65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic locations, wonderful and knowledgeable guide
Our journey from Victoria Falls to Cape town was wonderful, the trip of a lifetime. The 3-4 star lodge accommodation exceeded our expectations and a lot of the lodges were in fantastic locations. One was up on a huge ridge accessed by 4x4, another in the middle of the desert accessed again by 4x4, yet another in the middle of nowhere, others were right on river banks etc. We travelled towards the end of Sept. which is a great time for game viewing but Victoria Falls doesn't have a lot of water at that time because it's just before the wet season. We didn't find this a problem as we thought the falls were still spectacular and we enjoyed being able to actually see some of the huge gorge which would normally be covered in water.
Our truck / bus was not air conditioned but we found it was quite comfortable with the open windows. Bring a cushion if you have back problems or just like a little more comfort as a lot of the journey is over unsealed roads. Viewing the animals from the bus was easy due to the many windows. The truck also had a large fridge at the back which we could use to store drinks and snacks. Our guide recommended a daily rotation system in the cabin so everyone got to move around and chat with everyone else which worked well.
Speaking of our guide, Kembo would have to be one of the most knowledgeable guides. He was questioned incessantly about subjects as diverse as the flora and fauna, the economy, the history of european invasion, the history and language of the local tribes, their daily lives, education, aides and many other subjects. He always responded in depth to any question. Add to this, his ready smile, his exceptional organisational skills and his wonderful sense of humour and you have a guide made in heaven. A lot of us actually cried, including the men, when we said goodbye to Kembo at the end of the tour.
The game viewing was exceptional. We saw the big five and lots and lots more animals. Again Kembo was great, all we had to do was shout and he would stop the bus and back it up so we could see whatever animal one of us had spotted. Having said that, Kembo was also an expert game spotter. He would often stop the bus and we would wonder why, until he pointed out a lion under a tree in the shade or some other animal reclining in the shadows.
After the game viewing, our visits to Damaraland, the Namib desert and the Kalahari were truly exceptional. We particularly enjoyed our 10 km return hike in the Namib desert to the massive dunes. We began the hike in a sand storm which made for spectacular photos and lost hats. None of the other tour companies take their visitors on this hike, they go by 4x4, as can Kiboko clients if so desired, but for us this was one of the highlights of our trip.
I suppose the only place we found boring was Calvinia, the stop before Cape Town. It seems that there used to be lots of wildflowers in Sept. around the region but they have disappeared due to climate change. The town of Calvinia may be historic but there is virtually nothing to see there. We thought that this was a comfort stop as to drive all the way to Cape Town would be over 800 kms and too far in one day particularly for the guide who is also the driver. It's just one of those necessary stops. Bring a book, do your washing and think about the fantastic things you have seen in the past few weeks and what you have waiting for you in Cape Town. The restaurant where we had dinner and breakfast was very interesting with lots of old, historic implements and books etc.
We had a very special trip with a great company. Although the landscape, accommodation and safaris were wonderful, we would like to emphasise how much Kembo, our guide, contributed to our enjoyment of this trip. Four of our friends have already booked for next year after hearing about our experiences, two are going on the north south route and two on the south north route. Both in September.
Kiboko is recommended by us without any reservations.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very good organized and very friendly atmosphere with a fantastic driver for the gamedrives.
I was always very good informed about any changes of the tour. (Lodge fully booked, roads blocked ...) The safaris were very interesting and the driver did always his best to see the animals quite good.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Keys in hand.
Once the travel plan is step, the whole trip goes smoothly even in unexpected case.
Very flexible also.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Safari experience!
I booked my Safari at Rhino explorers and got a fantastic Safari experience. Pick up from the airport, 2 nights in the hotel and 4 days Safari, I enjoyed a lot! Daniel was warmly welcoming me and organized everything. Because I was in my own, the first day I met my group and we could start the adventure in Serengeti. Our driver and Cook were really kind and made our stay quite comfortable. During nights some of the animals surrounded the tents which was exciting and a complete new experience. The meals were always yummy and water was for free. Our guide told us many things about the animals and parks and we could see a lot. So in total it was a great experience and I would recommend Rhino explorers to my friends.
Lots Of Birdlife & Rhinos
The wildlife seen within Nakuru NP complemented that seen in other Kenyan national parks. Didn't see any big cats or elephants, but plenty of zebra, giraffe, buffalo, baboons, warthogs, & a variety of antelopes. Highlights were the rhino sightings, adults and young.
Saw more birds (25+ species) here than elsewhere including plenty of flamingos, pelicans and other water birds (the lake level was very high such that several of the roads were underwater and impassable).
Definitely worth a visit.
SE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An unbeatable experience.
I think the experience with Safari.com has been amazing. We got different alternatives to choose from and we where deeply supported in the decision making. And best of all, even though we were ensured this was going to be great, the real experience exceeded the expectations big time.
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Best Safari Ever
My friend and i went on a safari with Steve. we had a great time. Steve is very knowledgeable about Tanzania, the animals, the plants... We never felt rushed, he took his cues from us. If we wanted to stay somewhere, we did. He was on time, the car was clean and in good repair, ad he drove well. I have friends coming this year, and we will go with Steve again.
BE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful experience after internship!
Everything was so good organised before we went to Tanzania, the communication was very clear and honest; no surprises when arrived.
The experience was way more beautiful than the expectiations (were high already ;) ).
The private cook and private guide were so friendly and good english speaking! The guide followed our wishes!
One of the best experiences of our lives. Better than this, we could not end our internship of medicin!
Thank you Arnold!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Incredible experience!
We had such a wonderful experience. We visited Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire National Park, and Lake Manyara. Chicho, our tour guide/driver was knowledgeable, personable, and went out of his way so we could see the wildlife up close and take great shots. The whole tour was well planned from our comfortable accomodations to our cook who made awesome food. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone. Unforgettable experience!!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A great first safari experience
Soul of Tanzania was the best choice for our safari, no question. The staff is attentive to every detail and the customer service is the best I've seen from a travel company. The planning and execution of our trip was perfect. There are so many tour companies in Tanzania but I highly recommend SOT as it stands far apart from the rest.