DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Gorilla Tour
the tour was perfectly organized: Jackie was very flexible even on last minutes adjustments we had to make. The driver (Cesar) was very good, very proficient in english he brought us safely to the park and back to Kigali despite the fact that we set off at 4.00 am. He knew exactly how to best cross the border Rwanda/ Uganda saving us a lot of time. The tour was exactly as promised, no glitches etc. I can only recommend the tour & the tour operator!
SE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Scammed.
Me and my wife set out on the three-day/two-night Masai Mara Tour Joining Safari with the promise of two half days and a full day of wildlife viewing in van catering to maximum 7 passengers but with supposedly only 5 passengers joining. The trip Nairobi to Masai Mara was supposed to take a maximim of 5 hours. Food and lodging was going to be basic but sufficient. That sounded somewhat tangible.
In practice what we received was two full days of travelling with 8 people in a van designed for 7 passengers. Day one and three consisted of 7-8 hours journey in each direction Nairobi to Masai Mara. In terms of wildlife viewing we had one somewhat full day (8 hours/6:45am to 3:45pm) and two very short days (45 mins + 90 mins). And in all honesty the food and lodging was tolerable at best.
We feel we have been subject to a scam, and every single tourist we met along the way had the same sad story to share.
Our word is to watch out... but then every operator seems to run the same type of scam, cartel-like with far too many middlemen getting their hands on the roughly USD 300 you are likely to part with for this Safari option.
In all fairness you get about 60 to 80 USD of value for this 3 day/2 night Safari. And that's generous.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Authentic, varied experiences. professional, friendly operator that truly understands customer needs
We had a great experience with Mega Wild Safaris and would have no hesitation in recommending them. From organising our trip with Anne to our collection at Entebbe Airport by Onan, through to Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking, National Park Safaris, local community experiences, night safari and wetlands swamp walk it was a great experience. We stayed in three locations visited numerous national parks and gained a real feel and understanding for local life and its people across Uganda. Accommodation was good, all providing WiFi - however the best WiFi was that provided by Mega Wild Safaris on their vehicle which was excellent. We would definitely recommend visiting Uganda and all it has to offer and would only do so using Mega Wild Safaris.
Karen & Kevin, England
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic experience!
We were so incredibly pleased with Africa Flash McTours. The number one thing that stood out to me was the level of communication. That was initially what got me interested in working with this company. I reached out to a total of three different groups and Peter was the first to respond with a detailed itinerary and clear explanation of the tour. Everything ran perfectly smooth. My dates changed numerous times and Peter was VERY flexible and patient. The communication before we left for Kenya was great. I had numerous questions that were answered very quickly through email and often times through what's app. I was appreciative that the company valued my concerns before we embarked on the trip. During the actual safari, our guide Patrick (Baranga) was fantastic. He was incredibly informative. I especially liked that he turned the car off while we watched the animals. We would occasionally come across another group and the driver would leave their van running. It seemed so out of context in this beautiful landscape to hear engines. It's the little things that make a difference! I also appreciated that Patrick seemed to understand our timing. He seemed to have an innate sense of our needs without us requesting things. For example, he could sense how long we wanted to watch the animals, when we were hungry, etc. His internal metronome was strong! He was clear on expectations and patient with my abnormally slow energy in the morning as well. At the end of the trip we left our jackets and Peter had them sent to us...nice finishing touch to an incredible team that took care of us from start to finish. I would highly recommend Africa Flash McTours.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding local tour operator
Safari Soles is a local safari tour operator based in Arusha, Tanzania. My wife and I went on our first Safari in July 2019, and I really had no idea about the best way to go about booking. What I quickly learned is that there are plenty of western based operators who will charge you a small fortune. Now, don’t get me wrong, they have a place and I am sure there are plenty of people willing to pay a premium for the perceived dependability of a company based in LA, New York, London etc. I say ‘perceived’ because, in the end, I had such good service from Safari Soles, that I really began to question how much value those big companies really add. Just my opinion, your mileage may vary.
We booked a 4 day, 3 night safari with a guide and a cook. We camped which was excellent. We went to Tarangire National Park, The Serengetti and finally the Ngorongoro crater. If you need a little more comfort, Bryson and the Safari Soles team can arrange lodges instead of camping for an extra fee. It was truly amazing, I didn’t know what to expect but this trip exceeded my expectations is every way. Our booking covered the 1 for transfers to and from JRO airport, the first and last night in a hotel in Arusha (we were given a choice of 3) the services of an English speaking driver/guide (who had the sharpest eyes and spotting skills imaginable) our cook (who also helped with camp set-up and breakdown) 3 meals each day, campsite fees, and park entry fees. Only tips and souvenirs were extra. Bryson also added a short shopping tour of Arusha on our last morning.
