35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Attention to detail and service was impeccable! Don't think twice, Encompass Africa are FANTASTIC!
Andrew and I just wanted to sincerely thank Encompass Africa (EA) for coordinating an amazing and great fun holiday adventure to Africa.
This was a 50th birthday surprise for my husband Andrew - however as the excitement grew within me after booking the perfect itinerary, I couldn't help but tell him that he was going to Africa. He was stoked! Especially when he was to learn that we were going to one of his bucket list places, the Okavango Delta!
Working with Danica, Laura and the team, it took us 7 x attempts to finalise the itinerary - mainly due to the many options available and for me to try and determine along the way what would be our must-see's and must-do's. I am so grateful for their patience and guidance to ensure that we settled on an itinerary that fitted exactly our taste, interests and budget.
I am fast to admit I am a control freak when it comes to planning our travels. After finalising our itinerary, I spent countless hours on the internet trolling through YouTube videos and travel forum reviews about the places and lodges we were to visit. To some degree I felt I had already traveled the entire trip many times before we left – so I anticipated to not be surprised during the trip (unlike Andrew who was not involved in the planning) – but wow, how wrong I was!
How naive I was to not consider the wondrous and ever changing surprises mother nature can dish out at any given stage! Not to mention that EA and the lodges each had delivered us little surprises along the way to ensure we felt like we were more than just a number in their books.
We were greeted by EA tour representatives at every stop and guided through airport processes with great ease. We were super impressed at how much attention to detail was put into the entire coordination of our trip. Truly, the trip was faultless from beginning to end – and for us, that has to be a FIRST!
I cannot highly enough recommend Encompass Africa to anyone planning a holiday to Africa. EA made our trip not only personal, but extremely stress free as newcomers to Africa.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Safari with Style
Mala Mala is an absolutely amazing safari destination. Having done a more rustic camping safari in the past, I was blown away by the comfort and amenities (wifi, a/c, lack of insects, etc.) of the Mala Mala camp so deep in the bush. The guides themselves are extremely knowledgeable and bend over backwards to make sure that your experience is second-to-none. We saw all of the major animals that are native to the area (rhinos, leopards, lion, elephants, hippo, water buffalo, and so much more)! In fact, we were able to see elephant, baboon, antelope, and others from the porch of our private cabin, while enjoying a glass of champagne.
Another great thing about Mala Mala is that it shares an unfenced border with Kruger, so animals are free to roam between Mala Mala and Kruger. But what makes Mala Mala even better is that Kruger has restrictions on off-road driving, meaning that you can't track animals off of the main roads; but Mala Mala is a private reserve and does not have these restrictions. The guides are able to wander into the bush and get guests close to animals, while being very respectful of the animals themselves to make sure that both parties are comfortable.
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Tarangire National Park by Andre Gilden
Famous for the Baobab trees and also a great number of elephants during the dry season, everything here happens around the Tarangiry river. Close to Arusha gives easy acces and good for family's with children.
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Serengeti National Park by Andre Gilden
Top destination, abandon wildlife and the great migration is the top of all. The massive numbers of animals that comes with this migration is one of a kind. The landscapes and tented camps give all the Out of Africa feelings you can have.
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Mahale Mountains National Park by Andre Gilden
Mahale is a very good park to see the chimpanzee. Lake Tanganyika is very good for fishing and sunsets. In the lake live a lot of endemic cichlids.
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Lake Manyara National Park by Andre Gilden
Good birding in the park, wildlife is less, but still some herbivores in the park. There are lots of waterfowls in the park and good flamingo's in the lake in the right season .
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Katavi National Park by Andre Gilden
Many buffalo in the park and lions which hunt on the buffalo. Nice marshes which provide water to the wildlife.
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Arusha National Park by Andre Gilden
Lot of birds in the park, good sightings and also the special Black and white Colobus monkey are in the park. Nice tropical rainforest.
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
My safari in Tanzania was awesome, we had the big five in three days and saw incredible wildlife
The Ngorongoro crater is truly one of the world wonders. The year round water supply means there is huge density of wildlife in the crater all year round. Most wildlife is used to the cars and tourists and it is possible to see most images up close. For enthousiast photographers it means that you can have a once in a lifetime experience. Lots of opportunities for photographing wildlife up close, but also with the typical surrounding landscape of the crater rim. Due to the fact that it is a very well known and popular destination, I would advise to go into the crater as early as possible to avoid the crowds. That is the only downside of this wonderful destination, it can be very crowded later in the morning and midday, but early mornings and late afternoons are wonderful. And the view from the crater rim on the crater floor is a once in a lifetime experience, especially with sundown and the enjoy of a sundowner.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Magical Mana Pools
This great flood plain of the Zambezi is 2500 square kilometres , dotted with pools, islands and sandbanks. It is home to four of the Big Five ( didn't see any rhino)...it is an excellent area for anyone wanting to see big game. Elephant and buffalo herds are a plenty, and there is very good opportunity to see lion. It is home to endangered wild dogs - and their natural enemy, the hyena. And in the many small "pans" of receding water swarm hippos and Nile crocodiles. The area is filled with stretches of mahogany and acacia trees, interspersed with the odd and prehistoric looking baobab trees.
I made the trip in September - and it was hot (36 degrees Celsius), dusty and dry....but game drives and wildlife viewing was rewarding, with the ever dwindling water sources bringing together herbivores and the great predators. There are quite a few lodges and safari groups that do business in the area, and the camp that I stayed in was quite good, boasting twin occupancy tents with en suite facilities, and hot water. The food was fabulous! Home away from home! It pays to have a good guide who knows the local area, something I would whole heartedly recommend!
I am not a birder, but even in the dry summer season I was there, there was no shortage of fish eagles, herons, exquisite lilac breasted rollers, the odd looking hamerkop... I did see the odd martial eagle. Night time game drives are not permitted within the Mana conservation area.
