ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Good Host, Phenomenal Tour
Our tour operator was very good with communication. The rooms were clean and service was up to standards. Our driver John was also very professional, punctual with time and has a great knowledge base for the different animals in the Mara. Overall, great journey for a good price!
TW
under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
I saw a lot of different kinds of animal in three national parks.
I think this was a great experient for a foreigner as there were many spots or life styles that were different from Taiwan.We only could see zebras,lion,etc in the zoos in our country,but in Africa,a natural place and nation that has not been poluted by other things,we would see all the animals just out of our safari cars.Although we could not touch them,it was still a nice trip.Also,the lunch time in the national parks also impressed me very much(Because it was very yummy).Just hope I can visit more national parks next time.I want to see crocodiles,cheetahs, and rhinoes I did not see this time!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfectly Planned Nambian Flying Safari
Not having travelled to Africa before, we felt in need of some expert help to plan a holiday of a lifetime to Namibia - a country we both felt drawn to for its wildlife, wilderness and wonderful scenery. Internet searches rendered several specialist companies, with our attention captured by the concept of a 'flying safari' offered by Safari Club. Given the scale of Namibia, we both felt that minimising the travel time between differing areas would maximise our safari experience - this proved to be right with the low altitude flights becoming an enjoyable part of our holiday experience. All our Wilderness Airways internal flights were on time with only one unavoidable diversion due to sea fog - even this was managed seamlessly with a slightly longer, ground transfer offering a 'silver lining' expereince of taking us through a lunar landscape park. Our first camp was Kulala Dessert Lodge with excellent access to Sossusvlei - we learnt so much from our guide Richard about life and survival in the dessert; native plants, birds etc. and of course, those magnificent dunes we also experienced from a stunning dawn hot air balloon flight on our final day. We then moved onto Walvis Bay which received something like 3 years of rainfall in 36 hours - all our planned excursions went ahead - fortunately we were fully prepared in the clothing department due to excellent clothing list provided Paul and Ellie Dunhill at Safari Club. We journeyed on to Dessert Rhino Camp in Damaraland hoping to track and see Black Rhino and much, much more. Thanks to our guide Lloyd and the Rhino Trust trackers we were not disappointed, also taking in a Cheetah kill on the return journey with many other wildlife sightings. We then flew on to Ongava Tented Camp - during the short drive from the airstrip we encountered a pride of Lions lazing in the shade of the bush. In fact, despite being warned by regular safari friends not to expect many big cat sightings in Namibia, we saw 20 Lions in 24 hours and spent a magical 20 minutes in the safari jeep sitting in the middle of a pride of Lions shortly before sunset. Other sightings included White Rhino and many deer and antelope species. Our final camp was supposed to be Okonjima Luxury Bush Camp - home of the Cheetah and Leopard charity 'Africat'. We could not believe our good fortune when, as Safari Club clients, we were upgraded to stay at the 'The Villa - the charity’s stunning 4 suite property, with an infinity swimming pool overlooking a large waterhole. The property is well staffed including a welcoming host and a private cook. Again, the guiding was excellent, and we saw an abundance of wildlife including Cheetahs, Leopards crowned by three rare Honey Badger sightings within 20 minutes of each other. A very cute, human fist sized Pearl Spotted Owl kept vigil over our stay from a tree in the Lodge and grounds and evening diners included a pair of visiting Porcupines. Our species list holds over 100 records and the 2000 digital images will take a little time to sort through. Sincere thanks to both Paul and Ellie Dunhill at Safari Club - your expertise resulted in a non-stop, fantastic holiday experience. We will be back for more!
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent 6 day / 4 parks safari experience in Northern Tanzania
As part of a lot of research, I found this small company's 6 day accommodated northern Tanzania safari (Tarangire NP, Lake Manyara NP, Serengeti and Ngorogoro Crater) on safaribookings.com - with the places we wanted in the number of days we wanted at a good pricepoint. Communication with the manager Amos in the enquiry and set-up stage as I went through a couple of iterations of what we wanted to do, was prompt and helpful, though I was a little anxious when it was less so after I paid (I was pleased to be able to pay by credit card through a gateway link set up from Migration Venture's end - it involved a surcharge but this was cheaper and easier than an international bank transfer). But everything was fine and all that was promised was delivered. Accommodation was very good. Breakfast and dinner on all days were buffet and were plentiful, and packed lunches very substantial – we could always keep some for mid-morning snacks next day. One of us did have a short but sharp stomach upset during the trip but it is difficult to say exactly where it came from, though it was a surprise as we had already been in other parts of Africa for 6 weeks without any problems.
But the most important element of a safari is the guide – their ability to find and show you the animals can make or break the experience. The parks visited were great with lots to see and our driver guide, Anderson, was excellent – great at spotting animals and birds, knew a lot about many of them which he shared, he did the logistics well, getting us to camps/lodges etc in good time, he was pleasant to chat with, answering our many questions on all sorts of topics, and he looked after his vehicle, for example getting it checked and cleaned after the tough roads of the Serengeti. From our experience, and comments of others, he is also skilled at understanding his clients preferences and wishes and does his best to meet these.
Overall we can certainly recommend this safari - and the Serengeti was the highlight of our 7 weeks in Africa!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very smooth and fantastic experience, once we got the kinks worked out
Suricata Safaris is a shining new company in a competitive field, and you should absolutely book them. I recently did a 6 day/5night camping safari with them, and they handled everything so nicely, from the itinerary to choosing the best campsites. They have (as of right now) three drivers—Frederick was our guide, but we also met Mandela, who was super charming and enthusiastic.
