US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
ATI Holidays Exceeded All Expectations
ATI Holidays planned a 12 day self-drive itinerary for my friend and I.
When we decided to travel to Namibia, we began planning by reading extensively about the country, and prioritizing our list of what we wanted to see and do. As this was our first trip to Namibia (and Africa!) we decided we felt more comfortable with some assistance from a local tour operator but did not want to take a group tour. Our price range fell into the one to two dollar sign "$" category in Lonely Planet (when comparing accommodations), and I was ambivalent at how much additional cost working with middle man might incur. However, I began conversations with a representative at ATI Holidays as well as one other Namibian operator, and learned quite a bit it the process. ATI was slightly more expensive, but I felt that their package was more comprehensive (honestly it was the inclusion of auto insurance and an emergency cell phone into the package that sealed the deal for me) and therefore I felt more comfortable with them.
Pre Trip:
ATI representative Monica was extremely helpful with setting up our program and listening to our itinerary requests. ATI has fixed itineraries listed on their website, but worked with us to adjust the itinerary based on our preferences of what we wanted to see and do. Our finalized itinerary began in Windhoek, then we drove up to Africat , Etosha, around to Grootberg, Swakopmund/Walvis Bay, Sossusvlei, and circled back to Windhoek. ATI's pre trip packet with travel details was also extremely helpful.
Upon arrival:
Although we would be traveling on our own, Monica, our ATI representative, met with us our first day to bring us trip materials including a carefully labeled map, cooler for water, and cell phone, and to help facilitate the delivery of our rental car. We felt very taken care of with emergency numbers, preparatory anecdotes, and a rental car that was far nicer than we anticipated.
Along the way:
Each accommodation was nicer than the one before (except for our final night in Windhoek, which was a pension we added on at the end). Based on our review of each lodge in guide books, it seemed as though they were out of our price range. However, they were all quoted to me again within a reasonable ATI holidays package. For those of you who are debating working with an operator or not, this is certainly one of the benefits: negotiated rates.
During my trip prep, I found reading reviews and traveler experiences to be very helpful, but it is also important to understand a bit of the background of the person who is writing the review. So now a bit about my friend/travel companion and I:
We decided to plan a vacation together as best friends who both enjoy travel. We are American women in our late 20's. We are outdoorsy and athletic, but did not want to have to worry about pitching a tent every night and therefore opted to stay in lodges (it is vacation afterall). This was our first trip to Africa. I work in customer service and logistics in the luxury educational travel industry (and am very picky!). We had a limited amount of time to travel and wanted to focus all of our energy on getting to know one country as best as we could in the time at hand.
Namibia speaks for itself. Drop dead gorgeous landscape and natural wonders. A solid tourism infrastructure that is still relatively undiscovered. Even at Sossusvlei, we never felt overcrowding.
I highly recommend at least beginning a conversation with ATI Holidays. You will be glad you did.
SG
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A memorable, exciting and well taken care of experience.
The client contact Ms Kathi Simon is most thoughtful, efficient and helpful in all the times of communication/interacting prior to the trips. She is alsways assuring and meticulous in planning and expedient, thus, well prepared us for the trip.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
fantastic family safari
I recently took my family on a safari to the national parks with John and Anton. They were both great with my kids. They were very knowledgeable about the animals and the land we visited. We met local Masai and learned about their lives and community. I would highly recommend taking your safari with Open Africa Safaris if you want to make sure you will have a safe, relaxing, and enjoyable trip.
A lifetime Trip to an amazing Country
Me and my husband travelled to Tanzania for a safari with Lights on Africa Destinations & Safaris. First we planned our safari with Peniel (our trip coordinator) through internet. He was very pleasant and always responding quickly to my many many questions. He took the time to really understand what we really wanted and made sure we got it. Then he met us at the airport and brought us to our hotel for our first night before our safari. He explained everything to us and was very thorough. We really liked him. He is a very special person to us. Then we met our first guide for 1 day Winnie. Very nice young fellow. Then came David for the rest of the safari. What can we say about David. Well he is one of a kind. Very nice person and one thing that we noticed is that he is very helpful with everybody. We had so many laughs with him especially him and my husband. Very knowledgeable. We saw lots of animals. We also had the honor of meeting his family. What a nice family and we were so well received. Then there was our cook Richard…Wow what good food we had. And he was always so eager to help. He made sure our flap tent were open during the day while we were gone on a safari drive or if it rained made sure they were closed. Very nice person. He even made us a cake all decorated and Happy New Year written on it since our safari started on jan 1/2015. We also got to meet his family. They were so nice. Well all in all we want to say that we had a fantastic time with fantastic people that we now consider our friends. Thank You everybody for making our trip so memorable..
