35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Good moments at the nature
Serengeti is a wonderful place, as well Tarangire park. The experience with the wild animals is fantastic and the "big horizons" of the Serengeti are wonderful.
Zanzibar Nungwi beaches are excepcional and the hotels at the beach have interconnection, so it's possible to try different restaurants every day.
Most of the restaurants at Nungwi serve excelent sea food.
Some points in Tanzania are problematic: 1) the insistence of vendors at the Nungwi beaches is terrible. They still offer drugs as marijuana and cocaine! 2) the bureaucracy at the airport is unbelievable. It's necessary to reserve extra 30' after check-in to go trough the immigration and at the double or triple check of passport. 3) the Zanzibar airport is without air-conditioning and has a poor roof, so it's like a sauna. The restarant upstairs takes to much time and charges extortionately for simple food.
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
An experience that should be on everybody's bucket list
We spent 4 weeks driving around South Africa taking in the Drakensbergs, Kruger, St. Lucia Wetlands, Dolphin Coast and Didima and every single place exceeded expectations. My main interest is birding and it certainly delivered but with added wildlife, incredible scenery and friendly people. We self drove a Ford Focus and didn't have any problems with the roads. The weather was very good and we only had a couple of days of rain, and even that wasn't bad. On hind sight, it would probably be better getting a 4x4 in case the weather is bad. Would I go back, definitely without any hesitation. A full report with photographs can be found on a personal blog at www.kevinagar.uk
HU
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best Lodge Safaris
We did a Safari with Suricata Safaris for our Honeymoon. It was the best choice we could have made. We went on a seven days Safari and a day trip to Mount Kilimanjaro. We truly got more than what we expected, we stayed in Sopa loges for a fraction of what other companies quoted us. One thing that was for us a deal breaker was that they were very accommodating to my wife who has a serious case of Celiac disease, they went above and beyond to make sure everything she ate was as she ordered. We had a fantastic time and will definitely repeat, we highly recommend Suricata Safaris.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
I've done six safaris. This is one of the best!
This was my sixth African safari. What was unique about this trip was the 1:1 attention I received from Ernest, a partner of Eagle Eye Safaris along with Karen Blackwood. Although I am an experienced photographer and user of Lightroom and Photoshop, Ernest was able to help me up my game. He also coached me on using the flexible spot for focusing in the bush, where the autofocus challenge was selecting the animal rather than the surrounding branches.
Eagle Eye Safaris also offers to help with logistics regarding travel to and from the Lodge, and while Karen couldn’t attend this safari, she managed not only my South African Travel, but also reviewed all of my travel plans from the US, through Tanzania, and to South Africa. She made suggestions and caught some conflicts that would have complicated my trip. With her help, it was seamless. Her attention to detail is exceptional, and she and Ernest are a perfect photography and safari team. I would absolutely recommend them, and would love to go on safari with them again.
The accommodations were the best I’ve experienced, particularly the stopover at Loerie’s Call on the drive to Sabi Sands, and the place we stayed at the Park, the Nkorho Bush Lodge. The latter had two showers (one inside & another out), a huge bathtub, and two quite large rooms. I have stayed at a number of nice lodges in Africa, but it doesn’t get much nicer than this! Nelspruit at Loerie’s Call was worth the stop. Instead of a 7-8 hour drive from Johannesburg on unpredictable roads, we had a second day with only a three hour drive. The overnight accomdations were of the five star variety.
Sabi Sands itself was manageable in terms of size and did not involve long drives to find the game. The routine was relaxed in the sense that you had a break in the middle of the day when you could use the pool, or work with Ernest on your photographs, or just shower and have a nice breakfast and lunch. I’ve been to other safaris where the break was shorter and the drives were longer.
