A Magic weekend
My boyfriend and I went to a three days Safari at Masai Mara last month. We stayed at the Mara Sopa Lodge. We found a great special offer with this safari tour company and the price for the stay was totally worth it. We had a great weekend, the organization was very good, our guide in the park was great, we saw most of the park and of the animals. The say at Mara Sopa was perfect, food was very good, personnel and waiters were very kind and helpful. The room was spacious very well decorated and comfortable. We had a great view of the park walking to our room and overall I very much recommend this tour company and the accommodation we stayed in!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
This was our first holiday with Native Escapes and we would recommend them. There was very prop
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The scenery in different parts of Namibia is very dramatic and beautiful, especially Sossusvlei and Damaraland. The lodges are well situated with no fences round the camps so you can just watch the wildlife from your room. We saw a male lion at the water hole just 20 yards away from our porch and while in a night hide saw two rhinos fighting and they were only about 5 yards away. It was also very special going out for the sundowners with our guide singing and playing the guitar while the sun went down - we have come back with some lovely memories
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be aware that the days are very long (the longest was from 5.30am, spent all day at Etosha National Park, had dinner, went to a night hide and got back to the lodge at midnight). There is a lot of travelling on very uneven, rocky roads. The weather was extremely hot and the vehicle not air-conditioned, which made all the travelling very tiring. I dont think this holiday would be suitable for anyone over about 70 years old
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
All the lodges used employed local people and were all trying hard to reduce environmental impacts. All the people concerned supported conservation
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was a brilliant holiday. The guide was great, very knowledgable, very professional and his enthusiasm and love for his country shone through everything he did. He made our time in Namibia very special. All the lodges used were comfortable and clean and the food great and the people there friendly and helpful.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An astounding bush experience marked by spectacular wildlife...like living in an IMAX movie!
Although technically the most rustic of the places we stayed, our camp in Musanza was situated in an idyllic riverbank setting, and was surrounded by mopane (which actually look similar to ironwood trees and were unknown to us, although they are rather common in the area) and checkerwood trees. It ended up surpassing our expectations and was our favorite of all the camps we have visited. The staff were wonderful and the cook was great; the food was superb. There was something amazing about having the opportunity to lounge in collapsable "director's chairs" just outside our tent before high tea in the late afternoon, watching the exotic birds in the tree and vines, reading, or occasionally seeing or hearing hippos splash in the Lufupa river fifty feet away.
Yes, hearing hippos. I had never before thought about hippos making noise, but they actually make a very distinctive (and rather loud) sound that marked our days and nights and that we had never before experienced. It is an expansive and deep laughing sound, as if someone had recorded a guffaw and then played it back --much louder-- at a slower speed. At the risk of dating myself, I would liken it to a 45 rpm record being played back at 33 rpm. The hippos frolic and splash in the water, submerge themselves for a few minutes, then resurface and bellow out HOOOO HAR HAR. (One person in our group posited that they go under the water to share fart jokes, then come back to the surface to laugh over them. If you ever have the chance to hear this sound you will find this explanation strangely.
The beasts splash around in the water, submerge for a minute or two, then surface and call out HOOOOO HAR HAR HAR. (One wag in our tour group suggested that they go underwater to tell fart jokes, then surface to laugh at them. If you ever get to hear this sound you will find that theory strangely conceivable.)
We really wanted to walk that fifty feet and sit on the river bank, but were told to keep a distance of at least ten feet from the water at all times, since that is the striking point of the crocodiles who share the water with the hippos. We did not need to be instructed on this twice.
One of Musanza's afternoon activities was a boat ride up the river that lasted a few hours, in an outboard aluminum skiff that accommodated roughly seven. There was a plethora of birds, and as we meandered up river our boat driver made sure to maneuver around the hippos. You would think since the hippos are fairly large targets that this might be an easy task, however, since they occupy a fair amount of time underwater is more difficult (and more dangerous) than it appears. There were times when he would spot bubbles further down the river and would simply steer us in a compact circle for a few minutes until the underwater hippos had vacated. There was an occasion where he misjudged, and a hippo reared just under the surface about two feet to the left of the rig, causing a huge ripple and provoking a not entirely uncalled for shout from a woman who had the distinction of sitting right at that point of the boat.
Hippos look funny, and their laugh adds to that picture, but they are genuinely dangerous because of their inclination for capsizing boats. They are close to the top of the list of large animals that routinely cause human deaths. (This being around here of course; there are not very many hippo-related casualties in our neighborhood). They are also threatening to each other, with a social structure that features a lot of the alpha-male, "are YOU lookin' at ME?" stuff. A couple miles upstream from our camp on the river bank, we happened upon a severely injured young male hippo limping through the brush and into the river. He had a nasty wound on his left rear flank, which most likely arose from a brush with the wrong adult male.
A stop at the Treetops school was including on our boat trip. This school is where more affluent parents, mostly from the capital Lusaka, send their children for four to five days of seeing the animals, living in the bush, etc. It is basically a summer camp featuring elephants. There was a larger variety of ethnic diversity than we expected (Indian, black, and white), until we were given the explanation behind "affluent": these were al children of the diplomats and other "upper crust" in Lusaka. The school had a classroom and separate, camp-style dorm buildings, and was situated in a clearing close by the riverbank. The setting was dominated by a giant baobab tree, which also merits some discussion.
