CH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
GTA - Rwanda - Uganda - Outstanding
I booked a six day gorilla trekking experience with Gorilla Trek Africa. I had wanted to see the gorillas for over twenty years so there was a lot of pressure on the company to get it right, which they did in every way possible: the booking process was seemless with the amazing Nelson answering my numerous queries and the wonderful Krish who was my guide/driver for the entire trip. Krish did everything possible to make my trip as comfortable and special as possible, even providing me with replacement hiking boots when mine were destroyed while tracking chimpanzees. Gorilla Trek Africa exceeded every expectation and I will be visiting Rwanda and Uganda again with this company (and hopefully I will be lucky enough to come across Nelson and Krish again).
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Memorable Safari Wedding Anniversary
The service was really excellent from the communication through e-mail from Sylvester. Then, went with our tour guide driver Nick. I like it when Nick will drive so fast just to make sure you will see closely the lions or whatever a must-see animal. We first went to Amboselli, then to Lake Nakuru and then the Masai Mara. I highly recommend Seven by Far. Keep it up guys!
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Superb Knowledge, Service and Communication
My wife and I are in our mid-late forties and have previously travelled twice to Africa. On those occasions we booked with another tour company. On this occasion, we decided to go with a local provider, The Safari Partners, and we're certainly glad we did.
Although we had been to Africa before, Chris (Safari Partners) was engaged with the the planning of our trip from the onset. He provided information and insight into various lodges and camps that proved invaluable. There is a line in their profile that states: "We don't strive to just sell, we consult. We listen to your needs and design the best possible travel solution for you.". This couldn't be more accurate. They are not just selling you a 'product'. There is a genuine effort and interest to determine what type of traveller you are and what kind of Africa experience you want to have and put an appropriate package together for you.
Communication was excellent. Any email queries we sent, both before and during our trip, were responded to within 24hrs. The only ones that may have taken longer required a response from someone in Africa, hence the delay. Itineraries are professionally set out, detailed and are available to view via a weblink.
Our safari (Johannesburg, Victoria Falls and Botswana) was excellent. Everything was as we discussed and went without a hitch. Even if some matter unforeseen had arisen, I would have all the confidence that Chris would see to it and find a solution. It was a very relaxing, worry-free experience.
Again, this was not our first trip to Africa, we have used other tour operators and would say that Safari Partners has been the best. They have the knowledge, communication along with a high level of service to guide you through and book your African adventure, whether you're a first timer or seasoned traveller. Highly recommended.
HK
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very good.
BigTime safaris staff are all very nice , responsible , their tent camp , hotel are very clean , the safaris very good and the driver will find ainamals , very safe , interesting , very responsible , all things (food , hotel , camp , resort , car ) very good , and the price very reasonable. I love the trip , I love Bigtime all staff!!!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fabulous service from Safari Club. Best babymoon ever!
My partner and I decided to do one last (for now) big trip before we embarked on a family and wanted to head to Africa to combine a trip to see friends in Cape Town with the chance to see the big 5 in action. We spoke to a few tour operators but eventually settled on Safari Club after speaking to Paul, one of their consultants. He was incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic about Africa and was able to put together an itinerary that took in everything we wanted to see and was great value for money. He really listened to what we wanted to do.
They arranged everything for us, all we had to do was get to Heathrow. Communication was great before, during and after the trip. When our flight from Maun in Botswana was delayed and risked us missing our onward connection home they kept in contact with us, our tour guide on the ground and had a back up plan in place in case we missed the connection. Thankfully we made the flight connection and never had to put plan B into action but it was comforting to know there was one.
The trip itself was amazing, after seeing the New Year in with friends in Cape Town we set off on our adventure starting at Victoria Falls which was incredible. We stayed at the Waterberry Lodge on the Zambian side of the Zambezi. We did a spot of line fishing, visited the market and of course saw the spectacular Victoria Falls.
Next stop was Botswana, and even the flight there was magical. When we boarded the pilot asked if we'd seen the falls from the air which we hadn't so he rerouted and flew directly over them, not a site I'm going to forget in a while. During the flight we saw zebra, antelope, elephants to name a few which gave us a taste of what to come. We did two camps in Botswana and both were spectacular. We saw so much wildlife, ate amazing food, drank great wine and beer and slept in the luxury under the stars.
