US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unbelievable experience
I have just spent the most wonderful experience of my lifetime in Tanzania while on Safari with Tanganyika Ancient Routes more importantly with Charles the owner. The locations that we went to were unbelievable, I have never seen so many wonderful landscapes and the animals that we saw just blew me away. Charles knowledge of Tanzania and the wildlife is the best, while driving alone we would stop and I would be thinking what are we stopping for and Charles would say “just over there beside the tree” and right enough there would be a Cheetah or a hyena or something there ……….amazing.
I will defiantly be using Charles services again the sooner the better.
IE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Exceeded expectations for an unforgettable trip
We spent five days with Ernest and there were 5 people in our group. From start to finish Ernest was very professional and it is obvious that he is passionate about his job which made the trip so much more enjoyable. We spent the first day in Tarangire and stayed in a lodge in Karatu that evening.
Ernest walked us around the local market and discussed some of the local produce. We then went for a local dinner which we all really enjoyed and thought that this was a nice touch. The following day we went to Serengeti and spent two nights camping there. The last night was spent camping on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater and we descended the crater the following day. We also visited a Maasai village which again, is something a little extra and shows that they really try to give you a proper taste of Tanzania.
During our five-day trip we saw approximately 40 lions, some cheetahs, rhinos, leopards, elephants and many other animals. One of the people in our group was interested in bird watching and Ernest made sure to point out and describe many birds. He really catered to everyone's interests.
Throughout our trip it felt as though we were taking part in a wildlife documentary because we were so close to the animals! Having done a Safari from Arusha a few years ago, this one was a million times better! Highly recommend this company!
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Base Camp Site Ltd - So awesome!
We were a group of 3 couples (relatives) and got in touch with Achmed based on great feedback from close friends who went on safari with them in 2013. We had planned out safari for January 2015 but due to Ebola outbreak we asked Achmed about postponing for one year. He said OK, no problem. They rebooked everything.
Our Luxury Lodge safari was tremendous:
- Stayed in Arusha for a relax day after arriving via KLM
- went to Arusha NP, Tarangire NP, Lake Manyara NP, Serengeti NP (2 days), Ngorongoro Crater NP.
- Added Zanzibar: 4 nights in Nungwi beach resort and 2 nights in Stone Town (in hindsight 1 night would have be fine)
- Achmed greeted us the first night, took us through everything to expect, Do's and Dont's, and lots of laughs.
- Joseph, our driver was super. Punctual, uncanny at spotting, good reference books along, talking with lots of other guides along the way getting the latest, listening and responding to our every question or request. sensitive to trying for the best picture, and had uncanny anticipation as if he was an "animal whisperer"
We asked along the way to stop at an orphanage to make a donation so Joseph picked one for us. They took us in and talked about its start and all they are doing we left our packages and money.
In addition we asked to stop at a Maasai village. again, no problem. But had to pay $50 for the group, each couple was escorted by a prominent male, dancing, singing, visit inside a hut, explanation of their lifestyle and customes, answered all our questions, visited their kindergarten, their animal enclosures, and were encouraged to buy their crafts, which we did.
- The safari lodging gave us a tremendous and varied experience that we truly appreciated for the "Africa" memories we have beyond the game drives
- Traveler's checks were a running joke with Achmed till almost the end of our trip. 2 couples brought them to pay the final payment...but Achmed's bank was so slow in clearing them into his account that we were practically done before he had received full payment.
- Achmed met up with us again after the safari for a debriefing, sharing our exciting stories, and more fun laughs.
Oh, we had specifically requested to add on the hot air balloon but in hindsight the time of year without Wildebeast migration where the balloons go made it a little disappointing - However it is an unbelievable experience (saw a leopard with a cub, lions, hippos, lots of giraffe, elephants). We had always wanted to do a balloon ride so why not over the Serengeti!!
Finally, Base Camp was very highly regarded by the manager at the Zanzibar Nungwi beach Langi Langi resort for being totally trustworthy and reliable for their resort. They have had dealings for many years.
Our group agrees with their assessment.
