65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
A great tour of South Africa, wildlife, bush, scenery, peoples and cultures.
From our first contact to our last farewell, our safari exceeded our expectations in every way. Cuan could not have been more helpful in adjusting the 15-day Surprise Safari to meet our extra plans before and after as well as our choice of the options on safari. The little Merc bus was a very comfortable way to travel. Our guide, Chris, was knowledgeable and enthusiastic about his home country, with a pleasant touch of humour, and our driver, Robbie, added his knowledge and helpfulness, especially in the Cape area. Accommodation, including meals, was consistently better than expected. We were lucky in the range of wildlife we saw, but the first unexpected bonus was the enthusiastic welcome we enjoyed wherever we visited the local people, who obviously value their local cultures, showing that in their dancing and singing. The second bonus was the introduction to modern South Africa, its past and its efforts to rebuild. For first time visitors like us, we could not have enjoyed a better introduction to all the facets of South Africa today nor received better value.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Brilliant Safari Tour in Uganda
Matoke Tours tailor made our safari tour to our requirements. We were impressed with their response time and the package was comprehensive and well planned. Our guide and driver Caleb really ensured we had the most amazing time. He was particularly attentive and had an amazing amount of knowledge on the wildlife, ugandan culture and geography of the land which he happily share with us. we would highly reccommend Matoke tours and particularly our guide Caleb for an exceptional safari experience.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our Safari was a trip of a lifetime, greatly thanks to these guys
Just to add some context, my wife and I have been traveling the world for the last years and quite frankly we were overwhelmed at first with all the planning required for our first safari trip to Africa.
After sorting the top 10 user reviewed Safari companies in Tripadvisor and correlating with Tanzanian national rankings, we did a second filter based on cost and ended with top 3 based on our budget. Let me clarify that we were looking for private mid tier safari, so no over the top fancy shenanigans.
After emailing them with our desired itinerary, the company It Started in Africa quickly rose to the top in terms of responsiveness and flexibility to accommodate our needs and wishes. Joao Oliveira was simply fantastic, he made sure to understand our trip and location objectives and then provided suggestions to end up with an amazing customized itinerary with private guide for me and my wife, greatly diminishing the stress of safari planning and budgeting, adjusting to our every need, even to our changes throughout the journey itself.
They literally took care of everything, from picking us up from the airport, hotel suggestion according to budget needs as well as lodge/tented camp reservations, park entrances and internal flights. As soon as we got there, they sent a representative to review itinerary, we had some last minute changes which were 100% accommodated.
All I can say is that our Safari was a magical experience, exceeding every expectation. We ended up cruising through Tarangire, Manyara, Serengneti and Ngorongoro with our guide Allen, who was simply fantastic, friendly, knowledgable of the culture, flora and fauna, truly excited to show his country and culture, and also had an amazing eye for locating all the animals in the most obscure places. I am happy to say that we have remained in touch since then. Needless to say we were captivated by Africa, the sights, scenic landscapes, animals, food and most importantly the people and their happiness for life.
If/ When we go back to Tanzania to explore the corners that we missed, we will certainly use the same company and of course the same guide as they made sure our first venture into Africa was absolutely amazing and left us with the thirst to explore such a magical place.
Asante Sana
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent safari, friendly staff, knowledgeable guides, great value for money
We were a group of 11 volunteers working in Tanzania for a month, looking to go on safari while we were out. We heard about Savannah discovery by chance through word of mouth. They were great sending all the information we needed in plenty of time. They were great in finding out the best prices for us and helped us work out where to go. The cars were extremely comfortable and we were picked up at locations that were very convenient for us. As we were a party of 11 we needed 2 cars so we had 2 guides/drivers, both guides were extremely knowledgeable and very friendly. Overall it was a brilliant experience that I am sure none of us will forget for a long time.
TR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Widen your perspective!
After spending a relaxing week in Zanzibar, the Safari experience in Serengeti provided us to widen our perspective. We did not suffer from anything during the safari thanks to Yona. He was a great guide and a great driver. Everything was perfect.
Me and Selin (my wife) appreciate your organization and the effort.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Everything was as planned. Absolutely no foulups or miscommunications.
