SA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An Incredible Safari Adventure
I highly recommend Tropical Vacations Inc for your Kenyan safari adventure. I have been to Kenya on safari many times and the team was better than any other tour operator i have used before. Communication was excellent and timely. Several workable options for ease of choice were made by the team. I requested for a few changes and adjustments to our safary itinerary which were made quickly and acurately. The team put together a top notch safari trip with excellent accomodation choices, guide and safari vehicles. No hidden costs came up with there pricing. One of the owners accompanied us just to see how our trip was going. I highly recommend the team at Tropical Vacations. Big up.
A fabulous 29 day safari with Africian Adventures Safari experiencing Lodges, wildlife and more.
In August 2014, my wife Maureen and I organised a 29 day private Southern African Safari with John Cooper of African Adventures Safari Company to travel to South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and return to South Africa . We asked a couple of friends to join us and together with a help of our tour leader John, we managed to arrange a great itinerary, a group of 6 terrific participants (3 couples) and a date that suited all of us (this was one of the hardest parts to be arranged).
With the basics out of the way it was then a matter of us booking our flights and arranging any additional tours we wanted to do on completion of our planned safari tour.
For us, the trip was one of the best holidays we had ever experienced. The tour was ably led by John Cooper who shared a wealth of knowledge of the people, the countries we visited, the native animals and birdlife as well as the history of Southern Africa. We stayed in the most magnificent safari camps from extremely up market to some that were basic but covered all our needs right in the middle of some of the best Southern African game parks.
Some of standout activities for us included:
• Being met by the smiling welcoming face of John at the Johannesburg International airport and being whisked away to the delightful and safe African Sky Lodge located close to the airport but without the airport noise;
• Staying for 2 nights at Meno A Kwena Lodge. This truly was most impressive accommodation in which to stay. The individual sleeping quarters were perched on top of a low mountain overlooking the Boteti River which teemed with wild life particularly in the evening when they came down to drink. Our quarters included a tented bedroom with a covered service area for sitting and relaxing and for making teas and coffee as well as an area for shaving and hand washing. The shower area was separate, uncovered and it viewed the whole valley whilst the toilet area was covered and had a huge array of memorabilia and artefacts. Hot water was provided on request at any time. The main dining area included a table for about 20 where the guests joined the staff for a scrumptious dinner prepared by the local staff. There was a large open fire where the hot water was prepared and where we could gather for a relaxing ‘Sundowner” - enjoying good company, great views and beautiful ambiance.
• Chobe Safari Lodge was also a stand out as the accommodation was excellent. We stayed in a large lodge that had a balcony that overlooked herds of elephants, hippopotamus and water buffalo grazing on the river grasses. We got up close and personal to these magnificent animals when we did an afternoon/evening boat trip on the river. The stay at Chobe also included two tours into the Chobe/Kasane Game Park where we witnessed female lions teaching their young to track and follow a herd of water buffalo whilst the male watched on. A truly unique experience.
• Another destination was Big Cave Lodge. We arrived amongst the rocks at the parking area for Big Cave Lodge and soon had a 4 wheel drive appear from around the rocks to take us up to the Lodge. The Lodge was spectacular as it is perched on the rock face and built into the rocks with tall vaulted ceilings and walls that exposed the rock as a huge natural feature. Our accommodation was a separate rock hut on the side of the hill face overlooking the valley below. Big Cave Lodge adjoins the Matobo Hills National Park and is ideal for spotting White and Black Rhino. One of our tours took us into the park where we managed to get extremely close to a heard of white Rhino. It was simply magic.
• To round of our safari, we spent quite a few days at various lodges in Kruger National Park. Kruger is one of the best known Game Reserves in Southern Africa and is home to most of the animals to be found in those parts. The accommodation varied between each of the camping areas and included Safari tents, Rondavels and huts. We stayed in three camps which each had a program of evening safari tours. The highlight was our guide finding a lion eating its kill of Water Buffalo on our evening safari from Satara Camp.
