20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a lifetime!
My partner and I, along with a friend did a 5-day private mid-range safari with Savannah Explorers this past November. We visited the following parks: Tarangire, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro Crater. We stayed at Marera View Lodge (2 nights) and a bush camp in the Serengeti (2 nights). I've broken down my review into sections.
Accommodations & Food:
I cannot begin to express how blown away we were with the entire experience. The service, food and accommodations were exceptional...especially considering we paid for a mid-range package. The Marera View Lodge was stunning and felt brand new. It was sparkling clean, well appointed, had comfy beds, spacious rooms and great showers. The staff were so friendly and helpful. And the food was absolutely delicious!
I'm pleased to say I can say all the same about the bush camp. I didn't really know what to expect in that regard, but upon arrival we were shocked (in the best way possible). While the tents do have canvas sides, they are much more like cabins than tents. They have wrap around decks, wood floors, hot showers, and amazingly comfortable beds. It felt more like staying at an eco-hotel than staying in a tent and we were not mad about it. On top of that, the staff was outstanding and served some of the best meals of our entire trip.
Our boxed lunches everyday were basic but we never went hungry. They usually consisted of some fruit, chicken and/or pasta, a juice box, some savory baked goods and then some sweet baked goods. If you're watching your carbs, you may want to let them know before hand. We were in full blown vacation mode, so were happy with all the different types of baked goods we got to try.
Guide & Game Drive:
Our guide Isaack was the best! He was prompt, friendly, a deft driver and was always doing his best to find animals for us. He happily answered all our questions and helped educate on us on the animals and ecosystem. With his knowledge and keen eye, we were lucky enough to see all of the Big 5 during our trip. Considering how much time you spend with your guide, we were grateful to have such a professional. The vehicle itself was spacious, clean and well maintained. It was always stocked with cold waters and had outlets in case devises needed to charged throughout the day. Our vehicle had 6 seats and there were only 3 of us plus Isaack, so we were happy to not be packed in like sardines like other tours.
Communication & Value:
We had reached out to several other tour companies for quotes before deciding to go with Savannah Explorers. They were always so prompt with their responses and patient while waiting for us to make our decision. When it came to pricing, they were not the cheapest but were nowhere near the most expensive either. They had great reviews and were so on top of their communications, that we felt confident going with them. We paid roughly $1400 USD each for a 3 person 5-day private mid-range safari. Now having completed our safari, I can say that this was without a doubt an incredible value and we couldn't be happier we went them.
The only issue we had during our entire experience was with our final payment. We paid the 30% deposit via bank transfer when we booked the trip and thought we could pay the remaining balance with credit card or via bank transfer upon arrival. Unfortunately, there must have been a miscommunication because they expected it to be paid in cash. This caused us some stress because it's quite difficult to pull out that much cash (~$3k USD) in Tanzania. Ultimately we were able to get it sorted by paying a certain amount in cash and then scheduling another bank transfer for the remaining balance. My advice would be to double check with them on how the final payment will be made, so you don't run into the same problem we did.
Overall:
This was a trip of a lifetime! As three mid-30's adventurers who have done a fair share of globe trotting, we all concluded that this was the best trip we've ever had yet. Safari was a bucket list item for us, so we had high expectations and Savannah Explorers over delivered. I would recommend them to anyone looking to do safari in Tanzania and would happily book with them again if given the chance.
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Our tour operator Tanja was the best!!!
Before-during and after the trip we could ask anything, quick response solving problems if they occure good tips flexible and open for alternative ideas. Very good welcome info and route information by arrival. Will recommand this operator to everybody.
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic Safari: Excellence in Planning - Excellence in Execution
We took a 10 day Safari with Lion King Adventures and it was one of the best experiences of our lives. The detailed planning that Nick and James provided was exceptional; no detail was overlooked and they thought of everything. But, what made the tour exceptional was our tour guide, Gilbert. We saw the big 5 only because of his extraordinary ability to spot animals that were completely invisible to us. And, he was so nice and a genius concerning identifying animals and knowing all about their habits. We saw the rare black rhino, hundreds of elephants, over 75 lions, countless buffalo, five leopards, - and many of these were quite up close and personal. We only saw the black rhino know because he know so much about their habitat and where to look; he was right. We also saw 8 cheetahs. And, during the hunt we learned so much about the areas we visited and the animals. The hotel accommodations they got for us were simply amazing.
