35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Day out in Pilansberg
I had a weekend in Pretoria on a business trip and at short notice sought out a trip to Pilansberg, which was recommended by colleagues. I have done a fair amount of safari travel in South Africa, but not to Pilansberg. I sought quotes from 3 agencies. One couldn't help, one had a complicated booking system, but Jason Pollard at Deeprift Ventours answered promptly and after a short email chat we had settled on a day trip, leaving at 0400 at my request.
Jason arrived promptly and we made it to Pilansberg at park opening. The temperature poked 40c later in the day, so we had the benefit of several hours of warm but not hot game viewing. Jason was extremely knowledgeable, but not a "pushy" guide. We chatted about the flora and fauna in the reserve and managed to get good sightings of all the big 5 less buffalo. The bird life was very good as well, and the hides at the various dams offered views of a variety of avian species.
We stopped at a game lodge for a very good lunch, and then gently made our way out of the Park (it was now very hot and most of the animals had sought out shade out of view). We were back in Pretoria by 1630.
An excellent day with a professional and generous guide. Highly recommended. I travelled on my own with Jason in a car, but I presume for larger groups Deeprift would provide a minibus or larger vehicle.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A Huge Leap of Faith on a Company That Really Delivered
I had been researching safaris for many years and when we finally decided the time was right, I found a customisable Kenya safari through East Africa Wild Adventure on the Safaribookings.com website. What appealed was the fact that the company had an office in our home city, Vancouver. I asked for a quote and received a very prompt response from the owner of the company, Alym. After some discussions he came up with a nine-night safari for us, and we completed the booking in April 2015. Alym was very helpful. He was prompt in responding to our questions, and assured us that everything was booked and confirmed. A seasoned traveller, I was used to booking things myself: getting receipts, vouchers and confirmations etc, so leaving everything in the hands of someone else was totally alien. It was reassuring to meet up with Alym although it was a huge leap of faith to part with so much money and have only verbal assurances and a printed itinerary to take with us on our travels. So, it was with some trepidation that we set off. After a thirty-hour journey we exited JKIA arrivals hall to be met by a man holding a placard with our names on it, although he was from a different tour operator, Big Five Africa. It transpired that they were the ones East Africa Wild Adventures had arranged to carry out the day-to-day operation of our safari. We hadn’t been told that, nor expected it, but no harm done.
This was our first safari, so we were unsure of what to expect. Fortunately, we had our own vehicle and driver throughout which made huge difference. Our driver, Mr John Waweru, was exceptional. He regularly went above and beyond: making sure we had a constant supply of drinking water; ensuring the vehicle was properly maintained and clean before each drive, and much, much more. We cannot speak highly enough of him. There was one aspect of the safari that we hadn't truly been prepared for: the amount of travelling. I stress that this is not a criticism of the tour operators. I fully understand the notion of trying to cram in as much as possible to see as much as you can to avoid disappointment, but we were "on the road" for at least eight hours each day, either driving to the next location and/or being on a game drive. Couple that with the appalling condition of some roads, and all the access routes to the various conservancies/National Parks, and you have a very uncomfortable ride. If you have a bad back, then beware!
Accommodation and meals were obviously a significant part of the package, but ultimately we were there for the wildlife. Nevertheless, we were amazed at the high standard of accommodation. Tented camps were luxurious, all with en-suite bathrooms. We even had hot-water bottles waiting for us in our king-size beds! It is worth noting that they were needed too as the temperature really drops after sunset. With one exception, food was wonderful: varied, plentiful, and of a very high quality.
From experience (whale watching etc) looking for wildlife can be very hit or miss, so it would be very naive to judge the overall safari experience on that. Fortunately, what we did see was beyond our expectations. This was largely down to our driver/guide. His knowledge of the areas, the wildlife, and not just blindly following the crowd, meant that we saw so much. For that, we will be eternally grateful.
Overall, East Africa Wild Adventures (and Big Five Africa) came up trumps. For those, like us, who usually book everything themselves, rest assured that Alym, and the team on the ground in Kenya, will have everything in place for you. As the title of this review suggests, it did require a tremendous leap of faith on our part, but we were not disappointed.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Gorilla Tracking, Exciting Experience!
