US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent experience from start to finish
My traveling companions and I booked a 3-day, 2-night safari in Amboseli to cap off some medical mission work we were doing in Kenya.
First off, booking the tour was very easy. I was sent a detailed quote with the itinerary and total costs, which included the tour itself, the accommodations, transportation from wherever you're staying to the meeting location near Nairobi. No hidden costs, very straight-forward, the booking process was pleasant and no-fuss. They will literally take care of all the details for you, communicating and updating you along the way; all you have to do is show up for your tour and enjoy your experience. Our tour guide, John was phenomenal. He was friendly, helpful, professional, and fun to hang out with while he shared his vast knowledge of the reserve during our tour and all the wildlife that live within it. We can tell that it wasn't just a job for him, but that he still enjoyed his business and has a passion for it. Amboseli is an elephant mecca, you are guaranteed to see these beautiful beasts by the herd in Amboseli. We also saw tons of zebra, gazelle, impala, baboons, giraffes, wildebeest, ostrich, hippos, and we even encountered the lions on our last day! Our lodgings were clean, comfortable, and pretty with a gorgeous view of Kilimanjaro in the background (though it was hidden under cloud cover during our stay). I would relive this extraordinary tour if I could, request John as my tour guide, and add more days. What a wonderful experience!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great guides, luxurious lodges, comfortable cars
We were a family of eight, and booked a 8 night safari across Kenya and Tanzania with Gosheni. Overall the trip was amazing and the Gosheni guides, Dawood in Kenya and Michael and Prosper in Tanzania took very good care of us. The guides were fun, pleasant and courteous. They communicated constantly with other drivers to locate the best sightings, and always drove us to the point with the best view. We saw all the wildlife we wanted close-up, including a cheetah hunting, the big 5 and leopards and lions with their cubs.
Their cars were very spacious, clean and comfortable.
We were also very happy with the lodges they selected and particularly enjoyed the Karibu group lodges.
While Gosheni got most of the important things right, there were a few hiccups which we feel could have been avoided. For example, the power sockets in the cars didn’t work, the wrong flight arrival time was provided and to the driver at Kogatende, the hot lunch option was only provided to us on two of the eight days, the wrong lodge was stated in the itinerary at one park.
Despite these small hiccups, we had a lovely holiday overall and would recommend Gosheni.
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing
An unforgettable experience, made truly special thanks to our guide, China. Initially a bit reserved, he turned out to be an outstanding guide with 21 years of experience and deep knowledge of the land.
The lodges we stayed at were overall nice, with the last one (Voi Safari Lodge) offering a breathtaking view that truly stood out.
The agency (with Antony as our main contact) was very helpful and responsive throughout the planning process.
However, there were a few aspects that could have been communicated more clearly in advance. The remaining balance had to be paid in cash upon arrival, but the evening before the safari started, we were asked to hand over the money to a collaborator who would come to our private hotel. We preferred to give it directly to the guide in person the next morning, as originally expected.
Also, paying in local currency instead of US dollars ended up costing us more, due to the higher exchange rate applied by the lodges (compared to the official rate found online). This is definitely something that should be mentioned in advance, especially for travelers coming from Europe, where US dollars are not commonly used and need to be ordered from a bank.
Overall, it was a truly emotional and well-organized trip — one we will remember forever.
China number one!
CY
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Affordable, nice safari
We found Faithful Adventure last minute. He quickly responded and gave an affordable package. We had such an amazing safari. But I wish they could gave a safari package only, not an extra day to the waterfall.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Compass Odyssey personalized a safari to our specifications. Every small detail was perfect.
We took our first Compass Odyssey safari in 2018. We have traveled independently all over the world, and have disdain for group travel, including cruises, but planning a do your own safari was beyond us. Compass Odyssey worked with us for several weeks, on an almost daily basis, to fine tune the details of our safari, and the work paid off. The safari locations were varied, provided great game viewing, and the hospitality was wonderful everywhere. No detail is too small for Compass Odyssey; a great example was when they met us in the Johannesburg airport to walk us from immigration to the gate for our next flight, a distance of only a few hundred feet. Nobody will ever get lost on a Compass Odyssey trip.
