NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
If you want to experience Tanzania, this is the organization you want to go with!!
We were climbing Mt Kilimanjaro with a group of 8. The welcoming was warm, the lodge very nice, the whole group guiding us was very friendly (every day the camp was ready at arrival and everybody was welcoming us and telling us we were doing a good job), the equipment (tents) was good, the food amazing! (3 meal courses throughout the whole week!) and the capable and patient guides made sure we all felt safe, healthy and happy during the whole week. After one week together it felt like we climbed with 48 friends in stead of 8. We felt sorry to leave the group, the mountain and the country. i would definitely recommend Herman & crew for exploring Tanzania. We hope to come back.
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Terrific, again !!
This was our third Safari. The organisation again was excellent, the driver(Fay) knows everything we asked about Wildlife(he knows to find where they are...) and all accomodations were superb! In French: Chapeau!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent budget safari, knowing before going is important
Overview:
Karibu Safari is well reviewed by many people. Competitive price for 5-day budget safari. Had a great overall experience. 5-day safari was good but could be condensed into 4-day safari (see below under "Cons"). Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, and Hell's Gate were all worth going to. If we could have done only one, we'd do Hell's Gate since you can rent a bike and bicycle next to the animals and then hike in slot canyons (see below in "Details"). Unique and very nice after so much driving. Lake Nakuru is similar to Maasai Mara in that you game driver looking for animals. Lake Naivasha you see hippos and water birds. Robert (trip coordinator) was prompt in his responses. Peter (driver) was great at finding and pointing out animals. He really cared about providing the best and most well-rounded safari experience. Note: It appeared the budget safaris were more aggressive at finding animals then the more luxury safaris.
Pros:
- We got what we paid for. We had to have our driver call our trip advisor to send him more money to buy more water since we ran out by day 5.
- Accommodations were fine with running water and electricity. The "tents" are large canvas tents with a ceiling over them and not like backpacking tents.
- Meals were fine for budget safari.
- Peter (driver) was excellent at finding and viewing animals. He provided enough time to view and take pictures, not rushing us. He really emphasized the safari experience. He was a safe driver amidst the more crazy drivers and matatu's.
- The season was excellent which was mid- to late-November. Not crowded. Although this was claimed as the rainy season, it did not rain on safari, but only when driving and near Lake Naivasha and Nairobi. Also, all the animals just had babies so we got to see baby animals of almost all animals seen!
Cons:
- The itinerary should include estimated drive times.
- The itinerary should include more details. For example, on our 4th day, we were dropped off at a hotel after our game drive at Lake Nakuru en route to Lake Naivasha. We spent the whole afternoon there (from ~12noon and on). We were disappointed because we didn't fly half way across the world to sit in a garden. It would be nice to have known this. This is where the trip could be condensed to 4-days instead of 5-days.
- Peter could have provided more information to us. When we began we didn't know exactly where we were headed, how long it would take, etc. It would have been nice to review the day's events with us each morning.
- Peter could have offered us more information on the animals, landscape, plants, etc. He did if you asked, but it would be nice for him to just tell us.
Good to know:
- All 5-day safaris are pretty much identical in what they offer and pay for. So email to find best price when you go.
- There is a lot of (bumpy) driving. Not all in our van was prepared for this.
- You may get shuffled around since they mix people with different safari lengths. We started with a van that included people who booked 5-day, 4-day, and 3-day safaris.
- You may not get a window seat (right next to window). This was not a big issue though. They pop the van top and you can stand during the safari. But if this is a concern, have the van agree to rotate seats throughout the safari.
- The meals are pretty much the same for lunch and dinner, local food (rice, lentils, veggies, usually meat, etc.). So if you don't like the food, you will need to bring your own or purchase.
- The driver is contracted by the safari company. This is important should issues arise based on itinerary or pricing of certain things.
- There can be lots of traffic leaving and coming back from Nairobi, so plan for this when booking other trips or flights.
- Sunday has less traffic so leaving on this day was great.
- We tipped the driver ~$20 USD per day for the whole vehicle. So with 7-8 people in the van, this was ~$2-3 USD per day per person. Other than that we did not tip anyone else. (Our native Kenyan hosts said that tipping is not expected most places and even if it is, it is not as much as the USA.)
Details:
- Maasai Mara Village Tour: This may or may not have been worth the $10 USD. This is quite touristy. You can get some good pictures and see them dance and sing. But you need to ask them to show you everything. For example, we asked to taste the Maasai beer as our driver said we would. If we didn't ask, they wouldn't have done this. We also asked to see the school. If we hadn't asked, they would not have done this. When they take you into the traditional home, they will try and sell you stuff then and afterward. The Maasai markets in Nairobi have more selection and you can bargain more.
- Boat Ride at Lake Naivasha: This is expensive at $20 USD per person but we thought this was more worth it than the Maasai village tour. You see hippos and many birds and it was fun to be in a boat. You can get great pictures of the African fish eagle diving for fish that the boat driver throws in to the water.
