US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable
After spending many hours researching which company to use for our first safari in South Africa we decided on Wild Wings. They provided an amazing, flawless, and unforgettable experience!!!
Madi became our travel consultant and after numerous emails and a few phone calls we had a fantastic itinerary. Throughout the planning process she was extremely professional, friendly, and very patient! She arranged all the lodgings, transfers, safaris, tours, and national airfares. Madi made sure that everything was just perfect!
My husband and I started our journey in Cape Town. We stayed in Cape Town Hollow Hotel which has an excellent location and our room had an amazing view of Table Mountain! She also booked tours to Cape Point and Hermanus with African Experience. We then flew to Nelspruit for our three-night safari in Kruger (Skukusa Rest Camp) and our guide was Simon!!! He is just the best! Excellent guide with an extraordinary knowledge of the animals and birds in the park. His passion for nature is contagious. Simon was not only our driver and guide but he was also a wonderful cook…. with a great sense of humor; eating our meals with him was such a pleasure! He offered genuine individual attention and tried to cater to every want and/or need of each person in the group…. We couldn’t ask for more!!!
From Skukusa, Mishak from Gap Tours transferred us to Machaton Private Camp located in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve. This lodge is incredible! We felt so pampered by Lezel and her fantastic team… from the beautiful rooms, wonderful meals, friendly staff, and magnificent game drives. Their attention to every single detail was superb!!!
We were again picked up by Gap Tours for the very scenic Panorama Route drive tour. Our driver and guide, Mishak was very knowledgeable and passionate about the area and the animals. He even spotted several birds throughout the drive.
Our next destination was Johannesburg and Madi arranged a half day tour to Soweto and Johannesburg with Spurwing Tourism Services. This was a very interesting tour that provided us with a historical history of South Africa.
From there we flew to Kasane Airport and stayed at the Chobe Marina Lodge for two-nights. We had a beautiful room facing the Chobe River and did two spectacular cruises on the river (morning and night) that offered us a distinct perspective of the animal’s interaction with the water. We also did game drives and saw different animals from the cruise.
Final destination: Victoria Falls…. Breathtaking !!! We stayed at the Ilala Lodge which was within walking distance from the falls and you could see the falls’ mist from the hotel! Madi arranged for us via Wild Horizons a beautiful sunset cruise and a microlight flight (from Zambia) over the magnificent falls. This was an incredible experience!
Throughout our journey in South Africa Madi arranged for us multiple transfers and tours that were always punctual, reliable, and guides that were friendly and knowledgeable. We saw an incredible number of animals and birds... a lioness nursing her cubs, a hyena stealing a kill from a pack of wild dogs, a close encounter with a leopard sitting up on a branch with his kill nearby…. Just amazing and incredible sights!
Many thanks to Wild Wings and Madi for exceeding our expectations by providing us with an unforgettable experience!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Outstanding budget safari to Masai Mara for two with transfer on to the Serengeti
Excellent, reliable company to organise a safari with and very highly recommended. We wanted something a bit different (a land transfer into Tanzania at the Sirare border on the western side of Masai Mara) and Serene East Africa Safaris coped wonderfully with this, providing us with good options for a private safari (just the two of us) that were within our budget-level price range. The accommodation chosen was amazing given our budget (Mara Base Camp - highly recommended). Vehicle comfortable and reliable (minivan which is typical for here and much cheaper than land cruisers), driver helpful and capable. The wildlife viewing was exceptional (the wildebeest migration had crossed into Masai Mara from the Serengeti). Transfer from the MM to the Sirare border does not seem to be common so I provide some detail here. It is a 4 hour, really pleasant scenic drive - not a main roads so on dirt roads but not a problem. There was a fuss free handover directly to our Tanzanian safari driver at the border; the two safari vehicles just parked beside each other. The border passport controls (the Tanzanian side is a new building) and paperwork took just 15 minutes. You absolutely MUST have a yellow fever vaccination certificate to cross the border (although theoretically I think this is not required - depending on where you have traveled - you will still be asked for it). Taking vehicles across the border can be a big headache so we had a Tanzanian reistered vehicle and driver waiting for us for our Serengeti part of the trip. The two drivers were in good communication so this all went smoothly. This way of getting around to the Serengeti is a good budget alternative to going back to Nairobi, flying from there or going via the main land crossing. Be aware that it is still a few hours drive from this border before you get into the Serengeti National Park. Thanks Lucy and Serene East Africa Safaris for helping make our trip a fantastic experience.
