65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Reliable, organised and responsive to all of our requests and expectations- a pleasure to deal with.
From my first request for a quotation, Cuan at Ubuntu Safaris was prompt and efficient. His quotation was very competitive, and I never had to wait more than 24 hours for a response to my emails or calls. I already had a fairly firm idea of what I wanted, and the additional suggestions from Cuan were spot on.
When it came to payment, I really liked being able to make a local bank transfer within Australia, avoiding excessive exchange and credit card surcharges, with Cuan being scrupulous in his use of up to the minute exchange rates.
Documentation prior to the trip was professional and comprehensive.
Once in Africa, all of our transfers, by both scheduled and chartered aircraft, went extremely smoothly. This was our first trip to Africa, and we were both amazed and reassured by how smoothly and free of hassle we were able to move from one small camp to another, without any loss of game drive time.
The hotels, camps and lodges we booked through Ubuntu Safaris were top rate, and exceeded our expectations. In the two hotels booked for us, Cuan managed to secure excellent rooms, in one case, with a great view, and in the other, with an upgrade.
Our safari experiences , particularly in Sabi Sands, well exceeded our wildest dreams, both in terms of the range of wildlife we saw, and the proximity of the wildlife to our vehicle. When we returned to Johannesburg before flying home to Sydney, it was so nice to be welcomed personally and transferred to our hotel by Gerald.
We really valued the fact that Ubuntu Safaris is a small company, and hence we were able to deal with the owners, who, between Cuan in Sydney and his father Gerald in Johannesburg, have a wealth of professional knowledge and first hand experience.
Our visit to South Africa and Botswana was an experience of a lifetime, and we really appreciate the role of Ubuntu Safaris in ensuring its success.
AE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Superb
The Safari was good. We have been in The Ngorongoro Crater and The Serengeti National Park and everything was perfect and loved. Lot of animals of different kinds , Food and Accommodations were very good.
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Our wonderful and truly amazing experience with Michael & Ancient Wild Safaris
We started planing our Kenya safari trip late, and it was quite difficult to navigate your wishes and family (2 adults and 2 children) through many different options and operators. After several weeks of our extensive research, we decided to pick Michael from the Ancient Wild Safaris and it was the best decision - not because we want to justify it, but simply because it provided the best value and overall experience for all of us!
But while these accolades reflect well on the amazing job Ancient Wild Safaris does, these words are not why I just called them for my trip. I called them because I have traveled with others before, and I know firsthand what problems you may expect. No problems here, just amazing experience! I was blown away by the job Ancient Wild Safaris did for us.
This operator, specifically our driver Patrick and Michael succeeded by emphasizing the key things: excellence of guiding us through the reserves, respect and polite manners, comfortable vehicle, utilizing the expected comfort of accommodations and cuisine, with a lot of first-hand knowledge and insider clout to make things happen that other safari providers probably can’t.
I learned it after showing our photos to other people we met during our trip... you want to hear it? OK, just imagine seeing one, two, or three lions plus hundreds of other animals in one day... because we observed more than 20 lions and thousands of others! Yes, just in one day (out of total six)! Amazing!
Or better to say... simply, the best! Thank you Michael/Ancient Wild Safaris for this wonderful experience!
TR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent tour operator
Me and my wife did a three-day short safari in Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro, and Tarangire. Our private safari was very well organized and customized according to our expectations. The owner Romeo and our guide Amos were very friendly and knowledgable. They picked us up from the airport and took us to the airport even though our flight was past midnight. The two lodges, especially Crater Forest Lodge in the middle of the forest and coffee plantation was excellent. Overall, it was a great trip. We strongly recommend Safari Multiways for their friendliness and experience.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great tours!
I had such a wonderful time with Dahlia Tours. The guys were very knowledgable and it's a great deal! We did an all day tour and I thoroughly enjoyed our time. I would recommend Dahlia Tours to anyone looking for a top-notch experience!
Good luck to you guys and all your future business. Would DEFINITELY go with Dahlia Tours again if I'm ever back in town.
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
wonderful holiday
Summer 2015, we have made a 3-week trip to tanzania and zanzibar with the family (two parents / 3 children 17, 14 en 12) We booked by Makasa. Our holiday was very well organised, the program was exciting and the Makasa personel very dedicated. Many compliments to David, our driver, who drived safely and spotted so much wild animals! Communication was optimal, program was flexibel. Lodges, hotels and excursions: all arrangements very good. A one-night stay in the Masaai on the third day was giving a very special start: at that moment we felt really that we were in East Africa.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
TSA Safari is highly recommended!
