NO
Eddie was a happy and enthusiastic safari guide. He kept the whole group in good spirits!
The camp was very clean and well maintained. Safari guides were enthusiastic and knowledgeable! Overall I think that we got a lot of value for our money! Would recommend to anybody on a budget.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
We went on safari to the mt Kenya circuit . Excellent care was provided by Simon and his colleagues.
We went on safari to the mt Kenya circuit . Everything from collection at the airport , meals to the final drop off at the airport was well coordinated .
CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Very good tour company
Communications were incredibly smooth. They really did their best to accommodate all my demands/needs and made sure that I was comfortable in every aspect of my trip.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Want luxury, excitement, pampering and affordable, think South Africa, think Go Touch Down.
WOW! Go Touch Down scored a 10 with us. From the moment we booked our tour your office was wonderful answering questions and taking care of everything so we could enjoy a stress free trip. All the resorts we stayed at were absolutely 5* beautiful. James and Tony were wonderful guides and showed us the many wonders of South Africa and made us feel like family. Michael our safari guide showed us more than the BIG 5, it was more like 12+. The knowledge they shared was incredible and made the trip enjoyable and fun. The staff at Tshukudu were all wonderful, Dolly with her homemade gluten free bread and Rachel at Stillness Manor with her cheerful smile and so many others made this trip special. We thought this trip would check South Africa off the bucket list but Go Touch Down and all the wonderful people there have made us want to come back and see more. Thank you all for an unforgettable trip.
FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Mt Kilimanjaro with William
I wanted to take the time to write a review for William as we all had a great time climbing Kilimanjaro with him and his team. We were a group of 7 friends and we did the Machame route in 6 days (instead of the initial 7 given we were well acclimated to the altitude after a few days). We wouldn't have been able to make it to the top if it wasn't for the help they all gave us (guided, cooks, porters). William was also paying attention to how we were feeling along the way, especially on the final climb. And before that, as soon as we reached 4000m we had our oxygen level and heart rate checked to make sure we were good to keep going. I would definitely recommend him if you wish to successfully climb Mt Kilimanjaro.
AT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very good organized Tour and Great experience
Thx to our guide Muktar and our driver Engelbert. They told us so much about animals and living in Tansania. We saw so much and had a Great experience. All the Lodges have been good, food was simple but delicious. The stuff was very friendly and helpfull.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Rich and diverse memories of East Africa for a lifetime
Empirical Tour and Travel led an incredibly rich and rewarding custom trip through East Africa for my fiancee and I for 3.5 weeks. We were both in between jobs and wanted to do something really big. We researched a large number of different safari services and for various reasons, none of them were a good match for us. I stumbled across Empirical's profile and was intrigued by their focus on Rwanda, Burundi, and Congo. I had never really thought about these countries before, but I reached out to them to ask for more info. Eraste (the owner and head guide) was very responsive and provided good info. We discussed a custom trip based off a standard trip they offer. Within 2 days, Eraste provided me with a custom itinerary based on a large number of things I was interested in. We agreed to a 23 day trip across Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania.
I requested a few last changes (removed DRC and added a horse safari in Kenya), which he accommodated. The itinerary we finally agreed on was very exciting. We paid Eraste via a mix of credit card (which had to be paid in batches of less than $2000 due to limitations on the Rwanda bank) and wire transfer.
Eraste met us at the airport in Kigali after midnight, as the flight arrives late at night, and took us to our hotel. We slept and then the trip began. Over the next 3.5 weeks we really got a taste of East Africa:
Rwanda was a true hidden gem. The entire country is impossibly clean and looks landscaped; a photo at any random location in the country looked like it had to be a park or something, but it wasn't, it was just the landscape. The Genocide Memorial Center was really a good experience. Rwanda has a painful past (the genocide was in 1994), but to walk around the country you don't feel it. Everyone is very kind (though street vendors are still trying to sell stuff). Other highlights included a canopy walk, golden monkey trek, a stay at a great beautiful lodge on tranquil Lake Kivu (where my fiancee and I got engaged!) and a visit to islands in the lake, Dian Fossey museum, banana beer making, and cultural dancing.
Burundi provided a great cultural experience at the Gishora Drum Sanctuary. This was amazing. You could feel the drum resonate through your chest. We also visited a waterfall park.
Uganda gave us the highlight of our trip - the gorilla trek. We hiked off trail in the jungle to spend an hour with a gorilla family of 8. The gorillas are habituated to humans (which takes years of daily exposure to trackers), so they basically ignore you. You're in no danger. We stood a short distance from a silverback while he munched on leaves. Our hearts were racing. Over the next hour we got to watch different members of the gorilla family eat ants, relax in trees, beat their chests (to impress us, according to the trackers), and liver their daily lives. In Uganda, we also visited several parks and got to see lions (male, female, and cubs), cheetahs, giraffes, antelopes, elephants, hippos, and several species of antelope and primates. We crossed the equator and saw a demonstration of water spinning clockwise and counter-clockwise and falling straight down. The crazy thing was, these were only 10 meters apart. We also did a really nice boat ride to Merchison Falls and saw more elephants and hippos.
