CH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable 14-Days on Safari in Kenya and Tanzania đ€©
We had a wonderful safari and a truly amazing time! From the very first contact through the entire trip, we were taken care of exceptionally well. Lina was always easy to reach, patiently answered all our questions, and responded very quickly to any concerns. That put us at ease and made the trip enjoyable from the very beginning.
The organisation of the safari also went very smoothly. Our guides/drivers were friendly, reliable, and made many wonderful experiences possible for us. Weâll especially cherish the memories of our game drives together. The accommodations even exceeded our expectations and were consistently very nice. The food was also good and, overall, we enjoyed it very much.
All in all, it was a wonderful and unforgettable trip. We thoroughly enjoyed our time there and would definitely recommend the safari and the organisation to others!
HK
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent Safari and Customer Services
I need to give a huge thank you to our travel agent Whisly, not just that he answers to our questions before the trip and tailor made the itineraries, but also when the airline miss-sent my bag to Mombasa, and then after 2 days they sent it to NBO (long story) and Whisly carried it all the way to Naivasha to give me the bag so i can have clothes to change and stuff to use. Itâs not his usual duty but he still delivered! So a huge thank you!
To our driver and tour guide Thomas, heâs always happy and knowledgeable, answering all the Qs that we had about Africa and the animals, he has really good driving skills, and good eyes to spot the animals.
Overall, we had a really good private tour in group of 2 and visited 4 national parks, good value for money, and seeing many many animals even leopards for 2 times and cheetah!
I would recommend this to all of my friends and will definitely come back again.
CH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect Honeymoon Safari with Jackson Masong
We just got back from our 3-day honeymoon safari with Safari Soles, and it was the trip of a lifetime. Flying in and out of Zanzibar made the travel so easy. We visited the Central Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater, and every single day was perfect. The absolute best part of our trip was our tour guide, Jackson Masong. We cannot say enough good things about him! He did everything perfectly. Thanks to his great experience and sharp eyes, we saw all of the Big 5 (and all of them multiple times) and so many other amazing animals. He knows exactly where to look for wildlife and always got our jeep into the absolute best spot for photos. Jackson is also very funny, easy-going, and just a lot of fun to be around. Our camps were amazing. We stayed at the Serengeti Safari Haven and the Ngorongoro Tortilis Camp. Both places were beautiful and gave us the perfect romantic setting for our honeymoon. Every person we met along the way was so warm and kind. We will never forget this trip. We already told our friends and family to book with Safari Soles, and our biggest piece of advice is to make sure you ask for Jackson to be your guide! <3 <3 <3
FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgatable
The agency Balu travel is highly professional and well-organized, offering unbeatable prices! I obtained at least 15 quotes, and believe me, this was the best dealâwithout compromising the quality of the safari. They really listened to our needs, which made a huge difference to the experience. We went on a 5-day safari, and thanks to the guides selected by the agency (we specifically requested a French-speaking guide, and they provided one), our trip was sensational, wonderful, and magicalâit felt like time stood still. The landscapes, the people, the animals, the accommodation, and even the food were all truly incredible. We are seasoned travelers, and quite honestly, this was certainly one of our best tripsâif not the absolute best. Ben and John made the experience truly breathtaking; they were incredibly kind and impeccably professionalâ10/10. We absolutely loved the guides, and they will remain a cherished part of our memories for a long time.
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Great experience
I was picked up by friendly driver John and transferred in a safe and pleasant drive with lots of chatting to the lodge just outside Hwange park. The lodge was small and family-run and I felt at home right away. I had a permanent tent accommodation on the upper floor overlooking a waterhole which was frequented by lots of elephants. There was also a nice deck right next to the waterhole. The safari guides were great - highlights we spotted were my favorite sable antelope and a cheetah resting in a tree. Pick-up worked the same flawless way, and here I would like to mention the special efforts of my driver John: my luggage didnât get delivered when first I arrived and I was hoping to pick it up in Vic Falls when returning from Hwange - but it wasnât there! So John went on a shopping tour with me to get the most necessary things in case the luggage wouldnât make it to me in my next destination. I also needed to visit a doctor so John took me there and after all that he even took me on a short sight-seeing tour in Vic Falls! Inbetween Brian, the owner of Customise Travel, came to greet me. All in all - service and taking care of the guest much beyond any expectations!!! Memorable experience because of that and the great safari experience in Hwange. Thanks to everyone involved!!!
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The best! Pilipili was amazing
The safari offers excellent value for money, combining an unforgettable experience with a very reasonable cost. The organization was perfect, and the tour was exciting and well-planned. We especially want to highlight the guide, who was professional, friendly, and attentive, sharing his knowledge and ensuring we enjoyed every moment of the trip to the fulles
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderful experience with Lazaro
Excellent and well organised. Lazaro was a brilliant guide!
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Excellent, reliable, and professionally organised, with knowledgeable guides and outstanding support
We booked our tour to Addis Ababa & City Tour, Gondar â Simien Mountains National Park, and Lalibela through Essence Ethiopia Tours, and they were excellent throughout.
From the knowledgeable tour guides to the overall organisation and constant monitoring of our trip, everything was handled very professionally and smoothly.
A big shout-out to Tsehaynew for the excellent coordination and support throughout our journey. We would highly recommend Essence Ethiopia Tours to anyone planning a trip to Ethiopia.
NZ
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Quick and good communication; good value for money.
We did a 3 day tour to Hell's Gate, Naivasha and Nakuru.
Our driver/guide Anthony was good company and very helpful/knowlegable.
Hell's Gate NP bicycle safari and community guide were great.
Naivasha afternoon boat safari was a bit lacklustre. But our driver made sure we did get to see the fish feeding of pelicans and fish eagle during a negotiated extra 30min. boat ride the next morning !
Nakuru game drive ended on a high with big group of girafes crossing the road and a lioness walking past after eating a kill, 2 black rhinos nearby with the city in the background: absolute highlight !
In hindsight would have prefered staying inside the Nakuru park, rather than the fancy hotel in town.
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Bad experience
Spoton Vacations completely disappointed our expectations. We booked directly with them from Italy. The first problem was that we had to wait an hour at the airport for the driver to arrive. The second problem was that we were charged an extra for an activity that was included in the price we'd already paid. To get our money back, we had to wait until the last day, insisting with the driver despite repeated requests over the days. But the most absurd thing was the lack of attention and disorganization on the part of the agency, which admitted to having made a mistake that cost us âŹ330. Our plan included access to Lake Nakuru for the morning safari, followed by lunch at the hotel, and finally a return to the park in the afternoon for another safari, but once we left the park, the ticket would no longer be valid. The agency didn't take any responsibility for this problem, despite admitting it was wrong. As a result, to see a beautiful part of the safari, we had to leave the next morning, having to pay âŹ180 for the entrance fee plus âŹ150 requested by the driver because it was unscheduled. This money was never refunded.
The safaris were beautiful, but the human experience with the agency was truly awful. This left a bitter taste in our mouths, completely at odds with the experience we'd hoped for in Africa. At the end of the trip, the driver didn't even take us to the airport because all his licenses had expired. He told us he'd pay for the taxi, but given our experience, we preferred to pay for it ourselves, as we were afraid he wouldn't have the money to pay for it, given that he had a hard time providing us with the first-day refund.
Always ask for licenses, safari vehicle insurance, and the licenses of other drivers. Make sure everything is in order, because if something happens, you could get into trouble.