SE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Victoria falls and Hwange, 7 days in December 2014. Loved it!
We went to Victoria falls and to Hwange on safari. Got in contact with Robert just 10 days before we wanted to go and he did a great work with planning our trip! Quick replies, listened to all our needs and he was able to answer all our questions. Even though we had got all the information needed I was so nervous to see how the trip would turn out. We had nothing to worry about! Great accommodation and great schedule with things to do, time to relax and time to explore the areas ourselves. The safari tours were great, private drivers, that made us able to decide what we would prefer to see and where we wanted to go. Perfect! Highlight were the lion family of four, and the hundreds of elephants that crossed our way. I have nothing to complain about, from the start with contact with Robert to how the vacation turned out!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
adventurous, relaxing and eye watering experience. thanks Yvonne!
Routes through Africa is easily the best experience you can taste in Africa, starting with excellent lodges and accommodation, which are affordable but doesn't compromise with quality and comfort. Communication with organiser were top class, any problems, querys and general informations were promptly given. This was the second time we used Yvonne's services, which lived and exceeded the first time. Yvonne gives a great customer service with a touch of friendliness. Definitely recommended.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
a very professional company with exccellent planning down to the last detail.
communication was very good, all questions were answered promptly. changes to agenda were offered and planned to suit exactly what we wanted when we wanted it.
the safari itself was a breathtaking experience, the staff at each camp were faultless and eager to please. our drivers were amazing with much knowledge and an almost freakish ability to find the animals. well done all.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Absolutely amazing....normal safaris will no longer be the same!
I did a trip to Zambia/Zimbabwe/Malawi and when I researching my trip, I stumbled upon Natureways. 4 days on a canoe in one of the top national parks in the world??? Sign me up! We opted for the 4 day Tamarind Safari that went from Chirundu to Mana Pools. This involved packing up all of our food, drink, and tents for the 4 days of the trip. I had high expectations for the trip and they were blown out of the water (ha!). We had two canoes with a guide in each. Our guides, Zira and Manny were absolutely amazing. Super professional, highly skilled, and awesome to talk with.
We saw an absolute insane amount of wildlife up very close - there's an advantage of not having a motor to scare away the animals! I made it very clear that I wanted nothing to do with the hippos at the start of my trip, and our guides did an awesome job keeping us far away from them! We saw loads of elephants, crocodiles, hippos, and even saw two lions mating!
Every night we set up camp on islands on the Zambezi and had some of the most amazing food of our entire trip (while camping for 4 days - how is that possible??). It was crazy to see elephants sharing the island with us in the distance! The only negative was that at point the wind really picked up while we were canoeing. Had to paddle against the wind/current for about an hour, but then we pulled over to land and waited for the wind to die down - can't control the weather!
I've done a few other vehicle safaris - including South Luangwa on this trip. Honestly, they just can't compare to doing a safari on a canoe. I've always felt like safaris can be a bit like Disneyland - constantly being surrounded by an army of other cars. Our Natureways trip wasn't like that whatsoever - just the Zambezi, our canoes, and nature. We rarely ran into other people on the river during our trip - felt like we had the river to ourselves and we really 'out there' (which we were!). If you going to be going to Zambia/Zimbabwe, definitely look into doing a canoe safari with Natureways! You won't regret it!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Oustanding Safari experience
We have recently returned from an 18 day Safari & Zanzibar vacation with ISIA. From my first contacts with many of the leading Safari companies, Joao stood out. He provided exceptional customer service, suggestions, prompt replies to my numerous emails & ultimately organised the most outstanding experience for our family. We travelled the northern circuit: 2days Arusha, 2 days Tarangire, 1 Lake Manyara, 3 Serengeti, 1 Ngorongoro, 1 Lake Eyasi & 9 Zanzibar.
Everything was perfect. We enjoyed the skills & knowledge of our guide Dickson who could spot a lion amongst the tall yellow grasses with ease. Dickson was always happy to stop whenever & wherever we wanted to and had a wealth of knowledge which added to our experience. The bushnell binoculars in the vechile were excellent & really essential to maximising viewing opportunities. We stayed in lodges & tented camp sites which were all fabulous, each with its own uniqueness & personality. Joao organised several internal flights which all ran to time & ensured continuity in the vacation.
