US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wow, what an excellent adventure!
We took the nine day Big Five tour with a stop in the Zanzibar Islands (Beach & Stone Town). First off, all of our arrangements were first rate, everyone was on time there to meet us at every stop as promised, very pleasant and easy to deal with. We requested and were lucky to get Emmanuel as our guide and driver. He was outstanding, great work ethic and genuinely caring person. Not only did we see the big five, we saw just about every animal you could imagine, Leopards, Hyenas, Cheetahs, Hippos, Crocs, Lions, Elephants, Giraffes, Gazelles, Baboons.....I could go on. Emmanuel knows where to be and when to be there and we caught some rare sightings, we came across a family of cheetah (we were very close), big prides of lions, so close that a large lioness, rested in the shade of our vehicle. We caught a couple of leopards (one youngster) feeding on a carcass that they had dragged up a tree. We even got to see a pair of lions matting (apparently very rare).
We actually spent two nights in a tent camp in the middle of the Serengeti...how crazy is that. Anyway, we never felt in danger although we could hear a hyena yelping all night. I wish we could post pictures. We have such great pictures that our friends think we cut them out of a National Geographic magazine. We are fairly well traveled but this was truly the trip of a lifetime. We then flew from the Serengeti to Zanzibar for some beach time. The resort was clean and provided great service. We met Maturaf at his office in Zanzibar and he was very friendly and welcoming. If you want to get in touch with him after you paid the deposit, best bet is to call instead of email.
Regional Tours significantly exceeded our expectations as everything was as promised, actually better than promised. Our guide, Emmanuel, was absolutely top notch. Thanks Maturaf, Emmanuel and Regional Tours for the best vacation yet!
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A Huge Leap of Faith on a Company That Really Delivered
I had been researching safaris for many years and when we finally decided the time was right, I found a customisable Kenya safari through East Africa Wild Adventure on the Safaribookings.com website. What appealed was the fact that the company had an office in our home city, Vancouver. I asked for a quote and received a very prompt response from the owner of the company, Alym. After some discussions he came up with a nine-night safari for us, and we completed the booking in April 2015. Alym was very helpful. He was prompt in responding to our questions, and assured us that everything was booked and confirmed. A seasoned traveller, I was used to booking things myself: getting receipts, vouchers and confirmations etc, so leaving everything in the hands of someone else was totally alien. It was reassuring to meet up with Alym although it was a huge leap of faith to part with so much money and have only verbal assurances and a printed itinerary to take with us on our travels. So, it was with some trepidation that we set off. After a thirty-hour journey we exited JKIA arrivals hall to be met by a man holding a placard with our names on it, although he was from a different tour operator, Big Five Africa. It transpired that they were the ones East Africa Wild Adventures had arranged to carry out the day-to-day operation of our safari. We hadn’t been told that, nor expected it, but no harm done.
This was our first safari, so we were unsure of what to expect. Fortunately, we had our own vehicle and driver throughout which made huge difference. Our driver, Mr John Waweru, was exceptional. He regularly went above and beyond: making sure we had a constant supply of drinking water; ensuring the vehicle was properly maintained and clean before each drive, and much, much more. We cannot speak highly enough of him. There was one aspect of the safari that we hadn't truly been prepared for: the amount of travelling. I stress that this is not a criticism of the tour operators. I fully understand the notion of trying to cram in as much as possible to see as much as you can to avoid disappointment, but we were "on the road" for at least eight hours each day, either driving to the next location and/or being on a game drive. Couple that with the appalling condition of some roads, and all the access routes to the various conservancies/National Parks, and you have a very uncomfortable ride. If you have a bad back, then beware!
Accommodation and meals were obviously a significant part of the package, but ultimately we were there for the wildlife. Nevertheless, we were amazed at the high standard of accommodation. Tented camps were luxurious, all with en-suite bathrooms. We even had hot-water bottles waiting for us in our king-size beds! It is worth noting that they were needed too as the temperature really drops after sunset. With one exception, food was wonderful: varied, plentiful, and of a very high quality.
