35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very well run operation
Very well run safari. Brenda was great at keeping in contact with us. The highlight was of course our driver Shwaibu who was extremely experienced and knowledgeable. We saw all the big 5 animals and more. He knew the parks back to front and where to go to have the best chances of seeing the animals that he wanted. He was great to get along with and we loved spending our 7 day safari with him. The accommodation that was organised for us on safari was excellent.
We would absolutely recommend this company to our friends.
Some areas for improvement include:
- packed lunches - other than the cooked lunches which were great, we mostly had packed lunches on safari which were largely inedible. We like to eat healthy and found the food for the most part to very processed, lacked nutrition and unhealthy. We had to eat bigger breakfasts so we could essentially skip lunch.
- the safari car wasn’t a V8 as promised in the itinerary. It was a somewhat dated diesel.
- We were asked what drinks we wanted in the car fridge and told that wouldn’t be a problem, but only some of the drinks were provided.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Once in a lifetime experience with incredible guides
We hiked Mount Kilimanjaro doing the 6 day Machame trip. Everything was incredibly well organized, and we were able to rent everything we needed the day before the trip. Our guides Bob, Jofrey, and Godfry were amazing and helped us every step of the way to make sure that we felt our best each day and were able to have an enjoyable experience at the summit. The entire team was so kind and professional, and were always working hard to make sure that we had food and camp set up even when the weather was less than ideal. We couldn't be more grateful to have such wonderful people helping us to the top! The Machame route was beautiful, and gave us a chance to see a new ecosystem and have a variety of different hikes each day while gradually acclimating to the altitude. Overall, I would highly recommend booking with Making Memories in Africa for the chance to take on an incredible journey with an amazing team!
MY
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Smooth and Exceptional Journey Through the North and South of Ethiopia
When I first was looking for reliable tour operator to help plan my trip in Ethiopia, I have my worries and doubt on whether any of the advertised companies on this Website are trustworthy and can do a good job. So it is with much caution that I engage Discover Simien Tour, and got in touch with Sahlie, the manager and guide for our trip. With much deposit money sent to him before we even begin our journey (we're a big group), the risk of getting duped is very much in my mind.
By the time we touch down in Addis Ababa, and meet up with Sahlie face to face, it was all good and the trip started out great. We were well taken care of every step of the way. Even when there's hiccups along the way (we had to modify our itinerary for a few days due to sudden cancellation of our domestic flight in Mekele), Sahlie made sure that the trip goes on with alternate activities, hotels and ensured we still have enjoyable and memorable moments.
In terms of communication, Sahlie may sometimes be a little slow in responding due to his busy work, but rest assured he delivers on what he promised, and much more. It has been a great collaboration with him, and he is willing to go the extra mile to make his clients achieve their needs, whether it's applying for drone permit, special access to photography etc.
I would highly recommend this company, Discover Simien Tour, and specifically Sahlie for his wonderful and professional, yet friendly and accommodating approach to helping us get the best out of our trip. And thanks to him, our tour of northern and southern parts of Ethiopia became an unforgettable journey of a lifetime.
CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Thoughtful, attentive, and highly experienced.
Going on an African safari has been a dream of mine since childhood. I did a lot of research beforehand and felt quite nervous before the trip. Thank you to Loren African Safari, especially my guide Gela, for helping me realize this dream so perfectly. Gela is highly experienced and very knowledgeable about wildlife, especially birds. As a new birdwatching enthusiast, I was amazed at how he helped me spot a wide variety of bird species, which made the entire journey even more enjoyable and fascinating.
Even after returning to China, I am still reliving those unforgettable days. This has been one of the most beautiful memories of my life. I will never forget you. And please continue to make good use of “my bird book” — greetings from Elsa.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredibly helpful and attentive!
The safari was amazing (Simbavati Waterside) and Kathi was super helpful getting things organized. We had some travel hiccups and she was super helpful in adjusting plans mid-trip. Would not use anyone else!
LK
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A reliable and well‑organized safari provider with a kind, dedicated and truly caring staff.
It was a great family experience in unique African Wildlife and Culture. Easy Budget Safaris, mad it so simple to visit Masai Mara, Nakuru, Naivasha, Mount Longonot, Amboseli and even Arusha National park in Tanzania and Murchison Falls in Uganda.
All the safari was well organized according to our itinerary including clean an safe accommodation with good food, perfect safari vehicle with well experienced guide, where I comfortably enjoyed the time with my husband and two little kids.
It’s a team of kind hearted company staff who can understand our capabilities and limits even where we leisurely completed two hikes to Mount Longonot crater and Ngong Hills as a family. Didn’t feel tired at all as it was planned accordingly.
We were given ample of time to enjoy the nature, to take pictures and even to collect souvenirs throughout the safari. Recommend for any age group to witness this wonderful wildlife and Masai culture.
