NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Riding adventure in the dessert.
This is a trip for people who love horse riding, who love being away from it all, camping out in the dessert, food cooked on a campfire and a very friendly atmosphere.
You have to fill out a questionnaire about your riding ability and the kind of horse you like. Then Thelani and Andrew ( owners and guides) try to match you with the perfect horse. They got it right for me. The horse was forward going, easy to handle and fine for a six hour riding day.
They provide a packing list for the trip. Questions are answered very well and communication about plane arrival and collecting time is good.
The staff is very helpful with setting up the beds for the night. They help tacking up the horses and try to fulfil your every wish. After a long day in the saddle snacks and drinks are provided. The bush shower has it's own changing room and then we look for a spot for a sun downer, usually accompanied by an alcoholic beverage. The camp food gives you a vegatarian option, or flame roasted spingbok stake.
Game during the day is not very abundant on these trips because the land we ride through is very dry. There are soms zebra, giraffes and different kinds of antilope. It is more about the landscape then the animals. And sitting on your horse you can feel the sun, smell the air and enjoy it all.
The riding is great. No need to ride in a line. Often there is room enough to spread out and take the occasional gallop. There are rides to suit everybody's ability. And repeat customers can see a different part of the country in the different rides.
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Absolutley the best possible experience for a Safari, driver guide, organisation - simply the best!
Everything was perfect about the trip. We planned it at very short notice following a recommendation from a friend. Communication by email and a single phone call - U.K. to Moshi. We had no idea what to look for, no experience of Tanzania or East Africa in general, so TanzaniaJourneys provided a provisional itinerary and we went along with it. I can't believe how fortunate we've been. We had a wonderful driver/guide, who in one week showed us what the various national parks and conservation areas had to offer. Just my wife and myself in our own Landcruiser with a raised lid! Brilliant, I spent virtually the whole of everyday standing up and trying to spot animals before Godlisten (our guide). I succeeded only once - and that was a herd of elephants. He knew just where to find the big five and much more besides. Hugely knowledgeable about all the animals and birds and it was a joy to be in his company.
We just cannot thank these guys enough. It wasn't just the driving and guiding, it was the superb organisation. Everything happened just as it was supposed to. Even the Wildebeast (Gnu to you) were migrating to order.
The choice of overnight lodges was equally superb.
Many, many thanks guys.
CZ
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
22days on 4WD trip in Namibia and Botswana gave us a chance to touch the country, people and animals
We spend excelent time on the road from Victoria falls to Namibia. That enabled us to get great experience of countries, that are wery different from Europe. We were well informed and guided by Malcolm, that knew all detailes of a local atmosphere. Trip was safe for us and services on a way met our expectations. This trip gave us an idea about our next trips , that we intend to do in this all the time surprising territory.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Highlights package
We opted for the 11 day Tanzania highlights safari and Zanzibar, we were impressed by the price as it was cheaper than other companies and we got a lot more for our money. We thoroughly enjoyed the trip and had a well deserved rest in Zanzibar. I recommend this package.
under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An unforgettable experience!
I had heard many great things about East Co Safari so I was very excited to begin my tour and I can conclude that the safari tour exceeded my expectations by far. All of the organisational aspects were taken care of and I didn't have to worry about a single thing. On our tour we had two cars and four workers who provided everything we needed and assembled and dissembled camp everyday while we were out exploring. The food was something that exceeded my expectations by far. Costa, our chef, provided incredible 3 course meals every night, cooked breakfast and cooked lunch each day, which was something I really did not expect. We even got our shoes and clothes cleaned after the gorilla trek! The safari cars were in great condition and the drivers took great pride in their vehicles, which have pop out roofs so you're able to game watch! The guides/ drivers were extremely friendly, fun, knowledgeable and easy to get along with. You can ask them about almost anything with regards to East Africa and they could tell you! The fact that they fit in like locals and interact with the locals in such environments, allows you to also immerse yourself and sometimes go "off the beaten track" with the drivers as safety really is not an issue. I never once felt unsafe on my safari and I think that is a part of what made it so fantastic! With East Co I found that we never got bored doing the same thing over and over again because each day something different was planned and we wouldn't get stuck doing the same styled adventure each day. I didn't have a care in the world and was just enjoying every minute of it and I truly accredit that to the quality of the service and smoothness of the itinerary, along with the kindness of the workers. My trip only went for 15 days however I would have gladly carried on, because with East Co, everyday provides something different and exciting.
ES
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
great budget tour
Wildlife at its best even in January that is supposed to be not the best season. Lots of animals (including the elusive cats)., really close to the car. Very professional driver (they knew how to catch the animals) and good cooker.
A great opportunity to enjoy such amazing wildlife in a budget.
The 3 night/4 day program (Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro) is perfect, but i you are an enthusiastic of wildlife, ask for a day more at Serengeti. And do not miss Tarangire! where you will see hundreds of elephants.
If you can afford it, try the optional 5th day a Manyara lake visiting also one Masai village, and a waterfall.
100 % recommended
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Awesome Experience!!
I was fortunate to spend 9 days with Dick Berry from Capture Africa... I have worked with a few of the 'big' names in wildlife photography over the years and honestly had not heard of Dick before he landed here in South Africa. By the 9th day, I had realised that Dick was not only as good as these professionals, but in some aspects was even better!! The photos he shared with my guests and myself were truly amazing and the knowledge Dick has about everything from exposure to settings enabled us to get pictures we never thought possible. His enthusiasm was contagious and he has made me think about photos now, rather than just snapping away
On top of that, he is a great guy to be around and we thoroughly enjoyed his company!! My family loved him as did my own pets... I now not only have someone to give my safaris the edge, I also have made a new friend
GR
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Gecko adventures is the most professinal safari operator
Gecko adventures is a very professional company. Their cars (open landcruiser 4x4), their guides (our guide was Said), the lodges with which they work together are all excellent. The company employees (we worked with Rama) are also very efficient and help you to take the right decision quickly and in the right way. We visited Selous and we were impressed from the landscape, the safari itsself and the mudhuts of River camp.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An adventure and experience of a lifetime with memories that will last forever
We knew very little about Africa as a destination but knew we wanted to see the major tourist destinations we had heard people speak about (Cape Town, Kruger, Vic Falls, Chobe, Okavango Delta). Encompass Africa put together our whole holiday based on what little information we gave them. We took advice from their highly experienced staff who had actually lived in the country and had amazing knowledge of the surrounds; we were able to see exactly what was planned through their amazing virtual tour which was emailed to us. Encompass Afrca captured exactly what we wanted to see from amazing safari parks so we could get up close and personal with the big five, seeing Vic Falls and experiencing the culture of the locals. All this was planned around beautiful accomodation which was in itself a memorable experience. We would absolutely book another holiday with Encompass Africa and would definately recommend them to others. We dealt with professional, polite, experienced staff who were able to accomodate and recommend places of interest which gave us an experience of a lifetime.
Saw the Big Five and much more, plus excellent Cultural Tour
For the Safari we had an educated Masai guide with a natural feel for finding wildlife. Our Land Rover was superior to the other off road vehicles we saw. Accommodations were excellent. The wildlife viewings exceeded my expectations. The Tanzania adventure was tailor made for my wife and me. It included a cultural tour of 5 days with excellent local guides and a great deal of walking. On the list of attractions were farms, schools, medical clinics, an orphanage, and home hospitality with meals. The whole package seemed to me cost effective and flawlessly coordinated. I highly recommend East Africa Wild.