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great tour operator in Uganda!
Our trip to Uganda with Speke Holidays was absolutely perfect. The tour included an extensive itinerary (as per our request), but was planned in a way that every day was very balanced and not too exhausting. We counted on the support of Speke representatives since our arrival at the airport until our departure. Our guide Vincent was simply the best! He demonstrated great knowledge of the animals, terrain and the country’s context, as well as impressive driving skills. He tried for us to have the best experience in every activity and while on route, and he totally succeeded! A huge thanks to the Speke team and especially to Vincent!
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A magnificent experience I will never forget
I did a couple of day tours with SWA safaris and I think I couldn't make a better decision. The service provided by Tanja was simply impecable and the activities she planned for me were exactly what I was looking for.
She understood the experience I was hoping for and I can totally recommend SWA to anyone who wants to explore Namibia, no matter which budget they have.
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Trusted Advisor!
There is nothing better when you are abroad than a trusted advisor!
In this regards, Gorilla Booking nailed it!
We have been doing self-drive safari with Gorilla Bookings in Dec'21 for a week in Uganda and this was one of the best decisions we could do.
Despite the fact that Gorilla Bookings "only" arranged the car and the gorilla and chimps permits for us, they have always been very supportive and keen to help us, giving us recommendations and friendly answers to any doubt we had. Travelling in Covid times, there is always a lot of uncertainty, and they kept us always informed in a proactive manner, already since the beginning.
A part from that, on the “how”, they are super friendly, enthusiastic and one can feel they will give it all for you to have the best experience in Uganda.
We are already recommending our friends and family to go to Uganda with same agency. If I come back no doubt I will repeat!
You Rock!
Reliable.
We booked them for our honeymoon. They were extremely professional and made sure to get us the best deals. Truly, the best holiday we have had in a very long time!
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect 3 day Safari
This Company is really recommendable. Hilary answered all our questions and I could easily book the Safari via Whats App. Also I had the opportunity to cancel the Safari even one day bevor it would start, if I couldn't come.
Our driver Raphael picked us up in Arusha on time. He was a safe driver and very polite.
We also would recommend Roky our tour guide and Action our cook. Roky is a very open person and to all questions he has an answer (really for all)! He got eagle eyes. He could spot every animal even during driving. Action is the best chef we ever met. He cooked a mix of local and European food. Every day he managed to cook something more amazing than the day bevor. Both of them were nice company.
All in all it were three perfect days. We saw the big five and even more.
We would definitely recommend "Suricata Safaris".
Asante sana
Andrea and Maya :)
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Two weeks in Zambia
Daniel can spot a brown-hooded kingfisher from a mile away and then describe its exact location so you can see it, too. In addition to his encyclopedic knowledge about Zambia’s biodiversity, he is well-versed in the politics surrounding and research and conservation efforts happening in the national parks. Whether he is explaining how wildebeests host fly larvae in their brains or buying you monkey oranges from a family on the side of the road or looking up the latest news on a court case regarding illegal deforestation in Kasanka National Park, Daniel’s love for wildlife and his adopted country comes through.
Logistics were excellent – Daniel replied to emails promptly before the trip, made great recommendations for a customized safari, kept me well fed per my vegetarian diet, and responded to some unexpected vehicle troubles like a pro.
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Lion King Adventures exceeded all our expectations.
Lion King Adventures and our guide, Gilbert, took what we wanted to see and do while we were in Tanzania and created an experience that both exceeded our expectations and met our budgeted requirements. We saw more wildlife than we ever dreamed possible. Stayed in luxurious accommodations set in stunning locations all while ticking every box on our list of animals, parks and local sites. Gilbert, our Lion King Adentures guide for all this, was awesome. He took great care of us along the way and pointed out wildlife in the bush that we would never have spotted in unlikely and hidden places. He had a great since of humor and a wealth of knowledge about the area, the fauna, the flora and the local people that helped enrich our experience fourfold. In a word, both Gilbert were awesome.