It was unforgettable experience with Open Africa Safaris!
My abiding memory of the Maasai Cultural Trip to Monduli is the warmth with which we were received by the communtiy, and the genuine insight we got about the Maasai way of life through sharing in some of their daily activities and celebrations.
The success of the trip was also due to the close realtionship that Anthony and John, have with the Maasai community.
They grew up in a community nearby and understand the language and culture. They ware therfore able to help ensure that we all had a truly enriching experience.
Not to be missed.
Elizabeth Jordan UK
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfectly organized honeymoon - safari
"For our honeymoon we were looking for a holiday that combined a safari with some nice relaxing at the beach. We contacted Bahati International Tours and Safaris and immediately received an example itinerary which already included most of what we wanted and with a lot of information about the possibilities. Everything was still flexible, so we changed a few things to get exactly what we liked. This all went very smoothly, with quick responses to emails and it was always clear what the costs would be etc. Whenever we had questions (although most were already answered in the practical info we received) we got a clear answer.
The trip itself was amazing! Everything was organized perfectly, from the moment we were picked up at the airport. We saw lots of animals during our safari, even on transfer days, and our guide had hawk-eyes, spotting animals in the distance.
We definitely recommend Bahati International Tours and Safaris for amazing safari unforgettable experience.
PL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Agreed = Supplied
5 days safari (4 nights) was held as planed. We were travelling with small kids (5 and 7 yers old) and everything went smoothly. Accordance to other travel agencies price given by World Tours was the best. In Europe, for that amount we would expect better standard of everything (food, equipment, accomodation) but in Tanzania it seems that this is the best you can get. Overal Richard and the crew did the best, ready to meet our every whim. We saw what we wanted to, had always the best ventage point for lion's hunting, etc. We are aware that for that budget no one got anything better than us. Richard was very helpfull!. Greatings for our Cook and Quide - perfect team!
We had an incredible time seeing God's creation on our safari and appreciated the great service!
We wanted to do our safari at a reasonable price, and I was thrilled with how accommodating our host was in this. He found us cheap, but comfortable accommodations, and the service and friendliness of our host was great! We saw many animals, and I appreciated the creativity of the tour and flexibility of our host, Moses.
I was truly completely satisfied with our experience! I would highly recommend this company to anyone considering taking a safari!
Excellent service and amazing safaris -- took great care of me!
I went on a safari with KET on my own (had a long weekend free in Nairobi in between work travel), and I was a bit nervous about being in a new place on my own. KET took great care of me, and I felt safe and in great hands all the time. The service was door to door (they picked me up and dropped me off at my hotel in town) and the safari itself (at Masai Mara park) was amazing. I stayed at the Mara Sarova Lodge, which was absolutely stunning. We saw so much wildlife, and the driver was knowledgeable, courteous, and professional. I would definitely recommend KET and plan to use them again!
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Chalo Africa was very knowledgeable and provided most excellent service and planning! Go with Chalo!
I contacted over 20 companies in preparation for a safari and Chalo Africa gave us the best deal for what we wanted to see. I read the reviews and decided to book with them. Then I decided while in Tanzania it would be great to get to Nairobi, Kenya to visit the Giraffe Center and David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Sangeeta came up with another itinerary, but it was a bit over our spending limit. Sangeeta worked with me to change a few lodging choices to meet our maximum budget. Then again, she reworked the itinerary and was as professional and friendly as possible. Then, with two weeks until the safari start, Kenya Airways changed their flight schedule, which we had booked independently. Sangeeta promptly offered her assistance to help us work through the necessary changes. Smita was also very thorough and friendly in answering questions and getting all the finance data in order. Sangeeta also contacted us just before, during, and after our safari
to inquire how things were going for our family. Customer service seems more of a catchphrase these days, but Chalo Africa actually provides it honorably, in addition to thoughtful planning and execution. If ever we get the opportunity for another safari anywhere in Africa, be assured we will go with Chalo Africa! Many thanks to the Chalo Africa family for not only an incredible safari experience, but the confidence of knowing we were in good hands throughout our trip.