NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Good, clean, comfortable with an awesome operator
Great landscapes and scenery, a variety of optional excursions, comfy and clean accommodation and quite simply a wonderful driver and tour guide. Shingy was fun, considerate with a fun demeanour, yet staying professional. African Travels' communication was clear and thorough and whenever we had a question they were quick to respond and sorted everything out quickly. They delivered on everything they promise in the "brochure". Thank you guys for a good trip.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Awesome time with a wonderful driver
I joined a 4 day group safari that went to Tarangire, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro. Dida personally arranged and booked the tour for me which made the process stress-free! I chose the camping safari option which was a lot of fun! All three locations and the journeys between them were breathtakingly beautiful. Tarangire was a particular highlight for me. I traveled solo and was able to join a group of 5 other people which made the trip more fun (and more affordable). Our guide/driver and chef were both great hosts, very knowledgeable, and more than happy to share their knowledge and answer any questions we had. I am a vegetarian and I had three very filling and delicious meals per day while on safari, so vegetarians need not worry - we are well taken care of! I highly recommend Bujo Tours/
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The pilot left us at the Selous Game Reserve
We booked the safari through our hotel Fruit and Spice Wellness Resort. We arrived on time at the departure airport in Zanzibar for the one day safari to Selous. The airplane was to make several stops to drop off and pick up passengers before we got to Selous, but our expected arrival time was 8:55am. We took off and got to the first stop. Upon arrival we saw that the transportation for the first group being dropped off was not there. We were in the middle of nowhere and there was no cell reception. The pilot tried to contact someone but didn't have any luck. We waited 90 minutes in the heat for the transportation to arrive. Once they picked up the passengers we got back on the plane to make the rest of the stops. Due to this significant delay, we did not arrive at Selous until 11:45. This full day tour was now a half day tour since we had to be back by 4:15pm.
Our guide was great and we got to see lots of animals. He did his best to make sure the trip was entertaining and that we weren't disappointed. In doing all of this, he did not get us back to the airstrip in enough time. We arrived just in time to see our airplane preparing for take off. The people at the reserve began to jump up and down to get the pilot's attention but he did not stop. At 4:45pm the pilot left and we were stranded at the game reserve.
After lots of calling around we were finally able to agree to have them take us to Dar Es Salaam. It is the closest city with an airport but it is also an 8 hour ride, with the first four hours spent on unpaved dark roads. We rode for four hours in a safari Jeep through primarily wooded areas. After four hours we arrived at a village and met up with another driver who took us to Dar Es Salaam, which was another 4 hours.
The tour company was very apologetic and arranged for this transportation. They also arranged for us to stay in a hotel across the street from the airport since we had an early flight back to Zanzibar. We needed to get back early because we were flying to Dubai and didn't want to miss our departure flight. Consequently, our Zanzibar hotel had to pack all of our things and check us in for our flight home.
The hotel in Dar Es Salaam was maybe 2 stars and served its purpose for the night. We were covered in dirt and bug bites from the first portion of our trip but the bathroom was not one you wanted to take a shower in and they only gave us one towel. We sat in the hotel room for 5 hours before it was time to leave for the airport. Luckily we made all of our flights, the hotel in Zanzibar did a wonderful job packing us up, and we showered and slept once we got to Dubai.
I was really looking forward to the safari. Being left there with no contingency plan by the tour company was completely unacceptable. I would not recommend this tour company under any circumstances. We were fortunate to make it out but there were so many things that could have gone wrong. Our driver for the day was super nice and the villagers that provided us with food and water and blankets for our 8 hour ride were lovely.
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing experience
We bought the Safari from home ( France) and were very happy of everything. We had what we were expected for and even more! Communication is good and quick with email from home. The Safari tour was amazing, nice guide/driver, comfortable Landrover, good food, comfortable accomodation. It was such a fantastic experience to camp ( having a big bed and a nice shower!) and to wake up with giraffes!). This company worked with hotels and camps of good quality and service.
