US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Everything was as planned. Absolutely no foulups or miscommunications.
I achieved everything I wanted to on the tour-safari. The animal life was plentiful (11 leopards in 4 days)...and a cheetah. Pembury Tours was recommended to me by a friend and I will gladly do the same to anyone who is planning a similar venture. The value was exceptional compared to comparable tour companies.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible Trip
We were very hesitant to book a trip so far away over the internet. Fortunately, Tersca did an outstanding job of delivering everything we could have wanted with a safari. I have raved to everyone who asked since about the amazing experience we had in Africa. Our guide, Joseph, did an outstanding job for us and we were deeply grateful for his service.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda - an experience of a life time!
My wife and I have just returned from a week in Rwanda. The holiday (excl. flights) had been arranged by Gorilla Trek Africa, which is a travel company located in Uganda but organises tours through East Africa. We didn't find many other reviews of this travel company on Tripadvisor (or elsewhere) and that is a real shame as this company is fantastic in providing tailor made holidays without a price tag that breaks the bank!
Our primary contact was Nicolas (working in their Uganda office) who was highly professional, friendly and very helpful in developing a tailored programme that suited our interests. Our primary goal was to go trekking with mountain gorillas in the Volcanos National Park in Rwanda and Nicolas was extremely helpful in organising this. We had MANY questions and he was very patient and answered each and every one in great detail.
When the itinerary was finalised we had to transfer a deposit (a sizeable amount) to secure the gorilla permits as these get booked out up to six months in advance - it is standard practice and all travel companies will ask for a deposit to enable them to secure the gorilla permits. To be honest we were a little hesitant parting with a large sum via an international transfer but this worry hadn't been necessary whatsoever and Nicholas informed us as soon as the money had arrived. We could not have asked for a better service.....in fact we have not received such effective and rapid responses from any UK company that we have used in our past 20+ years of intense travelling.
Roll on Rwanda.....a.k.a The Land of a Thousand Hills. It is a beautiful country with a dark history that has left a permanent scar but it is humbling to see how everyone continues to push forward and look ahead to the future. It is a poor country but so incredibly beautiful and it is lovely to see how curious most children are of tourists and their desire to engage.
Our guide for the week was William and he was an absolute pleasure to travel with. He was very knowledgeable about Rwanda, its culture and introduced us to local food and traditions, which made the trip even more memorable. He was highly organised, very friendly and easy going, always on time and flexible in his approach. William was incredibly well regarded by the locals everywhere we went and we cannot praise him highly enough. A great ambassador for Gorilla Trek Africa and we would highly recommend him as a guide!
We spent a couple of days in Akagera National Park where we saw hippos, zebras, baboons, wild hogs, impalas, crocodiles and much more. It is a great visit but don’t expect to see the Big 5 Game. The park has recently (June 2015) released eight lions into the park and there are also elephants and giraffes. Whilst it cannot be compared to the Maasai Mara or Serengeti it is well worth a visit!
The highlight of our trip was the gorilla trekking in the Volcanos National Park – an experience for a life time! We did two treks and whilst the permits are pricey it is well worth it as you get two completely different experiences. The treks offered amazing views of the mountains and the lush nature. The hour we spent with the gorillas were mind blowing and we cannot recommend it enough.
We also did the Dian Fossey trek and it was great experience that we would definitely recommend if you got an extra day in Musanze! The trek was steep but the views were worth the efforts.
If you consider travelling to Africa then go with Gorilla Trek Africa. We highly recommend them and when we go again we will definitely be in touch with Nicolas to arrange our next trip!
EG
AE
Experience level: first safari
Excellent service
My husband and I did our first safari trip this summer. After researching lots of tour operators, we decided on Savannah Explorers to do our private safari because 1. the cost was lower compared to the rest. 2. Roberto, the manager, was very responsive to our emails and changes....and we had many. He patiently answered our questions and worked with us on the numerous changes to the itinerary, which we were very happy with.
3. While Roberto accommodated our requests as much as he could, we were very glad that he also made his professional opinion known whenever he felt we were off on the wrong track, which we appreciated.
Our driver and guide, John, was excellent! He was so knowledgeable, friendly and patient. We could feel that he was also very passionate in his love for animals and what he does. He was punctual, a safe driver and always had a smile on his face.
We were thoroughly happy with our safari trip, thanks to Roberto and John. If there was any room for improvement, I'd say maybe improve the website and incorporate the payment gateway on the site or via Paypal. Also, while the safari jeep that we were on was clean (thanks to John), we could see that it was rather old. These are minor things, however, compared to the excellent trip we had. We will be recommending our friends to you, Roberto!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Awesome itinerary and service!
