US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a lifetime! Exceeded expectations (Because of my guide, Derrick)
I had one of my best travel experiences EVER with Home To Africa Tours. I did a 12 day western Uganda tour which allowed me to focus on one part of the country and be able to actually enjoy the trip instead of trying to rush from one place to the next. Derrick was my driver and he was the perfect guide for me. He was very chill but also very informative and knowledgeable about wildlife and the culture of the country. I told him I wanted a taste of the "real" Uganda instead of just doing the touristy things. He took me out to a couple of the local bars at night to play some pool with the locals, we stopped and ate some of the street food from the local vendors and we became friends along the way.
The thing about traveling to a third world country, is that you have to remember that you are in a third world country and you are not going to have the same comforts or amenities as you may have at home or while visiting other westernized countries. You would think this would go without saying, however, I realize that is not always the case. However, with that being said, my lodges were very comfortable with beautiful surroundings and left me with nothing to complain about.
Another thing to remember is wildlife is unpredictable and even though you might have it in your mind that you're going to see all of these animals you dreamt of seeing, the reality is, that's not always the case. I was one of the lucky ones and saw even more than I bargained for. Part of that was because I decided to spend an extra day at Queen Elizabeth NP. Three days at that park might be too many for some, but after not seeing much the first two days, I opted to do the tracker experience (for an extra fee). That was a total game changer for me. It allowed for a "front row" view of a leopard in a tree and a pride of lions making a kill. I even saw a hyena running across the savanna. I wouldn't go into this expecting to see the same things, however, you're chances of seeing these animals do increase drastically.
I did gorilla, chimpanzee and golden monkey trekking as well. I was one of the lucky groups to locate the gorillas within the first hour of trekking, however, I know this can be a 7-9 hour day while hiking through some very difficult, steep terrain. The experience was amazing but that hour did go by fast for me. It was definitely worth the experience, but if I go back, I might opt to do the gorilla habituation where you can spend four hours with them.
All in all, it was a trip of a lifetime for me and I would definitely recommend Home To Africa Tours. I really believe Derrick made all of the difference in my experience. He showed me the "real" Uganda and was so patient about everything. Home To Africa really nailed it in planning everything I had hoped to see and do. I embraced the country and it's culture as well as I could, and I hope if you choose to go, you do the same. It's a beautiful country with so much to offer, but ultimately it's up to you to truly embrace the country for all of its beauty.
Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Nyanga National Park by Luke Brown
Nyanga National Park is situated in Zimbabwe's Eastern Highlands. It has amazing scenic beauty with rolling grassland, rocky outcrops, large forests and rushing, clear-water streams. It is not a big game destination, but is home to kudu, waterbuck, impala and other plains game.
Custom experience, personalized service
Paul was great to work with. He put together an excellent custom package for us based loosely on what we saw on the Safari Bookings website. He was very conscious of our budget and came in with an excellent package that met our price point. He was super flexible when we wanted to change. Best of all, his communication was great. He answered all our questions promptly as we were preparing for the trip.
On the ground in Africa, service was awesome. Paul is a very knowledgeable guide, but even better he is a great communicator and made sure to focus our game drives on the things we wanted to do. Paul is very personable, and it was easy to have a great time on safari with him.
Highly recommended. Southern Tanzania was great - we saw all the game at half the price and none of the people.
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great Experience! Meektrails is a great agency, John is the best guide, speaks English and ITALIAN!
We had a great time with Meektrails, thanks to their organization, and to John, the guide we had in our safari.
Daniel has been always ready to answer all my questions since we started communicating, he gave us a very competitive quotation, but mostly, he accomodated all our requests.
Our guide John, speaks both English and Italian! He is a friend now, we spent a week with him in Amboseli, Naiwasha and Masai Mara, we had two kids travelling with us (8 and 9 y.o.) both were crying when he had to leave us at the end of the trip.
He is a great man, not only a passionate guide.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Patient and knowledgeable
Mark Hathaway of Gondwana could not have been more patient and knowledgeable when we were booking our safari.He also met us at Maun airport on each visit to ensure that our flight arrangments were in order and even took us for a drink at the bar across the road when we had a short delay.
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderful.
Wonderfu Safari
Thanks Mr. Wilson we enjoyed Maasai mara and had a great experience,
Mr Peter our Tour driver was perfect, he gave us an exiting adventure,
Thanks for the good work.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beyond any expectations.
The trip to the Serengeti National Park was exceptionally nice. Our tour operator Lion King Adventures created a very nice itinerary for us and our guide, Peter, was very knowledgeable and persistent in finding all the interesting animal sightings. The tented camps were extraordinary in providing comfort and good food. The service was exceptional.
Unfortunately, there was one unpleasant moment when my husband was cheated while buying a souvenir in a Masaai village.
Otherwise, the trip was beyond our wildest expectations.
Thank you , Lion King Adventures and Peter.
EG
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
safari trip 06 nights
its amazing experience to see the wild life in close , and watching the animals attitude during the day
i love to go there again and again
A fantastic destination for your safari.
Just got back from 2 weeks in this fantastic country. Had a week on safari in the Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru and a week at the beach in Diani
The safari was all we could have wished for. Jockey Tours provided us with a fantastic trip. We saw every animal there was to see here even though the Black Rhino was proving to be a little elusive we eventually found it.
After the safari we got a flight and headed to the beach. Was a lovely unspoilt beach. Beautiful soft white sand. Not too much hassle on the beach. After a friendly chat you could buy something or not whatever you wanted to do.
I will definitely be returning to Kenya. A fantastic destination and such friendly people.
Experience level: over 5 safaris
Mana Magic!
Mana Pools is one Africa's most magical wilderness areas. It is a United Nations World Heritage Site for good reason. Here the Zambezi river gives life to an incredible diversity of flora and fauna, all of which rely on one another to maintain a healthy and diverse ecosystem. The tall Acacia albida trees that line the river provide much needed shade from the hot sun and their apple ring shaped pods, rich in protein, are highly sought after by elephants, who will even stand on their hind legs to reach them, a truly amazing site to behold! Wild dogs exist here in large packs, lions and leopards are abundant as are big herds of buffalo. The river is home to an incredible density of hippos that create a cacophony of sound, which lulls you to sleep at night a midst the haunting laugh of the spotted hyenas. Mana Pools is typically only accessible during the dry months of the year i.e. April to October. It is possible to get in by air, road and also on the river. Zimbabwean air charter companies have light aircraft that can access Mana Main, Dandawa or Chikwenya airstrips all within the vicinity of the national park. There is a dirt road into Mana Pools from the main Makuti-Chirundu tar road. Depending on whether this has been graded or not will determine how long this section takes. If it has not been graded for a while then the trip can take up to 4 hours due to severe corrugations. It is advisable to travel this road in a 4x4. There are only one or two companies that offer road transfers. Most people that drive in are self drivers. It is possible to canoe the river with a reputable canoeing company. Trips range from a few days up to nearly two weeks and this is determined by the stretch of river you run between Kariba dam wall and Kanyemba. A popular stretch is the 4 day, 3 night canoe trip from Chirundu to Mana Pools. Mana Pools is in a remote area of the country, which has meant that it has remained pristine, adding to its already renowned fame for excellent game viewing. A visit to this park is a must for any African wildlife lover.