Review about Namib-Naukluft National Park by Nicole
I found the scenery in the Namib Naukluft National Park to be spectacular-like in another world!! It was the neatest experience to climb and descend the sand dunes. It was one of the many highlights of my trip! Amazingly we saw a fair amount of animals-the mountain zebras, springboks, and the beautiful oryx! I was ecstatic when I first spotted an Oryx and thought I had seen some kind of unicorn!!!
Review about Damaraland by Nicole
Drier and more desolate area but offered interesting historical sites to visit such as the World Heritage site at Twyfelfontein and the Petrified Forrest.
Review about Zambezi Region by Nicole
The Zambezi Region was also very interesting. Lots of native villages and people and children walking along the roads. It was a busier area, more populated than others.We spent a bit of time on the Kavango and the Kwando River where we saw numerous bird species and some animal life. The game drive through Mahangu National Park was exciting as we saw our first lioness and a kill.
Highly recommended-it doesn't get better than this!
An African Safari Trip had always been high on my bucket list & finally, this Feb. 2015, it became a reality! The trip really started in Cape Town South Africa where a group of us travelled many miles by jeep,saw amazing scenery and wildlife but, it was nothing in comparison to the wildlife we encountered in Namibia's Etosha Park.
When we entered the Park through the Anderson's Gate and immediately saw our first elephant leisurely enjoying a mud bath along with an audience of zebras and giraffes, I knew I was in for a real treat. It was a great welcome to my first Game Park! From then on animal sightings were numerous. From impalas to springboks, to steenboks, warthogs, a variety of foxes, to my favourite gemsboks (oryx) there was never a dull moment.The lonely,solitary wildebeest trekking through the dry scrub towards our jeep,the hyena glaring at us, the black rhino in the distance, really got the adrenaline going. The kudus peeking out of the bush, the juvenile steenbok jumping in front of the vehicle, the vervet monkeys racing across the road were all pleasant surprises. The fact that the animals were in smaller group settings during that time of year was to my advantage when it came to photography.The giraffes in their calm & nonchalant ways were most photogenic and I never tired of photographing the stunning zebras.
The landscape had a surreal feeling to it, interspersed with sparse vegetation, low shrubs and vast salt pans.The low concentration of human activity brought peacefulness to the area and was much appreciated. The few waterholes along the countless roads attracted numerous species of animals and provided us with an excellent vantage point from which to view and photograph game.
The bird life was also prolific.The European Bee-Eater, the Lilac Breasted and European Roller, and the various Weavers were common throughout the park. We also spotted Ostriches, Kori Bustards, Storks, Secretary Birds, various Hornbills, numerous prey birds, and flamingoes amongst many other water fowl.
Our first night was spent at the Halali Camp. We were treated to beautiful spacious accommodations & excellent meals. The Namutoni Camp was our second night's destination. It was equally as lovely a spot, with attractive, clean rooms and once again exceptional food. Staff was always pleasant and friendly.
No complaints really, other than next time around, I would probably omit the night drive as it was not conducive to any decent photography even though it was interesting enough and we got to see a herd of rhinos speeding along the side of us in the bush and others drinking at a water hole.I would definitely extend my stay in the park for a few more days.
Much kudos to two wonderful, professional and most knowledgeable guides who went out of their way to look after our needs and made this adventure so successful! To be in their presence was truly a blessing!
Our last day ended magically ( and of course too quickly as one never wants a beautiful dream to end!) with a glowing sunset and dark thunder clouds looming overhead, announcing a storm on it's way. Last but not least we witness a farewell sighting of two silhouetted giraffes in the far distance momentarily necking and then galloping off like lovers into the coming storm! Luckily, the lack of rain had definitely played in our favour while in the park,but now it would be welcomed!
I must say that never in my wildest dreams did I expect such a rewarding safari expedition. Etosha Park will be embedded into my memory forever!
