35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
One of the best places to view wildlife in KwaZulu-Natal
One of my favourite parks in South Africa, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi has so much to offer visitors. It’s excellent Big Five territory, and the landscape, which varies from gentle woodland savannah to rugged flood plains, is beautifully wild.
Years ago, Hluhluwe and Imfolozi were two separate parks. Imfolozi became known as being ground zero for Operation Rhino, Dr Ian Player’s very successful initiative to bring the white rhino back from the brink of extinction. Today still, the park is a very good place to see white rhinos. Also in the Imfolozi section of the park are the famous wilderness trails, where you go out on multi-day walks through areas accessible only on foot. These walks are not for the faint-hearted, but should be on the top of every serious nature-lover’s bucket list.
Hilltop Camp, in the Hluhluwe section, is the park’s flagship camp. It feels something like a resort, with a busy restaurant (with incredible views out and down over the park) and shops, and there is a variety of accommodation available here. Throughout the park, there is a variety of accommodation that suitable to different size groups: rondavels, cottages and what once were warden’s houses.
The last time I was at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi I came across five collared wild dogs that had recently been released. They’d just killed an impala, and the twilight battle between the dogs and three hungry hyenas will always stick in my mind as a true indication of survival in the wild.
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect 1 day trip to Mikumi
Gaston was at our hotel at Dar at 4am to pick us up and drive us 5 hours to Mikumi. It was a lond trip but really worth it. The animals were amazing, and Gaston was the best driver and guide for us.
I strongly reccomend Kanuth, they are totally reliable and their prices are a good value.
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Action packed Safari in limited time
The trip was certainly a great experience and we enjoyed the wildlife and people very much. With only 5 days available we put together a nice itinerary and explored most of the big game parks in Tanzania – Serengeti was my personal favorite. The lodges and food was great.
Safari Holiday
I checked out many companies before I decided to go with Kenya Bush Excursions. Communication was fast and clear, and Doris took the time to explain things via email. Our airport pickup was there when we arrived, and there were no unwelcome surprises. Our guide Pius was the best, and when we got to Serengeti in Tanzania after being in Kenya at Lake Nakuru and Masai Mara Game Reserve for a week, we missed his company. He was very friendly, and had a lot of knowledge to share with us. He also gave us advice on what to do and what not to do. All in all, we were (couple + friend) would really recommend Kenya Bush Excursions
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Efficiency, knowledge and courtesy: Experience joy with Migration Kili Expeditions and Safaris
I was so impressed by the organisational capacity of the owner of Migration Kili Expeditions and Safaris on my expedition to Kilimanjaro , that I asked him to create another custom-made safari for me in which I not only visited Tarangere , Serengeti, Ngorongoro but saw the Olduvai gorge - the birthplace of humanity. The guides on both expeditions were exceptional : Rogath Ephren Mtuy- who not only holds the world record for ascent to the summit of Kilimanjaro and return to Marangu park in 14 hours and 50 min , but is an expert on the local plants and flowers and their healing properties or other uses. Cyprion , my guide on the safari , not only looked after me - erecting tents, managing a superb cook, manoeuvring his jeep according to my whims as a photographer , but had a depth of knowledge about, and respect for all the animals and their way of living and being . Both guides clearly loved their work and their courtesy and charm were outstanding.
As an older lone traveller , journalist and photographer, being explicitly catered to , this experience was way beyond expectations : not just what nature had to offer and my increased understanding and respect for other species, but in my trust of the organiser and guides who showed a responsiveness and intelligence, a depth of caring ,without patronisation , rarely met with in life.
I have written 2 articles for Projects Abroad and Ujumbe Magazine, Arusha - at present on
www.mytripblog.org/pg/bog/laolao
entitled ' TRUST ME TRUST ME : you can travel alone.'
and 'THE WILDERNESS IS THEIR HOME'
They include photographs . Perhaps you would like me to forward you the articles ? Let me know how .
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible wildlife and an amazing lodge experience!
There aren’t enough good things I can say about our time at Mala Mala. It was genuinely a once-in-a-lifetime experience. There were times when it was hard to remember we were in a jeep because our animal encounters were so vivid and personal. For instance, we watched a baby water buffalo born just minutes before our arrival take its first, halted steps. Later, we looked up into a tree and saw a leopard ripping apart an impala it had just killed, while a hyena circled below waiting for scraps. We were only twenty feet or so away from the hyena – too awesome! The impalas, alas, endured another casualty the next day. In the morning, we saw a pack of wild dogs fighting over the pieces of an impala, which gives new meaning to the phrase “pack of wild dogs.” We saw a plethora of giraffes, elephants, rhinos, and zebras, oftentimes only a few feet away from our jeep.