A Safari in Tanzania is expensive but if you can afford it , it is worth to do it. The landscape is wonderful and there is so many animals..... It is an unique experience....
FR
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
What an experience... waooohhhh !
In order to prepare our trip to Tanzania we had asked in English (we are french) several proposals/ estimates for a 6/7 days safari in the north to different specialised agencies based in Arusha and Dar Es Salaam. Paul was the first to answer, very reactive, he sent us a very detailed proposal with precise estimate and he sent us a message via WhatsApp to inform us that he answered : we appreciated this fast answer but we waited for other answers to finally decide... while waiting we asked Paul for some changes and number of questions : on the same fast way he adapted the schedule with new proposals to suit us better... we finally choosed to work with him, his project perfectly suiting us, he even proposed us a guide speaking french that we did’nt ask ! Once arrived we had confirmation that we made the good choice ! Paul in person and our guide, Kennedy, waited for us at the airport where we arrived from Selous In the south. Very positive first impression and then all went fantastic : Kennedy very soon showed a very interesting personality. He was attentive, very good company, he can speak also fluent English and Spanish. He is a prudent and very experienced driver On these difficult roads in the parks and reserves. He also informed us very well about wildlife and animals, but as well answered all our questions about the country itself, it’s lifestyle, economy, politics etc... he was flexible in the timings to suit us and in all circumstances had an expert eye to make us find animals when they were mostly hidden. All accommodations chosen by Paul, lodges and camps were different but all of them top in each style. Thanks to Paul and Kennedy our safari experience in north Tanzania was fascinating and perfectly satisfied our expectations. CONGRATULATIONS !
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful 2-week Tour!
Two of us took an incredible 2 week vacation in Kenya and Tanzania in January. We started planning this trip 16 months ago. The first company we booked with turned sour, but luckily gave us a full refund. Upon excellent reviews on TripAdvisor, we ended up then booking with Amazing Memories Safaris and what a great decision that was. Anne (general manager) was great to work with, answering my emails & questions and planning out & booking our trip. We were on a budget, so we needed a mid-range priced tour and Anne delivered. We were impressed with the camps and lodges we stayed at; most were 3.5–4 Star ratings. Not super fancy, but they were surprisingly comfortable and enjoyable. The autos we traveled in weren’t new or perfect, but they got us through the mud and we LOVED the pop-up roofs for viewing.
We visited Samburu, Ol Pejeta, Lake Nakuru, Naivasha, Masai Mara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro & Amboseli. Can't really say what our favorite park was as they all were unique and wonderful. Our driver/guide in Kenya was Joseph; with 20 years experience he was such a great asset and really made for an excellent tour experience. It was uncanny how he could spot the animals, network with other drivers, and was just simply a friendly, thoughtful and pleasant person to be around. We happily invited him to share a few meals with us, just to spend more time with him and hear of his life, tour experiences and Kenya.
In Tanzania, we were turned over to a partner company called Migada Adventures Tours & Safaris. (Evidently Kenya drivers can’t do Tanzania, and visa versa). Donald was our driver for 3 days; a good driver. Again, Anne coordinated all this for us, and going through immigrations/visa at the border, going and coming, was easy and simple.
The only negative issue we had (and it wasn't really their fault, I guess) was when we arrived into Nairobi at 10pm on a Sunday night, there were only 4 Kenya immigration/visa agents processing all the passengers on our Boeing 747 plane. It took us 2.5 hours to be processed and there was still more passengers behind us that waited longer. Not smart on Kenya’s part. Our driver, waiting for us, left… guess they figured we missed our flight. We had to take a taxi to our hotel. Amazing Memories apologized and refunded to me the money I spend for the taxi. But beyond that issue... our tour was WONDERFUL and was truly a trip of a lifetime.
We highly recommend Amazing Memories Safaris and would choose them again for tours in East Africa.
