US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beyond expectations.
From the very first email, the team at Travel for Change was flexible and responsive and really helped us sort out what kind of trip and accommodations would meet our needs. Their main contact even met up with us halfway through the trip to make sure all was going well. They seem to have solid relationships with the resorts and did their best to relay some of our specific dietary needs to each location.
The best part was the guide, Simon. Not only was he a great driver, but he was incredibly knowledgable about all the wildlife, culture, and more about what we saw. He was pretty amazing at anticipating where the animals might be headed when things got too crowded in some areas. We were able to spot lions, cheetahs, giraffes, and more (you'll see more zebras and wildebeests than you expect!)
Be prepared for some bumpy roads, but everything else was comfortable and the whole Travel for Change team helped make everything smooth! They sent a nice checklist to help with planning - everything from what shots to get and other key travel tips.
Tip: opt to spend just a little extra for the Land Cruiser vs. the van as it will be more comfortable on the rough roads inside the parks or off the main roads on the way to the lodges.
- Steve
LU
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Above and beyond our expectations!
We booked with Shemeji a 9-day private tour with game drives and hiking. We spent most nights in a tent in public campsites and we visited Tarangire, lake Manyara, Ngorongoro, Empakai, Central and North Serengeti and lake Natron.
Emma promptly answered to our enquiry and arranged a tailor-made private tour according to our needs. She replied to all our questions and doubts (even the most obvious ones, since it was our first safari!) and she was ready to make several changes to the program in response to our requests.
We were so lucky to have Ben as a safari guide! His long experience with this job means that he will spot all animals present in the parks and will see them even where you would only notice grass! Thanks to him we saw all the Big Five (and not just once!) and we even managed to witness the wildbeest crossing the Mara River. He always gave us plenty of time to watch the animals and take pictures, always trying to give us the best angle. He is also very flexible and in some occasions suggested changes to the program in response to the circumstances (for example bad weather) so that we could make the most of our experience without missing anything or wasting time. He is an excellent and attentive driver, and we never had any issue despite the bad conditions of some roads. 9 days may seem a long time, but thanks to Ben every day was different. We learnt a lot about wildlife and we had many exciting experiences!
Another special thanks goes to Isaack, our chef at the campsites. Before leaving for a camping safari, we thought that we would mostly eat rice and canned food. We were totally wrong! You can't imagine what Isaack can prepare with the limited kitchen equipment and facilities available at campsites! He prepared a different 3-course meal every evening, which was carefully presented and always delicious. It was better than eating in restaurants (and indeed the 2 nights we ate at the hotel we missed a lot his cuisine!!). He even baked fresh bread and buns! He was always attentive to our preferences, asking what we would prefer for breakfast or to be included in the packed lunch.
Besides being great professionals, Ben and Isaack were also a very nice company throughout our trip. We will remember the nice talks in the car and the funny stories after dinner!
We had a great time in Tanzania. Everything exceeded by far our expectations!
We totally recommend Shemeji.
Asante sana!!
CH
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
it was fantace,a good experience and very good people, different Animals a very good weather, cool.
more than i expectes... very good, The service was excellent and the driver has driven very carefully that we have time to see everthing and explain all...
BE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing experience.
We had an amazing experience, it really exceeded our expectations! We did the 4 day joining safari, but since Mpairo is such a nice guy and probably a most excellent guide, we wish we booked a private one. We stayed at Lenchada camp, a fine place with no unneeded luxury. Just good food, clean tents and most importantly: extremely friendly staff. In the evening we even spent time with the Masai guarding the camp around a bonfire. Mpairo made sure to come by every day to have dinner or breakfast with us and to check if everything was going fine. He really wants to give you the best experience and personally makes sure everything is perfectly arranged. We spent an entire day at his village and slept at his home. A very kind family and adorable children who show you their authentic way of living. There is no better way to get to know the Masai culture. You don’t feel as a tourist, but as a friend who’s just visiting them. Thank you Mpairo and Corinna for our amazing time and say hi to Jano and the rest of the children!
Jasper and Pauline
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
very good safari tour operator
good care taking while safari tour, nice guys. tour operators very friendly and safe transport
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fast and friendly service!
