BE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Nice luxury accommodation
The accommodations recommended by Journey beyond, were nice luxury accommodations, with very nice food.
We have really enjoyed our stay.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Good, cost effective trip to Kilimanjaro
Karibuworld organised my entire trip to Kilimanjaro. They managed to get the best value for me and our group. Everything was well organised and taken care of. I had a truly brilliant Kilimanjaro experience and I'd like to thank Karibuworld for making that possible.
Regards
Andrew
Elephants Elephants Elephants Elephants and Baobab Trees
Fantastic Elephant concentration and beautiful baobab trees. Definitely recommended before going to Ngorongoro or Serengeti
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
5 day Selous safari 6-10 December 2014
I contacted Kanuth Adventures for a 5 day safari in Selous asking if there was anybody else going on safari early December as well (just a week before I wanted to go on safari). Within a few hours Kanuth himself replied that there was and since I especially was interested in seeing wild dogs he suggested to do a 5 day safari to Selous (instead a 3 or 4 day safari).
The other safari client was willing to go 5 days to Selous as well and so our safari started. Kanuth wanted a short briefing the evening before we left from Dar es Salaam and he suggested to go camping at Lake Tagalala Public Campsite to increase our chances seeing wildlife and especially wild dogs. I am personally not a big fan of camping and prefer the comfort of a lodge but Kanuth explained that staying in a lodge at the edge of the park will involve driving up and down the main road of Selous which is relatively poor of wildlife. This would mean that we would miss out being in the centre of the park during early mornings and late afternoons, the time most animals are active and so we went camping two nights and stayed our first and last night at Hippo Tented camp at the edge of the park (15 minute drive from Mtemere gate). The lodges inside the park where most game is are quite expensive and were not really an option budget wise.
The first day day we arrived in Hippo tented camp which is nicely situated outside the park facing the Rufiji river. We went on a boat safari and saw Hippo's and crocodiles from pretty close and also some nice birdlife. The second day we left arount 10:00 for our game drive in Selous and searched for wildlife all day in a very well equipped jeep (we could even charge our camera's in the jeep!). Around 17:30 we arrived at Lake Tagalala and set up our camp, just after we watched the many hippo's and crocodiles in the lake. The third day we wanted to do a very early morning game drive and got up at 05:30 for tea so we could leave at 06:00. Unfortunately the car was not cooperating and it seemed that there was something wrong with the cars fuel pump. After several attemps of fixing the car, Immanuel, our driver/guide, arranged for a back up car from Hippo tented camp which arrived around 10:00 in the morning. The back up car also brought a spare fuel pump and while we finally contiued our safari, the fundi the came with the car was left fixing it. After 5 minutes, I spotted some ears being raised by us driving by, after asking Immanuel if he could check if they we're impalas or not he replied that it might be the hyenas which visited our campsite the other night. When we went to take a closer look it turned out to be a pack of 14 wild dogs (my main reason to visit Selous)! The dogs were completely relaxed although we parked the car just next to them and they continued their mid day activities and we whatched them for a long time. In the mean time our original safari car was fixed and we could swop to that car again (which seemed to be in better condition than our back up car which was an open vehicle). The same day, Immanuel managed to spot several lions for us, one of them was planning to go for some warthogs although the alarm calls of nearby impalas give his position away and the hunt was off.
In the late afternoon we went back to our wild dog spot and they were still there! This time they were a bit more active and we saw them drinking from a mud pool, at one point one of the pack members came out of nowhere and regurgitated some food for the subadults of the pack which resulted in a lot of sqeeuking and running around of the pack which was very entertaining to witness.
The fourth day we went in search of elephants, which turned out to be pretty hard to find, but finally around mid day we managed to find them just getting out of the water when they continued feeding on the palm trees and grasses next to the small lake. We left Selous around 16:00 and just outside the reserve a large group of elephants decided to cross the road in front of us which was a nice end of our game drive safari.
