IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Botswana by Marco Valentini
Is one of the few places where camping sites are in the wild, giving the unique expereince to be alone in nature; big carnivores are frequeently seen, among those wilddogs, leopards, and in the Kalahari Brown hyena; scenic beauty can vary from open savannah, to woodland, to desert, making the most varied country in Southern Africa; bush vibe is really incomparable, birding opportunities are many as the environment change, spanning from waterbirds to raptors, to desert specilities . A must for Wildlife fanatics, you are just on the stage, you meet all main actors of the big game of life and Death, big carnivores, bigfive, giraffes, more elusive species, wild dog, a real bonanza varying every day, changing any moment
Magical, exciting fun adventure
We had the loveliest guide, Tommy. He went above and beyond to ensure we were having a lovely time on our trip. The wildlife was amazing and I loved that there were no fences around the parks. We stayed in beautiful accomodation and Sangaiwe was our favourite, especially waking up to hearing elephants.
We had amazing weather and can’t recommend this trip enough. Thank you Tanzania Specialist for making it so memorable!
HR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great experience
We went on a 4 day safari in Tanzania (Tarangire, Serengeti, N'goro goro). Everything was as described. We saw many animals. Only thing we didn't get to see was black rhino. Overall great experience and I would recommend this tour operator.
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
wonderful/amazing
I asked several operators and Biwakwango was the one who was best able to listen and understand our needs.That 's why we have so enjoyed this trip!!
The head of the agency met us at the airport, helped us when we arrived .We could ask during our stay to assist us on 2or 3 benefits we wanted added.And he care of everything !!
After the return I had some questions on bank debits the car rental agency and was able to contact them and give me all the answers
Therefore a complete service and allowed us all to enjoy the place
US
A truly excelent birding tour with Wings/Sunbird. Great guides Brian Finch and Bruno Raveloson.
We began in Antananarivo and flew to Mahajanga, then flew back to Tana and had a long birding drive to Toliara. Then we flew back to Tana and had another birding drive to Moramanga, spending 3 days at the national park there. Wings/Sunbird and Boogie Pilgrim ran a first-class birding tour, with excellent accommodations, food and vehicles. The birding was great and both guides paid special attention to getting EVERYONE on the bird EVERY TIME. I saw six new bird families, 147 bird species and got 107 life birds; we saw nearly every bird on the trip list. We visited at the end of the dry season and the weather was very pleasant and dry. My only concern was that Madagascar's human population is growing very rapidly (40% of their 25 million people are less than 15 years old) and its forests are ruthlessly being cut down. So, visit Madagascar soon, as nowhere did we see large numbers of birds and mammals, even in protected forest areas. One exception was the delightful Ring-tailed lemurs, which were numerous in the two lemur sites we visited.
CN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent service
We recently arrived back to Arusha from a beautiful trip we made to Tarangire and Ngorogoro crater.
Thank you Kiliholidays Tours for all the wonderful things we had during trip.
I will tell you our whole experience was thoughtfully & professionally prepared for us, as they coordinated a very multipart tour for us.
They have different kind of safari programs: from budget till luxury, but always with the best pricing.
A lot of times we were among the first to spot beautiful wildlife in action.
The food was nice and a committed on professional handled. Thank you for a trip of a lifetime was real truly something we will never stop thinking about.
Asante sana!
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
As my first safari everything amazed me. I can say my dream to see african wildlife became true
Contrast feelings. In my opinion local people is plundered of their birthrights. The certitude of being in a totally wild territory flew away by the fact that allmost all the country is fenced and packaged and most of the wildlife intensely managed, although I do not deny this is, in some cases and for certain species, the best way to assure conservation.
Anyway, this is not true for the main place we visit (4 days, 3 nigths), etosha. Here the only artificial elements are the man made waterholes (some are natural) and the roads, but this is why you can see the animals here. As it was my first safari ever, everything was amazing. We even saw many rhinos (both) and lions in our self drives. After Etosha we went to Okonjima for leopards and cheetahs. The first are free born radiocallared animals and they guarantee you good observations, but the rescued cheetahs are semi-domesticated animals. Also here brown hyaena, ardwolf, mountain zebra, elephant shrew and white rhino. As birders we enjoyed tracking in this reserve. The guides were superb and the standard rooms were actually luxury: you could see a lot of life lying in the bed.