You could not ask for a smarter, more informed, funny, patient person to show you the wilderness than Frederick. He knows his field incredibly well, from who/what/how every predator hunts, to understanding where to find the action. (We saw a cheetah take down a zebra, and a lion miss one in the same day.) He’ll answer all your questions and include information you never knew to ask, all with a great sense of humor. He's patient, and it pays off in the best sightings.
Dioniz was our chef, and I guarantee you’ve never eaten better while camping. Breakfast, lunch and dinner were all multi-course affairs with a million choices. You’ll be spoiled by him for sure. He’s up at the crack of dawn to set a table with a tablecloth for your breakfast and the food is *chefkiss* He’s got skills.
We had some communication difficulties with Hilary, but all were sorted quickly. Most stemmed from him getting emails from two different people, so I recommend having one point person as the organizer. Be prepared to pay the receiving end Tanzanian bank fees for a wire transfer as well as your own bank’s. BUT, he personally drove us to the airport, which was lovely.
Suricata can’t guarantee a specific driver, although we were told we were confirmed with our request. It wasn't a big deal, just another communication issue. You won’t go wrong with any of the guides, though, so it’s ultimately nbd. We also requested separate accommodations but were in shared tents (just my friend and me together) the whole time. Again, re-confirm all the details of your trip a few days before to make sure Suricata is on the same page.
I would have preferred a more detailed itinerary, like an easy to print pdf including drive times between sites (some are 6 hours) and a recommended packing list, but that’s nitpicking (which, I learned from Frederick, is a term that comes from baboon grooming habits). You will need this for your visa, so be sure to ask Hilary for a list of each day.
Don’t go crazy with safari gear—you’ll rarely be out of the car, and then only at picnic sites/washrooms. Pack comfortable shoes you can take off quickly so you can hop up onto the seat fast enough to get that once-in-a-lifetime photo. Basically dress like you’re going on a road trip. I never even considered wearing the safari hat I brought, and hiking boots were definite overkill.
Don’t forget binoculars, a towel, bug spray, itch cream, soap/shampoo, tissues/tp, and a few warm layers. There is a charger for all your devices in the safari vehicle! I don't think I was below 80% charged the entire week.
Suricata did well by us. You can feel confident you’re getting an amazing trip with super smart people you’ll be happy to spend a week with. I had an unforgettable time and made some new friends along the way!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Everything went smoothly, expectations were fully met!
Our entire experience booking our South African safaris with Ute was great! Everything happened as expected, on time, and there were no issues with any part of the trip. We had an amazing trip and couldn't be happier with the itinerary Ute set up for us. It was so simple working with her as well - the booking process was easy, she answered all of our questions and had fantastic communication. We loved our trip to South Africa!
SA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Go on July end or August, but anyways i had an amazing Safari time, they give Wat they promise.
Was an excellent 3 days, early morning (on time)pick from Nairobi Hotel, drop back to Nairobi airport or hotel, nice luxury tented camps, decent food, some of the things I liked but the best was the whole safari experience, if it’s ur 1st time then you would feel as if net geo came to life, driver Sami is very experienced, knows what to and where all to, trust me u would get your money’s worth.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Fantastic Trip
Our tour was led by Patrick who was excellent. He was extremely knowledgeable and passionate about what he was doing and he made the trip very memorable. He was very flexible, if we wanted to change the itinerary or see something in particular, nothing was ever too much hassle for him. Accommodation was excellent - especially for a budget tour. Icing on the cake was giving us a Ugandan football shirt each which says a lot about Mushra and the service they offer. Excellent tour and I would recommend Mushra to all.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Experienced in their sercices, very exciting arrangements , well trained professional staff
Aardwolf Africa arranged a very successful safari for a group of 17 people who were basically friends from the same Church(ACK St Peters Kahawa Sukari-Kenya). This was Easter Holiday 2018.
Trip was for three nights and four days. This is the second safari after another one with them in 2014 at Arusha, Tanzania which was also very exiciting.
This time the Choice of Namirembe Guest House in Kampala could not have been better, group was very excited with the services offered by the guest house.
When at Kampala we visited Namugongo Martyrs Shrine, Uganda National Park (in Entebbe), Colonnel Gadaffi Mosque( largest in Africa) with a high tower to watch the whole of Kampala, the Source of River Nile and several Churches. The driver and tour guide were excellent and the group was very happy with their services.
Please select Aardwolf Africa Safaris for all your safaris in this part of Africa, They are committed, excellent in preparation and insuring you get best value for your money
Samuel Wanderi, ( TEAM LEADER)
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Wonderful Staff, Great Trip
When someone dreams of a perfect safari, he or she usually dreams of a seeing leopards, elephants, lions, and getting up close and personal to the to the world's most majestic animals: this safari grants that opportunity and much more.
To begin, our guide, whose name was Titus, was waiting for us waiting for us when we arrived in Arusha. The true fun began when my family arrived in Serengeti, and i soon realized that Titus is sure to be the best safari guide in Tanzania - perhaps the best in all of Africa. A master in the art driving, gifted with the eyes of an eagle, and filled with more knowledge of the Serengeti than an encyclopedia, Titus will not only get you so close to a lion that you can smell it's breath smell, he will do it with the utmost safety and respect to the animal and customer. By the end of the trip, Titus had become more than just a driver he became a friend.
In short, my safari with Routes Kilimanjaro was the trip of a lifetime. Our experience was so spectacular that when my family left Tanzania, we all cried, as well as when we wished Titus a farewell. If you choose to make Tanzania your next adventure, choose any company but Routes Kilimanjaro Adventure is the topmost.