• We also enjoyed time on a House Boat on the Okavango Delta, Victoria Falls by helicopter, walking with the lions, riding an elephant, visiting the old city of Great Zimbabwe and many more excellent activities.
All in all, it was a fabulous trip and the notes above do not do it justice as they are only a small record of what we did during our time on our African Adventures Safari. The weather was great, the company excellent, activities brilliant and the attention to detail by our tour leader John - superb.
We would highly recommend John Cooper and the African Adventures Safari Company to anyone who is interested in exploring the real untamed area of Southern Africa.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent trip - guide, accommodations, etc.
We booked a last minute safari and John was able to pull a great tour together (Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru, and Samburu). The accommodations and van were excellent. We requested Vincent as our guide because he guided my mom and aunt in 2011. He was a wonderful guide and driver for our six-day tour. We seemed to be spotting more animals than other vans/jeeps. In fact, guides at the lodges said that Vincent was the best…highly regarded by other companies. I'd definitely recommend CKC but our particular tour involved long drives in between parks (that was my fault…I wanted to see both Masai Mara and Samburu).
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable first time safari experience with Wild Wings
We were referred to Wild Wings by a friend who went on safari with Simon three years ago and raved about her experience. From the first contact, we were thoroughly impressed by the efficiency with which everything was handled. Clare organized a 5 day Kruger Combo Safari for 3 (myself, husband, and 20 year old daughter). Clare prepared a detailed itinerary based on our time frame and budget. She cheerfully answered my multitude of questions! She also arranged for our hotel in J'burg the night before. Clare gives such personalized service, you feel as if you are her only client.
We stayed 2 nights each in two different areas --Kruger National Park (Skukusa Rest Camp) and Sabi Sand (Elephant Plains Game Lodge). At KNP, the bungalows are basic, but still comfortable. Frank was our guide/ranger, chef, and above-all, a wonderfully entertaining story teller. We learned so much about the flora and fauna, on and off the game drives. There were 5 in our group, and each day Frank made breakfasts and dinners --all at the "campsite." He made sure to prepare vegetarian meals for our daughter. Then after dinner, entertained us with "tales of the bush."
In Kruger, you can't go off road to track animals so we depended on Frank's experience and keen eye. We saw elephants, giraffes, impalas, hippos, wildebeests, warthogs, to name a few. The highlight was the black rhino who came menacingly close to our jeep and looked like he was going to charge! A rare sight indeed.
We then spent two nights at Elephant Plains Game Lodge. The lodge is small, but "luxurious." The meals were plentiful and good, and again, they did their best to accommodate someone who doesn't eat meat! We were able to go off road at the private reserve, and our first morning out, saw the big five! We witnessed lions eating a kill, and "tracked" a leopard carrying his kill into a tree. Without our ranger, Louis, and tracker, Thomas, we would never have seen any of the highlights that made our trip so memorable.
Wild Wings did a fantastic job of organizing the tour: from the transport to the accommodations to the wonderful passionate people they have in their service. If we are fortunate enough to go back, we would definitely choose Wild Wings again.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An amazing experience with a wide variety of wildlife
We took a friend's van into the park and drove ourselves all over. As far as I know, this is the only national park in Kenya where this is allowed. Just minutes into our drive, we encountered a large, male rhino that jumped out into the road directly ahead of us. A few turns later, we found ourselves surrounded by a herd of at least 40 African buffalo! We saw many lions, giraffes, baboons, and zebras. The opportunities to see wildlife seemed endless, especially at water holes. Not having a guide, we chose our routes using "dumb luck" and it worked out well for us. We had to plan very carefully, since there are few toilets available and no food in the park. The weather was very comfortable and pleasant. Given the chance, I would definitely return to this park.
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent Trip to Rwanda Organized by Umubano Tours
I recently finished a fabulous trip to Rwanda (July 03 – July 08, 2015) that was organized by Umubano Tours. This was my first trip to Rwanda and I have come back with great memories. I had been in touch with Herbert (Head of Operations and Owner) for almost eight months prior to my trip and he helped me create an itinerary that included everything that I wanted to do and more. Herbert was always very professional and prompt in responding to my emails, answered every question with detailed answers and provided me with valuable suggestions.
