ATI Holidays is simply superb!
ATI Holidays think of everything. Every little detail is taken care of. From booking the accommodation, car and activities to restaurants and taking care of special details like birthdays and anniversaries. And when something does go wrong along the way, they have a 24-hot line. They do their absolute best to keep their clients happy.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Excellent quality for a reasonable price + family friendly!
My family (2 adults + 2 kids age 7 and 9) went on a two-week desert-safari in Namibia with CrissCross Namibia in Jan 2013, with a stop-over in Livingstone to see Vic Falls. We have been planning to go on a trip like this for a while and since we live in Ethiopia and had already done safaris in Tanzania and South Africa we wanted to focus exclusively on deserts in Namibia. We searched the web for tour operators that would provide us with the best fit and the best deal. By far, out of close to 10 companies we contacted, the most responsive and accommodating was Thinus, the owners of CrissCross. Not only was he listening to what we wanted (!), but he also gave us very good ideas where to go and stay (so that it was good quality but not overpriced), was flexible (and there were many changes in flight schedules), accommodating (we changed the order of activities many times on the road depending on the weather and kids’ wellbeing) and never “pushy”. Therefore we went with him, which turned out to be an excellent choice. The trip was what we have expected and much more. We would not change a single thing about it if we were to do it again (well maybe just add a few more days if we could :) It was perfect - the places to visit, lodges, hiking trails, the pace, activities, etc. Staring with Sosussvlei gave us all, urban creatures, an unforgettable feel of the desert starting early in the morning (at 5:30am!!!), in the middle of the day when the sand must be about 50C to sundown at the dunes. Few days in Swakopmund filled with activities in the morning (e.g., quad biking, sandboarding, catamaran, 4x4 desert tour, living desert tour) and lazying around the beach in the afternoons were great. Cross Cape Lodge is a beautiful place and I wish we could stay there longer. Finally Damaraland with so many places to hike, explore, learn was a real treat for avid hikers like us. Having said all this, I do want to emphasize that without Thinus the trip would not have been the same – his knowledge of the country, sense of humor, kindness - were essential ingredients to make our trip unforgettable. I would recommend CrissCross to anybody who wants excellent quality for a reasonable price. Thank you very much Thinus!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The perfect blend of roughing it and refinement
The trip was outstanding. Most important: the guiding. The owners of Letaka are funny, intelligent, encyclopedic in their knowledge (especially of birds), and skilled at creating a coherent social group in a short period of time. The wildlife was spectacular. And the G&T's on the mud-spattered hood of the jeep at dusk, made me feel like a lady explorer of the 1930's. The rudimentary tents and cots provided just enough comfort by night, the meals were amazing, cooked over the campfire but rivaling restaurant fare. We wanted raw experience deep in nature under canvas, but not separated from it by platforms, fences and guards. But we didn't want to spend half out time pitching/striking camp, washing and cleaning. So having lovely camp hands to do those tasks was the right balance for us. Could not recommend this outfit more highly.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible first safari experience
Visited Honeyguide Mantobeni camp for about a week in February 2008. Our guides (Lyton & Eres I think) were very friendly and impressive in their knowledge of the varied wildlife, tracking and spotting. Despite hours and hours of exploring we rarely saw other safari jeeps (never private vehicles) and it often felt like we were the only people on the reserve. We saw just about every animal I can think of, with the exception of one very elusive leopard. The food was great and freshly prepared, and we watched monkeys, elephants and giraffe wandering by camp during meals. In the mornings and evenings we could hear baboons, lions and more wildlife nearby from our tents. The bush was beautiful, and the weather was just right - chilly mornings, warm days. Hoping to visit again someday!
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A personal, friendly and experienced tour operator specialized in Uganda
My trip to Uganda was great! Fantastic country and travel experience. We stayed in hotels and they were good. Matoke Tours arranged all transportation and that was comfortable. A professional car driver and tour guide showed us all the highlights of Uganda and explained a lot about the country. They knew where to go for dinner and special places to visit. Food is not impressive in Uganda, but good enough. I was impressed by Queen Elizabeth national park. Great wildlife and nature. But the other parks were beautiful as well. I can recommend to visit Uganda. Friendly people, beautiful nature and great weather. A great Africa experience!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great Customer Service and superb tour!
We were recommended to use Basecamp by fellow travellers and it was the best piece of advice we had on out trip. We were looked after superbly by Achmed Philips (the Half German/Half Brummie co-owner), who must be one of the characters of Africa. They were happy to create a safari that catered to our lowish budget, but even so the company policy was not to mix groups so we got our own driver/cook and guide and 4x4 to ourselves. Awesome!! We heartily recommend using Basecamp if you want a great safari in Tanzania.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Awesome
Our trip was absolutely flawless. We saw almost all the animals we wanted to see (no honey badger!) and got incredible photos. Everywhere we went we felt completely taken care of, picked up at the airport, taken on game drives, made fantastic dinners. It was my first time to Africa so I'm not sure if trips there are always so incredible but Bushtracks made it seem easy. We'll be going again!
