NZ
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Lake Manyara National Park by Lay Chin Wan
Forest more dense so we saw less animals, it was our last stop
GR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The tour operator was very helpful and eager to provide us a posivite safari experience.
We had a lovely and life-changing safari experience with Tanzania Pilgrimage Safaris. I felt like I was in a National Geographic documentary observing the animals in their natural habitat. Our guide and driver was eager to share his knowledge about the fauna and flora we were encountering. He made sure we would have a positive experience in collaboration with our safari consultant, with whom we were in contact anytime we needed anything.
A very positive fact that I would like to mention is that when I forgot a gift at one of the lodges of the park and when I realised it we were already heading out of the park, the managing team back at Arusha made every effort to find and transfer the gift back Arusha (where we were heading to) on time. This was a precious moment for me as I didn't lose the beautiful object I had bought as a souvenir and it is not a given that everyone could have done for me.
In general, the tour operator made sure that everything was rolling smoothly for us. Also, when an accommodation happened to be overbooked they managed to find us another lodge, which happpened to be super luxurious, which we were not expecting of course.
This was a shared safari with 4 more people apart from my friend and I, and it turned out very fun and comfortable.
I recommend the Tanzania Pilgrimage Safaris. Our guide and driver tried to take us everywhere and see all the animals possible. Final point is the selection of lodges within Serengeti park, which were an experience by themselves and really very nice and cute.
HK
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
All arranged but slow to respond.
We shortlisted FlashMc and another operator because they were the only two out of ten that reached us after the Gen Z protest. We chose FlashMc because it was flexible with our request of not staying in Nairobi. As other posts were saying, Peter is great in planning and replying to the customers, but once selected, the communication is gone.
Don't get me wrong, the trip was fantastic. Simon the guide was funny, knowledgeable and loves his job. The lodges arranged were great. But customers need the usual communication like what is the progress, when payment should be made, who would be picking up at the airport etc. Customers pay thousands of dollars and fly thousands of miles, and may have planned this trip for months. A bit of reassure from time to time would be nice.
There are a lot more than what cameras can capture. Seeing with your own eyes is more enjoyable than making your own Planet Earth channel.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well rounded budget safari
Went on four day Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru safari. Solo female traveler. Safari was awesome. Caleb was the driver for Masai Mara. He was friendly and appeared to be well experienced. He made sure to stop and show several animals and at a very close distance. Not a dull moment with him.
Mostly good communication with Alex but he was not reachable when the airport pick up driver suddenly decided to transfer me to another driver half way to Masai Mara. He demanded and made me pay the money enroute instead of when we reached the park as Alex said . This got me worried. Alex was not reachable to clarify. It worked out okay in the end. There were other times in this trip where the plan was not communicated at the start and I was transferred between vehicles, or driven a longer route to accommodate other travelers. It would be much better if this is informed to a traveler at least at the start of the day.
My flight got delayed upon arrival and Alex arranged for a special pick up for an extra cost but unfortunately never refunded me the cost of Masai Mara park entrance fee for the day I missed. I didn’t ask. Last day, airport drop off was part of the trip but the driver from Nakuru dropped me off in Nairobi downtown. Another driver asked for some money to take me to the airport. I paid.
Budget tents in Masai Mara I felt are a bit too cheap. No charging outlets, food is quite mediocre, no lights in the tent after a certain time, shower/toilet are bad. Someone I met at breakfast felt the same way. Go for a better lodging if you can afford. Lake Nakuru hotel room and food were pretty good however.
All in all , I am satisfied with the safari and most importantly felt safe as a solo female traveler.
Taking away one star for poor communication about transfers, lack of park entrance fee refund and charging extra airport drop off charge.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well organised and welcoming.
We had an amazing time on our paradise and wilderness tour. The hotel Reef and Beach resort was a wonderful resort had everything you needed for a relaxing time, the staff were friendly, welcoming and very attentive. They we're always smiling and made you feel happy. The only negative point was it was a little to far away from the main town Jambiani. The tours that were on offer were great. The tours we experienced in Zanzibar included Stone Town, Prison Island and spice farm, this was a full day out. The other tour we can highly recommend was Dolphin watching/swimming if your brave enough to jump into the Indian ocean about a mile off the coast. And swimming with sea turtles.
