QA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An amazing experience - better than expected !
We had booked a 3night/4 day safari, where we stayed at Tremisana Lodge the first night and at Katekani Tented Lodge for the last 2 nights.
The information, service, BBQ and guides at Tremisana were nice, but not anything extraordinary. We did see some wildlife but not that much. The food was nothing to write home about, but the BBQ under the tree was magnificent ! and a bit scary, which was great ! The Laba was nice, with a nice view of a man-made watering hole. The service from the kitchen personale wasn't as friendly as one would expect, they seemed a bit stressed/tired. We switched the morning walk with a private safari drive because we had to children under the age of 16. All the guides was very flexible and knowledgeable and sweet.
The stay at Katakana Tented Lodge was amazing ! The hosts was the sweetest couple, the food was out of this world, the camp was so silent, well kept, untouched and secluded - fantastic ! The tents were even more amazing, and they exceed our expectations in every way - they are indescribably unique and amazing ! A must see - and we won't say anymore, they must be experienced ! They stay was so nice, that we extended our stay one day extra :-)
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Zanzibar and Mikumi Holiday
We booked via Faustin after discussing our requirements with him as we required a bespoke solution rather than one of his advertised tours.
I booked the flights to and from Zanzibar independently as it suited our travel plans, Faustin was helpful in providing information to help book.
I arranged the rest of the booking (hotels, transfers, tours etc) with Faustin directly. I paid 50% in advance via transfer and paid the rest when I arrived in Tanzania.
Faustin was very helpful and accommodating in booking the trip and the different parts, and was aware of our requirements as we were travelling around southern Tanzania independantly (especially that we had to be back in Dar Es Salaam for a flight in the afternoon of our final day.
The trip could not have been better, we arrived at Zanzibar airport for the first part of the holiday and were met by Faustin's team in Zanzibar at the airport where they transferred us to the Amaan beach bungalows (as recommended by Faustin) And although it was quite a distance from the airport it was worth it, it was a lovely beach location and a good quality hotel which had a pol as well as access to the beach. The hotel had good food (there were also other hotels close by for food as well). We just relaxed the first day but there are plenty of activities (snorkelling etc) that are available.
Our second day was the spice tour ans stone town tour. The driver was there to meet us at the agreed time and took us to the spice tour which was really good, we then went to Stonetown tour which although interesting was not as good as the spice tour and lasted longer than we wanted. The driver took us back to the hotel and made good time.
The third day was our trip back to Dar (via our own booked flights) for the trip to Mikumi. The driver was there at the hotel to pick us up as agreed to get to the airport in time, and when we arrived in Dar Faustin was there to meet us with the driver to take us to Mikumi. We needed to get some food so Faustin took us to the other terminal to get some food before the long drive to Mikumi.
Although the Land Cruiser did not have Air conditioning it was quite comfortable and with the windows open remained cool for the journey. The drive was long and we got to the game park after about 5 and a half hours - due to the time we could not go into the game park, but we were able to stop (frequently) on the side of the main road through the park to view some of the animals (Impala, giraffe, elephant, zebra) were all seen from the main road. We stayed at the Mikumi Safari Lodge which is about 30 mins from the main road (via an offroad track that requires a four by four!) So we finally got to the hotel about 7 and half hours after setting off from Dar.
The welcome from the hotel staff was great and they were able to get food ready for us quickly, they could not do enough for us. The rooms are all separate buildings and are joined by a path so we were glad we had bought torches with us, as although there are some lights it is quite dark going between the buildings. The rooms were good (large and spacious) with a nice shower with Hot water. The food (dinner, breakfast and the packed lunches) were very good with a good selection available.
The next day was our full day safari at the game park, so we set off early in the morning. We had a knowledgeable guide with us (arranged by Faustin) who accompanied us throughout the day and guided our driver through the park to get the best views. We were lucky as we saw a lot of animals including Lions, Giraffe,Monkeys, Elephants (which we saw very close up), Hippo, Crocodiles, but we did not see the leopards.
During the safari we went to the on site hotel / restaurant to have our lunch (I had the packed lunch but my family preferred to pay for a restaurant lunch!
We finished the safari in the early afternoon having seen loads and returned to the hotel for dinner and an early night as we had agreed an early start with Faustin in order to get back to Dar Es Salaam for our flight home. The hotel staff also got up early to provide us with breakfast before our trip (they could not have been more helpful and friendly at the Mikumi safari Lodge).
We set off on time (I had allowed for contingency in the time as we really needed to get the plane) The trip took us 6 and a half ours in total so we made it in plenty of time , but I was glad we had some contingency as the roads are not great and the speed limit is low, there were also two hold ups on our trip (truck accidents) that held us up 30- 40 mins and could have been more. There also seem to be a lot of punctures so you need to leave plenty of time and not cut it too fine.
Overall we were very pleased with the holiday and with Faustin and his team who were always on time and did what they could to make our holiday great. The Hotels were both good but the Mikumi Safari Lodge deserves a special mention for the Staff and welcome that we had.
