DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Experience with Great Image Expedition Ltd
It was amazing time in Tanzania with Great Image Expedition Ltd (Kilimanjaro trekking and safari: Serengeti & Ngorongoro). Raymond (the owner) organized everything perfectly, and we had a great support. When the backpack of our friend was lost on the plane, Raymond rented all the trekking equipment for free. What was our surprise, when the porter brought the missing backpack to Barafu Camp - the last camp before the summit attack !!! We've made dreams come true and memories will remain for a long time! Thank you so much Raymond :-)
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Experience!
It was amazing, the team treated us so well and professionally, it shows that they really know how to do their job, it is really helpful.
EC
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great safari...incredible guide...terrible accomodations.
Our family, parents and four children, chose to go with this safari due to their good communication and their package looked very similar to other budget safaris. The agency does a good job communicating and I felt they were very honest about prices and surcharges they would need to pass on to the client (for instance 5% if you use a credit card). They sent us with a great guide, Mike was his name, and the vehicle for travel was ideal as it was a Land Cruiser with even some modern conveniences like USB charging (sorry, no air conditioning). Somethings cannot be helped, but we spent the first half day of our tour in the heat of a gas station trying to fix the land cruiser.
Thankfully the breakdown had not been too far out of Nairobi and we were still able to get parts and still make it to Masai Mara where we arrived at the tent camp greeted by the host in the dark. They apologized for the black out in electricity and said the generator would operate from 7 PM to 5 AM. Again, this is to be expected for Africa. What is not to be expected is that they had no towels for us and no hot water. After a long day sitting at a gas station and eating dust during the travel, you want a shower. Unfortunately on our second day returning the hostess said again they did not have any towels that were dry, however, unbeknownst to her one of the other workers had kept us back some but we didn't receive those until the few of us had already showered and used sheets to dry off with. In general I could never recommend this tent camp. It was run by young people who kept disco music blaring at full volume. When people go on Safari, they want to be in tune with nature and even have some places outside to sit, read, or observe the incredible scenery that can be found only in this unique part of the world. You will not find such peace at camp Miti Mindi.
The redeeming part of this trip was our day of Safari. We were able to observe four of the big five at close range. Our guide was great with the family and children; I certainly wouldn't blame him for the accommodation problems. We saw both a recent lion and leopard kill, as well as lions mating! One thing to be prepared for is that the package says that you can visit in Mosai Village but they charge 10 pounds per person. We opted NOT to do this part of the journey due to this unforeseen extra cost.
So I gave the trip an average rating but our full day safari would have gotten "exceptional." If magical safaris can choose their tent camps better, this budget safari will be exceptional as well.
FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent service, excellent safari!
Adam organised everything perfectly, he took care of us from the moment we arrived at the airport to the moment we left. He also arranged very efficiently a change of program at the last day of the planned safari because we wanted to add another day of safari in lake manyara.
I definitely suggest him for your safari!
HK
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A wonderful trip organiser
I have spent 12 days with Seven by Fars from Kenya Nairobi to Tanzania Serengeti. It was an unforgettable experience for us to see the great migration and river crossing! Thanks to Sylvester, our trip was well planned. We enjoyed several free upgrades including hotels and hot air ballon! Our tour guide Eric and Cosma took good care of us during the journey. We were lucky to see a lot of animals and cubs. I will definitely recommend seven by fars to you!
DK
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great experience with Gorilla Bookings
We have had a wonderful journey around Uganda with Gorilla Booking.
From the very beginning, Silvia from the office, has been very quick in responding to our inquiries, and so helpful in trying to meet all of our requests.
Once we arrived, we were greeted at Jero Farm with all the friendly people from the Company. What a great way to begin our journey.
Our guide, Allan, has done more to meet our needs than we could ever have expected. Through our many conversation, we have learned a lot about Uganda and it’s fantastic people. He was a great guide and a kind and helpful person. Ask for him, if you decide to go.
We had a great encounter with a small group of chimpanses. Although there were many people, we still enjoyed the moments we had.
Our encounter with the Muyambi gorilla family was fantastic. Quite a tiresome hike, but well worth the effort.
Aside from the encounters with these magnificent creatures, we also had several fun and heartwarming moments with the local children, that will stay in our hearts forever. Despite the fact that they have so little to themselves, we were always greeted with big smiles and waving hands.
In regards to accommodation, we certainly appreciated Kibale Guest Cottages,
which had a nice small balcony outside each room and beautiful surrounding forest. Also the food was delicious here.
The next place, Ride 4 A Woman Hotel was a nice place that supports an important cause for woman. The people there were also very kind and accommodating.