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unforgettable three days in Masai Mara
Everything was perfect right from the beginning. I booked my safari in Nakuru with Pega Tours, as I was very pleased with their welcoming, natural style, the clear information I got to my questions, and the very reasonable price. We had a warm welcome from the great guide/driver John, then took off in a very comfortable vehicle with pop-up roof. We had a buffet- lunch in a quiet restaurant inside a garden. The camp, slightly outside the Mara, was cozy, well maintained with lots of flowers, and friendly staff. It had simply furnished tents with private bathrooms and a small veranda, a buffet-style restaurant/bar and picknick tables for sitting outside, reading, dreaming, listening to the birds ... After a rest at the camp, we went on our first game drive, beautiful. The next day was a full-day game-drive, absolutely unforgettable. We saw amazing numbers of wildlife, including a pride of lions, a leopard, and even a cheetah with her cubs !!! The guide/driver John was a friendly, experienced, very knowledgeable man, he explained us so much, in perfect english, obviously he really liked his job. He really made our trip so much more enjoyable, apart from the wildlife, of course. For lunch, we had a picknick by the river, peaceful, nice views.
On the next morning we had a last game-drive, where we saw a rhino, so everybody got to see the "big five" apart from lots of zebra, wildebeest, various types of antilope, gazelle, as well as many giraffes, buffalos, hippos, crocodiles, and lovely scenery. There was an excursion to a Masai village later on(I didn't participate, as I had met so many Masai people before) but the people who went said, they had enjoyed it. Leaving the camp and the Mara was very sad ...... On the way back we had a last good lunch at a lovely restaurant, and as I didn't want to go back to Nakuru, at my demand, John dropped me at Naivasha, near Lake Naivasha. I had three unforgettable, happy days and I know, I was lucky for having gone with this honest, friendly company. Thanks so much !!!
BR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
I saw the amazing mountain gorillas in the jungle.
I really enjoyed my three day experience with Sparkle Safaris. I was very limited for time, and I didn't have a permit to see the gorillas, but they managed to organise for me to get to see the mountain gorillas in the jungle at really short notice. They drove me all the way from Kampala to the jungle, organised a nice cottage for me to stay at for two nights, and then drove me back to Kampala. It was a fantastic three days that I will never forget, and they took very good care of me.
DE
Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Big Five
We visited the Masai Mara on Easterweekend 2015. Jeff was a great guide to hang around, his experience and knowledge of the Mara region is phenomenal. The stay in the camp, was convenient and definetely sufficient - I don't need the luxury of big lodges. He knew a lot of "special" spots to have a stay or a short look on this overwhelming landscape. And the best part : We managed to see the Big 5 in a two-day trip!!!
I surely recommend going with that company, it offers budget tours ! :)
BE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
fantastic experience
We had a lovely time in the Masaai Mara. Every day a new experience. Saw the big 5, danced and sung with the Masaai. Recommending 200% finest and joyful guide Dennis.
IN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent experience with knowledgable guide!
We recently visited Lake Nakuru, Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha and Amboseli with them on a private safari for two. The vehicle (landcruiser) and guide provided were excellent. Noah is so quick to respond and was so catering to every little query I had which was what first attracted me to hiring them. Our driver and guide Eustace was very experinced and a bag of fun! Ours was a very last minute trip inspite of which they booked decent places and made sure everything was perfect. i will definetely plan my next tour to east Africa with them!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent Safari
As a group of two travelers, we thoroughly enjoyed our 5-day tour of Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro, and Kilimanjaro in January 2016. The itinerary was very carefully planned by RA, and we have wonderful things to say about everyone who organized it. Our guide/driver Amani was terrific, and our cook Dale was equally awesome. In fact, the delicious food was probably the most surprising part of the trip!
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great 4 day safari experience!
We came in contact with Mr. Shabani through one of his contacts at the African Café in Arusha. He sat down with us to discuss our ideas and expectations. We agreed upon a $600 p.p. 4-day trip to the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire Ntl. Park. We were happy with this price and feel like we wouldn't have been able to find a different/cheaper safari with the same amount of service. We insisted upon a trip with maximum two other persons. In the end we were very happy not to be in a car with more people. Right away we met with Joseph, a happy and experienced driver and guide, who really contributed to our trip. We had some great conversations together. Joseph's upbeat spirit added a lot to the four days. He was an expert on wildlife and able to spot the most amazing animals. He was also able to offer us valuable information as well as local culture and customs. Cook Paul was very friendly as well, preparing all of our meals.
There was one disappointment though: one of the other girls in the car was unable to pay the fee up front for the Parks to the tour company. This meant that we lost a huge amount of time by trying to get money from the banks along the way and having to stand in line at the Park gates because of her financial incompetence. We feel like we were duped by the company's decision to let her come along on the trip when she was clearly unable to get money out in Arusha, let alone along the way to the Parks.
We would like to recommend African Travel Tours, and especially guide Joseph. We were happy with both the service and the price. Make sure to discuss your expectations beforehand.