IN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was great experience with their team, especially those tends set up in Amboseli. Cheap & Best
It was really good experience with Big Time Safari. Actually i had opted for package which included Food, Lodging and transportation. They arrange it well and all on time. I would highly suggest someone to try them and experience. Our guide cum driver was very talkative and birdwatcher himself, so he could spot animals and birds very easily. Also he always tried his best to reach to the animals (keeping safe distance). Tents inside the jungle were amazing. Food was not that great but when it comes to a traveller, whatever you get to eat is very much. Since the package they are offering is value for money and you would not dis-satisfied.
CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing and unforgetable.
I booked this as a solo tour and was immediately impressed by my guide, Daniel from Donak Safaris, who also quickly became my friend. He went above and beyond to ensure that I had the best experience I could have and I saw some amazing things. I asked over 1,000 questions and he answered each one with enthusiasm just as excited to tell me the answer as I was to hear it. Bonus, an onboard fridge full of cold beer mixed with large animals... best experience anyone could imagine.
Like many people, I had lots of questions and jitters about going away. Through email before leaving all of my questions and concerns were answered almost instantly (allow for time difference). Soul of Tanzania did an amazing job booking me the best accommodations I could have imagined.
Bonus, eating a hot lunch with a bottle of wine 10 feet away from a pond of bathing hippos.
US
Experience level: first safari
Amazing honeymoon in the wilderness
I want to thank you for all you did for us. The journey was absolutely perfect on all aspects! We had some very good time with the walking safaris, the staff of Elephant had lodge were lovely and the activities around Queen Elizabeth national park were amazing.
My proposal went absolutely well. Our room had been prepared with flowers, chocolates, strawberries, some sparkling wine and a nice warm bath. Really romantic!
Thanks a lot.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Tanzania safari
Travel company: Dancing Zebra Safari Company
This was my fourth trip to Africa and the most rewarding. Jessica from Dancing Zebra met with us twice (we live in the same city) and went over all the details and delivered everything on the itinerary, even when she had to do some last minute shuffling around so that we would have a night time game drive. She is very good in planning trips and specific itinerary. She knows Africa, and especially Tanzania.
And Ian, our Guide/driver was excellent. Almost always, he found the animals we set out looking for, even wild hunting dogs, which are very rare in the Serengeti. The Serengeti is huge, but he knows it like I know my backyard. He was giving directions to several other drivers who were lost. He is the best guide I have had in all my trips!
Very happy with Dancing Zebra and Jessica and Ian.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
5 days in Uganda
My friend Priscila started to exchange emails with Justus an year ago, and since the beginning he was always impeccable on the responses. He was 24/7 ready to reply all our questions and doubts.
The actual trip was amazing and perfect!
Julius, our guide was always very polite and helpful and willing to show us the best of Uganda.
The safari was over our expectation, we were able to spot many animals, even a Leopard. Thanks for Julius persistence!!!
Both hotels (Rushaga and Pumba Safari Cottages) were very good, but Pumba Safari was also an unique and great experience, all staff was very pleasant.
Leaving the best to the end...
The opportunity of being close to the Gorillas and watch them peacefully in their habitat is very powerful. It is impossible to describe the emotion in words. The Bwindi team that dedicate their lives to save and preserve those animals are real heroes!
It was indeed a life changing experience!
Thank you Justus and Julius for all!!!!!
CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Look no further!
I conducted research for weeks, contacting at least 100 safari tour operators over the span of a month and through all the hard work and research - I decided upon Kili Slope led by David. I have absolutely no regrets regarding this decision. The safari went without a hitch day by day. We thank David and Ziggy for this. For more details -- read on!
The price we were provided for the duration and private safari was extremely competitive, David was also very transparent regarding costs and one of the very few who accepted credit card as a method of deposit payment! David worked with us, we wanted Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Tarangire in a short time frame. David assured us he would construct an itinerary that worked... and that he did! He made sure our itinerary was custom to our wants and desires not what would be easy for him and his team -- and for that David, I thank you!