Review about Namibia by Nicole
I was surprised to see as many animals as I did in such a desolate country. Although very dry, dusty, hot and barren in many places it had it's own beauty. The spectacular sand dunes were a unique experience in itself and it is also a destination that I would return to. The tribal people were beautiful, especially the Himba Tribes in their villages. That was one of the many highlights!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
5 star service, best African travel agency
From the first enquiry Cuan and the African Ubuntu Safari team were absolutely wonderful.
We contacted Cuan to let him know my very new husband and I were coming to Africa for our honeymoon and he went over and beyond to assist us and ensure our honeymoon ran perfectly.
The trip was completely tailored and customised to suit our tight timelines, Cuan was very professional and quick to respond. All of his recommendations were spot on for what we wanted, and exceeded all expectations when we arrived.
We flew into Johannesberg and Cuan booked our flights to the Kruger. The lodge we stayed in which Cuan recommended and booked for us, Simbavati, was exceptional and by far the nicest accommodation we have ever stayed in which again completely blew us away. The staff at Simbavati were amazing and the game drives were exceptional. We saw leopards almost everyday for 5 days, beautiful Rhino's, giraffe, zebra, monkeys, buffalo, hippos and the list just goes on! Every drive was so different, and the Timbavati game park is so large and diverse. The park actually carries on to the Kruger as there are no fences between the reserves in this area. This means the animals can be harder to find at times, however knowing that the animals are not confined in small space makes the adventure all the more worthwhile.
Simbavati itself is so romantic and surreal, set on the hills of Timabavti. It is a beautiful part of the world, and we would recommend to all looking for a nice relaxing 5 star (though it seemed more like 7 star!) African getaway. Perfect recommendation.
After the Safari we flew to Cape Town and Cuan booked us into a beautiful hotel near the water, Portswood Hotel. It was absolutely perfect for our stay. The Cape Town Pennisular Tour was also another wonderful recommendation, we were able to see so much of the beautiful city and landscape surrounding.
Thank you Cuan and the African Ubuntu Safari team. We cannot thank you enough for making our honeymoon such a dream come true!
Jon and Danni :-)
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
absolutely wonderful, helpful, clear communication, on budget and way beyond expectation!
We wanted to see South Africa at its best at a reasonable budget. Marianne was all we needed. She found us B&B's that were so much more special than any hotel can be. They were all clean, wonderfully located and with great hosts. Marianne advised us that we could better safe budget on accomodation around Capetown and use it for a bit more expensive safari, that was such a was a great idea, because we had an amazing safari as well as wonderful accomocations! If we ever have time to go to SA again we would immediately contact Marianne again!!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Family Trip to Tanzania!
The trip I took with my family (4 adults) in 2013 was amazing! It was extremely easy to plan with e-Trip Africa's help. They were very knowledgeable about everything to see and do in the great parks of Serengeti and beyond. We also went to Zanzibar, which was a great way to end our trip. We loved our driver-guide and all the hotels and lodges matched our preferences and needs. I would highly recommend a tent camp experience at least one night! The next time I want to book a Safari, I will happily choose e-Trip Africa again!
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
One day in Nakuru
Very flexible tour provider, cost efficient and able to shape a tour towards customer requirements. Very happy with the safari driver, really giving his best to spot the animals and very knowledgeable about wildlife. Clearly exceed expectation for a one day low budget safari trip.
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
8 days of Heaven !!!
We were in Uganda for 8 days and had booked Katona Tours to organize our trip. Jackie was fantastic !! She was very quick to respond to our our emails and answer any questions we may have had. She was excellent at suggesting time lines and was very flexible when we wanted to make changes. The price was very competitive. We booked all budget accommodations and they were perfect. We wanted something very rustic and close to nature and we got exactly what we wanted. The food was fantastic !!
Richard our driver was amazing. He was always on time and organized. He kept us on track and ensured we had an amazing experience. He had many suggestions for us and customized our trip to make sure we were well taken care of. He was a fantastic driver and we always felt very safe.
Overall I would highly recommend this tour company and we would definitely use them again