US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Professional and well organised.
I traveled to the Danakil Desert/Depression with a friend in February/March. We are both experienced travellers and agreed this was one of the best trips we had undertaken. I had it on my horizon for two years, but because of the security situation in Tigray, it had not been possible to go. I took a lot of soundings before the trip and Marco was very helpful in answering our queries via WhatsApp. Our guide, Kedemkachew Asegad (251 94 409 7799) was knowledgeable, well-organised and considerate of our needs - we were two women travelling. The Afar is not an easy place to travel and visitors to Ethiopia certainly could not do it without a guide. Lots of negotiations with the locals. Kede took care of all of that. I'd like to give a shout out to our cook Fentahun, who could make delicious meals out of whatever was available. Bekele and Wondem, the drivers, were helpful and professional. Seyed, who provided security, made us all feel very safe. Some of the highlights of the trip were the Dallol hydrothermal system, the salt mountains and Gaete Ale, the active volcano. Just be warned that this is not an easy trip - we slept under canvas one night and in the open air two nights. There is no accommodation to speak of, bathrooms etc. And temperatures reach 43 degrees centigrade. Worth the discomfort though. Many thanks to Marco and the team!
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent organisation
Communication super , very quick answers.
The driver was in time, hè was quiet, drove super and was gentle
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best guide and driver ever !
King Solomon is the king of the Safari for sure but also the best driver ! You feel confortable being almost all day in the car. He is very good to spot the animals and he will do his best to not miss any.
Everything was well organized, the food is great. In our last day in Arusha our flight was delayed and he took care of us showing us around before dropping us at the airport.
I fully recommend him for any person who wants to have the best safari ever in Tanzania.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Magical, Authentic and Exhilarating African experience
This safari was the best safari experience of my life. Growing up in South Africa I’ve been fortunate to experience a wide range of safaris from luxury lodges to self drive to walking safaris. The safari with Sam and his team tops my list of a relaxing retreat whilst been immersed in the beautiful African bush. Sam has an uncanny sense of where to park at a sighting so that his guests get the best views and photo opportunities. All qualified guides need to know the facts of the animals, birds and trees in their area - what sets Sam apart is his knowledge of their behavior and his delightful sense of humor. The team at the camp treated us like royalty and we were spoilt at every opportunity. It is unbelievable the quality of food that can be made on a camp fire. The tents are beautifully clean and the outdoor shower is the cherry on the top of every safari experience. We have booked our next adventure with Sam and the team. Ideal for a friend’s or family getaway. Thank you Sam and team for an experience that nurtured my soul and one that was very difficult to leave.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Peter is down-to-earth, authentic, smart and thoughtful, and just overall a wonderful tour guide.
Peter got in touch minutes after I searched on safaribookings.com for a Uganda gorilla trekking experience. Our situation is a bit unique as we will have to leave from and come back to Kigali, Rwanda. We wanted to do gorilla trekking in Uganda because it's cheaper, but eventually we'd want to return to Rwanda. After knowing our special requirements, Peter offered a 5-day tour package that included gorilla trekking and safaris, with reasonable travel distances across two countries. He's also very responsive to my questions and requests for changes. It started out to be just two of us, but after I told some of my colleagues that had a similar travel schedule, it quickly expanded to be a 8-person group because everyone liked the package immediately.
A week before our trip, our return flight was canceled that we had to return one day sooner. I communicated this change to Peter and he was able to quickly adjust our itinerary to meet out new needs. In the end, we had amazing 5 days together with a group of 8 friends. We saw many gorillas, numerous elephants, giraffes, buffalos, rhinos, hippos, antelopes, and all kinds of African animals. Peter drove us around tirelessly and was always on time and quick to act when there's a problem or request.
We had great conversations too while on the road. He's very open to talk, and learn about his guests, although he can also be quiet and let his passengers have a meditative time when needed. He's very open to feedback and eager to improve his service, which to us had already been impeccable.
In sum, I had a wonderful time going on this African trip with Peter and big Apes. I would recommend them to anyone going to Uganda and Rwanda, wishing to have an authentic and memorable true African experience.