I had an amazing time on my safari with TSA. We spent 1 night in Ngorongoro Crater at the Rhino Lodge, and 2 nights in tented camps at Seronera Camp in Serengeti. Both safari locations were amazing and the environment was so different. The crater walls make for a unique home for all the inhabitants, and the Serengeti plains are vast and never ending. Our guide Philemon was very knowledgeable and he knew where to find all the animals at every juncture. He also worked extra hard to make sure we got to see what we wanted (which included the Great Migration a couple hours north of where we were). The tour also comes with binoculars too! Amazing. You never missed any action and got a detailed account of what was going on. My favorite part about the safari is the sheer number of entire prides of lions we saw at Serengeti (over 60 lions in 3 days). It's really something unforgettable when you get to witness a lion feast, attempted lion kills, and piles of lions napping under a tree. We also got to witness the Mara River crossing of the Great Migration near the Kenyan border, and that event was straight out of the Lion King and a National Geographic documentary. We saw a couple of Croc-Wildebeest battles that were so surreal.
The accommodations are very unique. The Rhino Lodge has an eco-friendly feel with specific electricity hours. The room can get cold, but you can light your fireplace, and the blankets are extra thick and warm, so it wasn't really a problem. The restaurant at the Lodge was gorgeous! There were warm fireplaces, floor to ceiling windows, candles, and more importantly, a delicious food buffet! The service was impeccable, and we were always taken care of. Our Seronera camp has large mosquito net King sized beds with a flushing toilet bathroom. It looked like a honeymoon palace. The staff here are very entertaining, funny, and nice. They sang John Legend after dinner! Here, they manually add boiling water for your hot showers, and water is added to flush the toilet. The amount of work they do is much appreciated and you get the hospitality. The homemade steak and soups here were phenomenal and I really enjoyed our dinners at the camp. It was fun to hear all the animals at night and to be directly in the wilderness.
I didn't want the safari to end. I only would have liked to see a black rhino, and to maybe stay at some game drive spots a little longer to observe everyday behavior. There's just so many things to see and sometimes you have to move on for the sake of the rest of your group's wants/needs. Don't forget to use the restroom before you go, because you might be waiting hours for your next break!
The safari vehicle is a huge 4x4 with plastic windows, and a roof that can lift so you can stand in the vehicle. This is different from my last safari in South Africa where the plastic windows rolled up and it was "more risky." I didn't mind so much since the lions were so close any way! We all got amazing photos, and I didn't even need a DSLR because the animals were close enough for my iPhone. The boxed lunches were mostly ordinary sandwiches and fruit, but my favorite was the soba noodles we got on one of the days!
Thank you, Tanzania Seregenti Adventures for an unforgettable safari!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The best holiday we've ever had
Paul is many things: tour operator, safari guide, conservationist, somebody deeply involved with his local community. But above all he's a great guy.
Paul arranged a trip to Southern Tanzania for me and my girlfriend, 1 night in Dar, 3 in Selous, 3 in Ruaha and 4 on Mafia Island. He listened to our requirements and budget constraints and put together a tailored tour that delivered way beyond our expectations. Everything worked out really smoothly and as planned.
Every bit of our tour was incredibly enjoyable, but best of all was the Ruaha leg, during which Paul was our private guide. Ruaha NP is a special place with a rough charm that's hard to describe, and driving around it all day with Paul was absolutely captivating. He is a very knowledgeable guide and passionate about conservation - something that really came across at every close encounter with elephants, lions, leopards and all the other amazing animals we were able to observe with him. Thanks to him we learned a huge amount about behaviours of different species, as well as the challenges for the park and conservation in Tanzania more broadly. He was keen for us to experience as much as possible, but without overdoing things, making sure we also had the time to take to simply take in the scenery and enjoy the experience of being in the bush.
This tour was our first proper safari and now we can't wait to go back. We wouldn't hesitate recommending Paul to anyone who's thinking about a safari holiday in Tanzania.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Delightful camping, delicious food and excellent safari trips
We particularly enjoyed camping in the reserves and were impressed by the efficiency with which the team set the camp up with the tents, toilets and showers definitely beyond my expectation! The meals were well cooked and beautifully set out to make very enjoyable evenings, finishing around the camp fire. The actual safaris were well driven and the guides had an extensive knowledge of the area and all wildlife. The trip notes from our company (Intrepid/ Peak) were very poor but this was not the fault of Kalahari Skies.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very professionnal and warm welcoming staff.
Great experience with Natureways Safaris. The whole trip was a success and we've learned a lot on the fauna and flora thanks to the professionnalism of the very knowledgeable guides. I was also specially amazed that every single day, the food was tailored for me to fulfill my gluten free dietary. Well done!