IN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Extremely helpful with incredible knowledge of travel options in Africa
Both Sangeeta and Smita were very flexible in working with our ever changing travel plans. They found us a great safari option in South Africa meeting our high expectations and our budget! I would recommend Chalo Africa to our friends and would absolutely work with them in planning our next trip to Africa.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding 7 Night Gorilla Trek/Chimpanzee Trek/Safari
We took a 7 day Gorilla Trek/Chimpanzee Trek/Safari provided by Katona Tours in May 2014. We were extremely satisfied with the great job done by Katona in planning and conducting our trip. Our trip included Bwindi, Queen Elisabeth NP, Kibale NP, and Murchison Falls NP.
Katona (Jackie in particular) was extremely helpful and responsive to all of our questions. We were nervous about trying to coordinate a trip from the other side of the world, so we had many questions in the months leading up to it. One of the reasons we selected Katona was their quick and thorough answers to our emails and calls. In our planning, we made inquiries with several tour agencies, but Katona was clearly the best in this regard.
We had the same guide (Richard) for the entire week. He was cheerfully waiting at the airport for our late arrival (near midnight), drove us to all of the parks, conducted our game drives, and got us back to the airport in time for our flight. Richard was enthusiastic, friendly, and very focused on making sure we had the best experience/adventure possible. In addition, he provided good advice and interesting information about Uganda. And finally, he did a great job of driving on a lot of rough roads.
The lodges selected for us by Katona had some of the best food and definitely the best service we have had anywhere. By the time our day activities were completed, we were able to relax comfortably and safely. There are detailed lodge reviews for the places we stayed on TripAdvisor.com, which I believe are accurate. Our lodges were Trekkers Tavern (Bwindi), Twin Lakes (Queen Elisabeth), Kibale Forest Camp (Kibale), and Fort Murchison Lodge (Fort Murchison).
Katona was also a great help in compensating for several failures by our airline (Delta/KLM). Delta delivered us to Entebbe 24 hours late and lost one of our bags. Despite our late arrival, Katona was able to make sure we were able to see all of the things we had planned. They were also able to get our bag to us as soon as the airline finally shipped it. This was a very difficult task because we were about a 6 hour drive away from Kampala/Entebbe when the bag arrived. We can’t thank Katona enough for the help.
In summary, we would highly recommend Katona. The primary reasons were the quick and thorough responses when planning the trip, our satisfaction with getting to see everything we wanted, their ability to assist when we had severe airline problems, and our great guide/driver. Uganda is a much different world than where we live, and Katona made sure we had a great adventure.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
So good I went back three times
I first met Isaac on a family holiday over the 2004 Christmas. He was our guide for only one day, but I was struck by not only his knowledge and passion about African wildlife and particularly birds but also his intelligence and understanding of the broader political and cultural context in which it all sits in Kenya particularly, and East Africa more generally. The first thing I did when I got home was email Isaac and organise a second trip.
I have been on three trips since then, all of which Isaac organised and which combined voluntary work teaching in a primary school that lacked the teachers for all their pupils, helping with his environmental outreach projects with local schools, and going on safari. While most young people (I was in sixth form and university at the time) organise such trips through established voluntary organisations, I trusted Isaac with the organisation and believed he would organise a more genuine and useful trip for me, rather than the conventional ‘Gap Year’ short experiences the larger companies organise. He did exactly that, and the experiences I gained on those three trips were fantastic and I knew I was genuinely performing a useful role.
The safaris I have been on with Isaac have been phenomenal. While many of my friends have been on safari and said by the end of a week they were getting bored and they hadn’t seen much, that has never been the case with Isaac. His knowledge and respect for the wildlife, combined with his patience and intuition, have led us to see some amazing experiences, from lions mating and then the lioness walking up to the vehicle and sniffing it in the Maasai Mara, to walks through the wildlife reserve at Crater Lake, visiting the hot springs in Hell’s Gate National Park, and going to some of the lesser known but very enjoyable national parks in Western Kenya.
With Isaac you feel less like he is the guide and you are the visitor, and more like you are a group of friends on safari together. This creates a much more relaxed and trusting experience and means you have some great conversations over cold beers. I consider Isaac a close friend and we stay in regular contact even though I have not been able to get back out to Kenya for a few years due to work commitments and lack of funds. Now that those two issue are clearing, I am already planning another trip next year.
I recommend Isaac to everyone I know who is even thinking about going to Africa. Not only is he incredibly knowledgeable about wildlife, but he is also respectful of it too, something unfortunately lacking among many guides. With Isaac you will see amazing sights, have thoughtful and insightful conversations over cold beers and be introduced to the magic and majesty of Africa. And you know you will be doing it all in a way that minimises your impact on the environment and maximises your enjoyment to leave you with memories that will last a lifetime.
