US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceeded all expectations
Although my expectations for the 2-week tour in Zimbabwe were pretty high, Call Of Africa exceeded them all- beginning with close contact with Africa's most beautiful animals with our deeply experienced guides, who had wikipedic knowledge of the wildlife and plantlife, as well as geological and historic knowledge, to name a few realms. Our sharp-eyed guide spotted an amazing column of small ants all crossing the dirt road like soldiers on their way to battle - spotted them from the Land Cruiser at night! This as well as gorgeous sightings of elephant, lions, giraffes, hippos, impala, any number of festive looking birds, etc- the list goes on.
We could get as involved as we wanted to with flexible options, and no crowded touristy viewing here! Some days we never saw other human being until we repaired back to our lodge.
Speaking of lodges, you can get as fancy or rustic as you want; we went seamlessly from one to the other. From chartered planes to incredible 5-star lodges in the middle of the bush where animals can greet you at your back door, or to a rustic hut with the same. The food was spectacular, and lodges staffed by people local to the areas- which was a huge plus- as the lodging companies (Imelvo, etc) all had staked interests in the surrounding communities whether it be assisting schools and villages, and of course for wildlife conservation.
The attention to detail is painstaking, and the company even covered the penalty for a change of flight plans which had to happen.
Meanwhile while there is priority paid at all times to the safety of the clients. I don't know what more a person could ask.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing! Experience of a life time!
WOW! What an experience, one we will talk about for a long time. We saw a lion caching its dinner and cheetah eating it's. We saw the big 5 ones and more. A wide range of animals, some very close, close enough for selfies!. We saw, elephants, lions, cheetahs, giraffes, hippos, zebras, leopards, wilder bests, cyber cat and many more. The huge number of pelicans at Lake Manayara was a breathtaking site. The dik dik was cute!
We are a family of 5 and went on a 5 day Safari, which included, Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Lake Manyara. We also had a day in Arusha and a day at Merangu at the base of Kilamanjaro. We were very keen on seeing the wildebeest migration and at the advice of Johnny; we stayed in the Central Corridor of the Serengeti. The drive from Central to the Northern Corridor was awesome, the scenery kept changing.
It was very difficult decision to choose a Company but after many e-mails with Johnny, I decided to go with Safari Makers. He was very patient and helpful; I felt he was open and honest and helped to tailor our package.
The price we paid was very good value for money. We had lunch provided for every day which was very filling. The whole safari, end-to-end was very smooth. My daughter's flight arrived couple of hours earlier than ours, Abdul was very helpful and arrived early to meet her then waited for us.
If I was going again, I would avoid Ngorongoro Crater, it's over rated, expensive, crowded and you can't get close to the animals. It felt like West midlands (UK) Safari park with a different scenery.
The guide (Abdul) was very knowledgeable and pointed out animals to us. He worked very hard to get us to see what we wanted, specially the black Rhino and the wildebeest migration. He was a very safe drive and respected the animal, only keeping to the authorised route. We needed the washrooms quiet a lot and Abdul was very helpful, we did not have to check tyres! A HUGE thanks to you Abdul for making it a such an enjoyable experience.
In conclusion, an excellent experience, well organised (thanks Johnny), very good value for money, I shall certainly be recommending it to my friends and families.
TW
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Very responsible and good service company
Well-organized tour with professional guide David, we’ve seen amazing animals, including big five.
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A perfect first safari experience!
Our family of four just returned from our first trip to Africa, booked with Chris at the Safari Partners, and it was an amazing experience. As we had not travelled to Africa before, Chris made recommendations on countries and camps knowing our priority was animal safaris. It was a flawless experience and our family of four (2 adults, 2 teenagers) loved every minute. We started in Johannesburg with an overnight stay and enough time to visit the Apartheid museum. The next day we flew to Zimbabwe for two nights to see Victoria Falls and participate in safari drives and a river cruise. Our stay at Victoria Falls River Lodge was amazing. Then we moved to Botswana where we spent 6 nights at three different “Desert and Delta” camps, which were exceptional! The food, camp staff, guide knowledge and accommodations exceeded all expectations in every location we stayed. And the coordinated effort of moving us between countries and camps was flawless. We had a very detailed website created by Chris detailing the specifics of our trip in advance and we received an information package about our travels prior to departing. Chris was quick to answer any questions we had and choose the perfect custom safari experience for the four of us.
