50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fantastic Safari with EASTCO
We had a fantastic safari with EASTCO. We had been to Tanzania before and this time wanted to go to some places we had heard of but had not visited. As well as this we wanted to visit some old favourite places Tarangire National Park and Boundary Hill Lodge.
We once again found EASTCO very helpful and flexible in helping us organize a safari that was a bit different.
On this trip we visited Lake Natron. I had heard much about Lake Natron. The drive there was very interesting following the escarpment and driving over lava plains. We camped at Ngare Sero for 2 nights. It was fantastic: the escarpment, volcanic mountains and colourful Lake Natron.
We then drove to Lake Manyara and Ol Tukai, EASTCO's new lodge. This was our first glimpse of Ol Tukai, two thatched buildings with very steep roofs overlooking the distant lake. There was a large herd of giraffe behind Ol Tukai, maybe 30 or so scattered in the palm and acacia trees.
After Lake Manyara we headed for Tarangire National Park and spent hours watching elephants. At times they were amazingly close to us. We then drove to Boundary Hill Lodge, a place we had stayed at before. This is one of my favourite places to stay: spectacular views, giraffe and elephants on the plains below, Masai and their herds of cattle and unique accommodation. Each room is completely private built onto the rocks.
After Boundary Hill Lodge, we headed for Babati and stayed at the White Rose Guesthouse. This is a very simple local guesthouse, but clean and comfortable, very friendly staff. We had a chance here to go to a local restaurant and try local food. We wandered along the lake shore and visited the market. Lake Babati is well known for its hippos and as we were wandering to the market, there was a hippo in the bushes by the road!
Our next drive was to Mkomazi and the Pare Mountains where we stayed at the Elephant Motel.
Same is along the road between Kilimanjaro and the coast, a very dry stretch of country and the dominating features here are the mountains that run parallel to the road, the Pares and further south the Usambaras.
Mkomazi National park is set north of these mountains, itself borders by other mountains to the north and then the dry plains further east. It is a relatively new park, and I had always been keen to visit, and experience the park for myself. The camp we stayed at was set on a slight rise, two large tents and a dining tent, set in some acacias and looking west towards Kilimanjaro.
The next morning we headed towards the South Pare mountains and the village of Mbaga. We reached the local guesthouse where we were staying the night, Toma. The guesthouse is built on different levels out of wood, a ramshackle assortment of buildings, platforms and lounge areas perched on a narrow strip next to the road. This area has many building from the colonial German times and was very interesting.
After breakfast the next day we left for Amani Nature Reserve, heading over the Pares and visiting Chome Nature Reserve, before heading down to the main road, to the coast and then up a steep winding road to the Eastern Usambaras.
After a walk, we continued into Amani and the guesthouse we were staying in for the next three nights.
The difference between here and Chome was striking. Being closer to the Indian Ocean meant that Amani was much more humid and wetter.
Amani is an old colonial town, or town hub, a couple of old stone buildings, one of which was the old Amani Club, which is now the guesthouse.
After our stay at Amani we left for Tanga. The drive was interesting, citrus trees lining the road as we got closer to the coast.
Tanga itself was very interesting. The town is a mixture of old German colonial buildings, some Arab style balconies and typical Swahili homes, tin roofed, with a small porch with a cement bed to spend the hottest part of the days sleeping.
These three nights we camped on the beach between Tanga and Pangani near to a couple of Swahili fishing villages. The tents were small dome tents and we had our own private shower and toilets. They were in a great location overlooking the beach.
Sailing here was idyllic, drifting along under the dhow rigged sail with only the sound of the water beneath the hull.
On the last day we went to Tanga airstrip, where we caught a small plane for Dar Es Salaam and our international flight.
All in all it was a fantastic trip with lots of different and interesting things to see. We had a mixture of animals, fantastic scenery, history and local culture.
I would highly recommend EASTCO who went out of their way to give us the trip we wanted and who were very flexible.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
6 day serengeti, ngorongoro, tarangire and manyara tour. Outstanding guide made all the difference.
We travelled during February 2014 and were picked up from Kilimanjaro. Everything from this point onwards was pain and hassle free. Everything was taken care of allowing us to switch off and enjoy the excellent wildlife. I imagine we would have received similar quality of service from many of the tour companies but the thing that set Lilac apart was the level of knowledge of the two guides we had on the tour with us. Our guide Ame was a half Masai who had grown up near Ngorongoro and had clearly been running trips in the area for quite some time. He seemed to know where to go to get us as close to various animals at all times. There was some poor weather meaning fewer animals, but even during this time he was able to find us a pack of lions, hyenas and leopards. He managed our time really well and even on this relatively short trip was able to make sure that we saw as many animals up close as possible.
