50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Booked a holiday - got an adventure! Happy days!
It’s been about a week since we’ve been back after 24 nights in Zim and we can’t get enough of reminiscing. To start with there were dozens of calls and WhatsApp messages with Ant as we planned a once in a lifetime holiday/expedition/challenge - he is so generous with his time and encyclopedic knowledge and has the most amazing love for his country which comes across clearly in everything he does. We had a nigh enough perfect itinerary - for the novice adventurers that we are - and visited Nyanga, Bvumba, Manapools, Lake Kariba, Hwange, Victoria Falls and Matopos.
Ant arranged a wide variety of accommodation from the gorgeous Sunbird Guest house in Harare (where he and his wonderful team are based) to a four star hotel to cottage to campsites for our 4x4 and roof top tents (and kept a watchful eye over our late arrivals to some places and let venues know when we couldn’t do it ourselves) - but the tents and the Toyota Land Cruiser were our home for most of it.
The Land Cruiser is a no-nonsense fortress on wheels and driving it on very steep and lumpy mountain roads was our almost daily dose of adrenaline (but we are not silly daredevils and it felt more like riding a blancmange than a neck-breaking stunt ride - speed is not your friend when you’re navigating a rugged Zim landscape - great fun all round though). No doubt that we would not have seen half the things we saw without a reliable 4x4 so this was the perfect way to travel. We drove in excess of 2,000 miles without any car trouble which is a testament to the great care Ant and his team take with the cars.
We didn’t get, nor did we want, a restful poolside holiday. We were ‘geographically uncertain’ (i.e. lost), dusty and achy more often than not. It was a challenge at times to pack up camp by 6am for the sake of seeing the animals before the heat set in but it was well worth it and we only got guides/rangers a couple of times - this is the great advantage a self-drive expedition like this offers. We did start a bit wary but felt quite empowered (dare say fearless) and independent by the end of it.
It’s a worthwhile side note to say that we are all female - two not particularly fit fifty somethings and a nineteen year old- all long term London dwellers with no prior experience of anything like this. We felt completely safe and comfortable throughout.
And finally, it feels redundant to say it but still…Zim is a beautiful country - so many different landscapes and something special wherever you look. Manapools elephants are the calmest, quietest and most graceful living things you’ll ever see. Hwange lions let you get your car within six foot of them (and their cubs!), Nyanga ponds are so clear and a (freezing) joy to swim in. The beauty of Lake Kariba sunsets is equalled only by the Milky Way which was so easy to see as there is hardly any light pollution. Matopos rock formations might as well be on another planet and would make a fine location for a future Sci-Fi classic. We felt at times like we had six holidays in one - and there was so much more we didn’t get a chance to see.
All in all we feel so lucky and grateful to have found Ant and his team - none of this would have happened without their care and attention. Thank you Ant, Trymore, Godfrey, Tino, Chris, Moses, Costa - and Ant’s mum too 🙂 - for your warm hospitality.
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
masai mara lake nakuru
Be careful of this company. They make you believe you’re booking a lodge like Sofa Lodge and Lake Nakuru, but then they come up with excuses and put you in tent camps at different places. They pull tricks like overbooking or sometimes don’t say anything at all. We tried writing to get our money back for the difference, but they go silent after 5 or 6 days, being vague. Don't book with them; they’ll ruin your safari.
(automatic translation from Italian)
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Highly recommend Safari Tour
Sunset Safaris? We'd give them all the stars in the galaxy! Right from the start, they sprinkled us with expert advice and crafted a custom itinerary, all without a hint of pressure. David was like a driving wizard, with a heart of gold, eagle eyes for spotting animals, and a knack for nature like no other! A once-in-a-lifetime- adventure, made even more fantastic thanks to Sunset Safaris. A top-notch-pick!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Bogosi was the best guide anyone could hope for, very knowledgeable and kind, highly recommended.
Moonlight Safaris turned out to be the exact type of tour we were looking for. It was just the right amount of roughing it, but not so much to turn off a city person like myself. Our guide was so knowledgeable and treated us to very well. He was super reliable and transparent with the plan for the week. The amenities were just the right amount for the price. I will remember this vacation for the rest of my life and I owe much of it to Bogosi and Moonlight Safaris. The food was perfect for the trip, made by Billy who also was very knowledgeable about the wildlife. George the helper was such a great kid and very helpful and friendly. I highly recommend Moonlight Safaris to folks who are looking for a more affordable camping safari, roughing it but not too much.
AE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
All good in the hood!!
The staff were incredibly kind, from the driver who picked us up at the airport to the guide and the one who dropped us off. They were all so nice!
Of course, a special thanks goes to our guide. First off, I apologize for not remembering his name, but you can see him in the photo. He was really great. Originally, we were supposed to stay in Masai Mara for three nights for the safari. However, on our last day there, he informed us that we’d be with a different driver and group for the next location. We requested to stay with him and the same group instead, and he kindly called their office to make it happen. They were so accommodating!
Everything was also very punctual. When they said we’d leave at a specific time, we had to be ready to go at that exact moment.
Our guide was also very knowledgeable. He explained everything thoroughly and patiently answered all our back-to-back questions.
Overall, it was an amazing experience for my first safari trip!
US
They were absolutely amazing, I loved the whole experience.
Most tour online services actually are scam , they over rate there services and you end being disappointed with the result.
However with Nyanja safari, I got a totally different beautiful experience from the moment of arrival to the room service and the tours with Jinja. But my exponential gratitude goes to one of the staff called Joel for he was very calm, understanding and ready to assist at any time .
I would totally recommend this Nyanja safaris because of him.
JP
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful experience!
We chose Kenya for our first trip to Africa, and we are very happy that we were able to visit the Masai Mara, which was the most interesting part of the trip.
In Masai Mara, we stayed at Masai Mara Bush Camp Private Wing and were very satisfied with the hospitality and support of the staff there.
For us Japanese, traveling in Africa is not easy, but visiting here has changed our minds.
I hope many Japanese people will visit.
It was the support of Leisureway Adventures that kept us satisfied.
And it was SYLUS that supported us in this experience.
He provided quick feedback and a plan that met our requirements at all times.
Without meeting him, I could not have had such a wonderful experience.
I want to thank him again.
AT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A once in a lifetime experience! ♥️
Crystal Safari was very helpful from the planning process to any questions we had. The tour was pricey but worth it. We saw everything we wanted to and had an overall great experience. Our guide Joseph was very friendly, helpful, flexible with our program, trustworthy and also always in a good mood and up for a joke. We would fully recommend crystal safari & Joseph to our friends! Thank you!
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Breathtaking wildlife in various scenario and beatiful beaches in a perpetual summer.
We spent one week safari with a great and well experienced guide (Patrick from Leopard Orchid Safari). From Nakuru to Masai Mara, from Amboseli to Tsavo we encountered uncountable animals and experienced some impressive wildlife scenes. In addition we visited a tea plantation near Nairobi and enjoyed some days in Tiwi beach near Diani. Safety is good, but wandering in some parts of the big cities alone (without a local guide) is not recommended. Nevertheless a travel in Kenya is definitely an experience to do and hopefully repeat.
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Amboseli National Park by Marco Orsi
Wonderful scenario with a gorgeous view on Kilimangiaro.