However, the last place we stayed in, which was classified as mid-luxury, Bunyoni Lake Safaris, was anything but luxury. Back in 1994 when it was built, for sure the place must have been luxurious. But it seems to have not been maintained ever since, giving visitors a stay in run-down facilities.
Fortunately the staff, in particular Pleasure, the girl in the reception, were very kind and eager to meet our requests. So that made somewhat up for the run-down resort.
All in all we have had an unforgettable meeting with this beautiful country, thanks to a well planned trip by Gorilla Bookings. Can definitely be recommended!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Dream Came True
Fantastic Safari!
My family and I, went on safari on 20th July, 2022 for 4 days with our amazing driver & guide Eliud. His knowledge was superb and he looked after us very well. We saw ‘’THE BIG FIVE’’, I would recommend AFRICAN FOOTAGE SAFARIS LTD & the wonderful Eliud.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Uncommunicative, was very good, no longer will I use them
I have used this company 5 times, the first 3 times were wonderful. Liselle Ratth was our agent and she was fabulous. During and after covid, our booked trip for 2021 was handled by Brett Thomson. He did not communicate in a timely manner, which made us very nervous. However, the trip in September 2021 went very well. We had another trip planned for June/July of 2022 and it did NOT go well. Email questions took days, if not weeks for an answer. Sometimes we never did get an answer. The first lodge on our trip went very well, during our stay there we received an email from the next lodge in Zimbabwe telling us that our stay was cancelled due to none payment by Brett. Needless to say we were in shock. Luckily the owner and manager of Nottens Bush Camp (Sabi Sands) took us under their wing and helped us. The catch was that we had to wire the payment directly to the camp, as they would not deal with Brett. This put us out another $7600 US dollars, which we had already paid. Brett assured me that he would be refunded this amount via our credit card. This did NOT go as planned and took over 8 weeks to receive refunds, which were not the same amount as we wired to the camp due to exchange rates. This is so unacceptable, he did not pay and we were out extra money. I can only image if the guests did not have an extra $7600 cash to pay the camp...would we have been out of luck? I do not recommend using this company...
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
They should be called 'The Best by Far!'
I have just got back from an 8 day safari trip with 7 by far. I cannot fault the organisation by Sylvester, or the pleasure of Hussan's company as our driver. His driving skills were superb and the trip was really enjoyable.
BE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Safari was fab! Rob and Frank were like old friends, how lucky can you be with 2! wonderful guides!
We booked our Botswana-trip through a Belgian travel agent, that works together with Rob Barber and his Golden Africa Safaris. From the moment we had expressed our wishes and vision, we immediately felt that our journey was planned just accordingly. With very fluent conversation through almost amicable e-mails, we were fully confident when we arrived in Kasane, that it was going to be a wonderful holiday. Yet, we were still overwhelmed, as everything ran so smoothly: flights, transfers, accomodations with always a hearty welcome, serving and quality of food. Moreover really everbody was so kind ! Nothing, really nothing to grumble about, we felt spoilt as we have never been before.
After Chobe and Okavango River, we arrived at the mobile Khwai camp (set up only the day before!) We were welcomed by Rob and Frank (the other guide) and a staff of 9, who were all friendly and caring. Chef D.H. worked magic in his field kitchen, not just cooking, but also baking cookies, scones and cakes – even a birthday cake for my wife :-) :-):-) .No wonder we were totally at ease in the silence of the evenings, soon talking and joking like old friends. In the mean time the frogs in the river next to us were making a racket…
The 4WD – drives were at the same time exciting, interesting ánd great fun; a leopard, a family of 5 lions with 3 cubs devouring a lechwe – catch, a giant herd of 400 buffalo trekking, 30 something elephants passing by our tents to cross the river, but also a hamerkop swallowing a frog after picking it to death. And birds, birds, birds of course ! Frank started every morning saying: “ Let’s see what nature has got to offer us today ! “ which translated his ánd our spirit perfectly. He’s a master in finding wildlife, mostly driving with one hand, while giving interesting and funny details of all this beauty, his love for baboons, the odd Green Elephant Syndrome, and his unknown knowledge of Spanish….;-). Rob was a relaxed and considerate observer, cracking a joke now and then, and clearly enjoying just being amid the wildlife with some nature buffs. All this topped off with a daily sundowner (or 2), admiring the unforgettable African sunset.
Thank you Rob, and everybody at Golden Africa, for taking such good care of us. Thanks to you lot, our safari was like a wonderful dream, better than a second honeymoon. Any marks to be given, we’ll go for 6 stars on all items. We’ll be back !!