Now, if interested… some tips for fellow travelers, from our 2-week tour experience:
1. Take lots of new or newer USD for tipping, Visa’s, village visits & drinks at camps. We took about $1200; part of which was $200 in new $1 bills and they really came in handy tipping porters, housekeeping, waiters and security people. We found out that tips left in ‘camp tip boxes’ don’t always trickle down to staff. Staff genuinely appreciated the personal tips. Most camps & roadside shops, took Visa/MC, but not all. We did withdraw $200 in Kenya Shillings from ATM – probably only needed $100.
2. Tipping: We followed Anne’s advice of tipping $10 to $20 USD per day per person to our driver/guide and $10 USD per day per room to Camp Tip Box.
3. After reading lots of blogs on the internet on what clothes to take on safari (i.e. only beige colors; no black, white, blue, camo, bright colors), our experience was that it really didn’t matter… take & wear what you have and are comfortable in. Don’t go out and buy a whole new wardrobe. You will see people wearing everything. In warmer parks… we wore shorts and tank tops, comfortably. We found our converted zip-off pants to shorts, invaluable.
4. It sounds like "high season" is July-Sept, when the Migration happens. Yes, we missed that, but we are so happy we went in "low season" as the large crowds in the parks were gone, temperatures were comfortable, hardly any bugs, and in two of the camps... we were the only ones there. Very personal service & memorable.
5. We really didn’t need it, since we didn’t see many bugs… but before we left for Africa, I treated our shirts, pants & shorts with Sawyer Insect Repellent; just spray on and let dry. Our Friends that do a lot of traveling swear by it for controlling bugs.
6. Ahead of the tour, we were a little concerned about the food we would eat in East Africa. Don’t worry… Lot’s of great food at camps and lodges and we never went hungry. Lot’s of rice.
7. Wi-Fi was spotty or non-existence at most lodges and camps we went to. Don’t expect to rely on it.
8. Expect some long days, riding many hours on dirt, dusty & bumpy roads. We found the roads in Tanzania are better than in Kenya. I wear contacts so can’t tolerate dust. I took with me some compact padded motorcycle goggles (Global Vision Aerodynamic Eyewear) and they really saved me a couple of days in avoiding the dust.
9. Last comment-Our opinion: You will spend a lot of money for a trip like this. You will enjoy your vacation in Africa more if you go with the right attitude. Not everything will be perfect. Don’t be demanding. Just go with the flow and you will then be pleasantly surprised and appreciate the African experience more.
LT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent 12 days safari!
Very well organized 12 day safari in Kenya and Tanzania. Erick was in contact with us all the time and answered all of our questions! The drivers were very competent and friendly, food was very good, campsites and hotels also were comfortable.
One of the best trips ever! Highly recommended!
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
I Could Not Have Picked a Better Company!
I did a lot of research before I contacted tour companies in Kenya because I felt that I needed to be informed about what was available, what was feasible, and what might be asking too much. I came across Seven By Far on this website, and I was impressed by the number of options that they had to offer. When I had the pleasure of speaking with Sylvester, he was accommodating - he offered an itinerary, I made some changes, and he provided me with what I asked for. He met us in Nairobi at the airport, along with our guides. Our guides were extremely knowledgeable about all of the areas that we visited; they were engaging, answered all of our questions, and their eyes are better than any pair of binoculars I've ever owned!
In my view, you can't go wrong with Seven By Far. I recommend them without hesitation.
QA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Great trip. Great team
Wowed!! I happened to use Orange adventures for a 4 days Mombasa trip during my December vacation. Elisha leading the tour was outstanding and pace of the tour was balanced. I got a chance to meet new friends being a sole traveler. Well planned tour with a boat ride to see the dolphins which was a life time experience. Watching the sunset was magical. Evening dinner was amazing with drinks and team building. Thank to Orange Andventures and the entire team for making our trip a success.
Looking forward to traveling with you again
RU
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was amazing!
Everything was exactly as we told before by Eric. Excellent lodges, nice and well experienced guide Peter and just amazing parks