The wildlife on the northern circuit exceeded our expectations & at every turn there was a wow moment. Zanzibar was also amazing & i would highly recommend enjoying some time in Stone town & on the fabulous beaches if time permits.
Joao monitored our Safari while on route, contacting the lodge owners to ensure everything was fine. Several times on route in Zanzibar we changed our pick up times & Joao quickly organised the new schedule to meet our requests. The ISIA representative was always front & centre for airport pick ups in lovely, clean air- con vechiles & happy to stop off for one last souvenir. Mathias- the office manager in Arusha met with us at the end of the Safari & escorted us to the Arusha airport for the next leg.
Overall, I would not hesitate to recommend ISIA as an outstanding Safari Tour Operator, with all of the team working hard to ensure the best experience for their guests. Joao & Dickson both deserve special mentions as their hard work and commitment delivered an extraordinary experience for our family.
If you would like to read more of our adventure all organised by Joao, I have attached my blog URL. Skip the first two entries & go straight to the safari.
http://www.travelpod.com/members/johanna.drake
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An intensive and awesome Landscape Photo Workshop in Namibia
I did have an absolutely great time in Namibia. For what reason? Here, I would like to refer to the reviews from my co-travellers Mark Weaver and Mick Rust. Their comments did hit the spot. Nothing more or less I could add.
Thank you very much for these wonderful days, Nick, Freya and Emil.
And thank you very much for my great companions: Mark, Marc, Mike, Selwyn, Sue and Tony!
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderful
Everything they did, arranged for, correspondence, etc. EVERYTHING was wonderful. Thank you Olive.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Awesome!
After an extremely busy time organising a wedding, I and my partner went to Queen Elizabeth National Park with Lake Basin and we couldn't have chosen a better tour company. The guide (Arafat) was very knowledgable and honest and very accommodating of our needs. The whole team made us feel like we were the most important clients they had ever had never stopped trying to make sure we were as comfortable as possible. The game drives were incredible and the other excursions planned as part of our very personalised package were memorable. We are already looking forward to visiting Murchison Falls National Park with Lake Basin Tours. I can't recommend them enough.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Our travel experience with Africa Adventure Safaris was beyond excellent. Everything was wonderful.
Olive was in constant contact with me regarding our Rwanda experience. She answered all questions, even multiple times, handled my flight arrangements and shared an American contact, Bill William, with me to answer even more questions. I didn't have to wait for responses; it seems she might have worked day and night. I was unsure about accomodations, but she was not pushy in any way and simply told me that there were 3 levels of accomodations and I should choose for myself. While I was in Rwanda our driver took us to other hotels/resorts and we got to see the rooms and facilities. I was so very, very happy with our choices of Mountain Gorillas Lodge...it was simply the best of all the facilities we toured. We were so excited for our first day of gorilla trekking and it was most memorable. We did not expect the hike to be so arduous; the gorilla family we were trekking kept moving, which meant we had to keep moving. The hike was about 2 1/2 hours up the mountain and the mountain was very steep. Our guides were macheting brush so we could hike; sometimes the inclines were straight up and then straight down as welly as slippery and scratchy. Our garden gloves were well used. My husband really needed 2 porters and we were so grateful to another guest who loaned us their porter. Once we became involved with the gorilla family all of the long, hard hike was forgotten. To be so close with the gorillas was truly "something incredibly indescribeable." Our lead guide was SO good and the tracking guides actually with the gorilla family were so good to us; all guides would help us see gorillas better and make sure we got the best pictures possible. I just can't say enough about the genuineness and expertness of the guides; we were totally dependent on them and they treated us like we were gods. Our second day we took a very gentle hike to see the golden monkeys; we were so lucky to get the same park guide and we (my husband and I) were the only people on the tour. It was rainy, muddy, slippery and we were once again treated with much respect and high regard. It was Bill William's advice that had our schedule be a gorilla trek first day, golden monkeys second day, and gorilla trek third day; we needed the slower day in between gorilla treks. Our second gorilla trek was an easier climb/hike and within an hour we were with a gorilla family--this one being in a bamboo thicket. Our park guides and tracking guides were again so very good. We were glad to have hired porters as they were a help. However, they're really volunteers and I don't know if they're trained; some were quite helpful and others were not. I had one who had a mean, stare down with me as I