FR
Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderful travel company with wonderful driver guide
We can not recommend this company enough due to effective and excellent service they offered us the guide was also super amazing with high knowledge of animals we saw everything we wanted to see we hope to be back next year with this company again
FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect
We compared several operators for a short fly-in/fly-out private safari in Nyerere and shortlisted two. What made the difference for Lekobe was the quality of the exchanges before booking: Mathayo answered every question precisely and quickly, without ever pushing us or dodging the details on prices, timings and what was actually included. The other operator we were considering was vaguer and slower. That first impression turned out to be a reliable predictor of how the whole trip was run.
Everything was handled exactly as agreed. Deposit, flights, transfers, lodge, no surprises, no last-minute changes, no hidden costs. We stayed at Selous Safari Lodge and did a game drive, a boat safari on the Rufiji, visit of a Masai village, and a walking safari : three completely different expériences.
The game drive was amazing… The wildlife exceeded our expectations, we saw lions and lionesses, a cheetah, zebras, giraffes, hippos, buffalo, and elephants in large numbers and far more than we had hoped for in such a short stay. Our guide (named « J » francophone guide) was knowledgeable, patient and genuinely good at reading animal behaviour.
Highly recommended, especially for French-speaking travellers.
One word about the Maasai village visit: we were sceptical beforehand, as this kind of stop is often staged for tourists. The visit felt real, an ordinary village going about its day, honest conversations, no scripted show and no sales pressure. They explained that the community now partly lives off these visits, and genuinely needs the income: schooling is compulsory for the children and the associated costs are heavy for families. Knowing that changed the way we saw the visit. It ended up being one of the highlights of the trip, and we would have regretted skipping it.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
It was an amazing safari,we enjoyed the adventure from the game drive to accommodation at the camp.
The service was amazing,everything was well organised for sure it was a relaxing and memorable safari for the family. The kids had a time of their life as the package was also tailored to accommodate their needs.The camp was amazing it exceeded our expectations.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Organized tour company with Amazing staff
Our tour with Velvet Savannah Safaris was fantastic. The accommodations were awesome.The tour was well organised and William was very responsive and communicated regularly. Our driver Chombo was great - very friendly, fluent in English and knowledgeable about the animals.
AT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic Experience and excellent Reliable Service
We were 3 people and went on a 9 day tour in which we saw all the big 5, chimpanzees and mountain gorillas. It was a fantastic experience.
Communication with the company was outstanding, we usually received an answer to our messages and questions within minutes.
Our guide was great too. Besides being friendly, explaining well, and trying his best to accomodate our wishes he even took us on an extra game drive, to see zebras, and he helped us look for a camera battery. The vehicle had air conditioning, was very comfortable and enough water was always provided.
The lodges were great too and provided vegan / vegetarian food options, although it was almost always vegetables with some sort of carbs (rice, potatoes, matoke, etc.). More variety would have been appreciated. Also, the introductory briefings in the lodges were often unnecessarily long, especially after having had a long drive or day you just want to know the basic things. Not in all places it was possible to move outside the lodges freely, mostly because of wild animals. For someone that enjoys running that was not ideal, but it total I could go 3 times.
Value for money is excellent. Gorilla permits and chimpanzee permits are very expensive, subtracting that, the prize per person was excellent.
All in all we can really recommend the experience.
ES
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
PASSIONATE ABOUT ETHIOPIA
If you are curious about Ethiopia and consider exploring this marvelous land in depth, I strongly recommend relying on Arre Tours.
Since many highlights of this unique country are located in the North of Ethiopia, Arre Tours has the advantage of its location in Axum, so they DO know what it is actually going on in Tigray, Amhara, Afar, etc. This is essential when visiting Ethiopia.
We began in Addis Ababa, then travel Northwards for 17 days.
Everything was well planned and executed and communication by phone with Arre Tours was fluid. Solomon was always ready to assist and double-checking that things were working fine day by day.
This is called "attention to detail" and in larger travel agencies you will not get this type of service; furthermore, some tour operators may not know first-hand what they are talking about.
With Arre Tours you are in the hands of people who take each client seriously and listen to you and your needs before you arrive in Ethiopia and while there. Bravo!
Guides were excellent throughout, particularly Mr Hagos in Gondar (passionate and such a great communicator) and Simret in Axum (the female Ethiopian perspective of things is a bonus for the traveller).
But also in Bahir Dar, Addis, Lalibela, and Arre himself all around Tigray.
All the excursions went well, with good timings and adapted to our needs (should we required a change of schedule, etc).
A note of warning on Danakil Depression: read carefully all that it may entail and whether this may be for you or not.
The weather may become truly unbearable and sleeping conditions are very basic, which might lead to not appreciate sights that much.
