US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Things I wish I would have known...
First of all the value for the money was amazing. The customer service and the way they handled our entire trip the whole time was beyond our expectations. Kelvin made us feel secure the whole way and took care of every single stop and transfer without error! If you are considering this operation, purchase without fear!
Now here are some things we wish we would have known before starting out...
1) You are going to be in a Toyota Land cruiser and none of them from any of these companies have air conditioning. Because this is the high elevation tropics, that is usually okay. We were there in July and we could say we got hot in the car maybe once for a few minutes.
2) The mornings can be COLD . Bring at least one set of warm clothes.
3) do the Jeep excursions and not the ones where you're in an open truck strapped to a seat. Those people were at the mercy of the dust on the road and the weather 100% of the time. It looked completely miserable!
4) Don't bother overpacking. You will not be getting out of the car, except at lunch time in a campground.
5) take pictures of your people looking at the wildlife not just the wildlife.
6) hakuna matata... It's a way of life there and you should adopt it. Don't worry about things going wrong. Your safari company will make them right.
7) go to Zanzibar for at least one day, More if you can afford it. The Zanzibar Beach resort experience is incredible! We went for a day before our Safari and a day after and it was a stroke of genius.
8) The road is awful. I cannot stress this enough. The drives are torture for hours. Bring noise canceling headphones and you will thank yourself every single day.
9) bring Euro chargers for your phones. There is amazing support for US chargers but you will regret the day that it is missing.
10) The airport souvenirs were the same stuff but always seemed much cheaper than outside. This is opposite what you would expect. Kenya airport especially is a shoppers dream.
11) English skills here are rough. It may not be what you are used to. If you are thinking of a tour guide with a long canned speech, you should probably change your expectations.
12) do not fear the semi-permanent tent campsites because those were some of the best sleeps that we had and some of the best food that we had.
13) I wish I had carried more of the local currency all the time. Most places take dollars but once in a while they don't when you really need it.
14) The skill of your guide will determine what animals you see. We were very fortunate to have a fantastic one who seem to have a radar for rare animals. Shout out to Frank.
15) you are not going to get out of your car to look at the animals. Ever. That being said the pop tops on all the Jeeps make you feel super close to the animals.
16) The food is actually pretty mid the whole way. Bring snacks and keep your expectations low. However the fruit is the best you will probably ever taste in your life. This is especially true for the bananas and pineapples. You will realize you never tasted real bananas before you got here. And the pineapples are better than anything out of Hawaii.
17) The long airline flights are probably the most comfortable you're going to be on the trip so do not worry about them. They will be dim memories very quickly for us.
18) when you get involved in something exciting like a hunt, abandon all other plans and stay till the very end! You will never regret it.
19) kids around 11 can love this. Ours did. Younger kids probably will not love the drive. Keep the Safari short for them.
20) bugs were completely overstated as a problem. We can count on one hand how many bugs we saw in Africa.
21) Don't worry about using duffel bags. Bring a midsize roller suitcase. It's fine and way better.
22) leave some room in your suitcase for souvenirs. They are cheap and creative here!
23) get a SIM card at the airport so you can have your phone while you are traveling. I would have loved to have data/text on my hours long drives.
Going to Africa is not just about looking at a bunch of animals. It's a complete change of perspective. Your life will be divided into two parts from this time on. That is the time before you went to Africa and the time after you went to Africa. That is how much perspective it gives you and how life-changing it can be. If you are on the fence about an African safari, take this one. The price is amazing, you will scarcely do better! If you are willing to pay more go to a more developed country like Kenya, or South Africa. Maybe the roads will be better lol.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
My tour operator was one of a kind loved his services
Totally worth such experience. I had a private solo safari with Malkate Adventures for 7- Days Masai Mara, lake Nakuru, Hell's gates and Amboseli luxury Safari. Tour guide was quite knowledge and fluent communication. All my expectations were met, I was able to see several animals, Hot Air balloon was the best experience, visiting Masai village was amazing.
The communication was really good from Moreen who plan my safari, she was very quick on responding the emails.
The accommodation were luxurious and food was delicious.
I highly recommend Malkate Adventures for Africa Safari.
CH
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Genes was a highly professional leader.
We were a group of Swiss, German and Tansanien people, 24, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro on the Machame-Route. Genes team comprised 84 porters and leaders, who all knew what their job was. They were characterized by exceptionally precise cooperation. Daily medical checks and targeted measures when difficulties arose, endured the well-being of each individual. Everyone of the whole group reached Uhuru Peak!
The all-around care also included very good food for omnivores as well as for vegetarians or gluten-free eaters.
We slept in two tents and were woken up in the morning wirh the question: coffee, tea or hot chocolate? We started the day with a hot drink in the tent!
A short devotional each morning inspired us to hike connected wirh the Living One. The atmosphere was uplifting all seven days, even in the storm that tore a food tent. It was immediately dismantled and mendid.
Looking back on this life-changing ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro, I am still thrilled and draw on the especislly beautiful memories.
I can highly recommend Genes as a tour-leader.
CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Good.
Our guide is Steve. He was very smart and took us to find all kinds of animals. Boss Chesi is also very responsible and can help to solve problems in time. The whole schedule is great.
IN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Just Wow
We had a very good experience with this team. They showed us all the animals we wanted to see. I would especially like to say that there was a guide named Denis. It must have been the first time in my life that I had seen such a risky and brilliant guide.
Specially thanks to denis to support our group. If we late some time, he will manage and drive fast but reaching our place at time to time.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Worth every penny.
Quality and professional safari experience. Karibu Tena had great organization, knowledgeable guides and affordable pricing.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Simply Perfect!!!
Wow what can I say…
The most wonderful trip from start to finish.
I had dealt with various safari companies but something just didn’t feel right.
Then I found Paul.
Being a qualified guide himself he really gets what you want from your trip.
It was our first safari so throughout the process I asked A LOT of questions but he was always on hand to answer them.
(Thank you Paul my husband says you have the patience of a saint!!!)
We really did fall in love with Ruaha - The people the wildlife & the landscape.
We finished off in Zanzibar which was the perfect way to reflect on everything we had experienced.
The verdict… once isn’t enough!!!
We look forward to using Kusini safaris again in the future 😊
EG
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
CR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Absolutely unforgettable!!!
The tour exceeded all expectations, from great food to unforgettable wildlife sightings but what truly made it perfect was our guide, Richie, whose passion, humor, and dedication made this the best tour experience we’ve ever had; there’s simply no one better in the world.
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The trip of our lives with an amazing guide, the big 5 and the great migration
Our safari with Meru Slopes was the trip of our lives for my partner and I. Our guide Mohamed was amazing. He spotted many animals, he was explaining a lot of facts about them and he was paying attention to the details to make sure we were always comfortable. We had so much fun with him! Plus, he's a great driver!
In the parks we were able to see all the main animals, including the big 5 and the great migration. The animals were always respected.
All the accommodations where we stayed were also great.
The communication before the safari was always very clear, always solving our questions with details and replying quickly.
