US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Extremely Satisfied After a Trip of a Lifetime!
I was a bit nervous to plan our honeymoon with someone I had never met before. I had looked around at local travel agents, but they really didn't have any expertise in Africa and I knew that we'd end up on some cookie-cutter trip. Chris is a true expert and has traveled to Africa several times. And let me tell you, he knows his stuff! I actually called him and spoke to him for a while before booking with him. He was so upfront with things and he ended up planning an incredible trip for us. (He's really nice too) I had told him that we wanted to hike with the mountain gorillas in either Rwanda or Uganda, and that we also wanted to go to Kenya and Tanzania. We wanted to do a mix of basic camping, tented camps, and lodging. He hooked it all up and checked in with us as he pieced it all together. He even suggested that we ended our trip in Zanzibar- and I'm so glad we did. It was a relaxing way to wind down after an adventurous 2 1/2 weeks. When I say that there was not one glitch during the total 3 weeks we were there, I truly mean it! We flew into Rwanda and we were immediately greeted by two extremely kind gentlemen who brought us straight to our hotel and gave us a run down of our schedule for the next three days we'd be there. The hotel was gorgeous. We were assigned to another driver that following morning and he came right on time and took care of us throughout our time in Rwanda. He was so great, I hated to leave him! He brought us back to the airport for our flight to Nairobi. Again, all our flight details were handed to us and we didn't have to worry about anything! Got picked up in Nairobi by another professional young woman who was so organized. She knew our entire agenda and went through it with us. Chris put us in a beautiful hotel in Nairobi where we felt very safe. Food was yummy too! During our trip in Kenya, we had a wonderful guide. He worked SO hard and was so professional. Everything was about us. He wanted to make sure we saw every animal, and he busted his behind until we did just that. We felt safe, and well taken care of! We stayed in tented camps in Kenya, and they were incredible! Even our journey from Kenya to Tanzania went so smoothly (I was a little nervous about the transportation). When we arrived in Tanzania, we were picked up for our 5 day camping tour. The guide and cook we traveled with were so sweet and they treated us like royalty. The cook worked so hard to prepare our meals, and his food was soooo good! When it was time to head to Zanzibar, we took a small flight (all arranged by Chris) and it was such a smooth transition.
We felt safe the entire time we were in Africa, and at every location. We never had to question anything. There was not one moment of confusion or miscommunication, not one issue with reservations, or transportation, nothing! To be honest, I was expecting something to go wrong, as things typically do when traveling for a long period of time.
Our trip was unforgettable. Rwanda may have been my favorite part of the trip. The country is beautiful, the people are friendly and hardworking, and seeing the gorillas was a dream come true. With that said, Kenya and Tanzania were a must see- truly breathtaking!
I would most definitely recommend The Safari Partners! You won't be sorry!!
35-50 years of age
Review about Amboseli National Park by The Blue Boy
The mountain. It's one of the most stunning things I've ever seen.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing blend of wildlife, scenery, local people, traveling companions, plus Victoria Falls. Wow!
I was looking for a good safari company with my daughter, Katie. We had chosen one in Tanzania and were prepared to book it. Katie then heard about Open Heart Safari from a friend who knew Tom Bennigson. We both surveyed Tom and his ideas over a long phone conversation with him and came away convinced that he knows what he is doing in Africa, that he understands what it means to be "open hearted" himself, and that he had actually crafted a safari experience that lived up to that name. We then had a conversation with Laura, who was just as courteous and responsive to our questions. We were hooked. We not only felt at ease with the leaders, but we figured that other people who would be drawn to this type of safari would be the type of individuals we would want to travel with.
The safari itself surpassed our greatest expectations. South Luangwa National Park is overflowing with amazing animals - so diverse, abundant, majestic, amusing, accessible, natural, free, and exciting - never mind photogenic! Kafue is pictorial, removed, wild, and thrilling. We did not feel like we missed anything passing up Tanzania except for the hoards of people. We also acquired a day at Victoria's Falls, which deserves a spot on everyone's bucket list.
What makes this safari unique, however is the exchanges with other humans - both with the locals and our travel group. An entire day and night in a thatched-hut village in the bush mingling with the people, two days and a night with both youth and adults engaging in a grass roots community conservation and development project. There were opportunities almost every day to think back and share with our group what we were experiencing and witnessing - always with plenty of laughter. Occasional yoga and other movement, artfully led by Laura and matched to our abilities. We had some wonderful conversations and are looking forward to staying in contact with each other across the country. Who knows - we may even arrange a reunion somewhere!
