US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
All the good, none of the bad
Paul, who I found through this site, did an outstanding job of organizing and guiding my 4 night/5 day photo safari to Ruaha, which we selected based on my initial criteria. He communicated well and effectively, organized all my transfers from the time I stepped off the plane, through my day in Dar, to the time I checked back in. Ikuka lodge, where I stayed, was brilliant (reviewed on Facebook and Tripadvisor). I was concerned that a solo guided trip would be prohibitively expensive compared to the group tour I had expected, but by starting one day later (low season), and not reserving a separate vehicle, we were able to keep the cost within my budget- and in fact we ended up have a vehicle to ourselves the entire trip. Paul did not merely meet my expectations, he exceeded my hopes for this trip; and I have for years travelled on average 200k miles a year globally, so I can say I think my expectations were reasonable.
Friends with more experience of East Africa ( a niece lived there for a year, and has been back many times) had warned me about the dust, the insects, the food hazards,the heat, and the crowds. I experienced none of that- it was hot midday but cool in the mornings and reasonable in the evenings when we did our drives. If you are going to Ruaha, I would recommend Paul in particular, and local Ruaha guides more generally, as they do work together where those coming from Dar do not know the park as well, nor do they share information. In a typical 3-4 hour drive we might see 4 or 5 local vehicles from other camps, always stopping to chat and trade sightings. Along with multiple fresh lion kills (we saw lion on 10 of the 11 drives, counting the trip to and from the airstrip), endless elephants, antelope of all types, hippo, herds of giraffe, zebra, buffalo, we also had an exceptional leopard experience, once with a fresh kill where he stayed in view while we watched for the better part of an hour, and again later that day, after he had moved a short distance. As well as very sharp eyes (the leopard was invisible to me until pointed out under a tree) Paul has a broad knowledge of animals, birds, plants (rattling off the latin names), tracks, bird calls which was both helpful and interesting. Ruaha for me was magical, I cannot recommend the park, Ikuka or Paul more highly.
BE
Good response time, clear information
Very good software generating a clear itinerary with tourist related information.
Expensive but the final result is ok.
DE
Perfect Safari
We hat a great Safari with Mama Savanna Safaris. All was well...Organizing, Driver, Accomodation... perfect.
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Incredible!
From the first email to the goodbye at the airport, It Started in Africa were fantastic. The team were very quick to respond to our many questions. Being a family of five, a great deal of organisation was needed in order to make our safari an incredible experience and it certainly was. Our guide, Alex, knew where to go for the animals and was a fantastic driver. I would not hesitate to recommend It Started in Africa to anyone planning a safari. Thank you for some magical memories.
IL
Experience level: first safari
a great trip to South Africa
We really enjoyed our trip to South Africa, and it had a lot to do with Wild Wings Safaris. First, with the great Safari in Kruger Park with Simon. We had a very nice group (lucky us), and Simon is a great guide and fun to be with. We saw a lot and learned a lot. Clare also helped us with bookings for the rest of our trip including Cape Town, the Little Karoo and the Garden Route - and we were happy with her choices. So, we can only recommend Wild Wings Safaris. Enjoy.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A Fantastic safari with our 4 children with Joshua our guide in Mikumi
Very professional and organised nothing was too much trouble given the fact that we were so last minute and with 4 children to accommodate - Jimmy was exceptional
IN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very pleasant and well organised safari package
We, group of 7 people from India went on safari with Safari Tano tours in October 2016. Our tour coordinator Gabriel was very helpful and he was very happy to accommodate all our requests. Over all the tour was very well planned and we customised the safari for 5 days as per our requirement. We visited ngrongoro, Serengeti and Kilimanjaro (1 day trek) during our safari. Our tour guide Tony was very welcoming and made the trip memorable. Thanks Gabriel and team for making the trip a great one.
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Professionals at work
We travel the world several times a year with guides. Destination Jungle Safaris has so far been the best company in terms of preparation and implemenation.
Excellent guide James who speaks perfect german (better as much germans :-)) with extensive knowledge and superior about land, people, culture and wildlife. Vehicles in technically perfect condition. The well-being of the guest is very important to this company.
High quality standard also from backoffice (Christina).
This journey will remain unforgotten. We love Uganda.
Thanks to the whole team of Destinations Jungle Safaris
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
May 2016 Calabash Safari
My college friend and I decided to take a safari in May of 2016. Family friends of ours who live in Tanzania recommended we use Calabash Safaris because they were affordable and a well run service. Both of these assertions were proven to be true and we are so glad we chose Calabash for our first safari experience. We were fortunate to have great weather and amazing animal sightings throughout the trip and our guide John did an wonderful job making sure everything was taken care of and that we saw as much as possible. We did Taringire, Serengeti and Ngorogoro in our 6 day safari. It was the perfect amount of time to see everything we wanted to see. The accommodations that were set up through Calabash were all great, although we did like some more than others...highlights being the coffee lodge on the rim of the Ngorogoro crater and the Safari tent in the middle of the Serengeti. No part of this trip was luxurious, but all of it was clean and comfortable and helped us better experience this beautiful country. Besides being a great guide, John also had a great personality which was important for our trip since it was just my friend and I. He added so much to our trip and by the end of it we felt like we had started a friendship. Tilya was also wonderful in the assisting with the pre-planning and was flexible and helpful with any small issues that arose. We would definitely pick Calabash for a safari again.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Book with Keddy for an amazing trek or safari
After living in Arusha for a couple months I wanted to support a local company that pays their workers well and would also be safe, amazing time. I booked with Keddy and trekked up Kilimanjaro with him and his great team!I was a 20-year old girl hiking alone but they made me feel incredibly comfortable, and even went out of their way to include me in meals and conversation, since I was trying to learn Swahili. I cannot rate them high enough-- if you want the best possible experience, book with Keddy. My parents came to visit the following spring and Keddy planned and implemented a flawless 4-day safari in three different parks. He and his team are detail-oriented, professional, knowledgable, and downright wonderful people to spend your time with. When I was tired on Kili they were incredibly encouraging, even making up raps to keep my mind off the tiredness! Seriously above and beyond in every aspect of their service.