US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Visit to South Africa October 2014 - Wonderful Trip
We enjoyed our trip immensely. But we made clear that we didn't know the areas we were going to and I think our travel agent could have helped us out a bit.
ILIOS is the group that was used for our guide and transfers. They were all knowledgeable, punctual, thoughtful and professional.
Cape Town was beautiful. The hotel was very nice, big rooms and what a VIEW! Staff were friendly and helpful. The breakfast was delicious, fresh fruit every morning just got our taste buds popping. But as much as we enjoyed the hotel since there was not restaurant or bar at the hotel, I think for us, 2 women traveling alone, we would have enjoyed a place closer to restaurants. Maybe on the coast by the V&A wharf, not sure how much those places cost but would be something if I go back I would look into. We were there 3 days but personally, I think Cape Town could easily have been done in 2 days.
I can't say enough about the Safari and Lion Sand's River Lodge. Staff unbelievable, the rooms were huge, food amazing and again what a view, giraffe outside our deck on the first day! We saw all the Big 5. We had early wakeup call off by 6 am each day, we stopped in the morning for a coffee break. Each place our guide picked for a break had a great view, sometimes at the river and others in open plain One morning we had surprise full breakfast by the river! After breakfast we would go out again until about 11 am. We could relax have lunch, watch the wildlife off our deck which was right by a river. The afternoon around 4 we would go back out again, we loved the tracking and off roading. We would stop about 7 pm for a happy hour, Gin and Tonics, wonderful snacks and to watch the sun set. Back later that night for a lovely dinner. I must give a big shout out to Eddie, our tracker, and Landon, our guide, they went above and beyond for us during our stay. Our we absolutely had all our needs and expectations met at Lion Sand’s River Lodge.
Then the last 3 days and this is where we felt our travel agent failed us. We went to a very nice hotel because there was problem with us getting a flight out. The hotel was beautiful, there was a restaurant at this hotel but the food was so-so and again this was out in the middle of nowhere. It was too cold to swim and there was nothing for us to do. But luckily we were there only one night.
The next two nights was off to Zambia and Islands of Siankaba, we were so excited about going to Victoria Falls. Our hotel, Islands of Siankaba, was wonderful, we were on an island on the river! So we were ok with the isolation at this location. Staff was so friendly, food great so fresh. Several things to do on the island and in the evening we would go out on the river in a pontoon boat and have drinks, appetizers and watch a group of hippos and the sunset. Thank goodness we had this wonderful place because the Victoria Falls was such a disappointment! We were there in the dry season and there is really NO Victoria Falls on the Zambia, no one told us this. There was the opportunity to go to the Zimbabwe side which seemed to have some falls, an extra excursion we would have gladly paid for if we had known but we didn't know! We were leaving the next day so we couldn’t book it.
So maybe we can't blame our travel agent, maybe we should have done our own research but is that not why you hire a travel agent? Since you have never been in the area and don't know anyone that has been in the area before, is that not why you hire a travel agent? Lesson learned . . .
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
National parks good, accommodation and catering (for vegetarians) in need of improvement
Rainy October, Saadani NP flooded, therefore alternative route to Selous and Mikumi.
Vehicle in good condition and very suitable for difficult weather conditions, responsible driver. Accommodation in Selous good but food needs to be urgently improved (especially for vegetarians). The non-vegetarians saw it the same way. Accommodation in Mikumi not as planned in the chalet of Camp Bastian, instead in a tent with shower (cold) and external bath on Camp Bastian Ground. Very disappointing!
CH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Mixed experiences
We hired a car with KianGo Adventure Safaris from Arusha. The advice was helpful in Arusha and Dickson, who came with us to sort out all the issues in Arusha, was also great. However, the car was old, there was no chain and no shovel nor any real tools in the car - which would have been helpful on one of the sandy roads. We had a broken steering wheel stabiliser - but again it was Mr. Dickson who helped us get it fixed in the Serengeti.
So, all in all, we had mixed experiences. Good staff on the ground, but medium quality of car and car equipment.
NO
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great experience
We got to see almost all possible animals. Accomodation was ok. The safari guide was not very good in english, and he did not know how to drive a car with manuel gearing
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Rwanda by Genevieve
I only went on one game drive in Rwanda, but it was not such a good experience.
I think Rwanda is most known for Gorilla Trekking, which is probably a better option than going on a game drive.
AE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Lovely Safari but not very happy with the Right Choice Tours!
Overall, the safari was good. spotted many animals in the wild. Once in a lifetime experience.
Tour Guide
Punctual, enthusiastic to show us animals in the wild but
a) he was almost all the time on his phone
b) he hardly explains anything about the places we are passing by
Tour Operator
he seemed responsive and professional. However, he changed a few things in our itinerary without informing us until we landed in Kenya. The worst was he changed the hotel he promised he would get us a reservation in and the one he booked was horrible. It was a nightmare.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
One of the most magnificent adventures of my life.
