50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing recommendations and customer service for first trip to Africa
We found Compass Odyssey during the pandemic when, like many people, we were dreaming of trips we wanted to take, but couldn’t. We exchanged emails with Darren many times and knew, when the time was right, that we had found the company we wanted to book through for our first safari. His knowledge of the areas we were interested in, experience with booking these trips, and easy going personality were a good fit for us.
2023 rolled around and the timing was right. We originally had hoped the entire family would go, but for a few reasons it turned into a father/son trip. Darren quickly was able to adjust from the prospects of a family of five to just the two of us. My son and I were looking for an adventurous safari, not caring about staying at high end resorts. Darren understood this and, for each of the three locations we were looking at, sent multiple choices of lodging for us to choose from, along with descriptions of each and his recommendations. All along the way, Darren was there to answer any questions we had, and promptly too, despite the 6 hour time change. I knew when I sent questions to him that there would be answers waiting for me when I woke the next day.
The quality, and amount, of pre-safari information supplied by Compass Odyssey was just amazing! Almost every question I would have had was answered in these documents - Covid requirements, mosquito and disease concerns, how much to tip, what type of money to carry, luggage limits on bush flights, what documents would I need because I was traveling alone with my 16 yr old son - everything was answered. Compass Odyssey even supplied a step-by-step set of instructions on navigating through the Johannesburg airport from arrival, to immigration, to luggage claim, to checking for our connecting flight. It was so detailed that I knew what to expect every step of the way (something that turned out to be very valuable).
When we were looking at booking our airfare from the US to Johannesburg, where our trip would really start, Darren’s experience really shined through, strongly recommending two nights in Livingston, Zimbabwe, to start us off - just in case of flight delays and to give us time to adjust to the time change. It turned out to be a great piece of advice as our flight to Johannesburg was delayed enough to cause us to miss out connection in Johannesburg. If we had not booked two nights we would not have seen Victoria Falls (on my son’s must-see list!). As our flight from London to Johannesburg was taxiing for takeoff I was texting Darren saying I was concerned we would miss the connection, but our pilot said we may make up time in the air. I switched my phone into airplane mode not knowing what to expect when I landed in 11 hours. When we did land, I had a text waiting from Darren telling us we would miss our connection (he had talked to the airline), so he had changed our flights to the next day and already arranged a hotel for the night. This was a life-saver - we are experienced travelers, but this was our first time to Africa, and Compass Odyssey looked after us well.
The trip was amazing, more than I could have hoped for. The lodging was perfect for us. We stayed at Pioneers Lodge in Livingston, Chobe River Lodge in Kansane, Botswana (amazing lodge, staff and location), and Nokanyana Lodge in the Okavango Delta (the staff, the food, the guides were great and the hyenas laughing in the camp and elephants rubbing up against the tent as they walked by at night are things I will never forget). The transportation that Compass Odyssey arranged was smooth, giving us peace of mind and helping us get across borders where necessary - thank you Mortimer! Their recommendations were perfect, making this a trip exactly what we were looking for and wanting us to go back for more. (When we do, we will definitely book through Compass Odyssey again!)
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Tarangire National Park by Chiara
Very beautiful and rich of different kinds of animals, I really liked it
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Serengeti National Park by Aadhila Kayaam
Amazing - amazing !
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Enjoying Nature in Uganda
My guide Herman was excellent. He took good care of me throughout the one-week safari that I signed up for. He amazed me with his knowledge of birds even though I wasn't on a birding trip. He was an excellent and safe driver as well.
I was able to see many types of large and small animals throughout the week, including elephants, various types of monkeys, lions, and all types of antelopes. For me personally, the highlight was seeing the chimpanzees and the gorillas up close. It truly is an awe-inspiring experience that is difficult to put into words.
One last thing - the lodges were amazing and much better than I expected. They were truly top-notch, with picturesque views.
Overall, Tubale Safari company gave me an unforgettable experience that will last a lifetime.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing destination
We loved Tanzania - the safari was incredible , parks were clean and looked after . The camp sites we stayed at and accommodation were to a good level
AT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very friendly people and beautiful/different landscape with fantastic variety of wild animals
We stayed 2 days in Nairobi (National Museum, ...) and did a 8 days game drive to 5 National Parks, excellent organized by Leopard Orchid Safaris with Patrick, a very good driver and with excellent knowledge of Parks and animals. We experienced very friendly people all over the country, a beautiful but also very different landscape and a fantastic variety of wild animals. Including some extraordinary adventures like stuck in a waterhole or "fighting" with an adult male baboon for bread ;-) - we got definitely more than expected. Our stay in different lodges was also to our absolutely satisfaction, including delicious meals. We would recommend to stay overnight at Amboseli and Lake Nakuru also inside the Park to have more time for the game drive. In total, an outstanding experience and fantastic holidays.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
One of the best travel experiences of my life, thank you to Big cat safaris!
I highly recommend Big Cat Safaris for your tour in Africa.
They took care of us right from the start, and we were well looked after throughout our whole trip.
Our guide was also brilliant and very knowledgeable
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Not a better tour operator in Uganda! Dedin is loving, responsible, and tons of fun!
