US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Experience
Thank you Okoa Africa Tours for providing amazing service for my missionary trip. On behalf of The Somwa Foundation, we would like to thank you for helping us make a difference. Thank you, Michael, for the wonderful cake and gift for me and my team.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well organized company with great service that's reasonably priced.
We booked a beach and bush safari package with Simba Trails through a very pleasant lady called Elizabeth. Our safari entailed 3 days at the Masaai Maara Reserve and 7 days in Mombasa at the White Sands Beach Hotel.
As agreed, the company arranged for me and my family to be picked up at the airport by a guy called Peter who ended up being our tour driver for the Masaai Maara trip as well. The company had also booked our Nairobi Hotel at the Panari Hotel which is close by the airport, a good thing as I had read a lot of bad things about traffic in the capital.
Our wildlife trip started as planned; Peter was at our hotel promptly as per our agreed itinerary and the trip started off well. Our only concern was the road to the game reserve. It was a bit bumpy and dusty but to be fair, Elizabeth had mentioned this in our earlier correspondence but we really weren't quite prepared for it.
Getting to the Mara Serena Lodge made up for this though and taking a dip at the pool was pure heaven! The views from the hotel room were also quite breath taking to say the least.
Our game drives were also fantastic as on two occasions, we saw what I believe to be two different leopards! I had read how hard it is to see a leopard but I suppose we were quite lucky! We saw quite a number of lions and cheetahs as well, plenty of elephants and buffalo but unfortunately never saw any rhino.
Nonetheless, the photos that we took will serve us well as we share this experience for years to come.
After the safari, we went back to Panari and the following morning, Peter was there to take us to the airport for our flight to Mombasa.
As promised, Elizabeth had also made arrangements for us to be picked by a vehicle from the White Sands Hotel. The remainder of the holiday was spent basking in the sun, soaking in the warmth that we Alaskans don't get often.
All in all, I greatly appreciate the efficient way everything seems to have been arranged and my family and I have nothing but kind words for Simba Trails Expeditions.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Grand Kruger Lodge 3 stars - Bongani Mountain Lodge 5 stars
Grand Kruger Lodge:
We were a party of 6. The staff were friendly and the service during breakfast and dinner was excellent.
The 8 hr game drive was fantastic. The breakfast was not great however, it was like something you'd send to school with your 10 year old. The lodge and rooms are in need of a some TLC. It felt dirty and unkept. :(
Bongani Mountian Lodge:
5 stars all the way. Accommodation was excellent, clean and beautiful.
Food was amazing and the Game Range Drivers were knowledgable and made every game drive a memorable one. Absalome and Thabo were our drivers and they get 10/10 from our party of 6.
The drive there was very scary as Bongani is not that easy to get to and we got horribly lost. But what a great experience. xxxxx :)
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing Victoria Falls with exhilarating excursions / Big Five Games drives to Chobe National Park
This was our third safari into Africa with Fleet Foot Safaris. Fleet Foot Safaris book our air flight tickets and did all reservations for the rest of our 4x4 trip through Moremi, Savuti, Chobe, Victoria Falls and further to Kariba and Mana Pools in Zimbabwe. We already have planned our next trip with Fleet Foot in Tanzania for our next road trip to the Serengeti in October.
Fleet Foot Safaris runs a bush camp on the Chobe River in the Chobe National Park. We spent 3 nights with Hennie Becker in the Chobe where he guided us through the Park in their 4x4 Toyota vehicles on exciting game drives. The game was plentiful, the bird life is beautiful and the green lush Zimbabwean Teaks and undergrowth is a delight at the end of the rainy season.
The outlay of the mobile bush camp under glorious trees with 3mx3m dome walk-in tents, warm water ablutions close by, give a lot of comfort in the wild. The stretcher beds with mattress, duvet and clean bed-linen were very comfortable and even better tan our own roof-top tents which we used the rest of the trip.
The baboons are just a nuisance and very noisy at night, but this is part of the bush experience! To be so close to the water with game all around, you are being offered a typical African experience. Add to this all meals, which were freshly prepared on open fire and a glass of South African wine, make one feel completely at home in the bush.
Hennie has shared stories and tales of his experiences in the bush and singing songs around the campfire brought back the nostalgia of years back when we were still young... Hennie is a very skilful guide, friend and a talented musician.
The guided boat cruise on the Chobe is - according to Hennie - the best in Africa and we wondered about it before we went on the safari. After the cruise we had to admit that we did not ever experience anything like this anywhere in Africa about the diversity and numbers of different game species and birding - let alone the elephants swimming across the mighty Chobe with only their trunks showing above the water as evidence of their absence. This surely is something not to be missed!
On a late afternoon game drive, we came across an elephant bull which took care of a friend or family member's dry bones. He just did not want us to come close by the road and also mock charged the vehicle several times. After some time, he discovered that we were not there to harm him, and as we passed, he only sounded his trumpet in acknowledgement of the fact that he is aware of us! Hennie was calm and relaxed at all times and his experience with wild in the bush put us at ease throughout.
We highly recommend Hennie Becker and Fleet Foot Safaris for any trip in Africa and we believe you will have the same story to tell. We wish Fleet Foot many happy years in Travel and we thank them for giving us such an unforgettable expierence in the bush.
