US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A Fabulous Mobile Tented Camp Experience with Letaka Safaris
I recently returned from a 10-day mobile tented camp safari in the “bush” of Botswana supplied by Letaka Safaris headquartered in Maun.
Short Version: Fabulous!
Below are details for readers considering participating in a similar adventure. As a senior citizen travel enthusiast with some minor physical limitations I try to share as much information as possible to help you decide if you can participate in a similar experience.
Itinerary: Our official safari started at the airport in Maun, Botswana, with a short flight on a small (10-seater) prop plane to the Xakanaxa airstrip where our guide, “Shaka,” met us with our safari vehicle pulling a trailer to accommodate the luggage for the 7 of us (maximum number per safari with Letaka). The trailer was used every third day as we moved to a new campsite. Our first camp was in the Moremi Game Reserve. We stayed for 3 nights giving us a full two days of game drives in that area. We subsequently stayed 3 nights in the Khwai Community area followed by 3 nights in the Savuti area of Chobe National Park. We concluded our safari with a drive to Kasane, Botswana and a private cruise (just the 7 of us and a guide), for about 2 hours, on the Chobe River.
Because of the long flights and the 6-hour time differential, I chose to leave the USA 3 days before the safari began. The first night was spent on the plane from Washington, DC to Amsterdam. I spent the second night in Johannesburg (at the Sunrock Guest House –review posted) because of a late arrival time from Amsterdam. The next day I flew to Maun, Botswana and spent the third night at Cresta Riley’s Hotel (review posted). This itinerary provided sufficient time to reduce the jet lag so that I had no problems sleeping while on the safari.
Similarly, after the safari, I spent one night in Kasane at the Chobe Bush Lodge (review posted) before transferring to the Avani Victoria Falls Resort (review posted) in Livingstone, Zambia. I spent two nights at the Avani to provide ample viewing time to see the falls before heading home via a 40 hour flight and layover itinerary.
I strongly recommend spending the time and money on the front end of your trip to minimize the discomfort of jet lag. I’ve been on many trips where everyone on the tour bus on day one was asleep!
Accommodations: The tent accommodations on safari were very comfortable (I was traveling solo, so I had a tent to myself). The “ensuite” bathroom area constructed at the rear of each tent was pleasant and comfortable to use. The “long drop” toilets didn’t appear to be problem for any in the group. Daily hot showers provided by the camp staff were enjoyable. The tents had large permanently screened windows that can be left open or covered with a zipped flap as you prefer. The interior had a floor and the bathroom ground area was covered by a water-permeable tarp. In addition, there was a mat for the sitting area and entrance to the tent. A battery powered array of LED bulbs provided sufficient light for normal tent activities, but you still need a headlamp and flashlights (torches) for other camp activities. In June and July, winter in Botswana, the sun sets before dinner and doesn’t rise until after breakfast, so portable and functional personal lighting is a must. Towels were provided, but not washcloths. A clothesline inside the tent was available to hang the towels to dry during the day. Warm water to wash in the morning was provided in a portable wash basin outside each tent. The warm water arrived along with the 5:30am wake up! Once in your tent for the night, you do not venture out again until the fires and lanterns are lit and you get your wake-up call in the morning. Outside our tents, hanging above the portable standing wash basins, was a device with a mirror and pockets to hold toothbrushes, toothpaste and other sundries needed for personal hygiene. A hot water bottle for our bed each evening was very welcome as the temperature dropped into the 40’s (Fahrenheit) during the night. Beds were comfortable and warm. A table was placed in the tent to act as a nightstand or otherwise as needed.
At our first camp, in the Moremi Game Reserve, we had hippos feeding and making noise very close to our tents throughout the night. At the other two camps, at different times, there were fresh tracks of lion, hyena and elephant through our camp. We also heard the territorial warning roar of the local dominant male lion and many other animal sounds during the night. One afternoon, during our “siesta,” an elephant walked past no more than 15 feet behind our tents. These experiences were what I went on the safari for in the first place, so I was perfectly happy and secure. But, you must consider your personal comfort level with the proximity of wild animals to the camps if you are considering doing a similar “bush” safari anywhere in Africa. NOTE: The pictures on the Letaka Safaris web site accurately show the tent accommodations, the safari vehicles and general camp facilities.