EG
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect
One of the best adventure I ever did ,thanx to them it was perfect,everything is so organized and right in time ,they took us to this amazing lodge in the heart of the forest with coffee beans farms ,amazing stuff ,it was organized from door to door trip ,they took care of all details
CO
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A Magical Experience
A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of traveling with Big Apes Africa and Peter, the owner, to Volcanoes National Park to see mountain gorillas. From start to finish I had a magical experience. It's no secret the gorilla hike is an unforgettable experience as most reviews claim. However, the help and attention provided by Peter truly made this experience outstanding. Since the start he proved his professionalism with a perfectly tailored quote and timely responses to all my queries. After paying for the experience he was always available for any other questions I might have coming up to the trip. Finally, when he picked me up for the two day gorilla safari he went above and beyond to make sure I was comfortable, safe and had an amazing time.
As a female young solo traveler I deeply appreciate companies and people that make me feel safe and protected. Big Apes Africa and Peter were definitely the best choice I could have made for this unforgettable experience! Thank you!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Safari tour with Wildtouchadventures
Ruth and her team are exceptional. They went above and beyond to provide a driver to pick us up at Kilimanjaro Airport earlier than we had planned because our airline schedule changed at the last minute. We loved how they explained every detail of the Safari. Justin the driver was amazing throughouttheSafari. We highly recommend this company. We are planning on going back and traveling with WildTouch.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our lives are changed because of this experience. Thank-you, Friends. We will be back!
Tanzania is an amazing country and a safari is an amazing adventure. And that's what my wife and I expected. But what we got from Ruth and her staff was on another level. It was not a "once in a lifetime" trip, because after taking it once, WE MUST GO BACK!! We discussed with Ruth what we wanted from our journey, and what we received exceeded all our expectations. Communications of the itinerary were excellent, and selections for accommodations were all top-notch and breathtaking. The value for the cost was amazing. I could easily spend greater cost in other parts of the world on other "bucket list" adventures and not get nearly the same enjoyment/amazement. I say this from experience, because this bucket list item exceeds all my others by such a huge margin, and in ways I never thought possible.
When we arrived in Tanzania and met our driver, Justine, at the airport, we immediately felt like we had just met a new family member. He was our driver, our guide, our good friend, and we can't wait to visit with him again some day.
We really loved spending our first day (to acclimate from the long flight) in Arusha, getting to see a bit of the local culture, enjoying some of Tanzania's gemstones, and seeing some local art (some of which moved me to my core - something I can say about only a precious few pieces of art). Even driving around town was fun to feel the energy of the people.
We spent some time in the Ngorongoro Crater, a few days in Serengeti Park, and were blown away by the splendor of wildlife, the biodiversity, the incredible expanse and many micro-environments within all of it. When is a good time to visit? Any time you can! There are really no words to describe how amazing this is. And nestled among these areas are some amazing archeological sites as well.
Our guide, Justine, was very knowledgeable and patient and was a great fit for us as we absorbed the splendor that was before us. He was incredible at spotting animals, and paid attention to the radio chatter that spoke of where certain harder-to-find species could be found. Just incredible.
We were able to spend time with a Masaai village during a ceremony - that was also among the most moving experiences of our lives, nestled among the beautiful hills of Endulen. We enjoyed doing something unusual - spending some time at a local school and bringing the kids some supplies and getting to see what some conditions are like in the schools during a classroom lesson. This was special for my wife, who is a school administrator in the US, but also special to me to see the joy in the kids. A bit unusual for an itinerary, but WildTouch made it happen for us, and we are so very grateful.
We spent a couple days in Zanzibar, enjoying the spice island and the architecture and street markets of Stone Town, as well as snorkeling with dolphins, exotic fruits on a sandbar in the Indian Ocean, and up-close encounters with Red Colobus monkeys. Not to be missed!
This trip did not just give us an amazing safari adventure, it gave us a love for Africa and Tanzania, the people, the places, the culture.
WildTouch Adventure is surely a National Treasure for Tanzania. I know others that felt their safari was an amazing 5-star adventure, and it was, but how did we get to enjoy something so much more than that?
We absolutely cannot wait to go back! And there is only one company that's going to manage that trip for us.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Well organised, highly knowledgable and extremely friendly - an amazing experience
We did a four day safari and panorama route with Nhlalala travel and had an amazing experience.
Norman was an extremely helpful and knowledgeable guide. He communicated well and arranged everything perfectly - the booking process was seamless. He was always on time and was prepared to answer all our questions (and there were a lot), providing a lot of insights and creating a great atmosphere for the trip.
The safari was brilliant, we were able to see lions, elephants, hyenas, wild dogs and a lot more up close, and the Panorama route was beautiful with lots of breath-taking sights.
Highly recommend Norman and Nhlalala Tours.