My advice, ask for Ame when booking and trust your guide. All the guides stay at the same accomodation and trade information on where different animals are living at the time. They also pull up next to each other and share information during the day.
We thought 6 days might be too little but it was enough for us although perhaps next time I would book a little longer to allow us to do some walking in the area.
A blinding week and I will be reccommending this company to anyone I talk to
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing birding & wildlife safari in Tanzania with Nature's Wonderland Safaris, highly recommended!
We were looking for something a little different from the average safari as my husband and I are birders. Of course we wanted to see the Big 5 but we didn't want to miss the many birds that we knew called Tanzania home. I heard some great things about Nature's Wonderland Safaris out of Nairobi running some specialized birding trips. I contacted them and immediately had a good feeling that they understood the kind of trip we were looking for. We settled on a private 12 day birding safari starting in Nairobi and taking in the major parks on the Northern Circuit in Tanzania. I communicated with our guide Joseph from the start of the planning process and he did an amazing job of taking all my requests and turning them into reality. As many people are, we were worried about wiring a large amount of money to a tour company in Africa. Our fears were groundless as we were informed as soon as our funds reached Nature's Wonderland's account. Communication throughout the planning process was excellent and they never seemed to tire of answering my considerable list of questions! We were met at the Nairobi airport by Joseph and warmly welcomed. Then we were whisked to our hotel, the Stanley, as Joseph reviewed our plans for the next day. In addition to birding we also wanted to make the most of our full day in Nairobi and do some shopping, visit the elepahnt orpahnage as we had adopted an orphan elephant and see Karen Blixen's House. All these were arranged and Joseph even managed to get us a sizeable list of Kenyan birds! We had decided to take the shuttle bus to Tanzania not just to save money but to see some of the countryside. Joseph delivered us to the bus, secured our luggage and made sure we had the best seats. He sheparded us through the border crossings and made sure we had the proper forms before we got to the windows. A big plus as other tourists ended up at the back of the line when they didn't have the forms filled out. On entering Tanzania we began the safari in earnest. Each park offered something different. We visited Arusha, Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti and Lake Manyara. We saw a wealth of wildlife and over 300 new birds. Joseph made sure we didn't miss a thing even taking time at the end of long days in the vehicle to bird the lodge grounds with us. Not only could he spot all the birds and wildlife but he knew all the bird calls by heart and patiently combed through an area where he heard a call and then made sure we both got on the bird. He took us on an amazing hike in the Crater Highlands that afforded us some rare birds we would never have seen from the Land Cruiser. All the lodging was wonderful. The Sopa lodges were amazing and our stay at Whistling Thorn Camp in Tarangire was an experience we will always remember. Joseph even took the time to find and make reservations at a place I had read about in Arusha called Shanga Shangaa which has disabled Tanzanians making crafts and has a restuarant. This was an inspiring place and we loved our lunch in the thatched hut here. We had an amazing time and the whole trip went flawlessly. Joseph and Nature's Wonderland Safaris went out of their way to ensure we had the trip of a lifetime. They exceeded our expectations and we cannot recommend them highly enough!
AT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Up, close and personal
We wanted to experience Africa this time "up, close and personal", after having spent time in a luxurious lodge in SA. That didn't do it for us. We felt privileged, but not connected. We wanted to do a walking safari and be really close to the African Earth and Animals. Then a well travelled friend of mine told me about African Adventure Safaris. And that was the lucky draw of all time! Within a week, Anne and Ant organized everything for a private tour for us 2! So amazing the communication and organization upfront, but that was only a taste of what was yet to come: Anthony is not only a fantastic guide with a knowledge that is at eye-sight of those of the Bushmen, inspiring and able to translate his love for the bush to the guests with a passion and dedication - he is superman in one person: a nevertiring driver, coping with bumpy, waterfilled roads with the patience of a Buddha and an adventurous spirit at the sime time; a 5* chef of the al fresco cooking - very creative and delicious, he is a brilliant story teller of his experiences, he just makes you comfortable and part of nature. And this is a wonderful, rare gift. We had the time of our life! Visiting the Rhino Sanctuary, Central Kalahari (in lush green!), Okawango Delta, Moremi and Chobe, we had such phenomenal encounters with the beauty of the mammals, birds and the jaw dropping landscape. We wish we were still there. We are graceful and thankful - also to Anne, Anthony's lovely girlfriend, who was so supportive and great to have around - for this once in a lifetime experience! We will definitely travel again the magic soil of Africa - with African Adventures Safari!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Reasonable safari cost, very experienced drivers and air conditioned safari designed vehicles.
