35-50 years of age
Enriching Kruger Park experiences
Wow - what an experience. With self drives (setting your own pace) or game rangers driving, this was the highlight of our trip. Though we went in early winter (May), some parts in the north still reached 35 degrees Celsius, whereas the southern parts got down to 12 degrees (in the evenings). It was a very wet summer so spotting animal were sometimes difficult, but the camps provided enough details of where to look. Talking about the camps - sleeping in a "rondavel" in the camps is probably the best option, allowing you to see animals at sunrise and sunset (no racing before the gates close). But be warned, allow for at least 5 days to enjoy the full experience of the Kruger.
Etosha : An incredible once in a lifetime experience
I would like to do my best to write of my amazing experience in this wonderful place,
I have always wanted to go to Namibia - I think my first time falling in love with this amazing country was seeing a BBC documentary on the Skeleton coast when I was about 10.
20 years later and I finally went on a safari/trekking tour of the country - Etosha national park was our first stop.
We were in a group of about 10 and all got on very well, I was with a bunch of crazy Italians ! -great fun!
The 1st place we stayed in was called Okaukuejo , it was close to the Etosha pan , we were lucky to get our tents near a fantastic waterhole - that always had animals drinking and was floodlit at night - but this did not disturb the animals.
We went to the waterhole and had a fantastic view of a herd of Elephants drinking, then a group of Giraffe and Zebra came along - I must say it was a very emotional experience.
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This was high afternoon and the temperature must have been in the mid 30's, but there was sheltered seats so it wasn't too bad, later on in the evening with fading temperatures and softer light we went out for a drive around the park - perfect for taking pictures with the low sun.
There was plenty of Springbok to be seen ! (more than 20,000 in Etosha :) ), also plenty of Zebra and some giraffe and then later we were very lucky to see a pride of Lions.
That evening we had an excellent cooked meal eating outside in the cool African night .
We spoke with our guides over dinner and I must say I felt like a kid with him telling us great stories about the wildlife in Namibia.
We were about to go to the Waterhole when we heard the roar of Lions !! - they sounded so close ,
but we were in the safety of the enclosed camp - still it was quite a buzz to hear.
We went to the waterhole and were treated to a multitude of animals drinking - including the Pride of Lions that decided to chase off a few Giraffes, some Rhino came along too and then a few Elephants, it was a totally different experience to see these animals at night and was very happy to have witnessed it.
Coming back to my tent there were some Jackals about !, they were harmless enough as long as you didn't feed them or harass them - also we had to leave our shoes in the tent, as people would wake up in the morning to find them all chewed up !! - the Jackals it seemed aren't so different from our own domesticated dogs!!
That night I went to bed with the sound of Lions calling - pure heaven !!.
Early the next morning (6 am) we had a short breakfast and went on a safari drive , again the light was perfect for taking pictures , we were really lucky to see another pride of lions and then shortly after a pair of Lions crossed right in front of us - I got this fantastic shot :
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We took more drives that day and returned to the campsite in the evening ,where again we went to the waterhole for some night viewing - we saw some Rhino and their young drinking.
Later that night the Lions showed up again and scared some Giraffe away!.
A cocky young male Lion tried to stalk the Rhino - but he was having none of it and soon intimidated the Lion off.
Next day (3rd and last full day in Etosha) We went to the campsite at Namutoni - this was a nice campsite that also had a floodlit waterhole - although it was a lot quieter than the one at Okaukuejo.
Before we arrived we took an early morning drive and were treated to the site of two Cheetah and then a Leopard !! - They were quite far off and I wish I could have gotten better pictures but I didn't expect to see them at all so was very happy.
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Then we saw a Spotted Hyaena !! , this is a very rare sighting in Etosha so was thrilled to see him!!
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The final night we could hear the distant sounds of Hyaena's ! - I never did like this animal before this trip but have learned to appreciate them since.
So an amazing few days were had in Etosha, we left on the 4th morning and continued an incredible journey for almost another 2 weeks across this fascinating country.
Majestic and Captivating
My wife and I wanted a break from city life, and the Sabi Sands Game Reserve was just what we wanted. The Sabi Sands boasts some amazing wildlife. Africa's big 5 can be found here, lion, buffalo, elephant, leopard and rhino. All of which we had the pleasure of viewing on our brief stay. Not to be outdone by the big animals, the bird life is incredible! I've never seen such a variety of bird life in all my travels. Within the first hour we had spotted over 30 species of birds. Amazing.
Visiting the reserve during the African winter month of June was a great idea, as the bush can get incredibly hot during the summer. Going on early morning game drives with a slight chill in the air and then to warm up to t-shirt weather, just wonderful.
The whole experience of the Sabi Sands was fantastic. Accomodation was well beyond what we expected, the variety of wildlife was outstanding.
We look forward to going back next year to experience the wonders of the Sabi Sands again, this time for longer!
IE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A Wonderful Safari Experience
First of all, we took the Safari trip after we had climbed the Kilimanjaro.