From experience (whale watching etc) looking for wildlife can be very hit or miss, so it would be very naive to judge the overall safari experience on that. Fortunately, what we did see was beyond our expectations. This was largely down to our driver/guide. His knowledge of the areas, the wildlife, and not just blindly following the crowd, meant that we saw so much. For that, we will be eternally grateful.
Overall, East Africa Wild Adventures (and Big Five Africa) came up trumps. For those, like us, who usually book everything themselves, rest assured that Alym, and the team on the ground in Kenya, will have everything in place for you. As the title of this review suggests, it did require a tremendous leap of faith on our part, but we were not disappointed.
AE
Once in a lifetime experience
We went during the winter season in Tanzania, so the weather was fantastic coupled with good game viewing along with an excellent and knowledgeable guide. Will definitely do it again. This was about my fifth safari and can't wait to do another one. Well done Mega Adventures!!!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
2 Days Safari Tsavo EAST with Kay adventure Tours
I had 2 Days Safari Tsavo EAST with Kay adventure Tours. I’ve enjoyed it so very much. I was fulfilled with close in nature display of all kind of animals you wish to see in Africa. Unforgettable experience.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
The Best and Ultimate experience ever of my life..Thanxx to Mr Justin of Tembo Adventure
One of the best tour operators in Tanzania.If you plan to visit Tanzania,just contact Mr Justin.You will have a truckload of good memories and experiences.
I had a pleasure of going with him in at least 5 safaris and still counting..what you get is an out-of the world service,attention in every matters and off course the best wildlife viewing.I can bet that you will not miss a single game if you are with Mr Justin and his incredible team.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing, record numbers of birds and mammals, our guide Nick Buys was excellent, really experienced.
Our trip was packed full of adventure, fun and record numbers of mammals including: Caracal! African cat, and all the big game; Lions, (many sightings, great photos) Rhino, Elephants, Hippos, leopard, and much more. We had 350 spieces of birds including Pell's fishing owl! Our guide Nick was very attentive, thoughtful of our comfort and desires throughout the trip. Everyday was jammed packed with new sightings, surroundings and sheer joy. I loved this trip to Namibia and Botswana and would recommend this company and guide to everyone.
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A fantastic journey through northern Botswana
Kgato arranged for us a perfect trip in northern Botswana: a bit more than 2 weeks from Chobe to Kalahari desert, through Savuti, Khwai, Moremi, Boro Islands & Kasane.
Of course Botswana is one of the greatest place to visit, but we also had a huge pleasure to spend time with Kgato crew. Everything was perfect: the food prepared by the cook Dick, the guide/driver Kenny, the mokoro crew in Okavango, the quality of the camps (tents, camping beds, etc.), etc. They made every possible effort to make our stay as good as possible.
We have many souvenirs (and photos!) both with our Kgato travelling companions or with encounters we had with the wildlife. We warmly thanks everyone in Kgato (Sam, Bk, Kenny, Dick, Roger, etc.) for the unforgettable trip we had. And we definitely recommend Kgato to arrange any visit to Botswana.
IN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent tailor made safari tour for a solo traveler
E-trip Africa arranged an excellent 15 day tour of Kenya and Tanzania. Ben Jennings and Aurelie (managers/owners) communicated with me in a timely manner and provided me with a tailor made itinerary that stayed within my budget. They were always receptive to any changes and made great suggestions for the trip.
The guides/drivers were knowledgeable and very professional and the lodges were superb. It was a great and memorable trip to East Africa and I would highly recommend them
JO
maasaai mara camping
it was wonderfui i visited kenya and they have good management and well secured dancom tours and travei the best
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Highly recommended!
We had last September an amazing 4 day trek to Mount Meru and 6 days Safari through Tanzania. We want quickly thank all the guys and crew from Masaka. From Selma, who booked our trip and gave us great advices for Camps and Lodges to Aristarick, our guide who was excellent and a great communicator, the porters, the cook, who prepared very tasty food and was always interesting to know, if we would like to have something special (the food went above and beyond what we expected). The all team was very competent and nice. Great job guys! Such a rewarding experience! Highly recommended!