We requested mid range and to our surprised David upgraded us to a luxurious accommodation one night in the Serengeti as he was watching the rates and noticed a drop in price for the night we would be there, he booked us an incredible 5* luxurious accommodation -- at NO extra charge for us. This is only one of many examples of the owner at Kili Slope going above and beyond for his customers. ALL the mid range accommodations were amazing, great food, comfortable beds, immediately hot showers, full breakfasts, great views, great lunches to go - amazing dinners, I could go on!
Another example I must share, due to our short safari duration, every minute of our trip counted, on our way to Tarangire, we were to make a credit card payment at the park to proceed (as is expected with anyone going through the park). To my surprise, my financial institution blocked my credit card for use while in Tanzania, my financial institution was closed at the time as Arusha is 8 hours ahead. The time they would open would be in ~3 hours, stressed and frustrated - Ziggy contacted David. David, wanting us to make the most of the time allotted, went to his personal bank and conducted a bank transfer to the national park on our behalf. He did this without being asked by us, he did this on his own. We were then able to proceed immediately. We contacted our bank once opened and our card was finally good to use in Tanzania but David did not want us to bother with paying him back until we completed our safari, he wanted us to enjoy our safari - which we did.
You will not find too many people like David. I believe we lucked out deciding on this tour operator - but this is what research and dedicated time will do for you! We didn't decide to just look at the top 10 tour operators on tripadvisor, we didn't just google search "safari tour operators Tanzania" -- we went digging and found THIS GEM!!!!
The experience was incredible --- we will do another Tanzanian Safari in the future and will LOOK NO FURTHER THAN KILI SLOPE!!!
I could go on and on about how incredible the owner David is, but I need to add that not only was David outstanding, but our guide Ziggy? Out of this world! Please when you do the safari request Ziggy as your guide -- you will be so glad you did. He is a knowledgeable, kind and because we did so much driving, it's important to note he is a SAFE driver! He is extremely professional and punctual -- always early and ready for the day! Because of Ziggy we saw 4 out of the big 5 within a few hours and finally saw the Rhino at Ngorongoro! We saw so many animals, a hunt, so many prides -- all because of Ziggy!
We truly felt at peace with Ziggy present.
Please message me if you have any questions and again if you're looking for a tour operator -- stop your search, look no further and go with Kili slope. You will have ZERO regrets.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Everything was substandard after reading other people's reviews. We were mistreated + put in danger
We trawled reviews and websites looking at hundreds of operators, and settled on Wildebeest in the end because of pretty good reviews and also a willingness to book us in the resort that we wanted to go to. We did not use the one with 1600+ 5 star reviews.
We agreed on the price and all the inclusions beforehand, to include driver, 3 days 2 nights, all costs included for 2 adults 1 child 1 infant, for air-conditioning, pickup and drop off in Nairobi at specified times, a private 4wd tour, accommodation at our preferred resort, and also air ambulance evacuation cover. Communication was excellent.
We were picked up on time.
We never received confirmation of air insurance till we were nearly home on the last day – ensure you receive your policy numbers before you leave on safari to ensure you are covered while you are far from medical facilities!
The vehicle was fitted with a fridge, 2way radio and power points. We were unable to attach our baby seat to the car properly as it did not have the required anchor points for a baby seat- so we had to improvise and use the headrest as our anchor.
It wasn’t till we hit the dirt roads a couple of hours later where we noticed things going wrong. We had a tyre puncture in the searing midday heat. I was left in the car with a screaming 6 week old baby. There was no air-conditioning as promised AND despite their website also stating that “ALL vehicles are fitted with air-conditioning.
Driving on, our car was filled with thick dust – there was a hole in the floor allowing dust in. We resorted to wetting some baby clothes with our drinking water and blocking up the hole so we didn’t choke to death. The baby carseat I covered with a wet towel to try to trap the dust. My son was beside himself screaming with dust inhalation and heat. Then the ride got violently bumpy… in fact so bumpy I had to take him out of his car seat and hold him mid-air for suspension. I was afraid he would get brain damage with the violence of the car. My daughter was telling the driver he was going too fast, she was also being thrown around like a sack of potatos. Other Wildebeest and safari cars were flying past us without issue. So here I am holding my baby in a wet wrap over his face mid air for hours in midday heat… I started to message the company owner saying this was dangerous and I wanted the car changed. He didn’t bother to reply to me.
