50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Zambia in the sun, the rugged side of Africa
We visited the Royal Zambezi Lodge as a family group of 8. A very long, bumpy, dusty ride. 4WD vehicles essential to traverse the rugged terrain and seeing elephant and buck roaming in the GMA. Check-in was pleasant and efficient and activities very efficiently organised. HALAL MEALS were accommodated and of excellent standard. Chef willingly shared a recipe or two! The monkeys in dining area, became tedious and downright annoying with their antics of pouncing down from the trees and making off with our food. This applied to relaxing on our private deck too as crunching on a snack out there was out of question. Chalets and facilities tastefully decorated and the thrill of walking to the boma with the possibility of encountering an elephant was exciting . Staff were always at hand to escort guests to and from their chalets making it calm and safe. I was in the Frontier Suite where elephant, hippo, buck and baboons were literally grazing under the balcony/deck.
MT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An amazing safari experience
We did the safari with Serengeti Wakanda tours and they are the best. The safari was amazing and our Driver Praise was very good with knowledge and the chef Ashruf is very good with his cooking :). Parks were amazing we went to Tarangire, lake manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro.
One thing I didn’t feel comfortable is when I used to go out of the hotel when I was staying in arusha as everyone is straing at us walking but no one bothered us. But still we preferred staying in instead of going out.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Stunning destination, that I will have to visit again
Definitely recommend safari online as they made our entire vacation stress free and operated very smoothly. South Africa has so many different natural wonders wrapped up in one country. The Kruger portion of our trip was amazing.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Kenya has a very friendly and ambitious service industry struggling to overcome societal blight
Wildlife viewing is fabulous, whether in the famed Maasai Mari preserve or in less well-known places like Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, or Amboseli. Neither the roads leading to the major national parks nor the parks themselves have smooth roads or driving paths, which sort of adds to the adventure. We enjoyed many a "free" full-body African massage while on the road, and the question of what would happen if the vehicle somehow broke down--in the wildlife areas-- was indeed answered: friendly tour operators from other orgs pitch in and take in whatever passengers they have room for. While our expectations for the accommodations at the budget tent camps were low to begin with, we were actually pleasantly surprised by what was offered. Yes, it was simple, but we slept well, the camps were quiet at night, and the food was ample. The night sky, away from light pollution, was spectacular. Two things were a bit disturbing: 1) the amount of litter strewn everywhere (except in the national parks themselves)--what would it take to institute a national clean-up campaign? and 2) the constant bombardment to purchase this or that trinket by folks peddling their wares. I guess that's the natural response from a people who have learned that tourism is one of the most profitable ventures going (one of our safari drivers was a mechanical engineer who saw that the income from tourism far outstripped the income from practicing his profession).
ES
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
OM
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Zanzibar and Safari at Arusha
Everything went as planned, one have to expect a few hiccups when visiting Africa. Things linke when travelling with family avoid budget accommodation unless you don't mind cold shower I the winter or weak WiFi signal that will upset kids or kids selecting food outside the menu.
All in all we came to Arusha for the Safari, and it was great experience with Colour of Africa "Hamis" he accommodated us to his level best.
I would highly recommend him.
SI
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Epic wildlife & beautiful nature
Once in a lifetime experience to see all the world's biggest animals in their natural habitat.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Challenging Safari
Great place for Safari, so long as you have the right company to guide you. Sadly, we didn't, but were impressed with the country and what could have been with the right outfit guiding.
PL
Tanzania is a beautiful country.
My visit was great in Tanzania. Safari trip was very special , see all the animals and feel the atmosphere. However the facilities on the camp was very old and dirty. People who work there were very friendly and food was quite good. ( not many variety but fresh and tasty
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A unique safari experience and amazing scenery at Hell's Gate National Park
Hell’s Gate National Park is one of the smaller Kenyan national parks and is located about 2 hours away from Nairobi in terms of driving time. Unlike some of the other national parks in the country, this one relies more on its physical scenery, rather than the number and variety of large animals present. This is not to say that the animals are few in number, there are still many, but the difference makes a visit to Hell’s Gate very different from the others. First, you are not prohibited from leaving your safari vehicle. In fact, one option to explore the park is by bicycle. I personally recommend this method of touring, since it is much more fun and freeing than being in an enclosed jeep. Biking through the park involves a trip of about 10 miles (16 km) in total, and is doable for any person in decent physical shape. The only reason that all cannot visit the park by bike is that the bikes available for rent at the park are used and perhaps less than ideal in terms of quality (be sure to verify that your brakes work before agreeing to rent!), and that the road is unpaved, meaning it takes a bit more work to pedal than on something paved. In exchange though, you get unimpeded 360 degree views and the ability to actually take in the environment with all your senses. If an animal gets too close to the road, your guide may have you stop and back up to wait until it moves a safe distance away. These moments are exciting, but I do not think that they represent much danger as long as you follow instructions of the guides and respect the wild animals. Second, regardless of how you see the park, there are more options than just animal spotting available for activities. Your guide can take you hiking through the gorge that was the basis for the scenery for Disney’s “The Lion King” film, which is very nice, and you can go rock climbing on some of the park’s cliffs and towers. The easiest option for rock climbing is at “Fischer’s Tower” about a mile from the Naivasha park entrance, where you can rent gear from some men who will also serve as your spotters for about $10 (850 Kenyan schillings). The gear is clearly used, but looks to be taken care of well, and you get everything you need including climbing shoes and helmets. If one has never tried rock climbing before, this is a very much recommended opportunity.
Since Hell’s Gate is so close to Nairobi, you can make a day trip out of going to it. The drive to the park from the capital takes you over the escarpments that bound the Great Rift Valley, and it is worth stopping to take in the stunning view of the valley floor thousands of feet below. Near Hell’s Gate is Lake Naivasha, and you can arrange to go on a boat trip on the lake to see hippos and flocks of cormorants. Both the lake and Hell’s Gate can be seen in a single day if you are willing to get up a little early, and it makes for a unique side trip as part of a larger Kenyan adventure.
