SG
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Virgin Safari Experience with Shadows
Planner: Chris Walker
Local Staff: Ben / Joyce
Guide / Driver: Jackson (with Nick being the driver who transferred us from the airport to our first accommodations)
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TLDR:
Pros - (1) Staff was responsive and did their best to accede to our requests. (2) Actual safari experience was great with Jackson being an experienced guide (17 years under his belt), ability to spot animals and knowledgable enough to answer all the questions that we had about the culture, wildlife and Tanzania.
Cons - (1) Could have better advised us on certain locations / activities that we have decided on (i.e. weather conditions, things to pack for certain activities and plausible experience with the location / activity). (2) Last minute changes which we have agreed to but would have been a better experience if this was avoided altogether (nitpicking here but just to explain why it was not a 10/10 experience).
Overall - 9/10
Our Itinerary - Arusha - Taranguire National Park - Lake Manyara National Park - Ngorongoro Conservation Area / Crater - Lake Natron - Northern Serengeti
Period and duration that we went for - September (Dry Season, mornings and nights can be cold but day time will be hot) - 8 days
Full Review:
Just a day or two before our trip, we were informed that there will be some changes to our accommodations due to availability which we have agreed to. Though this did not affect the entire experience but could have been avoided.
Our virgin Africa safari trip finally happened after 9 months of planning and anticipation. Our first interaction with Shadows of Africa ("SOA") was with Chris who was really helpful and responsive to all the queries and requests that we had. After going through all the quotes from the different agencies and the suggested itineraries based on what we were looking for, we found SOA's offerings and pricing to be the most ideal.
When we first arrived at the airport, just having this trip as our virgin trip to Africa, an unknown place for us, we were relieved when we saw Nick holding up a sign that indicated that he was there to pick us up to bring us to our first accommodation. Overall, the transfer experience here was great as Nick was able to engage us throughout our ride and shared many interesting facts about Tanzania and the people in Arusha.
Fast forward, in terms of our accommodations, we really like Olerai Lodge (which we later found out to be owned by SOA), Acacia Farm Lodge and Mara Luxury Tented Camp. We found the other 2 accommodations (Rift Valley & Lake Natron) which were offered by Africa Safari Group to be sufficient but we were not blown away by the aesthetics, food variety and reliability of electricity.
For our experience at each location, our advice will be to skip Lake Natron altogether given the experience of the activities there, accommodation options and most importantly weather (hot throughout the year). If you are really pressed for time, you could consider just doing Northern Serengeti for the great migration and wildlife (you will pretty much see everything here except the Rhinos which is more likely to be found at Ngorongoro Crater). Even though we really like Ngorongo Crater and Lake Manyara National Park
Just highlighting here that we could have been better advised by Chris for Lake Natron, to make sure that we would have the best experience.
Activities wise, we have visited the tribe (Hazadbe) and had a Masaai guide to bring us to Lake Natron and the waterfalls. In our opinion, we feel that these activities even though it was not all bad, can be skipped once again if you are pressed for time.
In terms of communication, on the actual day for the start of our safari adventure (Day 2), we felt that communication could have been done better as we were left stranded for quite awhile before being informed that we will be transported to the office for our briefing.
For transport, if your budget allows for it, we would recommend taking the domestic flight options for a better travel experience especially after many days of safari in which you would have to wake up quite early every day for.
All in all, even though it just fell short of a perfect experience, we definitely enjoyed our virgin safari experience with SOA and would recommend it for others to try.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Experience of a lifetime
Before our journey out to Tanzania we had excellent communications from Sole Safari, supporting our wishes of parks to visit and making knowledgable suggestions.
All correspondence were quickly responded to and we arrived in country confident for the start of a great adventure.
We enjoyed a 5 day tour with the most wonderful guide Florid. A wonderful human, who was knowledgeable, kind and fun. At all times we felt confident in Florid and his professionalism allowed us to enjoy a carefree and relaxed adventure.
We saw all the big 5 and more… including the wilderbeast migration which was an absolute treat. ( be aware there can be quite a bit of waiting… these are wild animals and don’t “ perform on demand!! “ we found uno cards/ sweets/time to get to know our guide was a great time passer alongside going on short local drives to see other animals that were in situ.
