NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great hospitality and perfect experience!
A few weeks ago we returned home after a wonderful vacation in Tanzania. The - by far - number one experience during this holiday was a 3 day Safari through the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. We had a warm welcome in Arusha, a very experienced and helpful driver and cook and a very nicely maintained vehicle, which provided us the most comfortable journey possible. This was way better compared to similar trips we had in Kenya - within the same holiday - and previous times in Tanzania and other parts of Africa. I would absolutely recommend Wildlife Oasis Tours as an operator for any similar tours you wish to book. Last but not least, 6 people in a car, with comfortable seats, open roof and very good windows, in a way not many tour operators provide! Plenty of water, different types of breakfast / lunch / diner every day, warm sleeping bags and decent tents!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Uniquely Ugandan
All absolutely brilliant. When we were setting up the trip, we told Johnnie what we wanted to do, and he advised us well, because we had not really considered travel times. So we ended up with a fantastic trip seeing the places and most of the birds we wanted to, AND we had good days travelling between the places so that we also had time for some birding. Johnnie is a fantastic bird guide, and the local guides he used in the different areas were also great. Johnnie was really good at getting us onto the birds, and had much information on them. I thought it was wonderful he found me a location where I could see a Rhinoceros Viper, and that came from a chance comment of mine one evening. It was an amazing birding trip, and I loved the way Johnnie looked after us, and checked everything was OK, including finding the drinks we wanted (!), and collecting us from and dropping us off at the airport to ensure that everything was all right. He and his wife are marvelous company, and as well as a great wildlife experience, we had a really fun time. I am primarily a birder, but one of the good things about this trip was that Johnnie could also talk about and show us other animals - he's even co-authored a butterfly book! I loved being on a birding trip where other animals are important too. This was our second trip with Johnie - we enjoyed the first one so much, that we just had to come back.
CH
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A beautiful experience
Everything OK. (Guide, car, hotel, trip from Kigali to Akagera and stop at Art Center, of course all the animals in the parc with interesting explanations from the guide/driver, last meal at Kigali, etc.)
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding service and experience, high professionalism
From the initial online contact, they have provided a great and very professional experience. Moses and Eddie where our guides who have shown us their enthusiasm, love and knowledge for that amazing country and wildlife. Always taking care of us, showing the local culture, food and fun. The car condition and cleanliness was excellent.
We visited the Murchinsons falls and nature, the rhino sanctuary, Bunyonyi lake... etc.all the lodges were great and service was more that outstanding.
To sum it all up, I would recommend Yaneta Safaris 100% and especially Eddie and Moses to experience Uganda.
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
So exciting safari-tour. We will not forget it.
Anthony, the owner, is an exceptional person, always ready to answer to every my question during the first e.mail contacts; and careful both on our arrival and departure.
Peter is a driver guide full of qualities: expert, patient, helpful, careful to every our need, prudent driving, good-natured, full of informations about the tour and the animals.
Youssouf and Joseph, the guide and the driver of the one-day Masai village tour, were pleasant and sympathetic.
The 6 days Safari tour was incredible, everything was ok, all was unforgettable, more than every our expectation.
Thank you so much, Cross to Africa Safaris
AE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Do not use this company! Terrible professionalism.
My wife and I did the 7 night wildebeest migration safari in mid-August 2019.
We were picked up at the airport and driven to Arusha to meet Daniel and asked to handover the full trip cost in cash – several thousand USD. Do not do this as if we hadn’t we would have cancelled and used another company due to issues which occurred later. I suggest you ‘pay as you go’, only pay by credit card and get a receipt. Others did this on our tour. Once we paid the money Daniel failed to answer any of our calls during the trip when we tried to inform him of the guide’s behaviour or seek his assistance. It was really unprofessional.
The first night, the guide, Malaki came to our hotel and told us he would pick us up the next day at 8am for our drive into the Serengeti. We were ready at 7.45am at reception having checked out of the hotel but Malaki did not arrive until 10.45am without bothering to answer our calls or inform us of the delay. Upon arrival Malaki informed us that he was late because the others on the tour wanted to sleep in. This caused an argument between us and the other tour members which was a disaster for starting our week long safari experience together. We later found out after bonding with the group that Malaki was in fact lying and the delay was due to the tour company not having all the equipment for the campers. This really was an awful start to the camaraderie of the group and almost ruined the holiday. One customer even left the group after this day due to having experienced the late departure twice in two days and the lies.