We were with the four of us and regarded the Safari as the icing on the cake.
And indeed it was; no disappointments whatsoever. Our main guide and Four wheel driver 'Philemon' (don't know if i wrote his name correct) was outstanding. He could spot Wildlife where we had no idea there was any. The man must have had eagle eyes ha ha. He was always willing to drive a little further or back just for that beautiful photo shot, and on the go told you all about the animals and landscape. The accomodation was various, meaning, one day we would sleep in tents in the middle of Serengeti, another day in a sort of 'holiday' resort. But wherever we went there was always good food to fuel yourself after another day of photoshooting and last but not least execellent sleeping accomodation. Even in the middle of Serengeti, surrounded by wildlife, I felt safe, in the knowledge that an excellent staff was safeguarding us. All in all I would do it straight again if my employer would give me more holidays :-) . The people of Tanzania Serengeti Adventure Ltd., where we booked this Safari, were very friendly, professional and helpful.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Getting out to see the real Africa
We retained African Adventure Safaris for a one month trip through Botswana, ending at Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Botswana is still a wild place and if you want to get away from the structured tented camp/concession arena and get out there, AAS is a great choice. Antony "Ant" Washford has decades of experience in the African bush and his on-the-ground skills are absolutely invaluable. Beyond that, Ant is not only a great host, but a fantastic storyteller and knows how to run a bush camp. Ant is absolutely encyclopedic about birds, wildlife and ecosystems, so if you're interested in more than just the "big 5" (lion, buffalo, rhino, leopard, elephant), he's great - having said that, we did see alot of, and all of, the "big 5" as well. To that end, Ant is a great tracker and takes the time to explain what he's reading, which is fascinating stuff. Just sitting around the fire swapping stories with Ant is worth a million bucks. Finally, part of getting out to see the "real Africa", that is, camping in the bush, is the adventure of it all and that includes running into challenges and solving them. Again, that's when you want to have the years of experience of some like Ant Washford and African Adventure Safaris where the attitude is that everything is an adventure and in good spirits. We'll never forget our time with AAS and Ant Washford in the Botswana Bush. Can't say enough good things.If you want to hear more about some of the fantastic experiences we had with AAS, check out my blog: www.bryanjanetravels.com. (By the way, I"m not related to anyone at AAS, nor am I receiving any compensation of any sort for these comments - just a small payback for a fantastic experience)
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Disappointing
For my husbands birthday, I booked a 6 night safari. I made the mistake of booking with Julius t. Safari in Kenya. Although, he has excellent reviews for Kenyan safaris, he subcontracts out safaris in Tanzania.This is how we ended up with Sunny Safaris. Our driver guide Khalifa, was unfriendly--not engaging at all. His English was poor. he tried to change the itinerary to suit his needs. We relied upon other guides to find wild life. We paid $6000 usd --very disappointing---older beat up land roovers
DE
50-65 years of age
If you're into bush vibe, this park is a great destination; not so much so if you're into wildlife.
Hwange National Park is quite a large national park, which gives off a really nice bush vibe since it is definitely not overrun with tourists at all, neither in minibuses or private vehicles. Due to the vegetation of rather dense miombo woodland, you can see wildlife practically only at the many waterholes; safaris consist therefore of driving from waterhole to waterhole. Due to the overpopulation of elephants you'll see a lot of these! It seems the mismanagement of Zimbabwe by the current regime has had a surprisingly limited influence on the park in terms of wildlife. Conclusion: if you're into bush vibe, Hwange National Park is a great destination; not so much so if you're into scenic beauty or wildlife.
CH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Caring, personal assistance and excellent wildlife
Instinct Safaris surprised us with a very familiar and yet professional preparation for our safari (10 days in western Uganda and northern Rwanda). We were very happy with all the animals on our game viewing occasions, but seeing the mountain gorillas in Bwindi was the most exciting experience to make on this safari. Highly recommended!
FI
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Tailored trip to the best destinations in Serengeti
This was the second time I and my wife used TSA to arrange a photo trip to Serengeti. Again, it was a total success. They seem to have excellent guides that will find the most interesting action available to photograph in the bushes. They are not the cheapest or largest of the tour organisers, but they offer a good amount of experience and subjects to shoot for a photographer. I have been ten times in Africa on photogaphing trips but this is the place to find the best subjects. And for sure, I will use TSA to arrange my next trips as well.
GR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing adventure... Amazing Tanzania...
Me my friend decided to book the 5-days safari in Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater with Safari Trackers Adventures. Although at first we were a bit concerned since the price was quite lower than other tour operators offered us for the same itinerary, things came out great!
Very friendly, helpful and efficient staff, with lots of information for both animals and places visited - a real pleasure to be with. The accommodation was mostly basic camping but good (we fell in love with the Simba public campsite in the rim of Ngorongoro Crater where we were on New Year's Eve!!).
I would recommend this company to all people with a sense of adventure and fun, who don't want to spend a fortune but want to get the most out of such a trip.