35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A truly amazing safari from start to finish with amazing value for money.
We finished our safari yesterday, and the overall service we received from Early Kingfisher Safari from day one has been simply outstanding.
I spent a lot of time researching safaris and considered a number of different providers. Most of the safari companies in Botswana do provide a decent service and generally have good reviews. But what made Early Kingfisher standout from the onset was a question my wife asked: can she use a hairdryer while camping! Most safari companies politely said no, but Sam at Early Kingfisher said he would somehow find a solution to this tricky conundrum! That approach of finding solutions to tricky challenges set the tone for our safari and impressed us from the get-go. We booked a 6 night mobile safari starting from Maun, with a mokoro excursion, a Chobe river excursion and a taxi transfer to Livingston.
Jameson was our guide and he met us at the airport. He was extremely knowledgeable and very friendly. At camp we discovered that our tent had an inverter for my wife’s hairdryer. The tent was clean, with a light, proper beds and bedding. The toilet was well equipped for mobile safari standards with a sandflush toilet. What’s more, there is daily laundry service like at a lodge - which makes life easy when it comes to planning and packing safari clothes! The meals at the camp were freshly prepared and importantly, was nutrionally well-balanced - and of course tasty!
The bush tea/coffee breaks during game-drives included a fantastic selection of biscuits and their renowned rusks!
What makes Early Kingfisher stand out even more is this - we were due to spend one night by Chobe riverfront, however we heard that poachers had robbed some tourists in the area who were camping. Sam and Jameson decided that it would be safer to put us up in a lodge - at no extra cost to us. They clearly put customer safety and well-being before profits - and that’s something large organizations could learn!
Thanks to Kingfisher, this was truly an unforgettable holiday. We got to see plenty of lions, (elusive) leopards, buffalos, hippos and last but not least the country’s hoards of elephants, plus more! Jameson did a fantastic job of finding the animals, and getting the right lighting conditions for photos. Despite Botswana’s fantastic animals, what REALLY made this holiday truly special are the country’s friendly people and the Eary Kingfisher team at our camps. There were six members of staff, including Jameson and every single one of them went out of their way, over and above, to ensure that we had a lovely time at camp. From fresh, fragrant and cooling welcome towels, tasty treats for high tea to a ready source of warm water for showers at literally any time of the day. We would like to thank: Bara, Metsi, Cam, Big Sam and Mmapolas from the bottom of our hearts for everything. And last but not least we are so grateful to Jameson and Sam for bringing our dream holiday to life and for the amazing memories that will last a lifetime.
Botswana lived up to, and exceeded our expectations thanks to Early Kingfisher.
BR
Was perfect
Transfer in time. Was excelent. Trip was long, about 5 hours, with 2 stops.All was perfect
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fabulous with great knowledge and friendly service
Sunset safari kept us informed at all times and provided great advice and options.
The tour was good value for money and the lodges where right where we needed to be to see the action. The tour guide Sele was very knowledgeable and went the extra mile to provide us with an unforgettable experience, making sure we had a wonderful time.
RO
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unforgettable vacation
I chose Serengeti Mystery Adventures at a time when I appreciated the immediate response of manager Deus and his desire to find the best solutions. Others did not convince me. Depending on what we wanted, he designed a very good program that was completed with the appropriate accommodations.
We spent 5 dream days in Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro, in the company of elephants, we experienced the emotions of meeting several times with lions, which we captured in various poses, hundreds, thousands of wildebeests or zebras unfolded in front of us , during this period of migration, we saved at least for one day a baby antelope that was hiding scared by a hyena right next to our tent.
And the most beautiful surprise was on the evening of August 8 when, at the table, all the staff from Moyo came singing Jambo and "Happy Birthday", leaving me speechless, almost crying with joy! A huge cake that I later shared with everyone there was smiling at me from the hands of Mary, a beautiful and nice girl, very happy and excited about what they had planned at the suggestion of the organizer from Serengety Mystery Adventures whom - I asked him not to let me sleep in the savannah with the lions and he told me that he would make sure I don't forget what happened to a lion on August 8...and, of course, I won't forget. So, yes, I recommend choosing Serengeti Mystery Adventures because it is a serious company, which takes into account what the client wants and surely finds solutions for anyone. Our guide was Nelson, whom we appreciate.
