50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Amazing 8-day Great Migration safari
We have been living in Africa on a work assignment for a couple of years, and this is our second safari arranged by Blends of Africa. The previous one, in Uganda/Rwanda was arranged by Blends, but delivered by a different local company, as Blends did not typically have a presence in those countries. The trip reviewed here was both arranged and delivered by Blends, and we are extremely happy with the service provided.
We came to Blends of Africa Adventures via a recommendation from a friend, who had traveled to Tanzania with them. Our contact at Blends was Mary, the amazing Mary! She has been truly a joy to work with. Mary is always prompt to respond, proactive to let us know about potential issues in advance, and extremely knowledgeable about local issues and conditions. Even during the trip, we exchanged messages in real time and got resolution for issues -- and it was Mary checking in on us that prompted the exchange.
One unique feature of Blends is their detailed pricing structure, showing itemized costs for each aspect of the tour, including accommodations, transportation, activities, and fees (including park and concession fees). While other operators allow a certain degree of customization, the transparent pricing with Blends allows clients to make more informed tradeoffs in the planning of the tour.
We did a lot of research on potential activities and accommodation options in preparation for this trip. We were very pleased with the lodges and destinations we experienced. Because safaris tend to be rather expensive, it is sometimes difficult to evaluate the value for money, but we felt that we understood the solid value we were receiving, having considered other options.
Now for the tour itself, the best part. We arrived in Arusha late in the day, and spent the night near the airport. We then spent one night in Tarangire, visiting Tarangire the day before, then Lake Manyara the next day, on the way to Ngorongoro. Lake Manyara did not offer many different wildlife viewing opportunities, but we had the amazing luck to get stuck under a fruit tree, where baboons were feeding above and elephants around us were picking up fruit falling from the trees. We spent an hour surrounded by a herd of elephants, some at times within touching distance to our vehicle, unable to move because of other elephants in front or behind our vehicle. A bit scary at times, the experience was exhilarating.
We spent two nights in Ngorongoro at a lodge on the edge of the crater, with amazing views from our balcony. We were lucky to have clear skies at times, when we had a view of the entire crater, but also moments when we could barely see the grass in front. The trip into the crater was nice, but not as amazing as the rest of the trip. In retrospect, we did not see much more wildlife than later in the safari, and we felt it rather limiting that vehicles had to be out of the crater in the mid-afternoon. Some areas were also quite crowded with safari vehicles. But Ngorongoro is definitely an experience worth having.
The next three nights we spent at two camps, in Central Serengeti, Western, then Central again. We chose to go west, rather than north, and we were lucky that most of the migration was happening between the west and central areas. As such, we saw incredible numbers of wildebeest, zebras, antelopes and gazelles. We would often stop to see a large number of animals gathered in one spot, only to then follow the unending trail of others that were streaming into the gathering, as far as the eye could see. On our very first day, we were lucky to see three lion brothers resting just by the side of the main road, in a bush just a few miles after entering the park. We saw lots of other lions along the main roads, some mating, some resting, and others on the prowl. We also saw a couple of leopards, one in a tree with a Thompson gazelle, and one walking through the tall grass. We also saw a mother cheetah with a fuzz-covered baby, trying to hunt while also staying close to her baby. As we were stopped, watching, the cheetah crossed the road right in front of us, looking for a gazelle on the other side. We also saw lots of hippos, innumerable birds and beautiful flowers.
In terms of seeing wildlife, Serengeti was by far the most rewarding part of our trip. While it was nice to see other parks and environments, we could easily have spent a whole week in Serengeti enjoying the wildlife viewing options there.
A few practical points of advice: prepare for lots of flies when close to the migrating animals. Wear colors other than dark blue and black (which both attract tsetse flies). There will be lots of dust, so mind your eyes and nose (bring glasses, and maybe a face mask).
Most importantly, enjoy! On this trip, we have made memories we will treasure for the rest of our lives. For our next trip, we will surely contact Blends of Africa Adventures first.
