35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Amazing trip
We knew that it is very difficult to book directly by hotels. But Monika made it easy for us:she built for us an excellent safari plan.We did not have any headache with bookings as she made it all for us. Everything went like we wanted and we had a wonderful time in Zimbabwe without worries. She did an excellent job and she is very pro client.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beautiful Safari with a great crew!
The 4-days-Safari with Big Five Voyage was a fantastic experience! The great crew, Amon, Dulla and our Chef Abdul, turned the Safari into a really unique trip with a lot of fun. Everything was organized well so we didn't have to care about anything. Great meals cooked by our Chef (even special meals for vegetarians), water, accomodation and the entrance to the nationalparks were included in the package price. Our great Driver knew just everything about the wildlife of the parks and drove us to the best places to watch the Big Five.
Big Five Voyage made this Safari to an unforgettable experience that was one of my highlights of my Tanzania trip. Thank You!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The experience was out of this world. Very wonderful
Everything was very well organized. I did not experience any glitch on the parts of the organizers. My family was also happy with the whole process.
MY
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A truly great African Spectacular with supberb itinerary and wildlife sightings
Out of five tour operators we contacted, Marianne Birrell Safaris responses stood out from the others due to their detailed itineraries and suggestions. Marianne personally was involved in advising us and getting the best value for our budget. The holiday itself in Cape Town, Sabi Sands, Victoria Falls, Chobe and Okavango was overall above our expectations and all the logistics and transfers went smoothly. Our only issue was at the tented camp at Moremi Crossing which had low water problems and staff which didn't meet the high standard of the other lodges. Southern Africa can be daunting but Marianne passed on tips and additional tour suggestions right up to our departure date, and came back promptly to all our questions. We would definitely use Marianne again for other tours and have passed on a recommendation already to our family and friends.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
There is not one thing that I would change from the itinerery prepared for us by Safari Specialists
Our dealings with Safari Specialists was profesional in all aspects. Our taylor made holiday was exactly what we requested and did not disappoint rather delighted us in the quality of accommodation, service, meals and activities. If we were to plan this holiday again we would not change one thing. Well done and thank you Safari Specialists.
CH
Great Experience
I had a private tour guide with Jaco and I spent the whole five days with him. With Jaco I got a nice cool friend and we connected also through Facebook and I told him to let me know when he will be visiting Europe.
Great experience!
DK
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
I traveled with Cultours from Kampala to Arua (Koboko) And experienced a very professional service
To travel with Cultours in Uganda was a fantastic experience. The driver/s was/were very experienced and professional as well as warmhearted and interested in freindly conversation. The roads in Uganda can be of varied quality, but all situations with either muddy roads and roads with holes wer handeled with expertice. Our driver Stephen, with whom we drove mostly, was very observant on our needs and when in the national park, he was very good in picking great spots for photographs. Without Cultours the trip would not have been as succesfull. Thank You for a great and safe experience!
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great experience, Once in a lifetime!
I can not express how absolutely wonderful my 5 day Rwanda trip was with Gorilla Trek Africa. My guide, Bernard is one in a million!!!! The nicest, kindest and most capable guide I have ever met. I was traveling as a solo female and felt safe and well taken care of the entire time. Every little aspect of my trip was perfect right from the first email response I received from Nicolas. I emailed 5 or 6 different companies and Nicolas was the first to respond with many companies never responding at all. The planning stage went flawless. I stayed at the following: Rusizi Tented Camp at Akagera National Park, Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge near Volcanoes National Park, and Paradise Malahide on Lake Kivu. Each property was wonderful in their own special way, especially the service, the kindness and care of the staff. I would highly recommend each. The gorilla experience is a once in a lifetime Bucket List item that leaves lifelong unforgettable memories. If I could give Gorilla Trek Africa 10 stars I would. Again, Bernard is a gem and made my trip even more special with all his knowledge and kindness I can't thank him nor Nicolas enough for making my trip one of the most memorable experiences of my life. Book with Gorilla Trek Africa and ask for Bernard...you won't be disappointed.
SE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Rainy season safari trip
We visited the park during rainy season and it was very challenging to drive through the park due very wet tracks. On the positive side it was not warm and most animals where pretty active during the day. An other plus is wasn't busy in the park
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great safari experience: safe, fun, and worth every minute
If you are looking for a luxury safari, this is not your company. If you are looking for an adventure in the African Bush the way that South Africans do it themselves; if you are looking for safari guides who truly care about the plants and animals of South Africa above all and who want to share those with the world; if you are looking to have some fun, to get a little dirty, and to see a part of the world rarely seen anymore in its raw beauty, Armadillo is for you!!
I'll start off by saying that we booked this particular tour because it perfectly fit our timeline and budget. We were looking for a low-budget, camping tour that would really allow us the time and flexibility to see the animals and terrain of Kruger. We are 3 young men from the USA who have extensive travelling, camping, and adventuring experience. This was the only safari we could find that fit everything we wanted for the timeframe we had. We did the 8-day safari with 5 nights in the park and a trip to the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre and Elephant Whispers as well as the Blyde River Canyon.
I am SOOO glad we went with Armadilo!! They gave us everything we wanted and more!!
This is truly an all-inclusive company. From the time we were picked up from the airport to the time we were dropped back off at the airport in Joburg, we never lacked anything. The food was certainly plentiful, filling, and tasty. We would buy the occasional snack at one of the park shops, but even as 3 big guys used to American-sized portions, we were never hungry. The tents we used were spacious and sturdy, and we were provided with sleeping bags, pillows, and comfortable, 4-inch mats to sleep on. Drinks were available in an honesty bar on-board the safari truck whenever we needed for a very small fee. Potable water is available from taps at all of the campsites as well.
Chris and Simon (his son) were our guides. Chris is truly an expert of the African wildlife and fancies himself a birder as well. Not only were they great at spotting animals for us, they could identify most species with ease as well as give us more in-depth information about them. We did see all of the Big 5 including a Black Rhino, as well as a Sable Antelope, Cape Clawless Otters, and several other rarely seen animals. Yes, we were lucky to have seen them all, but Chris and Simon really helped create our luck. They were not simply tour guides who were doing their job, happy to be rid of their customers at the end of a game-drive. They became friends and companions who were fun to be around. Along with their combined knowledge, well... it was a privilege to be with them!
The last thing to note here specifically is the safari truck. It is no ordinary vehicle. This thing was custom-built specifically for taking groups on safari. There are some pluses and minuses of it, but in all, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. First of all, it is completely enclosed. That makes it feel far more secure than the traditional open-sided trucks you may be expecting. That does sometimes limit the visibility of animals if they are directly in front of or behind the truck; however, because it stands a good 15 feet above the ground, you are so far above the other vehicles that you will see things they could never see. We were eye-level with girrafes and elephants. We could see above the road-side brush and small trees. We could even see over the top of any other vehicles that would pass by or park next to ours. One major caution: If you have a difficulty with ladders, this may not work for you. Because of its height, you have to climb a ladder or steep stairs to get in and out of the truck. Also worth noting is that it has an on-board espresso machine for those early morning game drives and a charging station for all your electronics which takes standard South African AND European plugs.
So, in summary: we were hoping to go on a safari to see the animals of Kruger. What we got was an adventure much more fulfilling than that! We thought this would be a once-in-a-lifetime trip to South Africa, and all of us want to go back even more now than we did before. And I can tell you this: If we were going back, we would definitely go on a safari with Armadillo again in a heartbeat! I hope to keep in touch with Chris and Simon as well.