CA
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Experience of a lifetime
Outstanding. Africa is an experience of a lifetime, but a good tour company can make a big difference. Otieno at Kenya Walking Survivors was extremely helpful. I particularly appreciated his promptness in replying to our many messages.
TW
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It’s a safe and unforgettable adventure!
I was their client of the safari trip last February. I had a wonderful trip. They are experienced and handle the trip very well. We are safe and have an unforgettable experience through their guide.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceeds Expectations, Highly recommended!
We weren't sure what was the best month to visit, and planned a trip to Kenya only 1 month in advance, to travel in February. We were extremely lucky to find availability with Seven By Far tours- who took care of our every need. Sylvester was kind enough to receive us personally at the airport, even though we got very late because of baggage issues. They put us up in a very comfortable hotel in Nairobi before starting the safari the next day- which really helped us recover from the fatigue and jetlag. Our safari guide Nicholas was very knowledgeable, friendly and kind, and made sure we were comfortable during the long drives to the parks. We were told that a lot of animals have been spotted right next to the driving trails within the parks, and we were surprised to get such good sightings of the big cats- some even on trees. Nicholas took us to the best wildlife viewing spots and spent a really good amount of time which let us watch the animals and get amazing pictures and videos- we were thoroughly satisfied with great sightings in all 3 parks- Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Amboseli. All the lodges and camps where we stayed at were excellent, comfortable, and we were very pleased by the great food (we are vegetarians) and the staff was very friendly and hospitable. Our last day in Nairobi was also wonderful, which included a trip to the Giraffe center and Karen Blixen museum. Thank you Seven by Far for making this a trip of our lifetime! We will be talking about this trip for many years to come, and we hope to visit again soon with friends and family!
CH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
First class all round
We have just returned from an absolutely wonderful 15 night holiday spanning two different Safari locations and the island of Zanzibar. From first contact to a welcome home message, Rose provides a friendly and first class service. Her recommendation of Sirikoi Lodge in Lewa and Cottars 1920 Camp in the Masai Mara was faultless, the two centres complimented each other perfectly and enabled up to see a wide range of northern and southern animals. We travelled with our two daughters, age 7 & 11, and they had the most amazing experiences, including having their own 'tent' and guard at Sirikoi and feeding the pet giraffe there. Everything was taken care of from the moment we landed in Nairobi and were met coming off the plane with a private car to the arrivals hall! After a week of safaris the beach at Tulia, Zanzibar was the perfect end to our trip. It is true that Africa gets under your skin and we are already dreaming of going back. If you are looking for hassle-free, friendly, knowledgeable and first-class help to book your holiday to Africa then you will not be disappointed in the Luxury Safari Company.
SE
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent service and a really flexible organization and a really skilled driver and guide.
Really good experience in our contacts with the company before our 5-daystrip to Bwindi and easy to get in touch with the company when needed. Our expectations were high about our trip and everything was even better. The gorilla safari, the safari in Queen Elisabeth National Park gave us so much more knowledge about what Uganda could offer and the lodges were fantastic stays, in Bwindi Gorilla Misty Camp and in the QE National Park Enganzi Game Lodge.
On top of everything we had a driver and a guide, Charles, that made the trip moore than just a safari, he really cared about us all the time and gave us much more than just being a driver. A really good representant for the company and for the tourism in Uganda.
To summarise, a fantastic trip with a professional driver and a trusthful company.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The Best Safari!
We had the BEST time on our Safari! From the start, Amelia was so wonderful! She was patient as I changed the dates of travel several times. She customized our trip so we could do everything we wanted. We added on the lion and elephant encounters, which were amazing. We did an 8 day tour of South Africa/Swaziland including Panorama Route, 2 nights in Kruger Park, and 2 nights in Swaziland. We couldn’t have had a better time! Jaco, our guide, was incredible! He made our first Safari the best possible experience. He is so knowledgeable about the country, animals, plants, etc. He is so passionate about conservation, that you can’t help to become excited about it as well. He made sure we could see everything possible, yet still have time to rest and relax. We saw all of the Big 5 except leopards, but we saw leopards up close in one of the sanctuaries. I would definitely recommend adding the lion sanctuary because you can walk with lions and play with baby lions. The elephant sanctuary was amazing as well, and we even rode on/fed an elephant. South Africa was the most beautiful country! From the mountains, to the waterfalls, canyons, grasslands, it is all gorgeous! Jaco was also an amazing cook, and he became a friend as we talked and laughed over dinner each night. The hotels/bungalows we stayed in were incredible! We felt safe the whole time we were there! I felt we got amazing value for the money we spent. Our experience couldn’t have been better, and we definitely recommend Red Africa Safaris to all of our friends! We hope to make it back for another Safari with them!
