50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Meticulous planning and superbly organised
First safari for us - 3 days in Arusha, 2 Tarangire, 2 Ngorongo, 4 Serengeti and 6 in Zanzibar.
We found the choice of potential locations, accommodation, routes etc almost bewildering at first. Matthys at DA carefully sought to understand we were looking for and came up (after a couple of face to face discussions and several emails) with a suitable schedule
Pre and mid trip communication was excellent. The DA portal is very detailed and comprehensive and the app was very useful on a day to day basis once we arrived in Tanzania.
The recommended accommodation and transport was mostly superb, only issue was transferring from Kogatendi to Zanzibar where a supposed direct flight was in fact 2 flights with a 2 hour delay on the second, meaning we arrived in Zanzibar around 4 hours later than planned. We understand this happens quite regularly in the bush so not a big deal.
My wife was unfortunately taken ill during the trip (not attaching any blame to any lodge or hotel, these things can happen any time). An initial doctor visit was very well handled by our first guide (en route from Tarangire to Ngongoro), and after a slight recovery she again went downhill when we in the Serengeti. Between Matthys from DA and our driver in Zanzibar a hospital visit was pre-arranged when we arrived and the recommended hospital was excellent. The camps in Ngongoro, Serengeti and the hotel in Zanzibar really couldn’t have done any more to make sure she was as comfortable as possible.
The accommodation was fabulous in all locations and the two guides/drivers absolutely exceptional. All arrangements went as planned and everyone we encountered were so friendly and helpful. Despite the illness disruption we saw many amazing things, too many to list here,
Would very happily recommend DA and use them again.
HU
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Professional mid-size company with excellent service and wonderful tour guides
We chose Lion King Adventures to arrange a family tour based on custom itinerary including Tarangire, Northern and Central Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Lake Eyasi. They seemed to be the right size of the company, not too small and not too big, with already great reviews. Within the same class of lodges they were priced at parity or slightly cheaper with other companies, and we liked final selection of accommodations a bit better, than other offerings. Communication was professional and prompt, both before and after booking of the trip. We also liked that as part of standard communication, they provided detailed recommendations to how prepare for the trip, including the preferential type of wardrobe, packing arrangements etc. Already during the trip we were pleasantly surprised that company organises warm lunches during the trip, which not all of the companies do.
All that said, we knew from our past experience in Kenya that how good your safari is, depends largely on the guide. The fact that the company put pictures of its staff on its web-site, inspired some confidence that they understand the value of the selecting the right people and was likely decisive factor that we booked our tour with LKA.
Huge thank you goes to Jackson, our safari guide, who ensured, that through 6 full days of driving on bumpy roads we managed to see Big 5, and not just one time, witness the river crossing by wildebeest, that each day had its own highlight, and that we fell in love with various other animals. Jackson supplied us on the spot with information about various species we saw (and which he brought to our attention, cause animal do hide well). He also explained various cultural phenomena we witnessed as we drove through the country. In addition to sharp eyes and considerable subject knowledge, he was confident and fast, but not reckless, driver. Spending 10-11 hours in confined space with us, he managed all communications well, articulate and with a right dose of humour.
AT
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Busy, but excellently organized tour with really outstanding if not unique experiences.
As Escape to Adventure Safaris (EtAS) had interesting tours on the Web, we booked with them a 5 days/4 nights tour from and to Victoria Falls that was slightly modified according to our wishes.
Judith picked us up at the airport and soon showed to be not only a perfect driver and expert guide, but also a most friendly and likeable human being. She drove us on day 1 to Hwange NP that is not so far away in kms, but the second half of the trip had one of the worst road conditions I ever saw. It took us 4 hours to get there, and we were late for the evening game drive but could get a night drive instead. We spent 2 nights there in Gowange Heritage Lodge that offers simple but adequate accommodation and meals, a small pool & terrace as a favorite spot for elephants that even drink from the pool.
Day 2 had a whole day game drive tour of Hwange NP that proved to be a magnificent gem of variable landscape, fauna and flora. We were lucky to get very near to many animals of interest, including lions (one male!), elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, hyenas and the many types of antelopes and birds. Moreover, Hwange NP has less visitors than other parks and, IMO, gives a typical African "bush" feeling to the visitor.
Day 3 started with an early morning game drive in the NP, followed by the difficult drive back to Victoria Falls. There, Kuda from the EtAS office, a studied historian, guided us highly competently around the falls. My wife wished to have more time for this world wonder (and its surrounding shops, of course). We spent the night at the Telescope Boutique Hotel, a marvel of modern architecture and modern comfort. Again, we regretted to have not more time there.
Day 4 started with crossing the border from Zimbabwe to Botswana (the now rare situation of having to walk physically over the border) where other guides received us, everything well organized. The IMO very best part of the tour was the following safari in a small boat on the Chobe river that meanders by many flat islands with buffaloes, hippos, crocodiles and a plethora of birds. Elephants come and swim/walk across branches of the river, an unforgettable experience, sometimes in feeled armlength from animals. After lunch in a touristic resort, we had a game drive through Chobe NP that has a great variety of the mentioned animals to see, but also quite many touristic vehicles touring the myriad paths in a relative uniform bushwork vegetation. We stayed for the last night at Tlou Safari Lodge in Kasane with adequate rooms, more simple facilities and – surprise! – no alcohol. I found the Ginger Ale as good substitute for beer….
