NZ
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve by Louise Dixon
Fabulous
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Ngorongoro Crater by Anna J
The scenery here was so drastically different from the other national parks, it was absolutely breathtaking from the top and bottom of the crater. Very exciting views of black rhinos and hippos from afar. Large variety and sighting of larger birds like the kori bustard, pink backed pelican, spoonbill stork.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Serengeti National Park by Anna J
The ability to off road during this time of the season allowed us to get up close to watch animals stalk prey and even observe some kills. Truly unbelievable wildlife sightings in the early morning, particularly lions and lion cubs, and cheetahs. Following the sight of the endless migration of wildebeest and zebra was such an experience. Outstanding sightings of all types of rollers, starlings, swallows, bee eaters, crowned plover, kestrels, vultures, martial eagles, and even a kingfisher!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Tarangire National Park by Anna J
This was a great introduction to our safari experience since there was so much wildlife in close proximity to one another and all the watering holes. So many elephants, giraffes and zebras!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing, would go again
Overall amazing experience. We were lucky enough to see all the big 5.
Damien, our guide, was funny and drove really well. He made sure we found as many animals we could in our time with him.
Our chef Salim was amazing. Made me feel like I was at my grandparents place. Plenty of delicious food, too much for me to finish.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Lucas puts his heart into it!
Before I begin praising Lucas for his generosity, thoughtfulness, patience and safety, let me start by saying this. Most of the Safari companies are run by European or American companies. Lucas is a Tanzanian man Who is working hard to start his own company for African safaris and adventures. Lucas has a quick, adaptable, hard-working attitude, resulting in phenomenal “inside scoop” tours that also support the Tanzanian economy.
We went on a luxury trip, and WOW! everywhere we went was so hospitable, comfortable, and safe.
LODGING- Bring your swimsuit! The hotels were so charming and clean and unique. People welcomed us warmly and enthusiastically. Most of the places had shampoo, body wash, conditioner, and hot running water. (If you want to do a camping-in-real-tents style, that’s an option too on Lucas’ other tours. Bathroom facilities are available even there).
FOOD - The cooks are experts. Actually, most of the food we had was more western, but with some local flavors and styles, so we stayed pretty healthy throughout the trip. Lucas spoiled us with hot lunches every day. Because we would be out adventuring for most of the day, lunch would be a little later, around 2-3, so I was glad that we brought some snacks from home. But even though I am prone to getting “hangry”, I did just fine. There was coffee and tea everywhere we went!
DRIVING - The nature of safaris requires a lot of driving, I’m not gonna lie. We used these fun Land Cruisers that were comfortable enough, spacious, and had roofs that pop open. A lot of the roads are bumpy dirt roads, but even my mom who does not like road trips or bumpy roads did just fine. Lucas is also a trained and good driver, able to navigate challenging terrain safely. He also said that he adjusts for people based on their needs, maybe doing less driving in a day and taking more breaks. There is a decent amount of getting in and out of the car. definitely bumpy!
ANIMALS - ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE! I never thought I would see so many animals so close in their natural habitat. No, they don’t plant the lions for tourists or have fences. ;) Birds of all shapes and colors, big land mammals living “in perfect Harmony“ as Elton John sings— it’s like the Lion King! I think my favorite were the hippos with their funny grunting noises!
BUGS - we went in September, towards the end of the dry season, and it was definitely very dry. We do not have any problems with bugs. In fact, we didn’t really see any.
CULTURE - Lucas was so gracious to answer my millions of questions. He was very happy and open to share about the culture. I would recommend looking at his website too for some tips. The people in general were so friendly and gracious and kind. Home: Lucas' Africa Adventure (lucasafricanadventures.com)
LOCAL TRIBES— visiting the local tribes can be quite a learning experience. We had the honor of seeing 2 groups of people, the Hazdabe Bushmen people and the Maasai. It was very interesting to see how the Hazdabe lived off the land, and also some difficult stark realities between men and women. At the end of the tour, we have the opportunity to buy things that the local people have made. But since the people live off the land, they don’t really need money, and it goes to buying alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana, so that was probably the most uncomfortable part of the trip. The local guide and translator said it was still OK to buy things in support of the people. Next time I might just buy one thing out of support for the people and go in with a predetermined budget ($20 maybe) for something small. The Maasai visit was definitely worth it!
SHOPPING - probably the most expensive country I’ve been to when it comes to souvenirs. There actually were not very many places to buy gifts. Sometimes the hotels or national parks would have a small gift shop. Otherwise the local tribes had some beautiful things for sale. (It’s an awkward experience actually, just just be prepared to feel pressured and pay a lot.) But honestly, this isn’t actually all that important in the long run. The memories and stories and people matter more.