It was the trip of a lifetime for our family and we would use Chris at the Safari Partners again for another African Adventure. We would encourage anybody interested in travelling to Africa to contact Chris—his customer service and knowledge of the continent are fantastic!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well organized, polite, friendly and very patient
I rate the service as totally excellent. The tour operator was very patient with us and took time to take us through the available packages and activities. I had really high expectations coming on this trip, and the safari tour exceeded these expectations. Their communication was very efficient and we were kept updated every step of the way. I would recommend them to anyone and would use their service again next time.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Safari!
Great tour with Peter. We saw a large variety of game during a very short layover game drive in Nairobi National Park. Highly recommended!
BR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
100% of satisfaction guarantee, best Safari's guide ever!
Everything was perfect!, comunication, services, etc... everything went well! it was a pleasure to my Family and I since the begining until the end of our trip to Tanzânia. The Shemeji was simply the best, our driver, Mr. Sele, was very attencious with us, he gave us all kind of the details regarding all places we stayed, all animals we meet and all village we knew. We were so grateful totake the opportunitie to be guided by this guy.
So, I wolud like to thank you a lot for the great reception and great work you povied.
Best regards,
Percio Martins
US
Safari Online was very professional and they were very quick in responding to all our concerns.
Our tour of Victoria Falls and Botswana was perfect. The lodges were wonderful and we were able to see so many wonderful sights and animals. Our three charter flights and crossing of the border between Zimbabwe and Botswana, all arranged by Safari Online, went smoothly. Walter Kohrs of Safari online provided excellent information on what to pack, which currency to use and information on what to expect about border crossings and at the lodges. He was quick to respond to our initial inquiry and always answered our questions and concerns promptly.
US
A Safari Experience That Is Set Apart
Finding a safari company in Arusha to serve as transport, guide, and handler of permits and accommodations is simple. There are hundreds. It seems as if everyone either is a guide or knows someone who owns a safari company. So how to pick where to spend your hard-earned money to ensure your dream holiday isn’t a run-of-the-mill experience? I didn’t find asking previous “safarians” helpful. They had nothing which which to compare, and everyone wants to think their experience was the best, right?
Enter Bartho. Does personality and passion count when deciding on a safari? Yes! One is sitting for hours in a vehicle looking at the animals and landscapes. He better be funny, amusing, clever, and willing to go to extra lengths to make me happy. I had the benefit of having been on a previous safari, so I knew exactly what I wanted and Bartho delivered it: speakers/playlists for the long drives to the parks and back, favorite snacks and drinks, specific meal requests for my Maasai friend, early entry to avoid crowds, campground with a view, a safe driver (if you’ve “safari-ed” you know what I mean), and information beyond, “Look, there’s a lion.”
I’m a selective consumer and critical by nature. I had a wonderful time with Bartho and Serengeti Wakanda Tours. Communicate your desires for your ideal Safari, and he will make them come true.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kenya experience with David and Tim was exceptional beyond description!
David of Elida Tours arranged a safari tour to the Masai Mara for myself and other church mission team members in July, and it was extraordinary. The lodging and food at Base Camp resort was outstanding, and the game drives with Tim, our driver, were magnificent. Tim is exceedingly knowledgeable about Kenyan wildlife, vegetation, and culture, and he went out of his way to give us the very best experience possible. After our mission trip I spent additional time in Nairobi with family who came to meet up with me, and David and Tim again assisted me there, providing rides to and from the airport for myself and family, and also a tour through the Nairobi National Park, again an exceptional experience. Elida Tours & Safaris and David and Tim made our time in Africa more wonderful than we had imagined was possible, and at a very reasonable and affordable price. Without question, I would use Elida Tours again for future travel.