We stayed in 4 different lodges, all with their own unique features. There were changes to accommodation whilst we were out there but all were an upgrade and gave us a different experience. Food was delicious, plentiful and always nicely presented. We loved lunch picnics with Florid, it was an absolute highlight to sit in the great outdoors with a glass of wine, great company and a stunning view.
All in all an incredible holiday, with a great company and the best guide
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was a wonderful tour, the arrangements were excellent, super travel-assistance!!!
The tour started with a warm welcome at the airport. Petra went with us to fetch the car.
Then she explained the whole tour during a breakfast in a cafe in Windhoek. This was a perfect start for us.
All arrangements were perfect and lovely selected.
During the tour she was always contactable, and she solved small problems immediately ....
It was a unforgettable tour for our family, and we will come back soon...
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful Tanzania tour
Luice from Gogiraffe Safari planned and organized our family vacation in Tanzania for us in close coordination. We felt very well looked after for the entire 5 weeks. Luice was a reliable contact person at all times, was always there to help us even with last-minute changes and kept asking about us during our stay. The vacation began in the Serengeti, led through the interior of the country to Lake Nyasa and the islands of Mafia and Zanzibar. During all of the stops, the partners from Gogiraffe were there to support us. All partners and employees were very friendly, reliable and helpful. We can recommend Gogiraffe in every respect, it made an unforgettable family vacation a reality for us. Thank you very much, dear Luice, and see you next time, Stefan, Patricia & Nora
(automatic translation from German)
PH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
One for the books!
Our wildlife safari experience was definitely something I will cherish for the rest of my life. Special thanks to Mr. Max our guide driver who worked extra hard for us to see the big 5 and the river crossing at mara river. Full package adventure exceeded our expectations and gave us nothing but the best experience of a lifetime. Kudos to the team! May you have more blessings to come int the future.
Thank you once again. God bless!
PH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A great safari adventure with Max.
The safari tour was overall a great and awesome experience led by our expert tour guide. We dreamed to see the big 5 wild animals and he showed it to us. Not all can spot the wild animals especially leopards and rhinos but we were able to see it by our guides’ knowledge. Max, our guide in the safari tour, has expertise to help us where to see and locate the wild animals plus the amazing views. He took us great photos for memories. This company is very responsive in our queries and arranged the tour exclusively designed for our wants and likes in the adventure. I highly recommend this Full Package Adventures! Thanks
AT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A super nice experience, excellent support and communication with Netherken, highly recommended!
Excellent from start to finish! Right from the start we had the feeling that we were in good hands and always received quick and competent feedback on all of our questions and concerns. Everything was well organized so that we knew exactly how the safari would proceed and the great accommodations in advance. Everything was also very well organized on site. My boyfriend and I went on a 4 day safari trip to tsavo east & west and amboseli national parks. Our driver Mahmoud was incredibly friendly, well connected and thanks to his many years of experience he was able to answer all of our questions and knew which places in the nature reserves had more to see. We are honestly grateful for this great experience.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Organized
Tanzania Choice came with high ratings from people in our family. They lived up to the expectations. We dealt with Brenda who made a complex set of reservations come together wonderfully.
SI
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A great safari to see the Mountain Gorillas
We booked a 12-day, 11-night Uganda Wildlife and Wildlife Safari with Ecovic Tours and Travel Uganda, and it exceeded our expectations! The highlight was, of course, encountering the gorillas in Bwindi, but every part of the journey was memorable. We loved seeing the adorable golden monkeys and were captivated by the stunning beauty of Lake Bunyonyi.
Our guide, Richard, was exceptional. He was always punctual, kept us informed about the daily schedule, and had an impressive knowledge of everything we asked. Plus, he is incredibly friendly and hilarious. The van we traveled in was clean and comfortable, and the itinerary was well-balanced, with varied activities and accommodations that never felt overwhelming.
Overall, this was an unforgettable experience for my first time in Africa, and we highly recommend Ecovic Tours and Travel Uganda. Thank you so much!
BR
35-50 years of age
It was a very good experience!!! Amazing
It was a good experience. The guide was so nice, respectful and thoughtful. The van was comfortable.