NZ
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A family freedom safari without the rigid confines of a set schedule.
This was a family holiday with the option of altering the proposed schedule as we saw fit so that if we decided that we needed extra days in any one place or took our driver's advice or changed our minds as to where we wanted to visit next then we were free to do so.
Communication was excellent both in the planning of the trip and during the tour and what we were promised was delivered. We were met at the airport late at night and delivered to our hotel. The vehicle we were promised was what we expected - so often you hear stories of arriving to be met with anything but the vehicle that has been promised but that was not the case. Our driver (guide) was both personable and knowledgeable about the tour and what we might expect and also had the reference books in case we needed confirmation of what we were seeing. The tented accommodation was comfortable and clean with excellent toilet facilities. The roads are an experience in themselves ranging from the basic to State Highways so in that respect if you travel to the Maasai Mara by road then be aware that the rainy season could prove challenging. That however is not a reflection of the tour company or guide but just a fact of the system and its priorities.
All in all it was a trip to remember with many unsurpassed highlights. So if you want to experience a side of life at its most beautiful yet also at its most vulnerable then by all means take a tour. However, if on the other hand you want to luxuriate in the trappings of modernity and over the top opulence then consider a tour to anywhere else but don't go to Africa - the continent doesn't need you.
SA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great safari touring
We had Chris as our guide who has been working as a safari guide for more than 10 years so he knows a whole lot about the locations and the animals. The lodges we stayed in were very comfortable and convenient too.
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Perfect safari in Ngorongoro
It Started in Africa did a great job in providing the perfect tour for my family. Traveling with kids is not always easy and can be frustrating at times but they went the extra mile to keep them excited and entertained and they absolutely loved the day tour in Ngorongoro. The guide Frank was great. He was absolutely outstanding in detecting animals from very far away while driving the 4x4 at the same time. Completely surpassed my expectations of what a safari could be in terms of friendliness, professionalism, knowledge and comfort.
MY
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The Best Safari Experience!
We had a great time throughout the 5 days Safari with Stephan as our guide and Idi as our cook (sorry if I spelled your name wrongly there)
Stephan was very quick in replying my emails from the very beginning and they offered us the best price than the other companies that I emailed.
We opted to stay at the campsite and very happy that we did. The facilities were in good condition and clean. And Idi is a very good cook!
We start off very early in the morning everyday and manage to see everything except for the shy Cheetah. Stephan is very informative and he knows a lot about the animals and the local culture.
All in all, I think they provide excellent and professional service at a very reasonable price. They made our experience in Tanzania a very memorable one. Highly recommended I would say!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A life changing experience!
Cannot recommend Brian and his team any higher. They're very responsive to emails and are flexible with one-off requests - we had a birthday during our safari and I asked Brian if he could do something special and the entire camp ended up coming out singing birthday songs for 20 minutes and providing cake - it was amazing. The safari itself was incredibly. Sammy is quite the character and an extremely knowledgeable and capable guide. The week flew by! Would definitely recommend Ecological to anyone looking for an amazing wilderness experience.
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
a wonderfull jurney!
Wow! What a safari holiday! We have seen amazing and beautiful sights, and had loads of great experiences! The logistics of the holiday were exceptionally well taken care of by Tailor Made Safaris, the food was good, the diversity of activities/destinations superb, and the South African people great! Of course you go on safari for the animals, but also the cultural experiences of Zulu villages and the general experience of the beautiful landscapes at the parks were fantastic. In short, a holiday that I would love experience again!
AE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An excellent tour operator in Kenya!
I went on a family trip to Kenya , we made all the arrangements through East Africa Tours, we were initially very skeptical about the trip but the overall organization of the tour was quite good, everything from hotels to vehicles and the safaris in masai mara was well organized in a timely manner, the nature guides were really helpful and well experienced, we really enjoyed the trip with my kids and we are hoping to return very soon!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A Tourism Professor in Uganda- I couldn't have asked for better!
I am a professor of Tourism. I have traveled to over 50 countries and taken 100s of tours over the last 30+ years. I was so impressed with Encounter Africa Safaris. I have recommended them to countless friends and hope I will have the chance to go back and take another tour with them. Tolbert (our driver-guide) was excellent. He stopped every time we asked and was very patient with our many requests and questions. Tolbert made sure we went with the best guide when we were doing our gorilla tracking tour. Also, everyone in the office was so helpful when we were planning our trip. Honestly, we could not have asked for a better experience. I wrote several posts on my blog about my experience with Encounter Africa Safaris. Here are is a link if you would like to see a few pictures and read a little bit about it: http://drphelanipresume.blogspot.com/2013/11/gorilla-tracking-part-2.html
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A fabulous once in a lifetime experience
We were two couples traveling to S. Africa, Zambia, and Botswana for the first time. We just completed a 15 day trip, returning on 9/11. We started to plan the trip over 8 months ago, and chose Go2Africa with some hesitation as there were not a lot of recent reviews available.
We planned this trip as a "once in a lifetime" trip, and worked with Mary Keet of Go2Africa. Our preference was to have everything taken care of - from pickup at the airport, lodging, air, private tours, etc. The only arrangements we made independently were the international flights to and from the USA to Johannesburg. We asked for high end camps and accommodations.
Mary Keet was an absolute pleasure to work with. She listened to our needs and was very patient as we provided feedback on itineraries. After the itinerary had been completed, the other couple suddenly realized that the dates did not work for them, and we had to change the dates by a week or so. Again Mary was very understanding, and had to make numerous changes as some of the camps were not available on the new dates. What I especially liked was the promptness in responding to my emails, as well as the ability to get a hold of Mary on the phone.
Our trip involved visiting Cape Town, Sabi Sands in the Kruger National Park, Livingstone, Zambia (Victoria Falls), and two different camps in Botswana. My reviews of Exeter River Lodge, Sussi and Chuma, Nxabega Tented Camps, and Chiefs Camp can be found on Tripadvisor.com.
The entire trip was flawless and completely stress free. We were received at JNB and taken to the hotel (Intercontinental at the airport), and we had an morning flight to Capetown. We were received at the Capetown airport and taken to our hotel (Victoria Hotel), and the private guided tours were exactly according to our itinerary. When we decided to change what we wanted to do in Capetown on the second day, Go2Africa made it happen without any fuss. There was always someone waiting to greet us at every airport.
Every flight - including the charter flights between camps - were exactly as planned. We loved the itinerary that Mary put together, and we were happy with her choices for our lodging for the most part.
Bottom line, I would have no hesitation in recommending Go2Africa. We found them to be courteous, professional, patient, and their execution was flawless.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
I had wonderful services ever !
We had the greatest time doing safaris, cultural events, hiking, and beach with awesome support image description .
We had awesome communications and help with ALL the questions we had which were a lot but always more then willing to answer. They were more then willing to go out of their way helping with whatever was needed or asked of them always asking if there was anything else needed. Our guides were awesome especially Erick. He was the greatest spotting animals and his personality was double that and we both hated to part ways .
We had a situation where we left an item at a lodge but they made sure to get it to us. They exceeded our expectations greatly when we initially contacted 10 TO's
and also during the whole time we were on our trip of 23 days. We met the owners Simon and Lucia who are such a sweet young couple but you wouldn't know it by the great service they both provided.
We cant say enough good things about the service and support we received from wild root safaris and adventures from the very beginning till the very end.
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