DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Team - Great Experiences
Makasa did an excellent job at organising our trip. They picked the perfect lodges and accommodations, according to our tastes and budgets. The staff (drivers, safari guides, mountain guides) were 100% competent, reliable and always an enjoyable company to be with during the trips. In case of problems one can always reach the owners via email or phone and they will find a solution (in our case: organising medical care and re-scheduling due to unforeseen sickness).
We did a 4 weeks tour, starting with a trip on the Mt. Meru, covering three of the major national parks and ending on the beach in Zanzibar. Makasa proved to be a fully competent one-stop-shop for the entire trip. They have an extended network of business partners and family members over the country that their guests can benefit from. No need to find a driver, park ranger or a safari guide or mountain porter – they’ll do it for you and you just relax and enjoy the safari.
We chose Makasa because close friends of ours booked with them the previous year and recommended them to us – now we will recommend them further.
BR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect safari
I had a perfect safari with these guys! For a whole week we visited the main parks in Kenya (Masai Mara, Amboseli, Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha), and it was amazing! The guide, Peter, is very experienced, and he knows how to follow the right tracks to put you face by face with the Big 5! We saw so many animals and beautiful places, it was an unforgettable experience!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Responsive and reliable
Despite the good reviews, I was a little worried about using an operator that I found on the Internet to book my Fly-in Gorilla tour to Bwindi. This was my once in a lifetime opportunity to see the gorillas and I didn't want anything to go wrong. Matoke Tours proved to be everything I could wish for in a tour operator, and everything went perfectly. Lionel in the office was very responsive to all my emails, providing quick and helpful responses on all my issues, while Ronald the driver was always on time in a clean modern 4WD, was an safe driver on terrible roads and was friendly and informative. He was more than happy to wait patiently whenever I wanted to take photos, or while I was out on the gorilla trek and even when it looked like my plane back to Entebbe might not be able to land because of the strong winds. He even offered to give up his Sunday to drive me for 4 hours to another airstrip if necessary (which in the end, it wasn't, fortunately). Mutanda Lake Resort, while fairly rustic, has the most glorious view across the lake to the volcanos. Don't expect 5-star, but the staff are obliging, and the food is pretty good considering that everything except the vegetables has to be brought in. For birdwatchers, a sunset trip on a leaky boat to see the vast range of birds is a must. The gorilla trek itself at Nkuringo was a Bucket List experience. I would highly recommend it for people who are fairly fit, though even the less fit would probably be OK with the help of one or two of the wonderful porters. Overall, a great experience.
BE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable adventure with Bella Africa safaris
We truly had an amazing time in Uganda. Our guide Bella showed us only the best of what the country has to offer, in true 'Hakuna Matata' style. From the thriving wildlife we got to see giraffe, elephants, lions, rhino's, zebra's, hippo's, crocodiles,.., to the impressive nature sights and intriguing village culture. The best way to discover the beauty of Africa, away from the mass touristic beaten path and traps. Uganda is called 'the Pearl of Africa' for it really IS a hidden gem!
My personal highlight was our encounter with the mountain gorilla's. Our hiking trip in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest was breathtaking. Stumbling upon a gorilla nest an getting the chance to witness 2 blackbacks courting a female gorilla with her baby up in a tree bush was nothing less than magical. We were even lucky enough to stand just merely 2 meters away from the head honcho of the pack, the infamous silverback gorilla, who gloriously presented himself. Goosebumps all the way! The permit may be quite expensive, but take my word, it's worth every penny!
Everything was taken care of by Bella. She was always punctual, very friendly and concerned about our needs. Above all that she treated us like friends every step of the way, be it during travelling by jeep, boat or on foot. I would highly recommend Bella Africa's services. The rates are more than reasonable and you get to explore the country with somebody's who's skilled and truly passionate about the country, its nature and culture.
Highly recommended!
AE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Our vist to uganda was best experience.
