50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Uganda by Peet Venter
What we wanted to see - we did. The Gorillas and it was every sent/sweat drop worthy
We saw a couple of birds
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Uganda by Shannon
Uganda is an often overlooked but fantastic destination for travel. A variety of parks with unique features and tons of wildlife.
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Tanzania by JoCo Knoop
Best safari location with most sightings I have ever been to.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A World Class Safari Experience Combined With Authentic Local Flavor
I serve as the senior pastor of a large church in Minnesota and have been bringing groups to visit Tanzania for many years. Kakasii Kimaro is always my first choice as a driver/guide. If my group is large and requires several vehicles, Kakasii is always the lead driver in the group as he is widely respected by both his clients and colleagues. Over the years, I have spent hundreds of hours with Kakasii at the wheel and I consider both his driving and safari guiding skills to be unmatched.
The value added in working with Tanzania Choice Safaris is the unique combination of Brenda's attention to detail and communication during the booking process and the deep connection to the local communities Kakasii is so eager to share. On my most recent visit, Brenda had suggested that rather than spending our last couple days prior to our departure in a hotel in town, we may enjoy staying at a unique Maasai Lodge which I had never heard of before. Proceeds from the lodge go to support outreach to the local Maasai people, including a primary school. Our experience at that lodge was a highlight of the whole trip. We enjoyed an authentic experience among the local Maasai people. That opportunity may never have been suggested without the personal attention afforded by this unique local company (TCS).
A gifted safari driver/guide makes all the difference and Kakasii is blessed with instincts born of loving the land of his birth. I could not count the number of times Kakasii has taken the route less traveled while out on safari, which resulted in close encounters with magnificent creatures. Sitting next to a lion pride with our engines turned off as ten small cubs take turns stalking their mothers tail. Following a hunch derived from some fresh tracks to find ourselves parked alone next to two large male lions feeding on a rare giraffe kill due to drought conditions diminishing more usual lion fare. Sitting in the midst of a large group of elephants, so close we had to duck as they joyfully splashed in the mud! I could fill many pages with Kakasii led adventures of a lifetime!
And yet, none of those experiences out in the breathtaking beauty of Tanzania's wild national parks can compare to the people of Tanzania. Whether in the bustling cities or rural villages, the people of Tanzania are joyful, intelligent, and welcoming. Tanzania Choice Safaris are perfectly positioned to help you experience the full breadth and depth of one of the most amazing places on earth. And if you are blessed to explore the region with Kakasii as your guide, you will find you are greeted as long lost friends everywhere you go!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
trip of a life-time holiday
We've just returned from our Rwanda tour with Gorilla Trek Africa during April 2015- what an experience we had! This was a truly a once in a lifetime experience for us that was only made better by our brilliant guide and driver William. His local knowledge was phenomenal. We travelled during the week of the 21st anniversary of the Rwandan genocide a period of mourning for Rwandans country wide - he handled the situation with delicacy and sensitivity and he gave us expert information of the history of the country. We saw everything From chimpanzee, golden monkeys, gorillas, hiked a volcano in 9 hours. I can't wait to bring the rest of my family on this trip and would recommend Gorilla Trek Africa in a heart beat to all our friends! Thanks so much William and Nicholas for the fantastic organization of our holiday!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fantastic tour of Rwanda!
Umubano Tours organized our eight day tour of Rwanda in April 2015. Herbert (the Head of Operations) gave us lots of helpful advice while we were planning the trip and provided a good choice of itinerary and accommodation options. We spent two days in Akagera NP (safari), two days in Volcanoes NP (gorilla & golden monkey trekking), a day at Lake Kivu and two days in Nyungwe NP (chimpanzee trekking) before returning to Kigali. It was one of the most enjoyable holidays my wife and I have ever had. Our guide Didier was professional, friendly, courteous and knowledgeable and a great ambassador for the country. The transport provided was comfortable which was important with a lot of travelling in a short amount of time. We were happy with all the hotels and lodges suggested but particularly Nyungwe Forest Lodge which has stunning views of rainforest and tea plantations. I would thoroughly recommend Rwanda as a holiday destination and Umubano Tours as a tour operator.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Very well organized company.
Honored to have been travelling with this wonderful company. you will get the best of the best in the tour industry.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent organisation and value for money.
I have used Great Horizon Trails in both 2013 and 2014 to take groups to work with a school in Matayos, Western Kenya. I wanted a reliable organisation and Great Horizon were recommended to me by the Deputy at Imprezza Academy. On both occasions the Safari parts of the tours proved to be excellent in terms of finding game and interesting situations. We had visits to Hells Gate, Nakuru and in 2014 Masaii Mara. Clearly the latter was most impressive with the Gnu crossing the crocodile river, a lion pride hunting and excellent elephant encounters.
We were looking for excellent value for money and Great Horizon on both trips provided cooked meals at each of the safari locations. Breakfasts, lunches and evening meals were amazing when you considered the facilities available to the cook.
If you are looking for luxury then Great Horizon is probably not for you BUT if you want a well organised, trouble free and exciting holiday including safaris then Great Horizon would be hard to beat.
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A very professional and serious organisation
In September 2014 we made the most amazing trip to Eest Africa. Our journey started in Rwanda, where we met our guide Frank. He would take us our first part of the adventure, visiting the Gorillas in Rwanda and Uganda.
We have done our share of travelling, but never we have met a guide with the social skills, way to solve a problem with a great sense of humor and making you feel at ease as Frank can.
He showed us some amazing scenery along the way. Although our main goal were the Gorillas,he managed to make time to visit a market, let us walk through a village or a nice part of nature.
And all the photo stops of scenery, birds and monkey's....
The 3 Gorilla Trackings were well organized, and Frank made sure we visited a good group. Stayed with us untill he was sure we were taken care of and was there when we came back.
We had beautiful sighings, every tracking was different. So, a big compliment to Matoke; it was very interesting to see the Gorillas in different habitats.
After this first part we went to Dar es Salaam for the Safari in the South of Tanzania.
Adrian was our guide who would take us through Selous, Mikumi, Ruaha and Udzungwa Mountains National Park.
A big and comfortabel safari truck provided us with lots of space and possibility to photograph and observe.
Although the amount of animals is probably not as abundant as in the north, the scenery in the south is spectacular. And when you find wildlife which is rare, threatened of just not easy to see, you feel the luckiest person alive!
Matoke made a very good program for us. They understood our wishes and made an itererary which was alternate. And it did not only work on paper, the actual trip was everything they said it would be.
They recommend excellent lodges and campsites, with experienced staff. The most beautifull locations, which you don't want to leave...
So, very good contacts before and good experience during the trip. Also a good follow up afterwards from Matoke, to find out if all went as expected.
In my opinion; a very professional and serious organisation.
Very well organised and quick in problem solving
The communcation was very efficient and quick, we had a very tight schedule and problems with the delay of the flight to the park region. Mwajabu tried her best to make up for this inconvenience, so that we could have 2 full days in the parcs (Ngorongoro crater and Lake Manyara) . Our driver guide was very knowledgable, well experience and friendly.
I will book my next trip to a parc with Mwajabu.