Thank you Deus, it was an unforgettable vacation and a wonderful anniversary. We will certainly come back in the years to come, but now we know that you are planning something that will leave you with beautiful emotions!
Good luck, Ella and Razvan
MY
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our tour operator is Mr. Moses who is very thoughtful and always trying to fulfill our request.
We have a wonderful time in overall trips.. enjoy much with every arrangements by Lenchada. It’s definitely worth in value since we are able to witness the migration.
Thank you Lenchada and our tour guide Mr. Moses to give us a wonderful memories.
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
everything perfect
we spent 6 nights across etosha (mokuti lodge is fantastic), swakopmund and sossusvlei (desert grace gondwana collection is worth the travel to get there in the middle of the desert). food variety was everywhere good and quality high, of course mainly based on meat. our guide, Buzzy, have been always with us, supporting and driving us through the activities. safari in etosha was incredible, thanks to Buzzy’s expertise we have seen 4 of the big five (many elephants, lions, one leopard, rinos) together with many zebras, giraffes, hyenas, jackals, antelopes,… we really enjoyed Sandy Horizon Sandwich Harbour 4x4 Tour where we have been taken through the dunes where the Atlantic touches the desert in an incredible landscape. we finally climbed the highest dune in the namib desert (big daddy), quite tough but it is worth doing it once you are on the top, and visited dead vlei, another incredible experience. everything was arranged perfectly, and also an accident incurred to our car on the way to the airport has been managed properly. 100% happy with Nature Travel Namibia, a special thanks to Buzzy and Petra.
GR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best safari in Tanzania
The best Safari experience in Tanzania! You need to try it! Serengeti is massive and you need an experienced driver to move around. Goodluck (yes that is his name) is an expert and very knowledgeable driver and guide. We got the best views! Do not miss it!
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Stay in luxury hotels with hidden costs and last minute program changes
The program changed at the last moment,just before leaving,so that from the initial 2 days in the rainforest only half remained and many cultural visits got cancelled(like the visit at the king's palace). The meals promised for one reason or another got reduced and for the remaining I had to pay for water,although it was all inclusive. At arrival the driver wasn't waiting for me and he didn't answer his phone,yet after contacting the central bureau and waiting for around an hour he came and picked me up. I got to see the promised animals and I passed 4 days really pleasantly with Tonny,my driver,which overshadowed the afore mentioned tiny details. Yet if I had to do the journey again,I would book it independently, since Rwanda is a safe country and I would have gotten more for the half price.Indeed for the 5K I paid I would expect impeccable service without tiny traps and tricks.
GR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A really experienced tour operator
It’s a lifetime experience! The trip was well organised and our driver really experienced. His name is Good Luck and we totally recommend him. He explained everything to us and we managed to see all the animals we wanted, even the rare ones. He also took us to a Maasai village in order to learn about their culture (we paid an extra fee to the Maasai for this visit). Please don’t miss Serengeti! If you have a good safari guide, it will give you the most unforgettable adventure of your life!
Asante sana!!!
IE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a lifetime turned into big disappointment because of this tour operator.
Our recent 10-day Safari and Zanzibar trip with Shengena Adventures, managed by Mike, was a major disappointment. While we did see the Big Five, several issues severely marred the experience:
Poor Communication:
There were significant communication breakdowns between the tour manager and our guide. On two separate occasions, we were left waiting for hours due to miscommunication, wasting valuable game drive time.
Substandard Vehicle:
The jeep provided was in terrible condition, lacking air conditioning, with frequent breakdowns, and was extremely uncomfortable due to bad suspensions. By the end of the safari, the dashboard was falling apart, making the experience unpleasant.
Mismanaged Transfers:
Our transfer to Zanzibar was poorly planned, leaving us wasting an entire day at a hotel instead of enjoying the beach due to a late flight booking.
Failed Engagement Surprise:
I had arranged a special bush lunch for my engagement, but it was a disaster. What was promised—a beautiful setup with champagne—turned out to be a cheap, poorly executed setup with alcohol-free grape juice. Despite paying extra, the experience was far below expectations, though I eventually received a refund after several complaints. See photo comparison on what was promised and what we received.
Overall, Shengena Adventures failed to deliver the quality experience we paid for. I wouldn’t recommend this company to anyone, as there are many other options that would likely offer a better experience.
