65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Nxai Pan National Park by Ian
Arriving at the Nxai Pan gate, we were greeted by another track masquerading as a river and informed that we could only be admitted at our own risk. This was a no-brainer as our camp was already set up in there and there was no alternative. As it was getting fairly late, we did a short game drive and repaired to camp for dinner and bed.
Next morning all was well and we set off to see what Nxai Pan had to offer. It was to turn out to be a day mainly consisting of bird sightings, apart from hundreds of Zebras, which was the reason we were there anyway. They were even more plentiful than the Oryx had been in Central Kalahari and our guide estimated we saw between three and five thousand in Nxai Pan. However, the vast amount of rain and the affect it had on the vegetation meant the Zebras didn’t need to migrate so far as in most years. Had it been a normal year he estimated we would have seen three to four times that number.
My first impression of Nxai Pan was how big and open the area is, although only a fraction of the area covered by Central Kalahari. It is classic Cheetah territory and that was what I was hoping to see. I didn’t have to wait long on our second day and we found a female with two young cubs, probably about nine months old. We spent best part of an hour with them as they slowly moved around their range and the cubs played happily with each other, before they moved into cover and we left them.
Next up was another herd (dazzle) of Zebras, and another brief Cheetah sighting, but much of the day was spent looking for Lions. After lunch, we were successful, even witnessing a (distant) mating session. There was a torrential thunderstorm later on in the afternoon, but once this moved through we had another Cheetah sighting, which turned out to be the brother of the female we had seen in the morning.
That brought us to the end of our two full days in Nxai Pan and just left us with a game drive to the gate next morning. We had been trying, unsuccessfully, to photograph a European Bee-eater since we arrived, but every time our guide killed the engine, the bird would fly. Finally we were successful as we found one in an Acacia bush and it didn’t move. Also added a Bradfield’s Hornbill to our list as it posed beautifully beside the track.
My overall impression of Nxai Pan is somewhat mixed. Certainly we saw exactly what we went there for, so we have no complaints on that score. But there are vast areas of the reserve that are inaccessible due to the no off-roading policy. I understand the reasons for this policy and agree with it, but it only works if there are adequate roads to use and that is where Nxai Pan suffers.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Encounters with gorillas a must
Our tour which covered both Uganda and Rwanda, was quite big - 14 days which dragged on with little to do. The highlights were definitely the gorilla and chimpanzee encounters. I wouldn't recommend the national parks in Uganda as very little to see. Make sure your tour guide is experienced and has knowledge of the area and animal tracking.
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Disappointed. The setting is stunning, and the room was lovely - except for the bathroom
The setting is stunning, and the room was lovely - except for the bathroom. It had a very high bath which was difficult to climb in and out of. To have a shower was also dangerously slippery.
There is also a tiny step into the bathroom that one cannot see because of the black tiles. No sign or marking about the step - so I nearly tripped.
Then there are two rugs next to the bed. When you step on them they slip - I nearly fell. Unfortunately my husband did slip when he got out of bed during the night and had a very nasty fall. Thank goodness he didn’t break anything and is only bruised.
The food was good but not exceptional. The dinner on Saturday evening was a disaster because the hotel catered for a big group that had arrived, and the Lodge catered for them and ignored the remaining couples. We had no service or anybody telling what was happening re dinner.
But the biggest disappointment of our stay at the lodge were the game drives. The game driver was very nice, competent and knowledgeable. Only on the first drive did we see game close by. I realise that seeing game is a case of some luck - but one cannot see anything if there aren’t many animals in the park. To go into Kruger was totally out for me as it would have meant a 45 minute drive to the gate of Kruger. On Saturday afternoon they gave us an old, dirty vehicle that was so uncomfortable that I was in a lot of pain after the drive. It was really not a nice experience.
