards lounging in trees, huge herds of wildebeests, a lioness with a dead wildebeest staring down a male buffalo, a cheetah with two cubs and all of that is just scratching the surface. Kakasii and Brenda have developed relationships with all the hotel/lodge owners that we stayed with so we were always treated exceptionally well and stayed in some truly beautiful locations.
Brenda and Kakasii could not have been more helpful in providing such an amazing experience and I really cannot recommend Tanzania Choice Safaris enough! Thank you again for such an unforgettable trip!
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The Crater
Had a wonderful experience. Loved seeing all of the animals. The views were fabulous with all of the terrain differences. Thanks for a great experience. Our guide was so helpful with information and no questions were left unanswered. I would choose them again!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Friendly, professional, efficient
I can't say enough good things about Umubano. They answered all my questions pre the tour, the pick-up in Kigali was efficient, the driver friendly and the accommodation near the park was clean and warm. All at a very reasonable price. And, of course, seeing the gorillas was a mindblowing, once in a lifetime experience! Highly recommended.
HK
Perfect safari experience and reseanable price
We have taken a three-day safari tour with Kenya Walking Survivors Safaris visiting Amboseli and Tsavo West. It was an amazing experience for us. As the migration hasn't started yet, there are not many tourists during this period but we were lucky spot lions and leopards during the trip. The camp and lodge are above our expectations, esp the camps which are so nicely built and clean. We love all the food provided during the trip too. Our driver is very nice and kind, without whose help we would not be able to see so many animals. I will definitely recommend going with Kenya Walking Survivors
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Trip & Great People
Everything about Kanuth Adventure Safaris was first class from the time that we requested a quote until we departed on our flight back home. The entire team (Jesca, Joseph, Nicolas, & Kanuth) were very hospitable and made us feel very comfortable while we were so far from home in a place we had never been to.
Jesca was very nice and prompt with our communication even with a 7 hour time difference which made the booking process a breeze. Joseph was very knowledgeable during the safari and took the time to provide us with information about what we were seeing that made the experience more complete. Nicolas cooked wonderful food every day that really was well beyond our expectations for a safari.
A quick example of customer service with this group. I accidentally left my wallet in the safari jeep when we took off to Zanzibar for extended vacation. The group found the wallet and was waiting at the airport in Dar Es Salaam ready to hand it to me when I returned. I was extremely relieved and grateful.
Wonderful people!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well organised, friendly staff
Overall a very good experience and would recommend the company.
Took a 5 day Tanzania private tour during start of June 2016
Maturaf got in touch with us 1 week prior to the trip to confirm our flight timings etc (booking was done in April). Staff was present at the airport to help with the immigration, followed by pickup from Alex who outlined the tour while driving us to Arusha. He was very friendly and explained all the key points quiet well.
Our guide (Didas) was quiet experienced (more than 15 years in the job) and was honest about the possibility of seeing animals (he told us on day one that all the big herds have moved on and hence its all down to luck to see the main wildlife). While we were initially disappointed, we appreciated his honesty and were lucky enough to see substantial wildlife.
The accommodation provided was as stated in the itinerary and of excellent quality (in particular the tent inside Serengeti). The itinerary was very well structured and covered the major parks in a reasonable time frame.