Times to remember
Pieter Mostert of Blue Sky Namibia and I met more than 30 years ago. We met the first time in 1981 when I hitchhiked around Namibia. I returned to Namibia in 2003 with my family and did a safari with him. Namibian wildlife and scenery is incredibly beautiful, and the country is a very safe place to travel in. The family loved it.
Pieter has an extraordinary knowledge of the fauna and flora of Namibia. It is so interesting to listen to him, that it is difficult to leave him and Namibia. The fact that he does personalized safaris means that Pieter adjusts to the traveler and his curiosity. In his WW combi he stops whenever needed and explains the location and its fauna and flora. This is not "industrial" tourism so often practiced nowadays.
Pieter is also a very pleasant person to be with, always ready to help, and always with a smile. This makes any safari with him a human experience difficult to forget. He is a great guide and travel companion to those who want to explore Namibia.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Fire your therapist. Go to Mana
What can one say about a Goliath Safari at Mana Pools?
Well quite a lot actually. A safari with Stretch is not like other safaris in Africa. It is not a sterile experience looking at Hippo from inside an air-conditioned landcruiser.
No, it’s not like that at all. You are in the sand and heat and right up close and personal with the animals. You know who you are after you have been charged by three lions and have walked with the elephants. I have never experienced anything like it, and I loved it.
Go with a group of friends. Your life back hope fades as quick as the African sun goes down behind the Zambian hills. You bond with your friends in a way you can never do at home. The romance, the adrenalin, the shared experience with them is something you will never forget.
And even if you are traveling alone or as a couple, you will get to know your fellow guests at the dinner table under the stars (and what a bunch, royalty, stars, politics, it’s all been round that table)
If you are very lucky, Flo (Stretch’s business partner) will be there to add elegance and some wry wit.
I can’t recommend this strongly enough. Fire your therapist. Go to Mana.
J Kelly
New York
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An unforgettable experience!!!
We spent 8 days with Savannah Explorers and we had a wonderful time! We planned the tour with Roberto and everything has gone as the plan. Everything was perfect: at the arrival at Kilimanjaro we know our guide, Rama. We became immediately friends! He proved to be pleasant and experienced: he has taught us everything we needed to know about Tanzania. He told us the story of Serengeti, Tarangire and Ngorongoro and everything about wildlife. If we saw so many animals we have to thank him. Savannah gave us the opportunity to visit two tribes of bushmen with a Datoga guide. He told us about uses, costums and history about them. It was a beautiful experience! Lodges and tented camp suggested by Roberto has been really comfortable and characteristic. Thank to the staff, we lived a beautiful experience in Osupuko. David, the manager, Claude, the chef, Yohana, Peter, Lukas... they made our stay unforgettable! We suggest to travel with SE because of professionalism, experience and excellent price/quality. Thank you Roberto and Greyson!
Mungu ibariki Afrika!!!
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best trip of my life!
Everything was wonderful. I still can't wrap my head around the beauty of the land, the people and the incredible animals. I hope to go again some day and I wouldn't change a thing. Except maybe the length of my trip. If I could I would stay longer!!
35-50 years of age
Awesome Breathtaking Game Park. The best kept secret in southern Africa.
I went to the park on a Photographic Safari. We had Two vehicles and 10 photographers, with Mellisa and Willie as our guides. The weather was exceptionally cold that year, reching to -10 degrees celcius in the mornings. I stayed at Twee Revieren and at Nossob Camps. Nossob Camp was our main camp and we did daily drives from the camp to the various watering holes and spotted many wild game species during the early morning and late afternoon drives.
Wildlife spotted the Lion, Cheetahs, Leopard, Wildebeest, Gemsbok, Springbok, Meerkats, Jackals, Ostriches, Owls, Eagles, Goshawks, Bee-eaters, Kories.
The desert scenery and the skies are spectacular, especially the quality of the light and the air as this area is not inundated with any form of pollution. The evening skies are clear and the stars shine in the night sky. The Nossob Camp has a hide and a webcam. The hide is well visited by different animals at night, and during the day. We took the self catering camps so we carried our own food and cooked on the site our meals. The little shop is stocked with the bare necessaties and is a little expensive, as they have to cart the supplies in from quite a distance. The Twee Revieren Camp is the main entrance camp and the store is more stocked up with groceries.
Transportation, we had two game vehicles and guides. The game vehicles were perfect for the photography course. One can self drive through the park, but parts of the areas are accesible only via 4x4 vehicles.
Our guides were very knowledgable about the ecosystem and the fauna and flora of the park.
Higlight for me was the spotting of the young male leopard.