BY
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
But the animals was not many
Over 4 days our group (6 people) visited 3 national parks of Tanzania: Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire. I spent the night at the Lodge, and others in tents. I recommend to spend the night at the Lodge is slightly more expensive, but very convenient. More just like Ngorongoro. Tarangire is between Ngorongoro and the Serengeti. In Tarangire a lot of elephants. In the Serengeti the animals were not much. 4 day Safari for me was worth 900$. It is expensive. The driver was not very good: the road was driving not very confident, Not always stayed near the animals, he said himself the amount that I should give tips for him. Couldn't care less about tourists. The food was good. The accommodation was good. But a whole tour like 4. But the animals was not many.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Mikumi Safari and Udzungwa Tracking
Staff service is good, but I got some inconveniences due to some communication errors between Hello Tanzania & the Hotel
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
It was OK
I booked my tour with Dan from Kisoro Tours Uganda. The safari itself was good, I enjoyed the trekking and the gorillas, however, I did not like how at the last moment before our arrival Dan tried to raise the prices of our safari (250 USD extra per person, because he had to organize additional car - rental of additional car with the driver for 3 days is less than 200 USD in Uganda), which did not happen, but still the move left bad aftertaste in my mouth... I also was severely disappointed with the Broadbill Forest Camp - truly a terrible accommodation! Still not completed - 6 years after initiation, old tents, water trickling from the shower, no water in the toilet the last day, personnel without any idea about how to manage the camp and not familiar with the hospitality concept whatsoever, electricity only until 10 PM and then overwhelming darkness, microscopic food portions, on the trekking day we were served rice and vegetables as it was raining so nobody in the camp felt like going down to the village to buy some much needed proteins etc. Initially we were thinking we should have stayed in the forest longer than just 2 nights, but after seeing and experiencing the camp, we were glad that we didn't cater for longer stay. 2 other persons from our group were staying in a different location, which judging from their descriptions was much more liveable. Maybe Broadbill Forest Camp is comparatively cheaper to the organizers... My advise: go for Kisoro tours, but avoid the Broadbill Forest Camp!
ES
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
All was as expected, but driver was simply a driver, not a guide
Hotels and services were exactly as agreed when organising the trip.
Everything went fine except for the fact that the driver was simply acting as a driver, and not doing much explanations about animals, landscape, people, local customs...
Even if he was always polite and correct, we expected more interaction or information from his side, to really profit our trip and learn about the place and the people of Tanzania.
Appart from that, the trip was ok.
KR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Safari... not what I expected... maybe...
First of all, I don't blame Axis Africa if my safari was less than ideal. I think for the price, I got a great deal. I saw lions, cheetahs. leopards, lots of elephants. giraffes, zebras. Pic-up, drop-off, camps and game drives were exactly as promised. I guess I really came with little experience and expectations. I was in a (nice) pop-up van with a bunch of foreigners (like me). The guide spent most of the time on a radio with other guides. We could guess when he spoke a lot and we say all the vans heading in one direction it was a lion or something "big". It did kind of feel we were harassing the animals, even caging them in with vans. Only once did our driver seem to participate in this (on the last day, he gunned the van to try to get a rise out of a cheetah, who did not respond-- and several of us let him know we didn't think it cool to do this-- but we did notice other vans harassing animals, shouting at them and trying to provoke them. I did get the feeling that the guides on these "budget" safaris would do "whatever" they thought made the guest happy and earn more tips. We clearly went off-road when it was marked. I also had a bad experience at the camp when a driver from another safari made sexual comments and reached into his pants and (well whatever) while speaking to me. (He asked it I was in a tent alone --I wans't) and then I just left.. I probably should have taken his name or photo-- but I was in shock! Anyway, this was not the fault of my company, but it did mar my experience.
In my further travels in Africa, I did another game drive in Botswana that was actually cheaper and more professional. We didn't drive as close to the animals but that actually felt better,
I did feel Axis Africa gave me what they promised in a budget safari. That said, I am not sure what i got what what I anticipated. I did see a lot of animals. They were mostly wild and free, except that we caged them in with our vehicles (and they did seem OK with this). Our guide, while not particularly knowledgeable ("there ix a big elephant and a little elephant") was pleasant enough. I hope this post alerts other women who may be harasssed to take a photo and report it as I wish I had.
US
Review about Lake Manyara National Park by Erik
Lake Manyara was my first safari location, and I think it was great as a "beginner's safari". The wildlife is not amazing, but it was enough to get a nice taste of the experience. The birds were pretty spectacular, and it was definitely a good experience overall, but after traveling to Nairobi Natl Park, Ngorongoro Crater, and Masai Mara, the experience at Lake Manyara paled a bit in comparison.
AE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Could have been better
We booked a 4-day safari in Amboseli and Tsavo with the company. The initial booking of the trip was a bit tedious with us having to call them a few times since we were not getting responses to emails, they explained this was due to an overload of bookings.
They failed to inform us that one of the safari camps they suggested, Kibo Safari Camp, (which we chose from the list of options they provided) didn't have electricity for most of the day, which would have been nice to know in advance. And there was a small mess up on our return airport transfer.
Also, since we were first time visitors to Kenya, it would have been great to have some expert advice from them on the various options for safari locations, hotels, food, etc.
However, the rest of the trip and the other hotels were great. The driver-cum guide they provided, Steve, was a very nice guy with a wealth of information about everything around us.