DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
good service by mathew. he tried to make best offers and schedules.
Super communicationwork.
It was our fault we did not manage to realiize the trip he tailored for us at a reasonabe price. Mathee is very open to your wishes and plans!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exciting. Educating. Fun. Amazing experience!
Both our guides (James and E.G) had a wealth of knowledge. They were both so patient and were able to answer ANY question we had, from the vegetation, animals, land and the sky! We were all super impressed with the depth of their knowledge and their willingness to educate us about Africa.
Service at camp was above and beyond! All the guys knew exactly what they were doing and catered to us completely. We had 4-course dinners every night plus outstanding spreads for lunch. On top of that, our great breakfasts, freshly baked goods for morning and afternoon tea! When i think about camping, i definitely didn't think our stomachs would be so well kept. I was so impressed that our chef was able to cook and bake so much over an open fire. The guys also organised lovely warm showers for us every night which was another pleasant surprise, especially after our days of hiking and canoeing. But something that i really wanted to mention which was one of my favourite parts of camping at Mana was the CAMP FIRES! the guys would set them up every night for us to watch the sun go down as well as, every morning before the sun came up. We had lovely warm camp fire breakfasts, a perfect peaceful start to all our days!
I wouldn't describe myself as a camper. So when I was told i would be camping on this trip, I had set my expectation fairly low. This was also slightly tactical as I would've rather been surprised as opposed to disappointed about the whole camping experience. But this was definitely not necessary at all. I loved it. Our tents were so spacious we were able to stand and spread out compfortably. We also had two bed's in each tent which the guys had set up, along with the whole camp before we arrived back to camp each day. Our bed's were super cosy and i actually loved sleeping under the stars.
As a whole, I had an amazing experience and truly can't wait to return! Thanks to James, E.G and the Guys, everyone were so welcoming and hospitable i have nothing but amazing things to say about Nature Ways and Mana Pools!!!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Thank you Yellow Zebra for helping us with this adventure of a lifetime!
We spoke to a few safari travel agents but decided to go with Yellow Zebra for our honeymoon because of their knowledge and professionalism. Emma Dunn did an excellent job in helping us tailor our trip and ensuring we are well-informed about the places we are going to visit and the pre-trip planning (packing, tips, etc). Yellow Zebra was also extremely efficient with our last-minute request for a hot air balloon safari in Maasai Mara. The itinerary was well thought-out with a couple of days in the Loisaba Conservancy introducing us to the African wildlife, including a really good suggestion to try Loisaba Starbeds for a night (great experience sleeping under the stars), and then on to Maasai Mara for a full-blown safari adventure (lots of big cats and the wildebeest migration). The trip went without a hitch with Tradewinds picking us from airside the minute we landed in Nairobi and Bush & Beyond doing the airport transfers and half-day city tour to the Giraffe Centre and Elephant Orphanage. The service at all the camps we stayed in (Loisaba Starbeds, Loisaba Tented Camp, Offbeat Mara) was top-notch; food was excellent as well. Thank you Yellow Zebra for helping us with this adventure of a lifetime to Kenya!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The best trip with the best company!
I took the 14 Day Namibia Experience with 7 days in the South and 7 Days in the North. It was an amazing experience and Wild Dog was the best! Whole staff is very friendly, guides are very knowledgeable, & cooks are fantastic when they add their own flair. Camp sites are beautiful (the sunsets!), tents are easy to put up, and the buses are comfortable to spend the long drives on (Namibia is a big country and Wild Dog gives you the whole experience of seeing all the major attractions so you've gotta span the distances to get there -breaks are regular and it's never too much). The organization has clearly taken from their vast experience and listened to what folks feel like has worked in the past so everything is easy and smooth. There's a really nice balance between showing you things you wouldn't be able to get to on your own and/or they have inside knowledge about and letting everyone have free time to relax and explore without being led around. You'll get so much more out of the experience if you participate and want to get to know about the different sights. There were 8 people (including me) on each half and since most people were enthusiastic about and interested in the experience, we formed a great group both weeks!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing
Our tour guide was Joseph and he was amazing. He was so nice and friendly and stayed with us through the excursions to make sure we ne we got lost and we’re safe. He also got us through the borders quickly and somehow knew the times to beat the crowds. We developed a real friendship in just a few days. I can’t say enough good things about him and our experience with him! I would highly recommend!
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fabulous tour arranged by FABULOUS tour company!