Regards
Prakash.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The Lemosho Route: An Amazing Journey!
Embarking on a journey as daunting as Mt Kilimanjaro took a degree of level headedness in almost every stage, from choosing a travel company to gear selection to final summit night courage, but the reward of Uhuru Peak and the view from the Roof of Africa makes every test more than worth it. The best piece of advice I could give anyone contemplating the climb is to have confidence in every decision you make let this carry you to the top!
The keys to building this confidence are gained by doing thorough groundwork before you reach Tanzania in the areas of physical conditioning, gear selection, and guide company selection. While I was going through this process I was interning in South Africa where I did not have a lot of time or the available resources to devote to training or finding the right gear, so in hindsight I learned that tour company selection is one of the most important choices you make, they end up being the glue that holds what training, gear, and confidence you have together and if you make the right choice they’ll help you make up for any area in which you’re lacking.
That being said, the company I choose was E-Trip Africa and I could not have been happier with my selection. From my timely pick-up and conversation with Ben at Kilimanjaro International to our thorough pre-trek team meeting, I had full confidence I would make it to the top. Our lead guide, Caspar, was heavily suave with experience and led us through a detailed examination of all our gear making sure we had was up to par, with a convenient rental company representative there to offer any needed supplies at a very reasonable rate.
As we set out along the Lemosho route my team of six trekkers quickly realized we would be rubbing elbows with several other groups as we had chosen a full moon hike (still definitely recommend this despite the crowds, they thin out closer to summit). This close proximity to other groups for the first few days allowed us to eye the other amenities offered by other companies and we quickly realized how lucky we were in comparison. Our “dining hall” tent (A.K.A. the Jack O’ Lantern) allowed us to enjoy our frequent warm beverages and near gourmet meals in protection from the elements, and our team consistently surged past on the trail, always pausing to say jambo, to have camp set up for us at the next site.
The unique dynamic energy that each and every member of our team brought to the journey became essential in trying times of fatigue, sickness, and hardship. Caspar quickly adapted to any unforeseen circumstances ranging from impromptu birthday celebrations to accommodating a team member who felt the affects of AMS. An important aspect I hadn’t thought about in a company was how well they are able to adapt to different fitness levels within a group, something that Caspar and his team did very well. Summit night he timed our ascent perfectly to watch the sunrise from Stella Point. Definitely recommend!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A fantastic trip which was over far too quickly!
I have been to Africa many times, but this was my first photographic holiday and it didn't disappoint. Prior to booking with Wild Angels, they happily and very quickly replied to all our questions about the trip and provided a comprehensive information pack on booking with them. The holiday went without a hitch, from being met like long lost friends at the airport, to finding out exactly what we all wanted from our holiday and matching the tuition accordingly. Although a novice with a camera, I felt totally at ease with the professionals and learnt a lot in a short space of time thanks to their incredible patients and obvious passion for wildlife photography. I would quite happily use this company again and would thoroughly recommend them to anyone.
CH
50-65 years of age
Review about Okavango Delta by Pavel U
This is a unique water world that cannot be experienced anywhere else. Visitors going to Okavango should not primarily want to see many animals. The secret of Okavango is its water, the hidden channels, the islands, the remoteness. And you must experience this from a makoro, not from a motor boat.
FR
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Namibia discovery in perfect conditions, thanks to the ATI organization
All phases of our trip were very well organized:
- Self tour organization: ATI flexibility, adaptation.
- Quote process clear.
- Quick responsiveness to email requests.
- Payment process easy.
- Transfers, welcome at ATI guesthouse, travel package, without a problem and on time.
- Use of guesthouse at the end of the trip before flying back to France was very much appreciated.
- Accomodation excellent. Very good choice of hotels
- Car rental excellent (2 spare tires, icebox, ....)
- Trip details very accurate and useful.
- Mobile phone given by ATI for the trip duration with all useful numbers (ATI, car rental, hotels,...)
To summarize it was a perfect trip, as everything was under control, which allowed us to fully enjoy the discovery of this beautiful country.
Thanks to Wendy and all ATI people who got involved in the process.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A very professional outfit
From start to finish, the holiday was very well organised. Before the trip we received lots of information over and above what was needed for the trip and which served to whet our appetite. The tour itself was excellent. Our leader was friendly and ever attentive to our needs making sure we got the most out of the holiday. Our photographer was excellent, put things across in a clear way and was always on hand to help. Accommodation was just right and the food was good and plentiful. My expectations for the holiday were perhaps too great but it easily lived up to them! On our return, the support and friendship has continued. Thank you for an excellent holiday. I will certainly recommend Wild Angles to others.