Going on a gorilla tour in Rwanda is a must do while on your safari in Africa. Our trip was perfectly organised by African Jungle Adventures. They quickly responded to my emails, and fully answered all my questions. Our main interest was to see the mountain gorillas in the forest and this was the highlight of the safari. However, you must be physically fit to successfully trek to the gorillas, and advised to hire a porter. Volcanoes National Park management awarded us certificated after the trek.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Worst service at Addo Elephant Park
We arrived with no water at our accomodation and still had no water when we checked out. The park did not even have the decency to inform us of the problem let alone deliver a bucket of water for toilet use. We ended up having to go with bottles to reception to fill up so we could flush our toilet and at least wash our faces and brush our teeth last night and this morning.
This is disgusting for the amount you pay to stay in the park.
We won't be using Addo again.
AE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fun filled experience
Safarihub organised a great safari for me in September.
Two weeks of pure pleasure, far better than I had hoped for. The animals and the parks but also the country, tremendous.
The guide was most interesting and he spoke perfect English. He showed me the countryside and the nature but also he explained the country itself. I knew little of Tanzania before but now I feel like an expert.
I have been to Africa many times but this was the most enjoyable trip.
JP
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Time In The Wild
Had my first time Safari after many visits to Africa , it was a wonderful experiance .
The booking and setting of the Safari were easily arranged by e-mails with Mr. Richard Kilonso , from World Tour& Safaris Tanzania .
We went to Tarangire National Park , Ngorongoro & Lake Manyara in a 3 days Safari .
It was realy amazing as for the season , when sun comes after rain , we saw all Animals with their young babies coming out of the bush to dry up ! Great Photos were taken !
I realy recommand ' World Tours & Safaris Tanzania ' , The Ｄriver/Ｇuide & Shef did a great job and were very helpful !
I defently come again for Safari with them !
Don't miss Lake Manyara & its Flamingos !!!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Julius The Great
After much research and filtering through tons of information on the internet we (myself, husband Ray & friend Nadine) decided to use Impala tours. They seemed like the perfect fit for us in regards to type of safari we were looking for, location and pricing. So, in writing this review choosing Impala tours turned out to be one of the best decisions we've ever made.
We corresponded with Yvonne and she was very prompt with responding to my many questions and emails. She made us feel comfortable with our decision so we sent our deposit and booked them. So, our dream Botswana safari was about to become a reality!
Our guide Andre was waiting for us right when we landed in the small city of Maun. Our safari was 4 nights and 5 days. We stayed 2 nights in Third bridge camp and 2 nights at Gcadikwe Island camp. Both camp sites were more than adequate and had no fences so we loved how wild they felt. If you are looking for a more wild, unpredictable and less "touristy" safari then look no further than Botswana and Impala tours. Andre was very flexible so it felt like the whole safari was customized to us. During our driving, boating and walking safaris we saw tons of wild life including 4 of the big 5! We barely saw any other tour groups on our excursions so if felt exclusive and wild.
One of our highlights and most unforgettable memories was when "Julius" a large male elephant decided to visit us when we were around our campfire. Let's just say that after he mock charged us twice and got within 10 feet of us we will always refer to him as Julius The Great!
In summary, Impala tours greatly exceeded our expectations and thank them for an unforgettable experience!
IN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was an experience in itself, we really enjoyed. visit was worth every penny..........
i visited masaimara alongwith 3 of my colleagues, we enjoyed every bit of the trip. it was an experience in itself. iam planning to visit again next year with my family members.
Overall an excellent trip by safari bookings, well coordinated and well planned, worth every penny. a lifetime experience.
keep it up the good work .
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Safari
My sister and I were joined with a fellow Australian traveller that we met on this safari. We went to lake manyara, Serengeti and ngorengoro which were all amazing. The trip was excellent, but don't expect it to be comfortable accomodation. It's mainly just tents and the meals are as you expect. Our cook, Gahd, made it delicious though and he made certain things that we requested which was very nice. The tour guide, Cosmas, was well knowledgeable and was excellent. Overall it was an amazing experience, being able to see all the animals (including all of the big 5) up close.
EG
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Going to Mount Kenya
Perfect communication, they take the responsibility of the trip as if it is there own trip. Especially the young lady Celestine that works with them prior to the trip she was really keen on tailoring and adjusting the plan according to my needs. Then following up throughout, and professionally handling and sorting out a challenge that I faced ensuring the best experience and that everything went smooth.
Highly Recommended.