US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Beautiful country with friendly people, incredible scenery, and amazing wildlife.
I did a one day safari to Ngorongoro crater, and then a trek on Kilimanjaro. Both amazing experiences, both showcasing the range of natural scenery, animal, and plant life that Tanzania has to offer. Everyone--both tour operators and locals--was friendly and welcoming. A wonderful vacation overall, and I hope to be able to come back soon!
we could see almost all in masai including big five. live action of most .organised well for travel
Thanks Devid for helping us from the bus to air port and organising inbetween professionally
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beautiful scenery, abundance of wildlife, good tourism infrastructure
Toured Murchison, Queen Elisabeth, Bwindi, Lake Bunyonyi, Mburu, Kazi GA Channel Ziwa sanctuary. 8 days 7 nights. Ecovic and our tour guide Frank was flexible and very accommodating. From Canada where it is colder so be prepared as mosquitos and heat/humidity can be more than you may be used to but some repellant fine. Be prepared to do some hiking up and down to see chimps and gorillas. Maybe bring a fan. Don't forget sunscreen. Bush tents are very luxurious for a tent but rooms are better. But you are there for the wildlife and adventure which you will certainly get! Food was fantastic at all accomodation. Leopards are probably the hardest to find but if lucky you will. We did. Guides talk to each other to help know where the animals are which is good. Roads in west were all great. Kampala city roads not good off the main highway but you aren't there for that. Felt safe everywhere we went, (even checked out the DRC border south of QE which was very quiet!). 8 days for all that would be minimum time required. Prices are cheap for food and souvenirs, especially just off the main tourist trap of Bwindi. Sometimes menus don't have all the items on the menu but they still have good food options. I had steak a few times that was very good and was only $10. Fruit is plentiful and cheap. Drink bottles water which is readily available. Good cell service everywhere although wifi can be limited to only certain areas of a hotel.
It was my second trip to Uganda in 3 months and thought my visa was still good but had just expired. Was able to be issued a tourist visa upon arriving thankfully at immigration in airport for usd$100 so that was a big relief.
Our guide Frank was fantastic and highly recommend him.
Lifetime highlight: baby gorilla at Bwindi held my hand!
In towns we didn't go out after dark and in Kampala watch out for pick pockets. That said, there is a nice mall in Kampala called Acacia that is like anything in Canada, even a KFC! Uber works in Kampala and is fairly cheap. Bring some toilet paper as if you have to stop in a small town bathroom you might just have a hole in the floor. If you forget something you can always buy whatever you need in Uganda. There are hundreds of small pharmacies everywhere in towns if you need malaria pills or get a bought of watery diarrhea.
Stop at some roadside markets for souvenirs, food, etc. Bring lots of usd $1's and $5's for tips. USD is pretty widely accepted. Just ensure they are clean notes as the banks will discount what Ugandans receive in exchange rate if they are marked or dirty and Ugandans will give you a lower rate as a result if paying in USD, (10% discount). Remember that prices are usually negotiable and tourist prices for regular goods are 1.5-2x that of Ugandan prices but still very cheap by western standards. Overall a fantastic trip! And much cheaper to see Gorillas in Uganda than in Rwanda. Plus English is spoken everywhere so communication is no problem.
7 Days Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Tarangire Safari with Africa Remote Safaris
When we started doing our research for a Safari company, we were at first very sceptical as most Europeans usually are when dealing with overseas companies. This was to be our honeymoon destination ( 08 Days Tanzania) and we were on a certain budget. We wrote to several companies and asked a lot of questions. We also used Safaribookings.com and trip advisor to make a decision regarding the tour Company. Africa Remote Safaris wasn’t the cheapest quote but compared to the local UK companies. They were almost 30% cheaper and half the price that Thomsons had quoted to us.
Although we had an idea of the sort of itinerary we wanted, Steve, one of the managers helped us choose the best itinerary in consideration of our Length of stay. They also booked our flights out of London (Qatar Air via Doha). I was working on the Safari day and needed a flight departing at 8pm. Africa Remote Safaris did not disappoint. They booked us on the flights and sent me the E ticket. I must say that we found their service really professional and in a timely manner.
My concern however was when making payments. We had preferred paying my credit card instead of the wire transfer. However when making the payments, we were informed by their Credit card merchant that I should send over my verification details, this included a copy of my Identity and part of my Credit card. I found this to be very strange. My Bank advised me against doing so. They tried using yet another system from their bank but with the verification requirement. We found this to be very frustrating but the Tour operator’s hands were tied. In the end we had to bite the bullet and sent the documents requested by the 3G.
