IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great! Totally recommended!
Nadzua is great! she is super helpful and always available; I booked 4 days safari, but I was sick and I had to reschedule the departure. She helped me out and gave me information I needed.
During the Safari she also wrote me to be sure I was having a good time.
We were supposed to stay in tent, but we were able to have a lodge. That was very good because unfortunately in the evening it was a little cold and with real walls it was more confortable.
The lodge had private bathroom with hot shower. The food was ok (exceeded my expectations) and we had bottled water.
Thanks to Patrick (our driver) we got perfect pictures of the animals. He's expert and I always felt safe with him driving.
Moreover, I find the prices from buyMore Adventures better than other that are proposing the same services. I reserved my safari from Europe and I paid on the departure day (i could choose to pay in $ or KES), when they pick me up to go to Masai Mara.
Totally recommended!
CH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Short but intensive 5-day trip to the primates of Uganda
We have done a 5-days tour starting in Entebbe and ending in Musanze/Rwanda.
We had a wonderful holiday and we enjoyed the tour a lot. We especially liked the following aspects of the tour:
- Accomodation: the accomocations were all fine but we especially enjoyed staying at Isunga Lodge which we consider the most beautiful accomocation we stayed at during our whole holiday.
- Our tour included all important components we agreed on and we're very happy that everything worked out so well and that there were no misunderstandings.
- The driver was a very affable and friendly tour guide and we enjoyed travelling with him a lot. He was happy to respond to our special wishes (stops for photos etc.) and we felt very safe driving with him.
- We especially appreciated driving in a big van so we had enough room for the luggage.
- We enjoyed the village walk at Bigodi swamp very much as the guide told us a lot about daily life and about the swamp and the animals and plants living there.
We have a few ideas to improve the tour even more:
- Since we enjoyed the village walk at Bigodi swamp so much, we were a bit disappointed that we didn't have enough time to do the village and the swamp walk completely as we expected. After visiting the chimpanzees we had a very long break in the afternoon at the hotel which resulted in not having enough time for the swamp and the village walk. We suggest to count enough time for both walks and to shorten the break after visiting the chimpanzees.
- Drinking water: We got drinking water in 0.5 liter bottles. We suggest to buy bigger bottles since they produce a lot of garbage.
- On the fourth day of the tour there wasn't any drinking water left and the driver didn't buy any new one for us, although we asked him to. We seriously suggest to buy enough drinking water for every day since we counted on it.
- When we went to see the gorillas the driver din't ask us about our preferences (walk a short or a long way to see the gorillas). After finishing the hike he told us why he had chosen the particular group of gorillas for us. The hike was beautiful but we would have liked to be included in the decision which group we were going to visit. We both would have liked to do a longer hike and we were a bit disappointed that it was over so quickly (25 minutes one way). We're very used to hiking and it would have been good if the driver had asked us for our opinion before making the booking.
- The accomodation at Ruhija (Gorilla Mist Camp) was not as nice as we expected it to be. The room was quite nice just as the view, but there were a few things that didn't work properly. The shower turned out to be a small trickle and the water was not hot. The wifi didn't work at all. Also the light wasn't working at the first night.
- We also enjoyed the village walk at Ruhija. We would have appreciated if we would have had an idea of how much we'd have to tip. Since the walk had already been payed for we weren't sure if we still had to tip but the expectation was obviously there. We generally think that expected tipping in this context can create wrong incentives and dependencies for the participating people from the village. Instead, we are interested in an authentic meeting and exchange at eye level.
Even though, we have a few a series of suggestions to improve the tour, we were more than happy to have done this tour with you and we remember these days in Uganda as an amazing experience.
The communication with the tour company before the tour was very professional and insightful. All our questions and needs were responded to very quickly.
CH
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing Tour with Soul of Tanzania
Our customized 8-days safari trip was well organized and perfectly accomplished by our guide and driver Pius.
