CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent!
My wife and I had a fantastic time on our honeymoon with Frena Adventures! We did a 2 day trek in Rwanda and Uganda, and our guide Farouk was amazing! He was perfect and we were so lucky to have him as our guide! It was a wonderful way to kick off the honeymoon. Farouk was very knowledgeable, made us feel so comfortable, and was a fantastic driver!
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
very efficient and able to organize fantastic tours across different areas of Madagascar
We had a terrific tour with 2 4WD cars and excellent drivers who took us from Tana to Antsirabe to the Tsiribihina river, where we left for three days in a boat and slept for two nights in tents on beaches along the river. The two guides from 261 Exp stayed with us on the boat. We got in touch with people from the villages and had a great time on the boat with marvellous views, lunches and dinners, as well as fire on the beach and music. Then we went to Bekopaka and stayed there for three days to visit the Tsingy of Bemaraha, with walks in the big and small tsingy, caves, pirogue on the river. After one night in Morondava where we arrived just after admiring the avenue of bobabs at sunset, we drove back to Antsirabe. We had a problem with one of the cars, but our guide made it possible to let us continue the trip. The day after we reached Ranomafana and visited the rainforest. For every visit, we had a local guide. The next day we went to Ambalavao after a quick visit to Fianarantsoa, and then we went to the Andringita national park where we had a great walk and marvellous views of the mountains as well as great time with the people from the village. The next stop was Ranohira and the Isalo National park, with beautiful walks, rocks, waterfalls and natural pools. Then we finished our tour at the seaside, in Mangily where we did snorkeling in the coral reef and a tour with quads on the beach. Then back to Tana, a brief tour of the old town, and back home. The tour was great, well organized and scheduled but at the same time flexible and matching the needs of the tourists. We enjoyed the company of our guides.
BR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience
Amazing experience, thank you so much to my guide “good luck” and the kibokoland. Best experience in my life
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing time with Lion King Adventures
I am writing to express my sincere appreciation for the outstanding 4-day safari experience we recently enjoyed with Lion King Adventures in Tanzania. From start to finish, the level of service and professionalism exhibited by your team was truly exceptional.
Our guide, Khalifa, was absolutely superb. His extensive knowledge of the wildlife, flora, and fauna enhanced our safari experience. Khalifa's passion for the animals was evident in every aspect of our journey, making each moment memorable and educational. His friendly demeanor and expert insights into the local environment ensured we felt safe and engaged throughout our adventure.
I must also commend Nickson for his excellent organizational skills and attentive service. His meticulous planning and attention to detail ensured that our safari ran smoothly from beginning to end. Nickson's personal touch and dedication to creating an unforgettable experience were evident throughout our trip.
The 4-day itinerary was well-structured, allowing us to witness an incredible array of wildlife in their natural habitats while taking in the breathtaking landscapes of Tanzania. We visited Tarangire, Serengeti & the Ngorogoro crater. The combination of Khalifa's expertise and Nickson's organizational prowess resulted in a truly life-changing experience that we will cherish forever.
I wholeheartedly recommend Lion King Adventures to anyone considering a safari in Tanzania. The professionalism, knowledge, and passion demonstrated by the team have set a new standard for what we expect from a travel experience.
Thank you for providing such an exceptional safari adventure.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic planning and an even better adventure
We booked our first safari through Spirit of Kenya and had an excellent family adventure. Filipa was wonderful to work with during the planning phase – very responsive, knowledgeable, and provided great options.
We had good luck with the animals (saw the big five) and really enjoyed the Melia Hotels – facility, staff, food and views that cannot be beat. We were grateful that Zebra River Camp was able to accommodate us given the flooding not too long before we arrived. The upgraded “tents” were hardly roughing it and the staff, food and animals (elephants, hippos, cape buffalo, wort hogs, and mongoose) that came by were great. We appreciated the Masai tribe members that kept vigil throughout the night.
A few highlights:
• following a leopard around while it was hunting for about 30 minutes before it walked under our vehicle (close enough to touch)
• the pride of lions that crossed a field straight to our vehicle then split and rejoined on the other side (close enough to touch any of them, including the male)
• a group of 24 elephants (with 5 babies) did the same thing (close enough to touch)
• multiple pairs of cheetahs (some as close as 3 meters)
• a herd of cape buffalo that meant business
• seeing 3 different pairs of rhinos in the crater (not close enough to touch)
• a dozen giraffes surrounded by hundreds of zebras and some wildebeests all running together
• a pond with over 100 hippos and a couple of crocodiles
• many different birds including bright pink flamingos
• many smaller mammals (warthogs, baboons, jackals, hyenas, mongoose, various types of antelope)
A very memorable experience was the balloon ride going directly over the great migration – thousands of wildebeests/zebras, a family of elephants, several hyenas and ostriches, as well as some lions on the hunt – and the fantastic champagne brunch out in the bush.
Bosco was a fine guide in Kenya (Nairobi to Masai Mara) and Francis did excellent work in Tanzania (Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater to Arusha). They could somehow find/spot animals while managing the challenging terrain.