Well what do I say about the Safari..........it was breathtaking to experience seeing the beautiful creatures in there natural habitat, the national park was packed with spectacular sights. The safari drive is not for the faint hearted as you are chucked about in the jeep like being on a rollercoaster, we had so much fun and laughs. Our driver was fantastic too taking us everywhere to seek out The big cats themselves Lion's, along with Elephants, Giraffe, Hippo, Zebra, Hyaenas and everything else that goes with them even Crocodile. The resort Selous Safari was fabulous, great location for Nyerere National Park and Bungalows we stayed in were fabulous, yet again the staff were friendly, welcoming and always smiling. The food in both hotels was top notch. A holiday we will never forget.
CH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
uncomplicated and smooth
It was really easy to book the tour , especially with communication via WhatsApp. They helped us everytime so we did not feel lost at any point.
Maybe a little high priced but it was okay including flight and meal.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very well organised, got to see the Big Five, amazing experience
Communication: quick responses
Organisation: excellent
Accommodation: camp was very authentic with a bomfire in the evening, lovely and welcoming people, baboons walking around freely
Food was a bit basic
IN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Experience |North and South Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater & Arusha
While we truly enjoyed our trip, I believe it’s important to highlight both the positive and negative aspects to help improve future experiences for other travelers like us.
Negative Feedback:
- Vegetarian Meal Mix-up: Despite informing both three months before our booking and again two days before we arrived in Zanzibar that we are vegetarians, there was a significant lapse in communication regarding our meals.
On our first day in Seronera, we received lunch boxes with chicken. My wife unknowingly took a bite of a chicken samosa, which is deeply concerning for us, as eating non-vegetarian food is against our cultural and religious practices.
Even after notifying the lodge about this, we were served eggs the next day. As a result, we skipped two meals during our stay at Ikoma because of this miscommunication.
The lodge claimed (as per our conversation) that we were served vegetarian meals, but only a portion of the meal (biscuits and a sandwich) was vegetarian. As we had paid for a full board, we expected all the food to be vegetarian and were disappointed that this was not the case.
Dinner at South Serengeti: During our stay in South Serengeti, the only food option available for us at dinner was potato wedges, as the main course was beef. The chef explained that had he been informed about our dietary preferences, he would have prepared a suitable meal. This further confirmed that our vegetarian preferences were not communicated, leading us to miss out on yet another meal.
Overall, this communication gap around meal preferences caused us to skip three meals, which was frustrating given that we had paid for a full board plan.
Positive Feedback:
Beautiful Accommodations:
Each accommodation during our stay was absolutely beautiful, luxurious, and exceeded our expectations. They provided a very memorable experience, and we thoroughly enjoyed the comfort and ambiance.
Welcoming and Helpful Staff:
Across all locations, the staff were warm, welcoming, and always ready to help. Their hospitality made us feel comfortable and taken care of throughout our journey.
Julius – Our Outstanding Safari Guide:
This is by far the highlight of our trip! Julius, our safari driver and guide, was exceptional. His knowledge, helpfulness, and attention to detail truly elevated our experience. He was very accommodating with the difficulties we faced regarding the food and made sure that we were taken care of in every possible way. Julius is an absolute gem and deserves full credit for making our safari unforgettable.
We did enjoy our holiday overall, but I believe addressing these issues could make the experience even better for future travelers.
JP
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing safari tour!
We could see lots of animals like lion, cheetah, elephant and so on. It was unforgettable moments ever. Our guide driver Albert, he explained every animals and try to get close. He was amazing. Camp site was also nice, just we couldn’t use electricity in our own room so we needed to go to kitchen to charge our mobiles and camera but it’s still acceptable.
But we booked a car which can ride max 6ppl but actually it was 8people.
We were 4ppl group so 6 and 8 was big deference. If they explained before we would booked private one.
Anyway at total it was amazing trip, thank you so much!! Special thanks to Albert:)))
FR
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
park kruger
we only visited the kruger national park, lots of elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, antelopes
quite poor in felines
good if first time for a safari