AE
Bespoke luxury
Rose has an uncanny ability to understand exactly what we wanted . We have just returned from the best family holiday ever on the Garden Route starting with Capetown and ending on safari in Kariega Private Reserve. We had South African political history, great oceans and nature reserves, nature walks, horseriding, vineyards, wildlife interaction activities and safari and excellent food and wine - something for everyone in the family.
Rose really shows the difference a travel agent makes who really knows the location and the accommodation offerings. The hotels and lodges in which we stayed were each special and unique and were a highlight in themselves.
CH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Safari, Nile cruise and chimp and gorilla tracking
It was truly amazing! Thank you Justus for organizing this tour for us. Our guide Ben was great, he knows a lot about wildlife and people. I hope we will be back in your country soon, would like to climb the Rwenzori mountains.
Uganda should definitely be on the top list for safaris! Few people know that there are such amazing wildlife sightings in your country. We saw so many elephants, lions, giraffes...the cruises on the Nile river were amazing. And of course the highlight were the chimps and gorillas. We "visited" a family of 14 individuals, including the silverback and many babies. They were so cute when they were playing in the river. The trackers did an excellent job and were very friendly and ready to help when there was no trail at all or very steep parts.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our safari experiences were many and varied seeing fabulous wildlife with experienced guides thanks!
Ute was terrific. She accommodated our family's particular needs and our desire to make our own choices right from the start of our planning. When our flight was delayed, she was at the end of an email to help sort things out immediately. It felt like Ute was there traveling with us. She had a knack for understanding what was important and connecting personally even though all our interactions were via email. Thanks Ute - we had a great 3 weeks in Africa. A very personalized service. Would highly recommend. We are looking forward to our next African adventure and using your services again.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Tanzanian Safari
We took a family safari with Manna - my wife and I plus our teenage son and daughter and my 84 year old father. We were met by Peter at Kilimanjaro Airport with a glass of sparkling wine and from that point on the arrangements were faultless. We travelled to the Ngorongoro Crater for a 2 night stay, then on to the Serengeti (we stayed at Kuba Kuba Lodge which was recommended by Manna and was excellent), then back to Lake Manyara to spend some time in Tarangire Park and finally an overnight stay at Lake Diluti before an early flight out of Kilimanjaro. Manna booked all the accommodation, arranged entry to the parks and there were no issues with any of it - we had some of the best rooms in the camps. We discussed broadly what we wanted beforehand, timings, a budget etc and they came up with the suggestions that suited us.
What makes these trips so special however is the wildlife that you get to see. Manna were totally flexible in what we did each day and where we went. When we were out all day they organised all the refreshments / food(chilled beers in the 4x4!). Most importantly we had the best two guides I have ever had on a safari and I have been on a number (Peter for the first part and Samwel for the second). They were extremely experienced and knowledgeable and seemed to sense what was going to happen before it did. We spotted a lion kill from the way the wildebeest were behaving, a leopard up a tree that nobody else saw and a cheetah hunt. I lost count of the number of times that they said there was something "over there" when we couldn't see anything and then took us over to the spot and sure enough they were right. They didn't rely on the radio and other vehicles but trusted their own instincts. They also enlightened us on other interesting historical facts during our days out, for example the Masai history and migration, the formation of the Rift Valley, farming communities around Lake Victoria etc.
I wasn't quite sure how our party would get on with all the travelling given the age range but we all completely loved it, including my father who was rekindling a love of safari that he started in the 1970s. I have no hesitation in recommending Manna Expedition & Safaris as the tour operator and host. We will definitely be back.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
12 day Gorilla trekking in Uganda, Rwanda, DR Congo, perfectly executed in October 2016!!
My first contact with Africa Adventure Safaris was with Nelson. Over the course of just a few emails, I was confident I was in the right hands. Nelson was always quick to respond and never failed to offer a solution or suggestion to my concern. I actually miss my regular communication with Nelson!
He developed an itinerary that included everything I wanted to do and see. He filled in the time between with the perfect sites to see and opportunities to view wildlife.
Upon arrival, my guide William Luchi met with me, reviewed my itinerary and we were off. William was a most wonderful guide, full of information and many laughs. He was the perfect host to this area!
He was always thinking about my happiness and comfort. I did not lack for a thing while travelling with William, nor did I ever worry about anything.
Plus, it was my birthday while I was away and the staff at the lodge we were at for the night made me a beautiful birthday cake! No question that was William's doing.
I travelled with William through Uganda and Rwanda, trekking for mountain gorillas. No words can describe being in the company of such beings. I am eternally in awe of my time with them.
Next William took me to the DR Congo border, where I was met by another guide for my time and gorilla trek there. My guide was Patrick and also very informative and kind. We had some interesting and highly unusual truck troubles at one point, (gas attendant filled the gas powered truck up with diesel) but Patrick was efficient and I was not concerned at all.
Another thing that I like to do when I travel in a country is to plant a tree. William was diligent about finding a grower and I purchased an orange tree that I planted at Kataara Primary school In Uganda. In Rwanda I purchased two avocado trees with the intention of taking one with me to DR Congo. Of course I forgot it in William's truck at the border, but Patrick was equally as committed to finding a grower to purchase trees. There I got a pine tree and a eucalyptus tree that I planted at Kahuzi Bieha National Park right after my incredible trek with the Lowland Gorilla.
The one avocado tree was planted at the Rwanda Cultural Center under the watchful eye of the medicine man!! The second avocado tree was planted by William at his home.
The accommodations were amazing, each one a perfect place to lay your head after a full day of adventures.
