US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
great, well-organized safari exceeded our expectations
Our trip to Tanzania with Makasa Tanzanian Safaris was great. They organized everything for our in-country stay, starting with arranging our flight from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar. The driver was waiting for us at the airport in Zanzibar to take us to our hotel on the other side of the island. He was courteous, friendly and informative. He and all our guides spoke perfect English, so there were no communication problems. Makasa also arranged for our tour of Stone Town and a spice farm, again with a terrific guide. They suggested a hotel in Zanzibar which sounded very nice, but because we wanted to do snorkeling we chose another closer to that activity. They made all the arrangements. In other words, they give suggestions, but are willing to work with you to meet your needs. They also arranged the driver to return us to airport in Zanzibar and they had made the plane reservations to Kilimanjaro, where we were again met by a very friendly, courteous driver. We had thought we wanted to do only a 4-day safari, but because of distances and time of year, Selma suggested a 7-day safari. We are really glad we took her suggestion. Four days would have definitely been too short. On the morning of the safari our driver/guide met us at the hotel and we were off! Not only was he a very good driver and very pleasant, but he was also very knowledgeable about the animals, their habits and habitat. He spoke fluent English as well as fluent Spanish. The safari allowed us time to see the wildlife without ever feeling rushed--plenty of time for pictures--and we also had the option to visit a Masai village.
The accomodations were great--Rhotia Valley tented camp the first night, 3 nights at a tented camp in the Serengeti and the last 2 nights at Sopa Lodge at Ngoro Ngoro Crater. It was nice to experience the more rustic accomodations first and then have the last 2 nights at the lodge. Great planning on Selma's part to do it that way. And the rustic accomodations were not really roughing it at all--tents, but comfy beds, hot water, showers and flush toilets and solar lanterns. And you could hear the birds and other wildlife from tents.
I also liked that profits from both Rhotia Valley and hotel in Moshi go to support an orphanage and a school, respectively. Sopa Lodge was nice, but at all the other places since they were smaller and more casual we were able to interact with travelers from different places--Spain, Norway, Sweden, France.
We also took a day excursion to a waterfall at entrance to Kilimanjaro Park, and you could also do a day hike on Kilimanjaro trail. Since it was the beginning of the short rainy season we viewed the Great Migration in the Serengeti. Amazing!
I highly recommend Makasa. They are experienced and know what they are doing and will take care of everything.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Best tour operator in all of Tanzania
Deo & his crew are one of the most well respected tour providers in all of Africa. What makes them stand out so much from others is the quality of the guides. The guides you use for your trip greatly determine how enjoyable a time you have and they have the best. I recommend this company to any and every person considering going to Africa. Use them and you will not be disappointed!
NO
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Superb service throughout fantastic Tarangire/Serengeti/Ngorongoro 4 day safari adventure
Our party of four had never visited Africa before and chose Benson Safaris recommended by friends who resided in Tanzania - and they provided great advice and assistance long before even booking the trip. 4 days is a bit short for all of Tarangire/Serengeti/Ngorongoro, but do not skip any of it, rather add a day or two. We saw all the big five on multiple occassions, masses of wilderbeast and zebras on the plains and many other great animals and each park has its distinct flora and unique splendor. An absolutely overwhelming experience for life! Our guide Issa was extremely knowledgeable and managed to always put us in the right spot at the right time. We highly recommend this operator for safari tours.
great private safari delivering everything that was promised
We choose CKC because of John prompt reactions on our e-mails.
We had a 3 day private safari, and especially our driver George made it real pleasure.
We managed to see all animals we wanted to see, amazing how George seemed to be able to find any animal on request: it took him 45 minutes to find mating lions,
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing Experience
The service was excellent, beyond our expectations
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Safari
My friend and I booked a three-night safari with Karibu Safaris . Our guide Fredrick picked us up at the Nairobi airport and after a pleasant drive we ended up in Masai Mara. We stayed at a midrange tented camp, but other options would have been available if our budget was larger. Our guide proved an excellent companion and knowledgeable game guide. Further he had a rare quality among drivers. He was both fast and cautious and navigated the dirt roads with remarkable efficiency. On our trip we saw a large number of different species often at very close range.will definitely recommend karibu safaris to my friends doing Kenya safari in the future.
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Southern Tanzania Experience
Dear Zuzana thanks for organising a great holiday. It was totally different to the Northern circuit in terms of abundance of wildlife and geography, the Rufiji delta is splendid. We will be referring friends to book with you in the near future, and I will email you some of our snaps.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
South Africa and Zimbabwe
We had the holiday of a lifetime and cannot thank Native Escapes enough for putting together such an extraordinary itinerary.