FOOD: All meals were cooked over an open fire, but do not be misled. The camp cook performed amazing feats with that cook fire. We had fresh baked breads and cakes and our meals were all wonderful. Breakfast was served at 6 am and consisted of hot drinks, porridge, cereals, toast and the “famous” rusks that are written about in virtually all descriptions of tours to Africa. The rusks are hard biscuits that are meant to be dipped in your coffee (or tea) before biting. We had a mid-morning break in the bush during our game drives which provided hot drinks, biscuits and rusks. Delightful! Lunch usually had a hot item and several other cold items such as salads. The food is very American/European in style with hamburgers and chili being two specific lunch entrees. At 3:30 pm, we had coffee and/or other hot and cold drinks and a cake or pastry to tide us over until dinner. After our snack, we began our afternoon game drive and returned to camp around 7 pm (after dark) for pre-dinner drinks around a campfire followed by a 3-course dinner with starter, entrée and a fabulous dessert. Entrees were restaurant quality beef, chicken or pork dishes with very nice sides including a starch and one or more vegetables or salad. The cook (Alec) went out of his way to always prepare a vegetarian alternative for the one vegetarian in our group. Many of us sampled and enjoyed the vegetarian offerings. Unlimited beer and wine and spirits were available for lunch and dinner. In fact, we had a large battery-powered cooler in the safari vehicle that was always stocked with soft drinks and beer. We also were given a water bottle that we kept filled with filtered water to drink on game drives and in our tents.
Transportation/Game Viewing: The safari vehicle, a modified completely open, except for a canvas roof, Toyota Land Cruiser with snorkel to allow crossing deeper water, was our only transportation from the time of pickup at the Xakanaxa airstrip until drop off in Kasane. We rode in 4-wheel drive mode the entire time until just before reaching Kasane. There are no roads! We traveled on two-track paths defined by multiple passages of similarly equipped vehicles. Sometimes, in pursuit of better viewing or in search of animals we went totally “off road.” Game viewing in this manner, while exhilarating, requires effort as you are constantly bouncing and tipping as well as sometimes dodging branches. If you have back or other physical issues, you should carefully evaluate your ability to participate in this kind of safari. The seats were comfortable, but you must be able to climb to enter the vehicle. Seating positions in vehicle were rotated to give everyone a chance to experience each of the positions. Blankets for each passenger were a welcome addition at the beginning of each morning game drive and at the end of each afternoon game drive. While the temperatures only got down to the 40s F, riding in an open vehicle is very chilly – bring a warm layer, like a fleece jacket, and good wind-breaking layer for over top. A warm hat, like a ski hat, and ear coverings would be smart additions, too if you go on safari during the winter months in the Southern Hemisphere.
We were extremely successful in our game viewing endeavors. We saw multiple prides of lions, a male and female lion on a fresh kill, a female leopard by herself, a female leopard with a cub feeding on a dead giraffe, two packs of African wild dogs, a cheetah and literally hundreds of elephants (some not happy with our proximity and they let us know), many hippos, lots of giraffes, zebras and wildebeests as well as many species of antelope including eland, tsessebe, red lechwe, impala, waterbuck and kudu. We saw too many bird species to mention them all, but we did see lilac breasted rollers, hornbills, eagles, kingfishers etc. All this success was due to one person – Shaka, our guide.
Our Guide: I was simply amazed at Shaka’a ability to find his way around all the different terrains we traversed at the three camp locations and always get us back to camp in time for meals. His ability to find animals was uncanny. Even though all the guides in the area cooperate and communicate with each other via radio as to the location of game, most often Shaka was the first to find the exciting game. Shaka went out of his way to be sure all of us were comfortable, happy and had everything we needed. He even sacrificed his personal warm hat to one of the guests for the chilly morning and evening game drives. Shaka is by far the best guide I’ve experienced during my three trips to Africa. And, I assume, based on posted evaluations and the amount of detailed planning needed to provide the best possible experience by Letaka Safaris, that their other guides are very good as well.
Other Experiences: Each day we were welcomed back from our morning game drive with the camp team waving and shouting and were met with iced tea and a cold wash cloth to clean our faces and hands. We were always sent off on our game drives and transfers to the next camp site with warm cheers and smiling faces from the camp team. The camp team consisted of 3 staff members including a cook (Alec), a waiter (KayKay) and a driver (Mor). All participated in many varied activities to support the camp in addition to their designated roles.
After lunch, we had “siesta” time until 3:30 pm. Naps, showers and reviewing pictures and videos taken during the morning game drive were common activities.
