IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great! Totally recommended!
Nadzua is great! she is super helpful and always available; I booked 4 days safari, but I was sick and I had to reschedule the departure. She helped me out and gave me information I needed.
During the Safari she also wrote me to be sure I was having a good time.
We were supposed to stay in tent, but we were able to have a lodge. That was very good because unfortunately in the evening it was a little cold and with real walls it was more confortable.
The lodge had private bathroom with hot shower. The food was ok (exceeded my expectations) and we had bottled water.
Thanks to Patrick (our driver) we got perfect pictures of the animals. He's expert and I always felt safe with him driving.
Moreover, I find the prices from buyMore Adventures better than other that are proposing the same services. I reserved my safari from Europe and I paid on the departure day (i could choose to pay in $ or KES), when they pick me up to go to Masai Mara.
Totally recommended!
CH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Short but intensive 5-day trip to the primates of Uganda
We have done a 5-days tour starting in Entebbe and ending in Musanze/Rwanda.
We had a wonderful holiday and we enjoyed the tour a lot. We especially liked the following aspects of the tour:
- Accomodation: the accomocations were all fine but we especially enjoyed staying at Isunga Lodge which we consider the most beautiful accomocation we stayed at during our whole holiday.
- Our tour included all important components we agreed on and we're very happy that everything worked out so well and that there were no misunderstandings.
- The driver was a very affable and friendly tour guide and we enjoyed travelling with him a lot. He was happy to respond to our special wishes (stops for photos etc.) and we felt very safe driving with him.
- We especially appreciated driving in a big van so we had enough room for the luggage.
- We enjoyed the village walk at Bigodi swamp very much as the guide told us a lot about daily life and about the swamp and the animals and plants living there.
We have a few ideas to improve the tour even more:
- Since we enjoyed the village walk at Bigodi swamp so much, we were a bit disappointed that we didn't have enough time to do the village and the swamp walk completely as we expected. After visiting the chimpanzees we had a very long break in the afternoon at the hotel which resulted in not having enough time for the swamp and the village walk. We suggest to count enough time for both walks and to shorten the break after visiting the chimpanzees.
- Drinking water: We got drinking water in 0.5 liter bottles. We suggest to buy bigger bottles since they produce a lot of garbage.
- On the fourth day of the tour there wasn't any drinking water left and the driver didn't buy any new one for us, although we asked him to. We seriously suggest to buy enough drinking water for every day since we counted on it.
- When we went to see the gorillas the driver din't ask us about our preferences (walk a short or a long way to see the gorillas). After finishing the hike he told us why he had chosen the particular group of gorillas for us. The hike was beautiful but we would have liked to be included in the decision which group we were going to visit. We both would have liked to do a longer hike and we were a bit disappointed that it was over so quickly (25 minutes one way). We're very used to hiking and it would have been good if the driver had asked us for our opinion before making the booking.
- The accomodation at Ruhija (Gorilla Mist Camp) was not as nice as we expected it to be. The room was quite nice just as the view, but there were a few things that didn't work properly. The shower turned out to be a small trickle and the water was not hot. The wifi didn't work at all. Also the light wasn't working at the first night.
- We also enjoyed the village walk at Ruhija. We would have appreciated if we would have had an idea of how much we'd have to tip. Since the walk had already been payed for we weren't sure if we still had to tip but the expectation was obviously there. We generally think that expected tipping in this context can create wrong incentives and dependencies for the participating people from the village. Instead, we are interested in an authentic meeting and exchange at eye level.
Even though, we have a few a series of suggestions to improve the tour, we were more than happy to have done this tour with you and we remember these days in Uganda as an amazing experience.
The communication with the tour company before the tour was very professional and insightful. All our questions and needs were responded to very quickly.
CH
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing Tour with Soul of Tanzania
Our customized 8-days safari trip was well organized and perfectly accomplished by our guide and driver Pius.
The itinerary was well-balanced so that we encountered a great number of wildlife. We had to face adverse weather conditions with flooding but Pius managed us through any difficulties with great skills and coolness. He never lost his patience and was very firm on matters when the situation required it. His knowledge about flora and fauna is impressive, and he proved to be an excellent lion, leopard and cheetah whisperer. We were very happy with Pius and can unconditionally recommend him and Soul of Tanzania to any interested party.
There were so many highlights that it is difficult to list them. The whole package was inherently consistent with every day providing some new experiences. One of the big highlights was definitely our balloon ride over the Serengeti. This is a unique experience.