Outside the Masai Mara we were asked to change into another Wildebeest vehicle at the entry, and our car was taken to the mechanic. It turns out the suspension was broken.
The new 4wd was coasting along no issues with dust or bumpiness, so we knew we had been given a lemon of a 4wd.
My review of the resort is on its own post.
At the resort our driver didn’t engage with us much, sit with us or explain what the plan was, we were just left hanging. In saying that, he was polite and never rude to us, but lacked communication skills with us. I was watching Dennis, another Wildebeest guide, who ate, laughed and talked to his clients… and enroute was actively chatting, informing and having a great time himself.
The next day, the driver had lost his keys, so we were put into a van instead, having to get into our 4wd through dodgy unlocked windows to get our things out of the 4wd. Then someone told him they found his keys so we drove back to the “fixed” 4wd. We noticed more flaws with the truck – the 2way radio was never on, it didn’t even have a mouthpiece to speak through – so I guess we missed out on all the game sighting calls and were in danger should we have needed help in an emergency while out on safari. The drivers door was jammed so he had to exit through the window! The fridge and electrics just turned on and off with the bumpy roads… flickered and rarely even worked. Some of the seatbelts did not work, windows were jammed, the car was generally in very poor repair.
We did see all the park animals - except Rhino, which are too rare. The following day, we were meant to do a morning game drive, stop at NON TOURISTY souvenir shops (not the safari preferred ones where they get kickbacks and charge customers ridiculous prices). Our game drive was a hot footed exit out of the park, the driver didn’t speak, nor slow down, nor look for any animals. By this stage I was so furious with the company, I just wanted to get home. The owner never replied to my SMS or emails alerting him to the danger to my family and requesting a replacement vehicle. We had no other way to get home other than the same vehicle back. We stopped at one pathetically expensive tourist stop – you know with the special “guide waiting room” where they can chat, have drinks and wait for their customers to be ripped off blind and collect a commission. He knew we wanted to stop at either street sellers or the other numerous shacks set up on the road selling masaii wares, but he didn’t stop at those. Into Nairobi by 3pm, our driver did help us unpack and then even apologised for the terrible vehicle – again an admission from the company.
In ADDITION and the worst of it all – there is a pop top on the roof of the 4wd. One support strut had rusted through and I had noticed it was cable-tied down to stop it rattling – rather than being fixed. While driving home the 2nd strut failed and the roof crashed down. Had my daughter been standing at the time she would undoubtedly been killed. For an adult we would have suffered severe injury to the head.
I followed up with Noah the owner – he told me that the vehicle had come down from the north of Kenya and he had noticed that it was in very poor repair. Rather than talk to us and reschedule/give us the option, he just allocated it to us knowing we had a newborn and a toddler with us and required safety and air conditioning. I had even mentioned a reviewer before me mentioned an old vehicle and in poor repair, and had asked for assurance that this was not going to happen to us! At the end I requested a rebate of $250usd which was roughly the cost of a proper vehicle, which we FINALLY got after harassing them for months. Despite having kids, the owner doesn’t seem to have any insight into the grave situation they placed us in, nor care about his company reputation. I have read all the reviews, and know someone who has used them multiple times and likes them. From what I saw of other vehicles and Dennis, the company does have the potential to stand up to what other reviewers say, but we just drew the short straw and were really mistreated and put in danger.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing
What a safari. Our truck picked us up from our place immediately at 5 AM, stopped for food, amazing accommodations, good guide, everything. We WILL be going back!
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing safari - worth every cent!
I can highly recommend doing a safari with „smile with us in Africa“. The communication before arrival was smooth. They were very helpful and flexible.
During our safari we experienced some extraordinary sceneries. Lake manyara, Serengeti and ngorogoro are very different and have a great variety of animals and nature. Also our driver did a very great job in getting us close to the animals.
The accommodations in which we stayed were very comfortable and cozy. The service of the lodges was extraordinary - staff was very friendly and thoughtful.
We can definitely recommend the 4days trip! The service we received was above our expectations and worth every cent!
