CA
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
The experience of a lifetime.
Having travelled extensively I can heartily recommend Outlook Safaris. We have done both the Classic and Explorer series of safaris and of importance to me was being with the guides not only during the drives, but having them about at other hours as well to answer questions ensuring a more complete understanding of nature. The guides are accredited and their knowledge is outdone only by their enthusiasm for the job. The vehicles are high and comfortable. This is significant as they enable one to see into the bush better, especially at times when the grasses are higher. Dinner in the bush by candlelight and a dedicated cook at camp insures an unforgettable adventure. I would also recommend a stay both before and after the safari at Outlook Lodge where Francois will cater to your every need. All in all,the experience of a lifetime.
MY
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Best Two Guides in SAfrica
We (Maria, my wife, Dextor & Daruis my 2 sons and myself) were lucky enough to have 2 of the best guides one could ask for to take look after us during our 4 days stay at Kruger: Debbie Henning and Brettoon Lahner. Everything was perfect.
Mark and Celeste did all the work...all we had to do was enjoy the experience
We had an incredible experience through Taga Safaris. Celeste and Mark made all the arrangements and everything went like clockwork. We visited Victoria Falls and got to view from both the Zambian and Zimbabwean sides. Next we flew to Ruckomechi for our canoe trip down the Zambezi river. Then on to Davison's Camp and finally back to Johannesburg. We had told Mark and Celeste the things that we wanted to see and we saw all those things and so much more. Lots of animals, tremendous service, excellent lodging, delicious food and warm and welcoming camp staffs. We enjoyed this safari so much that we are planning another next August but this time family members will join us! We wouldn't have anyone but Mark and Celeste plan this safari for us.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing trip..great safari, great lodges, great food and great guides!
We recently returned from our 15 day East Africa safari ending on Zanzibar for a beach holiday. All the arrangements for this trip went amazingly well. No missed transfers, no bad lodging, no negatives at all! It was the trip of a lifetime...we got to see all the animals we hoped we would and close enough to hear them breathe! The two guides we had from Safari Horizons were just wonderful...knowledgable, friendly, helpful and they really worked hard to make sure we saw the animals we wanted to. Our guide in Kenya, Dennis, helped us locate a charger for our camera when we lost it. He even got the shop to stay open!
Our group was so nice...just 6 people including us in an overland vehicle that took us over some really rugged roads and landscape. The lodges we stayed at in very remote locations on Masai Mara and Serenghetti were also truly amazing. All were a little different architecturally and fit into the landscape well. Great rooms, great views of animals from balconies, pools, great service, wonderful large reception halls. Many had entertainment. Two bush babies lived in one of the Great Rooms. The lodges all had great choices of food...I especially appreciated the vegetarian and Indian choices. Box lunches, picnics when we were on the road really were nice. Who dreamed we would be picnicing under a tree on the Serenghetti surrounded by wildebeest! Our rooms were all beautiful and had great bathrooms, access to wifi, pools, and opportunities to meet other guests from around the world. Can't say enough about the staff at these lodges...always helpful, greeted us with warm towels and juice. The staff at the Stanley in Nairobi were especially helpful in finding replacements for our electronic chargers. And Chris from Safari Partners was always helpful and prompt in answering all our questions, addressing all our many concerns. He saved the best for last. We stayed our last 4 days or so on Zanzibar at the Hideaway/Nungwi. What a fabulous place! Beautifully appointed rooms, gardens, and public areas. Just a gorgeous place to end a perfect vacation...a great beach, an infinity pool, fabulous food choices, balconies looking over the ocean, and the most attentive staff ever. We really loved our stay here and enjoyed using the snorkeling equipment, kayaks, catamaran...all free. We went on the Spice Tour and a sunset cruise out of Stonetown. The company we used in Zanzibar, Island Express, were also great. Very professional, prompt, friendly and set up a schedule of activities that was just right. All the flights were arranged for us and we did not have any problems for the entire trip. Thanks, Safari Partners, for one trip we will never forget!
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An amazing souvenir!
The trip to Zanzibar & Tanzania with Matoke Tours was absolutely great! A very special and varied program. From the lovely beaches of Zanzibar, the authentic Stone Town, the villages in rural in Tanzania to the amazing safari plains.
The selected lodges were all very atmospheric, super clean and located at the most beautiful spots. Also, the food was excellent during the trip. And last but not the least: Service. This was more than great! All the transfers were arranged accordingly too.
Our tour leader Laurence was of great class! He understood the behaviour of all animals. Therefore he was able to manoeuvre the Extended Landcruiser through the wildlife & other jeeps in order to get the best spot for us!! He searched for the Big Five, and found it. Furthermore did he introduce us to lions eating their prey, leopards relaxing in the tree, cheetah’s hunting for impala’s, hyena’s & giraffes. Overall, he showed us too much to specify all amazing moments.
