US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Perfect safari, exceptional service.
Fellow travelers,
I recently returned from a 14 day birdwatching tour covering wide swaths of Uganda. Having been to several East African nations in the past, I was attracted to Uganda because birdwatching wise the country borders both the Eastern countries of Kenya and Tanzania as well as Central African nations such as the Congo and Rwanda. The result provides the opportunity to build an amazing list of special bird species.
I found Moroka Expeditions online and was immediately impressed by the glowing reviews from past clients.
I sent my proposed tour dates and goals to Moroka director Abraham Kyagulanyi and he quickly responded with a detailed itinerary covering a rather large portion of his nation. Abraham listened well to my request for modest accommodations and long birding days. I also let him know that I was still recovering from a rather gruesome leg injury and would be limited in my mobility. And in fact I was compelled to push back on my start date due to my prolonged recovery: all of which Abraham handled with grace and kindness.
With great good fortune Abraham assigned William Kyeswa to be my guide and driver.
A finer guide, driver, companion you will never meet!
Both gentlemen greeted me at Entebbe Airport upon arrival from Chicago by way of Addis Ababa and escorted me to my nearby accommodations on the shores of Lake Victoria.
A note about the lodges, hotels throughout my stay; all were completely reasonable cost wise and were uniformly immaculately clean, quiet and comfortable. So very well done gentlemen! Another thing I appreciated about my Ugandan lodging was all served simple and delicious fare. Ugandan meals are all prepared to order using local ingredients, simple, hearty and filling. The locally sourced coffee and teas were both welcome components of each meal.
While I won't be able to recant my complete itinerary in this space, we started with a bang on day one with gobsmacking views of one of the most spectacular birds in the world, the incomparable Shoebill Stork! Truly one of the most amazing birds you will ever see.
As we progressed I soon became aware of one of Williams' special gifts to birders like me. Though my man has seen the vast majority of his nation's bird species as well as knowing their particular songs and micro habitats, William leaves nothing to chance: he has cultivated a wide network of local guides and rangers, many of whom he has personally trained, who by virtue of living on site seem to know in which exact tree or shrub to find some of these very tricky species. And to me that's like a birding superpower! I reckon that if I were to walk those forest paths alone I would not have recorded half the impressive trip list I did with team William.
Of course I certainly didn't turn my nose up at the many incredible wildlife viewing experiences we had in some of the awesome National Parks like Murchison Falls NP, Queen Elizabeth NP, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest NP, and even the smallest, Lake Mburo NP.
With rather too much optimism I did pre-book Chimpanzee and Gorilla trekking given my infirmities and I was able to marvel at a mighty troop of Pan tryglotes at rather closer proximity than felt comfortable I unfortunately had to dip out on the Mountain gorilla trek. However with William's deep knowledge and the added resources of men who literally were born and raised in the park we were able to see some of the mountain's most coveted species of birds.
I can't finish this review without praising Abraham's incredible organizational skills. Not only was he able to move the whole tour two weeks while I recovered he was willing and able to switch things around when for example we were planning on one night at the amazing Eagle's Nest Lodge but I just fell in love with the place and asked if we could add a night while cutting the same at our next stop. And he was willing and able to accommodate my wishes. And believe me folks, that's a level of excellent service I have never seen in all my years of travel.
I will unconditionally recommend Moroka Expeditions to any birder, photographer, nature lover.
Lastly I am left with incredible appreciation of my impression that the people of Uganda are the most kind, gracious and charming of any I have ever met in my life. The joy is infectious! I always felt welcome and safe. No matter anyone's personal circumstances, Uganda is truly a joyous nation.
Go see for yourself and give William and Abraham my kindest regards.
Joshua Murphy
Chicago USA
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Simple to book, attentive to our needs, and great service.
We spent 3 days and 2 nights in Chobe. Both the river and land safaris were amazing. We didn't expect to see such a large number of animals. Additionally, we learned a lot about nature and wildlife from our guide, Mondo. Thanks to him, we were able to spot leopards on three separate occasions, thanks to his remarkable visual and tracking skills.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Friendly, flexible, accommodating, sensitive to all our needs, and invested in our maximum enjoyment
Our safari with Ngao Africa was the best possible experience. In planning our safari, they were very helpful in curating an experience that maximized what we saw with our time and financial constraints. On the first day when I was sick, they were flexible and empathetic and made sure I had everything I need to get better. We were then able to see all 5 of the Big 5 between Serengeti and Ngorongoro, which is extremely lucky! When we faced some challenges with our travel at the end, they were more than willing to help out and make sure we got home safely. Moses and the whole team at Ngao went above and beyond to help us have an amazing time; I HIGHLY recommend using their services for any safaris you are considering planning. The kindness, generosity, humor, and attitude of all the guides put us at ease and made for an incredible safari. Truly could not recommend a tour operator more!