Sabi Sands can also be called “leopard city,” in that we saw leopards every day, usually multiple cats and sightings. On three occasions we even saw cubs, and I got a perfect shot of one peeking around the trunk of a tree after his mother had warned him of a hyena. In all of my other safaris what was typical was to see a leopard once, often fleeting or not at all. Another advantage of Sabi Sands is that drivers can go off road, which sometimes means crashing through the bush to get to a wildlife encounter. One of the most awesome of these events I’ve ever experienced occurred when hyenas had taken a kill away from a leopard, and a pack of wild dogs came and treed the leopard, and then tried to take the kill away from the hyenas. The sights and especially the sounds were quite incredible. I will post it on my blog: http://GrandAdventures.org.
The other nice thing about this trip is that due to the exchange rate between the USA and South Africa it is exceptionally affordable at the present time.
DK
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Professionalism !
Everything was to a straight A !
Our driver Jude was just fantastic. Knew every little detail about all the birds we saw on our stay and could tell all about history and life in Uganda.
We must say that we can only recomend Jude to anyone who wants to have a safe journey.
The vehicle (Toyota Landcruiser) was perfekt for us. Lots of space and very good seads. No break downs and no problems at all :O)
He was in contact with other drivers during our game drives in the parks, which ment that we always saw new and interesting things on our way.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
He drive us from Sunrise hotel kigamboni to Ubungo
He was very good in communications and everything
its was out of this world.
I got more than what I expected. nathans is one of the best guides I have ever had and is very knowlagable.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
From first contact to airport goodbyes, BuyMore Adventures exceeded our Kenyan safari expectations.
It’s taken me several months to write out a review for this remarkable safari operator in Kenya because every time I tried, I would think of something else awesome that should have been included. From first contact to last, BuyMore Adventures exceeded our expectations in every possible way. From the most knowledgeable and accommodating planner, Nadzua, to our incredibly talented guide Kaka, there wasn’t a moment that didn’t exceed my expectations while traveling with BuyMore. Our four day three night private safari was perfectly planned and executed to leave us with the most amazing memories of Kenya that we could possibly ask for.
Traveling with my close friend and her mom in October of 2018, we had a limited amount of time in Kenya and wanted to make the most of it. After travel time and spending a day touring Nairobi, we only had 4 full days and three nights to spend on safari. I researched multiple parks and read through dozens of itineraries before deciding on a trip that included the Masai Mara, Hell’s Gate National Park, and Lake Nakuru. Most operators offered this itinerary with an extra day, combining Hell’s Gate with Lake Navaisha, but it was more difficult to find four day trips with this itinerary, excluding Navaisha. I started to narrow down operators that offered something similar, and I began reaching out to inquire whether a stop at Hell’s Gate en route to Nakuru would be possible. I received several answers and eventually narrowed it down to two operators.
BuyMore Adventures impressed me almost immediately with quick response times, detailed information, and a willingness to plan with me and not for me. I have always planned every last detail of my trips, so it was a new experience to have someone helping me figure out travel times, the best route, and where to stay. I was probably more difficult than most because I like being so involved; however, Nadzua was so patient, informed, and accommodating from the very start. Looking at a map and deciding on destinations is only a small fraction of planning a customized safari in Kenya because as an outsider, I had no idea about travel times and road conditions, which were very important factors when planning the order of the parks we visited. Whenever a new idea popped into my head about where and when we should go, she was always there to give tips on how much time would be needed, if it was feasible, and how best to tweak our trip to match what was in my head.
Throughout planning the trip, Nadzua remained in contact for any questions or concerns throughout. The most memorable part of planning, however, was when I decided I wanted to stay at Ashnil Mara Camp and asked her about prices and whether it was possible. She was accommodating, and I went back to my travel party to check whether they were agreeable to paying a little more for this accommodation on the Mara River. In the time it took me to get back to her, the accommodation had booked up for tour operators, although two tents were still available through booking websites. Instead of pushing me towards one thing or another, Nadzua found me three comparable accommodation options to explore and was also willing to adjust the prices to exclude meals and accommodations for those days if I wanted to book it myself. I was so impressed that she was so open to changing such a huge part of the safari to make sure I got the trip I wanted. I ended up booking through a booking site, and she updated all of the charges but continued to send amazing detailed itineraries to reflect the changes. It really meant so much to me to be able to help plan in that way.