While other guides were informing their clients that the migrating wildebeests had already left the area, Laurence was able to trace down a group that stayed behind. This way we were able to catch a glimpse of the migration! Laurence really went the extra mile, and if that meant that we would arrive an hour late at the lodge because we wanted to take that extra shot of the hippo or to see more game, this was not an issue for him at all. He knew exactly how to position the safari vehicle in order to get the perfect angle for all our pictures. A perfect souvenir of this unique trip!
A big thanks to Matoke Tours! Well done!
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Best Safari Operator around
I recently took my wife and two of our best friends on our third trip to Africa through Targa Safaris Africa. We are all amateur photographers , we shoot Nikons and we love the look of big glass lens. As you know there are weight restrictions set by the airlines. It is very hard to fit computers, cameras, clothes, chargers and a 500 mm F 4 and a 200 to 400 F4 and all the support gear in the stated weight restriction.
However, Mark lives in South Africa and has excellent connections with the camps and the airlines. He is an insider! He is more than familiar with the difficulties and frustrations facing international travelers with photog gear .
So we pared down our equipment to the bar bones and trusted Mark. Needless to say, we were met at the airport by Marks driver, who took some very tired travelers to our lovely hotel in Johanesberg, where we crashed out for the rest of the day and night. Early next morning, there was our driver who wisked us to the airport and from where we flew up to Maun. We collected our luggage and gear and loaded into the smaller "puddle jumper " planes to fly into the Botswanna Okavango Delta . On a previous trip we had stayed at Duma Plains and just missed a Buffalo kill by the lions and then the lion pride was well fed while we where there. We got a lot of cool photos but we missed the difficult to see Kill shots …
So we flew out to Duba Plains, made our selves at home in our lovely tents and set out of our first Safari right after lunch . We faced a lot of water which the guides expertly drove us through, it was fun picking up all our gear as the water washed over the floor boards and of course, there was a superb Malachite kingfisher sitting on the reeds as we drove by in three feet of water. The bird was quite used to this and didn't flinch. However, we could not slow down for fear of sinking into the mud. this was frustrating but when we got out in the delta we quickly found the buffalo herd with a very hungry pride of Lions with their ribs showing. We were glad as we thought the lions would be forced to feed and soon! It took almost two hours see the great wheel of life turn! Talk about the right place at the right time.
We also found when we drove through a certain area of tall grass that we were being straffed by Carmen Bee Eaters! Why would this bee? I figured out that the truck scared up insects and the bee eaters would swirl around us scarfing up grasshoppers. Great photo opportunity, but when I stopped the Land Rover they flew away, everytime. Time for a new game plan. I asked the guide to turn the truck around and drive the same speed as last time. Only this time I pushed the ISO up, focused the lens on manual, same for the camera body and when the Carmens raided us I would go to 10 frames per second and estimate the distance and machine gun them .. Huge fun running up hundreds of exposure a couple of which turned out fabulous !
The camp made us amazing dinner and deserts and told us amazing stories. We ate under the stars and enjoyed great wines. The guides walked us back to our tents and we stayed there. We had a great time listening to the millions of Rhodesian tree fogs all singing their little hearts out. A great way to fall asleep. Around 4 AM we heard a huge roar about a mile away. We were really sleepy and it was only once, but something big had happened.
After an early breakfast, we were on safari again…..We drove throught the deep waters, past our pet Malachite, and watched the cat and mouse game between the lions and the buffalo. The large herd of Buffalo where holding their turf while the lions moved around them probing for weakness. The buffalo , would respond and send out a half dozen "bouncers " which where very large and muscular buffalo in their primes. They were fearless and the lions gave way choosing not to challenge them. This went on for an hour or more, then through the binoculars the guides figured that one of the buffalos had given birth and they needed a few hours to let the little one get up on his legs. The herd was protecting the little one, buying it time to get used to its legs ! After another hour or two as if on command, the whole herd suddenly retreated across the river with the little new born last in line. As soon as the buffalo's retreated the lions ran across shallow standing water in the meadow, one of the guides hit the gas and got his photographer across the shallow pond for a stunning series of shots with lions running through shallow waters at break neck speed. I really wish we could have gotten that image. But between the shallow meadow pool and the fast retreating buffalo herd was a small forest. So we saw the lions running after the herd. The herd running into the river, the little one slowly struggling in the water, the scene was set for disaster ! We kept waiting and watching and the lions didn't make it through the little forest. The newborn buffalo was noticed and the herd sent back a couple of bouncers to protect the little one again and they made it. We picked up some great images of the herd migrating across the river, our driver then drove us to the little stand of trees and it was there we found the source of the great noise the previousl night.
What had happend was that two alpha male buffalo had duked it out for top dog honors, one had gored the other and that was the source of the great sound, not a new large male lion announcing his occupation of this territory!
