Review about Zambia by Tris Enticknap
I can only base this on our experience in South Luangwa, but from what we heard from other guests, the other parks in Zambia are extremely good too.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Personally Curated Trip of a Lifetime!
The careful attention of Darren and Kate resulted in a well-organized and exceptional trip. Within 36 hours of arrival at our stunning camp, the skilled and amenable local guides had not only introduced us to the Big Five but added mating leopards, cheetahs and wild dogs to our list. Accommodations in Kruger were very comfortable and staff went out of their way to assure we felt welcome. The Chobe location was perfect right on the river with attentive staff and communal meals. The Vic Falls hotel was over-the-top luxury with complimentary mini-bar and our own balcony looking out at the game park. With their suggestions, we organized our Johannesburg and Cape Town visits on our own to save expenses, and we even used Uber to get around. No matter where we were, Darren and Kate were with us via email. Worth every dollar and they earned every star.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Local Company That Goes Above and Beyond
My boyfriend and I went on a Safari with Bariki and Restoration Safaris from December 28, 2015 - January 4, 2016. It was a once in a life-time trip made extra special by the Bariki and his wife, Mourine.
To start, Mourine was fantastic and worked around our budget and schedule with ease. We communicated over email. Our guide Bariki was with us everyday of the safari from pick up to drop off and we are so thankful to have gotten to know him. Bariki has been a guide for over 20 years and a few years ago, he decided to start his own company. His knowledge and passion for what he does is inspirational. He has a deep respect for the animals too, knowing how close he can get, and how long the car should stay before it stresses the animals out. In addition to being well versed about animals, he is also knowledgable about the local tribes, especially the Maasai.
For us, being with a local company was really important. This is a way to directly support the local economy.
Overall, my boyfriend and I had a fantastic time seeing the animals, learning about the local cultures, tribes and even learning phrases and animal names in Swahili! I highly recommend doing a safari with Restoration Safaris and am happy to be a reference for Bariki and Mourine.
CH
Safari in Tanzania
We had an absolutely brilliant safari - we saw loads of animals, more than I had expected. Our guide Halifa was fantastic - he was an amazing spotter, I don't know how he found all the animals but he did it somehow. He was also really helpful and would help out with any problem or enquiry. We also really liked him - very easy to get along with. I would recommend him to anyone going to Tanzania. All the camps we stayed in were excellent, again I'd have no problem recommending any of them. Staff were always helpful and friendly. All the people we met in the camps were very happy and very pleased with the guides and the camps.
BE
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
an excellent Uganda and Rwanda experience
Our trip of 19 days lead us through Uganda and Rwanda . Not only our visits to the mountaingorillas, the chimps and golden monkeys were highlights of our journey. Every single day was filled up with a lot of unexpected experiences, selected by Miriam, our highly capable and ambitious guide . Together with Alex, our driver and walking bird-dictionary, they gave us so many incredible moments and left in me unforgettable memories. Expectations completely granted.
Highly recommended
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
More impressive then we could ever imagine
We (a family with 4 sons) had a great trip in Tanzania and Zanzibar. Ajabu had everything very well organised. We were especially pleased with our tour Guide Juma. He taught us a lot about Tanzania, the people and the wildlife. And our boys loved him. A care free holiday!!
Every day we were even more amazed about the beauty of the country, the Natural parcs and the lodges we stayed at. Our itinerary was excellent, with the right mixture of travel and leisure.
We certainly would recommend Ajabu Adventures to anyone who wants a trip of a life time in africa
FI
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great in all aspects
First of all the name Dusty Roads - spot on! :) I went on a private 6-Day Economical Tanzania Safari. 6 days is a perfect lenght to visit Norhtern circuite. First day pretty much was only pick-up from the airport to the hotel. I imagined someone would show me around Arusha, but it didn't happen, a bit pitty. Since the hotel from Arusha town is pretty far I didn't manage to visit the town myself. Next 4 days we visited Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongo. I felt very comfortable with my guide Edward, he was professional, knew a lot about wild flora and fauna and he also knew all the good places to spot wild life. The highlight of the tour of course was that I saw all the animals that were possible to see. Last day of the tour was visiting Lake Eyasi. For this day I have mixed feelings, on one hand it was interesting to see how Datoga and Hadzabe tribes live, but on the other hand it didn't feel genuine whatsoever. Bushmen tribe "hunt" was kind of a joke.
All in all I am very happy with my experience. It was easy to communicate and book the tour for me a solo traveller. On arrival I received a lovely welcome goodie bag. Everybody did their best at making me feel comfortable. My luggage didn't arrive with me, it was delayed, so the manager picked it up the next day from the airport and brought it to me while I was enjoying my first safari day. Hotels, lodges and my favourite stay at Angani tented lodge were of very high quality, I was pleasantly surprised, in my opinion way higher standards than economical.
I highly recommend the company and the tour.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Brilliant Tour Company - Excellent service from the moment I sent my first email
From the moment I first began communicating with Umubano Tours they were extremely efficient. Herbert and Peter were very helpful when I began to plan our trip to Rwanda. They always replied to emails within a few hours and provided lots of suggestions for our trip. We booked our accommodation and permits for a 12 day trip through Rwanda. We were welcomed at the airport by Didie, our driver for the tour. He spoke excellent English and was very knowledgeable about the history of his country, the people and the wildlife. He kept us entertained during our long drives between stops. He has a great sense of humour and a wicked laugh.
The trip worked out as planned and Didie was always punctual when picking us up from hotel/lodge. He is a proficient driver and we always felt safe with him at the wheel. I would highly recommend this company to assist you with planning your trip to Rwanda and to safely escort you around the country. Nothing was too much trouble and even when we decided to change accommodation for 2 nights this was completed efficiently without any problems. Excellent company. Thank you Didie and Umubano Tours for making our trip to Rwanda so special. !0))
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Everything wonderful
My daughter and I booked a 3 nights/4 days Safari Tsavo East, Tsavo West and Amboseli NP in advance. Everything was perfect. Carolina organized a jeep with our own driver (Tito) for us. We had good accommodation and food, but best were the game drives with Tito - he is a wonderful guide and tries to do everything to keep the customers satisfied. If we go to Kenia again, we will book with Tanke and Caroline again!
under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Good value safari with excellent drivers and a high chance of seeing the big 5
We went on a 3 day 2 night tour of Masai Mara national park and had a great time. There was plenty of space in the van even for the tallest member of our party who is 6'3". The journey to Masai Mara was nowhere near as long as I had expected from what other reviews had stated and the bumpy part is only for about 1/4 of the drive.
We had a great driver called Cyrus who was able to manoeuvre the van into perfect positions for seeing the animals and possibly had the best eyesight in the world as he was able to spot animals hiding in grass that no one else could see until we were closer to them. There was plenty of food to eat at dinner and breakfast which was something we had been worried about but thankfully at no point did we go hungry, all in all a great safari!