CH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Mercury Zanzibar was a reliable tour operator, even thow there were some changes in the program.
We were picked up on time as prearranged in Dar es Salam. We felt always secure due to our very experienced driver, who was a knowledgeable safari guide. His english was quite basic, but over all sufficient. Accommodations were simple, but clean and for the price absolutely o.k. Unfortunately there was a lot of rain in January, what didn't allow us to drive the intended route due to a flooded road. We had to face a very long drive back to Dar es Salam and the next day to Mikumi. But everything was organized and we were housed in a good hotel. The really ennoying thing was, that for the last day our guide did not know that we were supposed to go to Udzungwa. So I recommend to check the program the first day of the trip with the guide. After some discussions and bargaining we found a good deal with Ndamungu from Mercury Zanzibar Travel for a compensation. All over it was a good experience with great game drives and due to the long drives we we saw a lot of the country.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A fantastic experience with a local friendly company who really delivered beyond our expectations
The wildlife was fantastic and we saw the big five as well as many other animals alongside an exceptional range of birdlife and beautiful natural settings. The weather was perfect for us too.
The accommodation at Kudu Lodge, Rhino Lodge and Osopuko Tented Camp was delightful. Each of these places was very different in character but we really enjoyed our stay in each of them. Not only was the accommodation lovely, but the staff were, without exception, helpful and friendly. The food throughout was of a really good quality and all packed lunches substantial and much appreciated.
The first night at the hotel in Arusha was disappointing in that it was rather tired and basic and the bedroom and shower were, to be honest, not a great start to the trip. Having said that, the food there was good.
The hotel at Lake Eyasi was also fine, but if I am being picky, I would say that we had probably the longest time there to relax of any of the places we stayed, yet there was the least to do. The wifi was very poor and the pool, which we did use later on the afternoon for a quick swim, had no shade available and it was too hot to use the poolside loungers without umbrella protection. This as a shame as we would have been delighted to spend the afternoon by the pool. Also there were mosquitos in abundance so we didn't hang around the dining area in the evening. However, the staff were good and the food was fine.
The visits to the two different local communities and the lakeside visit were enjoyable and made particularly so by the great local guide Thomas.
The final day visit to Manyara NP was perhaps an anti climax as it was the least spectacular of the parks we visited and it felt rather in hindsight that if we had visited there before the other places we would have enjoyed what it had to offer more.
If we were to visit again, which I do hope we will at some point in the future, we would revisit Serengeti, Ngorogoro and Tarangire but probably not Manyara nor Lake Eyasi.
The vehicle was fine and what we expected and stood up to the terrain well.
Our driver and guide Anderson was very friendly and we were well looked after by him. The vehicle was always ready, clean and tidy with water and packed lunches all stowed away for prompt starts to each of the day's adventures.
He was able to drive us confidently between and inside the parks and gave us an overview of where we were and what we may see. He was good at spotting animals and helped us 'get our eye in' in the first few days. It was also nice having his company at mealtimes and I think we all felt comfortable with each other and there was plenty of laughing during the trip.
I think that Anderson does lack some in depth knowledge of animal characteristics and behaviour and I personally would have welcomed more 'commentary' about the way the animals live their lives etc while we were driving around - perhaps that will come with more experience. Having said that, we really did like Anderson and he did contribute to what was for both of us an unforgettable experience.
The liaison with Amos at the company office via email from the start, was the principal reason we picked the company. He got back promptly and helpfully to all my questions and inspired great confidence - a confidence which was definitely well placed.
As you know, there is a huge range of options out there on the web for the potential visitor, and having the overall umbrella of the Safari Bookings.com portal made me confident to explore companies within it. The company's offer and their responsiveness then stood out for me which made choosing to book with them an easy choice. Their price was reasonable and, I believe, pitched right for what they delivered and indeed the quality of the food and accommodation in most respects exceeded our expectations.
I definitely recommend this company.
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing once-in-a-lifetime experience made even better by an extremely knowledgeable guide!
This safari with Lion King Safaris was so much better than my wife and I could have imagined. The level of knowledge of our guide, Good Luck, made our safari an unforgettable experience. His attention to detail and explanation of the interactions between the wildlife, indigenous peoples and their dependencies on the changing climate made for a complete understanding and appreciation of these beautiful wildlife preserves. We could not be more pleased with our safari with Lion King!
CH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very well organized tour with a very experienced guide
We enjoyed the tour with Savannah Explorers very much. The tour was very good organized and the camps were well chosen (clean, good food and helpful staff). Our tour guide has a lot of experience, was able to tell us many interesting stories about the park and he knows many good places to spot animals. He was very patient and he got excited about the animals himself so we got the chance to observe some animals for a longer time which gave us the opportunity to see some behaviors we would not have seen otherwise.
RU
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A magnificent safari in the Ngorongoro crater
Many thanks to Robert for organizing our African adventure. The children were delighted with the trip.
Special thanks to our guide to driver Davis. Two days of accompanying us and solving all the problems. One of them, for example, was a bridge washed away at night to Arusha airport. We were able to fully appreciate the skill of Davis and the willingness of his jeep to solve our problem :) - the crossing of the river. Thanks guys!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well organized and fantastic.
Every thing about our four-day safari met and exceeded expectations. Our guide (Goodluck) met us the night before to ask what we hoped to expect on our trip. He was very punctual, informative, and accommodating on every aspect of the trip. Anna got back to us right away with any questions we had. The food prepared to us by our cook was delicious. I highly recommend booking a safari with Lion King and using our guide Goodluck.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Best family holiday ever!
Loved the whole experience, from start to finish. We travelled with our 10 year old twin boys, as well as my parents who are in their mid seventies and we all had such a great time. We didn't feel like tourists, but like travellers. The experiences we had were very authentic and the accommodations that we stayed in were small and very personal. We loved being so connected to nature and experiencing it in so many different ways from game drives to horse back riding to boat rides etc. We also really enjoyed the cultural element of visiting a Zulu village and connecting with the local guides. Tailor Made Safari's looked after us so well before, during and after our holidays. They had the best advice and were always very responsive. I would recommend them to anyone who wants to have a real and beautiful experience of South Africa.
CA
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderful Experience, wonderful guide, wonderful staff, wonderful accommodation.
Everything we expected and more, especially our guide Leo who was extremely knowledgeable and accommodating. Weather was a bit wet, but it was the rainy season, and our guide was prepared. Food was great as was the camp staff.
EG
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
CA
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The Kenya Cheetah Safari - Guide Victor was excellent in knowledge and concern for our comfort.
We (father/son) searched about six safari companies and came away with The Safari Partners (Chris in Vancouver) as the most impressive for safaris offered, pricing and presentation of information. Chris was very prompt in his replies to our numerous queries and answered all concerns in a manner that felt very personable. Prior to leaving on our trip we received a good information prep kit as to packing, expectations, etc. along with some items we used on safari.
The safari was my 4th and my son's first and it was truly perfect. Our driver was Victor of African Horizons who, it felt like, became a good friend soon after our pickup. He was quite friendly, knowledgeable and told us many interesting things about Kenya. The safari itself was well laid out as to experiencing the wildlife of Africa from basic to great excitement. The first park had the most common animals one would expect to see, such as the various herds, to the next two parks, where we saw rhinos and hippos up close and eventually to the Masai Mara as the final game reserve and seeing the Big Five we had yet to see.....lion and leopard. It was like a build up through the trip, so the planning for this safari was certainly well done. My son wasn't happy about tents since we had just climbed Kilimanjaro, but the "tents" on this safari were luxury.
Our family loves safaris and we will certainly look to The Safari Partners again.
