65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
An excellent experience planned by LS Company during which all arrangements were exactly as planned.
The LS Company could not be more helpful. The planning took account of all our wishes and they were executed as planned from hotel, safari, car rental, internal flights and driving instructions which were so helpful. Due to the flight delay from Paris (no blame to the LS Company) and very late arrival at Tambo (OR) airport, LS made immediate alternative hotel arrangements which at 3 a.m was exceedingly thoughtful. Through out the holiday LS's personal attention during the trip was very evident and one felt that we were always in strong hands to resolve any issue. We have travelled many times with various Travel Companies and I have no hesitation in writing that the Luxury Safari Company is at the very top. Rose Hipwood was quite excellent in all respects-nothing was too much for her to assist. Overall a 5* holiday provided by a first rate Travel Company.
IM
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Great local company to go on safari with!
We spent 10 days on safari with Mosu with 7 nights wild camping and 2 at a lodge at the end and had a truly amazing experience with them. Rather than talk about my trip in detail I'll tell you first about my selection process and how I came to choose Mosu.
There are many safari companies that advertise Botswana safaris but we had a few reasons why out of all these companies we chose Mosu. Firstly, like any frequent traveller we stopped by Trip Advisor almost immediately when we started our research and found that although a relatively new company on the scene they had received glowing comments from everyone who had left comments. In fact everyone had given 5 stars. On top of this we had decided that if we get down to a handful of tour companies that it must be a Botswanan owned and run company; we wanted to make sure our money was going into Botswanan pockets, not somewhere else. We also learned that Mosu was a relatively small company and that normally means they would go out of their way with regards service. One of the final things that encouraged us to go with Mosu was the ease of communication with regards tailoring what we wanted to do with their suggested itineraries. In the end we had created an itinerary that worked for us both, starting in Maun and finishing 10 days later in Kasane.
We had decided to do our safari just on our own i.e. no other tourists so it was just the two of us and the four Mosu staff with us. This gave us ample time to get to know the team very well and we got to like them very quickly.
As mentioned above the first 7 nights would be wild camping and although we're not impartial to a bit of luxury lodges too we decided to do this so that we could really feel at one with nature, to get real close to the animals and feel like we had done everything we could to truly experience this beautiful country. And we're so glad we did.
Our tour would start in the Okovango, then on through Moremi (Xakanaxa and Khwai), Savuti then the northern Chobe park by Kasane.
Over the course of our 10 days we would have some new experiences that we've never had before on other safaris in other countries. If you think national parks are alive in the daytime just wait until night time. The noises were just unreal. The low rumblings of elephants as they strolled round and through the camp, hyenas calling, lions roaring, frogs croaking, the birds, insects, it was just an attack on the senses from sunset through to sunrise. During the early hours you would hear loud elephant trumpeting and you could even feel the vibrations of lion roars through the ground.
Our guide, Kaiser, was a seasoned vet and an excellent driver too. He could spot things with his eyes we couldn't see with binoculars. One day he spotted a tree faaaar in the distance with vultures and knew there must be a kill around there somewhere which eventually led us to a black-maned male lion which I'd never seen before. He knew how to handle those aggressive Savuti elephants protecting their young and knew all the best places to see the animals. I have no idea how he could drive for so long all day, never hit a pothole AND see animals in the distance long before us. He was the best guide we've ever had.
Meal times were taken care by Kilos. He rustled up breakfast every morning and prepared lunch and the evening meal while we were on game drives so food was always ready when we came back to camp. A really nice guy with a good sense of humour and bearing in mind we were wild camping the safari was surprisingly really good and varied.
We moved around every couple of days which meant packing up, moving on and setting up camp again. This was done with the help of the two other helpers, who were Last and Nathaniel. Very helpful, very friendly and nice people.
The bush shower was a tall roofless tent with a big bag of hot water heated from the fire and the toilet was like a small tent and a sit-down seat over a hole, both of which worked very well in the wild.
By the end of the 10 days it was really sad saying goodbye to them and after our last drink together they each took it in turns to stand up and say their own little summary of our few days together which I thought was a very sweet gesture.
We enjoyed it so much that we are likely to come back next year and see some different parts of Botswana, but we will insist on having Kaiser, Kilos, Last and Nathaniel again as they were very much as important to us on this trip as the actual safari experience itself.
I would have no hesitation in highly recommending this company to help you tailor your Botswana safari. They were very professional, competitively priced, friendly and delivered the safari we had requested. The money went into Botswanan hands and ...... oh ... I forgot to say ... this country is absolutely stunning, don't miss it. But see it with Mosu.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Kilimanjaro day tour
I went on a Kilimanjaro day tour with barafu tours & safaris and I had the best moment ever! I recommend this company as I was handled very professionally and it wasn't about the money. They made sure that all my questions were answered and I am looking forward to go up to the summit end of this year and I will definitely go with barafu tours & safaris. I highly recommend it!