What made this trip special was the people. Paul from Safari Club arranged such a fantastic trip that all we had to do was sit back and enjoy. The guides, hotel staff, transfer agents looked after our every need but it was never intrusive just there to help when you needed them.
I would highly recommend Safari Club if you are looking for a safari, especially if you want a tailored made itinerary and don't want to do your safari's in the back of the huge buses. Top marks. I wouldn't hesitate to rebook with them.
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kili Slope did it!
We were in between two companies that offer budget safaris with visits to (1) Tarangire National Park, (2) Serengeti National Park, (3) Ngorongoro Conservation Area, as well as (3) Lake Manyara. Eventually, we opted for Kili Slopes, for multiple reasons. Firstly, Kili Slopes promised a slightly more varied tour than its direct competitor. Secondly, the reviews here were very (very!) positive. Thirdly, the Kili Slope staff always responded promptly to any questions we had, and were always very clear about what to expect, for example what was included in the price (lunch, dinner, drinking water, transport from and to hotels, tents, and sleeping bags, etc.) and what wasn’t (e.g. towels). Perhaps relevant to know for potential future customers: As westerners (Europeans), we were quite hesitant to transfer a deposit to an account that – at first sight – appeared to be a personal account rather than a business account. However, the payment went safely and smoothly. So no worries (we would encourage to develop alternative payment methods though, e.g. through a secured website).
While in Tanzania, we had a little bit of a false start, because we needed more than an hour for our pick up from our hotel, despite the assurances of the chauffeur that he was near. We became a bit anxious. The delay turned out to be due to road constructions, so in the end that story made sense. We were more than compensated, though. Every other arrangement was carried out perfectly and with top service. David Maro, the owner of Kili Slopes, turned out to be a warm and cooperative person who listens well to the whishes of his customers. He also has a large social network with many connections throughout the country (and beyond), of which we made use in Zanzibar where we went after our safari. Taxis are crazy expensive there. David also takes good care of his personnel, which we found important. No wonder, because our driver, Francis, and cook, Khalid, were the best hosts we could ever imagine! Apart from Tanzia’s great wilderness, it was the staff and the employees of Kili Slope, who made our safari trip so unforgettable!
As they promised, we saw the big five - and many more species. From close distance we saw them migrating, grazing, resting, feeding, yawning, pooing, peeing etc. This may not come across as very spectacular, but realize… where do you see that in their natural habitat, this spectacular surroundings? Occasionally there was more action we spotted a lion about to attack a herd of antilopes, one going after an baby elephant, while mother elephant was warning the rest group; hyenas walking next to the car, acting as if we didn’t exist, lions eating from the carcass of an hippo, and the like. Francis showed immense respect towards the animals and the nature in general. He told about them and their behaviors with true passion. He was always full of stories and knowledge and often triggered our curiosity by giving us some kind of puzzle or riddle we had to solve, which made the long days traveling very entertaining. On the mountain road from Lake Manyara to Serengeti, for example, he would point to the many holes in the steep walls next to the road. How would ask how come – we think – did they arise. We had no clue of course, so he would and tell us elephants are; they dig them with their trunks. Next, our job was to come up with a reason why they would do such a thing (after which he would tell us this reason, of course, which I won’t tell here. Ask Francis!).
Almost always we had the best spot to capture the animals on film or photo. Either we were first to arrive or Francis knew some kind of alternative spot away from the many other tourist vehicles that could block our view.
Camping was a real adventure. From the first night on, we slept in tents. The first camping site and test can be called luxurious - at least if compared to the other camps and tents. We had a private shower with warm water directly next to our tent, for instance, and light (yes light!). Camping in the desert was a different story. We slept literally next to the hyenas, whose eyes we could see lighting up in the darkness and that were following every single one of us if we would leave the tent. And those who didn’t dare to go out could still notice their presence, either by their smell or by the fact that the garbage bags were torn. We were warned not leave our shoes outside the tent unless we wanted to get them stolen by those animals. Generally, there was no electricity in the desert camping sites, hence no light, and no true kitchen. But, like every other chef, Khalid used a flashlight on his head and fixed a menu on a single gas fire pit (which he needed to bring himself). Despite these ‘handicapping’ circumstances, Khalid was always able to prepare a fantastic meal, often better than the dinners we had in the restaurants in Moshi and Arusha.