On the payment process I would honestly give them a 4 over 10.
On arrival in Nairobi, we realised that our concerns were short-lived , we were met with Steve himself and our guide Mr Haron. Honestly while in Serengeti I realised that we had a very good deal. Based on the quality of accommodation. ( Serengeti Kati Kati, Olduvai camp and Tloma lodge)
We had an amazing Safari. We saw elephants, buffalo and giraffe and all the Big 5. As our guide had explained, it is very rare to see ALL the big 5 especially the black Rhino and leopard. Our guide found was incredible. We saw more than 20 Lions, then another 14 lions in Serengeti feasting on a Buffalo, 8 Cheetah’s including the ones that were hunting before killing a warthog. We also saw 08 leopards in total with one that was just about 2 meters away from us on a tree.
All in all, we saw so many animals and the camps and lodges were wonderful. I want to thank Africa Remote Safaris and especially Steve and Haron for making our Honeymoon very memorable.
We hope to come back one day.
Erin and Becky Copeland
JO
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kind people and amazing safaris!
Visiting Kenya is an absolute must if you love nature and wild safaris. The people are so kind and friendly. I travelled solo to many tourist attractions and villages, and felt safe throughout. They warned me of possible theft incidences especially in the capital Nairobi, hence, I was being careful with my belongings (as I would in any other country) so nothing happened. Safaris were an absolute delight, but make sure of the following: a) do your homework on when is the best time to travel for best experience, b) make sure you check the accommodation from different websites/ reviews/ images, again for better experience. My travel agent Beast Spoor, whom I was lucky to have selected, made it memorable! Thank you so much and looking forward to coming back soon!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve by Caroline
This is a wonderful park that I visit often. I always stay in park accommodation and although the camps vary in quality (love Nselweni) being in the park is the best. The tar roads are pretty bad with potholes but they are presently repairing them. The other roads are fine. The game viewing is generally good and I enjoy being able to use my own vehicle.
IL
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
very efficient, prompt info, helpful in need
From the first contact Patrick was professional. Itinarary, quotation prompt.
Edna was helpful taking me for essential shopping, as my suitecase didn't arrive.
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A Journey into the Heart of the Wild: An Unforgettable Safari at Kruger National Park
From the moment I embarked on my safari adventure in the illustrious Kruger National Park, it was clear this was going to be an unparalleled voyage into the wilderness. Nestled in the heart of South Africa, Kruger is not just a park; it’s a colossal testament to the beauty and diversity of African wildlife. The booking experience set the stage for what was to be a meticulously organized, deeply immersive journey into nature’s untouched landscapes.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
This is an exceptional large South African Park to take at your own pace.
Spending a week in Kruger National Park earlier this year, having last visited as a child, was an awesome experience. The park is large so at no time is there a "canned" experience. As we used our own vehicle we were able to go at our own pace. I am a keen photographer so the ability to shoot from your own car (with a bean bag) is pleasure as being on the back of a truck can bring its own challenges. Less then two minutes into the park we saw lion! However, just being in a typical South Africa bush brings me joy and Kruger Park delivered this same experience whether the more unusual animals were around or not. We had fantastic beautiful, still, warm weather and spent every day and evening in shorts. We stayed at Lower Sabi in the tented accommodations and then in chalets at Berg en Dal. The tented accommodation (wooden structures with canvas sides) at Lower Sabi is on the river and couldn't have been more beautifully situated. The only small complaint was that neither of the camps were well equipped but that was a small price to pay. Baboons tore their way into our tent at Lower Sabi when we were out one day and the staff immediately apologised and cleared the huge mess they had made. The staff couldn't have been more accommodating in this regard and the camp does its best to keep baboons away. One of the things that makes the park so good is that the roads follow the river as much as they can, allowing good viewing.
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing tour !
I'have been positively impressed about the excellent service provided by Kombi Tour.
We met Steve in Kampala, he took great care of all our needs, and organized a customized trip at a very competitive price. We visited Queen Elizabeth Park and Bwindi forest, and everything went smoothly: the driver was reliable and made us enjoy each game drive, the lodges were above our expectations. I loved to meet gorillas and other animals ...
Hope to come back to visit more, for sure will join you again !