CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Thorough, detailed and committed to giving you the best experience possible.
Lindsey at Safari Online was amazing to deal with. My wife and I were doing the trip to celebrate my 60th birthday. Lindsey listened to want we wanted to see and experience and then put together an itinerary that matched perfectly. The experiences and the wildlife interactions that we witnessed were truly amazing. A friend of ours had told us that Africa will change you. They were so right and it was the work of Lindsey and Safari Online in their planning of our itinerary that delivered that experience.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An amazing experience
“My experience with Millennia Safaris was excellent! The service was wonderful, and the guide was very knowledgeable, friendly, and professional. Everything made the experience enjoyable and memorable. I really appreciated the opportunity to explore the wildlife and enjoy the beauty of nature. I highly recommend Millennia Safaris to anyone looking for an unforgettable safari adventure. I would definitely choose them again!”
MY
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An Unforgettable Safari with Baraka!
We just had the most incredible safari in Tanzania, and we owe so much of it to Baraka!
He was an amazing guide - so professional, friendly, and patient, with so much knowledge about the wildlife. You can really tell he loves what he does. He went above and beyond to make sure we spotted as many animals as possible and always made sure we were comfortable.
We were so lucky to see all of the Big Five! It was truly a dream come true.
Asante sana, Baraka, for taking such great care of us. You made our trip so special. If you're planning a safari in Tanzania, we can't recommend him enough!
ES
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Respectful and streamlined experience that met all our expectations
Our safari with Serengeti Smile was an unforgettable experience, and the team delivered on everything that mattered most to us.
From the very beginning, communication with Patricia, our local operator, was seamless, even while organising everything from Spain. She was helpful, responsive and made the whole planning process feel easy and stress-free. Once we arrived in Tanzania, everything ran smoothly, from airport transfers to every pick-up and drop-off, allowing us to fully relax and enjoy the journey.
Our guide Stanley was fantastic: knowledgeable, respectful towards nature and the animals, and always happy to share fascinating insights about the wildlife and its behaviour. We really appreciated his approach, which made us feel like observers in their world rather than visitors disturbing it.
The accommodations were another highlight. They were comfortable and practical while remaining beautifully integrated into the natural surroundings, with a genuine local feel rather than a generic luxury-tourism experience.
Our favourite part was spending two nights at a campsite in Central Serengeti, with wildlife roaming incredibly close by. There is something truly special about falling asleep and waking up surrounded by the sounds of the wilderness, knowing that animals are moving freely just beyond your tent.
We were lucky enough to see all the animals we had hoped for, but what made the experience so meaningful was something beyond the sightings themselves: witnessing wildlife living entirely on its own terms, with no enclosures, no performances, and no guarantees. You are simply there to observe, to feel humbled by the scale of it all, and to remember that you are only a small part of a much bigger world.
We would absolutely recommend Serengeti Smile to anyone looking for a well-organised, authentic and respectful safari experience. Thank you, Patricia, Stanley and the whole team, for making this part of our honeymoon so special!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Professional & Knowledgeable!
I had the opportunity to interact with Eliteways for both professional and recreational reasons over a period of a few weeks, and I really enjoyed working with them. Sospeter, Stephen and the team were professional and knowledgeable, and with the amount of time we spent with the first two gentlemen, they were kind and fun to be around! I would highly recommend Eliteways for professional travel or excursions in and around Nairobi, and I hope I get the opportunity to work with them again in the future! Asante!
ES
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Efficient, supportive and kind.
My husband and I booked a five-day safari with Mountain Warriors, visiting Tarangire, the Serengeti for two days, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara. It was a wonderful experience from beginning to end.
Our experienced driver, Michael, took great care of us throughout the trip. He made sure we had everything we needed and helped us feel safe, even on the bumpiest roads.
Thank you, Michael, for showing us Tanzania’s beautiful wilderness and incredible wildlife, including leopards and cheetahs. You helped make our safari a truly memorable and unique experience!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very efficient and very well organised with many sightings
We had a very pleasant time with Albert, he was very organised and on time and put a great deal of effort into making sure that we saw as many animals as possible from all possible angles and met everyone's requests with no complaints.
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very disappointing experience with Johills – deposit ultimately refunded in full
In June 2026, we booked a fully organised 14-day private safari for six adults in Botswana with Johills Travel Agency, scheduled for April 2027. We paid a deposit of approximately €4,740. Johills confirmed receipt and assured us that preparations and reservations would begin.
Unfortunately, the problems started with the very first quotations and invoices. These repeatedly contained errors, including incorrect travel dates, activities assigned to the wrong locations, and even an invoice bearing another customer's name and an entirely different tour description. I constantly had to check documents myself, identify mistakes and request corrections. The biggest problem, however, was the lack of visible progress with our reservations over several months.
Our original itinerary included five nights at Chobe Game Lodge, two nights at Planet Baobab, three nights at Khwai Hippo Pool and three nights at Camp Xakanaxa. These were the accommodations on which the proposed safari package was based. Despite paying our deposit in June 2026 and being assured that preparations would begin, we still had not received satisfactory booking confirmations months later. Ultimately, Johills failed to secure a single one of the four accommodations originally promised to us.
A major turning point was when I contacted Planet Baobab directly. In September 2026, their reservations team confirmed in writing that they had received nothing from Johills regarding our proposed booking. I found this extremely concerning, as Johills had promised months earlier that reservations would begin. In October, Friedrich then informed us that Planet Baobab only had availability for one of our two requested nights. He also disputed the information I had received directly from Planet Baobab. To my surprise, I was then able to book both of our originally planned nights, 10–12 April 2027, directly with Planet Baobab within a single day. I cannot know exactly what Johills had done in the meantime, but this sequence of events seriously undermined my trust.