The looser of this match had been penetrated by a very large horn to the diaphram and he just layed down and died at the same time another had given birth. So the buffalo elders had held council and worked out a brilliant plan. Send out the bouncers, keep the lions off balance, slightly intimidated, give the baby time to get his legs working, then as one they retreated across the river and "sacrificied " their fallen commrades body to the lions to buy time for the little one cross the river. A life saved, a fallen hero's body given up to by time. Nothing short of brilliant. I did not think Buffalos had any game plan or planning abiliity. We were impressed totally.
We did work the scene of feeding lions for two days. We got some really amazing images and then took a boat trip down the river for other less intense imagery.
My point is, you never know what you are going to see . You need to figure out what it is you want to see, you need a great safari booking person to get you into the territory and camp offering you the best chances. I would highly suggest Taga Safaris Africa as Mark certainly knows his stuff.
We then went to Selinda Camp in the Selinda Spillway and found some other really great images. They are located on a large system of canals or rivers with a very large population of hippos. On a favorite evening we boated out to the hippo pool and celebrated the sunset with cocktails and watched the hippos pop up out of the water like giant jack in the boxes.
The food at Selinda was nothing short of phenomenal , We thought the staff was superb .
We then went to Chobe National Park . Our camp was great and we even had air conditioning and limited internet. Our first game drive out , we photod elephants, crocadiles, prides of lions, countless antelopes, amazing birds, hippos, we found giraffes drinking with the elephants which is unusual . Lots of birds, we really were impressed with the diversity and density of the wildlife . tons of animals and great food in the evenings.
We just felt this was one of our best safaris to Africa ever.
We talked with Taga Safaris about what we wanted to photograph and they made it happen!
Thank-you Mark at Taga Safaris Africa ! You are The Best !
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Splendid experience, great guide and some (really) exiting wildlife encounters.
We had a great guide, very experienced and good company. We saw 4 of the big 5, missed the leopard by a second! Some exiting moments with an elephant in must, I will never forget this. The sounds at night, the views, the wildlife, the special birds and photographic scenes, the male lion @ 2 meters distance from the vehicle, the unexpected moments and the fun with the group.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The Perfect Vacation!
The trip was amazing. Everything was taken care of! The whole experience was spectacular from the lodging to the food to the atmosphere. Justin was an amazing guide and knew everything. To see the wildlife in their natural habitat was breath taking. Our guide new all the good spots and would stop whenever we wanted to take pictures. Tanzania was a beautiful country - definitely book with Awaken to Africa for the trip of a life time!
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent service and an experienced driver/guide (Ben) made this the trip of a lifetime.
Image Travel was easy to deal with and plan with online. They promptly responded to all inquiries, and we received everything we were promised. The trip itself exceeded expectations. Ben, our very experienced driver/guide, made the safari itself thoroughly enjoyable and memorable. His knowledge greatly increased our safari experience. He knew where to go and when to make the most of the animal viewing activities. We would definitely travel with this highly reliable company again. Image Travel also arranged for our three day trip to Rwanda to trek for the mountain gorillas. That trip was also well-organized and resulted in the most fantastic, unforgetable gorillas sightings.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Thinking of Tanzanian Safari.... go with Safari Infinity
My wife and I were planning an African Safari for quite some time and once our minds were set, we started looking for tour operators. We got in touch with Lucia @ Safari Infiniti through a friend of mine who did his safari with Lucia's company as well. Although my friend rated Safari Infiniti the best, I still contacted 2 other tour companies to ensure we get the best. Soon I realized how easy was it to work with Lucia. Her level of commitment, professionalism, flexibility, attitude towards getting things right, knowledge about Tanzanian Safari was hard to beat. I remember calling her or she calling us multiple times to go through our itineraries, questions, etc. and making multiple changes to them as per our request(s). Since it was our first time, we were pretty apprehensive about the trip as well (things such as food options, hotels, travel, etc. ) but Lucia made it all easy for us. We ended doing a completely private safari with lodging in one of the best camp sites in Serengeti area. It was spectacular. Our tour guide Vince was the best one can get in a foreign land. He is so polite, down to earth, humble, and again knows so about the land and the way animals react. It was 7 days - 6 night safari with Vince and I would say it was the best trip ever. My wife and I make a lot of international trip together but this one tops it all. Vince was like a family member to us and was considerate to all our needs / requests, etc.
Tanzania is a beautiful country with amazing wild life. We did a few national parks such as Ngorongoro, Terengire, Serengeti and were lucky enough to see every possible animal specie along with The Great Migration and the Crossing - thanks to all the planning with Lucia and the actual safari with Vince. A special shout to Lucia's husband Simon as well. It was awesome to meet them in person and share a meal together.
We would highly recommend Tanzania and Safari Infinity.
Jambo,
Abhi