US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing trip of a lifetime!
Booked a groupon for the Kenya Safari. The booking process and communication process went smoothly thanks to Beatrice and Mark and I felt comfortable with all arrangements prior to the trip. Francis was a very good guide and driver throughout the whole trip. I recommend adding a day and seeing the elephant orphanage and giraffe center. The temperature and weather in April was very nice with rain usually in the evenings (I think we lucked out with good weather though) and everything was so green and the animals were all fat and happy! All four lodges were very nice at Safari Park hotel, Amboseli, the lake, and Masai Mara- can’t pick a favorite because each had their own charm. I do recommend trying to request a river view room at the Masai Mara camp- if I did this trip again that’s the one thing I would try and do (everyone in our group got bush views). Don’t skip the boat ride at the lake! I also recommend the horse riding at the lake lodge if you like horses. The safari trucks were comfy and roomy with plenty of water bottles available. I added an extra day at Masai with a bush flight from the park back to Nairobi which was a nice ending. One thing to keep in mind is that the driving time between parks is long and may not be comfortable for small children, especially during rainy season in April when delays and detours can make the driving time around 7-8 hrs. Overall this trip greatly exceeded my expectations!
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Well organized tour, good accommodation booked, amazing experiences with both Gorillas and Chimps!
This was a great, well organized safari. Eszra was very responsive to our inquiries. Our guide shared lots of information on the country, local customs etc. The accommodation provided was very good. The food was good at all the lodges - basic, but you have to keep in mind this is Uganda. We had amazing experiences in both Bwindi Impenetrable and Kibale National Parks. In Bwindi we had 2 gorilla permits - one for the north and one for the south. The troop we went to see in the South was definitely less habituated than the one we saw in the North; but still a great experience. The hiking to see the gorillas can be quite rugged with steep ups and downs and I would recommend that if you have ANY mobility issues that you hire one of the local porters to help you out. We were very fortunate to have very close encounters with the Chimps in Kibale. Uganda is a beautiful country but it does take a long time to drive in-between places as the road infrastructure is not that great. Give yourself plenty of time to explore the country.
FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Exceptionnel
We were a group of 12 persons and had a 4 days safari, everyday was a new and great experience. We had the chance to see many animals with our guides who shared their passion for animals and wildlife.
We could enjoy luxury tents with bathroom in tanzian style open shower in the jungle.. we were also in lodge with swimming pool inside jungle.
Best people and organization.
John was handling all our requests. People were also speaking french.
We also went to zanzibar to rest and enjoy desertic, white sand beaches
Best company, i am planning to go back one day and meet them all again.
US
Exceptional service and the experience of a lifetime!
We had the most amazing safari while in Tanzania thanks to African Paradise Safaris. Everything was perfect, from start to finish. We were very impressed with the level of service we received, even before leaving for the trip. John Peter, our contact before arriving, was incredibly helpful and responsive to all of our questions and requests. Jacob, his partner, took the time to meet us when we arrived in Arusha to go over our itinerary and make sure all our questions were answered. Our driver and guide Solomon, was also kind enough to meet us before the trip to go over everything with us, as well. Service was just above and beyond.
Everything about our safari was what we had hoped for and more. Based on the communication and level of service we received before the safari, we knew that we were in good hands and that we didn't have to worry about anything. And that was true. Every detail was taken care of. It made our trip completely stress free. The accommodations we stayed at were lovely and unique and we enjoyed each one. We saw tons of animals (including the Big 5), a leopard make a kill, and the migration!
And Solomon. We can't say enough good things about Solomon. He was so incredibly knowledgeable about every animal. He could spot animals hiding miles away and he truly cared about our time there and the experience we had. He was always on time, helpful, kind, and easy going. He answered all of our questions and made our safari really special. We were so lucky to have him as our guide!
We had a glorious, magical experience that we will treasure always. Our deepest gratitude to African Paradise Safaris for such a beautiful trip. We will be highly recommending the company and Solomon to our friends and family and hope to have the good fortune to be able to return ourselves one day.
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Africaaaa
Africa is more than what they show on the news. I was very impressed with Tanzania's infrastructure and progress. Henry was very professional and organized. Everything happened on time and i got through my itinerary. On the last day i even got to do some business deals with some locals. It was an outstanding experience.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic 5 day camping safari with an excellent guide!
Our group of 6 --> Footslopes tour: Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro, and Arusha National Park 5 day safari.
The BEST part about this tour was our guide Nixon. I had seen his name mentioned in the tripadvisor reviews but you have to truly meet the man to appreciate his awesomeness. He was full of energy and truly loves his job as a safari guide. Beyond studying wildlife management at university, he is planning to get more training as a safari guide in a summer course to be, in his words, “even better.” He has the eagle eyes required for a guide, is attentive to his clients’ needs, and a warm heart. When I asked him why he chose Footslopes, he said a big reason is that the manager Gabriel is “a good man”. A company where the staff respect each other is sure to provide excellent service, which is what we got!
