SK
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
very satisfied
The communication and overall organization of the trip was really excellent.
We just misunderstood one small detail which is the reason for one missing star.
Otherwise I can only recommend this services and I'm going to use them again myself.
DK
Great trip!
It has been an amazing trip to Uganda! Great to see Africa's wildlife. Thanks to the two guides who helped to make the trip an unforgettable experience with their always good mood! Will be happy to travel with them again another time :-)
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic safari to Amboseli, Tsavo west and Masai Mara
Fantastic holiday which was organised by Daniel. We found it hard to decide which company to go with initially, but was so glad we chose Transtrek. From start to finish they were very professional and organised everything in great detail, which made it into a perfect safari. We went to Amboseli, Tsavo west and Masai Mara and our guide Peter was great, really knowledgeable and experienced. We had a brilliant time on safari and saw loads of animals, (four of the Big five, amazing!).
The accommodation chosen was perfect, the tented camps where luxurious and the lodge in Kilaguni overlooking the waterhole was pure magic. I would highly recommend Transtrek to anyone as we had a fantastic safari and nothing was too much trouble. A company that still gives the personal touch. Thank you so much to Dan, Wanjiku and Peter for a perfect holiday
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Stressful Safari
We went throught Absolute Holiday & Safari To book a 6 days safari going arounf Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Amboseli.
At first organisation seemed good, David our contact was very nice and answer all our questions (and we had lots of them). When arriving in Nairobi, we went to the office (discovering Absolute holiday & Safari and Big Time Safari are located in the extact same office) and David explained to us the schedule of the Safari in details.
For our first day, instead of leaving Nairobi befor 9am we were delayed until 10 am, going with the driver pick up food and oil....
We were 6 people in the van at that time: 2 coming from Absolute Safari, 2 coming from Big Time Safari and the other 2 coming from Savannah Jamboree Travel. The bus was managed by Big Time Safari but what I understood is that many budget companies work together in order to incease occupancy rates of the vans.
Then going to Masai Mara, we saw lots of animals as it was migration season, the schedule was nearly respected, we were all very happy.
After we were inroute for the Lake Nakuru park, stoping at Lake Naivasha our driver tell us he has to pick 2 people more, with no more explaination I call our contact David (we had local sim), he is not aware of such things and is not at the office, promising to contact me again, it is around 3pm at that time. 3 people come back with our driver, the mini van is now full and we are supposed to end our safari with them, 3 and half more days to go at that point.
Calling back David, he is very nice but does not give me any answer he has to deal with personal matters first and then will go back to me.....
We all go the Lake Nakuru for diner, throught our driver we call the transport manager of Big Time Safari (Alfred) and the president (John) to tell that was not the agreement, indeed in one of our email we ask David how muck people max will be in the safari, and his answer is very clear, 7 max. Big time safari does not want to hear anything, saying to us that if we are not happy a car will come pick us up and we will leave the safari without any refund, nice people!
Finally around 9pm David goes by the office, 6 hours after the first phone call... He says every thing fine and tomorrow we will have another mini van to do the game drive and respect previous engagement.
The day after, nothing is there, we do game drive with the 9 of us....
Going back to Nairobi (you have to go throught Nairobi in the itinerary), another minivan is expecting us, so we are all happy again.
If you want this company to respect their engagement it's very hard because once you began the safari you already paid the all amont so you don't have a lot to bargain with and somtimes the drivers completely refuse to call their office so if you don't have a local sim, your stuck. Also, the drivers are always trying to reduce the game drive schedule so you have to argue with them again and again for them to respect previous engagement.
I would defenitely not recommand this company if you are looking for zen holidays.
