OM
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Efficient, excellent and customer focus.
The 8 day 7 nights trip was a very memorable one and zanzibar/safaris experience slotted just nice for the duration for me.
The first day at Stone Town will help if you make a bit of own reserch on places of interest. I didn't do any research at all but lucky enough to engage some casual conversation with the locals and found Forodhani Park area in the afternoon and evening. A musical show was there at the fort in the evening and had a taste of local Zanzibaran music. The old part of Stone Town is really historical and Shoba boutique hotel represented this.
The safari trips are very well arranged for the 5 days 4 night program. I am lucky to have Mr Khalid as the guide. He is very experience, excellent knowledge of the safari and animals, and as he is of the same age he is becoming more of a company for me a solo traveler. The lunch food arrangement during safari were packed but they were freshly prepared in the morning. I enjoyed the food a lot and the menu changes throuhout my safari stay. As for the animals, Mr Khalid knew all potential locations and I managed to see all main animals including the difficult to find rhino and cheetah!
The program to end the trip at the beach in Zanzibar was well designed to wind off the hectic safari trip. Still I used the full day there to go for snorkeling.
All in all, it was a very good trip and thank you Paradise and Wilderness for all the arrangement. I felt the value for money even as a solo traveler which I know the cost can easily be optimised if travelling in a group.
It was a real pleasure dealing with Paradise & Wilderness, as all arrangement are very efficient and I can make the trip at a relatively short notice.
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well organised
We did a 5 day tour. Selous and Mikumi
We stayed at Ngalawa camp wich was simple but everything was there what we needed. Because of our guide rajabu we saw more animals than we expected.
Mikumi was more open and the animals were easier to see. We have great pictures of a pride of lions.
Massai Village was a great experience too.
Thank you very mu h. We had a wonderfull time in Tanzania
CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
9 days luxury safari in Kenya
We took a 9 days safari with Sino Africa Safari! We felt lucky to make the right decision to go with this company. Jong is the main factor for the decison because he replies fast, gave a lot of suggestions, quotation is fair and service is good. We visited Masai Mara, Nakuru, Amboseli, Naiwash, and Mt Kenya. We saw all big five many times. Thanks to Jong and Solomon for the special safari! Recommend them 1000%.
CN
Amazingļ¼A safari I will never forget!
Jong is professional in all aspect! He knew what we wanted to go and he is an excellent safari planner and sooo helpful. Solomon is professional too, he knew where to find animals and he always tell us interesting stories about animals, culture, history, local people and everything about his country. We love him so much! Pick this company and you will never be regret!
DK
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Super service, quick responses and a great understanding of my interests
My first contact, the service throughout the planning and a very good sense of what I wanted to see and do and what I didn't want see and do, have been great. There was very good interaction with useful alternatives, recommandations for "must see" places to visit and activities to do based on my interest and not just the general "must see" things you must when visiting Namibia. I always got quick answers to my inquiries and ideas.
It was a well organized trip from my first day of arrival to my departure day two weeks later.
I have traveled to many countries around the World inclusive Africa. I often use local businesses to plan and arrange my visits. Many of them have been really good, but none beats Carien from Desert Air Africa Safaris.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A trip of a lifetime
I am incredibly grateful to everyone at Wild Planet Safari for an amazing trip this past October. We originally were supposed to visit in 2020 and Thale was amazing in helping us reschedule and work through any difficulties. Her kindness was truly appreciated.
We were blessed to have Chris as our guide for the 5 days and we consider ourselves so lucky. He took good care of us and answered all our questions. We saw so much, thanks to him and we felt very much like we made a good friend.
We loved having our private tour with also the opportunity to meet with our fellow travelers at breakfast or dinner on a few occasions.
Thank you to Ryan, Thale and Chris for everything. I will be back!!
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Experience the wildlife of Kenya with a knowledgeable guide
My wife and I just returned from a 10-day safari in Kenya with Lion Rider. We covered everywhere from Samburu to Maasai Mara and places in between such as Lake Nakuru and Aberdare. This was not our first trip to Africa, although we've been to Tanzania and Kenya only and thoroughly enjoyed both. On this trip we were guided entirely by Johnson Mule, by our request. Six years ago, after visiting many sites in Tanzania and Kenya, with multiple guides, we felt that Johnson was our favorite by far and that was the reason for our request. Johnson is remarkable. I swear this man, besides being very personable and knowledgeable, must have amazing vision. When Johnson stops the vehicle you can tell by looking at him that he has spotted something. That something is frequently beyond our vision, even when I'm looking through a long lens. But he takes us there and sure enough, it was worth the trip. So many times he told us before leaving our lodgings that he was looking for particular wildlife, and he never failed to find them.