SE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
3-day safari masai mara
I found Aslan Tours on safaribookings.com where I emailad over 10 different companies. I got a clear and fast answer from Aslan with clear answers to all my questions och requests in combination with a very good price. Our driver was a good guide with alot of experience and the safari in masai mara was superb. The visit to the masai village was the only exeption. It was a terrible and quite a expansive circus. The vehicle was okey but not more and but the accomondation station at sarova game camp was perfect.
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Four Star Big Five Safari
I just wanted to say thank you for such a fantastic vacation on my five day safari. Everything that was promised on your website was exactly as stated. The hotel was excellent and the safari's suburb. All of the reps were really helpful and gave a good insight into what we were seeing. Although cold in the mornings (I would say to your customers to bring winter clothing) it was worth the early start. You responded to all my questions quickly and gave very good advice. Once again many thanks. I will be recommending your company to everyone I know that will embark on a safari.
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kind, Flexible and great communication.
I'm from Italy. I will travel to Kenya in August 2014 with 9 more people. So this is a Pre-review.
Up to today I have only positive things to say about Kenya Walking Survivors Safaris Ltd. They were really fast to answer my first enquiry and also open to changes and ready to solve all our problems.
Mr Otieno answered all my e-mails at lightning speed (some safari operators answer after months), always ready to answer questions and doubts. We also had a phone call (and will have more) which is positive to have a better "human" connection. I also found the prices very convenient compared to many other operators. Especially the ones selected by travel agencies.
We can't wait to start the adventure.
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent Tour Operator
I'm a solo traveller. I began to correspond with Patrick 6 months prior to my actual visit to Livingstone. He was patient to explain to me various options. Finally when I arrived at Zambezi Sun, he sent his colleague to finalise my activities. At 10am I went to the Fall with Charity, the guide. She made sure that I’d be able to walk through the very wet bridge at the Fall. It was a great experience! In the afternoon I joined River Safari on a small boat. I enjoyed the natural environment along the river. As I wanted to go to Livingstone Museum without a guide, Patrick advised me how to get a taxi to/from the museum. So I did so on the following day after the helicopter flight with UAC. I found Patrick an excellent travel consultant. Thank you so much for helping me organise my activities!
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best event in my life - a safari with Charles and safari porini
Last June I had my best four days in my Life! How? By doing a camping safari in the National Parks of Tanzania. Not only because a safari is a really overwhelming event but also because I had the best guide: Charles Njau and his Safari Agency ‘safari porini’ (www.safariporini.com). On the first day we were picked up at our hostel in Moshi and took direction to the Tarangire National Park. Here we made our first game drive and even saw lions which are very rare in this park - thanks to Charles, guide and driver. He did everything to show us as much as possible even if he had to speed through the Tarangire Park or had to drive through a muddy hole to give as the possibility to watch a lion mother with her three children from a close view. This was on our second day in the Serengeti where we spent the night in the middle of this National Park without any fence or other protection around the campsite. The third day began at 6am to see the sunrise in the Serengeti with a following game drive. We saw two hunting lions and a leopard eating his prey on a tree. And again it was Charles’ great experience and engagement that we had one of the best points of view every time. We spent our last day in the Ngorongoro Crater after a very exciting night and morning – buffaloes and elephants are the usual visitors there - at the campsite with view down into the Crater.
I have to add that we had really great luck because even though you have the best guide you must keep in mind that doing a safari depends a lot on the animals, their behavior and the environmental conditions. Therefore the best season is June until August when the raining season is over and the ‘winter’ begins. Then the rivers and lakes have more water again and it is colder for the animals to be agile.
Last but not least I have also to mention that not only Charles allowed us this great experience but also his friend and our cook indulged us with great meals and the best lunchboxes I ever had! It was a lot of fun with these two kind and affable guys that I would never chose another safari agency!!! Their motto is: Giving the clients their most unforgettable event in life! Or when the conditions aren’t that good: Doing everything to allow the clients a good event that is worth keeping in good memory!
Amazing 8 day in Serengeti,Ngorongoro,Manyara,Tarangire and Arusha National Park
We had a wonderful stay in Five National Parks. The guide was helpful and very knowledgeable about wildlife (flora and fauna). We got to see all animals include big five, we go closer during hiking escorted by Park Ranger. We really enjoyed a lot with lakengozi Tours.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
4 day safari to South Luangwa staying at Thornicroft
We couldn't have wished for more friendly tour guides and lodge staff. Land and Lake were very helpful and responsive to all our queries when we were planning our holiday. The drive from Lilongwe to South Luangwa was comfortable and our guides were both fun and interesting - there was never a dull moment in the car. Thornicroft is a very attractive lodge with a very friendly owner and staff. The rooms were comfortable and clean. The game drives were wonderful and were all the more special for having such a knowledgable and friendly safari guide who was very keen to show us as much as possible with a great sense of humour.