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Simple to book, attentive to our needs, and high-quality service.
We were a couple on a private safari, and from the very first moment, they were very attentive to us and our needs. For example, we are vegans, and they went out of their way to prepare us an elaborate daily menu with alternatives to meat, like vegan sausages.
The location of the camp was unbeatable, right in front of an open plain where lots of animals would gather, and you could watch them while having breakfast or lunch.
Our guide, Kem, was both the guide and driver for our safari. It was clear that he loved what he was doing, and he made sure we could fully enjoy the experience, not only by seeing as many animals as possible but also by teaching us many fascinating facts about the park and its wildlife.
BR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great experience!
Great experience. From the first contact, communication was very good. They adapted the script according to my request. Robie is the most polite and helpful guide you can find. Thank you very much.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best Tour & Excellent Guide (Regi)
Our family recently completed a seven-day safari organized by Samora Explorers. I contacted five Tour operators, and Samora provided the best value for money. It was indeed an unparalleled experience! Our guide, Reginald (Regi) made it more memorable and exciting with his insights, stories, and humor. From the moment we set out, the journey was filled with thrilling discoveries, from lions on the prowl to elephants wandering through the savannah.
Reginald was incredibly knowledgeable, ensuring each sighting was meaningful. He was very professional and attentive, ensuring we saw the animals up close while keeping a safe distance. His knowledge of animals and their behavior is truly outstanding! We learned a lot from him.
Additionally, we enjoyed the clean and luxurious accommodations for a mid-range budget. The hotel staff members were all amiable and attentive to our needs. Lastly, the food at each meal was delicious!
The attention to detail, expertise, and seamless service made this an unforgettable trip. I highly recommend Samora Explorers and Regi to anyone seeking the ultimate safari experience.
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A reliable and attentive operator
First of all I want to thank my contact person at Sacred Wilderness Expedition, Lulu, who organized my 7-day safari according to my wishes, was always reliable, helpful and quick with her answers and supported me during my tour. There have been a couple of situations on the way when I was offered a change in the initial plan, to make my experience better, and I appreciated this pro-activity. Lulu, you are top! Generally, all my needs and wishes were met by the company: the payment procedure was transparent, the guides were knowledgeable and showed great skills in spotting animals and birds, the food on the way was good and hearty, the accommodations and camps were decent. So, Lulu and colleagues, thank you for a very good organization and all the experiences, it was a pleasure!
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A really cool guy
We booked a 2-day safari with Travel wise Safari and for us there is no better provider😊
Our tour guide Samwel was simply brilliant in every way. It was so much fun driving through the country with him and we learned an incredible amount from him about Tanzania. We were in Tarangire National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater and even saw the big five. Simply an incredibly great adventure that we will never forget. Thank you so much 🫶
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our Tour operator was very accommodating and promo on all messages.
My family and I was very pleased with the tour from the early stage of inquiring about the safari to the accommodations of booking. We were also excited about booking our stay at the Jambo Mara. The place was worth the additional $$. Lastly, we could go on and on about our tour guide, Ken. He was very friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful in our experience. He’s someone that we could count on every step of the way.
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A dream come true
In June 2024, we spent a wonderful safari vacation in Kenya with Aquila Safaris.
The perfect service of the small company with its CEO and guide Mohammed Billow began with very competent and patient advice on the itinerary, the selection of national parks and accommodation.
During the safari, Mohammed impressively demonstrated his qualities as a Gold Level Guide. The friendly guide presented himself as an absolute connoisseur and lover of the parks we visited and their wildlife. On our extensive game drives from sunrise to sunset in a well-equipped safari vehicle, he showed us not only the Big Five, but countless other animal inhabitants of Kenya - be it small and large reptiles, insects, the colorful bird life or the variety of well-known and lesser-known mammals. With his trained eyes and the necessary instinct, he was not only able to give us the name of every animal he spotted, but also provide us with extensive information about its species, habits and endangerment. We benefited greatly from the fact that Mohammed is an excellent wildlife photographer, so he always tried to find the ideal spots for us as amateur photographers and filmmakers. We were particularly impressed by the fact that he always showed great consideration for the animals he spotted when stalking and positioning the safari vehicle. Fortunately, Mohammed had planned our safari itinerary in such a way that we were often able to take the time not only to quickly photograph an animal or group of animals, but also to observe and study them for a while. It was great that Mohammed shared meals with us. We were able to review what we had seen and experienced with him and also learn a lot about the life of the people in Kenya.
Thanks to Aquila Safaris and their fantastic guide Mohammed, we not only returned home with a large number of great photo and film recordings, but also with just as many unforgettable impressions and memories.
For our group of three, this safari trip was a long-cherished dream. Aquila Safaris and numerous friendly Kenyan people helped to ensure that these expectations were far exceeded for all of us.