IN
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
excellent and value for money, he is Best
We have started 1st day from Nairobi with a driver cum Guide James, he has picked up from our hotel at right time and took us to Masai Mara Safari for game ride, he was most aware about all routes in a so big field and showed us all most all animals available in Masai Mara and arranged a trip to Mara village, his aim was our satisfaction, and we found he has achieved their aim, we have enjoyed a good vegetarian food and shafe of camp is specifically taking care of us as being vegetarian, we have ultimate experience with karibu safari and I will surly recommend my upcoming friends to use their services fear lessly, Robert has booked my tour with proper communication and response of my mail and queries.. Thanks to team Karibu safari for their excellent coordination and cooperation.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Stellar Safari with Personal Touch
Sweet Africa managed by Johnson Mboche came through for me when another safari had fallen through. Mary at Ngong Hills Hotel in Nairobi connected us. Johnson arrived punctually at our appointment time and though there were no other bookings for the day I wanted to go he accomodated me. Herron my driver was also on time and we went to the Masai Mara. The safari was Amazing and Magical. Herron made sure I saw all animals there were to see. He is also respectful of the animals and knew when they were stressed. For this Alaskan, who has for years watched tourists be disrespectful towards our animals that was important. Herron seemed to have a gift of being tuned into not only the animals but me as well. Johnson checked in daily to how my experience was and if I had any concerns. Back in Nairobi at the end of the trip, Johnson met with me personally. When I return to Africa I will definitely book with Sweet Africa for my safari. Note: I was traveling solo and am female. I was treated with respect and never once felt unsafe.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
14 Day Luxury Tour of Rwanda and Uganda - Gorillas, Chimps, and Birds
We just returned from the "14 Day Luxury Tour of Rwanda and Uganda -
Gorillas, Chimps, and Birds", offered by Gatatu Safaris, and I want to give
an honest review of our experience with this local Ugandan company. We are
seasoned travelers in our 70's and have traveled extensively with wildlife
companies all over the world. We decided to take a chance booking with
Gatatu Safaris instead of an American company because we really liked the
itinerary they offered since one of us is a wildlife photographer and the
other is an avid bird watcher. Not only was it a good fit for our interests,
it was less expensive for what it offered compared to the American companies
we considered. We were overall pleased with our experience although there
were a few short comings. For example, at the beginning of the tour, our driver did not
have the promised itinerary of daily activities and they were not occurring.
Calls back to the office resolved this situation to a degree.
Since it was advertised as a bird tour, we expected to have professional
bird guides at each of the parks where birding was mentioned as an activity.
This had not been arranged ahead of time, but was handled by our guide "on
the fly", and we were never sure if we would have a bird guide or not, nor
how knowledgeable he would be. Another surprise was the game drives
themselves. The itinerary on the website listed multiple game drives at the
national parks, and this was one of the main reasons we elected to go with
Gatatu Safaris. On our travels, we have always taken game drives in safari
vehicles with pop up tops allowing the occupants to stand up and see clearly
in all directions, but this was not the case with Gatatu. The game drives
were conducted with our driver, Stephen, in the same vehicle used for
transportation between parks, a 1999 vehicle with cramped seating that was
not air-conditioned nor was the fresh air vent working, so we endured many
long, hot drives on Uganda's very bumpy and dusty roads with the windows
open. Stephen was neither a naturalist nor a birder, but he did arrange to
hire bird guides in some of the parks after we got there, and he did arrange
to rent a pop up vehicle for one of the game drives.
One thing that Gatatu Safaris handled very well was changing our
accommodations for the gorilla trekking to a location where they felt like
we would be able to do the trek more easily since we are both in our 70's.
This took a number of phone calls and a talk with the park director, so we
were grateful that they arranged this for us. One thing that could have been
better were the briefings before each day and each activity - what to wear,
how long it would take, do we need water and a hiking stick, etc.
This was advertised as a luxury safari tour, and all of the accommodations
were excellent, the best available in each of the places where we stayed,
so we were pleased with that aspect of our trip.
My recommendation to prospective travelers considering going with Gatatu
Safaris is to agree on a detailed itinerary ahead of time with the company, print
it out, and bring it with you, and be aware that it is a small local Ugandan
company and may lack the polish you expect with a high-end American or
European safari company.
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Just excellent! Amazing 16 days Safari Tour at it’s best
Just excellent! Not to miss if you are planning a safari trip to Tanzania
If you are planning a safari trip to Tanzania, you may find difficult to select a tour company. It took us a lot of effort to select one for our 16 days 20th anniversary trip last January. So glad that we came across Soul of Tanzania!
Everything was planned to the detail, to the best standards.They let you participate in the planning process, with a selection of routes, national parks and lodging. Once there, everything runs very smoothly, starting with a perfect conditioned vehicle and your guide picking you up at the airport, to a extensively informative meeting with Iris Duba, the Operations Manager in Arusha. Cant thank enough her to her assistance all along the 16 days trip. she is available for any questions or issues that may arise.
Our guide, Herman, is just fantastic. An amazing person, very friendly and nice to be with, with an incredible knowledge of wildlife of all sorts. We recommend him to anyone for such an adventure!
Please feel free to contact me here if anybody has questions about this review.
Viviana & Martin, Munich, Germany