HK
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Attention to detail, knowledgeable, very helpful and courteous.
Bernard delivered on what he promised. He is resourceful, honest and tireless in delivering what he said he would do. He was able to assist us on basically no notice (a few days whereas we were advised online that normal access may take 6 months advance notice) to obtain proper and legitimate access through the correct government channels and authorities to see the Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi, Uganda. He is a small boutique solution provider that can assist tourists and adventurers on many fronts: transportation, accommodation, park access passes, trip planning etc. He took marvelous care of myself and two daughters with proper follow up and attention to detail. A five star level of service. We will use his services again when we next visit Uganda (or surrounding countries). Definitely a name and company that you should place in your address book. Thanks so much Bernard: Gary, Megan and Jackie.
US
Experience level: first safari
Best travel agent I've ever worked with
Booking:
Lisa was super helpful during this entire process! We were booking quite close in and Lisa gave great suggestions, modifying our itinerary to see more sights. I was especially impressed by holding the rooms prematurely and the quick responses even at late hours. I've never had someone be this proactive; thank you so much!
Safari (Kariega Game Reserve):
The safari experience was great and the right length of time (2 nights / 4 drives) given our packed itinerary. We saw all of the animals that we wanted to and they were quite close :)
* On the drives itself we saw 4 of the big 5 (not the leopard, but they hadn't seen one for the last two years, so that was no problem)
* We did a boat cruise instead of a game drive for one of the four; unfortunately we didn't see anything so I wouldn't recommend that.
* The food was decent and the wine selection was good
* The lodging was great and spacious.
* We tried to book some spa treatments but unfortunately they were all booked up. Weirdly the spa was open from 7am-6pm or something similar which wasn't convenient as we were on game drives from 7:30am-10:30am and 3:30pm-6:30pm...
Overall a great trip.
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
With Savannah Explorers you feel in good hands
Our experience with Savanna Explorers is very positive. The safari was well organized and our guide was very nice, friendly and experienced. You always feel safe and in case of problems they assist you immediately. The lodge where we slept were really nice.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Safari in Kenya, visit of Zanzibar
My wife and I dreamed of a Honeymoon in Africa. Kennedy and his collaborators made it a reality. From the first contact until the day we left Zanzibar (last destination), Kennedy was always very responsive, polite, upbeat, knowledgeable, and fun. He made sure that we had a truly unforgettable and amazing experience in Kenya and Zanzibar. We loved how flexible and accommodating Kennedy was. We were able to tailor the experience, and make changes to the itinerary.
Our driver and guide Mansur was equally amazing. We always felt safe, in good hands, and taken care of. Mansur was extremely knowledgeable and had answers to most of our questions. Whenever he didn't know, he made note of the question and answered later. No BS. I really appreciate honesty. We were able to witness a lioness and her two cubs walking around our van for a good 10 minutes, and countless other unforgettable encounters.
There was only one disappointment or misunderstanding on the last day, when nobody was available to pick us up and make our 8 hr wait in Nairobi a bit more enjoyable than waiting at the airport.
Overall, I strongly recommend African Challenge Safaris. In a country where everything catering to tourist is extremely expansive, they provided a premium experience for a reasonable price. Thank you Kennedy, Mansur, and everyone at African Challenge.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Etosha National Park by Matt Waymack
Beautiful and amazing park.
BE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A fantastic experience overall
Due to the winter time wildlife was not aboundend but spectacular anyway. Lots of encounters with lemurs, chameleons, lizards, spectacular insects, mangoose and quite some birds wich resulted in quite spectacular pictures. Accomodation was better than expected with some unique locations included. Especially since we had not required for high standards. Transportation is quite a challenge in most parts of the country as the roads have degraded a lot and there does not seem to be any major maintanance done. This is the case for accomodation in general. F.i. there are some railways between the more important locations but most stations are out of order and trains are only occaisonally riding. As the winter is a dry season a lot of dust was unavoidable on the roads which are sometimes crowded with lorries, zebu charts and push charts. Local food is very good and cheap for European standards. Seafood sometimes exquisite. Guides do rather focus on the lemur encounters but all of them knew a lot about the use of plants and medicinal plants. We invited them to look for insects and reptiles. We crossed the whole country from north to south. There is a big difference in standards between north and south. The south is dryer and definitely poorer. We collected a lot of water bottles which our driver handed over to the children along the road in the southern area. Whilst moving up north there is more water available and thus more crops. Landscapes varies from savanne over mountain ranges, rain forest, agricultural areas, rice terrasses and can be extremely beautiful. Temperatures can varie a lot in the different biotopes. For those who love it there are lovely islands in the north and lots of possibilities to dive or snorkle and to spot whales and dolphins. It is obvious though that most of the original forests have been destroyed for agriculture and charcoal winning. We drove along quite a few bushfires. We found the local people friendly and helpfull. We've had some lovely contacts with local children, fishermen etc. To remember. Living conditions can be quite harsh and people try to make the best of it with what they have available. Villages and towns are always crowded with people living in the streets, busy and very colourful. Having a local driver is absolutely a surplus. He contacts the guides and knows his way around.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
INCREDIBLE
The accommodations were spectacular at the private reserve Kwa Madwala we stayed at. The food prepared by the staff daily was delicious and fresh.
The weather was great - not too hot and not to cold. Our safari guides did their best so we could see all the animals. They would communicate with other safari guides consistently throughout the day to see what animals were spotted and in what areas. We got lucky to see the Big 5 twice plus cheetah, and other animals.
Our entire trip was planned out perfectly and we had no issues with transportation, etc. The staff in general was very welcoming and great to talk with. You can tell that everyone at the private reserve we stayed at valued their job and wanted to provide great customer service.
The scenery was incredible and it was a trip of a lifetime. Looking forward to going back again someday.
IE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible experience thanks to this fantastic company
I would highly recommend this company. Everything was just fantastic. We had trouble with lost luggage on our way to Tanzania and the guide, Freddy was so helpful sorting it out resulting in their safe arrival. He was so knowledgeable on safari and his sharp eye meant we saw all big 5! We were so impressed with the food, Robert the cook was highly skilled particularly when you take into consideration the lack of equipment / supplies when out in the wilderness.
The only thing we could fault was the Fact that the truck was a little old and had high seats meaning if you’re over 5 5” you’d have to duck down slightly to look out the window. They do have newer trucks though with lower seats so it depends on who the guide is.
Overall it was a once in a life time experience and we would recommend Shemeji to anyone interested in a budget safari in Tanzania.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent trip, great company
Namibia was an awesome experience. Partly due to the setting, partly the wildlife but all of it possible due to Gaynor, Previous and the folks at Nature Tours Namibia. They put together an awesome trip with hands down the best guide I’ve traveled with in any nation.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent safari, prompt service
Caroline was very prompt with all her replies and professional. She found an excellent safari to fit my budget. We went to Arusha NP, Manyara NP, Tarangire NP, Ngorongoro, Serengeti Central and North. Over 9 days and a bit. Upon my request, she got me a very experienced guide Allen, who was excellent. We enjoyed our time thoroughly. The hotels chosen were in nature and excellent in standard. The itinerary was just what I wanted. Thank you Caroline and Tanke Tours.