A big thank to Mr David, our coordinater for all the arrangements and staying in contact throughout our Journey.
CA
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Geoffrey was very responsive and service focused, all details unfolded as per plan.
Our tour operator Geoffrey was kind and responded to all questions almost immediately, communication was clear. Our safari guide and driver was Eric Bande, we can’t say enough good things about Eric. He wanted to ensure we experienced everything a safari could offer. He was incredibly knowledgeable regarding all animals, birds, geography and history. He was kind, thoughtful and had a great sense of humour. We would certainly recommend Family Leisure Vacations to deliver a great safari experience.
PT
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience
Great team, extremely nice, always ready to help you. Excelent professionals, strongly recomend.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a Lifetime. No regrets!
We went on a once in a lifetime trip with Tapestry of Africa in January 2026 – to Kenya and Tanzania. Summary: we can’t recommend Tapestry enough.
But here are some of our thoughts from start to finish.
We initially contacted a number of safari providers – all of which had excellent recent reviews. This was the bar to entry for us. We chose Tapestry based on our level of comfort after a briefing call with the owner Matt. He clearly had a high level of expertise. He set us at ease. And we got a feeling this company had a nice balance of professionalism (later we would get emails on everything from packing lists, to tipping to vaccines) and personalised service. We did not feel like one of hundreds of clients. We felt like we crafted a bespoke trip with confidence. Despite being Canadian, we felt at ease booking with Matt, and his American-based company.
Other good points – pricing was on par with other companies. There was a super network of support in Africa (thanks Hilda!), and the fact that part of our trip went to supporting Matt’s charity that gives dentistry services to local people in Africa was a lovely silver lining.
We were able to customize almost every detail of our trip. We edited certain lodges that we wanted or opted out of. We chose how long we were at each location. We opted for ground travel vs. flights. Every detail could be executed exactly as we wished. We had rounds of revisions to our itinerary, and it was never a problem. We had confidence in our choices because Matt had actually been to most of the parks we chose, and was able to give us first hand advice.
Accommodations chosen (we did upper level to luxury lodges, but not super luxury) were all winners. Food, security, rooms – each time we arrived at a location we were thrilled to discover our new home for the next few nights.
Guides. Your guide will make or break your trip. We had one in each country, and each had their specific strengths. BOTH were absolutely amazing at finding animals. The wildlife we saw defies description. We saw the Top 5. We saw the Ugly 5. We saw cheetahs making a kill, and lions sunbathing with their wildebeest carcass next to them. Elephants walking feet away never became novel. We did safari mostly for the animals and geography of the area – and our guides made that happen in spades.
Our safari days were safe. The guides respected the land and the animals we were so lucky to be surrounded by. And when someone has passion for their job – its obvious. Ours was a private safari (just us and our guide) so we could tailor our days as we pleased. Want to end early because jet lag has you zonked – ok. Want to leave at dawn for a balloon ride – ok. If it was possible, the answer was always yes. If you want to (repeatedly) ask if you can get out of the truck and pet something – the answer will always be no. But I kept trying ;)
Our guides were professional, punctual, skilled drivers and animal finders (imagine laser vision that would astound you!). A special mention goes to our guide Kim in Kenya. We really do hope to stay in touch with Kim, as he was so personable and kind. We made a friend outside of the safari truck, and that was one of the most special surprises of the trip. If you can ask for Kim – ask for Kim.
We would like to think that as clients we are easy enough to work with. But we had some special needs. My partner had a special request that was kept entirely secret from me – and everyone went above and beyond to make this happen. Hilda was exceptional before, during, and after our trip. She is the puppet master making sure all goes well behind the scenes. When we had a bit of stomach upset, likely just jet lag, she was so supportive and available to us constantly “but not after 11pm, as I will be sleeping” – that kind of support. We didn’t have any glitches during our trip – but I’m guessing if we did they would have been made right in no time.
We would not hesitate to suggest Tapestry of Africa. For us this was our biggest adventure to date, and Tapestry and all it’s staff really made it seamless, stress-less, and the trip of a lifetime.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
8-day Safari in calving season and tribe visit
We went on a 8-day Safari with Lion King in February 2026 as a couple and we could not be happier. Everything was perfectly organized and went smoothly: from the planning part (which we started in December 2025) were Elia was flexible and patient with our requests, followed by the final organisation with Rose. We decided for a budget-medium range Safari and were always impressed with the quality of the accomodations (lodges and camps). Once in Kilimanjaro Airport, Justin picked us up and made us feel most welcome. Joseph was our safari guide, mentor and awesome travel companion, over and over again we were impressed with his knowledge and thank him very much for the most special times. No question was left unanswered, and we had plenty! We were also able to plan a trip to visit the Hadzabe and Datoga tribes, a special experience with expert guide Rama. After a wonderful time, Shara drove us safe back to the airport. Top recommendationt!