DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
perfect service, great team, a lot of fun.
We had a driver and a cook taking care of us and we became friends
we were a group of three plus driver and cook. The food was excelent, every day fresh and cooked with fantasy including personal wishes, e.g once we made a cactus salad with wild cactus-leaves.
The team was great. We saw all the big 5 plus hunting cheetahs thanks to the experience and flexibility of the driver.
I would love to repeat an experince like we did and can only recomend this trip, now that everybody is afraid of Ebola which is 5.648,1 km away (distance between Freetown, Sierra Leone and Nairobi, Kenya) and there is few tourism but all the warmth of the Kenyan "Hakuna Matata" and Caribu (="welcome").
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
5 day Selous safari 6-10 December 2014
I contacted Kanuth Adventures for a 5 day safari in Selous asking if there was anybody else going on safari early December as well (just a week before I wanted to go on safari). Within a few hours Kanuth himself replied that there was and since I especially was interested in seeing wild dogs he suggested to do a 5 day safari to Selous (instead a 3 or 4 day safari).
The other safari client was willing to go 5 days to Selous as well and so our safari started. Kanuth wanted a short briefing the evening before we left from Dar es Salaam and he suggested to go camping at Lake Tagalala Public Campsite to increase our chances seeing wildlife and especially wild dogs. I am personally not a big fan of camping and prefer the comfort of a lodge but Kanuth explained that staying in a lodge at the edge of the park will involve driving up and down the main road of Selous which is relatively poor of wildlife. This would mean that we would miss out being in the centre of the park during early mornings and late afternoons, the time most animals are active and so we went camping two nights and stayed our first and last night at Hippo Tented camp at the edge of the park (15 minute drive from Mtemere gate). The lodges inside the park where most game is are quite expensive and were not really an option budget wise.
The first day day we arrived in Hippo tented camp which is nicely situated outside the park facing the Rufiji river. We went on a boat safari and saw Hippo's and crocodiles from pretty close and also some nice birdlife. The second day we left arount 10:00 for our game drive in Selous and searched for wildlife all day in a very well equipped jeep (we could even charge our camera's in the jeep!). Around 17:30 we arrived at Lake Tagalala and set up our camp, just after we watched the many hippo's and crocodiles in the lake. The third day we wanted to do a very early morning game drive and got up at 05:30 for tea so we could leave at 06:00. Unfortunately the car was not cooperating and it seemed that there was something wrong with the cars fuel pump. After several attemps of fixing the car, Immanuel, our driver/guide, arranged for a back up car from Hippo tented camp which arrived around 10:00 in the morning. The back up car also brought a spare fuel pump and while we finally contiued our safari, the fundi the came with the car was left fixing it. After 5 minutes, I spotted some ears being raised by us driving by, after asking Immanuel if he could check if they we're impalas or not he replied that it might be the hyenas which visited our campsite the other night. When we went to take a closer look it turned out to be a pack of 14 wild dogs (my main reason to visit Selous)! The dogs were completely relaxed although we parked the car just next to them and they continued their mid day activities and we whatched them for a long time. In the mean time our original safari car was fixed and we could swop to that car again (which seemed to be in better condition than our back up car which was an open vehicle). The same day, Immanuel managed to spot several lions for us, one of them was planning to go for some warthogs although the alarm calls of nearby impalas give his position away and the hunt was off.
In the late afternoon we went back to our wild dog spot and they were still there! This time they were a bit more active and we saw them drinking from a mud pool, at one point one of the pack members came out of nowhere and regurgitated some food for the subadults of the pack which resulted in a lot of sqeeuking and running around of the pack which was very entertaining to witness.
The fourth day we went in search of elephants, which turned out to be pretty hard to find, but finally around mid day we managed to find them just getting out of the water when they continued feeding on the palm trees and grasses next to the small lake. We left Selous around 16:00 and just outside the reserve a large group of elephants decided to cross the road in front of us which was a nice end of our game drive safari.
The fifth day we had our walking safari at Hippo tented camp, we saw some blue monkeys and black and white tailed colobus monkeys and got some more information on the local insect life. The walking safari was not very exciting compared to the wildlife you might see during the game drives but is was a nice change, I guess walking safaris at lodges inside the park can be more of an adventure.
The cooking was done by Joseph at Hippo camp and also during our stay at the Tagalala campsite. The food he prepared was of excellent quality and I wouldn't change a thing about it. Both Joseph and Immanuel are brothers of Kanuth and together they made a really good team.
RU
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
That was more than just a safari trip. We've found really good friends !
It was a great safari trip. All equipe was friendfull. Communications, service, living, meals, all our expectation was exceeded. Most important that safary agency was helpful after safari trip was ended. So, we thank Alex for his help during the all vacation's time.
RO
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Realy profesional
I'm working with them since 2008 and I am very satisfied about their services.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Organised and enjoyable
We did a one night gorilla trek in Bwindi National Park. Everything was very smooth, from the booking to the collection at the airport till the drop off. Beautiful hotel (actually the budget option= Bakiga) which was also run for the benefit of the local community. Guide (Chris) was a really nice guy, very relaxed but highly efficient and knew the area well having working with the gorillas for many years. Would recommend.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Camping in Serengeti
Matthew took a small group of us on safari and camping in the Serengeti...it was awesome, one of the best trips I have ever done. Matthew was very professional, and helped us organize the trip at the very last minute (hours before hand actually). He was super accommodating and knowledgeable during the trip. In a separate incident just before the trip my passport and credit cards had been stolen in Arusha town-Matthew's colleague stayed behind to help with legal matters for me at the police station while I went on the safari. He took care of all of the logistics and updated me on progress of recovering my belongings...Matthew still took me along even though my cash for the safari had been stolen. He stayed cool and calm the entire time while ensuring we were enjoying ourselves. I cannot recommend Wild Roots and Matthew's team any more highly-it was an incredible experience!!
Review about Tanzania by Ahmet Demir
Tallest mountain in the world, exotic zanzibar, Crater of Ngorongoro and great migration in the Serengeti. What else?
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable experience, perfect organization!
From the beginning till the end, everything was perfect. Thanks to our guide Kalebi the safari was a once in a lifetime experience. We saw all the big animals and were surprised that there were so many small animals (birds, butterfly's). The accommodation was super, especially the stay in the Serengeti with Kenzan. In the middle of nature with the zebra grazing around our tent and the elephant nearby. We will never forget!
I visited with my mom who is working with UN.during my staty at masaimara I enjoyed too much.
David uncle picked me from busstand and we went to office.David uncle was behaving nicely and he looked after me and my mom.with 03 visitors I went to masaimara in open car. I saw first time very closely lion lioness pub.zebra impala baison hippo elephant. .zirraf ...openly and very very closely..patrick uncle was driving the car in the jungle.David uncle gave me wifi so I was sending my pics to my grandmother. David uncle is caring uncle.he also gave us car .with my mom I visited nairobi...I missed tant.i stayed 2 nights in tant.tant was very good .in tant we had good breakfast lunch dinner water bottle.and that was free.i missed food.david uncle I missed masaimaara..you are the best uncle.Next time I will come with my father.
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Outstanding....not only a trip or holidays but a lifetime experience,simply unforgettable
Everything was excellent,in line withy expectations.
Francesca and Stefano made special every single moment.