US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A trip of a lifetime: Tanzania safari adventures and Zanzibar relaxation
We started 2024 with an amazing 9 day/8 night safari adventure in some of Tanzania's wonderful game reserves and ended with a few relaxing days in Zanzibar.
Preparations:
Maria and Nickson were wonderful to work with as we arranged the pre-trip details. After a few revisions of the normal Lion King packages Maria put together a wonderful adventure safari package that included tent camping in Tarangire and igloos at the Panorama Safari Camp. She made the flight reservations for us from Arusha to Zanzibar as well as all reservations and transportation arrangements in Zanzibar. Nickson then made sure all the trip details were secured and kept us informed of all the preparations we needed prior to our adventure. I felt they both did a wonderful job with communication and making sure the trip was what we were looking for. We ended up with one night in Arusha upon arrival, 3 1/2 days safari, one night in Stone Town and 3 1/2 days on the beach.
The Trip:
Day 1: After the 28 hour trip from the US (auugghh) the accommodations and people at the Arusha Planet Lodge gave us the perfect opportunity to rest up before the real adventure began.
Days 2-5: The next morning we were greeted by Gama, our guide and driver for the next 3 1/2 days. If you ever have a choice, request Gama. I seriously cannot give enough praise for Gama. He was personable, knowledgeable, fun and most importantly, wanted us to have a wonderful experience. After a quick drive through Arusha to pick up supplies and our chef Karim, aka Mr. Delicious (yes, 3 freshly prepared meals a day were part of the safari package), we headed to Tarangire National Park for lunch and an afternoon safari drive. During that initial drive we saw nearly all the African wildlife one could ever wish for, even a leopard. Short a Cape Buffalo and Rhino the big 5 was nearly checked off the first day out. After a wonderful dinner we slept in tents in the national park. Quite the experience to have elephants stomping and grunting and to hear lions roaring not far from the tent. The next day was rainy, but we still did a half day drive and saw the Cape Buffalo (4 of 5 down) and witnessed giraffes fighting for male dominance. Next stop Panorama Safari Camp for two nights in the igloos, very simple and more secure than tents in the park. After a morning adventure of getting stuck in the mud and a subsequent team effort to get unstuck, we made it to Ngorongoro. Driving down into the crater and seeing all the animals in their own ecosystem had to be one of the highlights of the trip. With the late start we saw a number of lions strategically resting up for the evening hunt as well as 7 different rhinos. Big 5 complete. After returning to Panorama for the night we spent part of the next day visiting Lake Manyara before heading back to Arusha for our flight to Zanzibar and the Maru Maru Hotel in Stone Town.
Day 6: After a wonderful dinner (no more Karim to make our amazing food) and a night at the Maru Maru Hotel we spent the morning exploring the spice market and wandered around Stone Town. That afternoon we were driven to the Shooting Star Boutique Hotel.
Days 7-9: Beach time and relaxation. The Shooting Star had nice bungalows with private patios and an infinity pool looking over the beach. Three days of walking the beach and enjoying the coast. It was not part of the travel package, but we did go on a snorkel tour near Mnemba Island and a Spice Tour the last day before heading to the airport for the 24 hr return flight (auughh).
Summary:
What a trip! Lion King Adventures did a wonderful job making this visit a once in a lifetime event. Other than getting stuck in the mud, which only added to the adventure, everything went exactly as planned by Lion King. We could not be happier with the entire trip. If you get the chance, try to get Gama as your guide. He is amazing.
P.S. We have some amazing photos, but after a couple attempts I was not able to upload the pics.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Best ever!
Fantastic guide, very attentive and helpful. Would easily recommend him for.any triple
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Proffesional, amazing, helpful, fun, flexiable, knowledgable, connected
I went to Uganda with my fiance for two weeks in January/February 2024.
I advise anyone from Uganda and Rwanda to hire a local guide to help coordinate the travel and make your trip more comfortable and pleasant (for example, good food and clean washrooms). The local guide also knows the history of the region and can help make the most of your journey. Our coordinator was Anna, and our Guide was Fred.
From the moment we started planning our Ugandan adventure, Discovery Journeys went above and beyond to ensure our trip was everything we dreamed of and more. The communication with the team before our arrival was clear and responsive, making us feel reassured and well-prepared for our journey.
On our first day, we were greeted by our local guide, Freddy, who was knowledgeable about Uganda's rich culture and diverse wildlife but also incredibly professional and friendly. His expertise and enthusiasm made our experience truly memorable.
