NZ
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fabulous Attention to Detail
Our family of 4 siblings arranged a 21 day holiday in Kenya and Tanzania, through Silas of Apodiformes adventures. It was many months in the planning, and Silas was helpful, always available, ready to discuss and advise. We stayed in Samburu, Ol Pejeta, Lake Naivasha, Masai Mara in Kenya, then a land border crossing into Tanzania and Northern Serengeti, Central Serengeti, Ngorongoro, then back to Kenya for Amboseli and Tsavo. So we packed a lot into our 3 weeks, but all the parks are so diverse, we're glad we did it this way.
This is my 3rd time to East Africa but my first time with Apodiformes. As advised, I got 5 quotes, but Apodiformes were significantly cheaper, for much the same accommodation, parks, etc. We paid the deposit through the banking system, but Silas then mentioned the remaining amount should be paid in US$ cash - I was a bit wary. I rang Silas, and he explained it is because of credit fees, we could pay that way, but would incur significantly higher costs. We brought the cash! 😊 It was fine.
Our accommodation was of a lovely standard, a mixture of Serena and Simba Lodges. Food was buffet style, something to suit everyone, and tasty and nutritious. Our guides were friendly, and knowledgeable, Michael (Kenya); Hosea (Tanzania); Daniel (Kenya). Fortunately not the sort to spend all the driving time talking on their cellphones. They were great, especially Michael and Daniel - Hosea was lovely, but drove very fast at times, without explaining we were heading to see something!
On that score - we were so lucky with what we saw; we saw everything! The big 5 (several times); the Samburu 5; so many of the cat family - right down tothe elusive serval, and the Caracal!
We absolutely loved our time in Kenya and Tanzania, and owe many thanks to Silas for his experience and planning.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
They're responsive until they get your money
If I could give 0 stars I would. I booked a private tour. Below are just some issues I faced with this company:
1. Rude guide. Being that I'm his only client on a private tour, it's inexcusable that he gave very little information and loved to chat with his guide friends but neglected me.
2. I specified I didn't want to camp and wanted very nice accommodations. The price reflected much nicer accommdations. They ended up booking me in some lodges with no hot water (it's winter in namibia and freezing on the skeleton coast), broken lights, and no heat while it was just 3 degrees outside.
3. They booked me a photographer. He showed up an hour late the first day. Took terribly over-exposed photos that were worse than photos on a phone. A month later, he still won't edit the photos in any way to make them look professional. People's Safari won't respond to my emails and won't take any responsibility for this issue.
4. The logistics were poorly planned. They didn't look for lodges close to destinations so we ended up losing time driving several hours out of the way. I guess they were trying to save money at the expense of tourists' time.
They're happy to take your money but give subpar accommodations and customer service. Please save yourself the headache and avoid this tour operator
IL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great safari experience
Great safari experience
We booked a safari tour of 3 days/2 nights .
The tour included afternoon boat ride. Full day game drive, and morning walking safari.
Everything was excellent and well arranged.
From the safari guides to the great accommodation.
Booking was smooth and easy.
The owner Germanus was very kind and helpful.
The accommodation arranged was beautiful.
The guide of the day safari, Wilhelimu mushi was fantastic, with incredible knowledge.
We also enjoyed a lot with Abel, the guide of the boat safari.
BE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Germanus had great communication and we had a great time!
We booked a safari tour of 3 days/2 nights with Germanus. The tour included afternoon boat ride, full day game drive, and morning walking safari. We loved everything about this trip. The accommodation in the luxury tents was great and the guides were excellent. The communication with Germanus was good and he helped us with everything. The drive from and to Dar was very comfortable. Our guide of the safari, Wilhelimu, had a lot of knowledge and made sure we had a great time. On the bush safari he also gave very good info. The boattour with Abel was also very good arranged.
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Viatu provides exceptional, well-organized tours with knowledgeable guides and outstanding service.
I recently traveled with Viatu on a tour through Namibia and Botswana, and it was fantastic! The breathtaking landscapes of the Namib Desert and the wildlife in Etosha National Park were unforgettable highlights.
Viatu’s customer service was top-notch from start to finish. The guides were knowledgeable and passionate, adding so much depth to our experience. Everything was organised and ran smoothly, making the trip stress-free and enjoyable.
I found the tour to be excellent value for money, with quality accommodations and enriching experiences throughout. I highly recommend Viatu to anyone looking to explore this amazing part of the world!
NL
under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very good organised and very good tour operator everything was perfect.
It was good organised and our guide Caleb was the best guide ever!!!! He made sure we got al the best views and told us so much about all the animals and overall very nice and funny person!
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Top tour operator, everything was excellent, very well organized.
The tour was carried out as described. Our tour guide Mr. Caleb was a very good guide. He gave us very good information and was always on best location en position when viewing the animals. The overnight hotel in the safari was also very good. It was simply very nice. We enjoyed it.
ES
Outstanding!
We can not be happier with our safaris with this company.
Especially with our guide, Denis. He is the best driver guide I have come across so far, and I have done quite a few safaris.
He always managed to get the vehicle into the best spots for the perfect pics and could always predict the animals next movements, so that he could anticipate them and situate the vehicle in the right spot before hand. Most lions, cheetahs, etc, simply walked literally by our vehicle at less than a meters distance! It was amazing.
Also he was very helpful, kind, and fun guy. I can not have a better impresion of him. I recommend them 100%!!!
Keep up the good work!
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Focus on customer satisfaction and specific needs and keen attention to detail.They were very nice .
We really enjoyed our trip to the Mara.Rocky our tour guide made the experience even more enjoyable by his nature and his attention to detail.He was well informed about the wild and explained in detail and in clear manner easy to understand even for non native English speakers .Overrated a very nice trip .Thanks Rocky
BE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Safari tour Uganda
We did a 8-day trip with Big Apes Africa, where we visited:
- Murchisson falls
- Queen Elisabeth park
- Lake Bunyonyi
- Lake MBuro
Everything was taken care of by Peter, our guide.
The only thing we had to do is enjoy.
During the drives in the different parks, Peter demonstrated his skills as a nature guide. He's very knowledgeable on the wildlife in the parks.
He's open for input and tries to deliver the best experience.
I would like to thank Big Apes for the magnificent time we spent in the Pearl of Africa.
Thanks !
Lode