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderful country, lovely people and amazing wildlife
The weather was perfect all the time, our guide Richard, was prepared And full of attention for us, the wildelife is wonderful, people are very gentle And kind, our accomodations were perfect! We had an incredible trip Throught Uganda!
CR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing
Tanzania was an amazing experience, the weather was perfect and we were lucky to see lots of animals. Our guide Isaac was incredible and pleased us in every way. About the food I can say that breakfast and diners at the camps were very good, and lunches were ok.
About the tour company, we´re not very happy. The car was very old and it broke twice during the Safari.
Even though we paid for the whole package in advance, it happend that when we got to Manyara park I had to pay with my credit card to buy the entrance tickets because the company did not deposit the money to the guide. Same thing happend at Ngorongoro but I refused to pay and the guide could solve the problem. After the Safari the money was refunded in cash, but it was a bad experience.
Besides that, it was a great adventure and I would certainly go back again.
SE
Versatile, vigorous and vital
We had an extraordinary experience with Shemeji tours. Highly recommended for Safari trips in and around Serengeti.
US
Loved Masai Mara, did not care for Nairobi city that much.
We happened to be there during Election Day do most tourist attractions and
the whole city was closed down. People are nice, Uber's are great way of transportation.
Craft sellers on markets too aggressive. But loved Girafe
Center and baby elephant orphanage. Beautiful. But the gen is
the Masai Mara!!!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Tammy at Pembury Tours Created the Perfect Experience for Us!
Our first time to Africa. Tammy at Pembury spent a lot of time to create the perfect itinerary for us. From the very start of communication with Tammy, to post trip follow up, Tammy was truly amazing. The lodging, Safari's, day trips, drivers, pickups, and communication with Tammy was excellent. We had a perfect trip to a country that was new to us thanks to Tammy. Thank you Tammy! You're amazing!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our deposit $4000US missing
We have planned a Safari for December2017 and received the same email as everyone else about someone running off with the money
We were told our trip is safe and is with another company.
When we contacted that company it is not so
So rang all hotels on our itinary some booked some not, none have received any payment
This is very disaapointing...Do not go with this company
We have tried to contact all Tanzanian tourist boards and even the Tourism Minister and are waiting replies
CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing trip made just for us.
Explendor Tours was great with staying in contact from the day we began our email exchanges. They were helpful in creating the exact tour that we wanted. Once on the ground we had a private tour with guide Stephen and his wife Emily. They are both wonderful people who go out of their way to accommodate your wants and needs on the trip.
We felt very looked after and would recommend Explendor Tours to anyone. You can't go wrong with them.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing memories that will stay with us forever!
We booked a three day/two night safari with Hello Tanzania and it was perfect from start to finish! Mwajabu Mo is incredibly organised and always available to answer any questions or deal with any changes to the booking. She was able to arrange a last minute change of accommodation practically at the drop of a hat. She was always ready to make sure our trip was everything we'd hoped for. She came to our hotel the evening before to take payment and talk us through the itinerary which was very helpful.
Our driver, Abdallah, was also amazing. The drive to and from Dar Es Salaam to Mikumi is approx 5 hours each way and he drove us very safely. He had a great sense of humour and was very attentive. We were supplied with water and snacks which we really appreciated!
The tours themselves are experiences we will never forget. From the Mikumi safari to the waterfall hike. Everything ran like clock work thanks to the fantastic organisation by all involved.
Vuma hills (luxury tented cabins) and camp Bastian (concrete lodges - high standard!) were where we stayed. Both amazing, the food especially was delicious. The staff at each were very warm and welcoming which is a huge part of what made our stay so fantastic.
100% would recommend Hello Tanzania. Thank you for helping us make memories that we will enjoy forever!
John and Maria