Also before I write any further, I want to thank my guide (and now friend) Didier for his wonderful personality, kind and helpful nature and immense knowledge that made my trip all the more special. Didier is such a gentle soul with so much genuine love for Rwanda. I really enjoyed his company and I am so glad he was my guide.
During my stay in Rwanda I stayed at the following accommodations: “The Manor Hotel” in Kigali, “Mountain Gorilla View Lodge” near the Volcanoes National Park, “Lake Kivu Serena Hotel” on Lake Kivu and “Nyungwe Forest Lodge” at Nyungwe National Park. Each accommodation was extremely comfortable, the rooms were nicely appointed and clean, locations were beautiful, all necessities were taken care of and everyone was super nice and friendly.
The activities that I embarked on were: Kigali Genocide Memorial, Cultural Village tour near Volcanoes National Park, Gorilla Trekking, visit to a Fishing Village near Lake Kivu, Kamiranzovu Falls, Murambi Genocide Memorial and the National Museum. Each and every one of these activities was very well organized, very educational and had a profound impact on me.
I think what impressed me the most was the resilience of the people of Rwanda to overcome their tragic past and their determination to move forward and work towards building a bright future. It was amazing and heartwarming to see how friendly the people of Rwanda are and what an effort they are making to turn their lives around. I feel honoured and privileged to have visited this wonderful country and I have come back with amazing memories.
I would very strongly recommend a visit to this beautiful country and would have no hesitation in recommending Umubano Tours as the trip organizers. Thank you so much Herbert and Didier for the wonderful time that I had in Rwanda.
JP
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
a greatest tour operator!!!!
I was looking for a half day trip to Lake Naivasha in Kenya. I was suppose to catch my flight back to Japan that day, and most of the tours were not suitable for my flight schedule, however Ancient Wild Safaris made an arrangement for me so that I could go to the airport on time. Also when I ask them if I wanted to add some places to stop by during the tour, they also made an arrangement with extra fee. It was really helpful. They always try to make a tour that suites for you.On the tour day,the driver came to pick me up on time and took me places with great explanation. The driver guide is really kind and very professional. I had a great time. Ancient Wild Safaris always reply to my e-mail very quickly, that was a good point as well. Definitely I will use Ancient Wild Safaris next time when I visit Kenya!!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Was a great experience
It was during Easter holidays and I booked a 4 days safari with them, me and my family and friends had an awesome experience, the prices were super okay and reasonable compared to other companies and operators, I ended up in the middle of other clients who had booked and paid more , but we got the same services . It was awesome, thanks guys. Tuonane tena
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Safari through Uganda and Rwanda
We wisely decided to make use of Encounter Africa Safaris rather than doing a self drive safari. Planning the trip and choosing accommodation was made easy because of their recommendations. Tolbert, our guide, was extremely well organised and his ability to plan ahead made for a relaxed and very enjoyable experience. The choice of lodges proofed to be good. At times a local ranger or tour operator was used to add value to our experience.
Thank you for an experience amongst the gorillas, chimpanzees and golden monkeys which we will never forget.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Another Excellent Safari Experiences!
What a wonderful company to deal with! Baraka (in the US office) was very quick with responses, he planned a wonderful Safari for four of us.
This is the third long safari we have taken with Good Earth Tours and it was just as good as the other two. Having been to Tanzania many times before, we knew exactly where we wanted to go and where we wanted to stay and it was all arranged with no issue and at good prices being repeat customers!
Good Earth is not the cheapest but it is worth every cent. Accommodation was amazing, food and service fantastic. But the best was our guide/driver Joseph, words can't describe what a wonderful guide and person he is. If the sun too bright for photos he would move the van to get the best shots, he obviously is a keen photographer as he was so aware of all the issues photographers face. He will go extra distance to make sure you see absolutely everything!
Definitely book with these folks and if possible, ask for Joseph.