35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent and unforgettable tour
The tour was excellent. the company provided a very good service and a clear program. Lamesgn treated me like a close friend, not just a client.
I really enjoyed Ethiopian culture, coffee, food, which was a special experience for me. I had a small stomach problem during the Omo valley tour, but the tour guide quickly bought medication for me and helped me until I felt normal again. I really appreciated his care and support.
I wish I had more days to explore all of Ethiopia, but unfortunately I could not because of my work schedule. Based on my experience, I highly recommend this company to anyone who want to explore Ethiopia.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Roger was an amazing guide! Pro driver and so knowledgeable. Can’t wait to return!
Each day was a new type of adventure. Fun filled game drives, with peaceful moments watching the animals and exhilarating times driving to find an animal. Our guide Roger is a seasoned pro and wonderful guide. Took us to the best places, we have amazing photos!! Worth every moment and can’t wait to return.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Roger was the BEST! So accommodating, knowledgeable, and funny. Would 100% choose him again :)
This trip exceeded my every expectation, every single day! Our guide Roger was so funny and could answer every question. He made sure we got the best views and saw as many animals as possible. The lunch/market stops were all very nice. Would definitely book here again!
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing experience. Amazing and professional guide.
Amzing experience and very good driver. Our guide made it possible ! Thank you !
AT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect Safari Experience from Sansibar
We did a 3 day Safari in Tansania from our holidays in Sansibar. We had a great experience with Travel Wise Safari. Everything was perfectly planned and organized. From picking us up at our hotel in Sansibar, the flight to the mainland, the whole Safari, until bringing us back, everything ran without any issues or delays. It was a private tour, only me and my girlfriend..- and still cheaper, than many other companies. Our guide was such a nice guy, so friendly and funny, spoke our language, answered all our questions, the hotels were great, clean, beautiful, the food for all days was very good and more than enough. We saw 4 of the big 5, it was the the best experience of our holiday.
I would definetely recommend Travel Wise Safari. Without a doubt.
If we make a 2nd Safari anytime in the future again, I would definetely choose Travel Wise Safari for it.
AE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing
This was a truly amazing experience. Bonnie was our driver and guide and he was exceptionally knowledgable with all the wildlife we saw and Kenyan life. Highly recommended.
IN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing time with amazing memories!
We had a wonderful time at Masai Mara. It was well planed by Brian with good accommodation options at reasonable price. James our guide showed us big 5 on the first day of the safari in Masai Mara.
It was just like we expected and everyone in my family were really happy with the experience.
Experience level: first safari
An amazing experience our first time to Africa, we would definitely recommend Cuckoo to others!
Thank you for a very positive experience our first time to Africa! What could have been very stressful and nerve-wracking experience was alleviated through booking their safari itinerary. We booked the 12 Day Hwange National Park, Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park to Okavango Delta trip. The booking process was very simple, almost too much so that we were just nervous that maybe we missed something. Tatenda was very responsive whenever we needed to contact about the booking/itinerary.
When we arrived in Victoria Falls, Simon and Tatenda were waiting for us in the arrivals area and we were immediately off to Hwange. Simon was great about explaining our overall itinerary, but also just welcoming us with some background knowledge about the places we were passing through- the economy, the people, the customs, etc.
The lodge at Hwange was breathtaking. The open atrium was beautiful, the rooms were classy and had great views, and the back area where the fire pit and pool were perfectly overlooking the watering hole. We would just relax and observe the animals- it was our favorite view of any of the lodging we stayed at for the duration of the trip. Our guide Bheki was extremely knowledgeable in his craft and prompted our fascination with tracking. Not to mention a new appreciation of birds! His observation skills were enviable and we saw so many animals there, including some we didn’t think we would see at all or didn’t know existed!
We returned to Victoria Falls and had an amazing sunset cruise. The drinks and snacks with the ambiance of the Zambezi River were lovely. We were so impressed with the ability of the captain and crew to spot animals from the boat. The following day, we saw the namesake falls itself, which was breathtaking. There was a bit of time to explore the town and then we went to the private game reserve with our guide Nico that ended with delicious bush dinner.