Etosha is vey good for raptors (martial eagle, bateleur and secretary, but we missed pygmy falcon) and steppe-land birds, but not so much for passerines, as you can not leave the car. For photographers: the most of the day the light is too bright and the sky leaden
The surrealistic vision of game, seemingly floating over the salt plan, seems a sweet alutination. The only night we spent camping at okaukuejo I will never forget: 7 black rhinos, including cubs playfully approaching elephant bulls (until a blast of water from his trunk made the cub run to mother's shelter), a genets and a hyaena (with a jackal as squire) in the waterhole. When I went to sleep the roar of lyons made my marrows shake.
The best place for lions where Nebrownii and Okondeka waterholes. We tried a lot with cheetah, but no luck in 4 days.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Experience of a lifetime
I have had the most amazing five days. I saw all the animals, apart from the elusive leopard - but that just gives me motivation to return! I went on a balloon ride for the first time ever and it was wonderful. I saw a lion eating his dinner, a cheetah with five babies and lots of my favourite animals - giraffe & zebra. Of course I took hundreds & hundreds of photos.
Clide was the perfect guide. He was professional, experienced, thoughtful and extremely well known (& loved) by everyone at all three lodges/camps. He was undoubtedly the best choice for me, given I was travelling alone - he treated me like family. I will recommend your company, & Clide in particular, to all my friends.
Asante sana!
US
Madagascar with Great Island Adventure Safaris
We just spent three weeks in Madagascar with Bakoly Razanamiarantsoa the owner of Great Island Adventure Safaris as our guide. Travel to and from Antananarivo via Paris from the US and four key areas visited - Rainforests in Andasibe/Mantadia and Ranomafana in the East, dry forest and coast at Mahajanga/Ankarafantsika in the West, and the spiny forests and coast around Ifaty and Toliara in the Southwest with stops at Isalo and Zombitse on the way. Air Madagascar cancelled a flight which meant us missing a trip to the Masoala peninsula rainforest in the Northeast. Transport during our tour was by private 4WD and two internal flights.
The country is heavily deforested with most of the population depending on charcoal for cooking, however the remaining forest ecosystems in the national park areas visited still hold the unique wildlife that Madagascar is famous for. September is just before the peak birding months of Oct and Nov, but we saw every species available to us, with over 190 birds, 25+ species of Lemur, and many Chameleons, reptiles, frogs, insects and invertebrates and plants and trees. Eighty percent of every living species on the island is endemic, and many can be seen fairly well in the right habitats. Photography opportunities were excellent, and whilst in September, not all species are highly active as the Austral winter ends, the vast majority of creatures were easy to see.
Friendly people throughout, and for a developing country, great accommodation and eating choices available in all but the more remote rural and wilderness areas. Local food and French style cooking was excellent throughout.
The country offers many options for adventure in addition to the unique wildlife with wilderness camping, trekking, canoeing and rafting all available. Not a traditional African style safari destination, but a fantastic experience nonetheless.
I can highly recommend Bakoly and her Great Island Adventure Safaris for any style or length of adventure.
www.gias-madagascar.com
She and her guides were excellent, expert in the wildlife and culture, and spoke excellent English and French.
A unique destination that needs to be visited before the pressure on the ecosystem and wildlife becomes too great.
TH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Saw all the big 5 + the great migration + a herd crossing river and got eaten by a croc! So amazing!
Great wildlife and scenery! We stayed at the northern part of the park so it wasn't as crowded as the other parts which was great! Great accommodation - clean, spacious, attention to details, great & friendly staff. Excellent and skillful driver/ safari guide - knows the park and animals very well - worked longer than he had to to satisfy our needs! Very service minded! Best trip ever!