My wife and I spent our honeymoon on an 8-day safari with Mambo Gorilla Safaris. The experience did not disappoint in any way.
I have been to 50-something countries and all 7 continents, and never has my choice in tour operator had such a profound impact on my trip. Dedin and Mambo Safaris are the reason that our trip was so perfect.
My wife and I both fell in love with all of Uganda – the wildlife, the landscapes, the natural beauty, and especially the people. Of all these things, our experience with Dedin, his family, and his Mambo team is the thing we remember most.
Let me say this – Uganda is a beautiful and safe country. That said, who you choose to travel with is important. There are things that can come up and the best decision you can make is to travel with someone who is well-connected, responsible, and accountable. The first lodge that we stayed in had made some changes and we did not enjoy the experience. We mentioned this to Dedin and he immediately made some calls and had us in a new – much improved – lodge. He knows everyone in the national parks, in the lodges, and seemingly everywhere in the country. This allows for a more relaxed and interesting experience knowing that you’re in the hands of who I believe must be the best-connected man in Uganda.
Dedin also has a giving heart. Proceeds from Mambo Safaris go toward supporting his orphanage and school, Loving Hearts Uganda. We got to meet the kids in Dedin’s hometown which, by the way, is an absolutely gorgeous village overlooking the most beautiful lake I’ve ever seen.
While in Queen Elizabeth, we got word that two local children had drowned while swimming. Their families were very poor and without search resources, and it was a very sad situation. Dedin went out of his way to go to the village and ask the family and villagers what he could do to help. He ended up giving the family some money and bringing them large bags of food to feed the search parties while they were looking for the children. Needless to say, Dedin is a good man.
Let’s talk about our trip. We started in Entebbe and Dedin picked us up at our hotel near the airport. We had a delicious lunch on our drive, and stopped to see Rhinos on our way to Murchison falls on the Nile. Murchison falls is beautiful, and I definitely recommend the river cruise to see the falls. We did a number of game drives in this area, and saw plenty of awesome African animals. We stayed at a lodge on the Nile, which was a wonderful experience. At sunset you could see crocodiles swimming across the river and hear and see hippos grazing at night.
From there, we went to Queen Elizabeth National Park. We stayed at a lodge called Kazinga, which was an absolute blast. The lodge is in the park, and we saw all sorts of wildlife right from our room. We had a great experience watching some Lions in the park, and saw plenty of elephants as well. We took a river cruise in this area as well, which was fantastic.
We had a great time on our Chimpanzee trek. The chimps were high in a fig tree for the first 30 minutes or so, and then they descended from the trees right in front of us. It was an incredible experience watching these animals move from to the trees and come down right in front of us.
From Queen Elizabeth, we drove to Lake Bunyonyi, where Dedin’s hotel is. It’s worth noting that there is a lot of driving from place to place in Uganda. Don’t worry though, as the whole country boasts such awesome and varied scenery that you never get bored looking out the window whole driving.
We stayed one night in a lodge called Chameleon Hill on Lake Mutanda. If you are able, this is a must-do. Lake Mutanda is gorgeous, and the drive there along the Virunga range is one of the most beautiful drives I’ve ever taken.
From there, we stayed at Dedin’s resort on Bunyonyi. We got to meet and spend time with Dedin’s family, who are absolutely lovely. While staying at Bunyonyi, we did the grand finale – a Gorrilla trek in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. It was everything you think it would be. The trek in was beautiful. We stopped and picked some fruit from a tree for a snack along the way. The guides also provided some snacks along the way. We spent an hour with the gorillas. They’re beautiful, mysterious, and intelligent. Spending time in nature quietly watching these animals in their mountain habitat was an absolutely unforgettable experience.
We had a lot of highlights, but I will not have time to mention all of the small moments that we enjoyed so much. Stopping along the road for fresh jackfruit or pineapple. Trying Ugandan coffee. Learning about the country and its people from Dedin along the way. Trying Uganda’s many delicious foods (we actually never had a bad meal. Everything was absolutely delicious. Don’t forget to make a stop at a Pork Joint!). Visiting the equator. Stopping to walk with some Zebras along the road. The list goes on and on.
Uganda really us the pearl of Africa. It is an incredibly bountiful country, lush green and covered with beautiful plants and crops. The people are beautiful, and we never had anything but a positive interaction. The animals, obviously, are worth the trip by themselves.
I struggle to find anything negative to say about Uganda. The best thing, however, was meeting Dedin and his family. We stay in touch to this day, and my wife and I are already planning a trip back. We met a lot of other tour operators along the way, and never once did I wish that we were with someone else. Dedin made our honeymoon unforgettable in every way. He is now my friend and my brother, and I am eternally grateful that he shared his beautiful country and home with us for our honeymoon.
CH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Good travel safaris
Beautiful Safaris Uganda is the best good campany to travel with in Uganda, Good guide Derrick who took us queen Elizabeth np for 2 nights game drive and we saw the lions, elephants , big boat at Kazinga channel for other missing animals .
Beautiful quiet and green canary ,different species of animals and birds, and enjoyed the boat ride on Kazinga channel got us closer to the Hippos, Elephants .
We will again travel with Beautiful safaris ug
