50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Top-Notch Experience thanks to the Flight of the Eagle
Elize and Johan make the perfect team for an unforgettable experience. Whether you have already visited South Africa and Kruger National Park or it's your first time in that beautiful part of the world, their experience will match your desire to learn and see all there is to discover. Elize's knack for organization will assure a smooth transition from place to place and she will make sure you're well-informed for what *you* specifically want to experience. Johan's and Elize's combined knowledge of the area's history and natural beauties will keep you interested every step of the way. Elize and Johan are two people who clearly love what they do and value the relationship between humans and the wilderness. Their warmth and attention will make you feel like you have old friends taking care of you on your trip, and they will make you feel at home from the first moment, not because it's their business, but because they actually care.
The accommodations they choose are always top-notch for the area you will visit, and even though you're steps away from the wilderness, the amenities offered will allow you to make the best of your rest time.
I highly recommend The Flight of the Eagle to anyone who is looking for the best way to experience South Africa and all it has to offer.
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
all you would expect
We, a family of 4 (kids 13+16) travelled for 4 weeks thru tanzania with Active Tanz. Adv. We had a schedule in mind for which I asked some german and tanzanian tour operators to give an offer, basically for the first 2 weeks in the famous northern parks. Because of already existing reviews and the friendlyness, knowledgeability, professionality and flexibility in their mails and we decided to go with ATA, finally arranged the whole trip with them and can highly recommend to do so.
After some recommendations of Mary and Thomas to change the route here and there, do this, leave that, they offered a taylormade safari with most of it booked and arranged by them but some accommodations booked by me, because I got them cheaper than they.
So from being picked up at the airport by our guide Mzangi, a very friendly, perfectly english (and spanish!) speaking guy, who seems to know everything about his country and finds all the wildlife, you could ask for, is a safe driver and an interesting guy to talk to about all the traditions and cultures of Tanzania until leaving our last hotel in stone town, zanzibar, everything ATA arranged was perfect!
So: take ATA as your tour operator and ask for Mzangi as your guide!!!
If you want details about our trip and reviews about parks, lodges and activities, keep on reading:
We arrived at Kilimanjaro airport, spend a night in Arusha and left the next morning for Tarangire Safari lodge (2nights). Great park, great camp!!! Gorgious view, antelopes in the camp, a giraffe passing on the path in front of our tent early morning! Skip the walking safari, if you did it before elsewhere.
We continued to Lake Natron (4hours dirt road = african massage...) passing ol doinyo lengai (great views!!!) and stayed in lake natron tented camp. nice people, good food, accommodation ok. we had a highly enjoyable walk/hike to Ngare sero waterfall with river crossings and swimming underneath the falls. Great! Do it!! the lake itself is impressive, though we didn't have many flamingos there.
Another 4hours dirt road brought us to the northeastern part of Serengeti NP, where we had 2 nights in Lobo lodge: nice spot, spectacular view with a terrace and pool overlooking a plain with waterholes, good food, nice people a little crowded, but not too bad. from there we had safari drives up to mara river, where we witnessed 3 spectacular gnu crossings!
2 more nights in a mobile safari camp closer to seronera (very nice people and food, the night sky!!! but bedbugs...). Seronera is great for the big cats and hippos, but can be nasty for the TseTse flies.
Next stop: Oldupai gorge and the museum (interesting if this is your topic, but not a must) on the way to ngorongoro crater. we had to nights in rhino lodge, which is not looking into the crater but has a nice setting and view. the crater was misty all the time anyway... we liked rhino lodge very much for the good food, and the spot itself. they have fireplaces in the room which they light for you which you appreciate in the evening, because it gets quite cold (also in the crater!!! be prepared). We had one hiking day in the crater highlands (do it!!!) hiking down into empakai crater (soda lake) and hiking up to olmoti crater with nice waterfall (no swimming). next morning ngorongoro crater itself. After having done and seen what we had done before, we found it too crowded with people for really being so excited. but you can come quite close to wildlife.
next day to lake eyasi, 1 night in tintiga tented camp. the camp is ok, but we should have booked 2 nights in Endoro lodge, where we spent the next night. it is only a 1hour drive from there and would have the better decision. We didn't know if we should go and visit the hadzabe (bushmen) and datoga (pastoralists) people or this would feel too much like a zoo for humans, but Mary recommended it very much and we are glad to have followed her advise. It is very interesting and the way Mzangi and the local guide arranged it was absolutely ok for everyone!
Next day we drove to lake manyara (not a must after all else) and then to arusha to change from a 4drive to a cheaper aircon 7seater. The Usamabara mountains were the next 2night stop (Avocado lodge, good food, friendly people, very nice walks and hikes in the area, horned chameleons!!).
We continued to the eastern coast (Emayani beach lodge - veeery nice, dive center with german diving trainer, went snorkeling with here close-by, nice!) just south of Pangani, then passing Saadani NP to Dar es Salaam , where Mzangi left us at Tanazite executive suites (good choice) for the night before flying to Mafia island next morning, having all the tickets and coupons for the rest of the journay.
