BE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Desorganised
Very disorganized company that spoiled the safari experience. We had taken a group safari: non-compliance with the program initially announced, change several times of safari groups, driver and plans, announced excursions of a one-day duration that ultimately lasts only 5 hours.. you return to the lodge at 2 p.m. then you have all afternoon doing nothing. And what a lodge.... More than miserable: no hot water, no equipment, really unhealthy conditions. We were entitled to 2 guides, one very professional and the second null, gives no explanation, doesn't cares about customers, just wants us to go back to the lodge early, really no communication and didn't even make the effort to look for animals. Finally, we are warned the night before late that there is a minimum amount of tips to give per day to the driver and the cook when we had not planned so much cash for these additional expenses; the other companies warn in advance of the amount of these fees. In short, bad experience, company to flee!!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderful Safari Experience
Our experience with Alia Adventures was outstanding. Communication was top-notch right from the moment we confirmed our booking. We received regular monthly reminders, and the team paid great attention to detail,always willing to adjust our itinerary to suit our budget and preferred travel dates.
The services were excellent, especially from our guide, Moses, and the staff at the hotels we stayed in, including the welcoming team at Sofa Lodges.
We truly received value for our money. Alia Adventures went above and beyond our expectations. They are a reliable company that I will always recommend.
The tour itself was unforgettable. Maasai Mara, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro are must-visit destinations in East Africa.
I would gladly return to these places again and again.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Attentive
Our experience with Green Places Adventures was superb. Elijah was attentive in the planning stage, providing a range of possible itineraries and responding quickly to our queries. The safari he planned sourced excellent accommodation for our family of three in three different lodges and we had ample time to explore three different national parks each providing a different experience of seeing the animals. Our guide and driver, Reuben, was full of useful information about the variety of animals and birds that we saw. It was an unforgettable experience.
TR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Everything was well-organized, and the guides were incredibly knowledgeable and friendly.
We chose Meektrails Safari, the company our friend recommended to us, for our safari vacation and it was a great decision! Everything was perfectly organized, and our guide Robin was truly exceptional not just as a guide, but as a person. He was cheerful, incredibly knowledgeable, and always ready to help. Thanks to him, we had the unforgettable experience of seeing the Big Five up close. It was absolutely amazing!
HU
under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Friendly, very intelligent and experienced🙂
We went for a two day safari trip.
The stuff was waiting for us in front of airport to welcome us.
After the friendly introduction we started our safari journey straight ahead to the Tarangire national park.
Due to the experienced tour guide we were able to finish the BIG five within 2 days. While seeing these animals we get known lots of interesting facts about other hidden animals. I highly recommend them and Mr. Richard. (our tour guide)
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great!
We spent two weeks in Tanzania with our two boys (5 and 9 years old). One week of safari and one week of beach vacation in Zanzibar. Fransisca organized everything brilliantly, fulfilled our every wish, and was there for us at all times. We had a fantastic driver/guide who told us a lot about the country. The highlight for the boys was the Land Cruiser with the pop-up roof. Here they were up close to the animals. Highly recommended and we'd love to go again. Thanks Fransisca.
Very reliable, knowledgeable and confident guy
The operator Andrew has been doing this for a while very supportive and good at his job. Not forgetting he is a God fearing man so you will be safe 💯
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Discover Africa organized a GREAT Botswana safari for us!