One might think that a near $1000 for just a few nights camping under such conditions is much, crazy even, but then please do not forget that a major part is formed by the entrance fees to the national parks (already hundreds of dollars). Actually, it is quite amazing that Kili Slope can offer such a varied tour for such a price!
Tips for future tourists: (1) be prepared; it can be freezing cold at night, for instance! (2) Be realistic; don’t expect you’ll see as much hunting as in those documentaries on National Geographic or Discovery Channel (chances are great you don’t see any kill or even an attempt). A film crew stays there for three months, and often during the great migration, when food is plenty, so that attacks are also plenty. In addition, hours and hours of film material condensed to an hour or two that only shows the highlights, which are thus rare. Realize you are there for 5 days, so expect maybe a few minutes comparable to that documentary material. If more, consider yourself very lucky. The most important thing about safari, we found, is that you’re there, in Africa, surrounded by wild animals, by the exotic smell of the desert, by beautiful colors, by !@# heat !@# and cold!. The experience is that you’re part of that nature (not watching your t.v. with the remote control and pizza slice within reach), (3) realize you’re a guest. I would be curious to read some reviews of guests by safari tour operators, but I expect ratings of people who take budget tours to be more positive (on average) than ratings of people who take luxury tours. Perhaps that can be even considered an additional reason take a budget tour, like the one we took with Kili Slopes. In this regard, the company deserves another compliment. They dealt well with the very … how to say … different personalities on board. Partly as a result of this, we enjoyed our company to the last minute. We hope Francis and Khalid did so too. We thank them, as well as David.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A home away from our home!
The journey to Uganda was our first big trip outside from Europe. We flew with Emirates from Frankfurt via Dubai to Entebbe. We were 8 people on our trip, family and friends :)
At the airport we were picked up by Didan (the chief from Loving Hearts Helping Hands), Crystal (his lovely wife) and Stanley (another driver). We also met Monica from Sweden, who was also set to spend about 4 weeks at the wonderful Lake Bunyonyi.
A long drive to Kabale and Lake Bunyonyi lay before us. It’s important not to drive in the dark, so we made a half way stop in a motel and continued the drive on the next day as we had arrived at the airport in the late afternoon.
The drive was long, but never boring. The first impressions of Uganda, the landscape, the cities and the people, along with the different smells were very fascinating for us. During the drive we saw zebras, cows and many other sorts of animals in the wild. We also stopped at a pineapple plantation. Since then we know that pineapples do not grow on trees. :D
On our trip we wanted to get to know the country and the people, and as well our sponsored child Melia. Melia goes to elementary school at the orphanage of Loving Hearts Helping Hands which Loving Hearts Uganda founded. Since February 2016 we had been supporting Melia.
Didan and Crystal founded this Loving Hearts Uganda which operates the tours, the school, and a hotel: Bunyonyi View Gorilla Packers with the aim of helping care for and educate orphan and needy children in the community.
First I would like to report about our accommodation Bunyonyi View Gorilla Packers.
Our hosts Didan and Crystal: They are very kind and attentive hosts. For them it’s very important that you feel good and comfortable. A big thank you for the organisation and the support of our trip. You both do a wonderful job.
Staff: The staff is funny, casual and very attentive. Thank you Ellia, Bosco, Junior and all the other wonderful staff, which made our stay unforgettable.
Rooms: Our room was small, but very clean, simple but decorated lovely. There was everything you needed. The bathrooms have Europeans toilets. The view over the lake is breathtakingly beautiful.
Food/Catering: We had full board… Breakfast, lunch and dinner. The food always was fantastic, tasty and lovely and appealing presented. A big praise to the chefs!
Bar: It is very comfortable to sit in the evenings with African music at the bar. It even has wifi.
Climate at the time of travel: Mostly it was between 23 and 28 degrees. It could happen that it rains 2-3 hours a day, then it gets colder. But on some days it did not rain at all.
Activities during the journey
School visit: The days at school were wonderful. The children are so grateful and so happy. We were greeted with dancing, singing and many hugs. It was very emotional. We brought some donations. Before visiting we had raised money for the Primary 7 classroom. The construction of a classroom began immediately upon our arrival. The community helped. The cohesion and the courage of the people to life is wonderful. Some of the visitors from our group gave lessons, while others were playing with the children. The joy of the children should be experienced once by everyone.