The communication and the services i experienced at New Kenya were excellent, very welcoming and fantastic.
CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable honeymoon!!
My husband and I went on a 10-day semi-luxury safari with Safari Infinity for our honeymoon over Christmastime in 2013. From the start of planning to the day we returned home, our experience with Lucia and Simon at Safari Infinity was amazing. Everything reached far beyond our expectations!!!
We got married in September 2013 and of course had no time to plan our honeymoon until after our wedding. We knew we wanted to do something really unique and experience something that was "once in a lifetime." Tanzania was one of the top places on our list. We went to a local travel agent to do our initial research and had conversations with an agent there that was connected to many other safari operators. He offered some options and prices. Honestly, we weren't fully satisfied with the information, only because we couldn't sense the safari experience through glossy brochures. Then I remembered that a friend of mine travelled on a safari just a few months before. I learned of Lucia and her team and there began our real planning.
We really loved the direct contact that we had with Lucia. She operates directly out of Arusha and we knew she had contact and details about all her drivers and all the lodges. We loved how there was no "middle man" or agent between us and the safari operator throughout our planning. Lucia was ALWAYS so prompt with her replies with all our questions regarding pricing and accommodations, down to the smaller details like the shape of the truck in which we would be travelling. Whenever we emailed her, we would literally wake up to an informative email from Lucia the next morning. Not only was this important in easing any worries, but also because we only had three and a half months to book and plan our safari. The matter of time was crucial for us.
We began to be impressed with their service even before we departed Toronto. Lucia had offered to help us plan the Zanzibar portion of our trip for us, which was a lifesaver during our busy schedules. She knows tons of lodges in all price ranges on the island. We let her know our budget and she suggested several that were available in the very busy Christmas high season. During this planning, she hit a snafu with the final lodge that we had to book. After a delay in their response, they had informed her know that we couldn't stay with them because there was a minimum 6-night stay during this high season. Of course, because of their delayed response, we had lost some chances to book with other lodges. Lucia amazingly took the initiative to contact the hotel management and complained about their inconsiderate services. The result, we were able to book for our two-night stay and our honeymoon planning was complete!
Regarding our flights, Lucia connected us to a Canadian travel agent who specialized in trips to Africa. Their services were also top-notch and they were very dedicated to finding the BEST price for us. Be sure to ask Lucia for her preferred travel agent. Payment was the only thing that made us hesitant in the planning process. We were to wire money to Africa and this would be our first time having to do that. Lucia made sure to let us know when she had received the money. There was absolutely no glitches with the multiple payments we had to make and Lucia made sure to send us professional payment receipts after each one.
Our trip began with a shaky start but not to any fault of Safari Infinity. Departing in the middle of December in Toronto of course becomes risky business in terms of snowstorms. Of course, to our bad luck, we departed during the evening of the first big snowfall of the season. We were delayed for four hours on the tarmac. This caused us to miss our connecting flight in Amsterdam, which then resulted in a detour to Nairobi before landing in Arusha. Instead of landing in the evening before Day 1 of our safari, we landed the morning of Day 1 and began our safari right after arriving! We were on very little sleep after being enroute for 26 hours. But once we landed, we were full of adrenalin and were ready to go see some wildlife! Oh, also add into the mix of the shaky start - our luggage was delayed in Europe. We were out of clean clothes for an indefinite time.
Lucia was always in contact with us while we were enroute to Arusha. We let her know through email that our flights were delayed and she made sure to revise our schedule to suit. Our driver, Fazal was met us at the airport at the revised time. Fazal was so patient with us while we were getting the paperwork done for our delayed luggage.
I have only heard good things about Safari Infinity's drivers and I can only say very good things about our driver, Fazal. He speaks very good English, always had a smile on his face from Day 1, and he exudes passion for his job, Tanzania, and its wildlife. He even brought us a great surprise when we first met him at the airport! Because we were out of clean clothes for an indefinite time, the first place he brought us was in the middle of town in Arusha where we had our first local market experience! We were successful in finding some underwear and fresh shirts. This is where Simon Kombe, Lucia's life and business partner met us! He also had a smile on his face all the time. He asked us to give him the airline's paperwork for our luggage and told us that he would do his best in tracking it down for us. This was great news, as the language barrier that we experienced while trying to do this at the airport left us feeling very discouraged.