Upon arriving in Nairobi, we were picked up at the airport and taken to our hotel by a BuyMore Adventure driver who was happy to share information about the buildings during our night drive into the city. The next day, Nadzua met us at our hotel in the afternoon to collect our balance, pass out souvenir BuyMore Adventures safari hats, and go over extra details about our trip, which would begin the next day. She was just as kind and helpful in person as she was during our email communication, and it set a wonderful tone for our trip to come.
The next morning after breakfast, we met Kaka, our amazing tour guide who would be (stuck with!) us for the next four days. Kaka was polite, kind, and very knowledgeable from the beginning, but he wasn’t quite as talkative as our somewhat loud group of three. That definitely changed quickly as he got to know us during that initial drive, and we absolutely came to love his dry sense of humor and endless knowledge about absolutely everything. The worst thing about the entire trip was the drive times and rough roads, something our safari company (or any safari company) has no control over, and for that, we were thankful. From the very start, Kaka seemed to know everyone. As we made stops along the way, he was friendly with all of the locals and guides, and it would end up being an invaluable trait as we were on the lookout for wildlife on our various game drives. After a long and bumpy ride, we came to Ashnil Mara where we got checked in while Kaka took a break from the long drive.
After a late lunch and some time to relax, we met back up with Kaka for our first game drive in the Masai Mara, where he spotted a female lion, hippos, giraffes, and crocodiles. As we looped back to leave and watch the sunset, we saw the lion again, this time with an audience of hyenas and other wildlife waiting to eat her leftovers. On the way back, Kaka asked whether we would prefer a very early start with breakfast on the way or if we would like to start after breakfast at the camp. Being difficult, I had to ask when would be the best time to see cheetahs, and being the amazing guide that he is, he abandoned both previous options to make sure we were in the park when cheetahs are most active. I’ve volunteered at a cheetah reserve in the past, but I’d never seen them in the wild, so this was my absolute number one wish; Kaka made it happen. He took care of everything that evening to ensure we had packed lunches, let us know when to meet him, and the next morning we were on our way into the Mara.
The second day in the Masai Mara was absolutely incredible. On top of a variety of antelopes, giraffes, and other animals we’d seen the day before, Kaka found a family of elephants with two babies followed by a group of five male cheetahs that were well known throughout the park. We spent quite a bit of time watching the males resting, grooming, and walking across the plains, and eventually, we chose a spot to eat our breakfast as we watched them walk into the distance. It was absolutely incredible, and I am so thankful Kaka was so willing to change the schedule in order to maximize our chances of seeing cheetahs. On our way back in from our morning drive, we also spotted a female, possibly pregnant, resting under a tree with fewer safari vehicles to contend with. We would venture out again later in the evening, and Kaka found two young male lions on our evening drive before watching the most incredible sunset.
Our third day departing Ashnil Mara was an extremely early morning, made all the more difficult by having gone to sleep rather late. Kaka had arranged for packaged breakfasts for the road, but it was so early that no one ate right away. Our early morning game drive across the park gifted us a beautiful sunrise as well as an early stop to see cape buffalo. It was hard to keep our eyes open that morning until just before we were leaving the park, Kaka got a call over the radio and before we knew it, we were racing across the park to see a leopard that had just been spotted walking back into the brush from a night out hunting. It was the most exciting part of the entire trip, and when we arrived, we were one of only three cars. The leopard walked right up to our car as we sat parked, barely breathing as he walked by. The experience was unforgettable, and we could tell Kaka was also excited because he shared it with several other guides we talked to throughout the day.
