50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Solitude, Great scenery and wildlife
This was our first visit to East Africa and also the first time that we went on Safari. We combined this travel with a work-related trip to Uganda, and all booking of the Kenya Itinerary (Meru, Samburu, Mara Mara) was arranged through Imagine Africa UK, which made the organisation and the entire journey hassle free.
Our first stop was Meru, and we stayed in the Offbeat Meru Camp. It is a beautiful place, unfenced, located near a river and we saw lots of wildlife just at the front of our tent (Elephants, Baboons, warthogs, Impalas, birds, and more). The overall service was absolutely excellent, and it was to our advantage that we were the only guests. The food was on the basic side. No electricity (you can give your batteries/chargers to Craig, the camp manager, and there is no Wifi. There is no running water generaly (water is provided in a large pot) but thy provide a hot shower in the evening which is basic, but fully sufficient, and pleasant. We had a safari guide who was excellent (the best of all the three that we had throughout our journey) and we were lucky to be in a location in the conservancy where we met very few other travellers. In fact we had only two or three encounters with other safarigoers throughout our entire stay in Meru.
The camp is located in an area where five rivers pass through, making it a rich environment to see a wide spectrum of wildlife. With our excellent guide (Stanley from the Offbeat Meru) it was a truly extraordinary experience, he explained the traces, we understood how he tracked animals, how to distinguish them, their habits etc. He also had a very god understanding of a photographer’s need, he know when the sunrise would happen and positioned the Vehicle in a suitable spot, he understood the importance of the best illumination, the angle of light in relation to the animals, and much more. He soon figured out that I was a photo-enthusiast and pointed me to all sorts of wildlife, including rare birds, small mammals etc.
Rhinos were abundant in the Rhino conservatory, but they are nowhere else.
All three places (Meru, Samburu, Masai Mara) had their specific charm, and I would recommend Meru for its solitude, richness in wildlife, gorgeous scenery. The Offbeat Meru is on the basic side, but with excellent service, and unbeatable for its integration into nature and wildlife
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Owner Bernard, a reliable person to book your safaris in East Africa
Hello, have been in Kenya already several times, period between 2005 - 2013 - mostly January/February, first acclimatize a few days at Diani Beach and visit Gichmak to book my safari - wherever you want to go - Gichmak makes your tour to either Kenya-Tanzania or Rwanda unforgettable - if you are with a small group of people - you get your private car - even for 2 or 3 people - you can discuss and make your own decision about the lodges you want to stay. Really booked all my safaris in the years I have been in Kenya with Gichmak - Shimba Hills - Tsavo East - Lake Nakuru - Mount Kenya - Masai Mara - Serengeti & Ngorongoro crater - the last one with guide John - will never forget him, a great guy - service meets expectations - have seen big five in Masai Mara and partly the migration of the wilde beast. Beside the Gichmak safaris - I could easily book a flight and resort in Zanzibar for a couple of days. Bernard is for me a friendly and honest man - what ever trip in East Africa you want to do - he make you dream come true - visit him at Diani road.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Obsolutely fantastic
Having travelled to many parts of the world, Africa was probably one on the most memorable. From the greeting at the airport to the tour guides, from the hotels and accommodation to the food I was pleasantly surprised. The manners, service, and general knowledge shown was impressive.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A smooth, fluid and unforgettable experience
I first contacted Deo with a few questions and options for a Safari itinerary that matched my family’s schedule and specific interests. I soon received a detailed and personalized itinerary that met all our expectations. We contacted additional references who highly recommended this small local company and we were set on our Earthlife safari. Communication leading up to the trip was professional and timely and payment went smoothly. Soon we were in Tanzania and our safari began. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable on everything from culture to the amazing wildlife we saw in all of the parks. The accommodations were more than suitable; many had amazing views of the landscapes and good local food. Deo and the people at Earthlife ensured that everything was taken care of and we were able to fully enjoy our safari!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Uganda truly is the 'Pearl of Africa'
Africa Adventure Safaris provided a wonderful tour of Uganda. Our guides Robert and Cris took excellent care of us and were very knowledgable; we learned a lot from both of them. The gorilla trekking experience was amazing and well worth the difficult hike. We were very satisfied with the accommodations and the food was fantastic! While we had already been on safari in Kenya in 2013, this experience allowed us to see many new things that we did not see in Kenya. The boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel allowed us to get closer to hippos and crocodiles which was very exciting. Uganda is a beautiful country and we are so happy we chose Africa Adventure Safaris. I would recommend this company and tour to anyone who wants a comprehensive, first rate tour of Uganda!
