US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We had an awesome time!
The diversity of the places we stayed over the course of the vacation gave us all a “True Taste of Africa” (just what we ordered
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Trip of a lifetime!
Makasa organized a beautiful safari for our family group of 6 (ranging in age from 25-75). Selma was responsive and flexible during the planning process, attending to every detail. We feel that we got excellent value, and from the minute we arrived in Tanzania everything went very smoothly.
Our guide, Ally, was magnificent!! When you're spending 10 days with a total stranger it can really make or break the whole experience. Ally was incredibly knowledgeable about the flora and fauna - we saw all the animals we had hoped to see, plus over 100 species of birds! He was an excellent driver (no small feat on miles of bumpy dirt roads), and his kind and cheerful demeanor ensured that we always felt safe and well cared for. He never rushed us and was always happy to stop for pictures or to answer questions.
My husband and I had been on safari before in Kenya and Botswana, so we had some idea of what to expect, but our adult children were completely blown away by the sheer number and variety of animals!
The accommodations were quite varied and unique and we received excellent service at all of them. We had one person on crutches and another with dietary restrictions, and we were accommodated very well.
I highly recommend Makasa to anyone considering traveling to Tanzania!
US
Rewarding
We had a wonderful trip to Kruger and got to see most of the wildlife we were hoping to see and got as close to most as we would have liked. The amenities were good and didn't interfere with the 'vibe' of feeling like you were in the bush. The park was clean and well kempt.
NP
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Samburu National Reserve by Troy
We saw elephants, giraffe, zebra, impala, gazelles, lots of birds, and luckily a leopard very close up. The Shaba hotel is just next to the river and was very serene and lovely.
CH
Ethiopia is an amazing and very diverse country with a rich cultural background.
Ethiopia is a wonderful country. I visited only the north, where the wildlife is not as spectacular as in the south (or other countries I've visited, such as Namibia). That said, the Simien Mountains is the only place where I've watched fauna without feeling like an intruder. As we walked among the monkeys, they slowly began to accept us. We had the impression of belonging to their community! Also, the scenery is very diverse, and great for hiking. I loved being able to combine physical activity with animal watching. In most natural reserves, we never got out of the bus. I strongly recommend combining the mountain hiking with a visit to Lalibela, a very beautiful place.
NP
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing wildlife and scenery - Kenya's National Parks in December
Our family of 4 went on holiday during the winter school break - we visited 3 national parks - Amboseli, Samburu, and Mara, with a day in Nairobi on either end. Overall the trip was excellent and easy. As first time travelers to Kenya, we decided to go high-end and use a tour agency to book everything, but with some experience we could have saved a few dollars and put the pieces together ourselves. In Nairobi, we visisted the Blixen Museum, the Sheldrake Elephant Orphan Center, and the Giraffe Center - felt they were all worth it. In each park, we did a morning and evening game drive and saw lots of wildlife including 1 cheetah, a pride of lions, and luckily a leopard very close up in Samburu. The guides were knowledgeable and very attentive. Our 12-year old got a little bored and skipped a few game drives (in the mornings particularly), and the trip would have been just as nice doing just the evening game drives. In terms of accommodation, we stayed at the Amboseli Serena Lodge (excellent), Samburu Shova (lovely just next to the river), and the Mara Serena (amazing view of the plains). The Mara Serena had a water pipe break while we were there and our room didn't have water for 24 of the 48 hours. While the hotel was very nice about it and apologetic, they offered no compensation/benefit, which I found odd. We had to use bathrooms in the lobby and showers in the gym which were not so far away.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Gorilla and Chimpanzee Tracking with Bird's Nest Safaris was the most wonderful experience.
Bird's Nest Safaris services were excellent from the time we contacted Patience by Email. She responded to our Questions very accurately and promptly even though they were many she is really Patient like her name. She was immediate and on point and gave us options. Patience and our driver guide Mike welcomed us from the Airport and transfered us to our first Accommodation which we fell in love with because it was really amazing with breath-taking views. From the time we started talking to Patience and how we were welcomed at the Airport we already felt that really the trip was super organised and we were dealing with the perfect people.
Our skilled, very friendly and knowledgeable guide Mike made us to see everything we needed to see and much more, the stunning and beautiful sceneries of Uganda, he knows where and when to stop and patient with us while taking the pictures, the perfect and genuine smiles of the local people. Indeed Uganda you are the Pearl of Africa, He shared with us about Uganda's Culture and we really learnt a lot.