A special treat for me was a 2-hour game viewing adventure in a mokoro on the Khwai River. While present-day mokoros are no longer made from “dug out” logs, the fiberglass replicas currently in use provide a truly authentic experience. Propulsion for these boats is provided by a guide using a long pole to push us along the river. At one point, we silently slipped through gaps in the reeds, to avoid the attention of a male hippo in a large pool. The group went ashore briefly for a coffee/tea and rusk break. Fortunately, during our return we came upon a herd of elephants of varied ages and sizes drinking and playing. We sat silently in the boats watching this fascinating activity for many minutes.
Summary: If you are physically able, have the interest in an extended game-viewing experience and possess the necessary resources to book a mobile tented safari, then I highly recommend that you do so. And, I doubt that you can do any better than booking with Letaka Safaris.
FI
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Truly amazing experience, great guide, wonderful places... Just perfect!
Everything lived up to our expectations! The guide was experienced and very nice, locations were perfect and we saw big 5 as well as a lot of other animals. We can truly recommend this safari!
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A Family Trip of a Lifetime
Our family used Yellow Zebra to plan our Africa adventure. Kirsten, our YZ representative, had a couple of conversations with us to find out what kind of experiences we wanted, what was important to us, and some specific things we would like to see. She then presented an amazing itinerary to us with location and camp recommendations for the best wild life viewings and quality of the camps. Her expertise in this area was highly evident. She managed to find availability in fantastic camps even though we were booking quite late. Everything was organized from the minute we landed in Johannesburg until the end of our week. Every detail was taken care of - flights, transfers, luggage transfers, accommodations - and was executed without a hitch. Kirsten also communicated during the trip to ensure everything was going well. This was a trip of a lifetime with lasting memories for our family and Yellow Zebra was instrumental in making this happen. Thank you Kirsten and YZ staff. We would highly recommend Yellow Zebra to others.”
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best safari company and a trip will we never forget!
Soul of Tanzania is the only company to consider if you visit Tanzania! Everything exceeded our expectations. Our guide, Dominic, was excellent! He is extremely knowledgeable about the wildlife, environment, and culture of this wonderful country. The company recommended camps were all unique and exceptional. The lunches were amazing with local foods and wine rather than the boxed lunches. People were jealous when they saw our set-up. I can't say enough about our time in Tanzania and am so thankful that we chose Soul of Africa. Request Dominic as your guide for sure!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Most amazing trip of a lifetime!
“It was by far the best trip I've ever taken. Every detail was handled and conveyed to us so there were no surprises. Everything happened like clockwork and all accommodations were outstanding. The service was exceptional and everybody was so kind and friendly. Food was phenomenal and it was nice that everything was included including drinks. The game drives were amazing; the guides were so knowledgeable and the spotter did A great job in finding anything we wanted to see. I would highly recommend anybody to take this type of a trip and to especially create your own itinerary using yellow zebra. They were very detailed and professional and were very responsive during and following our holiday trip.”
CH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Safety, well organized and suitable for families
Communication with Roberto was good, instead with the guide it was a little bit difficult because of his poor italian knowledge ; the accomodations were very good; the food was average because we don't like the buffet system; the safari was great: we saw a lot of animals. The nature is wonderful!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review of Kilimanjaro Trekking Mate
We came across Kilimanjaro Trekking Mate after comparing reviews for various Kili trekking and safari operators mostly on TripAdvisor. While there are not many reviews available for these guys, they all seemed positive. The decisive factor was our limited budget: with many other positively reviewed companies Kili climbs and safaris can be significantly more expensive.
Price: $1045 per person for a 4-day safari (Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro) plus a $150 tip for the guide + $80 for the cook from the group. $1700 per person for 8 days of Kili trekking via the Lemosho route plus a $300 tip per person to the guide (who then distributes it as appropriate to the trekking crew). Note that these tips are considered mandatory. For a bit extra KTM offers various equipment for rent, which is a good solution if you don't fancy bringing your own sleeping bag or trekking poles to Africa.
Safari: overall an excellent experience, with our guide Shirima being a highly professional and pointing out animals that our untrained eyes would have never noticed on their own. The car was comfortable and had no issues with the tough roads in the national parks. Camping in the parks' vicinity was a lot of fun, especially seeing zebras and hyenas sneaking around at night. Definitely consider adding a safari to your hike, especially if you love seeing exotic animals in the wild and up close.