Thanks Faustin for helping make a great holiday (although tiring) for my family and I.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Machame 7 Day Kilimanjaro Trek
We had a fantastic experience climbing Kilimanjaro with Mega Adventures. We turned up in Moshi unsure of which tour company to use, and the owner of the Kilimanjaro Grand Hostel (Mandela) sorted it all out and we left the next day. The equipment they use is top notch and was either near or brand new. The food was incredible and they catered for both me (flexitarian) and my partner (vegetarian). The walking was tough but you're encouraged to go pole pole (slow). Our guides were great and very patient with my super pole pole pace. Our assistant guide, Ramadan, carried my bag without complain when I was tired. All of the staff were welcoming and just plain lovely. Special shout out to our assistant chef Izack, who was wonderful (and will be an amazing guide next year). We can't thank Mega Adventures enough for the adventure of a lifetime and a huge highlight of our holiday.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
once in a lifetime experience to see one of the wonders of the world !
The whole package tour was set to our needs and worked out perfectly with consideration to time and budget.
The driver and tour guide were knowledgeable and pleasant, tour bus was not the most comfortable since we were driving most of the day through dusty unpaved bumpy roads. Accommodation at the camp and lodge were comfortable and food was palatable. Early booking is advisable during peak time since we didn't get accommodation North of Serengeti and had a long tiring day driving back to our base camp. Also a last minute price increase for park entrance was not anticipated and we had to pay the extra fees after the package tour was booked. Overall a memorable and an adventurous trip.
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a Lifetime, arranged and guided by Mmilo Tours!
In Johannesburg for a week, on business, 3 colleagues and I were able to book-end our conference with a mini safari in the Pilanesberg Game Reserve and a trip to the Ukutula Lodge and Lion Park, all arranged through Mmilo Tours. We enjoyed fantastic morning and afternoon excursions into the Pilanesberg Game Reserve where we encountered 4 of Africa's big 5 game animals (the Leopards' camouflage was too good for our eyes). The food, lodgings and facilities in Pilanesberg were absolutely first rate, far exceeding my expectations! We closed our trip with a trip to the Elephant Reserve and an amazing overnight stay at the Ukutula Lodge; again, food and lodging were excellent. Our itinerary was suggested by Patrick at Mmilo Tours, who was also our guide. Patrick proved to be great company on the trip, sharing freely his wealth of knowledge of South Africa and all its wonders. Patrick also transported us to and from the airport, and the hotel that hosted our conference. If I'm lucky enough to get to travel to South Africa again I will be sure to arrange another outing with Mmilo Tours.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Experience
We went to our first safari in Africa (Kenya) with Wild Safaris and Travel. It was definitely a great experience that I would recommend anyone who loves wildlife and nature. When you are going to do a safari the main goal is to see the wildlife in action, and we did see plenty of animals from Pumbas to Lions, and four out of the big five. We witnessed the great migration from the Serengeti into Maasai Mara, which was amazing!!! Also, we went to Lake Naivasha, Nakuru, and Amboseli, from where you can see the famous Mount Kilimanjaro, which mesmerized us. Accommodations at the national parks were not fancy but were nice enough to get a good night of sleep and get ready for the next day of game drive. At the end of our safari we spent a couple of days just chilling out in Mombasa beaches. We felt accompanied throughout the trip by Tom and his crew, who took good care of us and were very nice and accommodating of our needs and request, as we are vegetarian. I would definitely go into a safari with Wild Safaris and Travel again.
CH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Swiss style organisation!
A special thank for The Safari Source! Monika and Miriam oriented us to a wonderful tour that met exactly all our needs. They were very efficient and gave a very good assistance!
It was important for us to have an intermediary between the african tour company and us in case we had a problem. The bonus was to pay in an european country! I sincerely recommend to use such intermediary when booking something in africa. The Safari Source is the perfect option in my opinion!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The trip of a lifetime!
Our safari group was a reunion of friends - 6 adults and 3 children - and everyone had a great time. Each day was a new experience of stunning landscapes and amazing animals… far beyond our expectations. The accommodations were top-notch and all of the transportation arrangements (by air and by land) were very smooth. Charles Mpanda and his company handled every detail of the journey so we could just relax and enjoy ourselves. Charles and the drivers were friendly, personable, accommodating to our needs, and very knowledgeable about the wildlife and local culture. It was truly the trip of a lifetime!
PL
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very good choice for a safari in Tanzania.
We , "four very mature girls", decided to see the Great Migration in Tanzania. We had been earlier on safaris in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana but we were told that the best safari is in Tanzania. Now that we’ve come back, I can definitely say that it is true. We chose Savannah Tours Ltd. and it was a very good choice. From the beginning our contact with the company was very good. Our program of a six-day private safari had been decided over email. We also liked the proposed accommodation. Ikoma Tented Camp is situated on the migration route and indeed we could observe thousands of traveling animals from the terrace of our tent or even while eating breakfast. View of the crater, through the window room in Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge, is really breathtaking. Our safari was amazing, we saw a lot of animals, and experienced some unforgettable moments. Our driver Ewa was very friendly and really looked after us so we could feel safe. The car was well-equipped and clean. We got it all for a very reasonable price. Without any hesitation I’d recommend this company for a safari in Tanzania.
KR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great experience with great people and a great tour
Justus and Ben were kind and friendly and they did best for us. The tour schedule was well arranged day by day.
The vehicle for the tour was clean and neat as well.
Accommodations were totally awesome with great views, staffs, food.
You will not regret with these guys.