20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A safe, memorable and thoroughly enjoyable trip!
I was looking for a reliable and knowledgeable tour leader to take a small group of 6 people on a safari tour and Andrew was extremely good in both these areas. He was able to facilitate a fun, informative, and safe tour and we had a fantastic time, thanks Andrew!
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A Trip of a Lifetime!!
Our trip was with our adult son and daughter-in-law, celebrating her PhD in Psychology - something we had long been anticipating - and Augustine and his team did not disappoint.
We arrived in Arusha very late at night - my only change would have been to have scheduled one additional day at the hotel in Arusha. While Arusha itself is not a wonderful destination, we started out our first morning more tired than we would have liked to have been to begin such a one-in-a-lifetime trip. Our hotel, the Kibo Palace, was very comfortable with a nice restaurant and pool, so it would have been nice to have had a leisurely day there before we started. However, Augustine had nothing to do with this planning - my fault! Just be aware, if you are planning something similar!
Our first camp was the Maramboi Tented Camp in the Tarangire National Park. There were some animals relatively close to the camp so a thrill right away! On our game drives through the park we saw a lot of bird life, wildebeests, and a small herd of elephants. Tanzania is having a drought so Lake Tarangire is very low and the normal flamingo life there is much less than usual - but still impressive. Augustine also arranged a walk with a Masai tribesman that afternoon, so very interesting to hear about his life and culture. The Maramboi Tented Camp was very nice - nothing luxurious, but a good spot for our first safari camp - we felt like we were in Africa and not in a hotel. Beds were comfortable and food was good! Nothing not to like!
We spent two very nice nights at Tarangire - lots of animal sightings and information from Augustine and Casey, our driver. Our next stop was the Tloma Mountain Lodge at Manyara National Park. The area was more lush and green than Tarangire and there is an area where they grow coffee on the grounds of the Lodge. In the park, in addition to the "usual" animals - zebras, wildebeests, giraffes, and warthogs, a sighting highlight was a hippo pod with many hippos lazing in the sun. We enjoyed a massage at the Lodge while we were there, also! The rooms at the Lodge were also very comfortable, and food was very good.
After two nights in Manyara our next stop was the Ngrongoro Crater and the Sopa Lodge. The landscape was again different than our other two stops and the Lodge was lovely. On one of our game drives we saw a rhino and baby - quite a distance away, but a thrill to see one of these elusive creatures! In general, much animal life in the crater! We also spent some time with a small Masai village in the crater learning about their lives and culture. Sopa Lodge was a lovely place to stay - great views of the crater and excellent food.
Two nights in Ngrongoro and off to the Serengeti! On our way there we stopped at the Oldavai Gorge, where the Leaky's discovered many relics of early human life - fascinating! Our first night in the Serengeti was at the Seronera Lodge - lovely setting and dinner there, but our last two nights were at our favorite camp - the Bologonja Undercanvas. Some people may have felt this setting was too rustic and not enjoyed it, but the four of us loved it! No wifi, no TV - other than "Bush TV" - a campfire before dinner, but comfortable tents and beds with ensuite bathrooms and very good food! There are only ten tents so a small group and very international - some Canadians and Italians were there when we were there. My wish was to see the Great Migration so our first full morning there we headed out to the Mara River to see if we could see the Wildebeests attempting to cross. Thank goodness for Augustine and Casey's expertise - we didn't see the hundreds of thousands cross the river en masse, but we did see several hundred of them make the crossing, after finding just the right spot and lots of patience!
Our last morning we made a flight back to Arusha, went to the Shanga River House for lunch - an interesting tour there, seeing how disabled people are trained to make lovely beads and other local products out of recycled bottles and glasses. We also had a delicious lunch there!
We were scheduled to go to a hotel close to the airport in the afternoon before our flights home - but we realized the ticket we had purchased for our son and daughter-in-law on Kenya Airways would not be valid due to a change in my credit card due to fraudulent activity on the card. Augustine took us to the downtown office for Kenya Air and took several hours of his time to help us get the situation resolved so they could fly out that evening.
All-in-all, Augustine was most professional and attentive during our ten days in Tanzania. Everything was stress free - at least for us! Both Augustine and Casey were excellent guides with much knowledge about everything having to do with Tanzania - wildlife, plant life, culture, etc. I would not hesitate to recommend Augustine's Adventure Africa to anyone wanting to plan a safari to Tanzania!
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Brilliant!
From "Hello" to "Goodbye" Makasa Safaris provided excellent and professional service in planning and facilitating our safari. We worked with Selma to plan a 3 day trip on rather short notice. Communication was easy and thorough. Selma gave several options at various price points, never rushed us, and was always willing to answer our questions. This was our first trip to Tanzania so it was especially nice to have someone at the other end who fully understood our concerns and interests. Our guide, Tom, was the best - super fun, accommodating and knowledgeable. He was committed to our boys who wanted to see the Big 5 and take pictures of every bird. You will be within feet of lions, elephants, zebras. Your camera will capture amazing memories of giraffes, rhinos, and birds! We learned so much about the animals and habitat from Tom. He also helped us understand the culture, geography, economy and government of this beautiful country. Our accommodations were lovely - perfect for relaxing and replenishing at the end of the day. There are so many safari operators to choose from (I know, I researched them), but you need look no further. Watching how we were treated and how Tom managed the safari compared to others we saw, we know we found the jewel and give our highest recommendation for Makasa. Competitive price, above and beyond service, and an experience we will enjoy forever.
NZ
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Best Shuttle Service out There!
We have used Pro Shuttle many times, often with last minute bookings and they have come to the rescue every time! Very reliable and friendly! Honestly the best service available out there! I can highly recommend them and we will be using them again for our tour to Cape Town next year.
BE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Great !
Frank is a great guy and an excellent guide ! Always laughing, always in a good mood, very knowledgeable and willing to go that extra mile for his customers ! Couldn't have wished for a better person to show me the wonderful country Uganda is.
IL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
krugerpark s.africa with viva safaris
great-great-great
all the package was corect, with great places to stey , good food , excellent guides and with a lot of patiesnt
JP
Great support
Although we ended up joining tours included in our hotel, Patrick helped us a lot coordinate our plan during our stay. He was very helpful and I would definitely ask him for the next visit.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Stress free and a lot of fun
I planned a trip with a few friends around Cape Town and having all of us in one vehicle together with a knowledgeable driver such as Andrew really took a lot of the stress and guess work out of organising a holiday. Everything went smoothly and we all thoroughly enjoyed the adventure. Thank you Andrew :)
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Cosmo is the best tour guide!!! ❤️
We went on a four day lodge safari with cosmo as our brilliant tour guide. He was super friendly and he helped us see lots of amazing animals. With the great help of Cosmo's eyes we did not only see the big five but also a lepard. The lodges were simple but nice and provided anything we needed to enjoy our safari. We highly recommend Cosmo as a tour guide and Wourld Tour Safari as a operator.
35-50 years of age
Look no further!
For a comfortable and life-changing safari experience, WildGlory tours is it! This company knows how to take care of you and show you Tanzania's many treasures. My review is long overdue as my husband and I went to Africa this month. Everyone we communicated with or met along the way (Angel was extremely reliable and pleasant) was knowledgeable, friendly, warm, and helpful, but none more so than our guide, Baraka. He is an amazing guide and human being. My husband and I wanted a one-of-a-kind safari and Baraka delivered. We saw everything we wanted to see (Big Five and more) because of his dedication, passion for animals, and love of nature. The camps were incredible (clean and beautiful) and the views breathtaking! I highly recommend choosing WildGlory for your next Serengeti adventure, you won't regret it.