Over all it was definitely a memorable journey in Africa’s Nature and our experience with the very friendly people we met all over the country. Good hotels and good food, sometimes great food (Ndutu Lodge) completed our adventure.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
This company stole $2,900 USD of my money! DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!!!!
I am one of many people who trusted ISIA last year. I wired $2,900 USD to the company a year in advance. Four months before I was to leave, I received an email that my safari was being cancelled because the company was going bankrupt. The money was never returned. A group of us set up a page on Facebook. Some of the clients lost much more than I did to these dishonest operators. You can search for our stories on Facebook under 'It Started In Africa Client Group.'
Please contact me if you have any questions about what happened to me and others. I am happy to share my story with you. Please do not book with this company.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceptional Tours and Service!
It was absolutely amazing from when I first step foot in Uganda until the very end. Justus and Moses took great care of me, from answering any and all questions through email prior to me getting there, to the beautiful and picturesque drive from Entebbe to Bwindi and everything in between. This is hands down my favorite trip and tour to see those magnificent gorillas in their own habitat in the incomparable Uganda. Everyone was so kind, knowledgeable and accommodating I couldn’t ask for anything more. It is a trip of a lifetime and if your on the fence about it just go.
PK
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Ticket booking
The booking was fast.... The representative was responsive... I trusted him wth my money jus by talking to him...wl do business with them again
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing five days safari and four days in Zanzibar holiday
An excellent and memorable experience - we did five days of Safari with Jeff, who was an amazing guide - very knowledgeable and friendly. We went to Manyara park, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire park. We saw lots of animals, many up close - thanks to Jeff's excellent knowledge and ability to spot things from far away!
We contacted Dusty Roads in October to make a booking and they were very responsive and accommodating of our plans to give us a bespoke holiday plan. The itinerary they prepared was very well thought through and organised, and each of the lodges we stayed at were very good, as was the Zanzibar accommodation. The booking and payment process was very straightforward. The overall trip combining safari and Zanzibar was also much better value for money than other safari tour operators we contacted.
We would confidently recommend Dusty Roads to our friends and hopefully will also come back some day again!
JP
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Kenya with great guide!
It was really amazing trip!
Our guide, Danson, arranged a great trip for us. This trip has made me happy.
I become fond of Kenya.
Especially the experience of riding a balloon was so exciting for me. I could see very beautiful landscape from sky.
My husband promised me forever love on the balloon.
I will never forget that.
Danson is always very kind for us.
Since he speaks Japanese, I felt safety and enjoyed.
He made and presented us misanga, which is a lucky bracelet knitted by strings. I was very happy about his feelings.
He sometimes taught me Swahili. Thus, I get interested in Swahili.
I strongly recommend Savannah Sound Safaris, when you go Kenya. I want to go Kenya again.
Thank you for the great trip, Savannah Sound Safaris. Thank you for everything, Danson.
JP
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
My first trip to Kenya.
It was first trip to Kenya, and the best travel ever.
I love to take photos.
I wanted to take photos of wild life.
I made my dream come true through this trip!
I was able to take a lot of great photos.
Our friendly guide, Danson, made our trip amazing.
He knows safari very well and find great spots where we can take amazing photos.
I had been surprised that Danson took me great spots where I can see cute lion babies, cool lions, beautiful cheetah, breathtaking landscape and so on.
I had never imagined that there is such a beautiful place in the world.
Danson arranged our trip to really wonderful.
He must be a master of animals of Kenya.
In addition, he kindly and politely guided us in Japanese.
So, there is nothing to worry about anything.
I would like to go Kenya again soon.
Thank you for everything, Danson and Savannah Sound Safaris.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unforgettable experience !!
Ilse organized our personalized trip to Uganda, DR Congo and Rwanda and that was not the easiest thing to do!
This trip exceeded my expectations and I have already recommended this company to my friends.
Every day of our trip was wonderful!
We manage to see Big Five in one day ( I recommended to visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary).
Murchison Falls National Park is beautiful with abundance of wildlife and birds ( strongly advice to to go on river cruise and hike waterfalls).
We did gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park, experience that I will remember for a very long time!
If I have to say what made biggest impression and impact on me, that was part of our tour in DR Congo.
This is so beautiful but yet so deeply wounded country.
Virunga National Park is magical place , not only because of wildlife, but mainly because of dedication and hard work of rangers and park management in order to preserve park and support local communities.
Part of our group hike Mount Nyiragongo ( for very fit only ) and that was very unique experience.
Our tour guide Richard was very knowledgeable , friendly and very professional , thanks to him our trip was safe and funny and very interesting!
Overall we had trip of our life and thank you again Ilse, Richard and Matoke Tours!
PS
I will be back one day!