DK
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Uganda!
I was in Uganda for 3,5 week and it was amazing! We were in a group of 10 people and had Robert and David as guides. They were really nice and had a huge knowledge about the nature, animals and the wildlife in general.
We drove around i Uganda and slept at different locations so we got to see a lot of Uganda. At the same time we were at 3 different game drives in 3 national parks where we got to see lions, giraffes, buffaloes, elephants, antelopes and many more animals. We also went on the gorilla and chimpanzee trekking - the gorilla trekking was definitely the best experience in Uganda!
All in all, I higly recommend Cheetah Safaris Uganda! They're really great and I had a wonderful trip to Uganda!
IN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent service and guide.
We visited South Africa from 8th to 18th May. Our entire itinerary was put together by your company and I am extremely pleased to say that everything went off beautifully! we were extremely happy with the way everything had been planned and I would not hesitate to recommend you to any friends who might want to visit. I would like to specially mention our guide Mr Havelyn, who was with us on the garden route, he was such good company and full of information! We never had a single dull moment! Eventually he became a very good friend! Thanks again for the excellent service.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Highlight of Trip
We went on safari with Tanzania Expeditions and visited the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara. This was part of a lengthy around-the-world trip and the safari was easily one of the trip’s highlights. There was an event at the end that cost one point from the overall experience/score though.
From the beginning, communication with Justin was excellent. He outlined what we would do and where we'd be staying. The prompt email replies were one of the reasons we chose the company. We were a little wary of wiring the money, but the process was smooth.
When we arrived in Nairobi, our airport pickup changed from the previous plans, and our guide actually came to get us. We crossed the Tanzania/Kenya border without issue. (However, I would highly recommend flying into Arusha or Kilimanjaro to avoid 6 hours of driving each way.) Once we arrived at our hotel in Arusha, we met with Justin briefly. We were then told our accommodations had changed. We were pretty surprised because everything was so clearly outlined before the trip. We booked the safari about six months out, so this last minute switch was quite odd. But our new accommodations turned out to be great. More on those below.
The safari itself was amazing. Our guide was informative, insightful and extremely skilled at driving the vehicle over the rough roads. We were out from the early morning, pre-sunrise, to sunset. We saw the big 5 plus so much more. It's hard to describe how incredible it is to see elephants walking just meters away or lions stalking prey. Our safari vehicle was one of the older ones we saw and was a bit rough around the edges, but that didn't bother us.
We first stayed at Kati Kati Camp. I originally said I wanted lodges to stay in, not tents. When accommodations changed on us, there wasn't much we could do, so we embraced the opportunity to sleep in the Serengeti. Each tent had a shower and toilet, so you really weren't roughing it. The wind/animal noises at night kept us up at times, but it was a truly an authentic experience. Would I do it again? Probably not but I'm glad I did it once. Our next night at the Ngorongoro Farm House was easily our favorite accommodation the entire trip. It was beautiful and spacious and we wish we could've spent longer there.
The final day of the safari was very long. We had a short morning game drive and then we had to get back all the way to Nairobi. Along the roadways in Tanzania, there are constant police checkpoints where they are checking for correct documentation. It seems that all vehicles get pulled over at some point. Apparently these police are also corrupt and look for ways to fine you. We were pulled over many times without incident. When we were flagged to stop again, we kept driving. All of a sudden, we had police cars following us. At the next checkpoint, we were forced to stop and a policeman jumped into the vehicle with us and we had to drive to the police station. At this point, we were wondering what is going on? We waited at the police station for nearly 90 minutes and then we finally got some answers after Justin arrived. As it was explained to us, they were illegally trying to pull us over and our guide wanted to file a complaint with the police chief and that's why we ended up at the station. We eventually got on the road and arrived in Nairobi at night. If our guide had been in the wrong, they would've held him at the station, so we took that as a promising sign. (If you search for articles about police corruption in Tanzania, you do find it's a large problem.) Justin assured us this had never happened before. He apologized and promised that our safety is the top priority of the company.
Would we recommend Tanzania expeditions? Yes! Having a guide who was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic is not something you get from every safari company. Even considering the last day's incident, we have very positive things to say about our guide and the company overall. But do yourself a favor and limit the driving on the roads; fly into Arusha or surrounding areas. With Tanzania Expeditions, you are guaranteed to have an once-in-a-lifetime experience. All of our memories, both pleasant and even not so, will be vividly told through stories for years to come.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Fantastic family safari - with Safari Infinity
Booking a safari in Tanzania is quite a challenge since there are so many safari companies to choose from - so having said that, we had requested quotes from many places and the reason we chose Safari Infinity was their prompt replies and turn around times to answer our questions, and they were able to get us reservations at the camps and lodges that we wanted (even though we were booking all this at the last minute). We definitely made the right choice! They stayed in touch through out the entire week ensuring we were enjoying the trip and even tried to acommodate changes that we wanted to make at the last minute.
To summarize, there were 7 of us on safari - 2 Grandparents, 2 parents and 3 children (ages 9, 5, 5). We had the option of either booking 2 vehicles or to squeeze in to 1. We opted to travel together in 1 vehicle - mostly because we thought it would be more fun that way, although, on the days we had luggage (going from camp to camp) it felt a little cramped.
Our driver/guide - Tumaini was excellent. He went the extra mile to get us to see animals that were on our priority list (he knew just where to go and when to go - we just had to trust him!). He was very knowledgeable- especially when he was grilled with hundreds of questions by our 9 year old! He did his best to ensure our comfort during the safari - and with 3 kids in the car, we always had a clean vehicle every morning. His driving skills were excellent - not only at getting us out of a muddy river bed for example, but also maneuvering so that we had the best view of the pride of lions enjoying a kill, when there were at least 15 other cars all trying to get to the front!