I am not going to do a day to day write-up on our entire safari experience. But I will highlight a couple of incidents that shows Fazal's and Safari Infinity's great organization, services, and genuine personalities involved. Fazal, for one, was amazing. Because of his passion for the land and the animals, he always knew where to go and how to have us enjoy it as he would. From the very beginning, he told us that he will take us off the beaten track whenever he could so that we could have our true private safari experience. He never let us down about this. More than once were we the only ones watching a pride of lions in the middle of the Serengeti, hours at a time. We spent two ours with a cheetah one afternoon. We were always a speck amongst 2 million migrating wildebeests and zebras. We saw a black rhino in the Ngorongoro Crater!! We went to visit some of his old friends at a Masai boma. We walked through a local market at the base of high mountains in the Great Rift Valley, where we met people whom have never seen tourists before. Fazal has eyes that are better than a hawk! He can spot a lion that looks like a rock from afar! He stopped the car one time and we thought it was for a large elephant or lion, but no. He had stopped it because he saw a tiny dung beetle rolling its eggs on the road! I have no idea how one could spot something like that in a large moving vehicle. He made sure to show us the big and the tiniest creatures of Africa. It was all amazing and intriguing. Fazal can tell you so much about the behaviour of elephants, lions, cheetahs, dung beetles, bees, rhinos, snakes. Everything. I was thinking that we should of brought a wildlife book for our trip but I'm glad I didn't bring the extra luggage. Learning from Fazal was much better than trying to find it in a book.
Another highlight during our trip related to our luggage. Simon was always in touch with Fazal during our trip. It is incredible how far cell phone reception reaches in the plains of Africa! On our third day Simon had great news! He had tracked down our luggage! Him and Fazal organized a pick-up spot. Had our bags arrived one day later, we would of have been too far along in our circuit that we would of had to pick up our bags at the very end of our safari. A Safari Infinity colleague had met us in a small village between Tarangire and Lake Manyara to hand us our bags. Seeing our bags waiting for us amongst the mud huts and dusty roadside stalls in the middle of Africa was one of the best feelings during the trip! I don't know what other safari operators would of done if this luggage debacle happened to one of their clients. We were so glad that our priorities were also Safari Infinity's. Never had a fresh t-shirt felt so good!
Leaving mainland Tanzania was actually one of the saddest moments of the trip. We had an emotional goodbye to Fazal, who dropped us off at the tiny local Arusha airport. He made sure our bags went through the right people and that everything was good to go before he drove away. We were sad to say goodbye but happy to have made a new friend! Fazal was not only a driver for us. Ten days in the bush with a person whom you first met in a foreign land can be intense. For us it was an opportunity to make a new friend, talk about life in Africa, life in Canada, compare our lifestyles, and just be educated in the most fun way possible.
Our trip to Zanzibar was blissful. It was a great way to end our trip. This was the time when we reminisced about what we saw on the safari and also enjoyed the real African heat (way hotter in Zanzibar than mainland). The food was great and scene was amazing. Service was always went a bit 'pole pole' ('slow and easy' in Swahili) but we were on vacation so what was the rush?? We slept so well and had no plans except to enjoy eating fruits while sitting on the white powder sand.
Safari Infinity's their business is transparent, and their operators are VERY organized and dedicated. I can't say enough great things about them. We would go back to Africa in a heartbeat. We miss it already and we would for sure book with Safari Infinity again if and when we have the chance! It was great to directly support a local business and we would have done it no other way. I highly recommend them! Thank you so much, Safari Infinity!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
So nice so comfortable holiday
All things were so organised, we spend our holiday peacefully with charm persons. We were so excited running up and down , moving left and right to see beautifully animals, it is an paradise place.
totally professional, very happy with tour and guides provided, highly recommended
It was one of the best trips we have ever had and Frate Tours were the best. From the start to the end, there was always a representative there to handle all our queries and guide us. An unforgettable experience and the experience plus the safari itself has exceeded our expectations
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful time
I was apprehensive about travelling to South Africa but I was confident that my husband would not get us into danger and Compass Odyssey advertised that safety was a priority. We had a fantastic trip and saw so many animals it was stunning, and at no time did I feel unsafe. Kate and Darren's care of us as travellers was impressive even when we had our "own time" they recommended ideas specifically suited to our individual needs. I have so many wonderful memories and photos of our time in South Africa and hope to return soon to see more of Africa...only with Compass Odyssey.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Experiences of a Lifetime!
We had travelled extensively around the world for 25 years before we took two Compass Odyssey tours because we had never experienced Africa. Their client profile fitted us as we like to engage with cultures wherever we travel and go off the beaten track away from tourist "packs" to have special encounters. We had a fantastic time and still cherish the amazing insight into South Africa that Darren and Kate gave us. We met real people and had experiences that will remain with us forever. Their ability to give us the information we needed to enjoy the moment without bombarding us with facts, and subtly creating moments around exquisite food, views, places or people was remarkable.
I can't recommend Compass Odyssey highly enough for the quality of product and price that we enjoyed in South Africa.