The accommodation we stayed in were top Notch and views were breath taking with the best services and tasty foods. Gorilla Tracking was the most wonderful experience than ever before.
We will and would recommend Bird's Nest Safaris to all travellers and a very BIG Thanks for making our Safari the very best and Memorable
CH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent in every sense!
Before our trip Karanja has been in touch with us over e-mail and was always replying very fast and with high quality answers. A few days before our trip he sent us his mobile number and pick up details again. I caught an infection and we had to postpone our trip by one day on a very short notice (middle of the night before catch up the next morning). This was all handled by Karanja and we could postpone our safari by one day without any additional cost. What an outstanding service and thank you again very much!!
Our safari guide Nimrod picket us up one day later and was always very very friendly. We felt very welcome and enjoyed the 3 full days we have spent with him. He is a very good car driver and our long trips from Nairobi to Masai Mara and back were very comfortable with nice little breaks in between. We did an afternoon, full day and then morning safari with Nimrod, who was such an excellent guide. Not only have we been very lucky (not sure, if it's only luck or also Nimrod's skills) and saw all the big five (elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino), but also saw three cheetahs, a lot of giraffes and many other animals. Nimrod gave us a lot of background information about the different animals including their behaviour, different facts and if they are endangered. He was able to ask every single question we asked him. He was just the PERFECT guide for us and we were so so happy with out safari, this has definitely been one of the nicest holidays we have ever had, also thanks to Nimrod! Our lodge, the Ashnil Mara Camp, was very nice too and the employees extremely helpful and nice (e.g. guys to help us with the luggage were sent to our tent when we checked out without us asking at the reception (we mention to Nimrod and the waiter that we are going to have breakfast at 7am and they probably communicated this to the reception, so from 6:50 there have been luggage boys waiting in front of our tent).
Overall, this has been the perfect trip and worth every dollar that we have paid. If we are going back to Kenya, we will definitely book with them again!
NO
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Rhulani African Tours and Safaris will guide you into the wilderness with kindness and knowledge
The last thing my guide, Armand, did on the private safari I ordered, was to play me the song "Africa" with Toto, just after we left the gate that took us out of Manyeleti Game Reserve, a part of Greater Kruger. He asked me how I felt, and it was difficult to speak. I was full of emotions, and impressions and experiences. That is what you can expect when travelling with this company. First and foremost the personal touch. My experience is that everyone will do all they can to fulfil your needs and wishes, as far as it is possible. i have been on many safaris. This is first time I in the end have felt that the person guiding me through it all was more like a friend than anything else.
The first thing my guide did was to meet me at the airport in Johannesburg. From there he took care of all the practical things. Very convenient when new in a country, or if you just need to relax a bit.
All the way my safari was made richer by my guide´s knowledge and experience. He seems to know everybody. Not only other guides, but also gate keepers and other staff in Kruger and Manyeleti game Reserve. Even the lady that was filling the car up with gasoline. This philosophy - be good to others and they will be good to you - is not only very ethical right. It also pays off. We got a lot of useful advices from other people that led us to great animal sightings. And in the end that is my main goal when travel half the globe from Norway to South Africa, - to see the animals, study their behaviour, and learn new stuff about them. On this safari I saw 3 new mammals, among them the wild dog (!) and more than 10 new bird species. The big 5, yes. Lions drinking from a water hole. Lions mating. Lions killing a wildebeest. A cheetah scent marking on a tree. Wild dogs in interaction with a hyena. A bateleur (an eagle) eating a dove. Baboon troop resting in a tree. Elephants chasing lions away from a water hole. Vultures overtaking a jackal´s prey. Dwarf Mongoos moving in and out of an abandoned termite mound. Leopard resting in the shadow. Buffalos staring back at you. The lights in the eyes of an African wild cat on the move through the dark. Plus so many other things. In other words: Big and small.
I also think the price level is good. Very good value for money!
So, if you want a kind, polite, easy going, experienced but still young guide full of knowledge about the bush, I give Armand Grobler and his company my best recommendation.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Absolutely fantastic!
The organization and planning of the trip was flawless. Everything and everyone was on time and at the right place with the right things. The trip exceeded our expectations. The physical aspect of the climb and particularly the descent was much harder than anyone expected. But all 6 family members rose to the challenge. And everyone indicated that they would not have wanted to know in advance just how demanding it was going to be. I would highly recommend this company for anyone considering a Kilimanjaro climb. Our head guide had summitted over 400 times and there wasn’t anything that arose that he hadn’t dealt with before.
