US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Photo Safari - Even better than expected
Matt and I want to thank you so much for the fantastic experience with Shadows of Africa in February. As this was our first photo safari we had many questions pre-travel and we very much appreciate your team, especially Jake, for being responsive and patient with our inquiries. Once on the ground in Tanzania our guide and driver, Richard, was on top of every detail, including his recognition of the camera equipment we brought and a trip enhancing suggestion to remove the two middle seats in the Land Cruiser. This gave us the room we needed for our tripod and other equipment. As you know, we requested a very specific 2-person photo safari experience. The Shadows of Africa team responded to that request from the beginning to the very end, even arranging for a place to shower and change on the way to the airport on the final day. This allowed us to have a full last day on Safari.
Natasha, special thanks to you for meeting us at the hotel to adjust our itinerary at the last minute in response to my request to spend an additional night in the Serengeti tent camp. It proved to be a good choice as we lost a half day to rain and the extra night was needed to have a complete experience. All of these details and so much more made our experience a positive memory we can cherish.
By the way, we got some great photos and video of the great migration, lions, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, hippos, etc. etc. Even some great bird shots. This is why we went to Tanzania and you, Jake, Richard and your whole team made it great. I can’t imagine any other tour company doing better, and the price was very reasonable. I would highly recommend Shadows of Africa to anyone considering such a safari.
Best wishes, Don & Matt Basler
Carolinas USA
HR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Maximum Africa Experience
The most important thing when you're booking a safari is to have an experienced driver - and this is the trademark of SoA. The right driver will take you places other drivers do not know of, he/she knows where to find animals and has special connections in local stores and camps. Also, they can choose the right chef for the trip, give you valuable information on the animals and be a pleasant companion. Natasha is one of few safari company owners who finished a demanding safari management program (which includes spending a month in a safari camp and handing vast amount of info about the local flora and fauna) so you can tell her your wishes and fully rely on the safari package she will tailor for you. Best drivers and best management - once you get there, you will appreciate it, as it is the only guarantee you will return back home with memories and experiences exceeding your expectations.
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fantastic safari
We are a family of four and Mama Savana organized for us a wonderful Safari in a tented camp. We spent 1 night in lake Nakuru and 4 nights in Masai Mara. Everything was perfect. Perfect guide, perfect car, the tented camp was nice, clean and well organized. Food was very good and everything went the right way. Thanks Mama Savana for the wonderful time we had!
NZ
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best holiday ever!
We used African Safaris to arrange our trip to Kenya. They were fantastic. We were particularly interested in seeing the Wildebeest crossing, but had never been to Africa before so didn't know what to expect. What a thing of joy our trip was. We saw the crossing, the big 5 (leopard several times), had fabulous accommodation/food and a brilliant driver (thanks Joshua). We went to Amboseli, Lake Nakuru and (of course) the Masai Mara. Every day was filled with beauty and wonder. I'd never considered a safari before and it exceeded all expectations. Every time I see a wildlife program on t.v. I'm transported back to our holiday. And even now (several years and many other trips later) I can still say that the safari in Kenya was one of the best trips of my life. If you've never been, make sure you do. You won't regret it.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was amazing, everything as I imagined an African safari would be.
We stayed at Ivory Lodge, which is on the border to Hwange National Park, I was a part of a tour group so we camped, but some of my fellow travelers upgraded into the tree houses and they said it was some of the best accommodation of the trip. At Ivory Lodge they have a water hole with a hide, so we spent most of the night watching for what would come to the water hole. We saw a herd of greater kudu and two bull elephants, the elephants were so close you could hear them breathing it was one of the best moments of my trip.
We spent two days at Ivory Lodge, on the first day they took us to the Painted Dog Conservation Centre. At the centre they has 3 rehabilitating dogs and its a place were they take local schools to educate the children and visitors about the plight of the Painted Dogs. Its very rare to see Painted Dogs in the wild so being able to just see some who one day will again be wild was wow. That afternoon we went on a sunset game drive in Hwange and we actually saw real Painted Dogs, so that was my unexpected highlight of the trip, we also saw a breeding herd of Elephants, Buffalo, lots of birds and a cheetah.