Be carreful when choosing your Safari, I'm now very sceptical of having good budget safari.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The most customer-friendly tour company
We took It Started In Africa for a 5-day safari in mid-August to explore Ngorongoro, Tarangire, and Serengeti up to Lobo campsite the North. They provided an impeccable service genuinely catering to our needs and trying to make the best out of our trip. We think safari experience largely depends on your driver/guide. Our guide Chicho made sure that we saw a number of times all the big game highlights, including numerous lion families eating their prey, a female lion going for hunt with her little cubs, leopards lying on trees, as well as cheetah. We heard that other companies try to limit the amount of kilometers or hours spent on game drives. There were no limits on the time or distance we could travel and we got a good sense of freedom. Instead of following a pre-planned route, Chicho was flexible and really cared about seeing as much as possible, even if that required extra time or effort driving around or talking to other guides for the most up-to-date information about the location of animals. Chicho was a prudent driver, who may have literally saved our lives given the poor condition of Serengeti gravel roads and the high speed of other Land Cruisers passing by. And we will never forget the treats with which our cook Paschal constantly delighted us, especially the fresh avocado salad. What we missed for ultimate perfection was a larger cooler box to keep our drinks cold, plastic bags to protect our bags from the dust, and maybe a book, one or two, that we could read about Serengeti and their animals during the journey.
Also, we have dealt with many tour companies in prime tourist destinations around the world, including Vietnam, Bolivia, Southern Africa, U.S. West Coast. We have never had a better experience than with It Started In Africa, especially when it comes to their immediate responsiveness and professional and courteous attitude towards clients. They went at great lengths to customize our trip not only for Serengeti, but also took care of our stay in Nairobi, transfer to Arusha, and the ensuing flight to Zanzibar, all at competitive prices that we would not have been able to procure ourselves on the market. As any traveler knows, at times things do not go as well as planned, for various reasons. I was amazed how their staff in Europe, as well as in the office in Arusha, personally invested their energy to ensure our trip was smooth and we leave Tanzania with the best memories. Five stars out of five for each of Chicho, Paschal, and the other staff of It Started In Africa.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Etosha National Park by Andrew Thompson
At the time of my visit at the end of the dry season, Etosha was full of animals, which were easy to see as they were drawn to the many waterholes. Bird watching was also exceptional. The quality and the quantity of the sightings far exceeded my expectation. The place never felt crowded, I always felt safe and the accommodation in the park was quite acceptable.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fun, friendly, accommodating, knowledgeable, flexible!
From the time we met Stacey and Jake at the Washington, DC travel and adventure show, to the final good-bye at the airport, the Shadows of Africa staff was warm, welcoming, friendly, and willing to answer any question we had! We traveled with six children ranging in age from 22-7, and everyone had an unforgettable time! We chose Shadows of Africa because they could customize our tour, and because we would be by ourselves in the safari jeeps. The personal service, itinerary customization, knowledge of the drivers/guides, and food exceeded our expectations!! Loved seeing how the primitive tribes are still living today, all of the treasured wildlife, and the spectacular scenery.
BD
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Masaimara
I went to Kenya for GES 2015 and I had no plans of going to Masaimara but I heard so much about the place that I abruptly decided to go. I was looking for a Safari operator and met Diana. It was Sunday but still she helped me book my tour. I was extremely happy to receive their cooperation and hospitality. They worked hard to help me make the most use of my time and I am thankful to them.
DK
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Friendly, fair and fantastic!
Because of only positive reviews from others, we asked Jackpot Safaris to arrange our Kilimanjaro climb. We didnt regret it! Andrew (the owner) was both fast, friendly and honest in replying to our emails (and many many questions), making us feel safe about the arrangements before leaving. The climb was amazing and the guides Livingstone and Sanga and the rest of the crew did everything to fulfill our needs and to help us achieve Uhuru Peak, while being very attentive of us every step of the way, making sure we were ok and able to continue. Based on this positive experience we used Jackpot Safaris for our 5 day tent-safari as well. Once again, we had a fantastic guide (Yassin) and cook (John) who did all they could to give us an unforgettable experience. And they did! We saw all the Big Five, including being only meters away from both lions, leopards and elephants and seeing vultures and hyenas fight for a dead animal right next to the car. We cannot recommend Jackpot Safaris enough and will definitely use them again if we return to Tanzania.
BE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Excellent tour operator
During the years from 2008 to 2012, when I was lucky to live and work in Uganda, I have travelled quite a few times with the assistance of Pearl Afric Tours & Travel. I got to know the manager Innocent Manda personally. Every time I was very happy with the driver/guide. As I always travelled alone he made me feel special and always tried hard to show me the animals I hoped to see. My trips were always very well organised. I keep unforgettable memories of all the trips I have made, in particular of my very last trip to the mountain gorillas in the Bwindi National Park.
I would recommend this travel agent to everyone who plans to visit the national parks in Uganda!