IL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
wiliam the best tour guide
williamaugusti.
We booked a trip through Leo Leon Safaris Israel. I traveled a lot around the world and I love to acquire extensive knowledge before special excursions including local tour guides, I learned on safari in Tanzania, and had only one condition, first class tour guide.
In Arusha Kilimanjaro Airport we met William Agostino our guide, and it turned out to be the best thing that happened to us on a trip. We had join to one of the best guides in Tanzania, charming and pleasant person, with a lot of knowledge and professional and interesting. William was able to connect us to the place of his birth, to the country he loves in which he is proud, as a Masai , his senses and instincts with a lot of experience and knowledge, enabling us to be a part of an experiential journey above and beyond, as hunters in the wild and only with a camera. from the first moment he understood Who we are and according to that worked and went, we had with him once in a lifetime experiences and sure we'll go back only with William.
My Dear Friend William
Thank you for fascinating and amazing journey we've been through, I wish every traveler interested in Africa reach you. And waiting to host you in Israel
Yosi and Uri ( Brothers)
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
the pre planning for our trip was recomended by them and it delivered!!
our guide spoke pretty good English and we could understand him, the service was awesome, they totally exceeded our expectations as he knew exactly where to go to see everything... we did see the big 5.. this was simply the trip of a lifetime and they delivered..
ES
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent experiences in Kenya and Tanzania
Everything went smoothly since our arrival. They received us at the airport and drove us to hotel on the first night. The next day we met Dennis, who explain us every single part of our contracted program, so no doubts appeared. After that we started our trip and at this moment we knew Ambrose: the pearl in the ocean! Magnificent road trip and great Safaris, in which Ambrose ran through the savannah to find and show us all the Big 5, and explained us everything we asked (he also was studying birds, so he could explain more). Brilliant guide/driver, well worthy hiring (even though he only makes Kenya trips)
We do recommend these people, as our experience has been absolutely amazing.
CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Spectacular experience. Friendly Ana very educative staff. Worth every dollar spent.
It was a very breath taking experience. We as a family had the best of wildlife while living in a exotic cultural setting. Services where top notch, very interactive,friendly and helpful fun staff.they make u enjoy every second you spend with them. Communication was top notch and on time, they are very quick responders and try tout work around your budget. Definitely coming back k next year with my friends.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful safari in Kruger and Victoria Falls!
We couldn't have asked for anything more- did 2 weeks in Cape Town, Kruger, Victoria Falls, and Botswana! It was certainly an experience of a lifetime for us, and everything went as smoothly as we could have hoped! Ute helped us in organizing all the details, booking all the activities and transfers, and it all went off without a hitch. Made planning the trip a breeze- I would certainly use her again! All of our accommodations were top of the line, and far exceeded our already high expectations! &Beyond Ngala in Kruger is unbelievable- would highly recommend to anyone wanting to safari in South Africa!
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a Lifetime
Pembury did an amazing job with out itinerary! Everything was customized based on our desires and timeline, they even made some last minute adjustments due to layover issues. Our safari experience was above and beyond anything we had expected. All the businesses used by Pembury were very knowledgable, super friendly, everything went just as planned without any hiccups. Booking was easy and straightforward, we completed everything via email, so simple. I would highly recommend Pembury to take care of any or all of our plans.
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Anya Visser was brilliant making our holiday memorable.
Communications extremely efficient, working out of hours at last minute due to a flight change in London. Car waiting at JHB airport with documents. Everything was first class and the lodge suggested was out of this world. Certainly recommend Pembury to friends in the UK and will use Anya again when next visiting SA.
Fantastic Safari Experience
We went to Selous Game Reserve on a 3 day, 2 night safari. It was a fantastic experience, from the very beginning when we were trying to organise it right up to when Joseph dropped us to the airport. The trip from Dar Es Salaam to the camp was really interesting to see the different parts of the country. Our guide told us lots of information along the way when we saw something interesting. When we arrived we went on a river tour and saw some beautiful wildlife. The second day was spent in the game reserve where we saw some incredible animals including getting 10ft from some lions.
Overall it was a fantastic experience and would have no trouble recommending Kanuth to friends.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
kenya safari
chaz tours and travel is the best and there drivers are the best they understands there clients
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fabulous doesn't even begin to describe Bright African
The short version is this: You're in great hands with Bright African. Don't hesitate to arrange your safari through this locally owned company. Be sure to request that Junga guide you and Jamal do your cooking.
Here's the long version:
Just like you, I waded through the huge numbers of safari companies I found online. In the end, I relied on the Trip Advisor reviews and a gut feeling about Bright African. Our group of four was sooooo lucky that I recommended BA.
From the start of our inquiry through finalizing the itinerary for our 8 day northern circuit safari in mid-September and all the logistics, Msangi, the owner, and Rukia, his delightful office assistant, were prompt to respond to emails and were true professionals. It was such a pleasure to meet them when we arrived in Arusha!
Little did we know that Msangi had chosen a man to guide us who, quite honestly, none of the four in our group can describe with words alone. There just aren't enough superlatives for Onema Junga. (Everyone calls him "Junga".) I'm sure all of Msangi's other guides are wonderful but do yourself a favor and juggle your trip dates if that's what it takes to make sure Junga is your guide.
This man went above and beyond in every way imaginable. From dealing with broken leaf springs in the Serengeti at night and getting us to a camp site at midnight to turning around as we were leaving Ngorongoro on our last day when reports of a rhino sighting came over the radio he was superb. Junga could have just called it a safari and headed out of the crater but he was relentless in his pursuit of our satisfaction. We got the big 5 and more.