The tour itself was meticulously organized, encompassing a wide range of activities and destinations. From the breathtaking gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to the serene boat cruises on the Kazinga Channel, to a private Safari in Queen Victoria Park, to a tour seeing the monuments and museums in Kigali in Rwanda. Every day was a new adventure. The accommodations selected for us were comfortable and welcoming, offering spectacular views and excellent service.
Freddy and Anna were also very flexible. Towards the end of our trip, we wanted to extend the trip two more days and keep them as our guides. They accommodated our request and found us a beautiful hotel and boat tour in Lake Kivu (Rwanda).
I highly recommend Discovery Journeys. They planned all of our major activities, accommodations, and provided private transportation to each hotel and activity.
PS: I recommend Freddy as your guide. He was the best. Everywhere we stopped, he had a local friend.
- Alejandro Z (Los Angeles)
ES
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Marry is very professional
Marry is very professional and serious. It makes personalized safaris, and adapts to your preferences.
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IR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kind and Professional Team
Everything was great
Professional team
Great experience
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Reliable ,Considerate and a good communicator.
I'd definitely try my next tour with Tedwats,had an epic experience to Mombasa.Great customer service .👍🏿
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Extraordinary
The trip was so amazing. It was a life time experience and we really loved it. Me and my wife are looking forward to visit other places. Kwezi staff is so amazing
SE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It is not often you meet something that exceeds your wildest expectations, but Kajie sure did.
Back in January 2023 my friend and I started planning to go to Uganda to visit the mountain gorillas of the misty Bwindi mountains. It had been the lifelong dream of my friend and I was not hard to talk into it. We did a lot of research on which company to use and settled on Kajie Safari after seeing what they offered compared to other companies. We got in contact with Ronald and since the first email we got to experience the immense hospitality and professionalism from Ronald and his crew. Every question we had, both big and small, was answered quickly and with great care and interest. That meant we had great faith in Kajie already before stepping onto Ugandan soil.
We arrived to Uganda in late January and there we first met Ronald who fetched us from the airport and was as friendly as we could have imagines. A day later we met our guide for the 10 day trip we settled for. From the get go we were so happy because Martin was the best possible guide we could have hoped for. Calm, great listener, great knowledge, great humour and with great people skills. We were a bit nervous before the trip since going around the country for 10 days with a stranger can be difficult but Martin made us feel so comfortable and after a few days it was as if we were three friends driving around. You could tell he was very senior and well connected making our trip even more exclusive while answering any questions we had about Uganda and it's culture and history. Martin always had our best interest at heart and found solutions and adventures that we didn't even know was on the menu. Kajie definitely delivers that little bit of extra, going above and beyond what we got read about in the pamphlet. We've been so lucky chosing Kajie and having Martin as our guide. All the lodges we stayed at were amazing and some of them had among the greatest of views which could trick you into just wanting to stay there a few more weeks.
We felt completely safe the whole trip and fell in love with the beautiful landscape and the hospitality of the people we met. It is a true testiment to Kajie Safari that I haven't even mentioned yet all the great amimal encounters we had on our trip. We saw everything we could have dreamed of and more. Close encounters with all big five and more. Relaxing evening drives, fun hikes that can be adapted to your level, exciting night drives, wonderfully breezy boat trips and early morning cat tracking. Meeting gorillas, elephants, lions, chimps and leopards. And when I say close I mean staring into the eyes of the most wonderful creatures and seeing their intelligence reflect back. This was an experience beyond all others and I would recommend anyone choosing Kajie for your Uganda adventure and ask for Martin as you guide. I am sure we will be back in the future. THANK YOU!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Professional and Personal , Great Trip.
Let's view Tanzania and our team lead by main guide Reward Moshi and Let's view Tanzania Team did an excellent job leading us tonthe summit of Kilimanjaro. Everything was cerh professional but also personal. They even went the extra mile and helped mybson through some minor altitude sickness but got us to the top. Would highly recommend this company
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fun and knowledgeable, like touring with family!
My husband and I did a 1 week safari with Lucas, and we loved every day! I thought the mid-range accomodations were EXCELLENT, we couldn't have asked for nicer beds, showers, meals or service! At every lunch stop, we were the envy of others groups, as Lucas spread a table cloth, set the table and served hot lunch, with fresh fruit and drinks! He knew every animal.al and bird we asked about. He catered to our specific "must see " wildlife list and our requests if we wanted to leave early or later. He was very attentive and concerned with ensuring we were enjoying the experience. We felt ver safe and at home with Lucas, an amazing young man. I researched many safari companies, looking for a reliable, local one. I highly recommend booking with LucasAfricanAdventures!