I achieved everything I wanted to on the tour-safari. The animal life was plentiful (11 leopards in 4 days)...and a cheetah. Pembury Tours was recommended to me by a friend and I will gladly do the same to anyone who is planning a similar venture. The value was exceptional compared to comparable tour companies.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible Trip
We were very hesitant to book a trip so far away over the internet. Fortunately, Tersca did an outstanding job of delivering everything we could have wanted with a safari. I have raved to everyone who asked since about the amazing experience we had in Africa. Our guide, Joseph, did an outstanding job for us and we were deeply grateful for his service.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda - an experience of a life time!
My wife and I have just returned from a week in Rwanda. The holiday (excl. flights) had been arranged by Gorilla Trek Africa, which is a travel company located in Uganda but organises tours through East Africa. We didn't find many other reviews of this travel company on Tripadvisor (or elsewhere) and that is a real shame as this company is fantastic in providing tailor made holidays without a price tag that breaks the bank!
Our primary contact was Nicolas (working in their Uganda office) who was highly professional, friendly and very helpful in developing a tailored programme that suited our interests. Our primary goal was to go trekking with mountain gorillas in the Volcanos National Park in Rwanda and Nicolas was extremely helpful in organising this. We had MANY questions and he was very patient and answered each and every one in great detail.
When the itinerary was finalised we had to transfer a deposit (a sizeable amount) to secure the gorilla permits as these get booked out up to six months in advance - it is standard practice and all travel companies will ask for a deposit to enable them to secure the gorilla permits. To be honest we were a little hesitant parting with a large sum via an international transfer but this worry hadn't been necessary whatsoever and Nicholas informed us as soon as the money had arrived. We could not have asked for a better service.....in fact we have not received such effective and rapid responses from any UK company that we have used in our past 20+ years of intense travelling.
Roll on Rwanda.....a.k.a The Land of a Thousand Hills. It is a beautiful country with a dark history that has left a permanent scar but it is humbling to see how everyone continues to push forward and look ahead to the future. It is a poor country but so incredibly beautiful and it is lovely to see how curious most children are of tourists and their desire to engage.
Our guide for the week was William and he was an absolute pleasure to travel with. He was very knowledgeable about Rwanda, its culture and introduced us to local food and traditions, which made the trip even more memorable. He was highly organised, very friendly and easy going, always on time and flexible in his approach. William was incredibly well regarded by the locals everywhere we went and we cannot praise him highly enough. A great ambassador for Gorilla Trek Africa and we would highly recommend him as a guide!
We spent a couple of days in Akagera National Park where we saw hippos, zebras, baboons, wild hogs, impalas, crocodiles and much more. It is a great visit but don’t expect to see the Big 5 Game. The park has recently (June 2015) released eight lions into the park and there are also elephants and giraffes. Whilst it cannot be compared to the Maasai Mara or Serengeti it is well worth a visit!
The highlight of our trip was the gorilla trekking in the Volcanos National Park – an experience for a life time! We did two treks and whilst the permits are pricey it is well worth it as you get two completely different experiences. The treks offered amazing views of the mountains and the lush nature. The hour we spent with the gorillas were mind blowing and we cannot recommend it enough.
We also did the Dian Fossey trek and it was great experience that we would definitely recommend if you got an extra day in Musanze! The trek was steep but the views were worth the efforts.
If you consider travelling to Africa then go with Gorilla Trek Africa. We highly recommend them and when we go again we will definitely be in touch with Nicolas to arrange our next trip!
EG
AE
Experience level: first safari
Excellent service
My husband and I did our first safari trip this summer. After researching lots of tour operators, we decided on Savannah Explorers to do our private safari because 1. the cost was lower compared to the rest. 2. Roberto, the manager, was very responsive to our emails and changes....and we had many. He patiently answered our questions and worked with us on the numerous changes to the itinerary, which we were very happy with.
3. While Roberto accommodated our requests as much as he could, we were very glad that he also made his professional opinion known whenever he felt we were off on the wrong track, which we appreciated.
Our driver and guide, John, was excellent! He was so knowledgeable, friendly and patient. We could feel that he was also very passionate in his love for animals and what he does. He was punctual, a safe driver and always had a smile on his face.
We were thoroughly happy with our safari trip, thanks to Roberto and John. If there was any room for improvement, I'd say maybe improve the website and incorporate the payment gateway on the site or via Paypal. Also, while the safari jeep that we were on was clean (thanks to John), we could see that it was rather old. These are minor things, however, compared to the excellent trip we had. We will be recommending our friends to you, Roberto!