US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A nice safari introduction among the baobabs
We had a fantastic experience on the first day of our safari in Tarangire. In retrospect it didn't compare to Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Lake Manyara, but I still think it was a good safari starting park. Here we spent a long time marveling at seeing our first giraffes, our first elephants, and our first lions, but they definitely aren't present here in quite the numbers as the other parks. A part of this could be because we came in green season in February; Tarangire is much more ideal in the dry season compared to the other parks which are good in all seasons.
That being said, Tarangire did have some things that the other parks didn't have. In terms of scenery, it has a ton of really impressive baobab trees! We saw a whole lion pride walking right past our car (in other parks the prides were sleeping and when we saw lions on the move it was usually just 1-2 of them). We saw ostriches up close while in other parks we only saw them far away. We also saw a lot of vervet monkeys, while in other parks it was usually one at a time. This is the only place we saw hyraxes and the northern red billed hornbill.
Overall, it's worth a visit, I assume especially if you go in the dry season, but it'd be okay to skip it if you're short on time.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Heaven for elephants and baboons
This place must be heaven for elephants, because we saw so many. They're so chill here and got incredibly close to our vehicle. I loved that it was a forested park, which was a nice change of scenery from the Serengeti. I also loved watching the huge troops of baboons - apparently this park has the highest concentration of baboons of any park in Africa. We also got lucky and saw 5 lions, including one up in a tree and one eating a baboon in a bush. Though I wouldn't count on this because our guide said many times he's been to Lake Manyara and not seen any lions.
Lake Manyara also gives you the opportunity to go on a walking safari. An armed park ranger took us on an hour and a half hike, which was an excellent experience getting to experience the bush on foot and learn about the plants and animal signs from the ranger. We got lucky and saw a mother and juvenile elephants drinking at a stream. Wow, what a thrill! It was actually pretty intense because the mother started walking in our direction and could have easily charged over the stream, but the park ranger handled it with aplomb and made some loud noises to turn the elephant around.
Lake Manyara was our last stop on our safari. To me I enjoyed it just as much as the heavy hitters like Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. Better than Tarangire (though I saw Tarangire in February and it's probably better in the dry season when the wildlife is more concentrated).
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Queen Elizabeth National Park by William Kryska
huge -- lions up close, and a leopard -- I believe there are 2 -- 1 mother and 1 grown offspring (who has left and lives in a different part of the park)
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Murchison Falls National Park by William Kryska
able to see visit the source of the nile, and the falls are amazing (do not skip them)
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Lake Mburo National Park by William Kryska
all kinds of wildlife -- especially Giraffes, and we were able to leave our vehicles and walk along with them (maybe 30 yards away)
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Bwindi Impenetrable National Park by William Kryska
the best -- this is where the Gorillas live - you will hike in this forest -- that alone is worth it
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
beautiful, welcoming and amazing place
we went there Kajie Safaris for a 10 day wildlife safari-- a locally run outfit. they made arrangements for the entire trip -- from the hotel the night we arrived right until we left.
we had a group of 9 people, divided into 4 groups. they picked each group up at the airport and dropped them to the hotel they were staying at that first night (before the safari officially began).
we visited the major parks, sat with the Gorillas and had a chimp and rhino trek. all were amazingly beautiful. we were able to hike along with the Giraffes, we were ~6 feet from the Gorillas (you need a special visa for the Gorillas and it you may need to buy them a year or more in advance - our tour operator took care of this for us). additionally, we were able to see (close up) the tree climbing lions, leopards, elephants, countlesss zebra and antelope, warthogs (a favorite), hippos, water buffalo, and more. not really birders, but there were many, many different types.
all the accommodations (lodges) were extremely nice -- I would guess 4 star if compared to a hotel -- all of our meals were arranged for us --
we felt safe and welcomed everywhere we went. 10 days was barely enough to see everything - -it did involve alot of miles on the road, but this went by surprisingly fast as there was always something to look at out the window.
the USD goes far there, but you are better having Ugandan shillings to pay for things.
cannot recommend this trip enough - - seeing a Gorilla family so close is an unbelievable experience, almost surreal - huge, but gentle.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An exceptional trip in the western of the pearl of Africa
We spent a fabulous week with Eric. We visited the western Ouganda : Kibale, queen Élisabeth and lake Mburo.
Before the trip, the communication with Eric to prepare the trip was very easy. He manage to took into consideration all our requests.
We were 4 adults and one little one (3yrs old) and he manage to accommodate everybody.
All the lodges he choose were very high standard !
During the trip, he explained very well the culture, the history of the country and the behavior of animals and has a lot of knowledge especially on birds.
We also got good advice to take nice pictures as Eric is a very good photographer.
Everything during our trip was positive so we have only two words to conclude: it is a big THANK YOU !!! 😊
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Helped ticket one off the old bucket list with ease!
It was our first trip to Africa, and doing a safari so we were unsure of quite a few things. We took a leap of faith going with these guys, and it paid off! Johan was great all throughout the planning and booking process, and we ended up having one of the best trips of our ever. The communication throughout was excellent, and all of our questions and concerns were answered with prompt and honest answers/responses. Everything went to plan as per the itinerary, and we had full peace of mind knowing that Johan and the various tour operators involved were only a phone call away should something happen out of the ordinary. The Safari's were everything we expected, and absolutely loved them! We got to see the big 5 and
lots more....
The accommodation, food, safaris, various transport companies etc were all of very high standards and offered great service. We considered the whole trip very good value for money. Highly recommend these guys and we would definitely love to do it all again one day, given the chance....
KR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Highlight of traveling Ethiopia
It was the highlight of my time in Ethiopia.
I strongly suggest booking this course as the beginning of your journey in Ethiopia.
I was quite surprised that it felt like a private course—they didn’t cancel even though I was the only one who booked.
From the very beginning, everything was great. On the way to the local market, Oli and Abraham drove me past famous attractions and provided explanations. This overall introduction alone will be incredibly helpful for the rest of your journey.
At the local market, I had plenty of time to explore. (If you’re looking for something other than spices, you can ask them to help you find it.)
After that, we went to their home (not a model house). The place was truly nice and peaceful.
This cooking class wasn’t just about learning skills. It was a beautiful opportunity to better understand the lives of local people, experience how they share food with their families, and learn about their coffee-making and drinking traditions.
Compared to other cooking classes I’ve taken in different countries, this one was among the best in terms of quality and approach. When you talk with the main host, Yhun, you’ll realize how thoughtfully they have designed this tour.
I advised them to include more photos and descriptions because I genuinely want more people to know about this amazing experience.
I initially thought three hours would be too short, but the tour lasted around five hours (maybe because I took my time?). They never complained.
If you have any specific requests, I recommend messaging them in advance. I didn’t, but they were incredibly flexible and will make your journey even more special.
One regret I have is that I didn’t think to take a group photo with their family before leaving.