- Hell's Gate bike and hike: The bike rental was $5 USD. You don''t need a guide for this. You stay on the main road to get to the gorge. Go in the early morning to see more animals. When we rode back, there were hardly any animals. At the gorge, more people will offer to guide you. We did not take a guide, but a Maasai man ended up going with us anyway. It ended up being a necessity as the trail is not well marked. Our group of 4 tipped him 700 Kenyan shillings and shared some nuts and instant coffee.
CH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Committed to serving their clients
We had a most wonderful experience with Good Earth Tours in Tanzania in October 2016. First we did a 4-day climb of Mt.Meru, then a 9-day-climb of Kilimanjaro via the Northern Circuit route, and finally a 3-day "comfortable camping" safari to Tarangire and Ngorongoro, and before, in-between and after each trip we always stayed in the Planet Lodge in Arusha. We were a group of 4 friends on the first and last trip, with a 5th friend joining us for Kilimanjaro only.
When planning the trips, I asked for an offer including the Northern Circuit route on Kilimanjaro, and even though it was not officially mentioned on the website, I soon got a good offer which we were happy to proceed with. On the trips, everyone was always committed to serving us in a great way, always cheerful and eager. We were well-supplied with good food, especially the warm meals were very delicious, so we did not need most of the snacks we had brought along ourselves. Needless to say, we all made it to both summits. The Northern Circuit was a great experience, we were able to avoid all crowds for at least 3 days, being totally alone then.
Our safari guide was extremely knowledgeable and skilled, so thanks to him we had some thrilling wildlife sightings that I believe most other park visitors miss, including seeing endangered species such as cheetahs.
We really loved the Planet Lodge that Good Earth Tours uses: the hotel rooms are actually in small bungalows scattered in a beautiful tropical garden, very peaceful.
I believe we really got an exceptional value-for-money deal with Good Earth Tours and I can highly recommend them.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Etosha, Caprivi, Chobe and Vic Falls - An Exceptional Experience
From the outset of arranging our trip we were very impressed with Nature Travel Namibia and specifically Nick Buys. During the planning stages our emails were always promptly answered with a detailed response provided to any questions we had. Nick was able to adjust the trip itinerary to add on a quick visit to Sossusvlei and to finish up in the Zimbabwe side of Victoria Falls. Every effort was made to satisfy our requests. another appeal is the trips are smaller groups - maximum 6, we were 3.
The tour itself, exceeded our expectations. We were met by our guide Jakes with whom we would spend the next 10 days or so. Jakes was a stellar guide, his ability to spot wildlife, name the wildlife name the wildlife and the many bird species was truly impressive. He is a very personable individual who has a true passion for what he does and this made our time together memorable. Although we had a schedule, we never felt rushed during the trip, we had a number of game drives and there was a good degree of flexibility built in. The vehicle we traveled in was a Toyota Hilux - quite fine for 3 people plus guide. Our accommodation included smaller lodges and a lodge within the Etosha National Park. All completely good in terms of comfort. The food on the trip was plentiful and special dietary requirements were accommodated. The Chobe and Victoria Falls part of the trip were without a guide; however the transfers to each destination were seamless and occurred without any issues. I would definitely recommend Nature Travel Namibia, if you are looking for a smaller group safari, responsive service and an exciting adventure in Namibia.
DK
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very nice country and professional guiding
Our driver was excellent and very good.
We saw many animals and visit many nice people in their daily lives
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An unforgettable trip with a personal touch
We have made a beautiful and impressive self drive trip to KwaZulu Natal and the Western Cape. TMS has forfilled our special wishes about nature, special animals and accomodations (thanks to Angela and Nick!). We can recommend TMS because of their great knowledge about nature, the parks and, very special, their personal attention before, during and after the trip. The self drive pack is great! Remarkable: also the people we met (guides, the staff of lodges and guesthouses) are very positif about TMS.
No doubt: if it is possible, the next time we will contact TMS again!
CH
Second safari with Marianne - always great!
our safari to Botswana was our second travel experience under Marianne's guidance, and it was amazing. All the planning was perfect, as usual, but even more important was Marianne's advice in helping us selecting our lodges, based on our preferences on creature comfort and animal viewing. And Botswana did not disappoint, we saw so many animals and different types of landscape (the air-taxi was great fun too). A post-safari follow-up call with Marianne to exchange views on the trip was also highly appreciated - great job Marianne!
DE
under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great experience!
We had a great 4-day safari with James in Lake Manyara, Ngorogoro and Serengeti. We saw a lot of animals up close and James communicated well with other drivers to find out where interesting animals were or spotted them from far away. He and our cook were pleasant company and the food was amazing!
It was obvious that James has a lot of experience and he really considered our wishes.
All in all, I really recommend going on safari with James.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceeded every expectation
Samuel and his team helped us to create and enjoy an unforgettable trip that exceeded all of our expectations.