Amazingly, when we checked the published rates at all the lodges we used and the flight costs, the total was greater than Compass Odyssey's price! That total didn't even include transportation to and from airports or long road transfers to safari camps.
We have referred several friends to Compass Odyssey, and they've all had great trips. There was no doubt that we would use them again for our return this year. It feels like Compass Odyssey has special arrangements with the safari lodges they use. These are all small, luxurious lodges, but it felt as if were receiving a bit of special treatment at times. We did have a pre-planned personal guide at one lodge, but we were almost always in uncrowded safari vehicles. As far as wildlife, we saw it all: leopards with food in trees, wild dogs hunting, elephant families greeting each other, the Big Five, spectacular birds. That, and the incredible African scenery, the great lodge guides and staff, the attention to special dietary needs and every other little detail combined to make this the best trip we've ever taken.
To sum up, Compass Odyssey provided a bespoke experience for less than the cost of most, if not all, prepackaged group safaris. Thank you, Kate and Darren!
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Extremely supportive and effective
Just spent a 5-6days safari with Amshar. The experience has been unforgettable and incredible also thanks to Amshar who perfectly organized the whole trip. I really appreciated:
1) customer support: always rapid in replying any kind of question by WhatsApp which is an effective channel for communicating and supportive in helping us in everything we needed or any concerns or doubts we had
2) customisation of the itinerary: having specific available days, it was possible to personalize the tour at a really good value for money
3) guide/driver: special mention to Aloyce that has been wonderful. Very kind but especially extraordinary for the experience we had. He drove in a very safe way bringing us across Tanzania. He was super effective in showing us all the animals and show up in the right place for the animals we were looking for. Also he is experienced so he knows where to go, if a route is safe or not, ecc.. we never got lost or stuck and we timely move from one spot to the other. Overall really effective in everything.
CA
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Reliable, organized, prompt - Perfect!
Bamboo Eco Tours organized a 4-Day Uganda Gorilla & Golden Monkey Fly-In Safari for our family of 5. The trip exceeded our expectations! Bamboo Eco Tours provided complete, accurate information and perfect execution of our gorilla trek tour from my initial inquiry through to dropping us back at the airport at the end of the tour.
I researched many companies for a gorilla trek in Uganda before deciding whole heartedly on Bamboo Eco Tours. Edison answered all my questions (and there were many!) quickly and thoroughly, offering options that I hadn’t considered. Once I had decided on the tour, all the flights, permits and accommodation bookings were quickly completed and I was kept informed at every step.
We landed in Kisoro and met our driver Jackson, a lovely, kind person who immediately put us at ease with his friendly, outgoing manner and great sense of humour. Jackson was very knowledgeable and shared information on Ugandan culture, customs and daily life. We are very appreciative of the effort he made to make our trip memorable. The vehicle used was clean, comfortable and well maintained.
We chose Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge for our first 2 nights - the cabins are beautifully appointed and maintained, meal options varied and well prepared and the service team truly engaging. Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge accommodation was a little tired in comparison to Ichumbi but offered stunning views of the lake.
I highly recommend Bamboo Eco Tours - wonderful people at every step. Thank you so much Jackson and Edison - you helped create wonderful memories for our family in your beautiful country!
US
under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our tour operator was an amazing person, and she ensured every detail of our trip ran smoothly.
If you are looking for a great experience, especially on safari, Tanzania Choice Safaris is the way to go. Not only are they amazing people, but they care deeply about every detail of your trip, making sure that you leave Tanzania satisfied with your experience, and with a full heart. We came to Tanzania knowing no one, and we left with new special people in our lives, including the operators of Tanzania Choice Safaris, that we now call friends and people we hope to see again in the near future. I highly recommend Tanzania Choice Safaris!
SE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic
Eddie our guide is fantastic, he has very good knowledge about the animals and good sense of humor. I recommend the tour and when you do it do it with Eddie, you will never regret it ;)
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Trip Of A Lifetime
We had a great experience with Kili Hike Adventures. Kelvin was very responsive and helpful with getting us a customized itinerary. Our guide and driver, John was an absolute boss! He was very knowledgeable and he had great instincts, always seeming to get our vehicle to the best spots! Overall, great value. We had very nice accommodations. The tented camp was a real treat. I would recommend them to my friends.