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our first time in South Africa, what a great experience!
We booked our 24 day self-drive tour with Tailor Made Safari’s.
A few weeks before departure we received our self- drive pack, including a GPS and wonderful travel guide book, written specifically for our itinerary.
Our whole tour consisted of highlights, but our favourites where our stay at Leopard Mountain Lodge and Tembe Elephant Park. And we really enjoyed our first guided drive through the iSimangaliso Wetland Park with a great guide and lunch at the beach.
But our visit to the Drakensberg and the whale watching at St Lucia was also superb!
We saw lots of animals, but we have not seen the leopard from the Big 5, a good reason to go back again!
It’s likely we are going to book another tour with Tailor Made Safari’s. We would recommend this tour operator to anyone, everything was perfectly organised. We have experienced the booking process to be very convenient and personal, especially the personal visit by one of their representatives whilst staying in St Lucia
Overall a fantastic holiday!
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Absolutely great 3 days in Serengeti and Ngorongoro
After few days in Zanzibar we decided to book a 3 days in Serengeti and Ngorongora. We chose Bestday Safaris among the long list of agencies and we made the very good choice!
Peter was quick to answer our emails and provided all the infomation we asked. Once arrived in Arusha, he meet us at our hotel to discuss with us the latest details in order to make the trip the more confortable for us (we were 6, 2 adults and 4 kids)
The driver was very friendly and spoke a very good french. He even known the french name of every birds we saw in the parks! The hotels in Serengeti and Ngorongora were just perfect! Far more comfortable than we expected. Everything was great during these 3 days!
We definitively recommend this safari agency.
Lilac Adventures represented by Mr. Daniel Njamewa is untrustworthy and NO ONE should use them.
UPDATE 9 MAR 2016:
Lilac states that they did what they could to help us thru our safari. The fact is they did nothing but take our money.
Lilac states that their financial problems are behind them and they will refund our money. The fact is that they have not refunded our money and it has been five months since they promised they would. We are still waiting. By anyone's definition, this is theft and they should be prosecuted. We are working with the US Embassy to see that this happens.
I strongly recommend that persons interested in a safari stay as far away from Lilac Adventures as possible. They do not honor any commitments, and are untrustworthy.
There are much better tour operators available that value their reputation and will not leave you stranded.
ORIGNAL REVIEW:
Worse than terrible. This safari tour arrangement did not meet even minimal expectations; in fact, left us to our own devices two days into the vacation, a tough spot to be in when you are in a foreign country. Lilac Adventures appears to have disappeared from normal forms of communication since about August 2015. I strongly advise against anyone contemplating using Lilac Adventures, or any operation fronted by Mr. Daniel Njamwea.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fantastic guide for a technical climb up Mt. Kenya (Batian)
I used Archtrek Safaris as a guide up Mt. Kenya. James was a pleasure to work and converse with and my technical guide Joseph was excellent. He was trained by NOLS and is on Kenya's search and rescue team. He knew his stuff and made good decisions even when a bad storm rolled in and we had to do an emergency descent. The food was excellent and they were really flexible in arranging my itinerary and logistics.
Excellent communication. Dependable. Trustworthy.
My daughter and I traveled to Zimbabwe to see Victoria Falls. Our trip was short, 1 night . We used Falcon to book our hotel room and our transfers to and from the airport.
Our room at the Victoria Falls Hotel was beautiful and exactly what we had asked Falcon for.
The driver was waiting for at the airport on arrival and again at the hotel exactly when they said they would be there.
Communication with John at Falcon before our trip was excellent and made us feel very confident about everything we had asked for.
I would definitely use Falcon Safaris again if I returned to Zimbabwe.