The itinerary was well-balanced so that we encountered a great number of wildlife. We had to face adverse weather conditions with flooding but Pius managed us through any difficulties with great skills and coolness. He never lost his patience and was very firm on matters when the situation required it. His knowledge about flora and fauna is impressive, and he proved to be an excellent lion, leopard and cheetah whisperer. We were very happy with Pius and can unconditionally recommend him and Soul of Tanzania to any interested party.
There were so many highlights that it is difficult to list them. The whole package was inherently consistent with every day providing some new experiences. One of the big highlights was definitely our balloon ride over the Serengeti. This is a unique experience.
Over all it was definitely a memorable journey in Africa’s Nature and our experience with the very friendly people we met all over the country. Good hotels and good food, sometimes great food (Ndutu Lodge) completed our adventure.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceptional Tours and Service!
It was absolutely amazing from when I first step foot in Uganda until the very end. Justus and Moses took great care of me, from answering any and all questions through email prior to me getting there, to the beautiful and picturesque drive from Entebbe to Bwindi and everything in between. This is hands down my favorite trip and tour to see those magnificent gorillas in their own habitat in the incomparable Uganda. Everyone was so kind, knowledgeable and accommodating I couldn’t ask for anything more. It is a trip of a lifetime and if your on the fence about it just go.
PK
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Ticket booking
The booking was fast.... The representative was responsive... I trusted him wth my money jus by talking to him...wl do business with them again
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing five days safari and four days in Zanzibar holiday
An excellent and memorable experience - we did five days of Safari with Jeff, who was an amazing guide - very knowledgeable and friendly. We went to Manyara park, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire park. We saw lots of animals, many up close - thanks to Jeff's excellent knowledge and ability to spot things from far away!
We contacted Dusty Roads in October to make a booking and they were very responsive and accommodating of our plans to give us a bespoke holiday plan. The itinerary they prepared was very well thought through and organised, and each of the lodges we stayed at were very good, as was the Zanzibar accommodation. The booking and payment process was very straightforward. The overall trip combining safari and Zanzibar was also much better value for money than other safari tour operators we contacted.
We would confidently recommend Dusty Roads to our friends and hopefully will also come back some day again!
JP
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Kenya with great guide!
It was really amazing trip!
Our guide, Danson, arranged a great trip for us. This trip has made me happy.
I become fond of Kenya.
Especially the experience of riding a balloon was so exciting for me. I could see very beautiful landscape from sky.
My husband promised me forever love on the balloon.
I will never forget that.
Danson is always very kind for us.
Since he speaks Japanese, I felt safety and enjoyed.
He made and presented us misanga, which is a lucky bracelet knitted by strings. I was very happy about his feelings.
He sometimes taught me Swahili. Thus, I get interested in Swahili.
I strongly recommend Savannah Sound Safaris, when you go Kenya. I want to go Kenya again.
Thank you for the great trip, Savannah Sound Safaris. Thank you for everything, Danson.
JP
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
My first trip to Kenya.
It was first trip to Kenya, and the best travel ever.
I love to take photos.
I wanted to take photos of wild life.
I made my dream come true through this trip!
I was able to take a lot of great photos.
Our friendly guide, Danson, made our trip amazing.
He knows safari very well and find great spots where we can take amazing photos.
I had been surprised that Danson took me great spots where I can see cute lion babies, cool lions, beautiful cheetah, breathtaking landscape and so on.
I had never imagined that there is such a beautiful place in the world.
Danson arranged our trip to really wonderful.
He must be a master of animals of Kenya.
In addition, he kindly and politely guided us in Japanese.
So, there is nothing to worry about anything.
I would like to go Kenya again soon.
Thank you for everything, Danson and Savannah Sound Safaris.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unforgettable experience !!
Ilse organized our personalized trip to Uganda, DR Congo and Rwanda and that was not the easiest thing to do!
This trip exceeded my expectations and I have already recommended this company to my friends.