DK
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
So exiting trip
Very good trip - 4 weeks in Uganda with 2 guides. So nice to se gorillas, elephants, hippos and so on, in the wild. I loved all the safaris where we drove around and saw all the amazing animals.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Everything I imagined and more in Tanzania on safari, climbing Kilimanjaro, relaxing in Zanzabar.
It is difficult to put into words the awe, excitement, and beauty I experienced on this once in a lifetime trip. I traveled with a large and very diverse group, yet the arrangements from home back to home again were complete and tailored to the many and varied needs of the individuals in our group, not an easy task. We traveled into the bush meeting and sharing with the Hadzabe, climbed Mt Kilimanjaro, enjoyed and afternoon with the local women in the Mt Meru area, had a safari to Tarangire National Park, and recuperated for 3 days on the island of Zanzabar before returning home. Always our drivers and guides were skilled, knowledgeable and friendly and in very short order became our friends. On the Kili climb, I have never witnessed such a large group of the hardest working individuals ever. The women and men of our crew went the absolute extra mile to ensure our success and safety while scaling Kili. Sharing details of our lives with each other helped develop the friendships that blossomed and provided insights into our very different cultures. Our accommodations were varied from luxury hotels to the tents on the mountain. The food was excellent. I wish I could name everyone who helped make this the incredible experience it was. I highly recommend Charles and Tanganyika Ancient Routes for your first or next escape to beautiful Tanzania.
CH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
efficient, fast, helpful, friendly, honest, reliable
The service was great. Lots of helpful recommendations. Great way they present your own itinerary. Absolutely safe and reliable. Very fast in answering and impressing how they keep you informed. Thanks for your support Monique!
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Best Safari I've Been On
I've been going on safaris since 1981, and It Started in Africa did the best job of any of them. They were able to accommodate my schedule by moving some of the events around. Even more important, the owner Joao responded to my emails sooner than any other company told me the best time of the year to come and why. He also gave specific advice on what camera lenses to bring, and which places to camp "rugged" and which ones to camp "easy." The guide that drove us around did a yeoman's job of finding us ALL of the "Big Five" as well as organizing a 3 hour walking tour with a guide. He also stopped scores of times when I wanted to take a picture of local scenery. These guys treat you like Dr. Livingston.
CR
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceeded expectations! A wonderful and comfortable traveling experience!
Everything went smoothly, as planned with no surprises. Airline flights were as arranged. Guides in each country were at the airports to pick us up on time. The guides in Tanzania for our safari and in Rwanda were both exceptional! In Zambia, a different guide met us for each separate adventure. All were prompt, but we did not spend much time with any one of them. The Tanzanian and Rwandan guides' expertise and friendliness really enhanced our trip. The lodges and hotels that Go2Africa arranged for us to stay at were first rate, but not 5 star, so the cost was reasonable.
Great Rwanda Experience
Had a wonderful experience in Rwanda with the 2 day gorilla tour arranged through rwandagorilla.com. Due to limited time, I was only able to spend 2 days in Rwanda, but thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Nicolas responded to all questions and scheduled everything per requests. Our guide, Chris, was personable, accommodating and quite knowledgeable. He picked us up at the airport and took us on a tour around Kigali and to the Genocide Memorial (very well done) and the "Hotel Rwanda" before heading toward Volcanoes National Park where we stayed at the Mountain Gorilla View Lodge. Chris picked us up the next morning and took us to the park headquarters and arranged for us to be assigned to a great gorilla family. Our trek experience was nothing short of amazing! A definite must do. I had shopped around and the prices were better than competitors. Our tour included the gorilla permit, our hotel (full board), and two days of transportation with Chris who demonstrated extensive knowledge of not only in depth details of the history of Rwanda, but information about the hopes and challenges for Rwanda's promising future. Back to the airport in perfect time for our evening departure. In a very short time I learned a lot about an amazing place. Would be happy to return and would use Gorilla Trek Africa again.
PA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Superb service made the trip perfect
I booked with East Africa Exotic Safaris as a last minute excursion when coming to Nairobi for a business conference. I had contacted several tour operators and due to the prompt and very courteous reply opted to use their services. From the outset, I was never disappointed. Always fast on replying and was punctual in coordination of activities plus the driver was knowledgeable to make this excursion perfect. We even got lucky and saw a pack of lions crossing the road. This was my fifth time going on a safari so I knew what to reasonably expect and they raised the bar with perfect service.