Kenya provided an experience of a walking safari with members of a Maasai tribe in Maasai Mara. We saw elephants and antelope. We also got to visit their village, meet young warriors in training, and see their jumping contest and dancing. In a separate location, we did a horse safari which was was incredible. I highly recommend doing this. We were able to see giraffes from a distance and wart hogs and impala up close. We visited a rhino sanctuary and got see them up close grazing from a short distance while we walked around on foot. We also visited a giraffe park and got to feed and pet giraffes. So wonderful.
Tanzania was the end of our trip and we spent a few days snorkeling in the crystal blue waters of the Indian Ocean off Zanzibar. We also explored Stone Town and visited a slavery memorial location that was very educational.
Throughout the trip we stayed very good accommodations. Some were good, some were really good, and some were absolutely top notch. We were perfectly happy with this mix. Most hotels were gated, and we never felt unsafe.
The food ranged from local (which was really tasty) to specific to westerners. The quality varied by location. Sometimes the meat was tough, which really shouldn't be surprising, as the way food is stored in those areas is very different than back home. But sometimes it really was like eating at a nice restaurant. Again, it's travel, so we expected this mix. We chose to avoid vegetables that weren't peeled so we missed out on some stuff, but if felt like a good choice for us. We both got traveler's diarrhea once on the trip, though it was minor and passed in a few days. (Mine came from eating some berries for sale on the roadside in Burundi. I should have known better.)
The drivers were really on the ball and a did a good job covering long distances while ensuring we were safe and got to our destinations on time. They also did a great job in the game parks helping to get us to animal sitings, which may not last long.
Overall, I have to say the trip was INCREDIBLE. Seriously, nearly every day we experienced something incredible, and the whole time we kept thinking, and there's still a lot more amazing stuff to come! It felt like we packed months of experiences in a short time.
Eraste is a very kind and caring guide and went to a lot of trouble to give us the best experience possible, including adding a last minute trip to the giraffe park after he learned my fiancee liked giraffes and arranging with hotel staff to leave floral decorations on our bed to celebrate our recent engagement. Eraste also has great staff and we really enjoyed interacting with all of them.
I'd strongly recommend you bring a large amount of small currency for tipping and some extra money for visas and anything you want to buy. We brought a bunch of (USD) 1's, 5's, and 20's as well as several 100's. For 23 days, we each spent about $1200, though we didn't buy a lot of stuff. It was mostly tipping, the occasional beverage (alcohol is not included in the price), and visas. (Many of the activities are run by people at the specific location, not by Empirical, so you will need ample cash for tipping. So in addition to tipping your Empirical guides and drivers, you will also be tipping local staff.)
I can strongly recommend Empirical. We had a great time across a very broad and rich set of experiences. I can't say enough good things about the trip and I'm still smiling, days after returning home.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unmatched Kruger Experience!!
This was an absolute 5 star experience! I would recommend a tour with Rhys and Wade to strangers and friends alike. The trip to South Africa was a bit outside our comfort zone and Rhys’ responsiveness, knowledge, and help during the booking and planning process made this big trip feel more approachable. Rhys and Wade’s flexibility and focus on our small group’s wants and priorities was a huge benefit of this trip as opposed to being on a a larger, more structured group tour. From the commutes between JBurg and Kruger, to the homemade meals, expert animal sightings, unmatched Kruger knowledge, and little things like providing a surprise birthday treat for my fiancé and hearing our favorite veggies in discussion and serving them for dinner the next night, we felt safe and well cared for! We will 100% be back for another safari one day and Rhys and Wade will be our first call!
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Absolutely the best. I would highly recommend especially the driver Khongi. He is the best.
I recently visited Johannesburg and was looking for a tour operator to show me around during my limited stay, during my search on Internet I found Nhlalala Travel. I must say without hesitation that this company is excellent. My chauffeur was Mr. Khongi, who is extremely cooperative, and very experienced. He knows his ways around the area and is pleasant to ride with. He very helpful and knowledgeable. I would recommend them highly for 100% satisfaction.
FR
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Magic
All was marvellous and the team was fantastic. Good travel with taxi and plane. During the 3 days, David was a really good guide with a lot interesting informations and very good services. Déo was a really good driver, we saw all the animals lions Buffalos girafes elephants hippopotams yennas wild dogs and many others. The night gaming was magic. The
African's menus were delicious and we had 2 sun down very Nice.
Thanks a lot for all. We are enjoyed 🥰.
(Excuse me for my bad english. I'm from France😉)
