BR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A personal and special trip
I felt like going on a ride with a friend, it felt so relaxed and full of adrenalin at the same time. Our guide, Lenny had all the information needed and could answer every single question we had. I did different trips with Tayiai, from a walk in the Ngong Hills, Safari in the Maasai Mara National Park and a Safari in the Nairobi Nacional Park, I can't explain how special was each of those days, but I must tell that we were lucky enough to see a Lyones attaching a zebra right in front of our eyes! I still can't believe it, it was amazing!!!! Thanks Tayiai Safaris, Thanks Lenny!!!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Experience in Tanzania!
My husband and I booked our honeymoon with Eastern Sun to hike Kilimanjaro, go on safari and to visit Zanzibar, and we had a fantastic experience. From the time that we arrived at Kilimanjaro, everything went very smoothly. Our driver picked us up right on time and even had flowers to greet us with. We then spent a night at a relaxing little hotel before heading out to start our hike. The hike was great- our porters were amazing and all of the food that Stephen cooked for us was delicious. We could not have asked for a better guide, Arnold, or assistant guide, Tuma. They were so knowledgeable and helpful, and just really enjoyable to be around. We've even kept in touch with them over whats app and facebook since we left Tanzania.
We also had great experience on Safari with our guide Richard. He was also very knowledgeable about the animals, which we saw tons of- baby cheetas, hippos, elephants, and rhinos, lion cubs and the all of the big 5. We really enjoyed the accommodations on the safari as well, they had really friendly and helpful staff and we met some other great travelers as well. I especially loved the Maramboi camp where we were able to go for a run and had a close encounter with some Giraffes.
After Safari we were off to Zanzibar, which was absolutely beautiful. We got to spend a bit of time in Stonetown and explore on our own which we really enjoyed. After that we headed out to the resort where we got to kayak, run, and go Scuba diving. We also went on a spice tour and got some really great lunch in Stonetown on the way back to the airport as well.
The only issue that we had the entire time that we were there was with the weight of luggage when we flew to and from Zanzibar, as we had quite a bit of since we had done the hike and safari. We contacted Mercy and she was very quick to respond and help us through this issue, which we appreciated. My only suggestion would be for those doing the hike to somehow have the baggage held while traveling to Zanzibar to avoid this issue.
Overall, we had an amazing experience with Eastern Sun. We absolutely cannot wait to go back and visit Tanzania again in the future!!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Kenya Walking Survivors Safaris are the BEST in East Africa
Affordable, very friendly and time conscious staff. Nice choice of destinations.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Bucket List Ticked!! Best Experience!!
A safari being top on my bucket list, I decided to book the 10days combined Kenya & Tanzania safari trip, through Absolute Holiday Safaris, I initially was dealing with Martha Mutanu who was an absolute joy and delight to deal with, friendly and professional approach with excellent email communication to allow me make the right decision. I decided to go with the hardcore camping (budget) option which turned out to be great experience considering I have never camped in my life.
The 1st phase (Kenya) of the safari was the best, I was picked up at the airport by lovely and reliable John and we had the pleasure of Jackson the tour guide, who was very knowledgable and ensured we had the best experience, from boat ride in Lake Naivasaha, to game drive in Lake Nakuru, Masai Mara and Amboselli, I was able to capture such beautiful moments on my camera, with close-up pictures of the animals and to top it managed to see 4 of the big Five in Kenya (Though the 5th (Leopard) I later saw in Serengeti - Tanzania)
The second phase which was the Tanzania trip was still a great experience from getting to Arusha from Kenya it was a hassle free journey, however the tour company used in Arusha in my opinion needs to be reviewed, I would advise that Absolute Safari review their long term relationship with them in order to continue to provide their exceptional service to their customers.
All in all I had the best experience and I am very glad I booked my trip with Absolute Holiday Safaris Ltd and I will definitely be back next year and with the pleasure of your service!! Thanks to the Absolute team, Martha, David, George & Jackson you guys are awesome & keep up the good work and A***** for a quality service.
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
A beyond wonderful experience
I am 72 and my husband 78 and both of us are very fit and healthy. We usually book one night in a country and then wander in back packer style so we wondered what an organised tour would be like. We felt this was the only option because the distances covered are vast and there are few travelers on the road and we certainly made the right choice. We did two seven day safaris to the north and south of Namibia. The guides and cooks were fantastic and served up very good vegetarian food for us especially. Everyone helped with putting up tents and the camp facilities were good and the sites where we stayed spectacular. I had read up on the country before booking and the tours covered what we wanted to see and more. Visits to cheetah and leopard parks were made interesting by having experts talk about the work they were doing although our guide was also especially well informed. The country is exquisitely beautiful with some not to be missed areas such as the Namib desert with its orange sand dunes, Fish River Canyon, and the Quiver Tree forest. The organisers were very laid back but very efficient. We had the time of our lives!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Amboseli/Tsavo West Safari
Daniel arranged a great three night safari for us to Amboseli and Tsavo West in January. His local knowledge helped us plan an interesting trip that effectively used the time which we had available. He found us good quality accommodation at a reasonable price. We also used his Toyota Land Cruiser which has a lift up roof that gave us great views of the animals. His driver, Peter, was brilliant. Peter knew the wildlife and used his local contacts in the Park to find out the position of the latest sightings. We saw lions, cheetahs and a leopard in those three days. We have used Transtrek again since this trip and I would definitely recommend them.