Highlights:
Comprehensive customer service -
1. Whatsapp messages and emails were replied to within 1 hour. I don't know how they did this, but someone must be always working in the office. My friends from Hong Kong said they also had rapid replies.
2. We got a complimentary pick up by the manager Gabriel and driver Nixon from Haidom, a small town very far from their office from Arusha, where we were doing some medical work. This was included in our safari price, as was a separate airport pickup for one of our party. They also dropped us off at the airport the day after our safari ended and we were all staying in different places. AMAZING.
3. Our cook Rama met my special request and made chapati, a roti-style pancake, on our last day which was delicious!
Competitive pricing -
I had done some field research and asked about 5 other companies for quotes for similar itineraries and Footslopes was by far the most competitive. I learned that it was because they own their own gear, so prices can be quite low for camping. The main office has 10 desk employees, excluding the field operators.
Fabulous itinerary
Totally worth it for 5 days, as each park features slightly different animal viewings. Of course, this is nature, not an enclave! But we saw very different things in each park, including lions hunting and feeding, tree sleeping lions, flocks of flamingos, and of course the hugely entertaining baboons.
Lodging Notes:
1st night at a tented lodge - the tent was comparable in size to our camping tents, with slatted beds. The beds were not my favorite but the view of Lake Manyara was stunning. Also entertaining after dinner show.
2nd night - camping at the Serengeti Nyambi site. There were hyenas at night, a bright full moon and a beautiful sunrise/sunset. SUPER COOL experience. Cold showers + toilets on site.
3rd night - camping at Ngorongoro Hills Simba A site. African buffaloes at night grazing next to our tents, an even larger moon over the mountains, and lukewarm showers.
4th night - a hotel in Arusha (?!?!?!?!) I didn’t realize this was included but the Venice hotel was FABULOUS and the best place I stayed in Tanzania. Really updated interiors, nicely designed mosquito net, new showers with plenty of hot water. The dinner was slow to come out (we missed our camping cook Rama!).
TL:DR;
Safari of the amazing East African wildlife with an BEYOND amazing company and staff. I strongly recommend Footslopes!
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
repeating customer
I booked with Henry last year and had a trip of a lifetime. I therefore booked again with him this march and he managed to outdo himself(which i didn't know was possible). His vehicles are clean, his staff is helpful and friendly, he got us the best deals for amazing resorts. I have recommended him to all my friends and would recommend him to you all.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
David was excellent and looked after our every need
Safari tour was very good - unfortunately tour guide (who to be fair to Adventour was new and on trial - so perhaps will not be there for future travellers) was not as enthusiastic or engaging as we would have hoped for a holiday that is only something that most people do maybe only a few and possibly only once in a lifetime. That is why the rating is 4 rather than 5 star.
David however was excellent and absolutely committed to customer service and ensuring we had a great time. His knowledge and attention to detail was second to none.
We did see lots of animals including the big 5.
QA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing commitment to provide the most unforgettable experience in Uganda
First of all the company is very quick and professional answering all inquiries. I love the easines of being able to contact them through a chat on their webpage or just by writing a message to them on facebook.
They answered my inquiry just within hours and I could sense the dedication to make all our wishes possible for a four day safari. We were hoping that we could do Kazinga Channel cruise, gorilla and chimpanzee tracking, batwa visit and a game drive in Uganda, and finalizing the safari with a visit to the genocide memorial in Kigali, Rwanda within four days - many companies told us this is too much for that period of time but Kajie Safaris seemed to have a really good knowledge about the driving times and what is realistic and what is not. They gave us an itinerary with everyrhing we wanted and more - we were able to fit in a visit to lake Bunyiony with canoeing and all.
The company was also very open about the cost structure, and kept us up to date on accommodation reservation status and getting gorilla permits etc. Also the payment method they provide is reliable and secured. I felt comfortable doing business with them at all times.
Our guide was very knowledgeable and super nice - it was really nice to have him at the safari with us. If I go back, I will use Kajie Safaris again and would recommend them to any traveller. The accommodation they booked for us exceeded our expectations.
I felt that there is quite little variation in the prices after asking for a few quotes from different companies. Therefore price was not the driver in our decision making when we decided to pick Kajie Safaris - we chose them because of the can-do attitude, quick and professional communication and providing better visibility over the full booking process.
To wrap it up - We could have not hoped for a better service.
PL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Splendid experience!
This safari tour was a great experience. We have seen The Big Five, what doesn't always happen. Our guide Anuri was perfectly prepared and kept us informed about animals & thigs we were seeing. Highly recommended.