If you have ever studied French in school then you probably read "The Little Prince," By St. Exupéry, in which case you have already conjured up a mental image of a baobab tree as a vine-draped thing that has roots drooping from all its branches and thus spreads itself over a very wide area. Well, delete that image because St. Exupéry was entirely wrong in confusing a baobab tree with a banyan. A baobab is defined by a very wide trunk and comparatively thin branches - in fact, it looks as if someone chopped off all the branches from a much older tree and they have only been growing back over the past couple years. The trunks are of such great diameter that in old times poorer residents of the village would hollow them out and use the still living tree as a home; in some instances the community would use them as prisons. The baobab at Treetops could probably have served as a small maximum security jail: the tree was roughly 150' high and easily 25'-30' wide at its base. (We have a picture of us standing at the base - it's so big that you have to look two times to see us.)
We left Musanza (and Zambia) with heavy hearts; it had truly been an Edenic three days and we really bonded with the staff there (it probably didn't hurt that we were the only guests). As seems to be the standard procedure at every camp we have visited, the last night included musical performance by the staff, a lively drum display that had everyone up on their feet.
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35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
My experience with Chels was excellent. I could not have imagined a better experience
The service was fantastic. I would recommend Chels to anyone wishing to experience safari in Tanzania. The guides and other staff were knowledgeable, friendly, capable, and overall fun to be with
NO
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A dedicated driver means a lot!
I picked Karibu Safaris based on reviews found on Internet. I had some questions concerning the 6-day safari Masaai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Amboseli, and would like to have some answers before deciding whether to choose the 6-day safari or the 3-day safari to Masaai Mara. The email communication was not very professional and I was stuck without having the answers to all of my questions, just some of them.
I picked the 6-day safari. I was picked where I was staying in Nairobi. I was also brought back after the safari. That is a good and valuable service.
The actual safari tours were nice for someone who loves safari. The driver in Masaai Mara did not seem very interested in animals. Therefore, the experience could have been better. The safari in Lake Nakuru had a limited value except spotting the rhino which was not spottet in Maasai Mara. The driver in Amboseli was definitely the most dedicated one and did a good job. It was not his fault that Mount Kilimanjaro could not be seen due to thick clouds....
The 6-day safari is not recommendable unless you enjoy hours and hours of driving along the Kenyan roads. Driving from Nakuru in the morning, arriving in Nairobi in the afternoon and in Amboseli late in the evening was very tiresome. Instead of combining Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Amboseli, I would suggest to combine Maasai Mara and Lake Nakuru as one tour. Amboseli should rather be combined with Tsavo. That would reduce the driving along the road between the national parks.
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20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
US
Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Second time happy Tourists
This is the second time we have booked a holiday with Safarihub and again we have been very impressed from our initial discussion to creating a tailor made package. The Safari consultant was very helpful and knowledgeable and we appreciated a 5% discount as a goodwill gesture for a returning client. The holiday was perfect and met all our expectations and more.
BE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Tanzania was marvelous
Thanks a lot Matoke Tours, our tour in Tanzania was SUPER!!! we had to do nothing but enjoying, everything was excelent organised.
Our guide was the best ever, thanks Lawrence.
We have seen everything you can dream, 99 lions for instance, nobody can believe this, but it is true.
3 leopards, 3 cheeta's, wild dogs, you name it. A lion hunting on a warthog ( and he got it ), fighting elephants, fightings grirafs, sometimes we had the suspicion, our guide was telepathic, he could see what would happen, almost every time.
Ofcourse we have seen the big 5, we are travelling every year to Africa, but this was the best, we have never seen this, it was the best organised the most exciting travel ever,I don't have words enough to discribe !!!!!!!!!!
BE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable Journey
From the beginning very well and personally organised by Nicole.
When we arrived, we met our travel companions from holland and our tour guide Bella and the two drivers Fred and Richard. All of them where very nice people. We booked a 15 days tour through Uganda and everything was well arranged. Bella was a perfect tour leader, so we only have to enjoy the views, experiences, animals, people and landscapes. We recommend this trip to everyone, because Uganda is the most beautiful country we've ever seen. Bella informed and helped us very well, so we've learned a lot of the religion, the political situation and the way of life of the Ugandan people. It was a trip with lots of adventure and the Gorillatracking as highlight. If you are planning a tour through Uganda, please contact Matoke tours and you will have an incredible journey.
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We had an absolutely amazing experience....
We were a bunch of dive friends plng a trip to east Africa but had absolutely no clue as to where to start from . Then a friend gave us the number of a person by the name David . Little did we know that this name is going to create magic and wonders for us in days to come . We contacted David and right from our first interaction we knew we are with the best guy in the business . David took all the pains not only in plng our itinerary but also went that extra mile in helping us book reasonable hotels , giving travelling tips , helping us book transports etc . Off course when we met it was further cemented that he is not only a thorough professional but also a wonderful human being . He took all the measures to ensure we had a hassle free trip to Kenya and Zanzibar but what left us absolutely in awe of him was those personal touch they give to this trip . All along we felt that there is a family member with us to help and guide and take care of us . I would also like to make a mention of other two super guys ...Cyrus and Jackson ...because of whom this trip became super successful . Jackson is an amazing driver a nd has a sharp instinct to spot wild animals . It was only because of him we were able to spot all " the big five " during our safari . I can assure everybody that they will have the time of their life with big time safari and their team of wonderful professionals . I wish big time safari , David and the complete team all the very best and hope to meet u guys very soon in future ....