US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent expereince again!
This was the second year we used Tanzania Serengeti Adventure to plan our trip in Tanzania for our university. This year we had 3 drivers total; Philemon, James and Bryson. All of the drivers are excellent! First, they are all very friendly and are very willing to share their vast knowledge about Tanzania culture, landscape, history and wildlife. Second, they are very safety oriented and want to make certain that you have a very safe and enjoyable trip. Depending on the weather, road conditions can quickly change and they were always able to handle everything without problems. Third, they know where to find the wildlife!!
We had safari tours in the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara. We were able to see the Big Five through our travels as well as the zebra migration in the Serengeti. We saw so many animals it is impossible to list them all here. It is safe to say that there was not one animal that I wanted to see that I didn't have the opportunity to see.
While in Tanzania, we also were able to stay at the TSA owned Coffee Farm. The accommodations there are good and it is very nice to stay at a site that is completely solar powered and eco-friendly. In addition, the staff at the Coffee Farm was AMAZING! Rosie is the best cook you could ever encounter and you will be delighted to try the great food that she cooks for you. In addition, all of the staff was very helpful. The director of the Coffee Farm Blaise made certain everything was perfect for our time there and was even able to take us on a tour of the Coffee Farm and show us how coffee was made. It was amazing.
If you are looking for a great tour company to work with, this is your best bet!
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Custom luxury safari designed for you at $$, not $$$$. Reputable & reliable.
Very responsive, excellent recommendations... Like a dear friend developing an itinerary, not a safari consultant. The execution of the itinerary was excellent... The hotel-5 stars; the pick ups were timely; guides friendly and accommodating; and the tours awesome! The wife and i, without hesitation, would use falcon safari again, and encourage our family and friends should they desire to visit south africa to use them.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A Truly In-the-Wild Experience!
We had a wonderful 4-day canoeing trip with Natureways down the Zambezi in Mana Pools. We mixed it up with doing 2 days on the more rustic option and 2-days on the luxury option, and both were amazing in their own ways. I've never felt more "out there" as I did on this trip, hearing lions coughing in our camp, dodging hippos for 4 straight days and having close encounters with elephants, waterbuck and crocodiles. The guides were super knowledgeable and always prioritized our safety over anything else. The food was fresh and very well done, and the amenities in the luxury version were spectacular. All in all, one of the best experiences of my life.
There was one BIG mix-up in that we initially signed up for a 2-day walking safari and 2-day canoeing safari but when we got there Natureways had it booked as a 4-day canoeing trip. But in the end, we didn't mind at all as the 2 extra days canoeing were also amazing. Still, it was a mistake on their end.
IN
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A Dream Trip (according to 16 y/o Junior)
About us: Son (16 y/o) and Father (myself) duo
Our previous safari experience: Kenya, April 2013
Why Safari Multiways: Recommended by an experienced traveler via a Safari forum
The planning process: Romeo of Safari Multiways was prompt with email, open to suggestions, and above all, fully transparent with the costing; that is, the quote for every line item per day was clearly detailed out. Romeo bought the Nairobi - Arusha - Nairobi shuttle bus tickets as well as Flying Doctors' insurance cover.
Type of safari: 9-night basic Camping and Hiking (though Romeo included tented camps on two nights for a change) plus 1-night each at Arusha, before and after.
Experiences:
Wildlife: Tarangire, Serengeti, Migration at Grumeti-Kirawira, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Natron (Flamingos)
Hiking: Empakai Crater, Lake Natron Waterfall, Lake Natron
Local life: Massai villages, Mto Wa Mbu vegetable markets and "Nyama Choma" (Local BBQ).
Camping: Tarangire Small Camp site, Serengeti Nyani Camp site, Ngorongoro Simba Camp site, Lake Natron River Camp site. It was great fun, including the cold evenings at Simba Camp site in Ngorongoro. Some sites like Roika Tented Camp (Tarangire), Panorama Lodge (overlooking Lake Manyara) and River Camp site (Lake Natron) allow you to pitch your tent on their grounds or use their lodges. You can cook your own food in the area provided, if you wish.
Driver-guide: Amos was our driver guide. He drove expertly not only through typical game-drive dirt tracks but also over the brutally rough, often non-existent tracks in the Lake Natron area. His spotting abilities kept us engaged continuously, with sightings of Lion, Cheetah, Leopard, Rhino, Hartebeest, Topi, Eland, Antelope, Tortoise, Hyrax and numerous types of Birds. The only wildlife we generally found easier to sight on our own were the common and/or the larger species like Elephant, Giraffe, Gazelle, Zebra, Baboon, Crocodile, Buffalo, Ostrich and Wildebeest. :)
Cook-help: Moses cooked a variety of excellent breakfast, lunch and dinner (Western and African, Soups, Ugali, Pilaf, Kachambari, Stew, Grills etc etc). Our breakfast and picnic-box for the afternoon was promptly ready before we left early morning, and tea/coffee and dinner were ready when we got back. Stove, food, utensils and tents were packed up and ready well in time whenever we moved camps.
