50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding from start to finish—expert guides, wonderful camps and an unforgettable adventure
This was our first safari, and we couldn't be happier with our choice to go with Lion King.
Our guide (Flugence) was amazing - really knowledgeable about all of the animals and birds, the parks, Tanzania and its people, and perhaps more importantly, excellent company for 10 days. He had a remarkable ability to find and spot all of the animals we wanted to see - and plenty more besides. One of the highlights was his skill in finding exactly the right place and time for us to catch the wildebeest crossing the river in the Northern Serengeti.
Flugence was also a excellent driver - we always felt completely safe no matter how challenging the roads became. He was really patient too: we were never rushed and he spent a lot of time in the evening helping us sort photos, identify all of the birds and animals we'd seen, and learn and practice our Swahili. We couldn't fault Flugence at all, and will definitely ask for him again when we return.
All of the accommodation was very good, but the two tented camps we stayed at in the Serengeti were particularly special - Embalakai Serengeti (Hippo Camp) and Serengeti Classic View Camp (Kogatende). Both of these had great locations and well furnished tents, the food was amazing, the staff super helpful and friendly, and lovely to see animals so close to the camp.
After visiting the parks, we did the night hike up Ol Doinyo Lengai - this was definitely more challenging than we anticipated (especially coming down), but a great experience, and the amazing views from the top of the volcano were well worth the effort. Our guide for the hike (Yohanna) was amazing - very patient, with plenty of rests and encouragement, and paced us perfectly to reach the top at sunrise.
Finally, we can't fault the organisation and service from Lion King - communication was great, everything was smoothly organised, and the whole holiday went off without a hitch. Dietary requirements (gluten free vegetarian food) had been clearly communicated to all accommodation in advance and flawlessly catered for (with more variety and choice than most places we have visited). Although it was a more expensive holiday than we'd normally take, it was excellent value - we're very happy to recommend them and hope to use them again in the future.