Bryson and Safari Soles are super-dependable and trustworthy. We paid a 10% by Western Union (for which Bryson proactive emailed me his passport and ID cards for identity verification, we then paid the balance in cash (US$ in new bills are required everywhere in Tanzania) when we arrived. It feels really good to be putting money directly into the hands of local companies and not have fat margins skimmed off by middlemen. For me, this is really important.
Go on a safari and see these magnificent animals, it was wonderful.
CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It’s a great trip, everything was wonderful !the
Good serivice, the driver and guider they could speak English, they’d tried to show us every interesting things, looked for animals, also knowledgeable about these.
The accommodations in Naivasha was the best, not really good in Amboseli, but also very good, food was tasty in these lodge.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Adventure
We were well prepared for our trip with the information that was provided to us ahead of time by Kenneth. We had high expectations for our Safari, because our friends had gone and recommended that we use Kikwetu. Even with the wonderful review from our friends, we were amazed with our trip! Our guide, Livingston, was fun, knowledgeable, a phenomenal driver and guide, and accommodating. Livingston knew where numerous animal hideouts were to be found. He always asked if we were ready to move on and catered our safaris to things that we desired to see. We learned that each Safari vehicle only contains the person or group that booked the trip. Kikwetu NEVER puts people or groups together to fill a vehicle. This made our outings uniquely individualized. We also met many interesting people around the hotels.
The hotels were always clean and comfortable serving wide varieties of foods. Each hotel was special in its own way. I enjoyed having monkeys all around us at our first place. The second place had a beach nearby which permitted us to take a powerboat to an island and walk with zebras, Giselle, giraffes—they were a little shy—and more, but get close-up to hippos and birds. Later that day we walked back to the beach and rode a camel. What an amazing day! Our final hotel had a private yard with a river behind it. We saw many four legged visitors on the other side of the river and showered in our attached outdoor shower (There was also an Indoor shower).
We couldn’t have asked for anything more, and we are recommending Kikewetu to all of our friends and family members.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Magical trip on africian safari in Botswana
I think very highly of Kalahari Breeze Safaris. We booked them in October 2018 for our June 2019 safari. Everything happened as they explained. Maria was patient and kind with all of my questions. We saw amazing wildlife and had a superior and outstanding guide - can't say enough good things about him. The camping safari was an adventure I'll never forget. I felt safe and well cared for throughout the entire time.
US
under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best time of my life.
I had such a great safari that I couldn’t even fathom using an other safari company. Have Ernest and Karen with us was amazing because they could help us with any information I was lacking (like my very own Encyclopedia). 10/10 would do again.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A once in a lifetime trip that did not disappoint.
From the moment we arrived at Belmond Eagle Island Resort, we were made to feel like royalty. The entire staff greeted us at the entrance in song, followed by refreshments and tour. The accommodations redefine the term "glamping" with our beautifully appointed tent that included an outdoor shower (as well as an interior shower and soaker tub), a walk-in closet and infinity pool on our deck. The food was as expected, just wonderful.
We chose the month of June as it's the ideal time to see the wildlife due to the fact its the wet season. Unfortunately, it just happened that it was the driest June they've experienced in 10 years. That said, it did not hamper or affect our visit in any manner. While sitting on our deck in our first minutes of arriving, we watched elephants, hippos, antelope, eagles, warthogs etc....thinking, who needs to go on a drive when you're surrounded by all of this wildlife.
We were assigned a guide when we arrived. The daily routine was, your guide comes to your tent at 6:00am with coffee for your wake up call. Breakfast at 6:30 then meet at the jeep for 7:00 - 7:30. The morning drive goes until approx 11:00am, return for lunch and then 'siesta' time until 3:00 when you meet at the main lodge for "tea" then back to the jeep for 3:30 for your afternoon drive. The afternoon drive lasts until sundown which ends at a scenic spot at which the guide sets up a little bar so you can enjoy a cocktail while you watch the sunset.
Being winter at that time, the morning temperature can be quite cool (between 5-10 degrees celsius). While they advise you to wear layers, fleece lined ponchos were provided as well as blankets for the morning drive. By the end of the morning drive however the layers are peeled off at the temperature shot up to the mid 20's. I don't think we saw a cloud the whole time we were there.
As a professional photographer I was thrilled that we had drives that included the beautiful 'golden hour light'. I was also very happy that our driver had a good understanding of light for photography and would always position our vehicle for the best possible angle to take pictures.
I won't get into the actual wildlife we witnessed, only to say that we pretty much saw it all, including the Big 5 - Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Elephant and Cape Buffalo. Our guide was amazing in his ability to track the various animals along with his knowledge of the area and wildlife.
Being a private reserve, we rarely saw another vehicle which for me enhanced the experience. As a bonus, I treated myself to a helicopter ride over the area which was a highlight of the trip, to see and photograph the animals from a different perspective. I would highly recommend the Belmond Lodges for that 'once in a lifetime trip and experience'