We highly recommend Filipa and Spirit of Kenya~
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A great driving safari covering a cross-section of Kenya
We booked a complex safari with 4 different destinations only a week or so ahead of time in peak season. John was amazingly quick and efficient at setting things up, including changing one of the lodges for something more out-of-the-way. Our driver/guide, Richard, drove well and worked extremely hard each day to give us the best possible experience (including handling a breakdown by replacing parts rather than trying to patch things together until we got back to Nairobi). It did feel a bit rushed at times, but that was partly because the itinerary we chose covered a lot of ground and both Nakuru and the Mara were pretty crowded in peak season. Landscapes and game viewing were amazing – including all the big 5 and much more. I would definitely recommend if you’re looking to pack a lot into a short trip.
NO
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The tour operator managed to fulfill all our criterias, provided a safe and wonderful trip.
The tour operator came up with different suggestions for our trip based on different price groups. They followed the agreed plan both when it came to economy and adventures. They provided a safe and comfortable travel, and seemed to have good experience about travels in the region we visited. We had a lovely safari experience thanks to this company.
CH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent customer service
Although I had many concerns since this was our first trip to Africa, Lucy & Josphat have gone above & beyond to meet our needs. We kept communicating on WhatsApp the entire time and even found a driver for us in Mombasa.
Our safari lasted 3 days and it was what I dreamed & some more. We were very lucky to have a driver like Kush, who has 15 years experience with safaris and basically knew every single bird I asked about. :) He is very well organized, drives well and has a really good sense of humour.
On the first evening he took us to a 2h game drive and he knew exactly how to park the car so we can take the best shots. He really had patience as myself and another team member wanted to take many photos. :D We witnessed the most beautiful purple sunset (see pictures attached). At dinner my husband arranged a surprise with the stuff and a group from Maasai Mara brought me the cake and sang to me on my 40th birthday. ;)
On the second day we had 12 hours of game drive, my husband and I were happy to see all the big 5 except the rhino and many other animals. The most amazing part was that we saw the leopard twice in one day, although this happens extremely rare! Kush took some very nice photos of every person on the safari car, we ate the meal packed by the hotel and he also took us to the Mara river, where we had a short tour to see the hippos & crocodiles.
On the last day we visited the Maasai Mara village where we learned a lot about their culture, we danced and also bought some souvenirs. Then we went back to Nairobi and had a flight to Mombasa for a week of relaxation on Diani beach.
It was an amazing adventure and I encourage everyone to try it at least once in their life!
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A perfect Holiday in Uganda, the pearl of Africa indeed!
Our first trip to the continent spanned about 14 days and we would say it was one of the best trips we have ever been on.
Ecovic Tours provided a wonderful guide, Sam, who is very knowledgeable and skilled with past experience working in the National Parks as well. He knew how to locate animals and spent time to educate us on the behaviors and adaptations of the various wildlife spotted during the trip. He was also always very helpful and took very good care of us. It was a joy to have been able to travel with him while we were in Uganda. Sam' capabilities and service alone warrants this experience the "Excellent" rating it has received from us.
The accommodations/tents were all comfortable and enjoyable with nice food and sceneries. The vehicle was spacious and comfortable. Overall, we felt very safe with the travel arrangements.
Uganda is a beautiful country. I cannot wait to visit it again someday with Ecovic Tours.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
I would recommend Serengeti Smile to anyone and everyone.
I would recommend Serengeti Smile to all my friends and family. We had the most wonderful time in Tanzania. Our experience started with them before our trip even begun, as they worked with us to create the best possible experience. Every detail was specific to our desires - from where specially we'd like to explore (they also gave us suggestions), the amount of time we would like at each place to specific activities we'd like to engage in. Our trip was split into three parts: Started with the safari at the Serengeti National Park (6 days) , 5 mile hike and stay on Kilimanjaro (2 days), and finally ended with Zanzibar (3 days).
We had the most amazing experience at the Safari. We explored southern, central, and northern parts - as well as one day in Ngorngoro Crater. Our guide Lebay was THE BEST - I highly recommend requesting him. He gave us an experience beyond our expectations and drove us in a very clean anc comfortable Landcruiser. Lebay showed us The Big Five and also many animals we've never even heard of - we saw a total of 52 lions, hundreds of elephants, thousands of zebras and wildebeest, he even showed us a couple leopards and cheetahs VERY close up which is apparently super rare. He did everything to make sure we had the best views close up and personal with the animals. I was impressed with his vast knowledge of all the animals. Lebay was also extremely patient with us and also glad to say we gained another friend. We had many laughs during the game drives and also around the campfire at night. I will say I've never seen so many stars (and the milkyway) in my life before visiting Tanzania. I also want to comment on the campsites we stayed at - each one were VERY nice, comfortable, and clean - all of the workers were very welcoming and the food was great.
The second leg of our trip was a 5mile hike up in Kilimanjaro to the Mandara Huts - it took about 3-4 hours, once we arrived up there they prepared a meal for us and we hiked back down the next day. If you decide to stay over night in the huts - be prepared for a less luxurious experience compared to the Safari campsights. The huts were more similar to real camping with small mattresses and sleeping bags. The hike was very beautiful as it was through the rainforest. We had about 9 porters who helped carry some of our stuff, the food, and sleeping bags up to the hut. Overall we had a good experience there. If you love to hike and camp - this is for you.
Lastly we ended out trip at Zanzibar. Our driver came to pick us up at the airport in a very clean car. We stayed at the all inclusive Nungwi Beach Resort. The worker's there were very hospitable, the resort was beautiful, the food was great! The perfect way to relax after our adventure packed trip. We will definitely be booking with Serengeti Smile Again in the future!