On the second day we spent on a whole day game drive, and saw much of the same animals, as well as three lions, and we ran into another herd of elephants they were so close you could have touched them and they weren't afraid they just checked us out and kept eating.
We went during the rainy season, but thankfully it didn't rain, but the park was all green and in full bloom, it was some of the best scenery in Zimbabwe. Our guide were all locals and new everything and always had an answer to our questions.
I would definetely go back it was an amazing couple of days
AE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Detail
We spent 2 nights at the Masodini Lodge organised by Bubezi Safaris. We had 3 game drives during our time there. The lodge was wonderful and the food and service were excellent. The drives - 2 evenings, 1 morning - were great. Bert was a pleasure to have as the driver and we appreciated his knowledge andsense of humour. However, the overriding feeling was that every detail was taken care of expertly and our stay there was hassle free. The dinner conversations were fun and even better when the excellent wine was close at hand. Andy is one of a kind. We couldn't have asked for a better guide who looked after every detail from start to finish! We'll be back.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was a remarkable adventure & great opportunity to view amazing animals in their natural habitat.
Though the park does not have the most beautiful of scenery (it's mostly dirt), the wildlife is amazing. I arrived at the park early in the morning for an all-day game drive. Immediately after entering the park, I saw various antelopes and bucks, which made me excited for the rest of the day. It wasn't long before we came across a rare and elusive leopard! What an amazing opportunity! Seeing such a beautiful creature in its natural habitat was a truly remarkable experience. As the day continued, we saw various birds, many giraffes, and even a pack of cheetahs as they enjoyed a recent kill. It would have been nice to be able to spend two days at Kgalagadi in order to see more of the park and view even more wildlife. My guide was very knowledgeable. Our overland truck proved advantageous because it gave us a better view, as we were sitting quite high. There was a gift shop at the park entrance and clean bathroom facilities throughout the park. Overall, I have to say that my experience at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is something that I will never forget. If you're a wildlife lover, this park is definitely worth your time!
Trip for 2
Joseph was very patient and catered for our trip even though we only had 2 people, great service and a good friend!
Lake Turkana tribes
Lake Turkana is not a conventional 'safari' destination. It is a place where you visit the tribes that live there and not so much look for wildlife. If you want to see wildlife, you better visit the parks in the south of Kenya. Although if you want to visit both the east and west side of Lake Turkana, you could drive from Loiyangalani on the east side, through to South Horr and Maralal to Lake Baringo. You will have great views of the Lake Turkana when leaving Loiyangalani. Lake Baringo is a great place for bird watching and there is a good lodge in the park. As mentioned before, Lake Turkana is a place to visit the tribes that live there. The Turkana, the Pokot and the Rendille tribes. The terrain they live in is pretty rough, so you will need a 4x4 to travel around. You will need to go off the beaten track to find some villages that are still living in an original way. Also if you go camping, bring all your supplies with you, there is not much available in the villages. If you stay in the lodge in Loiyangalani, the food is good and the beer is cold. The owner is a German that married a Turkana woman lives there already for decades. It is a good place to relax in the middle of your trip. The Turkana and Rendille that live here are already changed a lot to 'modern' live. The more original Turkana live on the west side of the lake. You will need to go to the area between Lokichar and Lodwar to find them. The winter months are the best time to go to the Lake Turkana area, as it will be very hot in the summer time.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic experience
Visiting my son Adam we organised a two day safari via Andrew ably assisted by Jeff. We did Lake Manyare and the Ngorogoro crater, camping at the Panorama campsite where David cooked a lovely meal and breakfast before giving us a lovely packed lunch. Our guide was Derek who was great, tailoring the two days to four lads, even finding us a bar at the end of the day to watch Man City v Liverpool! We saw all of the big 5 and Derek was very knowledgeable but a good laugh as well. Great value and an unforgettable experience. Andrew is a gentleman and a really nice guy. Highly recommended.