During this particular journey we encountered just about every form of cat living in Kenya, including serval, lion prides, families of Cheetah and Leopard. Pretty much everything on four legs, including black and white rhinos, hippos, two types of zebra, cape buffalo, multiple varieties of giraffe, elephants, all the animals of the Great Migration, inclujding wildebeests, and also crocodiles, pythons. I'm sure I'm missing a lot here.
And the wilds of Kenya have myriad bird species, including many cuckoos, grey crowned cranes, a variety of eagles and just way too many species and varieties of birds to name. Any birder would be in heaven in Kenya.
We certainly have seen the big five, rhinoceros, elephant, cape buffalo, lion and leopard, multiple times. On this trip, thanks to Johnson and Lion Rider, we saw much more wildlife, and saw them closer than we did on our last time in Kenya. It was truly awe inspiring, and I took over 3,000 photos to prove it. As with our last trip, it was just my wife, myself and our guide. For the difference in cost it is to well worth it. In our case Johnson always knew the best approaches and stopping points for the best photography. And traveling with Johnson is also a real education. He'll remain silent if that is your desire, but when asked you will find he is a fount of knowledge, and he is willing to share it. That's one reason why we requested Johnson Mule as our guide.
Lion Rider's choices of lodging were very nice. Not elegant, who needs that, you're on safari, but very nice accommodations with great food, rooms, and friendly staffs. One that we visited six years ago even remembered us when we returned and treated us like old friends. Great places to return to after evening game drives, and to break fast before the morning drives and afternoon drives.
Well organised
Our tour was fantastic would highly recommend to all. Our pick up and driver was friendly helpfull and our guide in the park was very knowledgeable, entertaining and very determined to find us animals. Loved it
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceeded Expectations on Safari & Cape Town City Tour
Our experience with Craig and Bianca with Southern African Tours was exceptional. They were incredibly easy to work with, responsive to messages, and provided solutions to our specific travel needs. We were delighted with our Kruger safari and accommodations at Umbhaba Eco Lodge. Our game driver, Fortune, was knowledgeable and highly skilled in spotting animals. I had read "80% chance of spotting the big 5 in a three day safari". We saw them all (repeatedly) in our first day! We were astonished by how close we were to the animals. I never would have believed how many animal species could be viewed so close in Kruger and with the exceptional skill of our guide. My husband and I had booked a semi-private tour and the company of a Danish couple and Spanish solo traveler added to our enjoyment. Also more eyes in helping to spot animals. We also visited the Elephant Whisper. It was neat to learn more about the elephants and get to interact with them directly.
We did the Panorama Tour one day and visited Godās Window, Bourkeās Luck potholes, and Blyde River Canyon-3 Rondavels. It was a private tour with Nicky as our guide. Nicky was very knowledgeable and set the pace to ensure the best viewing times (to avoid the fog). We enjoy hiking and it was a pleasure to get out and walk/hike these unique and beautiful settings.
We completed our trip with a private 2-day Cape Town city tour. Gareth was our guide and organized and timed everything perfectly. We stayed at Radisson Red which is an ideal location to safely enjoy the city night life. We had a wonderful dinner at Den Aker (French/Belgian) and highly recommend. A few of our favorites included Table Mountain, the Boulder Beach penguin colony, and Cape Good Hope. There was high wind and Table Mountain had been closed the day prior. Gareth was on top of all details and was monitoring the situation and our itinerary to ensure we were able to see it and at the optimal visibility. Sightings of wild baboon and ostrich right at the side of the road were an unexpected delight. After wine tasting at De Grendel, Gareth surprised us with a stop at a lovely beach and we were able to tip our toes in the water. We ended our adventure with a drummies and dinner show before heading to the airport for a late night flight back to the USA.
We truly had the most wonderful time. Without hesitation, we felt completely safe and well cared for. Our program was customized with the safari, panoramic tour and Cape Town and we would not have changed a thing. We give Southern African Tours a 5+ star rating and highly recommend.
SI
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable
We did a 4 day Tarangire-Serengeti-Ngorongoro tour, saw the big 5 and much much more. We slept at campsites (everything was provided for us) inside the parks which made this experience so much more pristine. Silas was our guide and we loved every second of it. He is super knowledgeable, on point, and always knows where to find the animals. He made this experience unforgettable! A huge shoutout goes to the chef Pius whose food deserves a Michelin star. I never expected that one can eat this good in the middle of African wilderness. Thank you to Suricata safari for a wonderful experience!