Kili: once again, an excellent experience. Our crew carried the heavy stuff around (thanks, guys!), leaving us to enjoy the hike with daypacks. The tent was comfortable and spacious, with an integrated mess section. The food was enjoyable for an 8-day hike, and around day 5 we even had fresh goods delivered up, including some absolutely delicious ginger tea. Kudos to the guides, Baraka and Goodluck, for doing a fantastic job of leading us through, especially the hike at summit night (which was tough, but "pole-pole" does the trick). Baraka and Goodluck measured our oxygen levels and pulse each evening as well as our lungs in the morning to make sure we're acclimatizing well. It's important to have medically trained personnel with you on the mountain, we've heard about bad things happening in groups that apparently didn't. Lemosho route is highly recommendable due to its beauty and relative lack of congestion. As the rest of the mountain, it's quite dusty, so bring some gaiters along. KTM does not provide private toilet tents, so be prepared to use the common squat toilets. While not an issue at the lower camps, squeamish people may cringe at those in the higher camps. If you want to hike at a more relaxed pace, have problems with altitude or have never been as high as Kili, we suggest you opt for an extra acclimatization day (Lemosho can be done in either 7 or 8 days).
The company: we found KTM to be very reliable, patiently answering our many questions prior to arrival. We were met at the airport by Nick, the company's director, and transferred to Moshi where we cross-checked our plans and equipment rental list. Nick even threw in a few freebie rental items for the mountain (asante sana!) :) We also found out that evening that our post-Kili flight to Zanzibar by Precision Air had been cancelled. Since we would definitely not have internet and only very sporadic mobile signal, we asked Nick if he could buy us new tickets for the same date while we were away. He was glad to assist and helped us out brilliantly (thanks again, Nick!). Since the new flight schedule introduced some spare time after the climb, he and Baraka offered we go together to some of the local sights. Thanks to them, we had an impromptu and very worthwhile visit to Chagga tribal coffee growing villages and a beautiful waterfall that day.
I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions, but I consider KTM to be a trustworthy company that can provide you with a fantastic experience in Tanzania without breaking the bank.
BR
Great company, unforgettable experience!
My friend and I did a 3-day Safari with Earthlife Expeditions and it couldn't be better! Me and my friend had a very close schedule and have only begun talking to them 3 weeks before the Safari.
They were not only very efficient on arranging everything but also extremely kind from emailing with Caudence and telephoning them to the day we actually met. I believe the best thing about Earthlife Expeditions is that it is a small company (though one of the 10 best in Tanzania) but surprisingly organized and able to do personalized schedules.
Regarding the Safari itself, we went from Kilimanjaro International Airport to a hotel in Arusha (where they happily took us to buy a few supplies and change money) and then to our stops: Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire National Park. Most of hotels were of high standard and we had great meals (the only problem was that sometimes the shower wasn't warm).
Our Tour Guide was Charles, who has 35 years of experience and a pair of Eagle Eyes. What was best about Charles was that he would go slower than other cars when he thought that might be animals around, but when he heard of lions or other more less common animals, he would just rush through the savannah to get us there (and he did quite a few times).
Regarding prices: it is not the cheapest nor the most expensive company out there: we paid 1200 dollars for 4 nights, all meals, transportation and Safari. Drinks at the hotel are not included and there is a lot of tipping (5 dollars per day per person to each hotel; 15-30 dollars per day per person to the Safari Guide, we gave 60 euros for both of us).
You have to keep in mind that it might not always be comfortable and you might be unlucky some days and do get to see all you want (we were extremely lucky: lions, cheetahs and a caracal). It was a great experience, and A good fraction of it was because of Earthlife Expeditions!
HU
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
6 nights at 3 different NPs
We spent six nights at three different parks (at four camps) and it was amazing. First we spot a tree-climbing lion cub at Lake Manyara. Then we found the migrating herds in Serengeti NP at River Mara, thanks to our guide we also saw a river crossing. Then we spot a lot of big cats in the central region of Serengeti, last but not least we spent an amazing night at Ngorongoro Camp where we met a thursty elephant right inside the camp. Our cook provided delicious dishes, our driver/guide did anything to find memorable actions and sights at the parks, so it was simply amazing.
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Close contact
We had a wonderful 3 weeks in SouthAfrica. TailorMadeSafaris was very helpful in translating our wishes for our family (with 3 children) to a variated programm that brought us all sides of SouthAfrica. Wildlife, spectacular views, local life, and friendly people everywhere.
And because they work inside SouthAfrica, they were even able to help us immediately when we ran into some problems.