ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Super great safari with Shadows of Africa!
My husband and I did a safari of 5 days and everything was arranged perfectly from beginning to end. Everything was beyond expectations, thanks to Natasha and our guide Silvester and cook Abdul. The communication with Natasha is excellent, she responds very fast and knows exactly how to put a nice safari together, as well as give tips about Tanzania in general.
We went to Lake Mayara (1 day), Serengeti (2 days), Ngorongoro (1 day) and on our last day we went hunting with bush men (nomads), all was just amazing! Thanks to our guide we've seen the most amazing animals, he knew exactly where to go and spotted them from very far. The food was also very good, you will not miss anything!
We did the budget camping and slept in tents, which I would definitely recommend as you are more connected with the nature and during the night some curious animals could come to visit you, which is a very nice experience!
Thanks to Shadows of Africa we had an amazing safari! Thank you Natasha!!! :)
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
The trip of a lifetime!
As a self-admitted travel nut, to say that this is the best trip I have ever taken (in 60+ some years) still seems like an understatement. The quality of all arrangements and accommodations, the caliber of the staff and guides, the printed materials and informative emails, and general responsiveness of all Odyssey personnel (they aim to please, and do it brilliantly!) surpassed even our greatest expectations. As if seeing the animals up close and personal in the African savanna were not life affirming and life altering enough, the good fellowship of our tour group and the daily helpfulness of the Odyssey folks made this a dream-come-true of a vacation!
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
We highly recommend Makasa, they gave us our dream Safari trip in Tanzania
We found Makasa online, and began working with them because they are a local company. They were very easy to work with, they responded quickly and gave us a recommendations for a range of tented camps and lodges, and what was reserved for us was exactly what we wanted. The tour guide/driver was exceptional; his knowledge of the animals and birds and their behavior was excellent, he was friendly and enthusiastic, and he could not have done more for us. He was able to find animals we would never have seen.
We spent time in Manyara, Ngorongoro and Serengeti, and each park had its unique features.
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Awesome
Well, I cannot complain about anything. I easly managed to book my tour. I was able to customize my tour too. The service that your provided was impeccable. Least but not last, Nick, my guide was fantastic always on time, always giving so good insights. Well, I really enjoyed my trip at Kruger
Times to remember
Pieter Mostert of Blue Sky Namibia and I met more than 30 years ago. We met the first time in 1981 when I hitchhiked around Namibia. I returned to Namibia in 2003 with my family and did a safari with him. Namibian wildlife and scenery is incredibly beautiful, and the country is a very safe place to travel in. The family loved it.
Pieter has an extraordinary knowledge of the fauna and flora of Namibia. It is so interesting to listen to him, that it is difficult to leave him and Namibia. The fact that he does personalized safaris means that Pieter adjusts to the traveler and his curiosity. In his WW combi he stops whenever needed and explains the location and its fauna and flora. This is not "industrial" tourism so often practiced nowadays.
Pieter is also a very pleasant person to be with, always ready to help, and always with a smile. This makes any safari with him a human experience difficult to forget. He is a great guide and travel companion to those who want to explore Namibia.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Fire your therapist. Go to Mana
What can one say about a Goliath Safari at Mana Pools?
Well quite a lot actually. A safari with Stretch is not like other safaris in Africa. It is not a sterile experience looking at Hippo from inside an air-conditioned landcruiser.
No, it’s not like that at all. You are in the sand and heat and right up close and personal with the animals. You know who you are after you have been charged by three lions and have walked with the elephants. I have never experienced anything like it, and I loved it.
Go with a group of friends. Your life back hope fades as quick as the African sun goes down behind the Zambian hills. You bond with your friends in a way you can never do at home. The romance, the adrenalin, the shared experience with them is something you will never forget.
And even if you are traveling alone or as a couple, you will get to know your fellow guests at the dinner table under the stars (and what a bunch, royalty, stars, politics, it’s all been round that table)
If you are very lucky, Flo (Stretch’s business partner) will be there to add elegance and some wry wit.
