US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Kruger National Park by Karen Louise Boothe
Not many birds migrating at this time
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful
Our family of 5 recently did the 6 day safari with Becon safari. The
communication and booking through Robert was excellent and prompt. We were
picked up in Nairobi, went to Ambosili, Massi Mara and Lake Nakuru. The
accommodation and meals were very good.
Our guide was an excellent driver, polite, friendly enough, found and
showed the big 5, and many other wild animals, which in itself was
fantastic! He also spoke to the front desk at one of the lodges and
promptly got us a room when ours wasn't ready at check in, which was very
much appreciated after a long day of travel.
Beacon Safari was easy to book, took care of all the details, and a good company to go through if thinking of going to Kenya.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was amazing!
Everything worked like clockwork with drivers/transfers! The lodging & food were very good and amazing wildlife viewings/spottings (even an elusive leopard) and gorgeous Kruger Pk vistas.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A truly enjoyable experience with a great guide.
Communications before and after the trip were very good. Everything went according to plan and exceeded our expectations, nothing was to much trouble for Raja or Nico our guide.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent service and an unforgettable experience
It is not easy to plan a safari from half way around the world. There are a bewildering amount of safari outfitters offering their services online, but it is nearly impossible to distinguish the outstanding companies from the mediocre. Fortunately, we had a friend who was working in Dar es Salaam at the time who helped us navigate through the complexity. She said to check out Tanzania Choice Safaris. We did, and we could not be happier with the service we received. This is a family run business and they go out of their way to ensure you have an unforgettable trip.
After filling out the web-based request form, Brenda contacted us with some possible itineraries to consider. It was easy to deal with Brenda -- who is an expat from the USA -- and she was prompt and helpful throughout. After several email exchanges, we decided on a 12-day itinerary: 8 days traveling through Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater, and Seregenti, followed by four days in Zanzibar at Matemwe Beach and Stone Town.
Brenda's husband Kakasii was our guide and he met us at the airfield in Arusha to begin our safari. Kakasii was wonderful -- he was knowledgeable, personable, and fun. The safari vehicle was comfortable and we always had a bottomless supply of cold water available. The private vehicle is the way to go. We sometimes would see parties of six jammed inside other Land Rovers and the passengers did not look very happy. Tanzania Choice Safaris only does private trips, so this aspect should be considered favorably.
Kakasii did his best to show us the most amazing animals -- rhino, leopard, elephant, lion, giraffe, buffalo, wildebeest -- we saw them all. But he also knows all of the birds and other rare animals that are less identifiable to the untrained eye (Klipsringer or Lesser Kudu, anyone?) Kakasii knew all of the animals on sight and he freely shared his knowledge with us, along with teaching us a few Swahili phrases and words.
The lodging choices Brenda recommended were outstanding. We were the only guests for three nights at the Kichiguu Camp in Tarangire. My wife was a little apprehensive about staying in a wilderness camp (with lions roaming about), but this place was amazing. The food was great and plentiful. The boys running the camp were super attentive and the service was great -- from the welcome drink to the nightly bonfire -- this was a memorable experience. The Serena Lodge in Ngorongoro was solid, although after being the only guests in camp at Tarangire, it felt a little more crowded and traditional. The evening entertainment in the lodge was fun. The views from the lodge into Ngorongoro Crater are spectacular, particularly at sunrise. The Kubu Kubu Camp in Serengeti was the best of the bunch. The food was outstanding and the staff was super friendly and helpful. Swimming in the infinity edge pool while overlooking the plains with wild animals all around was pretty neat, particularly after some long dusty days in Kakasii's Land Rover. The all-inclusive drinks were a nice touch as well.
When Kakasii dropped us at the airfield in Serengeti for our flight to Zanzibar, it felt like we were saying goodbye to an old friend.
Upon arriving in Zanzibar, the Tanzania Choice Safari representative met us at the airport like clockwork. Our new guide Hamisi was a hoot and he showed us all kinds of sights and cultural points of interest on our ride to Matemwe Beach. Matemwe is a little off the beaten path, but the Jafferji Resort where we stayed was a perfect beachfront hideaway. We were able to scuba dive off of Mnemba Island without any difficulty. Our last night in Zanzibar we stayed in the Maru Maru hotel in the middle of Stone Town. Hamisi is a licensed tour guide and he walked us through all of the best sights in Stone Town. Maru Maru was quite nice, particularly the roof top bar/restaurant/pool area, which provided a peaceful oasis in the middle of a busy town at street level.
All said and done, we had a wonderful experience with Tanzania Choice Safaris. They made it easy for us to relax and enjoy our time in Tanzania. They pay attention and get the small details right, and as a result their product is demonstrably better than nearly all of the other outfitters we saw (for instance, we never had a picnic lunch without a table cloth!) Because of the excellent experience, we have already referred other friends to Brenda and Kakasii and more will likely follow behind them. You should too!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
As a solo traveler, Compass made me feel safe, secure and I had an absolute blast!
I had the best time on safari thanks to Compass Odyssey! The animals were incredible, the food was fantastic, the accommodations were unreal and I was able to live out my bucket list safari!!!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A truly wonderful family holiday that exceeded our great expectations.
I contacted eight travel companies to plan our adventure to Tanzania, and then studied in detail our favourite three offerings. It was clear that WildWays offered a very knowledgeable local experience, and this was shown throughout the tour, with incredible knowledge of wildlife, culture and history. Keeping two families, with children from 10 to 19 engaged was not a problem, and they kept the pace absolutely perfect every day. We wanted a packed adventure, as we were limited by time, and we also wished to travel by land to get a real sense of space and country. The vehicles were perfect for the occasional rugged terrain, and well stocked with snacks, cold drinks and USB chargers....although surprise surprise the kids only needed them for photos and videos. If we return for another trip to Tanzania, Wild Ways will be the only stop. Thanks for a great family trip.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Kilimanjaro Climb Experience
The guide and assistant guides were all excellent. Highly skilled and each capable of being a lead guide. All were fun, professional and knowledgable. They made the climb enjoyable and safe. I would highly recommend to others and will take my son when he reaches 16 years old.
The safari was fantastic. The tents on the serengetti were excellent and a great experience. Ian is a legendary driver and placed us in the best positions for viewing the wildlife. He made the safari 100% better.
Thanks for the excellent trip. My husband and I had the best time on mountain and safari. We surely recommend Tanzania Exclusive Journeys
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
All according to expectations and as agreed.
We arranged a personalized safari which was all that we expected and more. The places recommended by the agency were fantastic. We did not encounter any problems with what was promised and all went according to plan. We even saw a place which was not in their recommended list but they still arranged to book it for us without hesitation. Again, all was as promised.
Vanessa was our contact in Spirit of Kenya and she always answered promptly to our questions. There were some minor changes to the timing of our flights booked with Spirit of Kenya and we were informed immediately. The only thing that was not that swift was the confirmation of the receipt of our payment and remaining balance to pay. In the end all was clarified, but there was a small confusion on their side.
The safari itself was an incredible experience that I would definitely recommend!
CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best experience in Namibia travel
Discover is so great，my friend and me booked a camping tour from Swakopmund to Sossulvei for 3 days，and they provided us a perfect service and being so sweet and gentle to us. Besides we talked a lot like Namibia culture and their custom，and both we shared our local cuisine， It was a wonderful experience we had in Namibia，Even after the tour end，they still care whether we were safe to be our destination. It was so great to meet them and having them as our tour guide.
Danki Fanuel and Lukas.