left because he wanted a bigger tip from me. I was advised to hire a porter for $10 USD, as this was the expected price. Because my husband needed above and beyond help from his porter and used a second porter, he paid each porter $25 USD. I believe my porter thought he should get the same amount and when not given that amount let it be known how mad he was at me. That was a disconcerting experience. I'd like to next address our driver who was so professional and so good. He answered all of our questions, showed us whatever we even thought we might like to see, and took us to out of the ordinary shopping markets and accompanied me in the market, helping me negotiate prices for goods. His driving was impeccable, his manners most polite and serene. He made our journey that very good. Lastly, I would like to say how good Mountain Gorilla Lodge was. The staff made you feel most welcome and were glad to take care of you. The food was that good as well. We had read some negative reviews about the food at the lodge and we can only say the food was GREAT. Imagine trying to cook for tourists, trying to please them all, with limited food supplies and cooking conditions in the depth of the mountains. We loved every bit of our vacation [except the sour porter]. 5 stars plus for Africa Adventure Safaris.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Good to know that these people actually exist
The bottom line: this is a glowing review of a longer than average trip (38 days) that was thoughtfully planned, meticulously arranged, and expertly executed. I have attempted to write the review I wanted to read when I was researching this. That is, one that contains information allowing me to relate our situation and desires to the experience of the reviewer so that we could make an educated decision. I’ve tried to break it into separate digestible pieces, so you can skip around to our thoughts on the company itself, our experience, our situation, etc. as you like. The information below was gathered from tour operators (this company and others), guides, lodge employees, local residents, and fellow travelers.
About us:
My fiancé and I are both 30-something, fairly active professionals (students until quite recently) who were lucky enough to get time away from work for a long trip. We enjoy outdoor pursuits, good food, and wildlife and are comfortable with a range of levels of luxury (i.e. camping to five stars). We are relatively well traveled and started out thinking that we would do much of this on our own. After a good amount of research we eventually concluded that doing East Africa on our own would likely lead to an inferior trip at a higher cost in terms of both time and money. That was absolutely the right conclusion in retrospect. We were after experiences rather than pampered luxury. We would prefer comfortable camping in the middle of the national park to the posh luxury lodge isolated from its surroundings by walls, fences, etc. As it turns out, you can’t stay in the middle of many of the national parks in East Africa without stepping up to some (rather high) level of luxury so we ended up staying in fairly nice places that were well worth the experience. We wanted a private journey, just us and a driver/guide. We weren’t sure we could afford it, but in retrospect it was well worth the relatively small additional cost. If we had a couple of friends that we knew well, it would have been OK to have them along, but I wouldn’t have wanted to spend hours on safari with strangers who have different interests and priorities. It’s just not the same trip. In very broad strokes, I would describe us as relaxed but discerning travelers.
Our trip:
A very brief version of our itinerary:
Kenya - Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, Amboseli
Tanzania – Kilimanjaro hike, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro, Serengeti
Uganda – Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi, Jinja
Zanzibar, Mafia islands
What stood out most to us about the logistics of our trip was the incredible amount of research that went into planning it. They had quite obviously been to every place they sent us, and had a discerning eye for the variables which would make the experience pleasant. It wasn’t just that they placed us at a comfortable place near to what we came to see or do. It was that they placed us at the comfortable place with the English speaking manager and the good food and nice rooms in quiet and beautiful surroundings that was near what we had come for. The level of thought and consideration for what the trip would actually be like as a whole was very impressive. Other companies who sold “customized” journeys seemed to be selling some combination of modular experiences. Something along the lines of: “combine the Tarangire module with the Ngorongoro module and the Serengeti module” where each module is a self-contained unit of a specific lodge and experience. Not so with E-trip. They listened to what we wanted, asked questions to clarify, and then gave us experiences and lodging that suited us. We weren’t tied to something simply because the tour company had pre-arranged itineraries or agreements with particular places. It was a truly customized journey, designed for us by people who took the time understand what we valued. I think much of this is a product of the fact that they live in Tanzania and are very plugged into the culture and economics of the area.
