NL
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Guide is extremely knowlegedable, knows where to go, sharp + good sense of humor
The guide Hansa has a broad knowledge about Mother Nature, not just the animals. He is able to spot them before you see them under almost 180 degrees. he's very patient and stay at a place when you want it. On top he is very flexibel with respect to wishes of his clients. And the last important thing is, he has a good sense of humor - quite important when you go on vacation!
All in all, we had an extremely pleasant experience with Hansa
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
well exposed to the wild.
It was my first trip to Kenya and it was made memorable by this company. Bush dinner made me feel come back to Kenya and also the beautiful landscape of samburu national park. Would love to go back for more experience
KR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An exciting safari trip that really allowed us to embrace the African culture and wildlife!
My husband and I booked a safari through Odyssey Safaris for his 40th birthday and we were very happy with the trip! Not only did the company cater our travels around our personal requests and interests, but they also added some great recommendations. We had a very memorable time and would definitely recommend Odyssey Safaris to others!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Miss sold safari package, asked for a refund and never got even an apology. Total rip off
1) Number of passengers in the cars, we have agreed for MAX 6 passenger and for several days there were 7 people in the car making the game drive very uncomfortable since there is no space for everybody to view from the roof.
2) Road Trip from Masai Mara until Nakuru
We and other 4 clients has to wait for 3 hours at the restaurant for a connecting van/safari group (coming from the same place!!!).
This delay meant that we were not able to have the evening game drive in Nakuru as per schedule
3) Road trip from Naroku until Amboseli
We passed to Nairobi to pick the chef and an other passenger instead than going directly to Amboseli, we found a lot of traffic to get in and out from Nairobi and this deviation made our travel longer of probably 2-3 hours and made our travel even longer, obviously we missed the evening game drive as advertised on the schedule
4) road trip from Amboseli until Arusha
the arrangement of this trip was just unbelieveble, we waited for 4 hours at the border with two other spanish tourist due to your arrangement (travel in a 15 pax) as we first had to get our visas (10am) wait for the shuttle (12am) and wait for another three hours for the other 15 people and one BUS!! to get their docs. As a result, we had lunch at 4pm and missed our afternoon game drive in Navaisha (arrived when it closed 6pm).
The result of this delay was the cancellation of the evening game drive to lake Manyara and the change of schedule for the rest of the trip in Tanzania
5) Lodges advertised, you advertised on your schedule Mara sidai camp and we stayed in a different one (Lenchada), without internet (as advertised and a very low quality) None of the lodges have internet in the contrary of what you told us.
6) Advertising a cross country package that you cannot offer, your company is cleraly not registred and authorized for doing business in Tanzania, and therefore you cannot sell a package without saying that it would be provided by a different company (Aruexpeditions).
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A second visit to Africa
Recently we decided to again visit Africa after our fleeting visit 4 years ago. Having been very happy with what Encompass Africa organised back in 2011 we again contacted them via email for ideas for this trip. They were extremely prompt with their reply with suggestions and costings and we finally settled on an itinerary with Danica.
Our trip last month was fantastic - visiting 2 safari camps in Botswana before a mini bus tour on the garden route near Cape Town to eventually finish the 3 week trip at Nottens Bush camp in Sarbi Sands.
The animal sightings were a highlight seeing the Big 5 many times over but also animals that perhaps aren't seen as often including cheetah, serval cat, honey badger - the list goes on
Encompass Africa attention to detail is fantastic and I continue to sing their praise. The pre trip paperwork had all the detail needed and the backup assistance in Africa during the trip with phone calls and being met by their staff at airports was first class. If money allows and we go again we would only turn to this company.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
What an amazing way to seeing the best Tanzania has to offer!!!
We had a wonderful time on safari it was amazing!!! The children loved seeing the abundance of animals and really enjoyed the roof of the 4WD being up and driving open air!!!
Fikiri was great, met us promptly at Firefly and informed us of what to expect. He is a very safe and considerate driver who took all our needs into consideration. We all felt very safe in his hands. He found animals in the Serengeti with ease and got us as close as we could get and still showing respect to the animals and their space.
It was just wonderful how you were able to design and cater a trip that suited our family just perfectly. The accommodation was really lovely and the food was perfect. I was even catered for with my gluten free.
Alex was also just brilliant and we all enjoyed his knowledge and relaxed nature with the children.
As a whole we were very pleased with the organisation and the care taken with our family.
We will definitely be recommending your company to anyone who might need a safari company.
Thank you again, it was a terrific experience.
Review about Serengeti National Park by Donal C Wells
Endless plains, short and long grass, Acacia trees. distant mountains, kopjes, and thousands of wildebeest and zebras migrating. Add lions, gazelles, giraffes, elephants, Kori Bustards, Secretary birds, leopard tortoise, and the occasional leopard in a tree and it's hard to beat. The road is horrible, so prepare to a jarring ride. But you'll stop frequently to view the animals and scenery, so don't worry.
Review about Ruaha National Park by Donal C Wells
Uncrowded, walking safari along Great Ruaha River, great numbers of elephants, giraffes, crocs, hippos, zebras, and also mongoose, lions, yellow baboons, rock hyrax, warthogs, impalas, etc. Stay in a rustic banda along the river and make your own dinner to eat as you watch elephants and hippos play in the river below.
The Land That Time Forgot
Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater (actually a caldera, but let's not quibble) and enteri a cool and quiet world belonging to lions, rhinos, hippos, elephants wildebeest, zebras, hyenas, Thompson gazelles, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, jackals, and any number of birds and smaller creatures--just about everything but giraffes. Twenty kilometers in diameter and seemingly flat, the crater hides springs, lakes, and forests (and a few nice bathrooms) where you'll find the animals that don't usually roam the broad grasslands. Humans intrude in pop-top Land Cruisers, but our early-June visit found only a handful. Our guide, Peter, told us later visitors would find hundreds of vehicles and an occasional traffic jam near an especially interesting animal. Don't let that stop you. You'll be goggle-eyed focusing on the animals.
Photographers should take their longest telephoto lenses ((I used my 150-600mm zoom the most), but there are many occasions, as when a lion pride or elephant walks right in front of your vehicle, that a normal or wide angle lens is essential. The rhino is the rarest animal (we were very lucky to see seven) and keeps its distance. so even with a 600mm I couldn't fill a frame.
If possible find accommodations on the rim. Think hard before spending big bucks for a room view into the Crater, because it's often obscured by mist and clouds. We loved our stay at the Rhino Lodge--excellent food, comfortable, rustic rooms, attentive staff, and exceptional service. When we had three flats in our own Land Cruiser and needed assistance driving up from Serengeti, Rhino Lodge sent us a Land Cruiser and two guides to shepherd us up the last two hours after dark. (Cost? $25) The manager and his wife met us and kept our dinner warm.
Rhino Lodge also arranged a Land Cruiser, excellent box lunch and guide (Peter) for our day trip into the Crater, and it was a day all of us will treasure forever. Nothing like a knowledgable, friendly driver/guide, a pop-top for viewing and ten hours watching thousands of animals in a habitat they chose to live in.
Be prepared for very cool and damp weather on the rim and even in the Crater early and late--down sweater or Polartec and a rain jacket will do--and a light shirt for the warm, sunny days.
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Serengeti National Park by Davide Manicardi
a very large National Park
possibility to rest in the park near the animals
possibility to see the Great Migration in a large part of the year (not in August, the animals were at Masai Mara National Park)