My friend and I did the Kilimanjaro Machame route and 2 day safari with Migration in July 2018. Amos was our main contact and he was always quick to respond with any information that we needed as well as being very accommodating to our needs. The guides for the trek and the safari were also great. Would definitely recommend Migration for any of their offered trips or even for organising a custom itinerary!
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Plan your trip, then sit back and enjoy!
After reading other reviews, Encounter Africa Safaris was one of three companies that I inquired with to put together a custom tour for 5 friends. They were the first to respond, were very professional, and addressed each of my requests. They also did a very good job of matching my requests with available activities and accommodations. Although I never met Chris in person, he was very good at taking care of the details from the office. Tolbert was our driver/guide and hero in Uganda. He was very perceptive and did a great job anticipating our needs, accommodating our requests, and keeping us on track. He was informative, sincere, and a fun member of our group! Abdul took care of our transportation needs in Rwanda. We had a special request to visit an area well off the beaten tourist track. Having never been there, Abdul even made the special effort to scout it out in advance of our arrival! He was sweet and had a soft paternal, protective presence. Our itinerary did have a couple of small glitches, one from our group's side, and one from a miscommunication on the company's side. The beauty of it is that Encounter Africa quickly remedied these things before they ever became an issue, making for a very enjoyable and nearly seamless trip. I definitely recommend them and will use them again next time!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Exceeded our wildest expectations!
My husband, my parents and I booked a 4 day mid-luxury safari with Shemeji. We went to Tarangire, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro. We couldn’t be happier with the experience!
The company is highly organized and tended to respond to my emails within 24 hours. They were very flexible in accommodating all of our requests. The vehicle was in great shape, with working power outlets, comfortable seats, great pop open roofs, and lots of space. We were never in short supply of water or food. The lodges Shemeji arranged for us were all beautiful and unique in their own right, a great variety for the three nights we had. Timing was well planned among the three parks. We never ran into any issues either planning or experiencing the safari, everything went as smoothly as it could possibly go! Shemeji was a great price for the quality safari we received!
As for the animals, we were thrilled to see the big 5! But each and every animal was exciting in its own right. However, it was the unexpected encounters that stood out the most for us, such as an exciting lunch we had in Tarangire: We were overlooking a river bed full of multiple elephant families, zebras and wildebeests racing up and down a ravine, and water buffalo in the distance. It was spectacular! And all credit is due to our guide who taught us to be patient and in return nature would reward us with its magnificence.
Our guide, Joseph, was exceptional, and we could feel that from the very first interaction we had with him. He gave us an introduction to what we would be doing for the next four days, that we would come to know each other well after spending so much time together, and that he wanted us to let him know anytime we had preferences or requests. We told him that we wanted to avoid the areas that were littered with other safari vehicles and figuratively go “off the beaten path.” He delivered on that and more. His knowledge of the roads was impressive in every park. Only to be matched by his knowledge of the wildlife and vegetation we saw. He rarely used the vehicle radio (which many guides use to communicate with each other regarding animal sightings) and instead showed us the natural, original beauty of the safari experience, rather than the car chase that it can become. He never rushed us, never stressed out and yet always managed to get us where we needed to be in time. We were completely charmed by him because he was so wise and gave insightful life lessons to accompany information about the animals or the park history. He had a great sense of humor and we could tell he took a genuine interest in us, as we had with him. We formed a really nice connection over the four day trip. He was our ideal safari guide and then some! After the trip, we couldn’t stop talking about Joseph. It was Joseph who made the safari exceptional and exceed our wildest expectations!
I highly recommend Shemeji and Joseph!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The big five and a lot more!
We been for our 1st time in Africa and after the incredible experience we have had, we clearly recommend it! Emmanuel has been a great guide, very patient and funny, who has share all his knoledge about the country and the wild life with us. Do not doubt to go with him!!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A breathtaking experience!
Wamba tours took excellent care of us, Onan and Gerad did a fantastic job! They even came to check on us before we even left for the safari, just to make sure we were prepared for our trip the next day. The accommodation they found for us was beautiful, and we were treated like VIPs! We went on an early morning game drive, and felt so fortunate to have excellent guides who had very good eyes for animals they knew we wanted to see. When we didnt get to see lions in the morning game drive, our guides rearranged our schedule to take us on a night drive, where we got to witness a beautiful female lion out hunting! We had an amazing overall experience on the safari, and will definitely be using Wamba again!