Both Amos and Moses are lovely, caring people!
We carried everything in our 4x4, and stopped occasionally to replenish supplies.
We drove through and hiked around amazing landscapes, including game parks, mountains, meadows, 'endless plains', lakes, extinct volcanoes, crater lakes, waterfall and rivers. We got wonderful insights into the life of the beautiful Maasai people, and how peacefully they coexist with nature and wildlife. Personally, those were among my greatest eye-opening or 'a-ha' moments during our trip.
At the beginning of our safari, Amos asked us, "So, how many Lion did you see in Kenya?". We told him proudly (it was in the single digits, actually). He then asked us, "You mean you could count?". That left us wondering what we were in for!
Amos constantly punctuated our game drives with, "See the lion(s) out there?", "See the leopard(s) out there?", "See the cheetah(s) there?". "See the bird(s) there?". Until Amos pointed it out, most of the time we could see none. It was as if the animals and birds appeared out of nowhere! We lost count of our Lion sightings and the number of Lions (and Lionesses and Cubs) we sighted. Probably 60 or 70 across more than 20 or 25 sightings?
After some time, we stopped counting and just admired the magnificent animals in the early morning light or under the shade of a tree at noon or in the slanting light of the setting sun. We drove, on an average, a little over 200 km per day. Our game drives were from 6 AM to 6 PM, and often stretched beyond 6 PM as we raced back to camp.
Today is June 2, 2014. I will be adding to my blog "Travel and Food Tales" shortly, by June 15, 2014.
Please visit http://feni-and-amok.blogspot.com and look for the Tanzania posts under "2014" and "May".
Thank you for reading my review. We wish you a Tanzania experience that will be as mind-blowing as ours was.
Junior has called our trip "The Dream Trip" on his Facebook page. It was, indeed!
Our huge thanks to the Safari Multiways team of Romeo (owner), Amos (driver-guide) and Moses (cook-help) for making this our "Dream Trip", a real "Trip of a Lifetime".
We wish you "Safari njema" and "Kwaheri"!
-- Jyotinath Ganguly (Senior) and Adit Ganguly (Junior), Bangalore, India
NO
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Jaw dropping experience
We spent three weeks in Kenya of which two were spent in the company of Isaac Ouma in the Naivasha and Kisumu area. This were the most exciting weeks in my life. In the Kisumu area we explored the northern part of lake Victoria with its enormous areas overgrown by water hyacinths and enjoyed bird watching by boat.
In Lake Naivasha National Park we experienced fantastic nature, geothermal activity and the crater lake with its health bringing water. We saw the wild life as close as you can get and were privileged with more bird watching, flamingo watching to be precise, in its most spectacular form. A tour with ecobushman will touch you and give you experiences for life, but you will also leave with a more educated and open mind.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The Perfect Safari
Safari Infinity was recommended to us by friends who had used their safari services a year ago. When I contacted Safari Infinity knowing little about what a safari was, nothing about Tanzania and with a limited budget they responded immediately and worked with me to create the perfect safari for me and my two adult kids. I cannot recommend Safari Infinity highly enough! They were conscientious, thorough, reasonable, had great follow up AND produced exactly the safari we wanted, which was no easy task. They always answered my endless email questions in a timely manner. When we arrived our guide met us at the airport and immediately we felt at ease. Safari Infinity owners, Simon and Lucia met us that night at the hotel to discuss our safari with us. Everything went as planned every single day with no unpleasant surprises on the road or at our accommodations. Our guide was beyond knowledgeable, kind, competent and understanding. He even was a bird expert! At the end of the safari Simon and Lucia met with us again for a full de-briefing so that they can make future safaris even better. Wow! Their customer service, commitment and professionalism was the best I have ever experienced. We will absolutely use Safari Infinity again and will recommend them to our friends!
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A great trip which we won't forget!
We have thoroughly enjoyed our trip, and Tailor Made Safaris had organised it to the utmost detail, leaving us not to worry about anything. We booked rather last minute and yet Tailor Made Safaris managed to organise everything. The best destination, in our opinion, was Tembe Elephant Park. The park and the lodge are managed by super friendly people that are committed to give you an experience of a life time! And sure they did! You could notice that the staff enjoyed working there, which was great to see! Apart from doing game drives, we also enjoyed some time at the Elephant Viewing Hide and spend hours there watching herds of elephant that came to drink. Fantastic!
In summary: A great tour which we won't forget! Tailor Made Safaris, thanks a million for everything!
Beyond our expectations!!
When we started planning the trip, we were so overwhelmed. There was so much we wanted to see and do and we didn't understand the logistics of making it happen.