Day three was a long drive to accommodate our preferred itinerary, and Kaka asked if we’d like to do the hour boat tour at Navaisha to see hippos. Unfortunately, it started pouring rain minutes after we pulled up, and worried about time, we decided it would be best to skip. It didn’t take long to get to Hell’s Gate, so we were still dealing with rain for our bike ride. In addition to the bad weather, the bikes we rented would not shift gears, making it nearly impossible to make it down the muddy road to the entrance. Kaka handed over guide duties to a ranger who took us into the park to hike and bike past buffalos and other various wildlife. The scenery is stunning, and we were fortunate enough to have a break in the clouds once we actually got in the park. It’s a wonderful opportunity to get out and experience a park on foot, something that isn’t possible at most other parks in Kenya, and I would highly recommend it to others who visit Masai Mara and Nakuru, if not just for the scenery, but also for the opportunity to experience a very different type of safari.
Our bike ride and hike through Hell’s Gate took longer than expected, which meant we had a late start leaving the park and heading to our accommodation near Lake Nakuru. I had fallen in love with a place called Maili Saba Camp, which overlooks the Menengai Crater, and of course, wonderful Nadzua had adjusted our itinerary so that we could stay here. The drive was longer than expected, so we arrived quite late and in the dark, and we were so thankful for Kaka’s resilience and excellent driving skills as we made our way up the crater. The staff were incredibly kind, and they camp’s mission was to help disadvantaged youth develop skills in the tourism industry, so it was an absolute joy to stay here. They even stayed up late to make sure we had dinner upon arrival. Kaka bid us goodnight, and we all agreed that we could get a very late start the next (and last) day.
After an amazing breakfast and tons of pictures with the staff at Maili Saba Camp (and Kaka!) we headed towards Lake Nakuru to find the last of the Big Five that had thus far eluded us: the rhino. Heavy air from the rains the day before gave the park an ethereal feel as we drove in past trees growing up through the water. Our most amazing find of the day was a large male lion that Kaka spotted and let us sit and watch for a large majority of our time in the park. Later, we drove out to see the flamingos which were somewhat far away, but provided a nice backdrop as we ate our packed lunch. We could feel the pressure to find the rhino before we left, and thanks to Kaka, we found a small family of rhinos just before we needed to leave.
After an amazing four day safari, we had to drive back through the Riff Valley to get to Nairobi, where we had planned to eat dinner with Kaka before proceeding to the airport. As Kaka radioed ahead to check driving conditions, we got some unfortunate news: steady rain in and around Nairobi would make travel much slower than usual. Traffic around Nairobi is like nothing I’ve ever seen before, and our trip back easily doubled if not tripled in time. We had to forego dinner altogether in order to ensure we had enough time for our flight; the only regret was not having the opportunity to have a memorable last dinner with our incredible guide. When we arrived at the airport, Nadzua called and wanted to make sure everything was OK — she was so incredibly apologetic that we had missed our dinner! If anything, I felt bad that it made everyone at BuyMore so upset because it was absolutely out of their control. We experienced the best of everything on our trip, and we couldn’t have asked for kinder and more amazing people to work with. After lots of hugs and figuring out what other trips we could book with Kaka in the future, we made our way into the airport to fly back home after an absolutely amazing adventure.
I’ve wanted to review BuyMore Adventures for several months now since returning from Kenya, but nothing really seemed to adequately describe the experience we had thanks to this amazing company and our wonderful guide Kaka. I would recommend them to anyone, but especially to anyone who likes to be involved in the planning process. Nadzua was amazing to plan with and Kaka gave us a safari beyond our expectations. The price was more than reasonable considering how much effort they put into customizing our itinerary and finding us the accommodations we wanted. I compared prices with other private safaris with 4x4 vehicles (definitely go with the 4x4!) and BuyMore was very competitive in their pricing while providing better service than anyone else I spoke with. I know that the next time I plan anything where they operate, I’ll be sure to go through BuyMore Adventures and ask for Nadzua and Kaka!
IT
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
4 day safari
I had an excellent offer from The Tourist Centre with a fully detailed program. The places and the accommodations suggested were the top of the line. I appreciated the service and the fast answers to all my requests.
The service was excellent and I'm so happy I choose this company for my holidays.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We had a fantastic experience with Bantu Pathfinders. Punctual, accommodating, informative
Very good communication and service. I highly recommend the Rhino walking safari! We will use Bantupathfinders again!