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent budget safari operator - great value, great experience
I took a 5-day, 4-night safari with World Tours & Safaris, and was very satisfied.
We spent one day in Tarangire, camped on the way to Serengeti, then 2 days and 2 nights in Serengeti, 1 night on the crater on Ngorongoro and then a day in the crater. That was an excellent variety - Tarangire's elephants and trees, Serengeti's wide expanses, and Ngorongoro's wildlife density. The parks themselves are obviously the true stars of the trip. Considering the cost of park fees, paying under $1000 for an excellent all-inclusive safari of that length truly is a bargain. It also included an extra hotel night which was handy and staff there were great about helping you get set up for the safari.
Recognizing that the parks are the stars, World Tours did a good job of getting us there and keeping us taken care of. Tents were basic but adequate and we slept well, food was simple but tasty and ample. Lots of water on hand. Most importantly they kept it 4 to a vehicle which meant everybody gets a window and there's enough leg room etc. Our driver wasn't so talkative, but was an excellent driver and spotter. We saw a lot of things that others didn't, and were usually the first or second car at amazing sights. He made every effort to have things in order, we spent lots of time out spotting, he answered the questions we had, and he really did a great job of getting us great views.
The only downsides were slightly older cars without some of the huge windows that others have, but if you're standing up that's not an issue. And we did occasionally have gear mounted at the front which obscured the view in that direction a bit, but there's probably a way around that. But talking to others, the cost of our trip was a lot less than those operations with newer cars, and our cars weren't overloaded with an extra person which does happen on some budget safaris.
Mr. Richard the proprietor had excellent communication, everything was exactly as promised, and he was creative about making things work for drop-offs, stop-offs etc.
I probably could have given a 5-star rating, as they really did make every effort to be sure we were taken care of and I would say they were an excellent budget operator. But know that this is a budget safari, so don't expect bone china and fine linens -- if you want a 5-star camp, be prepared to pay a lot lot more. But for me, the safari tent the first night was very comfortable and the hotel had nice facilities, and then 3 nights of camping in Serengeti and the rim of Ngorongoro were absolutely gorgeous. You're camping, so be prepared to get your hands dirty a little. Cars can break down whether you're on a luxury safari or a budget one, so the right attitude going in will get you over the inevitable bumps in the road. As budget operators go, World Tours & Safaris were always honest, accommodating, and delivered incredible value and an unforgettable experience.
I certainly recommend going on a safari with Mr. Richard and World Tours.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unforgettable safari experience
We did a three-day safari with Sunny Safaris in December 2014, starting in Arusha and ending in Mwanza. I can only say that it was an unforgettable experience! We saw all of the Big Five and witnessed two lions savouring a wildebeast from up close.
The first night we spent at Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge,which offers a breathtaking view from the terrace, decent food, and fabulous rooms. The second night we slept at Serengeti Kati Kati Camp. An outstanding camping experience, with large tents including toilet and shower, solar lighting, a dining tent with excellent food and a campfire at night.
Our guide Ismael was friendly and knew all about the animals in the park. He clearly knows his way through the park and drove us all the way to western Mwanza without ever consulting a map. Yet, he had some problems locating the tented camp site; apparently the camp changes location frequently and finding the camp in absence of satellite navigation required quite some meandering.
One thing you should make sure to agree upon when booking with Sunny Safaris, is the number of days you will get inside the park. In our initial package we had a three day safari, but only 48 hours inside the parks. (Park entry goes via a sophisticated and rigid smartcard-system, which allows entr
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
This was absolutely the trip of a lifetime for myself and husband and good value for money.
Our Kenyan tour guide, Alex, was exceptional, accommodation good and sometimes excellent and food superb. We initially thought the Kenya/Tanzania safari expensive as you pay in US$ but it was good value for money. We felt safe at all times given terrorist threats in Kenya but security was tight and we were pleased to be searched on entering hotels and supermarkets. The East Africans are extremely friendly and welcoming and we saw so many animals close up. I now want to go back again to other parts of Africa. We also found the Sydney office of African Ubuntu Safaris very helpful.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A+ Experience
Malcolm Van Coller is a first class proprietor. Simba 4X4 Tours and Safaris is a first class operation. I had the pleasure of visiting Africa for the first time in my life this January. I am a city dweller, from the United States; I have never even been camping! Van Coller and Simba 4X4 made my inaugural Africa experience UNFORGETTABLE. I felt comfortable and safe the entire time during my visit; even in the remote and "wild" areas. Van Coller's expertise in all things Africa and Safari journeying is plainly evident and reassuring at every turn. He also happens to be very personable and hospitable. He has a magnetic personality and truly went the extra mile on every possible occasion to make the experience special. I will never forget it. I will return to Africa. I will, moreover, rely on Van Coller's expertise and genial nature to be my guide on these subsequent journeys. Kudos to Van Coller and Simba 4X4 for a job exceptionally well done. It is my pleasure to pass this message forward about the wonderful value proposition available to all interested in visiting the REAL Africa with a REAL guide (Van Coller); and Safari operator (Simba 4X4).