The Amazing Shadows of Africa Guiding Team!
Shadows of Africa
- Offices In:
-
United States
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2010)
- Member Of:
- ATTA, TATO & TTB
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $250 to $1,500 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
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Email Gloria | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We highly recommend Shadows of Africa!
Shadows of Africa organized our 2.5-week Tanzania trip perfectly, combining safari, Mt. Meru trek, and Zanzibar. Communication was clear and flexible, logistics seamless, and guides outstanding. Our safari through Tarangire, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro was unforgettable—special thanks to Dennis for his expertise and care. Wildlife sightings exceeded expectations, and accommodations ranged from basic to exceptional (Pamoja Serengeti a true highlight). The Mt. Meru trek was tough but rewarding, with excellent guidance from Amiri and his team. Zanzibar offered relaxation, though street and beach harassment detracted somewhat. Overall, the trip exceeded expectations, and we highly recommend Shadows of Africa.
Email Geoff Burton | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Simply Outstanding
Visiting the gorillas in Rwanda has been a longstanding bucket-list trip for my wife and me. We decided that this was to be the year and so we asked Shadows of Africa to design a tour for us to go to Rwanda but also to add on a safari in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania.
We were lucky to have been assigned Karin Maki as our consultant as she was so helpful and patient with our wishlist and frequent changes of itinerary. We really felt that her entire focus was on making sure that we got what we wanted. She was responsive to our questions within a few hours and kept in touch with us while we were on our trip to check that everything was going as planned.
Karin’s planning was meticulous but it was matched by the Shadows of Africa team’s execution. It was outstanding - everyone turned up every day at exactly the time they were supposed to, everyone was smiling, patient and keen to ensure that we were happy with our safari.
In Rwanda our driver was Jeanisse and she got us to the mountains and back with absolutely no drama even though the roads were occasionally tricky with many slow moving vehicles. She also arranged a couple of surprises for us to celebrate our wedding anniversary which we very much appreciated.
In Tanzania, after a briefing by Dennis to welcome us, we met our driver Eugen. When he picked us up to take us to the Serengeti he asked us what we particularly wanted to see. We told him that we really wanted to see the big cats and within 3 hours of entering the Serengeti we had seen lion, serval, leopard and cheetah twice - once on a kill. We were totally blown away by that experience and it simply underlines how the team at Shadows of Africa were absolutely dedicated to making this trip the best we have ever had.
Eugen was very responsive to any requests we had and was flexible in the starting times each day depending on how we felt. One day he organized a morning drive with a stop for coffee on the plains and in the afternoon we repeated the experience but this time with a glass of wine while we watched the sunset - absolutely magical. Eugen knew the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater so well and with him as a guide we saw pretty much everything we wanted to - and more.
My wife and I have travelled the world over the past 40 years or so and we’ve experienced some fabulous trips and destinations but this ranks as one of our best ever trips and that’s entirely due to the Shadows of Africa team - they were all just fantastic.
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Email Laima | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beyond fabulous!!!
Shortly after starting my research about a trip to Kenya and Tanzania, it became clear that Shadows of Africa was the leading contender for our trip of a lifetime. Karen, the travel agent for Shadows of Africa, was incredibly communicative, providing several possible itineraries for our desired travel dates. We booked somewhat late (In January, for a late-August/early September adventure) and she was still able to provide us with exceptional options at various price points to suit our budget. Shadows of Africa provided special touches, along with absolutely phenomenal food and beverage options, exceptionally experienced guides, and clean, comfortable safari vehicles. Our guide in Kenya was Joji, who ensured we saw as many wild animals from perfect vantage points as possible, while providing in-depth information about the creatures we were seeing. Our guide in Tanzania was Moody, who was also phenomenal at finding wild animals, never rushing us away from any viewing point and always answering our many questions about each species. We were able to learn so much from both of our guides, and we saw every single species that we had hoped to- far more than we could have found on our own in the same amount of time.
The quality of the lodges Karen helped us select, the extensive menu we were treated to during our experience with Shadows of Africa, the warmth and knowledge of our guides, and the truly exceptional adventures we were able to have on our trip would not have been possible without this absolutely phenomenal company.
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Email Elsie | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Epic! Trip of a lifetime!!!