Safari to Queen Elizabeth: With our 3 sponsored children we drove to the Queen Elizabeth Park. It was nice to see the landscape and the animals (elephants, baboons, zebras, hippos, a lion ...). The children's reactions were very emotional and heart-warming. We had a lot of fun and have/got lots of new impressions.
Boat ride on Kazinga Channel: The boat trip was very interesting. We learned many things about the life of the animals and the landscape.
Boat ride on lake Bunyonyi: On the last day we took children from the school to a boat ride on Lake Bunyonyi. While these children live close to the lake they had never been driven by a boat before. It was very exciting for the kids!
For us adults it was very nice to get to know the lake from a different perspective. There are more than 200 bird species on the lake. The lake has 29 islands, each with its own history. It was very interesting :)
Baptism of Melia: Our sponsored child: Melia had been abandoned in a field and taken in by a family who then brought her to Loving Hearts Uganda. We decided to a baptism party for when we visited to officially become her Godparents and to let this sweet child know she will always have a family with us. The baptism of Melia was one of the most memorable moments on this holiday. The baptism ceremony in the church was colourful, loud, cheerful. A ceremony in Germany is unimaginable. It was a lot of fun.
Afterwards the party took place at the school. There were certainly 400 people there. Everyone was invited, a cow was slaughtered, all were satisfied.
There were two cakes for all the guests. A moderator led through the program. It was danced, laughed, sung ... It is unimaginable if you did not take part yourself.
The last evening with our sponsored children: At the last evening our children were staying with us in Bunyonyi View Gorilla Packers. There was a barbecue and tilapia fish, as well as lots of other delicious things to eat. We had a nice and fun evening with the kids. At which some children fell asleep. It was very sad to know that we had to go the next day.
Conclusion: Visit Uganda !!!!! Learn to know and love the wonderful and open-minded people and the beautiful landscape. Take some of the joy of life and satisfaction of the Ugandan people home. And then come back ...
We will be back, to Didan, Crystal and our children. We have gained a lot in our lives! A home away from our home!
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Was supposed to be luxury but was not
We wanted our safari to be luxurious and pay for the level that was just below highest luxury. Considering we paid $30K USD we felt we did not get good value for our money and they did not do a good job booking us in "luxury" accommodations. The first camp in Okavango Delta was nice and the food was excellent but it was still not luxury. The second locTion in Chobe was an absolute disgrace. It was a hotel that served a buffet for all three meals. This is NOT luxury at all. The activities at Chobe were not good either. The third camp we went to in Victoria Falls was Elephant Camp and again it did not meet our expectations. As well Zambezi did not book many activities for us so we had one full day of no activities. OverLl we were not very impressed and did not feel we got good value for our money. Especially when we found out what the cost per night was of the camps we were staying at when you could have booked them yourselves! I wouldn't use them agIn.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great safari!
We just returned from our travels and I’m happy to report we had an outstanding time on the safari! We saw way more animals than we expected, the accommodations were great and the ground crew (Erastus, Simon and Eliud) were knowledgeable and friendly. The trip was well worth the costs and we are super happy we went.
I don't give this trip 5 stars because we had some issues with the air travel part of the trip prior to leaving . Specifically - getting assigned seats and tickets with correct names. Based on conversations with other people on the safari, my own problems with air travel were not isolated issues. Several people remarked about air travel problems. Although in the end our flights, seats and air travel were fine for my wife and me, we did experience some stress leading up to departure.
Once again we are glad we went and are still speaking excitedly about all we saw and did!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The highlight of East Africa
By recommendation, a friend and I booked our Gorilla trekking safari through loving hearts. After the initial fear of paying upfront and through an African payments website, we arrived and were totally floored by this lodge, the people who worked there, the food, the lake, the views, but most of all the school. Spending an open day with the teachers and students was supremely life changing. The compassion and story of the couple that founded the lodge and the school was heart warming. I ended up sponsoring a young boy, and becoming friends with many more. I cannot recommend the safari services or the people here highly enough. I fully trust them to give a fair price and deliver on what they promise and am very much looking forward to returning for another visit soon!