ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great deal in terms of price vs. quality
The overall experience was very good! We did the Safari and the Panoramic View.
Things to point out as positive:
- Knowledgeable guides (especially in the safari)
- Generally good communication
- Overall great service (they came to pick us up)
Things to point out as not so good:
- One day we had miscommunication
- First day there was quite a big delay in terms of entering the park that was weird because many people who arrived after us entered before us and we had to wait for quite a long time but it was not so bad
I want to leave clear that we would give a 4.5 stars but the system does not allow it. I would be great if Shinzelle Safaris could provide a small pdf with the planning of the day with some information and recommendations that one could print out.
Anyways, would repeat for sure! Highly recommended
Odyssey is one of the best tour operators I have ever experienced! Top notch outfit - 10 stars!!!!!
My expectations were met and more! My driver Charles and the other drivers were amazing! The safari experience was one of the best vacations in my life. I hope to do another safari in South Africa with Odyssey!
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Absolutely Amazing
My wife and I received everything as promised. Communication was flawless, pick up at airport was quick and easy. The tented accommodation was fantastic as was the food. The driver was well spoken and very knowledgable, always had a smile and quick to help if needed. Seeing the animals up close was amazing, even saw two lion cubs playing with their mother, which no other group saw as our driver knew what to look for. Would highly recommended this company and their tours.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
I would choose a trip to Tanzania with Viewpoint Adventures again and again!!!
I have traveled many places, but Tanzania has been by far my favorite and most meaningful trip due to Viewpoint Adventures and their amazing staff. If you are on the fence about visiting Tanzania because it might be dangerous or out of your comfort zone..don’t be! I have never felt so safe or welcome before. Idi and his team provide a five-star experience in every way imaginable. They made us feel at home in Tanzania through incredible hospitality and communication, thorough education about the culture and language, as well as authentic experiences that left lasting memories. The accommodations, transportation, and food were exceptional in every part of the trip. Idi’s charisma and knowledge about his beloved country are par to none. Tanzania has a piece of my heart, and I would recommend Viewpoint Adventures a thousand times!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent value and responsiveness
As a solo traveler, I joined a 7-day budget camping group safari organized by Foot Slopes that covered Arusha NP, Tarangire NP, Lake Manyara NP, Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Serengeti NP.
There are no guarantees on safari but we saw a ton and I was very pleased. The driver was friendly and knowledgeable, and the cook not only made good food but was an engaging person who made meal times and evenings fun. It was also nice that we were in a Land Rover Defender, which, in my opinion, is a far superior vehicle to the Toyota Land Cruiser that seemed to be far more commonly used by tour operators.
Overall, Foot Slopes offered excellent value for the price.
Unfortunately, some members of my group were clueless about safari rules and common sense safari etiquette and engaged in inappropriate behavior that affected other people in the group. The driver didn't put a stop to this immediately. I spoke with him twice and when he finally did something on the last day of the safari, he handled it in a less-than-ideal manner.
Obviously, a tour operator really has no way to identify clients who will misbehave beforehand, and I empathize with drivers who for obvious reasons have some strong incentives to shy away from standing up to clients, even when they behave like self-absorbed jerks.
It's easy to give 4 and 5 star reviews when everything goes well, but how companies respond to problems reveals a lot about how good they are, and on this front, Foot Slopes was fantastic. My contact at Foot Slopes was very interested in my feedback and within 30 minutes of arriving at the hotel after the safari ended, was on site asking to sit down with me to see how everything went.
He took very seriously my complaints about the other group members' behavior and I believe the company will follow through in talking to the driver so that if he ever finds himself in an unfortunate, touchy situation like this again, he knows how he should handle it.
I'm giving Foot Slopes 5 stars because despite dealing with rude safari mates, I still enjoyed my safari thoroughly, the value was very high, and Foot Slopes clearly cared about my satisfaction and the quality of its offering.
While I'm going to be very hesitant about joining group safaris going forward because of the uncertainty that is present with them (regardless of who the tour operator is), I wouldn't hesitate to do a private Northern Circuit safari with Foot Slopes in the future and plan to do so once I can round up a few friends.
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
A brilliant tour for Africa virgins!
We'd been invited to visit old friends who'd emigrated to KwaZulu Natal and were looking to see more of SA whilst there - in particular, we wanted to see a game park and the Garden Route. Our choice of agent was going to be important as we were to be very dependant on their advice, so I researched the field, came down to a shortlist and finally decided on Indigo Safaris, though it was a fairly arbitrary choice.
Ines Moosmann proved to be brilliant! I only had a vague notion of what we wanted to do/see and her choice of Kariega Game Reserve was inspired - it's a wonderful place! From there, we agreed to go via Tsitsikamma, Knysna, Oudsthoorne, Hermanus, Stellenbosch and then spend 4 nights in Cape Town. Ines advised as to how long to stay in each place and booked all the accommodation which turned out to be, without exception, excellent, with a huge variety of different hotels and guest houses.
Throughout the process, Ines was responsive and helpful, answering my many questions with a positive attitude. In the event, the entire trip was a memorable experience and I'd recommend Indigo Safaris without hesitation to anyone planning such a trip.
Thanks Ines!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Close proximity to wildlife, beautful scenary and safari lodges paired with an accommodating guide.
The service was fun and friendly. The safari were outstanding as they enabled us to get close to the wildlife without disturbing them - a great eco tourism success. With the exception of one hotel, which the company moved us from, the accommodation was comfortable and homely. The communication could have been improved but overall the guide was very accommodating.
NO
Off road Tanzania september - october 2018
Great local guiding off the beaten tracks of Tanzania. Bikes were great for the purpose. Light, nimble and powerful enogh for most of the terrain. Some technical problems could maybe have been avoided by preventive maintenance, however technical problems were always solved as soon as possible by qualified mechanics. Along the way we experience the friendly and curious atposphere of the people (locals, masai-tribe, hadza tribe) along the way and wild animals like giraffe,zebra,wildebeast, gazelle etc. Truly a great experience
CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a lifetime
Such an incredible experience. My sister and I were taken care of from before we left to when we got home. Our guide was so kind and went out of his way to make sure the trip was everything it could be. The food and accommodations well exceeded my expectations! The jeep was such a great safari vehicle, and we had amazing wildlife viewing opportunities. Thank you Odyssey for an experience I will never forget!
FR
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic safari!
Tired of the evasive answers we got (or not) from other sites we looked for to organize our safari, we found Tazama African Holidays. Anthony Gitau responded immediately to our email and phone calls. He seems available 24/7! Anthony is punctual, reliable and very professional. Good advice, listening to our requests, even if they make changes to the planing of the day. His choice for our accommodations was excellent: a high standard for a very reasonable price (compared to other safari operators). Nothing to complain about, no negative criticism. Excellent value. No hesitation, we will go back in the wilderness with Anthony. Gilles and his wife, from France: a week in Nakuru and Masai Mara, beginning of October 2018.