He has an uncanny ability to anticipate what animals will be doing and putting the vehicle in the best viewing position possible. Other safari companies' guides weren't doing what Junga did and trust me, we were treated to better viewing than many others. He was also relentless in his search for animals in spite of the long hours behind the wheel. Junga did this even though it meant extra work for himself and Jamal. He would also stop to offer help to any other vehicles or guides that looked like they may need help. He struck us an overall good and trustworthy man.
Here are a couple of examples of how Junga went above and beyond. We were at a hippo pool and were enjoying the scene for quite some time when he popped the driver's hatch and announced that he was going to find us a snake. Five minutes later he announced that the game was on for us to find it with our binoculars. He described generally where it was and said its recently shed skin was nearby. We had the best time spotting this snake, a boomslang, and it was a treat. Its bright white skin being right next to it was just a great bonus. While I can't guarantee that the other safari vehicles parked near us didn't spot a snake, I highly doubt it.
He brought us in the "back entrance" to Lake Manyara which was absolutely the right call. It seemed we had one entire section of the park all to ourselves. It made for a longer day and another late arrival at camp that night but Junga really did put our interests ahead of his and Jamal's comfort.
As for Jamal, our wonderful cook, again there's good news. We had some onerous dietary restrictions and this man bent over backwards to accommodate us. I gained weight on the trip due to his huge portions of delicious food. It was simple but delicious and exactly what you'd expect on a camping trip. We even had a scratch baked cake and banana custard a couple of evenings! I was glad to have brought plenty of snacks, though, as it sometimes got be a while between meals.
Msangi went above and beyond as well. He met us at the Mvuli hotel at the end of our safari to see how things went and to say goodbye. When he learned we were going to Zanzibar for a few days he arranged for a taxi driver to pick us up at the airport and take us to our hotel. He told us that even though our safari was over, we were still his clients until we left Tanzania and to let him know if we needed anything. How gracious!
We forgot to pick up a couple of t-shirts at the Bright African office and Msangi learned this after we were on Zanzibar. Imagine our surprise when his taxi driver arrived at our hotel with the t-shirts. Msangi had them sent to Zanzibar on a flight later that day and arranged for his taxi driver to deliver them to us! Unbelievable service!
Here are a couple of helpful hints for you. Number one is tipping. I'd read many formulas for what constitutes an appropriate tip and saw one of Msangi's posts that suggested 10% of the safari price. We ultimately took the 10% as a base and increased it significantly for Junga and Jamal going north of 15% to make a nice round number. I also gave each of them our headlamps to help with future night breakdowns and tent set-ups in the dark. Last, I gave them what remained of the roll of duct tape I brought. Do yourself a favor a bring a roll along - we made good use of ours several times.
I could write a novel about the vehicle breakdowns (yes, plural) but be advised these vehicles take a beating on those roads and if you don't have at least one breakdown I'd be amazed. We saw other victims of the worst washboards you'll ever drive. Just be patient and realize that AAA does not exist in Tanzania. No complaining. Hakauna Matata. You're all in it together and you'll have a great story to tell.
If you're doing the budget camping trip like we did, be prepared for very refreshing, almost cold, showers at some campgrounds. Take sturdy sandals and expect no place to hang your towels or set your shampoo. It was also helpful to have some good sturdy sandals, like Keens, for the campgrounds in the evening. The first night I used flip flops and got a few nasty stickers in my foot that were difficult to remove. It is also a good idea to bring toilet paper as it was frequently in short supply in their bathrooms. Oh, and I saw a fairly creepy spider on/under a toilet seat so be prepared to do a toilet sweep and sit at your own risk.
I was a little nervous about the comfort of tent camping expecting to be sleeping on the ground but they provided very comfortable cots and sleeping pads with good wool blankets which I found surprisingly comfortable. I was still a bit chilly when we camped on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater so bring some warm clothes and socks if you itinerary takes you there.
Take along some type of plastic bag in case you have to relieve yourself in your tent in the night because the buffalo/lions are too near to risk going to the restroom. Better to go in your tent than die by buffalo.
Get the best binoculars you can, they will make the animal viewing even more spectacular. We rented Swarovskis from optics4rent.com - Todd, the owner, is great. When Junga first saw them, he immediately told me they were the best. No kidding! We were all amazed and trust me, when your Rhino and her baby are 400 yards away or you can count the whiskers on the leopard in the tree you'll be glad you brought them.
The Mvuli hotel has basic clean rooms - it's not a Hilton but you're not paying Hilton prices. It's really off the beaten path at the end of a very bumpy dirt road. Going into town will require a taxi. The food was good. Check out your shower before you accept the room. The first night we stayed there, our shower had virtually no pressure. After our safari, I made sure we had a different room. They will also do laundry for you for a small fee and have it folded and ready by morning.
Start your safari with a trip to Arusha National Park. Do the walking safari with an armed park ranger. It's a great appetizer for what lies ahead at the crown jewels of the northern circuit. It also gives you a day to get over jet lag before you start driving long distances. If you do it at the end of your safari it won't have much of an impact.
They did not ask for additional passport photos or a copy of our passport when paying for our visa at KJO airport. Just $100. Be prepared to stand in lines for about 45 minutes.
Be careful at the roadside curio stands. They are ruthless, high pressure negotiators and we ended up paying higher prices than we found later in Zanzibar and even at the airport for the same articles. As much as I would like to support them I felt the prices were pretty outrageous.
We tried to pack light and do laundry every few days but if I were to do it over I would just pack enough clothes to get through the whole trip. Since you are sitting in the vehicle most of the time you don't really get too hot and sweaty so it's no problem to get a few days out of shirts and pants. Laundry was difficult to do in the showers and did not dry by morning causing unneeded hassle. The zipper pants were handy as the mornings were a bit cooler but as it warmed up it was easy to unzip the bottoms and convert to shorts.