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Nice and gentle
We had a nice time walking on the thé valley ….. green and peaceful. The taxi driver was gentle and reliable. Nice tour for a day
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best Vacation Ever!
Our family of 7 adults filled every seat in our Gosheni jeep along with our amazing guide- Inno. Our 1st Safari adventure was better than we could have expected. Inno was knowledgeable, kind, and funny. He answered all of our questions and gave us so much insight into the wildlife, plants, and culture of Tanzania. Highly recommend- Gosheni AND Inno!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Friendly and caring!
Omar (mtinangi) was great!
I love Bananas, and he ensured that I had it everyday! Haha..
Additionally, he ensured that we saw all the animals and ge gave us sufficient time to take pictures and videos.
If I would come back to Tanzania again, ill definitely request for Omar.
SI
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Responsive, flexible and accommodating
Planning a trip to Madagascar can be challenging, especially when you are short on time and on a budget. When reaching out to different travel agents the Come To Madagascar team right from the start proved to be extremely responsive, flexible and accommodating. Their reliable and sturdy off-road vehicles and experienced drivers were able to tackle even the most challenging roads (Tsingy de Bemaraha!), and their guides were an invaluable source of information and curiosities to keep you entertained during the long hours on the road. I felt safe and cared for, so I was able to enjoy every moment of this holiday of a lifetime to the full. Thank you Sanda, Angelot, Rindra & Co.!
QA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfection in details
I must say, much before my tour even started Suricata was on top of thier game. They responded to every query and every doubt I had very diligently. Special mention to M/s. Glory John who was always eager to clarify any doubts and queries I had.
From the time I landed at the airport till they dropped me back to the airport, Suricata staff took care of every little details. The hotels and food were very good. Guides were very experienced. They were excellent and patient.
Overall my experience with Suricata was marvelous. The safari itself was a great adventure.
Jorge Gomes.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great, well-organised safari
We did a five day safari with Tony, organised by Emmah - both of whom were super accommodating and helpful. We really enjoyed our mix of accommodations, and got to see some incredible diversity of landscapes (woodlands, grasslands, lakeside).
Excellent, knowledgeable guide (Mtinangi) who helped us spot the entire Big 5!
Being just feet away from lions, leopards. massive elephants, and feeding cheetahs was surreal. Our guide, Mtinangi, had nearly 20 years of experience and it showed. He knew each of the massive parks we explored like the back of his hand, spotting and getting us up close to animals that would otherwise have been invisible to us. A once in a lifetime experience!
under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Mtinangi was knowledgeable about the wildlife and area and was very flexible and helpful as a driver
Mtinangi was a great guide during our safari. He was incredibly helpful and flexible with the timing and itinerary, always making sure we were comfortable and getting the most out of the safari. His ability to spot animals from far away and position us perfectly for the best views was seriously impressive and let us see even more than we had expected. He also knew a lot of the wildlife and the area, and answered all of our questions with detail and enthusiasm. On top of that, he had a great sense of humor and kept the whole experience fun and engaging. Highly recommend!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Outstanding staff
My group of four people used Serengeti Smiles for one leg of a longer trip across Tanzania and Uganda. While with Serengeti Smiles we visited the Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire National Park. We were working with pretty tight time constraints but Jonyo in the office did a fantastic job presenting us with multiple itinerary options to suit our needs at different price points. Pricing was clear and transparent throughout. They were very flexible and easy to work with throughout and it never felt like we were just being given cookie cutter options. There were a few unexpected issues with flight timing, lodges being fully booked, etc, and every time Jonyo was able to roll with it and find solutions. Communication was quick and easy thoughout. All lodges were as advertised, no surprises.
On the trip itself, our guide, Zack, did a wonderful job of keeping to our schedule but staying flexible with what we wanted to do and see. He maximized our time in the parks while still getting us to our next destination right on time. Had plenty of knowledge on not just the big charismatic animals but also the smaller animals, birds, etc., and pointed out areas of interest on the drive between sites as well. Vehicle was clean and well maintained, bottled water was always available. No complaints except that we don’t have unlimited time in life, we would’ve gladly spent twice as long.