Next to Mafia lies Chole island with the Chole Mjini lodge (see website), where we had 3 nights in our treehouse. we went snorkeling everyday, saw turtles hatch in a close-by island. Great!
2 nights in Mafia beach bungalows - rather a budget accommodation, but ok. Still, we shouldn't have done that, rather fly to Zanzibar earlier, where we spent our final 4 days, two in Pongwe beach Hotel (really beautiful hotel!!!! go there for accommodation, food and people, but don't snorkel there, it's a graveyard, rather go north 1hour). the other two in Dhow palace hotel in stone town (good choice!). We had a rented car on Zanzibar, organized by ATA, would have liked to spend 2 more days there, because there is lots to see and the touristic infrastructure is quite good, which one appreciates after 3,5 bumpy weeks.
So we left after 4 weeks, having seen so much (kids counted 77 lions, 3 leopards, 7 cheetahs...) but so few of Tanzania and enjoyed the trip very much. Thank you very much Mzangi, Mary and Thomas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CH
Great experience: Awesome lodge, great driver and many animals!
Many thanks to Raphael and the whole RA-Exotic-Safaris-Team for a great organized trip! We stayed at the Basecamp Explorer just at the border of the Masai Mara where we were warmly welcomed. The accomodation perfectly blends in with nature while being unbelievable cosy. The food was delicious. The best place to relax after a safari day. Our driver Joseph was great company! He is very experienced spotting animals and we learned a lot about the Masai Mara wild life. We highly recommend it.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Dream Work Through Team Work
History was made in supporting Chaeli Mycroft to become the 1st quadraplegic female to summit Kilimanjaro. What amazing partners Discover Africa are! Great communications from home team ensured that getting to Tanzania happened without a hitch. The arduous Kili Climb itself took many months of planning, logistical preparation - and Carel Verhoef was a brilliant Team Leader. The website created to document this epic adventure invited the world to share this historical experience in real time. Thank you, Discover Africa - you guys ROCK! Thank you for making this amazing adventure a reality and for ensuring that Team Awesome - including Chaeli - realised their Dream of reaching Uhuru Point. And a special word of thanks in bringing all of them safely home again!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
total value for my money.
Hello world
I am writing this to let the whole world know that this company wecam safaris is the best in the globe. They made my kenya vacation a momment i shall never forget. No single thing went wrong. I will use you again and again. Special thanks to Mercy. You were there for us in all aspects of the safari. Once again i was happy with the hotels you chose us. Kenya is blessed with classic parks and spiced it up with wonderful facilities. We will be back.
IN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent Amazing trip
Very Happy and satisfied with the services of Big time Safari. They had make all the arrangements in a very organized way... Martha is very informative and very helpful, always ready to answer any question and clarify any query... love their services and greetings...
IN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Experience with Big time Safari in our Kenya Tour
Excellent Super Experience of travelling in Kenya.. Kenya tour is most amazing and remarkable holiday of Lifetime. With the support and co-ordination of Big Time Safari, our tour experience has ranked up higher.
Martha is very helpful, she is very responsive. She answer every mail for any query.
Its really enjoyable to work and travel with Big time Safari. Hope to have many more business with them in future... All the best wishes....
IN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was planned meticulously and executed with precise perfection without any hitches
Services was excellent, Safari lodges provided was superb with on-time room service. Specially safari tour was the moment to remember with guides having splendid knowledge about the terrain and game parks.
AE
Experience level: first safari
If you wanna experience wild, these guys nail it !!
Am an enthusiastic wild life photographer. Knew nothing about Africa or this tour. But post my trip, i will definitely recommend East Africa Exotic Safari. Got the best guide who knew un and out of the park and wildlife. Mr. Muturi was such a humble person who cared about every penny and time spent. Mr. Manfred ( who assisted President Mr. Obama during his visit - thats what i heard ) and Mr. Samson ( Strong Samson as they call him ) were patient enough to stop as I wanted to click pics. Food - you would luv it. Alfred from wilderness camp will melt your heart.
Over all - The Best holiday in my entire life.
- AJ
CA
Kids loved the trip and the guide was super!
Combined Lake Nakuru with the Masai Mara for a four day trip. Raphael did a great job with the organization, responded to all messages quickly, greeted us at the airport on arrival and saw us off at the end of the trip.
While Lake Nakuru was interesting (buffalo, white rhino, Rothschild's Giraffe), given the distance and lack of flamingos we should have taken an extra day at the Masai Mara. That said, the Flamingo Hill Tent Camp was wonderful and the food was great.
The food and hospitality at the Base Camp Explorer Masai Mara was also super and an extra couple of days there would not have been hard to take. The children (10 and 7) really liked the Masai staff who escorted us while about in the evening and the "family" tent was huge and comfortable.
In terms of the safari, we could not have asked for a better guide than Joseph. With 15 years experience he knew all the best spots to find the animals, knew all about them and was able to pass on the information in an interesting and engaging manner (even the kids listened and learned). We saw lions eating (and mating), the wildebeest crossing (with one taken by a croc), a mother leopard and cub, ostrich's doing their mating dance and _________ , lots of cheetah, elephants, etc. All in all a truly great holiday.