We saw big game everywhere, but one of the more interesting compenents of the safari was learning how a complex ecosystem operates – from the smallest insects to the leopards and lions. For instance, our ranger spoke to us at length about the “life cycle” of rhino droppings, and scooped a small mound off our path to reveal an ant lion hiding in its hole – no larger than the size of a pencil eraser. There was nature all around us, from the elephant herd that walked by my porch only fifty yard away, to the amazing stars in the night sky. I genuinely adored each moment.
One of the more meaningful moments was the morning of our departure, when we went on one last drive to see the only Big Five animal we had left to spot – a lion. After an extensive search involving quite a bit of off-roading with tree branches whipping our faces, we came upon a pride of five lions, lying in the center of the road, asleep. I could now check off the Big Five! I even received a certificate to prove it.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Mala Mala is Luxury Safari at it's Best!!!
I didn't know what to expect when arriving at Mala Mala Game Reserve in South Africa. It was the 5th Safari in 17 days that had included Zimbabwe and Botswana and each place was unique and spectacular. I stayed at Rattrays and was lucky enough to have my own luxury villa which in all honesty was wasted on just one person!!! The accomodation was spectacular to say the least!! The staff were attentive and very friendly and our guide was fun and very knowledgeable for as young as he was. We only spent three days but probably saw the most animals that any other one Game Reserve although each one was spectacular. The guides are in constant communication and are quick to respond to an animal sighting and really do their best to track down the animal in question. We saw a Leopard and her Cubs, Lions at a kill, Lions and Cubs playing on the River Beach. Rhinos and their young, Girraffe, Elephants. The highlight for this particular stay though was a chance encounter with two Hyena pups whose mother was nearby. They got so curious that they came right up to the vehicle and climbed up onto it and was chewing the guides shoe laces and were so playful they tried to chew my camera strap that was swinging around....amazing experience!!! I posted part of it on YouTube at screen name jet400a. I will post the whole 15-20 minutes worth soon. My video of Duba Plains in Botswana is also on there.
The food, just like every other camp, was 1st class. I can't say enough great things about Mala Mala and its accomodation and staff!!! 5 Stars all the way....can't way to go back and take my family!!!!!
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Had an amazing day with Craig from Pilanesberg Safaris!
We went on a one-day safari to Pilanesberg with Pilanesberg Safaris. Craig was our guide. I recommend to go game viewing with them to everyone. We had an amazing day! Craig knew so much about the whole area, the history and the animals. He was able to spot animals that we would have missed completely, or seen much later. Even though this was just one day (roughly from 9 a.m. till 4 p.m. in the park), we saw white rino, elephant, hippo, giraffe, jackal, hyena, kudu, buffalo, wildebeest, tsessebe, warthog, impala, and loads of smaller animals.
This was a day to never forget! When I'm in South Africa again, I will definitely go back. I spent just 2 weeks in Johannesburg for businness, and had only one weekend to go sightseeing. I contacted them on Friday, and could arrange everything quickly for the following Sunday. It was just me and my colleague with Craig, so we had every opportunity to ask questions. He could answer all of them. No matter how many photos I made, he always stopped. Even the smallest details were pointed out, like dung beatles, little birds, how to read the behaviour of the animals, or how to see the difference between old/young or male/female animals.
Thanks for this awesome day, Craig!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Regional Tours & Safaris took the stress out of planning a complex vacation
A friend and I recently returned from a 2-week trip through Tanzania, Uganda, and Istanbul. We booked the Tanzania portion of our trip through Regional Tours & Safaris and were very satisfied. Our guide greeted us at the airport in Kilimanjaro at 1am, and we were ushered through the next 8 days by the tour company. All the accommodations exceeded expectations, and our guide got us extremely close to amazing animals in various national parks. I would definitely recommend Regional Tours & Safaris to any family and friends considering a trip to Tanzania.
BE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The pearl of Africa for real!
Travelling with the organization of Pinnacle Safari has been fantastic, from the first enquiry mail to the last goodbye with our super guide Adrian. The service was amazing and my expectations are reached completly.
Uganda is a land to discover and every day was a discovery!
Thank you so much Pinnacle Safari.