Every day of our trip was wonderful!
We manage to see Big Five in one day ( I recommended to visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary).
Murchison Falls National Park is beautiful with abundance of wildlife and birds ( strongly advice to to go on river cruise and hike waterfalls).
We did gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park, experience that I will remember for a very long time!
If I have to say what made biggest impression and impact on me, that was part of our tour in DR Congo.
This is so beautiful but yet so deeply wounded country.
Virunga National Park is magical place , not only because of wildlife, but mainly because of dedication and hard work of rangers and park management in order to preserve park and support local communities.
Part of our group hike Mount Nyiragongo ( for very fit only ) and that was very unique experience.
Our tour guide Richard was very knowledgeable , friendly and very professional , thanks to him our trip was safe and funny and very interesting!
Overall we had trip of our life and thank you again Ilse, Richard and Matoke Tours!
PS
I will be back one day!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A fantastic experience with a local friendly company who really delivered beyond our expectations
The wildlife was fantastic and we saw the big five as well as many other animals alongside an exceptional range of birdlife and beautiful natural settings. The weather was perfect for us too.
The accommodation at Kudu Lodge, Rhino Lodge and Osopuko Tented Camp was delightful. Each of these places was very different in character but we really enjoyed our stay in each of them. Not only was the accommodation lovely, but the staff were, without exception, helpful and friendly. The food throughout was of a really good quality and all packed lunches substantial and much appreciated.
The first night at the hotel in Arusha was disappointing in that it was rather tired and basic and the bedroom and shower were, to be honest, not a great start to the trip. Having said that, the food there was good.
The hotel at Lake Eyasi was also fine, but if I am being picky, I would say that we had probably the longest time there to relax of any of the places we stayed, yet there was the least to do. The wifi was very poor and the pool, which we did use later on the afternoon for a quick swim, had no shade available and it was too hot to use the poolside loungers without umbrella protection. This as a shame as we would have been delighted to spend the afternoon by the pool. Also there were mosquitos in abundance so we didn't hang around the dining area in the evening. However, the staff were good and the food was fine.
The visits to the two different local communities and the lakeside visit were enjoyable and made particularly so by the great local guide Thomas.
The final day visit to Manyara NP was perhaps an anti climax as it was the least spectacular of the parks we visited and it felt rather in hindsight that if we had visited there before the other places we would have enjoyed what it had to offer more.
If we were to visit again, which I do hope we will at some point in the future, we would revisit Serengeti, Ngorogoro and Tarangire but probably not Manyara nor Lake Eyasi.
The vehicle was fine and what we expected and stood up to the terrain well.
Our driver and guide Anderson was very friendly and we were well looked after by him. The vehicle was always ready, clean and tidy with water and packed lunches all stowed away for prompt starts to each of the day's adventures.
He was able to drive us confidently between and inside the parks and gave us an overview of where we were and what we may see. He was good at spotting animals and helped us 'get our eye in' in the first few days. It was also nice having his company at mealtimes and I think we all felt comfortable with each other and there was plenty of laughing during the trip.
I think that Anderson does lack some in depth knowledge of animal characteristics and behaviour and I personally would have welcomed more 'commentary' about the way the animals live their lives etc while we were driving around - perhaps that will come with more experience. Having said that, we really did like Anderson and he did contribute to what was for both of us an unforgettable experience.
The liaison with Amos at the company office via email from the start, was the principal reason we picked the company. He got back promptly and helpfully to all my questions and inspired great confidence - a confidence which was definitely well placed.
As you know, there is a huge range of options out there on the web for the potential visitor, and having the overall umbrella of the Safari Bookings.com portal made me confident to explore companies within it. The company's offer and their responsiveness then stood out for me which made choosing to book with them an easy choice. Their price was reasonable and, I believe, pitched right for what they delivered and indeed the quality of the food and accommodation in most respects exceeded our expectations.
I definitely recommend this company.