I travelled to Uganda with my family , my wife and my two sons. We were really absolutely satisfied with the whole organisation and execution of the trip. Home To Africa Staff were so hospitable. The trip was Very well planned and prepared, we never had to wait guide paul The 4WD car was always clean and comfortable. The lodges were all very nice and well selected.
we highly recommend Home To Africa Tours and Travel to any one out there dreaming to explore uganda’s pearliness
AT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing Tour with Bella Safari Africa
We had an 8-day trip (Bwindi, QEP, Kibale, Lake Mburo). The trip was perfectly organized and our Guide Bella - she is also the owner of the company - made the whole trip to an unforgettable and amazing experience. Bella worked for a huge Safari company for years and started her own business last year.
Even though some drives were long (we wanted to see as many things as possible in 8 days), they didnt feel that long, because Bella told us all about the History and the Culture of this beautiful Country. Since Bella is the only female Guide in Uganda, everyone in the safari business knows her, wich makes travelling with her a lot of fun.
Uganda itself has so many different landscapes, so its hard to choose a favourite, but of course, seeing the gorillas in Bwindi is something you wont forget your whole life. Bella will send you a List of things you will need for the Gorilla tracking after you confirm the booking and be advised to take all this stuff with you, because you will go through some serious Ugandan Jungle.
If you want to taste some traditional Ugandan food, tell Bella, she knows some really great Places. Rolex and Matoke are delicious!
The next time I go to Uganda - and there will be a next time - i most definately go with Bella Safari Africa again. I can only recommend this company to anyone, who want´s to experience Uganda in all its amazing parts an details.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A wonderful western Uganda experience
My husband and I traveled with Home to Africa in June 2016 and I can say that their services were remarkable. The prices were affordable and a wonderful surprise when we arrived at our accommodation; with friendly staff an lovely food. I recommend home to Africa tours and travel.
Thank you
AE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Adventure trip to Masai Mara
Most of the times we see creations by the human beings but seeing God's creation is a wonderful experience. We had EID holidays as we are staying in the UAE and thought of going somewhere. Kenya was chosen after some deliberation. Next was to choose the tour operator. We thought let the adventure trip start with another adventure of booking with a small unknown operator. The experience with Mc Tours has been very nice. Peter, who has been our contact point and Leonard (I called him Leonardo Da Vinci), who was our driver cum guide, both did their job better than what was expected.
AE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
excelent services and cordination
i went for 3 days safari right frol pick up from hotel to going to masai mara and cmg back every thing was well organised .. very suportive .. and all services loke hotel camp stay and transportation where good
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The experience of a lifetime!
My husband (see Frank's review below), I, and our teenage daughter had an unforgettable 10 day safari and 3 day visit to Zanzibar. We began our trip with a lovely hike through Chagga villages to the Materuni waterfalls. This was followed by visits to Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater, and Central and Northern Serengeti. Each park has something unique to offer and the landscapes are simply stunning.
Bramwel made all the arrangements (including internal flights) and the customer service provided was excellent. William was remarkably prompt and helpful and patiently responded to all our questions. We wanted to support a local Tanzanian company but were unsure who to trust. William provided us with several US references who emailed glowing reviews and this made all the difference to us. I can say without reservation that this is a company to be trusted. William stayed in touch with us throughout the trip to make sure that we were happy with all the arrangements. We chose a combination of lodges and tented camps which provided a good balance for us. Mara Under Canvas in Northern Serengeti in particular was gorgeous and provided an experience in the wilderness we will never forget.
The importance of a good guide cannot be over emphasized. Our guide Freddie was wonderful. I cannot say enough about his professionalism, friendliness, and knowledge of animal behavior and Tanzanian customs. His english was excellent, he kept his Land Cruiser spotless, and we felt very safe in his hands. He went out of his way to locate animals for us and impressed us over and over again with his skill at spotting animals. We saw all the Big 5 and so much more! At the end of our trip, he was not only our guide but also our friend.
Zanzibar was fascinating. The Z Hotel was very comfortable located right on the beach with a warm and friendly staff. The detour to Zanzibar is well worth it and I highly recommend visits to Stone Town, the spice plantations, the Jozani Forest and the remarkable Rock restaurant.
Our trip to Tanzania exceeded all our expectations. It truly was an experience of a lifetime. I recommend Bramwel without hesitation and will most definitely use William's and Freddie's services again. I cannot wait to return to Tanzania!