We started our tour in Arusha for one night, then on to Tarangire for half day, and then to Ngorongoro (& Beyond Ngorongoro Crater lodge) for 2 nights, Pioneer camp for 2 nights (central Serengeti) and then Bushtops (northern Serengeti) for 2 nights. The only thing we would have changed is to either skip Tarangire or to spend a night in Tarangire. With young kids, we started off on the 1st day with about 6 -7 hours in the car which was just a little too much and we were not able to enjoy the fabulous facilities at the & Beyond Ngorongoro crater lodge.
All in all, a very enjoyable safari and would definitely recommend Safari Infinity to anyone looking for something out of the ordinary!
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable experience
Our tour was an amazing experience and most aspects of it were excellent. The taxis to and from the airport, drivers, and flights to and from Kilimanjaro were all fine. The Tarangire Safari park, the Serengeti and Ngorogoro crater were amazing and beyond my expectations. We saw the ' big Five' as well as many more animals. Both hotels, one a lodge and one a glamping experience were excellent, the staff welcoming and service outstanding,the food in both places really good . The picnic lunches every day were delicious, varied and generous. I loved the glamping it was an amazing experience!!!
Our main concern and disappointment was that the Land Roverprovided by East West Safaris broke down twice during our tour. Once at twilight where we had to be left on the side of the road and were fortunately rescued by a kind gentleman who took us to our lodge in Zaratu.
The second time was on the plains of the Serengeti in the middle of nowhere. Our driver had to fix the faulty fuel pump himself which, thank god he did. What we would have done otherwise I have no idea!!! We had two young children and were confined for at least an hour.
We were very concerned that the vehicle was not to safari standard and are critical of the company not the driver, who under the circumstances did well to fix the problem.
We noticed that other company guides and drivers were provided with a uniform to wear, such was not the case with East West Safaris . We would recommend that the company provide uniforms. Lack of seat belts and any cooling method didn't meet our expectations.
Despite our experience with the Land Rover and safari company it was an unforgettable experience.
US
Mr. Ernest Chiwanga, at Worldwide Safaris Tanzania, a most exceptional guide.
I cannot write a review about Worldwide Safaris Tanzania LTD because I have not, as yet, been able to take a safari with this company. I have, however, had the good fortune to be on a Mountain Travel Sobek trip in July, 2014 in Tanzania with Mr. Ernest Chiwanga, one of the leaders and guides for our group of 10. I have stayed in touch with Mr. Chiwanga since my 2014 trip and learned that he is now leading safaris with Worldwide Safaris Tanzania LTD and had his first group last month. They were lucky people to have Mr. Chiwanga as their guide! He is an extraordinary person, very knowledgeable about Tanzania and very interested in the animals of his country. He was a wonderful guide and a very nice person too. I do hope, someday, to be able to make another safari in Tanzania with Mr. Chiwanga through Worldwide Safaris Tanzania LTD as I know it will be a very rewarding experience. I fell in love with Africa on my 2014 trip (my first trip there). The people who made my trip so interesting, like Mr. Chiwanga, the unique places we visited and the beautiful animals and birds we saw made it a trip of a lifetime for me. My only fear is that continued poaching I read about almost daily will kill off all of the beautiful elephants, rhinos and other animals in Tanzania and throughout Africa and then there will be little reason to visit that wonderful place. Sincerely, Jacquelyn Wilson
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
They're experts and it shows
We used ATI to organize a 12 days self drive tour in Namibia.
During the planning process, Corinna (our agent) was patient, respectful and provided many good suggestions based on my comments, questions and feedback.
When we met her in Namibia, she was equally thorough and gave us all the information we needed. There was a lot of useful details, such as a highlighted map, a local charged cell phone and insurance info.
All the places she recommended were excellent.
We had a stress free holiday with all the adventure we were looking for but without any bad surprise.
I would use them again and would not hesitate to recommend them
PL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable safari in Serengeti and Ngorongoro
We have just returned from Tanzania, where we spent 4 weeks and definitely the safari organized for us by Lights on Africa Destinations was a highlight experience of this trip.
Before we arrived in Arusha we arranged everything online and naturally we had millions of questions, asked about every detail and we received all the answers we asked for! Everything was organized for us, including the accommodation in Arusha, where Antonio, our guide, was waiting for us at the bus station. The safari itself was a wonderful and unforgettable experience! We were taken care of in a very friendly and professional way. Antonio, the guide, answered all our questions about the animals, was open to all our expectations and listened to our every need. Benson, the Stomach Engineer :), was a great cook, we loved the food he prepared for us.
All in all, I strongly recommend Lights on Africa Destinations company, they are truly professional and very friendly, and the safari was worth every penny we paid.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Never shows up on time
I was very disappointed with Falcon Safaris. When I booked these activities I was under the impression that Falcon Safaris worked closely with our concierge at the Royal Livingstone. Every voucher slip that we had told us a time to be ready, and we were always ready at that time. Unfortunately Falcon Safaris was always at least 45 minutes late. It literally happened 4 times. The concierge was always in disagreement with Falcon Safaris and I felt that we paid the price. Would not recommend Falcon Safaris to other guests of the hotel.
US
65+ years of age
South Africa/Tanzania trip July 2015
The reservation was with Great Safaris and was the easiest, most complete, best value safari we have ever has
with an Africa Tour Company. We have been sending people to Africa for more than twenty years, and this was the smoothest reservation with the absolute best documents from any tour operator.
Will definitely use Great Safari's again, and recommend them to all of our interested clients.