Our transfer from Zimbabwe to Botswana was actually incredibly smooth. Simon drove us to the border for handoff to Gift, who was from Puku Safaris- Cuckoo’s sister company in Botswana. Border crossings can be quite hectic, but Gift guided us and a family of 4 through this process very smoothly and patiently. It was the easiest border crossing that my very well traveled friends had ever experienced.
Our two Chobe game drives via vehicle were guided by the talented Figo. His driving skills were second to none- I want to drive like him when I grow up. He was very pleasant and amiable, answering all of our incessant questions about being a guide, the parks, plants, animals, and whatever crossed our minds and he had a great sense of humor. Everyone in our vehicle wanted to see a leopard, and he was able to track one the first morning. We were the first to find it and one of a few vehicles that were able to see it before it disappeared like smoke into the brush. It was amazing.
The boat game drives in Chobe were also really cool and you get to see the animals in a much different way. The guides on the boats showed us different things, so each evening was a unique experience. It was definitely worth it to do game drives via both land and water. We ate dinner at the Chobe Safari Lodge buffet each night and the food was incredible, which I didn’t expect to say about a buffet.
As we ventured out towards Maun, our itinerary seemed less full, but that was likely due to the remote locations we needed to travel to. Hearing the animals at night and watching the elephants drink water at Elephant Sands was spellbinding. The meerkats were adorable and so worth the morning drive.
Once we reached Maun, Mr. Lee transported us to the Mokoro dugout canoe expedition. I would say that this is less of a canoe experience and more of a bush walk, for those who are participating. It is performed by people in the community and helps to support them. I think we walked for about 2 hrs. The following day, Mr. Lee deftly guided us in the Moremi Game Reserve, and poetically checked off the last of the animals we wanted to see. It was perfect.
A note about food and beverage- we were worried because we have dietary restrictions (vegetarians and food allergies), but everywhere we went was very accommodating and we didn’t have to worry about it at all. Cuckoo did well to relay our specifications, and everywhere that fed us either knew or confirmed with us what we could eat. Buffet style meals always had plentiful options for all of us. They also constantly provided bottled water so we never had to worry about buying our own or be concerned about having to make bold choices.
Overall, I can’t say enough about what a great experience Cuckoo made this. They booked unique, comfortable accommodations. They ensured that we had extremely competent guides who made sure that we were safe and respectful of wildlife while still getting to see a wide array of animals and educate us about an expanse of knowledge. Simon was very friendly and kind- making sure we were comfortable, reminding us of our itinerary, answering our questions, giving us suggestions, and educating us about life for people and animals alike. Thank you so much for everyone responsible for these bookings because it was a once in a lifetime trip. I hope to visit again one day.
Excellent
My friend and I both really enjoyed our experience with Justin. He was very knowledgeable and made the adventure fun! Would highly recommend!
The Best Trip You’ll Ever Have
The front office’s customer service was great, our local guides’ knowledge and skills in the field were impeccable, and the whole travel experience was excellent. I fully recommend Lush Africa Safaris especially if you’re looking to combine a number of countries. And I don’t know if you can hand-pick guides but Derrick in Uganda and Rwanda is impressive, Peter in Kenya is a champion and Joseph in Tanzania is heaven-sent. We couldn’t have been luckier to get three of the best!
I spent 18 days in Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania with 5 other friends and we had a blast, felt safe, taken care of and we saw many amazing things. We never wanted the trip to end because we were having a lot of fun, learning from the best Africa has to offer. As a lifelong Arizonan, the African sun was never a problem for me, but I must tell you the gorilla place Bwindi can get really cold at night, as if it has its own winter system. We were so lucky we saw the big 5 plus the chimpanzees, gorillas, lots of primates and the boat ride in Queen Elizabeth park is quite a highlight. We chose gorilla habituation over the standard tracking because we wanted to stay longer with the gorillas. I saw my favorite animal, the cheetah, in Masai Mara and Serengeti. At that point, my safari was completed. But we also saw many giraffes, lions, black & white colobus - another of my favorites, leopards, crocodile, many hippos in Uganda, rhinos in Kenya, we even saw a honey badger tussling with a pair of jackals in Ngorongoro.
Our trip began in Entebbe and ended in Kilimanjaro. The airport transfers were handled expertly by Lush. Their prices are fair, and they got us very nice midrange accommodations everywhere.