35-50 years of age
Beautiful Kenya
Tsavo, east and west, is an exraordinary destination that is reasonably accessable to the normal tourist. It is really two parks in one, as it is split by the Niarobi to Mombasa road. What is the first thing that is striking is the deep rich colour of the ground, almost red. Then it's the animals. You'll be guarenteed to see zebra and giraffe. Almost certain to lions and elephants. The two places that I really would recommend are Voi lodge and Kilaguni lodge as places to visit and stay overnight. And that's all I'm gonna say as I wouldn't want to spoil 'em for anybody!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Botswana adventure
My 16 year old daughter and I joined Jane for a great time. It was my third time in Africa, but it was the time I learned the most about the true Africa. The staff was wonderful and we felt spoiled at all times. We felt safe and had lots of fun. The food was amazing, it was way more than I expected. I chose Ulinda's Safari because I got the feeling that it would be real and I would be given a one on one experience and we did. Im very glad that I chose them to expose my daughter to her first African adventure. I would recommended them to anybody who wants the real African experience. Thanks Jane!
US
50-65 years of age
Unbelievable wildlife sightings and the most amazing and friendly people.
We had the opportunity to take a three day private canoe trip on the Zambezi River where we witnessed lion prides along the banks, hippos came close enough to our canoes to kiss and a crocodile almost upended our canoe. Our camp was set up in advance of the end of our daily canoe ride and we were served dinner and had warm water for showers. Our guide tracked the elusive white rhino, which we were able to photograph close up and we were close enough to the elephants to smell their breath! It was the trip of a lifetime and we are still telling stories about our adventure to this day.
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
My African dream came true
The accommodation in Kenya, Masai Mara in Kichwa Tembo Camp was well selected, the driver of the camp and especially the photo safari with the owner of Roho Ya Chui was an experience. I was able to photograph the Big Five and the absolute highlight was the river crossing of zebras by the Mara River while being attacked by crocodiles. In the evening, the images were discussed, I have received a lot of tips and suggestions. The weather in December was ideal. It will not be my last trip to Africa with Roho Ya Chui.
NL
50-65 years of age
The "real" Africa experience
Having visited Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Uganda, Namibia and South Africa, my favorite safari country is Zambia. Specially (North) Kafue and North Luangwa.
The scenery of the Busanga plains is exceptional, and for the rest Kafue will always surprise you with better and more thrilling game sighting while you are alone. So much unlike Tanzania and Kenya where every big cat cannot move without 20 safari vehicles on its tail.
North Luangwa is great for day long bushwalks, encountering the big 5 on foot. A vast space with *no* other man around for many, many miles. If you start to think what might happen if you break a bone on a long walk, far, far away from any help and infrastructure, North Luangwa is not for you.
If you like to encounter lions, stand in between 200 buffalos when you stepped out of the tall grass, this is the place to go.
35-50 years of age
Out of the world safari, pure isolation and nature at its finest.
We undertook a mobile tented safari starting in the Okavanga Delta and ended with 3 nights at the Matesi Lodge in Zimbabwe. From start to finish this was a safari that would leave you wanting more and wanting to go back. All the people we met were helpful and friendly and wanted to ensure we had the best time ever. The mobile safari allowed us to be isolated from the general hustle of the safari vehicles and this gave you time and space to enjoy the surroundings. The guides are superb and extremely knowledgeable and they take time to ensure you get to see what you want to see. No mobile phone coverage and isolation from every day life gives you a sense of really being in with nature and this was priceless.
US
A transformative life experience of connecting with wildlife, wilderness, and local communities.
I made a big commitment in this trip in terms of time and money. However, once the trip got underway, I never second guessed whether or not I had a made a good decision. By the time 2 weeks had passed, I felt like the entire trip had been planned and carried out exactly for my own benefit. The "heart-opening" activities we participated in, including movement, poems, reflections, and sharing our reactions and purposes with the group, were incredibly effective in opening my heart to the deeply meaningful experiences of the wilderness, wildlife, and local cultures we visited. By the time the trip was over, I felt as if a major transformation in my life had been initiated.
I always felt comfortable in our accommodations, which were usually stunning and oftentimes felt magical. The flow and atmosphere of the trip were great, combining a variety of activities with plenty of time to rest and relax. Tom's passion, knowledge of Africa, and sense of humor lit up the atmosphere. The local guides in the parks were professional, entertaining, and knowledgable. The only "crowds" we saw were groups of animals - we hardly ever came across other people. Tom and Laura's connections allowed us to meet people and learn about the challenges facing both rural and urban communities, including conservation and poverty.
Here are some of my highlights:
- Nature: The serene, quiet beauty of the African bush, the nobility of the beautiful wildlife, the immense starry night sky, and getting to witness the natural order of the different types of animals, each one with its own place in the ecosystem, co-existing and acting out their part. It all helped me feel like I was part of an amazing unified existence.
- The people: It was amazing to me how in Kawaza, a rural village with no electricity, plumbing, and little possessions, everyone appeared to be so full of life and happiness. I saw more joyful people in one morning in Kawaza than I see in a year in Philadelphia.
- The close connections and open hearted sharing amongst the group helped me connect with the wildlife and communities we met in a meaningful way.
- The "zebra" meditation: Sitting down to reflect, and a few moments later discovering a zebra peeking out at me from only a few inches away. I alternated between feeling terrified and calm.