Our 3 children (20, 17,17) are all on the cusp of adulthood and we wanted one last amazing family holiday to leave indelible memories – it certainly fulfilled that brief.
Cape Town lived up to expectations and the Radisson Blu was terrific. The rooms were stunning and the views out of this world. A porthole onto table mountain on one side, and a panorama of the sea on the other. We struggled to get tickets for Robin Island, but took advice and hung out down at the terminal from which the boat leaves, and we got some cancellations. In future, we would book this well in advance as we didn’t know it would be so busy. We took a private day trip to Cape Point, Klein Constantia and Boulder Beach – what a day! And a trip up table mountain – early in the morning, with great views and no queues – unforgettable – not least because my legs were like jelly and the kids were dangling over the edge. We took our santa hats and took next year’s Christmas photo (in which I look petrified!).
Franchhoek was stunning and the hotel was utterly divine. The kids could not believe their luck when each room was delivered a bottle of champagne and canapés on Christmas eve, and Christmas day lunch was superb. We had a quiet day by the pool on boxing Day (the only ‘chill out day’ of the holiday) and everyone underestimated the strength of the African sun! 27th – our wine tour was outstanding. Duncan was a brilliant guide and we visited some fabulous places – we will be ordering in bulk!
The verde airport hotel was great and out trip to Vic Falls v smooth.
I am so pleased you talked us into Zimbabwe- it was utterly fabulous. The adventure started on the drive to Camp Hwange when we were met at the Boom Gate by the fabulous Stephen in the open top vehicle. A 3 hour drive to the camp (after the 1 ½ hrs from the airport) sounded ominous, but it was fabulous. We were well wrapped up in big fleecy waterproof capes and we stopped for tea and views and animals. By the time we arrived at camp we had seen elephant, giraffe, impala, and so many birds. We arrived at dusk with the big camp fire roaring and the sun setting on the waterhole. We were greeted by Ruth who gave us a delicious welcome drink. Without a doubt it was the most breath-taking arrival we have ever had.
Julian was our guide and he and the team made the experience extraordinary. It was just what we wanted, beautiful, but remote, low tech and high-intensity. The sights, sounds and smells made us feel completely alert and although I didn’t sleep much the first night I didn’t mind. The rains had whipped the bubble frogs up into a state of high excitement and I have never heard a noise like it!
We tracked lion and elephant on foot and the thick bush made this a high adrenalin activity to say the least! We were out from 6 – 12 and from 4-7.30 or 8 every night – incredible! Our photos are remarkable. Despite it being the wet season we found plenty and I am now a bird enthusiast, much to our children’s amusement. The staff, the food and the accommodation were absolutely perfect and we will be life-long Hwange fans. We feel we have come to know the family dynamics of several lion families and will follow their progress on the web.
On the way back to Victoria Falls we saw one last lion – it couldn’t have been more perfect.
Victoria Falls was breath-taking and despite the horrors of our children zip-wiring and bungee-jumping, we had a great time. We ate mopane worms and warthog at The Boma and learned to drum. Perhaps a bit ‘Disney does Africa’ for us, but the Victoria Falls Hotel was a taste of a bygone era.
We cannot thank you enough for the meticulous attention to detail you put into organising the trip. We will recommend you whole-heartedly to anyone who will listen. I sense that we are already becoming safari bores!
David and I will certainly be heading back to Africa – and look forward to your help planning the next trip.
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Good Service and very professional staff
I organized my holiday 4 days before leaving. I was in a hurry. Prices on web were super high. I called Safaris in Kenya. They were able to satisfy my needs in a professional, cheap and fast way.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An Amazing and Unforgettable Experience
This has been our first trip to Africa and the first time I used Tropical Vacations Inc. This is an amazing experience for people of all ages, solo travelers, couples and groups alike. Mathew Adams truly makes your vacation memorable by showing all the places of Africa that you otherwise would not know to visit. We visited Kenya and Tanzania and spent two incredible weeks with my organized group. As a travel advisor I expect the very best for my clients and work with tour operators who give exceptional service. On this particular trip I was traveling with a group and Mathew has exceeded our expectations and went above and beyond in service. Mathew is an amazing tour guide and very welcoming host. He is experienced, knowledgeable, and professional. Mathew wants you to come as a tourist, but leave as a friend and my traveling group truly did feel special and cared for. Be sure to bring a lot of memory cards to capture all the beauty, culture and history that Africa has to offer.
PS. In addition to Africa, Tropical Vacations Inc. also offers other exotic destinations, so be sure to contact Mathew Adams regarding tours info and specials.