The second night after a long drive to the Serengeti we arrived at what Malaki said was our hotel at 7pm only for us to be told at reception that it was full. Our hotel was in fact an hour’s drive away through the pitch black wilderness and Malaki with reckless driving hit a buffalo on the way and failed to stop or show any concern. The other tour members were camping near the first hotel so it meant we lost 2 hours of safari in the morning going to collect them. I would advise that either all members of the tour either stay in a hotel or camp. As we stayed in hotels but frequently had to wait for lengthy periods of time to pack up and set up the camping equipment for others in the morning and evening which made us miss a lot of the best time for safari experiences. The organisation was very poor especially when the hotel package is very expensive.
The serengti heritage camp and kilimanjoa accommodation were really good with super staff but the rest were quite poor. The sernegeti heritage camp boss ensured we had a hot breakfast at 5.30am when all the others just gave us packed boxes. We never really got to enjoy the hotels during daylight as most of the time we were waiting for the campers to set up or pack up which again was really poor organisation. We repeatedly requested that he could drop us at the hotels whilst all the camp site activity was being done but Malaki just repeatedly ignored us and did whatever he felt like. This after spending double what the customers staying at the camp site paid.
Wildlife was great. We saw the big 5 plus wildebeest migration and a lot more. However, after a while Malaki would not wait very long for us to take in the sites or see animals that we wanted to as he had a mind of his own and was always on the phone.
On the way out of the Sernegti Malaki took us to a Masai camp of one of his friends and they tried to charge us $20 each just to visit the village. We all said no and Malaki spent the rest of the tour sulking, being grumpy and not listening to anything we requested.
At the end one of the tour one member chose to give a tip to the chef but not Malaki due to his behaviour and Malaki, due to his arrogance, started shouting at him. It was really shocking.
I really wouldn’t recommend this company. I would recommend you hire a private bus with a group of 4-6 friends/family and there were many tour companies which looked much more professional than this one.
AT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent safari organized by a highly dedicated and reliable team
Despite the fact that I booked on very short notice, the Elida team arranged a perfectly planned 7-day safari for me. On the first day, the director David and my guide Tim arrived well before the agreed pick-up time to make sure that they find the pick-up address on time.
During the whole trip, Elizabeth and David were available via WhatsApp or phone and made sure that I was enjoying the safari.
Tim was a perfect, dedicated guide and a very careful driver who made sure that I see all Big Five and many more animals. He also made sure that I was able to take great photos even though my camera’s zoom was not that good.
I can wholeheartedly recommend Elida Tours & Safaris and would definitely book again with them.
BE
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Two marvellous weeks in Kenya and Tanzania
We had a fantastic safari with African Challenge (24 July to 8 August). Via e-mail, Kennedy tailored the trip to our needs and was always ready to answer any question. His welcome in Nairobi was amazing. While there, we had a day long excursion to the city's main attractions with Erick, who was very knowledgeable and had an incredible store of interesting stories to tell about every place, including Kibera slum. Then, we went on the real safari: Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Amboseli in six days. Our driver James (Arama) was fantastic: He seemed to be the cleverest driver in each park and was never satisfied until he had managed to show us literally all the wildlife that could be seen. His sense of humour only added to the pleasure of the experience, and at the end of the week he took care of us until he was sure that we were comfortably seated in the shuttle bus to Tanzania.
After that, we went on the second part of our safari, travelling from Arusha to Lake Manyara, the Serengeti and finally Ngorongoro Crater. Our driver there was Goodluck, who was also very clever at getting us to encounter as many elephants, giraffes, lions etc as we wanted, and knew so much about their lives and habits.
On the whole, the accommodation provided was good. One should be aware of the fact that tented camps are often less comfortable than lodges, but they allow a more intimate contact with nature and the wildlife environment.
The only (minor) issue during that trip was that Kenya and Tanzania are two completely separate worlds as to the organization of a safari. The Tanzania part was organized by Seven Worlds, an agency based in Arusha. Seven Worlds also did an excellent job organizing our safari there, but occasionally communication issues between the two agencies brought about some misunderstandings, which did not lessen the pleasure of this marvellous experience.
AE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was experience of life and unforgettable adventure i had in this tour
I was promised from apodiformes adventures that this will be my life time unforgettable adventure and experience of life and literally it was as they said. Everything was prepared well from transportations, camp, safari, food and balloon. Everything was professionally prepared and when they give me a time they are sharp with the timing and the driver was professional as well.
I had fun and enjoyed my trip and mr silas arranged for me literally everything from A to Z
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very organized and easy to communicate.
Everything was wonderful! Luka was fantastic! Must do tour.