My time in Africa under the guidance of Nelson, William and Patrick could not have been better. As a solo female traveller I would recommend this company and it's staff 100%. You will be in kind, safe and skilled hands the moment you engage with them to plan an adventure that's suited perfectly to you.
I have had many excellent guides in my travels, African Adventure Safaris is one of my very favourites.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Exceptionally detailed with delightful enthusiasm & great magic memories
Belinda certainly lives up to her friendly & enthusiast approach to conservation & informative details regarding all our questions answered. Nothing was too much for her regarding our precious & memorable trip. I highly recommend the outstanding service & company. Thank you africa conservation tours!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Exciting itinerary, exceptional camp selections, seamless logistic
We were planning to travel in November/December. This would be our third trip to Tanzania and longest with 14 camp nights. We wanted to explore new areas. Moreover, our international flight arrived at Nairobi and we did not want to have an extra hotel night commuting to Arusha. All these presented a few challenges. Leah at Planet Africa expertly put together an unique safari circuit that accommodated our many requests. After an overnight hotel stay in Nairobi, we started our safari the very next day in central Serengeti at Namiri, a quiet and exciting area where cat sightings outnumbered car sightings by a wide margin. Then on to the Crater for a short respite. The game drive was tamer there but great hikes were the reason we went there. Afterward we headed to Ruaha, the definite highlight of this trip. This park reminded us our first safari, in Kenya, bush instead of open plain. The terrain made the drive more challenging and proportionally more rewarding. We completed the circuit travelling to southern Serengeti. The best part of this trip was the variations, in terrain, climate, encounter, and activities. This is our third trip by Planet Africa. Leah provided us vastly different itineraries that met our criteria. Questions were quickly answered and alternatives proposed, with great follow up and reminders as the departure date neared. For our next East Africa trip, we will call them again.
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Namib-Naukluft National Park by ronmcbride66
Beautiful vistas ... great geology.
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Damaraland by ronmcbride66
Stunning scenery. The highlights for many would be tracking the Desert Adapted Elephants (or rhino); taking a scenic flight down to the Skeleton Coast ... or visting a Himba village.
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Etosha National Park, with its waterholes, is a wildlife experience, ideal for a self-drive holiday
Etosha is a vast National Park with 4 lodges within the park (Dolomite; Okaukuejo; Halali and Namutoni, travelling west to east) and a handful just outside the gates. The lodges are government-run and are not at the luxury end of accommodation. The largest is Okaukuejo with its iconic illuminated waterhole. In September we found it to be fairly busy: the accommodation, however, was very good with air conditioning. We were close to the camp site and only a short walk to the waterhole. The food is generally fine and the staff were always pleasant and helpful. The only mild criticism would be that the shop is poorly stocked and geared to campers. We could park our 4x4 right outside our chalet door. Most visitors were self-drive but there were a few huge trucks with 12 or so people on the camp site. Those who didn't wish to drive through the Park took advantage of the various guided tours. In terms of service in Etosha in general, one has to be tolerant. The service in the modern-looking restaurant at Halali was hopeless. It is the wildlife, however, that visitors come to see.
There is no point looking for hippos or crocs: there are none. Leopards and cheetahs are more or less impossible to find without a guide but the herds of elephants; zebra; wildebeest and oryx are superb. Solitary male lions and prides are a great sight, let alone rhinos slowly joining giraffes, elephants, jackals and springbok at the waterholes. The oryx, kudu, impala, Hartebeest and hyenas add to the rich tapestry. Driving along the road there are frequent sightings of Pale Chanting Goshawks; bee eaters and eagles (including the Martial Eagle).
A great thing about Etosha is that traffic is light. At the Goas waterhole there two other vehicles where we watched some 200+ zebras and around 80 kudus drinking: an amazing sight. There was a caracal, but I couldn't spot it. One aspect, rarely mentioned, is the silence at a waterhole: to hear the sound of hooves on stones as zebras approach or the splash of water, the snorting, is enchanting. The roar of a lion is something else! At the waterholes it is so marvellous to see the giraffes, elephant and rhino in particular slowly approaching, unhurried. This is especially so at sunset with the sun behind (the best for this Okaukuejo as night driving is forbidden and proximity to accommodation is vital). The illuminated waterhole at Okaukuejo is amazing at night. The hierarchy of 'rights' can be fascinating. Giraffes take a long time to have the confidence to drink but there was no panic as the roar of a lion filled the air: they stood up, faced one direction with ears pricked and slowly moved off as the lions approached.
The scenery in Etosha is nothing spectacular, of course, being fairly flat. The salt pan can be very dramatic with, perhaps, a dozen ostriches crossing the blazing white salt. There are many areas of bush and of light woodland in which one might suddenly come across a herd of 100 or so zebra: this type of vista is as compelling as seeing a herd in the open. To drive for ten minutes seeing little and then to see a male lion under a thorn bush or indeed a rhino is amazing. There is a degree of luck involved, of course as they can easily be missed. The herds of elephants are dramatic. In some areas they are very dark coloured, in others almost white from dust from the salt pan.
Amazingly, there a few small saloon cars around. A 4x4 would be the norm, giving height and ability to cope better with the rougher roads (the roads around the Goas waterhole were very rough but OK in a 4x4). The Park is so dramatic that after a 3 night stay, we stayed outside the eastern gate and re-entered it for another half day. If visiting Namibia and doing 'the circuit' over a fortnight, do finish the trip with Etosha rather than begin it ... leave the (fantastic) country on a high.