TIPPING – we never really got a clear answer on this. I think you are supposed to tip as you feel is appropriate, like from the heart, and it’s based on the quality of service. I would bring some smaller bills, because they do take American dollars. I left Colorado postcards with a little note at the hotels we stayed at, and that seemed to be a really special thing. Even in Norway (our layover), they emailed us thanking us for the postcard and note!
BATHROOMS – probably some of the cleanest bathrooms in the world. Attendants are constantly clearing them. There were also little hoses (like a bidet) everywhere we went.
PACKING LIST – getting excited to go!? Some good things to remember: chapstick, long pants and closed toed shoes if you’ll go to the bush, sunglasses maybe, snacks, candy/gum was helpful for the dusty long roads, the postcards were a hit, HOODIE (aka sweatshirt, it actually gets chilly at night!), comfortable clothes (capris, lightweight pants, t-shirts, extra socks; you’ll get real dirty/ dusty), pen and journal to write experiences, extra camera batteries possibly, PMA (positive mental attitude)! :)
FLIGHTS – we had a great experience with Ethiopian Airlines. My dad thought of a great way to book the trip. First of all, it seems that most flights at this time go through Europe to get to Africa. He booked round trip tickets Denver<>Oslo for the full 14 days. And then round trip tickets Oslo<>Kilimanjaro airport for the 8 days in Africa, leaving some wiggle room for “adventures in travel” (delayed or canceled flights, weather, whatnot). The layover in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, was totally fine. Iceland Air was fine too, but just a heads up, you’d have to buy food. We weren’t eating on the planes for covid precautions, so I have no comments on the food for either airline. The food in the Iceland airport was expensive but good.
OVERALL – this trip was such a gift. We are incredibly grateful. I really can’t believe how many animals we saw (there is no guarantee, but when we went, we saw 14 lions in one day!) Happy hippos, elegant elephants, graceful giraffes, warthogs doing their thing, zebras and wildebeest grazing together, even a rhino from a distance! We learned so much about Tanzanian culture even though we were very much in the tourist bubble. The people were so kind, so beautiful, so generous of heart–it’s hard to describe! Hakuna matata is a new word in my vocabulary. :) Karibu Tanzania . Welcome to Tanzania.
under20 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
He made the tour an educational one.....he was also very reliable💯....
I learned a lot about wildlife.It was a fun trip full of meet expectations .I learned a lot about rhinos ,like the difference between the black and the southern white rhinos ;the black rhino is very aggressive .The history about the white rhino in that it's name is gotten from its wide mouth and that it's a grazer.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent communication, extremely knowledgeable and impressive attention to detail
From the moment I first contacted Darren and Kate early in the planning, referred from a previous happy customer of theirs, the communication was detailed and helpful. I wasn’t sure where I wanted to visit exactly and Darren was extremely patient with his suggestions.
Our trip was fantastic from beginning to end, our family of four all had the most amazing experience due to Darren’s local knowledge and understanding of what would work for us. He really listened to what we were saying, and worked hard to put together a trip that was seamless and so well organised all we had to do was relax and enjoy.
Cannot speak highly enough of Compass Odyssey and would use them again without hesitation!
CN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing,thoughtful,professional operator!
First,the communication with Judith is efficient and pleasant.She always responsed rapidly and was willing to make adjustments according to our requirements until we were satisfied.Second,the accommodation was awesome!Even in Serengeti,the tents were commodious and cozy.They had enough hot water,tasty food,fluffy bed.Also we saw the amazing starry sky and heard the roar of lions there.Nyota is highly recommended.Thirdly,our guide is so gentle and professional,He always kept the viehicle clean and tidy inside and outside.He helpd us find a lot of different animals such as lions, elephants,giraffes,hyenas,jackals,cheetahs,leapards and so on.He has unbelievable eagle eyes and never hurried us to leave.What is more,he can always find the perfect spot for taking photos.The last but also important thing,our hotel at Zanzibar gave us a wrong room.Judith dealt with the problem immediately and let them upgrade our accommodation to full board .We really appreciate that.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Savannah Adventures are friendly & professional - highly recommended.
We booked the day before, and communication to arrange the pick up was quick and clear.
Our guide Bradley was super friendly & great at talking us through the process of tracking animals and we thought it was one of the best safari experiences we have during this visit to Zim.
Don’t hesitate - book now!