I can’t recommend this strongly enough. Fire your therapist. Go to Mana.
J Kelly
New York
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An unforgettable experience!!!
We spent 8 days with Savannah Explorers and we had a wonderful time! We planned the tour with Roberto and everything has gone as the plan. Everything was perfect: at the arrival at Kilimanjaro we know our guide, Rama. We became immediately friends! He proved to be pleasant and experienced: he has taught us everything we needed to know about Tanzania. He told us the story of Serengeti, Tarangire and Ngorongoro and everything about wildlife. If we saw so many animals we have to thank him. Savannah gave us the opportunity to visit two tribes of bushmen with a Datoga guide. He told us about uses, costums and history about them. It was a beautiful experience! Lodges and tented camp suggested by Roberto has been really comfortable and characteristic. Thank to the staff, we lived a beautiful experience in Osupuko. David, the manager, Claude, the chef, Yohana, Peter, Lukas... they made our stay unforgettable! We suggest to travel with SE because of professionalism, experience and excellent price/quality. Thank you Roberto and Greyson!
Mungu ibariki Afrika!!!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent
We had the best time as a family, a very spiritual experience seeing so many animals and birds in their natural environment. Ed from Pure Zanzibar completely understood what we were after on our trip, for example good food. we had excellent food and service from everyone at both Tent with a View and at Echo Beach. thank you so much the holiday will remain with me always!
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best trip of my life!
Everything was wonderful. I still can't wrap my head around the beauty of the land, the people and the incredible animals. I hope to go again some day and I wouldn't change a thing. Except maybe the length of my trip. If I could I would stay longer!!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The Lemosho Route: An Amazing Journey!
Embarking on a journey as daunting as Mt Kilimanjaro took a degree of level headedness in almost every stage, from choosing a travel company to gear selection to final summit night courage, but the reward of Uhuru Peak and the view from the Roof of Africa makes every test more than worth it. The best piece of advice I could give anyone contemplating the climb is to have confidence in every decision you make let this carry you to the top!
The keys to building this confidence are gained by doing thorough groundwork before you reach Tanzania in the areas of physical conditioning, gear selection, and guide company selection. While I was going through this process I was interning in South Africa where I did not have a lot of time or the available resources to devote to training or finding the right gear, so in hindsight I learned that tour company selection is one of the most important choices you make, they end up being the glue that holds what training, gear, and confidence you have together and if you make the right choice they’ll help you make up for any area in which you’re lacking.
That being said, the company I choose was E-Trip Africa and I could not have been happier with my selection. From my timely pick-up and conversation with Ben at Kilimanjaro International to our thorough pre-trek team meeting, I had full confidence I would make it to the top. Our lead guide, Caspar, was heavily suave with experience and led us through a detailed examination of all our gear making sure we had was up to par, with a convenient rental company representative there to offer any needed supplies at a very reasonable rate.
As we set out along the Lemosho route my team of six trekkers quickly realized we would be rubbing elbows with several other groups as we had chosen a full moon hike (still definitely recommend this despite the crowds, they thin out closer to summit). This close proximity to other groups for the first few days allowed us to eye the other amenities offered by other companies and we quickly realized how lucky we were in comparison. Our “dining hall” tent (A.K.A. the Jack O’ Lantern) allowed us to enjoy our frequent warm beverages and near gourmet meals in protection from the elements, and our team consistently surged past on the trail, always pausing to say jambo, to have camp set up for us at the next site.
The unique dynamic energy that each and every member of our team brought to the journey became essential in trying times of fatigue, sickness, and hardship. Caspar quickly adapted to any unforeseen circumstances ranging from impromptu birthday celebrations to accommodating a team member who felt the affects of AMS. An important aspect I hadn’t thought about in a company was how well they are able to adapt to different fitness levels within a group, something that Caspar and his team did very well. Summit night he timed our ascent perfectly to watch the sunrise from Stella Point. Definitely recommend!