A friend recommended Kathi Simon from African Welcome Safari. Her insight and patience was so valuable. Kathi was exceptional about learning the type of trip we were looking for and guiding us to make this a most exceptional experience. We loved all of the hotels and restaurants she recommended.
Our favorite was Ivory lodge at Lions Sand. When we walked into our room, we were astounded at the beauty of the accommodations. It was beyond our expectations. Descriptions cannot do the facility justice.... immaculately clean, incredible staff, unbelievable attention to detail, gourmet food, exceptionally knowledgable guides. Words don't do it justice. Our guide and tracker on the Safari were so knowledgable. We saw all of the big 5 and many more animals. The experience was a memory for a lifetime.
Our next favorite was Tsala tree house on the Garden Route. Beautiful accommodations, wonderful staff and great food. We had two great dinners there....one at the Zinzi restaurant and another in the Wine Cellar. The Wine Cellar was our favorite..... very special.
The Franschoek Country house was lovely. The grounds were beautiful. There are so many wonderful restaurants in the area, I would recommend that people go to the restaurants in town and skip the hotel restaurant.
Rhys was a wonderful guide. He was very helpful with educating us on the history of the areas we were visiting. He was also very flexible and accommodating. His recommendations on when to visit certain sites assisted us in avoiding crowds. We wanted to stay away form "tourist traps" and he understood what we were looking for and made the appropriate recommendations.
Kathi did an excellent job. We felt safe and taken care of from the moment we arrived to we departed. South Africa is a wonderful country and the people are warm and welcoming.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Endless Scenic Skeleton Coas.
The Skeleton Coast National Park is probably one of the most scenic places in the world. (That is if you like deserts).
But, this one is exceptional.
Depending on the weather... this can be one of the most awesome photographic experiences you have ever had. Where else can you see a desert with massive sand dunes slipping into the endless deep blue ocean while the sun is setting over the ocean. The shadows cast by the dunes, eery early morning fog and late afternoon colours are such that you just don't know when to stop photographing the scenery in any direction.
This is a National Park and you cannot enter the area on your own without a permit.
Being a desert, here is not much wildlife. But you will see Gemsbok (Oryx) and probably some elephant on your way there.
There are some excellent tour operators in Namibia that can take you anywhere and also give you some interesting stories about the history of the area while you are driving.
The best way to see the area is by one of 3 ways.
1) Join a self drive tag along 4x4 safari tour operator. For this you would have to a rent a 4x4 vehicle. There are a few companies renting out very well equipped 4x4 vehicles in Namibia. For us this is the most exciting option. Or, if you have your own vehicle, it's even better. Just join the group.
2) Book with a safari operator that has larger 4x4 vehicles that can accommodate larger groups of people. Here you would be a passenger and don't have to do any driving yourself. Just enjoy the ride and scenery, use your camera and relax.
3) If time is a limiting factor, then you can fly over the desert. There are a few companies that would take you on either day trips or fly you between different lodges in the area.
With the first 2 options you have the choice of doing the camping thing or staying overnight in luxury lodges.
We ourselves like to go camping and then spend the last night in a luxury lodge, to spoil ourselves and get rid of all the dust and dirt.
Whichever option you choose, the Skeleton Coast is an experience you cannot afford not to do. It is stunning.
The Namibian people are very friendly. Most of the safari operators speak English, German and Afrikaans. (Afrikaans is very similar to Flemish).
Go an enjoy it!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Mikumi 2 Day Safari
I went on the two day (overnight) safari to Mikumi back in April and had an amazing experience.
I was picked up in Dar early morning by a friendly driver/guide. As a solo traveller it was great to have a driver that was friendly, chatty, and keen to talk about all things Tanzania. I must admit, I did have a few Konyagi’s the night before so I did sleep for part of the journey out to the park.
We arrived at Mikumi after a four hour drive and checked into our lodgings in the park. I would definitely recommend staying in the Bandas within the park. The sounds of the animals you hear all around you at night is incredible. Such a good experience!
We set off on an afternoon game drive in the pop-top cruiser. Great vehicle with plenty of room (especially as I was the only person in it!). This park is full of wildlife and we saw it all – Elephants, Giraffe, Lions, Zebra, Wildebeest, Buffalo, Hippos, Impala, Baboons, loads of birdlife, and lots of other critters. My guide was very knowledgeable, both about the park and the wildlife that calls it home, telling me everything I wanted to know about the animals.
Sunset in the park was amazing, as was sunrise the next morning. We were up early for another game drive and again saw plenty of animals. We spent all morning exploring more of the park before getting back to camp for lunch then making the drive back to Dar where I was dropped off at my accommodation.
Overall it was a great experience made special by a fantastic guide/driver. I found the two day/overnight Mikumi experience perfect for the short time I had in Tanzania. If you are after a Safari experience but have limited time then I would recommend Mikumi.
Brilliant!