JP
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very good and fun experience in Tanzania!
We did 5 days private safaris tour as part of our honeymoon trip to go to Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro with Bright African Safaris. Osman, our guide/driver was a very nice guy and made our trip very pleasant. Though it was a rainy season, the weather was nice and we could see many animals on the ground and on trees. First time to see lions on a tree and leopards on a tree! They provided us with professional, good and pleasant services. They were also flexible in scheduling and the like. (My wife's flight delayed and my wife's luggage did not arrive on time. However, they kindly re-arranged our schedule and we enjoyed the tour very much!)
My y wife and I recommend Bright African Safaris.
CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Kilimanjaro Trek
My wife and I booked our Kilimanjaro trek through Frank of Jungle Explorers Tanzania in January 2013. We hiked the Lemosho Route over the course of 8 days and successfully reached the peak of Kilimanjaro before sunrise on the 7th morning. Our porters and crew were excellent as well as professional, our guide was accommodating and when we wanted to do a bit of additional exploration such as hike up Cathedral and Shira Cave, it was no problem.
We thoroughly enjoyed our experience and wouldn't hesitate to recommend Frank to anyone interested in a Kilimanjaro adventure. He really made our Kilimanjaro trek one of the best memories of our Africa trip!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Another great stay with the Tembe Tribe.
Tembe is a favorite destination on our Birding and Wildlife safaris to KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It's a community partnership park, where the local people derive great benefits from the lodge and park, and it's great to support these types of operations. Tembe is a great birding destination, the only place in South Africa where one can see Plain-backed Sunbird. The Sand Forest habitat holds many other special birds, including a host of species endemic to South-eastern Africa. Thus, considering that Tembe is a full-board lodge with guided activities, it provides an 'easier' alternative for birders than does Ndumo or Mkuze Game Reserves, two of the top birding destinations in the province. Plus there's the thrill of big game encounters, and Elephants in particular of course. In terms of game viewing, I think it pays to look at reserves with a 'comparative advantage' mentality, in other words seeing what a particular reserve is good for and vising it for that reason. On a 'big five' comparison Tembe doesn't compare with reserves in the Greater Kruger region such as the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. Yes, they do have Lion and Leopard (the guides seemed to suggest to us on this visit that the Wild Dog pack had broken out of the reserve recently), but if your aim is to see and photograph big cats, then the Sabi Sand / Timbavati is the way to go. If you want to have great Elephant encounters and experience the Maputaland (as the northern tip of the province is called) ecosystems and associated fauna and flora, enjoy the hospitality of the Tembe people and experience something a bit different, then Tembe Elephant Park is a great place to stay. I've always enjoyed my time there...
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Matobo National Park by Jeremy Smith Photography
Scenery here is simply breath taking. The birdlife is excellent and the wildlife is not too bad but a little harder to see in amoungst all of the towering granite boulders and dwalas. The roads in the Game Park could do with some TLC but overall it is a lovely place to go with a picnic for the day and just outside the city of Bulawayo. Well worth the visit.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Gonarezhou National Park by Jeremy Smith Photography
This is the second largest National Park in Zimbabwe and is simply "Wild and untamed" Lovely for photography but I'd suggest a vehicle with good clearance for some of the roads. Fantastic bird life and many of the larger animals you'd expect to see in Africa.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Spend time in an unspoiled wilderness with something to see round every corner
Hwange has been mostly untouched by the modernisation of the western world. The wildlife there is free and you can see it in the behaviour of the animals and birds. As you drive by them they watch you with what appears to be mild curiosity but have little fear if you don't get too close. The park is wonderfully safe (from people), nicely located 1.5 hours drive from Victoria Falls and is huge so one can drive around all day. The accomodation in the National Park's lodges is basic but comfortable. Clean bedding, Mosquito nets, Fridge/freezer, kettle, cooking and eating utensils. We had Elephants eating the tree pods all around our chalet at one point. As an Ex Zimbabwean and a wildlife photographer I love staying here. I'm also happy to stay at more expensive private lodges nearby but the chalets at Main Camp are lovely for me.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about South Africa by Lawson's Safaris
One word - diversity. It is a 'world in one country', with myriad different habitats and landscapes in a relatively small area (compared to say Australia or the USA). Ease of travel is another big plus.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Zimbabwe by Jeremy Smith Photography
Zimbabwe is a safe country to drive in. Car hire is easy, efficient and there are plenty of places to go for fuel and supplies. The roads are generally good and there are things to see all over the place. National Parks all over the country where the wildlife viewing is varied as well as plentiful. The birdlife is out of this world. Zimbabwe has the advantage of having diverse soil types hosting diverse vegetation and therefore diverse flora and fauna. From the Dry Semi-desert of the South East and South West to the Pristine forests and perrenial streams of the Eastern Highlands.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An amazing experience with a wonderful guide that gave us a unique and life changing trip
Our safari was wonderful. The communication and followthrough were outstanding. They were very timely and professional and the service was impeccable. I think the experience was better than I could have hoped considering what we tried to accomplish in just two days and with such a large group. I will definitely use this safari company again and look forward to our next trip!
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An Unforgettable Experience
Wow! Where should I begin to tell this incredible journey of my lifetime?
I am always cautious making online reservation for travel especially when it involves never visited countries thousands of miles away. I browsed so many Safari companies before selecting Makasa. I chose Makasa because the reviews were very positive and the photo of the Kamm family made me feel comfortable.
Thus, my husband, my son , my girlfriend and I began our journey to Africa for 9 days. When we arrived in Kilimanjaro airport the representative from Makasa was waiting with big smile, which made me feel relieved. We stayed one night at Kilimanjaro Lodge, which generates income for the girls school. The room was simple but clean and I was glad to know that by sleeping there, we were helping the school.
Next morning, we were on the way to adventures in Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro.
I could not express enough how fortunate we were to have Humphrey as our guide. I have travelled far and wide around the world but no one matched Humphrey. His extensive knowledge about animals and their habitat,, names of trees and flowers along the way amazed me. He regularly had us sit around the table after lunch giving us lectures about the ecosystems of national parks and Massai tribes and other important information about animals and their habits. After so many years of his same profession, he was still passionate about his work. I will never forget how excited he was when we saw a black rhino lumbering away on the plain. He was incredibly professional, courteous and humorous. He was never tired of answering our questions until the last minutes of our departure and actually he was happy that we wanted to know all about animals and trees. He also had an eagle vision and could spot animals from far away without a mistake. No animal escaped from his sight. My son challenged him that we would see 25 lions. We saw 57 lions.
Everyday was a surprise. We saw a cheetah feeding on its kill and 6 vultures and an eagle landing on the carcass.
We saw lions mating. We saw a leopard in a tree with its kill (a gazelle) dangling from the tree. We saw a pride of 11 female lions relaxing in a tree while the male lion and his mate rested nearby. We saw a black rhino. We saw hyena stealing a carcass from vultures while a black-backed jackal followed him.
In all, we saw the Big Five, the Ugly Five, and an ant lion, one of the Small Five.
The lodgings were superb. We stayed at Maramboi in Tarangire, and Sopa Lodges in Serengeti and Ngorongoro.
Every lodge had breathtaking views and the food was excellent.
Makasa made this all possible and I would not hesitate to recommend Makasa Tours to anyone planning a safari in Tanzania.