I booked this trip for myself and four friends. Having never been Africa before, I did a lot of research and contacted almost 30 companies to pick one for this once-in-a-lifetime trip. We dealt with Charles at Classic Journeys and were pleasantly surprised by the EXCELLENT service that Classic Journeys provided. We had a 17 day safari / tour, including 4 days in Zanzibar. After a day in Nairobi and the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage and the Giraffe Center (both were "must do's" if you haven't been here), we went to Amboselli, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti and the Masa Mara. Highlight was the hot air balloon ride that they arranged. Our guides were ALL exceptional. My travelers are all major animal and bird lovers, and the guides knew each and every species. We saw over 200 different birds, and most of the major animals. Communication was great and we never had to worry, especially about border crossings. I said a "once-in-a-lifetime trip" but we plan on using Classic Journeys again to go to the west coast (Naimibia) within the next two years. I don't need to contact anyone else -- they came through with flying colors, and were reasonable in cost for all that we got. THANK YOU TO CLASSIC JOURNEYS FOR MAKING THIS DREAM TRIP A REALITY!!!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
BEWARE OF SARDIUS TOURS/FELIX NDUNDA
FELIX NDUNDA and SARDIUS TOURS AND SAFARIS is a business that needs to be avoided. May this serve as a warning for everyone. HE IS DISHONEST AND A PROFESSIONAL SWINDLER. HE IS SCARY AND MISLEADING. If you are looking for a quote for African Tours, please get quotes in safaribookings.com or safarireviews.com. There are hundreds of operators that you can compare with in those 2 websites. Don’t enter into any deal with him if you want to have peace of mind. Here are the reasons based on my experience why you need to stay away from this Felix and Sardius Tours:
1) He didn’t refund our deposit when we requested to cancel our booking due to plan changes even though we are entitled for full refund.
2) If you look at his prices in his website, they all look affordable but they are all inaccurate and unrealistic and will trap you to believe that he offers tours/services at lower prices. The price he quoted us is about 90% higher compared to the prices indicated in his website.
3) When I asked him to revise the itinerary so it will be more affordable, he never emailed a new one therefore he is not willing to accommodate the needs and requests of his clients. Otherwise, majority of the lodges and hotels in Kenya mostly probably is refusing to work/partner with him.
4) Before we gave him money, he will respond to our inquiries/emails after few minutes or few hours of sending the emails. After we paid him, it takes him days and up to longer than a week to respond. There are times he won’t respond at all.
5) It was too late for us to learn, but he was ousted by KATO because of all the dirty job and practices he’s doing with his own employees, lodge-partners, and tourists.
6) It was too late for us to learn, but he has very bad reviews since he started his business. Please review the following links:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294207-i9695-k5744405-Sardius_Tours_rip_off-Nairobi.html
http://www.african-safari-journals.com/sardius-tours-review.html
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294207-i9695-k964770-Anyone_know_about_Sardius_Tours_and_Safaris-Nairobi.html
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/africa/tanzania/sardius-tours
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294207-i9695-k4269296-Sardius_tours_or_Skyview_of_Africa-Nairobi.html
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294207-i9695-k1510372-Sardius_Tours_and_Travels_Con_Tour_Operator-Nairobi.html
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A delight to deal with Dickson from booking to completion, he was always available and ready to help
The 16 day Kenya and Tanzania Safari was first class from start to finish, thanks to the expert drivers knowledge of regions and animals, suitable vehicles, good accommodation and meals.the Safari was beyond expectations, my Son and myself would highly recommend Dickson for his attention to detail,and care of his clients.We would not hesitate to travel with them in the future.
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Etosha National Park by Claire Ryan
A friend recommended we visit Etosha and we were not let down. It lived up to our expectation.
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Tanzania forever
Our sixth trip to Africa, this time in Tanzania. For the organization we used Earthlife Expedition and the choice was right. Thanks to the valuable advice of Caudence we have built a route through the parks of the north that has fully satisfied us.
The variety of the landscapes of Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro and Serengeti has left us open-mouthed on more than one occasion, and the emotions of sleeping in beautiful not fenced tented camps listening to the sounds of the African night can not be described, only experienced . We were able to enjoy the rich fauna thanks to the precious guide of Paul, expert and prodigal of information related to the lifestyles of the various animals in their habitats; Paul was much more than a guide, impeccable in his work, but a beautiful person we will never forget.
One of the experiences that we particularly appreciated was the half day spent visiting the village of Mto wa mbu; we have been able to get an idea of split of authentic daily life. Otherwise it was the visit to the Masai village, which, although there is a concentration of their traditions, is clearly set up to accommodate tourists passing through.
It has been 11 days really special, Earthlife Expeditions has confirmed a valid organizational capacity, asante sana!