Sabi Sands - An Amazing Experience
I stayed at Mala Mala for four days before volunteering on a Primate and Leopard project through Earth Watch. It was a fantastic experience. I was hoping to see Leopards in Sabi Sands, and I was please to have sighting every day we visited. We also had some great sightings of lion, elephant, endangered rhino, zebra, girafe, and more. I wanted to see a snake and our guide was nice enough to point out a cobra slithering into its den.
Our guide was knowledgable and passionate about wildlife and consideration. He was interested in making sure we all were seeing the kinds of things we were interested in and generally having a great time. Everyone in the truck with us were the lovely people; everyone got along and were respectful of each other.
I have been to Africa three other times. The one things I will say about South Africa and Sabi Sands in general is that it is more focused on driving out, seeing animals, returning to camp, eating. Repeat. I have taken longer walking safari trips where we had an opportunity to meet more people who live in the area and see the countryside as well as see the animals. In those instances I got to learn about the history of the country, the geography of the land, the different cultures that lived in the area, and the different wildlife. It was a much more holistic experience.
I would recommend stopping in Sabi Sands or similar for an opportunity to get a good look at all the different animals on a short stay, but would also urge anyone with an interest in Africa to take more than 5 days and really experience the country and all it has to offer. As mentioned, I paired four days in Sabi Sands with an Earth Watch volunteer program.
Also note: Sabi Sands is really expensive. It is great because you really get to see the animals in without feeling completely packed into a truck. The lodges are small and everyone is already really nice and helpful. That kind of thing will cost you, so I think it is a personal choice. Many people I know have self driven through Kruger and enjoyed it.
NZ
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect
One word we need for Ajabu Adventures and that is: PERFECT.
All was perfect organised, the accommodations, the food, the Range Rover, but most of all our guide, such a fine person with very sharp eyes and he learned us a lot. So if you want to go on safari , choose Tanzania, because it's such a beautiful country with very,very, nice people and let your journey be organised bij Ajabu Adventures from Arusha.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exciting, relaxing, fascinating, up-close and personal.
Having never been to Africa, my mental image of the terrain was that of the National Geographic picture of open savannah, driving great distances to find game. In fact, in Lion Sands there were far more trees and brush than I had pictured. Our guide, perched on the hood of the Land Rover observed tracks, scat and other evidence of various animals to get an idea of where they might be heading. Both guide and driver would always answer any questions and were always willing to patiently educate. The weather in November was chilly most mornings, but if you dress in layers and take advantage of the wool blankets in the vehicle, you're just fine. While we brought mosquito repellant, it wasn't necessary most days. By noon, it was usually sunny and you've peeled most layers off. They always held a 'sundowner' which was an elegantly appointed table spread with a wide variety of goodies on which to snack. It ranged from gourmet hor's dervs to the ubiquitous Pringles chips - and South African favorite. Back at the resort, meals was served on the deck overlooking the riverbed. One day we were treated to an elephant parade on the other side. They entertained us for 45 minutes as they browsed, dirt bathed, then crossed the river. The Lion Sands resort consisted of individual "houses" each with open architecture. A lovely raised wooden pathway let the way to well-marked abodes. Inside, your eyes are immediately drawn upwards by the high ceilings - really the underside of the grass roofs. The King size bed (complete with ample mosquito net) faces sliding glass doors which open toward the river. There was a wonderfully stocked bar area and attractive bathroom complete with outdoor shower (said to use it only during the day because of the danger of leopards at night). After dark we were escorted to and from our room as a precaution against a wild animal encounter. We had no incidents for us, but another couple had to wait in their room while the staff chased a buffalo away. Lush vegetation meant no lack of wildlife, including seemingly-tame bush bucks grazing around the raised walkways leading to our rooms. Velvet monkeys, some with young clinging to their fronts, adorned nearly every tree. Thankfully, they were appropriately kept at bay from the eating area.
Theater seating in the Land Rovers offered the perfect safari vantage point from any seat. While the rear-most (and highest) seats amplified the dips and curves a bit, we thought it just added to the adventure. The kitchen staff was extremely accommodating, willing to customize any food preference you might have. Fast, friendly butlers soon anticipated our preferences. Meals were available at any time - completely at our convenience. Wireless internet access is available for the technology-dependent. Two onsite swimming pools were less than inviting - evidently no filters or chlorine, so one could not even see the bottom. Massage services were private but open-air overlooking the river - nice!
The overall resort completely exceeded all of my expectations! I would definitely go back.
After our stay, we also stayed at the exclusive Camp Jabulani. I also highly recommend it. Elephant safaris, volunteering at the Hoedspurit Endangered Species Center (arranged only for Jabulani guests), gourmet meals, etc... Tops!