We used Simon's tour company when my wife's family came from the US to visit us in Kenya, their first trip to Africa! We really needed a memorable trip, as this was a once-in-a-lifetime visit for them, and Simon really delivered. They got us to everywhere we needed to go on time, and sent us two vans to accomodate us all comfortably - even though we didn't request this - and didn't charge us extra. The drivers/guides Gordon and Simon were really fabulous, very knowledgeable during the game drives and helpful during the car rides. They also put us up in a great lodge - Sopa Lodge. Simon will give you both a great price and a great experience.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An unforgettable experience
This was our first trip to Africa and we went in with very little knowledge of what to expect. The folks at Shadows of Africa (Stacy and Jake) were extremely helpful throughout the process, and also very patient as we considered our options and revised our plans a couple times. They quoted a price, gave us full details about what to expect, and answered all the questions we had before and after we chose them as our safari provider.
In Africa, our driver/guide (Cyrus) was very helpful and patient. He was the first person we met after arriving in Nairobi, and the last person we saw as we returned to the airport after a truly amazing 5 days. During the safari he made sure we saw almost everything we were hoping to. His 20 years of experience in the park as well as his strong network of connections with the other drivers really aided in his ability to quickly locate some remarkable sights (lions and cheetahs feeding, jaguars hiding in trees, you name it). Overall it made for a very satisfying experience.
I highly recommend this company for their professionalism, reliability, and ultimately for the truly unforgettable experience they are able to provide you.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Very enjoyable and excellently guided
Dan is a friendly and knowledgeable guide. The trip was well organised and good advice given at planning stage on places to visit. Safari was very cost competitive. Will definitely use Kisoro Tours again.
FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our honeymoon safari was fantastic!
Our guide (Mr.Abdul) was very knowledgeable about various animals and he made sure that we saw the big 5 and more. The vehicle was very clean and well maintained.
This truly was a trip of a lifetime, we will definitely recommend Fantastic Safaris to others going of Safari in Tanzania! It was great having such personal service. Great job and thanks for making our honeymoon such a memorable trip!!!
IE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a Lifetime
I was part of a group of four that went on a Safari in August 2015. I was with my girlfriend and another couple who were friends of ours. We knew that this was the trip for us just by looking at the website and seeing the amazing photos of places and things we might see. We booked an 8 day stay with 5 on Safari and 3 nights on Zanzibar. We never thought that our experience could live up to the pictures, we were wrong, our trip was even better. Once we arrived all aspects of our journey through Tanzania were arranged for us.
On arriving at Kilimanjaro Airport we were collected and brought to the Outpost Lodge in Arusha. This was a lovely hotel a short walk away from the main part of town. The comfortable hotel was exactly what we needed after a long day of travelling. The evening was ours to spend as we liked and the next morning we packed up the jeep and were ready to head off for Tarangire National Park. As we packed the jeep we met our guide, Hilary, and our chef, Dioniz. These were a fantastic team and helped to make this such a good holiday, i could not recommend them highly enough. Over the next few days we visited four areas (Tarangire, Lake Natron, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater). While this was a slightly personalised plan Justin was very accommodating in allowing us include the places that we wanted. Although there was some extra driving, we didn't mind as the landscapes you pass through are breathtaking from the dry scrub land in the dry season outside Arusha, to the vast Savannah around Serengeti with as much greenery as Ireland during the wet season. Each place we visited was different and had something special to offer, with the exhilarating encounter we saw of a lion stalking after a cheetah in Tarangire, to the amazing waterfall in the mountains around Lake Natron, the up close experience of being so close to a family of elephants that you could nearly reach out and touch them at Serengeti, and finally the incredible quantity of all types of animals at Ngorongoro.
We camped in the tents and sleeping bags provided which were of excellent quality. Each campsite was different but enjoyable as there was the chance to chat to other people on Safari. After the long day of driving we always looked forward to our chef's food. Everything was outstanding and his meals surpassed those of the restaurants we later ate in when on Zanzibar.
Our trip then took us to Zanzibar where we stayed 2 nights in Stone Town. Our itinerary included a tour of Stone Town and we added a trip to a nearby island where we got a tour of a prison, saw Giant Tortoise, and snorkelled in the clear blue waters. We stayed in the Tembo House Hotel which was quite comfortable with a beautiful location opening onto the beach (this was great at breakfast where you could look out and see the boats preparing for a day on the sea). On our way out of Stone Town we had a spice tour which brought us to one of the local farms. This was very interesting for anyone with a love of food or cooking to see how some (now common) ingredients grow.Our last night was in the Kendwa Rocks Hotel which had a spectacular location right on the beach. Unfortunately we had a few issues but these were purely to do with the Hotel and their staff.
Overall our highlights would be the sights on safari of the many different animals and the very enjoyable time we spent with our guide and chef. Both made our experience all the more enjoyable, with Hilary's hawkeye vision spotting the smallest animals way in the distance (be sure to bring binoculars so you can see them) and his endless knowledge of each animal, and then Dioniz's fantastic food and great company. Both men spent time with us each evening and we had great chats comparing life in Ireland and Tanzania.
I would highly recommend Tanzania-Expeditions to anyone interested in Safari and to try and get the team of Hilary and Dioniz!