Hotels were really good too (especially “Atranos Fantasy” in Axum, “Best Western Plus” in Addis and the incredible “Gheralta Lodge”!).
Clean, nice rooms all in all. Breakfasts quality vary depending on the property. Really good locations chosen by Arre Tours.
Local transportation always spot on time, mineral water on board and careful drivers.
Meals were ok, but this is hit-and-miss in Ethiopia: some lunches were very basic and some hotel restaurants were not too good.
Arre Tours may put more focus into this.
My experience with Arre Tours was superb; I loved Ethiopia, its people, its sights. Meskel celebration was a terrific touching experience.
Arre and Solomon are passionate, friendly and they do a professional job. I would come back without doubts.
Thank you for an unforgettable journey 😊
GR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable experience!
We had an amazing experience with Beyond the Plains Safari from start to finish. We did an 7-day safari covering Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha and Amboseli, and every part of the trip was well organised and memorable.
From the very beginning, Julius, who handled our inquiry and helped us plan the safari, was extremely helpful, kind and patient. His communication and willingness to help made the planning process very easy and stress-free.
A huge part of what made our experience so special was our guide, Dankan. He was absolutely incredible and truly went above and beyond throughout the entire safari. He was polite, friendly, patient, always smiling and incredibly helpful, which made us feel comfortable from day one. He also had great knowledge about the wildlife and was always happy to share interesting information about the animals and their behaviour.
Dankan genuinely seemed to care about making the experience as special as possible. He always did his best to take us to the best spots and help us find as many animals as possible. We honestly couldn't have asked for a better guide. We truly hope to meet him again on a future safari!
The jeep was also great, comfortable and well suited for the long drives and game drives, and everything throughout the trip was handled professionally.
We are extremely happy that we chose Beyond the Plains Safari and would definitely recommend them to anyone planning a safari in Kenya!
Thank you Dankan, Julius and the whole Beyond the Plains team! 🦁❤️
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An unforgettable experience
Here's the English version:
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Our safari with Nkollo Tours & Safaris was a winner from start to finish. Everything was well thought out, nothing left to chance. For us this was a family trip, and at every turn you could tell there was real attention behind it – not some standard package being processed.
Our guide, Ringo, was the real reason this trip was so good. The man knows the animals, the ecosystems and the behavior of the wildlife inside out. He spotted animals at distances where we were just staring blankly into the green, and always knew exactly where to go and when to simply wait. The kids absolutely took him to heart – he took them seriously, answered their questions and brought them along rather than just letting them tag behind.
The wildlife was simply overwhelming. We saw the Big Five, several rhinos, plenty of lions, elephants and buffaloes. On top of that cheetahs, leopards, giraffes, zebras and countless other animals – and often up close. The absolute highlight was the Great Migration: we witnessed the river crossing at the Mara River. That's something you never forget.
We visited the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire, and each park had its own character. Ringo managed the time perfectly: never rushed, never that feeling of being herded from one animal to the next, always enough calm to really enjoy the moments.
The organization around it all was spot on too. Everything ran smoothly, and we felt safe and well looked after the whole time – as a family, that matters even more.
A huge thank you to Nkollo Tours & Safaris for this unforgettable trip. We'd recommend them anytime – and Ringo right along with them.
IN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Pleasant and kind
Brian fro Kibo helped make our family safari across Tanzania a truly memorable experience. We were a diverse group of eight—including kids and senior citizens—and Brian was patient, supportive, and accommodating from the initial quotation through several itinerary adjustments. He handled logistics seamlessly, including arranging for our excess luggage to be transferred directly to Zanzibar so we didn't have to worry about the strict baggage limits on small bush flights.
For the safari, we had two dedicated vehicles that were comfortable, well-maintained, and fully stocked with drinks. Brian ensured the day-to-day safari arrangements ran smoothly, and most of the lodge accommodations he recommended were great.
That said, there are two areas where the experience could have been elevated:
Safari Guides: While the overall safari was enjoyable, having more engaging, proactive guides would have made the game drives significantly better.
Zanzibar Leg: The hotel selection did not quite suit our group's preferences. It was undergoing refurbishment during our stay, and for a family of our size, booking a private shared villa would have worked far better than dispersed individual rooms.
Brian is exceptionally capable when it comes to Tanzania safari planning and logistics, but paying closer attention to guide quality and the post-safari Zanzibar experience would make the entire trip flawless.
I would highly recommend Brian and would definitely use his services anytime in the near and distant future.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent and Reliable
We used SafariLink for airport transfer and the drivers were all great. To our destination we rode with Nyiko and back to the airport we rode with Thomas. Both driver were safe and reliable. They got us to our destination quickly and made sure we arrived on time. Highly recommend, Thank you.