Only when I started pressing more firmly for clarity and concrete solutions did various alternative accommodations begin to appear. Friedrich sent Booking.com confirmations for hotels and lodges that differed considerably from our original itinerary. Every one of these reservations was free to cancel, and they were bookings I could just as easily have made myself as an ordinary customer. There is nothing inherently wrong with refundable reservations. However, after months without convincing confirmations for the original accommodations, these bookings offered me very little reassurance. They could, after all, be cancelled again without charge. By then, my confidence had already been seriously damaged, partly because of the information I had received directly from Planet Baobab. The constant changes to accommodations and arrangements continued, without a clear and reliable overall itinerary emerging.
One striking example was the sudden addition of an overnight stay in Maun. Without any prior discussion, a hotel in Maun suddenly appeared among Johills' proposals. Originally, we were supposed to spend our final night at Camp Xakanaxa and travel to Maun the following day for our return flight. An overnight stay in Maun had never been part of our agreement. Johills proposed, among other options, The Three Tree Hotel: three standard rooms for six people, costing less than €150 in total for one night. This was a completely different type of accommodation from the safari lodges in our original itinerary. Although we were eventually willing to accept an overnight stay in Maun, this did not mean that we automatically considered every proposed hotel suitable. Our main frustration was the way arrangements kept changing without clear explanations or prior consultation.
The travel logistics were also inconvenient from the outset. Before booking our flights, I had suggested flying directly to Victoria Falls, as this would be the first destination on our trip. However, Johills advised us to fly into Kasane because of our planned five-night stay at Chobe Game Lodge. Although that route was less practical, we accepted it because of the beautiful accommodation and because Johills would be arranging all transportation. When Johills subsequently failed to secure Chobe Game Lodge, we were left with flights to Kasane. We now have to arrange and pay for additional transfers from Kasane to Victoria Falls and then back into Botswana. This means unnecessary travel time, an additional border crossing and extra transport costs, even though I had suggested a more logical route before we booked our flights.
Quad biking on the Makgadikgadi salt pans, which had been included in our itinerary from the beginning, also led to considerable discussion and uncertainty. An alternative near Maun was even suggested. Johills eventually stated that the original activity had been arranged, but only after extensive correspondence. Throughout the entire process, we genuinely tried to make the trip work. We were willing to accept considerably less luxurious accommodations because the safari experience itself mattered more to us than luxury.
Eventually, I offered to book and pay for certain accommodations directly myself. I was increasingly worried that suitable accommodation would become unavailable and wanted some certainty about where we would be staying. I was also reluctant to transfer any more money to Johills while so many arrangements remained unclear. This was entirely my own initiative. It certainly did not mean that we wanted to take over the organisation of the entire trip. That was precisely why we had hired a travel company in the first place.
On 18 October 2026, Johills informed us that the original itineraries were essentially no longer valid and that we should arrange accommodation and activities ourselves. This was a far cry from the fully organised safari we had booked. On 19 October 2026, we therefore terminated the agreement and requested a refund of our deposit. To be fair, Johills ultimately refunded our entire deposit of €4,740. I appreciate that Friedrich honoured his commitment, and I believe it is important to acknowledge this.
However, the refund does not erase the time, uncertainty and stress this experience caused me. This special family holiday is intended to celebrate my parents' 40th wedding anniversary. What should have been an enjoyable planning experience turned into months of checking, chasing answers, discussing changes and searching for solutions. In the end, I organised the entire trip myself, alongside my full-time job. After two weeks of intensive email correspondence, I had arranged the accommodations, activities, transfers and other logistics. It took an enormous amount of time and energy, but remarkably, I achieved more certainty in those two weeks than I had during almost four months of dealing with Johills. I now have direct contact with the providers, know exactly what has been agreed, and can finally look forward to our holiday with peace of mind and confidence.
We never actually travelled with Johills, so I cannot comment on their guides or the quality of their safaris. My review relates solely to our personal experience with the planning process, communication, reservations and agreed arrangements.
Despite receiving our deposit back in full, based on our experience, I would not recommend Johills Travel Agency.
RU
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An Unforgettable 4-Day Safari Experience!
We had an absolutely amazing 4-day safari visiting three national parks! It was truly one of the most incredible experiences of our lives.
We saw so many beautiful animals in the wild — elephants, giraffes, lions, cheetahs, leopards, hippos, countless zebras, and even a rhino! Every day was full of excitement, breathtaking landscapes, and unforgettable moments.
A huge thank you to our fantastic drivers and guides, Prosper and Gilbert! They were incredibly friendly, professional, knowledgeable, and always made sure we had the best possible experience. Thanks to their experience and sharp eyes, we managed to spot so many amazing animals!
Four days, three parks, and memories that will last a lifetime. We couldn't have asked for a better safari adventure!
Highly recommended! Thank you for everything!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
One of the best safaris
I booked 12 days safari with beach with Pride of Africa Adventure. I did the booking after comparing with other tour operators and I realised that this company with give me one of the best due to how fast and accurate information they were giving. I paid the safari deposit way back in May and all the hotels were well reserved.
The driver guide was very experienced and I saw Big 5 animals which I really wanted to see. Accommodations were really nice and food.
I recommend this company for any traveler who wants to have best ever experience.