I had received a glowing recommendation for Discover Africa from a member of my synagogue who has done multiple safaris with them. So when it came time to select a safari vendor for a once-in-a-lifetime wildlife safari for my daughter and I, I reached out to them. I'd done some research ahead of time and so knew that we were interested in Botswana, specifically the Okavango Delta. My contact/resource at Discover Africa was Susan Veldman and she was great. She listened to what I told her in terms of what we were looking for and crafted a proposal that met our needs in terms of schedule, length, etc. Initially she had us ending our trip at Victoria Falls (my impression is most multiple-stop safaris in the region start or end there), but when I told her our focus was really on wildlife, she came up with an amended itinerary that subtracted Victoria Falls and added Chobe National Park. In short, she listened and responded to our input. We did 8 nights/9 days. We flew into Johannesburg, South Africa, from NYC via London. Those flights we booked on our own, but everything else and all the other flights (Johannesburg to Botswana, 3 bush flights to our lodges/accommodations, then back to Johannesburg from Kasane) were taken care of by Susan. Plus we had dietary requirements (I'm a vegetarian and my daughter is allergic to dairy) that Susan communicated to the 3 lodges we stayed at and they came through with flying colors. I haven't eaten so well in quite a while! We spent 3 nights at Kadizora Lodge (in the Delta), 3 nights at Saguni Lodge (eastern edge of the Delta, near Khwai and the Moremi Game Reserve) and two nights further east, at Elephant Valley Lodge outside of Kasane and adjacent to Chobe National Park. Each lodge and experience was a little different, and we loved all three. Kadizora was the smallest of the three, and the most isolated -- there weren't many other lodges nearby and so we did not see a lot of other vehicles on our drives. The terrain in the area was flooded delta and savannah-style plain for the most part, with good/long visibility. Saguni was a little larger and close to the village of Khwai; the terrain in the area was more scrub trees, as well as savannah, so visibility was often more circumscribed. The wildlife in both areas of the Delta was similar, and both of the Okavango lodges were near water (Saguni especially). At both the Okavango lodges we supplemented our drives with water-borne excursions, including two makora (traditional dug-out canoes, propelled by guides with long poles -- think of Venice and gondolas) rides which were fantastic. We loved our guides at all three lodges, but bonded especially with Action at Suguni -- he was very knowledgeable and a real gem. Elephant Valley Lodge was the largest of the three we stayed at; it is near Kasane, a significant town near the borders of Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Paved roads, shopping centers, more people. And Chobe National Park was by far the most crowded of the three areas we drove in. And in the national park, as opposed to the Delta, guides were not permitted to take their vehicles off-road in search of game. More than compensating for this, though, was the sheer volume and density of wildlife in Chobe NP. It was amazing. In short, Discover Africa delivered a perfect wildlife safari for my daughter and I which met all our (very high) expectations. We couldn't have been happier, and Susan was always available for questions, both before and during the trip. We were in good hands throughout!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible safari
We had the experience of a lifetime on our 8-day safari with Ozon Light Tours. The wildlife, landscapes, and the sheer magic of being in the bush were unforgettable—but what truly made our trip exceptional was our guide, Denis.
When booking a safari, you quickly realize there are a ton of tour companies and options. But ultimately, your experience comes down to one thing: your guide. And Denis was everything we could have hoped for and more. Incredibly knowledgeable (especially about the animals—he knew both common and scientific names with ease), endlessly patient, and fun to spend time with, he made every game drive feel special. He was honest about what we might or might not see, but always enthusiastic and tuned in to the experience. He also made sure we were comfortable and cared for, from frequent bathroom stops to thoughtfully chosen stops (e.g. souvenir shops, ATM).
It’s also worth noting that a safari is an adventure—you’re traveling rough roads in remote areas, and things don’t always go perfectly. Our vehicle needed a repair, which is just part of the reality of driving through the wild day after day. But Denis went above and beyond to make sure any issues didn’t impact our experience. He stayed calm, acted quickly, and always found a way to keep things moving smoothly without cutting our time short or compromising the journey.
Communication with Ozon Light Tours was prompt and easy at the time of booking, which we appreciated and part of the reason we chose Ozon. However, we found ourselves needing to follow up on key details—like what to pack, what time pickups would occur, and available add-ons. A bit more proactive communication from Ozon would have made the safari experience and planning process even better.
One piece of advice: absolutely book the balloon safari—just manage your expectations on timing. Floating over the Serengeti at sunrise was one of the most surreal, breathtaking moments of the entire trip. The peaceful lift-off, panoramic views, and golden light over the plains created a dreamlike experience we’ll never forget. The post-flight champagne breakfast was a lovely touch, too.
That said, we were initially told by Ozon that the flight would be 1.5 to 2 hours, then later told by the balloon company (Nyssa) it would be about an hour (depending on weather conditions)—but the actual flight time was closer to 40 minutes. It was still an incredible experience and well worth doing, but it helps to go in with clear expectations. I also highly booking with Nyssa.
All in all, Ozon Light Tours delivered a magical experience (rating of 4), and with Denis as our guide, it became something truly extraordinary (rating of 5). If you’re considering a safari, we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Ozon—and we highly recommend requesting Denis if you can!
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Amazing and complete
We went to Kenya for 6 days, seeing three parks and the big five animals on safari. Our driver, Frances, was wonderful, getting us up close to the animals, keeping us on time and delivering information that we needed. There were some unexpected changes in weather and road conditions that needed his expert skills to keep the trip going as planned. Thank you Frances.
