US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Confident these are the best tour operators out there!
I am so very grateful that I booked my trip with Robert at Tanzania Offroad Trips. I was so nervous, as I was traveling alone to Tanzania and I have medical needs. I have type one diabetes, so needed to keep my insulin cold all day and have fridges in the lodges. Robert was so proactive and got me a cooler with a temperature gauge on it for the van so I always knew my insulin was cold. He also called the lodges in advance to notify about my dietary restrictions. I felt completely safe with him. Beyond that, he was SO kind and flexible. I had many questions and he was able to shift the itinerary for me based on that. We also went with the BEST and nicest driver, Jolis. Well more than a driver (and he is a fantastic driver)- he was a great animal spotter. We even saw a whole family of lions in a tree in Tarangire and had them all to ourselves.
Both Robert and Jolis have the best energy. They are funny, open, patient, and great to be with. We often had all day game drives and I was never bored. I am confident they are the best there is. So many other cars just were listening to the radio to chase animals and get surrounded by other cars. But, they were patient and we would go on our own and relied on instinct and luck- and we saw ALL the animals. Even about 7 serval cats! Another highlight was we were able to witness a Masai tradition on the Ngorogoro crater. It was beautiful, unusual, and moving.
Overall, I believe I had the best possible trip. I felt safe, lucky, and will forever be grateful to Robert and Jolis for the experience.
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Such a diverse range of experiences - from scenery to coast, wildlife, culture and hiking.
Namibia is a very large country - we only got a taste of everything in our 8 day visit. But there's a wide range of activities and opportunities - towns, national parks and coast. Sossusvlei was an amazing place - we climbed both Dune 45 and Big Daddy. Note, if you're planning to do this, you need to take extra water with you - Big Daddy is an epic climb, but so worth it, for the views and for the enormously fun descent straight down the side into Deadvlei! This dead valley is stunningly beautiful, although that sounds like a contradiction when you consider it's just dead trees in a mudbaked plain - but, truly, you have to see it to understand what an impact it makes. We stayed at the Namib Desert Lodge - one highlight was the sunset safari, culminating in a cliff top bar being set up for us, complete with wide range of alcohol and big platters of beautifully presented nibbles!
We visited Swakopmund, but didn't have time for any of the sea activities - however, the town itself is well worth a walk around. The architecture is interesting, with the German heritage, and we found a terrific bar - Bar Zonder Naam (the Bar Without a Name) - and also ate at the Blue Grass Restaurant, where the food and atmosphere were equally good. It was just a shame it was foggy and raining, so we didn't get the sea views! We did visit the Crystal Centre - again, well worth it, some stunning displays of a huge range of crystals, all mined in Namibia.
Our final destination was Etosha National Park, where we stayed at the Namutoni Lodge. Such a nice place - a good restaurant, swimming pool, clever design of the accommodation, with palisades around the front and back of each room, so you feel as though you're in a native compound or village. There's also a viewing platform overlooking a watering hole - great for a sunset visit to see the wildlife, while drinking a beer. We went on several safari drives - one memorable moment was when nearly 30 elephants slowly made their way past us, at a watering hole, and lined up in one long row to drink. Lots of zebra, impala, springbok, oryx, wildebeest, kudu, warthogs, some glimpses of leopard and rhino. But, most memorably - lions. Or rather, one lion and his mate, relaxing under a bush.
One small thing to note - most of the public toilets en route require a payment of just 2 or 3 rand. Also at the supermarket and restaurant carparks and petrol stations, it's customary to give 3-5 rand to the parking and fuel attendants. This means you need to change a larger note down to small notes or coins, so you have a kitty.
Obviously, if you have longer to visit, you could see more, or stay longer in one place - we did cover a lot of miles in a short space of time. But it's perfectly do-able to get a really good taste of Namibia in a week, with a night either end to allow for flying in and out of Windhoek.
Overall, we had a really lovely time - Namibia is certainly a great country to visit.
SG
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Can’t get enough of the exquisite beauty
It has the full range of the rustic wild life to the modern world of skyscraper architecture
Food is amazing- was not disappointed
Historically and culturally rich
Warm and friendly people
Working language is English, so it easy for me to get around, both spoken and written
NZ
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Breath-taking. So many animals and just stunning scenery.
A must see for all. It was a highlight of our trip to South Africa. Just kept getting better and better the further we ventured in. So many animals to see.
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A Fantastic Experience of the Okavango Delta
We loved the whole of our trip to Botswana and Zimbabwe especially the bush camping at Moremi National Park. It was an amazing experience and we were well looked after by the camp staff. We were so grateful that the camp and safari was so personal and just our family of four. We shared so many amazing experiences together and felt extremely privileged to have this opportunity to explore such a beautiful part of the world.
We would have no hesitation in recommending Sekanka Safaris. It was value for money and everything was so well organised and so suited to our individual needs.
CN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Francis is a very professional guide and driver. Help us find all we lloking for in the end.
It's a full of surprise and exciting trip. You will never know what will you find and wonderful experience will you have. Lovely animals surrounding us and we are safe. It's like a faretale. Cannot wait to come back again.
CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kind and supportive!
The coordinator responds very quickly and supportive. We can change our itinerary during the tour base on our needs, and the coordinator would keep in touch with our guide to make sure our request is done. Besides, our guide is also nice, has good moods all the way, introduced Kenya cultures and wildlife knowledge for us.
Thanks to them we have wonderful memories of this Kenya safari trip!
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceptional Experience for Anyone
I spent several days on Safari with Maasai Loita Tours. I can never fully describe the impact that this safari had on my life. The very first day, we were able to see The Big Five on that first safari!
The morning sunrise on the Maasai Mara are beyond words, and the vibrant colors of the sunset will not be forgotten.
The service, the beauty of seeing the Maasai Mara are unforgettable. Each of us on this tour were given exceptional attention, and the value of what was experienced will never be forgotten. I am so pleased we chose Maasai Loita Tours.
IN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic.
Aquila team is the best to show you wildlife in its pure form. There knowledge and experience about the parks is another level. One of my best experiences. There overall management of the tour is perfectly planned.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Best Guide in Kenya
My trip to Kenya was a childhood dream fulfilled and my expectations tripled by the most amazing guide, Mohammed Billow.
Mo"s passion for conservation and wildlife is so evident in his guiding. He was patient with us when we wanted to sit at a sighting for long and did his level best to find the Photographic opportunities we wanted, from Topis on a hill at sunset to a beautiful leopard in a tree. We had plenty of laughs and shared a magical 5 days with him.
I'm now planning on my next trip to return with a group and wouldn't think of using anyone other than Aquila Wildlife Adventures.