Arnold
AE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Kenya and Zanzibar amazing holiday with Adventure Africa
Thank you thank you thank you Adventure Africa Expedition my friend and I had an amazing time in Kenya and Zanzibar . Dickson our agent organised everything he is the best agent on the planet. He is the most professional and dedicated agent that I have ever met. Dickson went above and beyond and I definitely recommend him. Adventure Africa Expedition is an amazing company and they offer a variety of holidays to suit everybody's needs. Dickson you are an amazing person ,, thank you for making our dreams come true
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Good company to work with
Classic Journeys Africa provided excellent services to my client's. As a fellow travel Industry professional, I know when a company is on the ball, and these folks are.
Charles even provide me with his personal email when the company email server was down.
Thanks,
Stephen
Owner:www.go2southafrica.com
TH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Impressed
I am solo traveller and joined with other members for 3day safari tour, serengeti and Ngorongoro.
We found complete big five and other mammals including African birds. The tour is fantastic. All service including meals are great. We strongly recommended. Experience from this make me love and impressed to travel Africa again soon.
PH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible Safari Trip at Kruger Park
Despite the time difference between Asia and Africa, Kruger Park Travel answered our queries promptly and patiently (we had no idea what to expect as it was our first time to go on a safari).
They were very helpful with all our questions.
We chose to stay in the Sabie River Bush Lodge which was extremely comfortable (even the tent!).
The lodge is a bit of a drive away from Kruger Park so if you want to save on travel time and sleep (call time for the morning safari drives/morning bush walk are really early) you might want to stay in Skukuza instead (It's inside Kruger Park and nearer the souvenir shops but it's also busier). What we loved about the lodge was the intimate feel- it doesn't feel crowded plus the view of the river is superb. We saw a herd of elephants playing in the river on our last day.
We were in the tent the first night and the rooms on the succeeding nights. We chose this set up because we wanted to be adventurous and try the tent for at least 1 night.
The tent was much bigger than we expected but the lights were pretty dim but overall very comfortable with a huge bed and we had electricity inside. It was not what i envisioned a tent would be! I would have chosen the tent for our entire stay if I'd known how comfortable it would be. The view of the tent is also better compared to the rooms.
But the rooms were cosy and comfortable also. The staff were courteous and helpful. We also loved the food served to us.
But most of the rooms are strictly for 2 people only so clarify how many rooms you'll be getting.
For our first safari trip, our experience was incredible. The guides were very knowledgeable, helpful and courteous. We were able to see the Big 5 and then some.
Our sunset safari drive was with a big group (more than 20pax) so pick good seats for a great view of the animals (and unhindered photos!). It started at around 5:30pm and we ended at around 8pm.
If you don't mind long walks, go for the morning bush walk. It's worth the experience. We saw a herd of more than 30 elephants marching right ahead of us and a rhino sun bathing. But if you do this, wear earth colors (browns and leafy greens) so you won't scare the animals. We started walking at around 5:30am and our tour ended at around 8am.
We also had the all day safari (5:30am to 3pm) where we saw a leopard up close. The hard to find animals (leopards and lions) usually come out in the early morning when it's cooler so go for the morning safaris rather than the afternoon if you can only choose 1.
Try to visit the viewing deck also and be patient. While we were watching the hippos, an eagle swooped in, caught a fish, perched on a nearby branch and started eating it right in front of us.
You don't usually need binoculars to see the big animals unless they're really far but you'll need them to see the birds better.
The weather was tricky though- it's pretty chilly in the early mornings and it gets hot during the day but on our first night, we experienced strong winds and it got pretty cold. The next day, the evening was humid so it's smart to wear layers so you're prepared for any weather changes.
And do tip your guides as much as you can afford (or more if you're generous haha)! They'll appreciate it. :)
We appreciated the set up in Sabie River Bush Lodge because there's a tipping box at the Reception where you can give and they divide it equally among all the staff, not just the staff you often interact with (you can also tip via credit card).
Overall, a huge check in our bucket list and we'd definitely love to go back!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Brilliant Safari and Cape Town Experience!
We had an amazing time on our recent trip to South Africa arranged by Marianne Birrell Safaris . We fell in love with both the Mt. Nelson Hotel and the &Beyond Ngala Safari Lodge. The staff at the "Nellie" went out of their way to help us with all kinds of crazy requests, including assistance with shipping two large boxes of African art we purchased. Further, we had a flight leaving at midnight, and they kindly offered the hotel as our home base as we finished up our shopping and errands.
I now consider the &Beyond Ngala Safari Lodge home. The staff, safari guides and trackers all wound their way into our hearts. The attention to details--our wash, favorite kind of wine, reminders to dress warmly, special tours to the kitchens of the lodge and the local community--were all handled with professionalism, kindness, and genuine authenticity.
Thank you for a beautifully planned trip, Marianne. Your choices of the Mt. Nelson Hotel and the Ngala Safari Lodge were brilliant.
CN
The great arrangement from Arkman gave us a memorable experience for the Safari and travel in Kenya.
Wonderful experience trucking across some extraordinary country roads, arriving at destinations that raised your heart rate and delivering some surprises, every day different, every place offering new experiences beginning with Local Towns. Good job !