Epic! Amazing! Exceptional! But words really can't do justice to the the experience we had with Shadows of Africa Tanzanian Safari. We felt like we were part of a National Geographic special. We saw so many animals, so close up. Herds of elephants, zebras, wildebeests, gazelles, impalas, giraffes, lions, hyenas, warthogs, moneys, baboons. We counted more than 45 different species of animals and birds, and I'm sure our list is not complete. We spent eight days on safari in Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti, which also included a visit to a Maasai village, a sunrise balloon ride followed by three nights at a resort on Zanzibar. The accommodations were amazing. The lodges were beautiful and even the tent camps were way more luxurious than we expected, complete with giraffes walking by and lions roaring at night. Our guide was Alex Pao (or Poa?) and he was exceptional!!! We were a group of six women and he kept us all in line:) Knowledgeable, funny, professional, accommodating. And finally, I would like to give a shout out to the Shadows of Africa team -- Karen Maki, Frank and Inge! They were wonderful, responsive, accommodating. I can't say enough good things about them or our experience as a whole and would highly recommend them to anyone considering a Safari experience!
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Email Ryan Loew | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Easily the best experience of my life
Apologies as this will be a long review, as I tend to write a lot. The 11 day safari with Shadows of Africa easily was the best trip of my life. First, let me start with Karen. Karen treats you like she's been your friend for a long time that just happens to be a safari specialist as she's extremely personable and clearly wants you to have the best possible experience. Despite being 10 hours ahead of me, she responded to any and all questions I have within minutes and I question if she ever takes a break. Throughout the whole process, she has been amazing...Karen, if you read this, I can't thank you enough. My other notable tour specialist was Frank that handled everything in Tanzania. Frank...Frank is on top of everything, literally calling me the second we got to the Tanzanian border, giving us suggestions on how to tip, what to do, and literally was on top of everything in Tanzania. Also, Frank is extremely genuine as well, following up daily regarding how things are going, what we love(d), and is again is just on top of everything.
Secondly, the guides. Our first guide was George who clearly has a ton of experience in Masa Mara and Kenya, and was on top of where to go and was on top of where all the animals were. George is very nice guy and on day 2 of safari I was elated on the experience he gave us and also can't say enough great things about that man. Our second guide, Charles Joseph, is younger, super enthusiastic, and is obviously very proud of his country and loves sharing whatever he can about Tanzania as well as anything related to plants and animals. Also, after traveling with him for a week I'm seriously impressed on how he can remember where everything is throughout such a massive area without a map, as I need GPS to go across town. We did have a transfer, Nickson, great young kid who is also enthusiastic about his town and country; hope his pig farming business goes well. Lastly, our last guide, Martin, friggin pro at everything Amboseli, suggesting good photo shots of Kilimanjaro, animals, and again, extremely knowledgeable about the region.
Lastly, a far as the accommodations and food, everything was top notch. We did do the 11 day tour and the nights in Masa Mara and Northern Sarengheti were in raised tents, but the staff more than made up for it as, how often in your life do you see lions, cheetahs, leopards, giraffes, elephants, etc...
My only one real suggestion is if you do plan on doing the 11 day tour, if you're looking for gifts, wait to go to the large shop in Arusha as they by far have the best prices for souvenirs, as the local shops outside Masa Mara are kind of a rip.
To finish, we loved our safari and if/when I come back to Africa, I will be sure to contact Shadows of Africa as they went above and beyond.
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Email Annie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable Trip Thanks to the Best Team
I stumbled upon Shadows of Africa when I started planning my family safari trip in January. I reached out to multiple safari companies, but none was as responsive, patient, and knowledgable as Karen from Shadows. She created the perfect itinerary so the 4 of us could visit both Maasai Mara and the Serengeti, and wrapping the trip up with a visit to the Ngorongoro Crater. Throughout the trip, Karen and Frank would check in with us via Whatapp to make sure everything was okay.
Our guides, Steven in Kenya and Charles in Tanzania were very friendly and experienced. We saw so many cars stuck in the road but we never did (except when we tried to help another car). We saw a lot of rare animals because our guides knew where to go and they always found the spots before other people did.
Like the others mentioned, our packed lunches were another level compared to other groups. Charles would roll out table and chairs with actual utensils and table mats. And the food tasted amazing with warm veggies, meat, rice and spaghetti. Every lunch in the park included a bottle of wine too! Others would look at our table when they were all eating their boxed lunches. 😅
Also, be sure to include Tamu Tamu as part of your stay if you’re in Serengeti. It’s a new camp operated by Shadows and it’s so beautiful.
Email Ben | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing safari and Tanzania experience! Couldn't of asked or dreamed of more!