Naledi Bush Lodge and the entire staff were helpful, gracious and knowledgeable.
CH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Tanzania would be nice - with good roads and less dust.
Hello.
I was surprised that 2019 Dar Es Salaam still has bad roads, almost no modern supermarket and some people living in a box of the size 2x1x1 meter (next to the bus station at the fish market)!!
Arusha has some good roads - from the Kilimanjaro Airport to Arusha and from Arusha in the direction of Tarangire and Ngorongoro - and some bad roads. But WHY are there NO paved roads from Ngorongoro to the Serengeti?? Now in July the dust on the road was so massiv, that you COULDN'T see the cars crossing your way - and that IS VERY DANGEROUS! My driver was caughing every few minutes. He had a chronic caugh, because he was inhaling this dust since months - or even years (he is doing this job since 15 years). For him it's like working in a mine!
Please pave those roads!!
I might visit the Serengeti again - but I will NEVER EVER drive in to the Serengeti again! Next time I will take the plane from the Arusha Airport to the Seronera Airstrip.
The wildlife inside the Serengeti and in the Ngorongoro Crater is fantastic. You can see a lot of animals. Ok, sometimes you feel a bit like in a "drive in zoo".
The accomodation was superb - better than I ever expected, even in the tents. Hot shower, very nice furniture, great food and so on.
Food: Well, I am NOT a vegeterian, but in Tanzania i didn't eat meet anymore. The quality of the meet is not like in Europe. But that's ok - the rest of the food, the dinners e.g. were fantastic. I just had more potatoes, rice and mash potatoes... :-) and vegetables.
My driver was a very good driver and his English was fantastic. I'm glad, in Tanzania English is important too :-)
So - all in all - I have a bit mixed feelings. The Serengeti is very nice, but the distances to get there are too long. On a nice road - like they have to the National Parks in the USA - it would be much more comfortable. The reason why the USA has nice roads in to the parks is that older people, retired people with a lot of free time, can drive in to those parks as well and be close to the fantastic nature.
Best Regards
Urs
.
PT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
What could have been a dream trip, ended a disaster
The wild life, the sun stets and sun rises, the scenery were spectacular. All this, that could have been the trip of our lives, was immediately reduced to a "not doable again", because of the following history. This was a 2 week trip to Zanzibar with a passage on Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. Every days were scheduled, by the minute. The Safari was scheduled for 3 days and 2 nights. We were arriving at Arusha at 9 o'clock, and we were supposed to join a group for the safari. In the day after the safari, the agency called us, saying that we couldn't join the group, because we were arriving at 9 and it was not possible to delay the safari because of us. We were really disappointed because we had the written confirmation by the agency, and now it was not possible... We force them to get a solution for us because everything was planed, and at the time, nothing was possible. So we managed a solution with another jeep just for us, but we had to pay 800 dollars more for this solution. In the day we arrived at the airport, there was the guyed and the agency lady, that in the moment asked us for the money of the safari, and the extra money for the change that it was not our mistake, it was theirs. We pull out a credit card, and we were about to have another problem. The machine wasn't working and we had to go to the near bank, that it was a 50 minutes drive. So if were late at 9 we were late 3 hours more for this trip to the bank. At the bank we couldn't withdraw money in the bank, we had to do it form an ATM machine. we had to use the card 8 times to withdraw money and we paid 12 dollars of taxes more for each withdraw. It was an extra 300 dollars for the safari. After this we were really late to arrive at the park to set up the tent. The trip was a completely adventure, the pour guyed that showed us the park had to drive like mad to get to the park on time, we had to lunch during the drive, we had to stop to pick up our materials for the tent.
So we arrived at the park, and of course it was dark already. For our surprise and one more time the agency lied to us, we had to set up the tent instead of having dinner and have the tent prepared after it. After a dangerous travel by jeep, and a very quick but very taste dinner from our chef, we had to set up a tent. After this we sow that there were no wood beds for us, just like the ones we sow on the picture that the agency sent us before confirming the safari on tents. We sleep on a small mattress in the floor of the tent, that didn't had any time to clear the air inside of it, the smell was really bad. Despite all this in the next day we had to pick up and disassemble the tent for the 1st day in the safari, we were more tired than the day before. We visit Serengeti, and we enjoyed it very much, but of course we arrived at another park, where we saw all tourists with their tents set up, and we had to set up our tent once again and in the next day to disassemble it once again.
What could have been a dream trip ended up like a tiring one.
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent
We had appreciate very much all regarding our trip, nature, landscape, wilde animals ecc. We would like is better for tourist more restaurant when enjoy dinner. Our guide ( Gomez) was also an excellent driver other a very good guide.