The last day started with an early morning game drive in Chobe NP that yielded some fewer animal views this time – maybe not only us were shuddering from the cold. We were in some hurry to get back across the border to the VF airport, but thanks to the efficient organization and Judy’s perfect driving everything went smoothly.
I forgot (Freudianly?) to include our romantic dinner cruise upstream of Victoria Falls as another highlight. There are many such dinner cruises all over this world, but this is a really magnificent experience to see sunset in the midst of the river, the panoramic African silhouettes of the banks, watch elephants bathing, and at the same time enjoy excellent food and drinks. My thought for a millisecond was what we might have lost since 150 years ago.....
In sum, this was a very busy, but excellently organized tour with really outstanding if not unique experiences – in our feeling excellent value for money.
CH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Morningstar Tours and Travel is an excellent safari operator; they are also very knowledgeable and a
I’ve booked a three-day luxury safari in Lake Nakuru National Park and the Maasai Mara in Kenya. First of all, many thanks to Morningstar Tours and Travel for organising everything. I couldn’t have imagined a better tour operator. From the organisation with Beryl, who catered to my every request and gave me very competent and prompt advice. To Alex, my safari driver throughout the three days, with his expertise in the wilderness, his keen eye for spotting animals and his patience. During those three days, I saw an incredible number of animals: countless flamingos in Lake Nakuru National Park, and a total of 16 lions, 2 cheetahs, 1 leopard and many more during my trip. I saw all the Big 5 and also the so-called Ugly 5 of the African wilderness. Thank you once again from the bottom of my heart, Beryl and Alex, for the whole trip. I can highly recommend this tour operator; I’ll remember this trip for a very long time to come, thank you for that.
CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Really fun and wonderful experience
Our safari experience was really great. Alex was a wonderful guide and river. He was able to get us the best views of the animals and was very knowledgeable about everything as well. He was able to predict where the animals would be and therefore we were able to see all of the Big 5 animals and the ugly 5 as well. Would definitely recommend Splendid Vacations, and especially Alex as the driver/ tour guide.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Responsive, accommodating, professional.
We had a magical 10-day Kenya & Tanzania safari with Loren Safari, covering the Masai Mara, Northern and Central Serengeti, and Ngorongoro. From planning to the final day, everything was smooth and incredibly well organized.
Benjamin, the owner, was super responsive, flexible, and accommodating, and made it easy to tailor the trip to our needs.
Ally, our guide for 6 days in Tanzania, was professional, kind, friendly, and exceptionally knowledgeable about wildlife, birds, and the ecosystem. His wildlife expertise and passion really stood out. He also kept the jeep spotless and had water ready for us every morning—a small detail that showed how much he cared about our experience.
Edward, our Masai Mara guide, was dynamic, passionate, and incredibly knowledgeable. Being Maasai himself and a former ranger, he knows the Mara inside out and has wonderful local connections.
We would highly recommend Loren Safari. If your budget allows, consider flying between parks—the roads can be very dusty and bumpy. Our 5–6 hour drives were still manageable, though, and definitely part of the adventure!
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A Truly Outstanding Safari Experience
We had an incredible safari experience with Wildebeest Footsteps Adventures and would highly recommend them to anyone planning a trip to Tanzania.
From the very beginning, Erick, the Company Owner, was professional, helpful, and easy to communicate with. He organized everything smoothly and made us feel confident that we were in good hands. His attention to detail and commitment to customer satisfaction really stood out.
Our Safari Guide, Jimmy, was fantastic. He was knowledgeable, patient, friendly, and passionate about wildlife. He knew exactly where to go and took the time to make every game drive special. His expertise and enthusiasm made the safari not only exciting but also educational.
Thanks to Erick and Jimmy, we experienced unforgettable wildlife encounters and enjoyed every moment of our adventure. Their professionalism, hospitality, and genuine care made a huge difference.
Wildebeest Footsteps Adventures is a fantastic company with an excellent team. We would gladly choose them again for our next Tanzanian adventure! Five stars!
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding Safari Experience with Wildebeest Footsteps Adventures
We had a great experience with Wildebeest Footsteps Adventures. The team was friendly, professional, and very helpful throughout the trip.
Our safari was well organized, and our guide was knowledgeable and made the experience fun and enjoyable. We saw amazing wildlife and beautiful scenery.
I highly recommend Wildebeest Footsteps Adventures to anyone planning a safari in Tanzania. Great service and an unforgettable experience!
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent
We had an incredible safari with Ozon Light Tours and everything was very well organized from the beginning. The itinerary was perfect, the lodges and tented camps were comfortable and well located, and every day gave us something different and special.
A very special thank you to our guide, Dicklack Abasy, who made this experience unforgettable. He was professional, kind, patient and always attentive. His knowledge of the parks and animal behaviour was impressive, and thanks to his experience and determination we had some wonderful sightings.
One of the highlights was seeing the Great Migration, something we had dreamed about before the trip. It was such a powerful and emotional moment and definitely one of the memories we will keep forever.
Dicklack was also an excellent and careful driver, and we always felt safe with him even during the longest safari days. He shared lots of interesting information about the animals, nature and local culture, always with great passion and enthusiasm.
This trip gave us truly unforgettable emotions and we would definitely recommend Ozon Light Tours, especially Dicklack Abasy, to anyone planning a safari in Tanzania.
Thank you for making our safari so special!
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great experience
Great Safari and experience
The guide and driver helps is very good to make the safari great