The fifth day we had our walking safari at Hippo tented camp, we saw some blue monkeys and black and white tailed colobus monkeys and got some more information on the local insect life. The walking safari was not very exciting compared to the wildlife you might see during the game drives but is was a nice change, I guess walking safaris at lodges inside the park can be more of an adventure.
The cooking was done by Joseph at Hippo camp and also during our stay at the Tagalala campsite. The food he prepared was of excellent quality and I wouldn't change a thing about it. Both Joseph and Immanuel are brothers of Kanuth and together they made a really good team.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Good Safari Package
Communications were good.
Staff is very friendly and helpful.
Service was OK. Van trip was kinda stuffy ( sardines in a van ) for the first leg of the trip.
Everything else was good.
FR
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wild Wings Safaris on Gomo Gomo Game Lodge reserve
All writed have hapened. It was a good deal whitout bad surprise. Very kind professional staf.
I and my wife we booked our safari with Africa budget tour online in 2 month in advance and when
We arrave in kenya we got Mr. Fred the representative of Africa budge tour waiting for us in airport he breve us about our safari and we went to our hotel for night and in the morning we picked by driver guide for Africa budget tour he was Avery exprinced driver guide and safari it was very wonderfully and well came again for another safari next year I recommend to others
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well planned safari and good service
Discover Africa planned our safari to East Africa and we were certainly in the right areas at the right time, our itinerary was well designed to maximize time with the migration and related sightings - logistics ran smoothly and all in all we feel that it was well worth it working with Discover Africa.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Knowledgable, friendly staff in uk
Staff were helpful and had travelled to Kenya so could answer questions and advise and were always good on email as I booked my trip at work. After making our payment we heard nothing more from Somak which was not a nice feeling especially as they a local UK Company it was almost as though we might change our mind if we spoke again!!! On arriving in Kenya we loved every minute
We stayed four nights at the Ashnil Mara Lodge and enjoyed every one of them. The whole experience from arriving and being driven from the airstrip to waking up in a four poster bed with a still warm hot water bottle at 6:30am for the game drive. We imagined it would be riding in terms of Somak churning people in and out of the camps however during the time we stayed we were relaxed and felt like the only ones there despit it being full for dinner one night.
Our guide/driver Edward who works for the lodge was very knowledgable of the area so made light work of the vast Mara when driving through the rivers to cross into Rhino or Cheetah territory. We saw 7 giraffe who lived just outside the gates of the camp and saw them in the mornings and evening on their way back home brilliant memories. 52 lions on the last count, a kill and many many young animals
Masai Mara is wonderful. The landscapes, the river and the wildlife. You definitely have to enjoy all these to visit and if you are lucky enough you will see wildlife as it should be. You feel bad being there wishing you could see it without intruding on their territory, seeing the animals behave naturally is amazing.
Lions fighting over territory, mating and hunting. Elephants are huge and yet graceful. There were so many babies we saw and it made us happy to know there is continuity in the great Masai Mara. We saw Zebra, Hyena, Ostrich, Giraffe and Warthogs and birds. It is a wonderful wonderful place
The food was excellent, fresh and tasty every time, with salads and veg options not repeated in the time we stayed. Authentic Kenyan food with spice just what you expect and need after the early starts
All the staff were very helpful and friendly and always interested in your day and had lots of stories to share with other guests
The tents are very spacious and the bathrooms clean and modern and still a tent!! Terrace in room 30 was great as we could see the river and baboons but not the Hippo, the best place to see these would be at reception although you can hear them all night and day, such a wonderful experience
Would have been 5 stars however they charge for wi-fi which is only on a few hours in the day and is very poor in signal. If you are going to offer a service and charge for it at least make sure it works as it should, having said this we would definitely go back as safari is not about the internet connection
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
An interesting and well-organised package, with one major flaw in our arrival transfer arrangements
On the whole a fascinating insight into a country new to us. Generally well thought out and well packaged, with some excellent interactions with African staff. Knowledgeable and amenable safari guide. Transfer arrangements to the isolated Sadaani National Park need review and amendment. Accommodation location, facilities and food were excellent both in Sadaani and on Zanzibar.