After the planning was all done and we started our trip, I had expected that there would be bumps in the road. It seemed impossible to me that we could spend nearly 40 days traveling by car, boat, and plane across three countries and countless language and cultural barriers without something getting dropped somewhere along the line. Nope, it was all to plan without a hitch. I’m still dumb founded by it. As an example, it was day 30 something of the trip and we had driven from the east coast to the west coast of Zanzibar to take a tour of Stone Town before our flight out to Mafia. The detailed itinerary we were given more than four weeks prior said there would be a driver to take us to the airport at noon. After we met up with our tour guide and walked around Stone Town for a few hours, we returned to where we had met our guide to find a driver whom we had never met waiting for us. We hadn’t called him, our guide hadn’t called him, he was just there. It’s quite likely that he had received at least one phone call from E-trip in the day or so preceding our arranged meet, but at the time it seemed like logistical wizardry. Thirty something days into a trip and the guy is just sitting there waiting for us 10 minutes before we were supposed to be there. What’s more is we had come to expect this kind of treatment. It’s hard to overstate the value of being able to relax into the journey knowing that someone skillful has taken care of every little detail and you really don’t have to spend one second of your time in Africa thinking about how to get things done. Looking back at the itinerary, the driver’s phone number was on our itinerary along with phone numbers for every lodge, driver, etc. during the trip just in case, but we never needed them. That’s how well it was planned. I think it would be extremely difficult to plan a 40 day journey around my home town without something going wrong, and these guys did it across three countries in Africa which speaks volumes about how tight of a ship they run.
The company –
They are run by a husband and wife team (American and French ex-pats) who live in Tanzania with their young son and are intimately involved in making sure things go well. They both have a long history of trying to make this world a better place and of doing so in Africa specifically (peace corps, etc.). As a result, they are very knowledgeable about the geographic, social, and political climate in the areas they work. This sets them apart from the vast majority of other companies who will tell you that they operate locally, but in actuality they charge you what they will, take their cut, and then outsource your trip to somebody on the ground in Africa. The locally owned companies we came across seemed to do OK, but it’s not the same as someone who understands western culture but lives the day to day in Africa. There just isn’t a substitute for that combination. If you have a problem, and somebody has to call somebody on another continent to try to fix it, it’s not likely to go as well as if you hop on the cell phone provided to you at the start of the trip and call the owner of the company.
It has been my experience in the past, that people who have a heart and strive to lift the world around them are not necessarily the most business savvy. That is absolutely not the case with these two. They are quite business savvy; they understand the expectations of western tourists, and embrace the accountability which that requires. They do business in an incredibly responsible and transparent manner which allows you to make value judgments about your experience ahead of time and to feel as though you’ve contributed to making things better in Africa afterward. It became clear when we were researching that companies charge a premium for the service of arranging a trip for you (which is reasonable), but will not detail the costs associated with that service or even the individual portions of the trip like the price of a particular lodge. That makes it very difficult to make value judgments about what things are really worth to you. These guys took the time to answer our emails thoughtfully, to discuss things over the phone in great detail (via skype), and to get an idea of what we wanted not just what we were asking for. At each step they told us what each individual thing would cost so we could talk about what things we really valued. In addition, they don’t own or operate any lodges of their own, so they don’t have any conflicts of interest when it comes to picking a place for you to stay. This is a big deal and one many companies aren’t necessarily forthcoming about.
In the end, the level of research and effort that went into constructing our customized trip was clearly so far beyond the 40 or so other companies that I communicated with, at a lower and transparent cost, that the choice became obvious. I even spoke with a few tour operators who wondered aloud how it was possible to arrange the trip we took at the price we paid – they simply couldn’t do it. Suffice it to say that I think you would be foolish not to at least call/email them to see what they can do for you. Do it and you will see what I mean.