50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great family safari including big 5 and river safari
For us it was the opportunity to do a river safari that attracted us to the Selous and our trip up the Rufiji River was a nice change from game drives. The game drives were also excellent with very few other vehicles on the road and they are allowed to go off road which is great fun and allows you to get close to the wildlife. This is not allowed at some other parks. We were lucky to see elephants, lions, hippos and a leopard. There are some spectacular birds too. We stayed at the Serena Selous Camp which we would recommend. Accommodation is in luxury tents and there is a spectacular bar/restaurant/deck which overlooks a watering hole that hippos frequent. The service was attentive but unaffected and the staff even let our boys join in their daily football match. The food was excellent and we had no side effects. Another unexpected bonus of the Selous is that there are no mosquitoes which is one less thing to worry about. The weather was pleasant and not too hot in the last week of August.
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35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
One WOW after another
I traveled on the 15 day Delta and Dunes Safari with my seventy-three year old mother. There was another older couple from Australia, and our guide and a camp assistant. We chose this safari because it was designed to spend several days immersed in two of the areas we were most interested in - the Okavango and Etosha. I chose this company and to base our travels out of Namibia because of concerns that hours on an overland safari jouncing in a truck would wear my mother down. Namibia has decent roads, and Wild Dog had a good reputation for being a budget safari that providing more comfortable vehicles and for reliable quality. And from the start we had a terrific experience. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable, and was very good in setting an atmosphere that was comfortable and easy - even at the end of a 15 day trip when everyone was exhausted. He even altered our schedule when we agreed we wanted to go check out the rock paintings at Brandenburg rather than stop where scheduled, accommodating our group and being flexible - in part due to the fact we all got along so well and all agreed on the change. Our camp assistant was equally wonderful - an excellent cook who spoiled us with delicacies like Kudu stew, and had the skills to prepare the food in a way that nobody got sick ... which is often a problem on big group trips when lots of germs get passed around with poor hygiene practices handling food. The campgrounds we stayed in were all comfortable - some were incredibly beautiful. And, while I was focused on Etosha and the Okavango, the other experiences along the way were for the most part interesting and worthwhile - and some were extraordinary and unexpected. The thing to realize about any overland safari is there is a lot of driving. A LOT. We spent hours in the vehicle, and even through the vehicle was good quality and we stopped for breaks, it was still tiring. Another is that we were in a small group that got along very well. Wild Dog will do a max of 14 on a trip ... and I suspect a big group might be a different (though not necessarily bad) experience. I was told that the longer trips tended to be smaller in group size. I could nit-pick: The tent needed some repair of the netting around the zipper, for example, though generally the equipment was all in functional shape. But overall Wild Dog and the Delta and Dunes safari exceeded my expectations. And this experience in Namibia was the hi-light of my six weeks in Southern Africa. I did some blog posts on the trip - here is one of the posts about an experience on this safari. http://leighpate.blogspot.com/2015/05/the-bushman-tale-lion-and-jackal.html
An amazing and wild National park
Gonaezhou is an outstanding National Park,and is arguably the the best undiscovered gem in Africa. The scenery is simply breathtaking,especially the Chilojo Chills. The pans are filled with birds,and there are plenty of antelope. I saw steenbok,nyala,sable, duikers,and lots of greater kudu. i also saw a herd of eland. There are huge elephants everywhere, including many huge tuskers. On one one occasion a herd of elephants came up from behind us. We also saw zebra,and hippos. I saw many baboons,and one morning I woke up to the sounds of a troop of baboon barking because they had been pursued up a tree by a leopard.
I have to say that Gonarazhou is one of the finest National Parks which safari enthusiasts can visit because it's so off the beaten path. One about 2,000 people a year visit ,and most about 1,800 of them are people who come here on camping safaris. One will be listens constantly to the sounds of the bush at night. One will feel like they have the whole park to themselves,because one won't encounter neither other vehicles nor other vehicles for hours without seeing another vehicle or person.
I also have to say that Ant Kashula the owner of Gonarezhou Bush Camp lives up to his reputation of being one of the finest of all the new guides in Africa. He was simply amazing. He's a superb bushman, and a dedicated conservationist.He also has superb skills at dealing with people.I felt hat fly camping with him was simply superb.
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Review about Tarangire National Park by DaveGibsonImages.com
Famous for its tree-climbing lions, I only saw them on the ground. This is where I saw my first-ever leopard which was quite a thrill! Accommodations and food at Tarangire Sopa Lodge was great. Lodge was
Lifetime experience
We found ilmaasai at the last minute, and agreed on a custom tour starting the day after. They were flexible, kind, and agreed on a price within our budget. The tour was above my expectations and will remember it forever. Thanks again!
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Review about Selous Game Reserve by DaveGibsonImages.com
My visit occurred at the end of January when the temperatures reached 98 degrees. The shaded pool at Rufiji River Camp was a welcome respite from the heat as was the cooling breeze created by our safari vehicle. Vervet monkeys rule the camp. Pay respect to the alpha male with the blue scrotum! The best predator viewing is in the Lake Manze area where I spotted a hyena with a fresh wildebeest leg in its jaws. Birding is excellent and crocs are everywhere. One person in camp saw a crocodile take down a buffalo!
Exploring joyfully the beautiful nature and culture of Tanzania with the nice team of Epic Tours
We remember with great joy the two weeks we spend in Tanzania together with you. It was a great experience for us and we are very thankful that your team had prepared for us in a way that we also hope that it will be possible for us to come and see you again.
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Review about Ruaha National Park by DaveGibsonImages.com
Few destinations are better during the dry season for lions and bat-eared foxes. My visit coincided with the green season and I still saw several lion and foxes. The scenery is spectacular. Ruaha is known for its numerous elephant herds. Colorful agama lizards frequent Ruaha River Lodge. The sounds of hippos fighting over territory in the river during the night just outside my banda door will always be with me.
ES
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
With Discover Africa I had the most wonderful experience of my life
My trip last August to Botswana was arranged by Discover Africa and I couldn't have chosen better. Everything was well organized and I didn't have to worry about anything. The safari tour was far beyong expectations; the accommodation was superb, the guides were fantastic, the sightseeing and the animals were out of this world. I can't wait to go back, hopefully the next time I will travel with my family so they can also experience a rich adventure of unlimited emotions and definitely it will be arranged by Discover Africa. A million thanks to Discover Africa for making my dreams come true.
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Review about Ngorongoro Crater by DaveGibsonImages.com
My only regret is that I didn't spend more time there. A huge bull elephant, a hyena chasing a jackal with a bone in its mouth, a black rhino and calf, and Cape buffalo just outside my door at Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge come to mind. The sunsets from the crater rim are exceptional. A complimentary Ngorongoro Crater sunset cocktail of gin, cognac, and passion fruit juice enjoyed by the pool at the end of the day was a great way to unwind.