Fantastic travel company. Organised an amazing two weeks for us to go on safari, experience Tanzania, and relax in Zanzibar. They planned everything for us, family of four, and then delivered it with excellence. We had the best guide for the safari; extremely knowledgeable, planned each day to give us an amazing experience, and respected the animals and landscape we were in. We saw and experience everything! All the accommodation was amazing, lodges, tented camps, etc. Each night a new and amazing experience. Spent time meeting with local people, learning the culture, etc., eye opening! And then relaxed in Zanzibar, an amazing hotel with the best beach. Everyone at Shadows of Africa went the extra mile to make everything perfect for us. If you want the best you have to choose Shadows of Africa. Get Karen to plan everything for you. And get Eugene to be your guide. Thank you!
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Email Hector X Cruz | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The Trip of a Lifetime!
I had dreamed of visiting Africa for 45 years, ever since I was 6 years old. When I was finally able to begin planning my long awaited trip, I researched the countless operators extensively.
I wanted a company with a proven track record of delivering bespoke, individualized itineraries suited for what I specifically wanted to see in my dream safari. I didn't want a package deal put together for just any tourist.
I'm incredibly blessed to have found the great people at Shadows of Africa. My point person for 9 months was Karen Maki who was very knowledgeable and tailored a beautifully curated tour hitting my main focus areas: the Great Migration, a River Crossing, the Big 5, the Maasai Mara, the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, and Lake Amboseli.
During those 9 months, she patiently revised and changed lodging and accommodations until they were just right. I can't thank her enough for her patience, professionalism, and flexibility.
I had incredibly high expectations for this trip and Shadows of Africa delivered in every way.
I want to specifically thank our guides: Anthony, Zamo, and Charles.
We spent the most time on our trip - about 8 days - with Zamo, and he is an exemplary guide. Without him, our adventure wouldn't have been anywhere near as incredible as it was.
Zamo is an extraordinary safari leader, supremely knowledgeable about the wildlife, their behaviors, territories, and the landscape. His skill in anticipating and predicting animal movements put us in the exact right spot for remarkable encounters dozens of times.
Most incredible of all, I told him that my biggest dream was to see one of the legendary wildebeest river crossings. I knew it was difficult to see one and there was no guarantee, but thanks to Zamo's expertise, tenacity, and perseverance, he put us front row to an absolutely breathtaking crossing of thousands of wildebeest across the Mara River from Tanzania into the Maasai Mara in Kenya.
It was one of the most beautiful moments of my life and I owe it all to Zamo Tito. He is a credit and an asset to Shadows of Africa.
Were there some hiccups? Of course. There are bound to be a couple in journeys of this length and complexity, but Shadows and their personnel handled everything in due course.
I highly recommend Shadows of Africa. Don't hesitate in using them to book your dream African safari!
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Email Kari | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible Birthday Trip with Shadows of Africa – Kenya, Tanzania & Zanzibar
We just returned from a phenomenal trip to Kenya, Tanzania, and Zanzibar to celebrate our 50th birthdays. Shadows of Africa made it truly unforgettable! From start to finish, they took care of every detail — even helping us smoothly handle a last-minute flight change.
Karen was incredibly responsive and worked with us to create an excellent, personalized itinerary that blended cultural activities with thrilling safari drives through a wide variety of stunning landscapes.
Our guides, Mercy and Loma, were excellent — knowledgeable, kind, and always going above and beyond. Loma used his expertise to get us a front-row view of the Great Migration crossing — something no one else we spoke to was able to witness! We were shocked by the sheer number and variety of animals we saw throughout the trip.
Staying in tented camps gave us the full safari experience, and we absolutely loved the picnic meals out in the wild. The itinerary was perfectly paced, blending adventure and relaxation, and every lodge and meal exceeded expectations.
This was truly the trip of a lifetime — we can’t thank Shadows of Africa enough for making our milestone birthday celebration so special. We 100% recommend them to anyone planning a safari or East Africa adventure!
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Email Lisa | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great safari tour!
We booked a two week Safari with Shadows of Africa - one week in Tanzania and one week in Uganda - as they were one of the few Safari vendors that were able to accommodate both countries. Karen was great and very responsive in the booking process and gave us a number of recommendations to ensure our trip was to our liking. Our two tour guides were Charles (Tanzania) and Ziwa (Uganda). Charles had an eagle eye and was able to spot leopards and rhinos for us that we would have never found on our own! Both were extremely knowledgeable and friendly and were always focused on ensuring we had a wonderful trip. We highly recommend Shadows of Africa!