DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible experience!
We had the most incredible safari in Tanzania with Benson Safaris, and we honestly couldn’t have asked for a better experience.
From the very beginning, they tailored the entire trip exactly to what we wanted. They were always available to answer our questions before and during the trip, constantly checking in and making sure everything was perfect. That level of care and attention made us feel completely at ease.
Exploring the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, we saw more animals than we could have ever imagined, lions, elephants, giraffes, and so much more. Our guide, Liberatus, was truly fantastic, so knowledgeable, and passionate. He made every game drive exciting and shared incredible insights about the wildlife and surroundings.
We especially loved that Benson is locally owned. This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and we can’t recommend them highly enough.
FI
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A reliable and professional tour operator that delivered exactly what was promised
Telly Africa Safari was an excellent tour operator and handled all the practical arrangements flawlessly — from flights and transfers to accommodation and the safari itself. It was a full-service package that we can warmly recommend.
Catherine was very easy to reach and responded to all the questions we had.
The highlight of the safari was our outstanding driver and guide, Uno, who approached his work with incredible passion and energy. His mission was to ensure we saw all the magnificent animals and truly made the most of the entire safari experience.
SI
Travel with Heart, Integrity, and Excellence
We chose Ethiopia for its astonishing diversity — ancient history, living anthropology, and spectacular natural beauty. Knowing how vast and complex the country is, we decided — for the first time ever — to entrust our trip to a local tour agency. After comparing several proposals, Ethio Top Land Tours clearly stood out. After 21 incredible days of travel, including seven domestic flights, we can say without hesitation: it was one of the best travel decisions we have ever made.
Outstanding Flexibility & Seamless Organization
Travel reality often differs from what you see in guidebooks — and that’s part of the adventure. What truly impressed us was the agency’s remarkable flexibility. We were able to adjust our itinerary along the way — sometimes from one day to the next — based on our interests or simply how we felt. Each time, accommodations were smoothly rebooked and flights adjusted without stress, complications, or extra charges. Even when domestic flight schedules changed, everything was handled immediately and professionally. We felt completely supported at all times.
An Exceptional Guide & The Best Driver We Could Imagine
Our guide, Desala, was extraordinary. His encyclopedic knowledge of Ethiopia’s history, cultures, religions, and regional differences was simply breathtaking. Yet beyond his expertise, what touched us most was his warmth and humanity. He interacted with curious locals with such natural ease — a greeting here, a short chat there, sometimes even a hug — creating moments that felt authentic and deeply human.
And then there was Abel — our phenomenal driver. Traveling Ethiopia means navigating unpredictable roads and challenging conditions. Abel was the definition of professionalism: calm, focused, always 100% attentive. We felt safe every single second. And whenever we spontaneously called out, “Stop — I want this photo!” he responded with patience and a smile. His dedication went above and beyond — even spending an entire night waiting in line for fuel to ensure our journey continued without disruption.
Absolute Trust & Reliability
We paid the full amount upon arrival in Addis Ababa — an act of complete trust that was fully honored. Every agreement was respected. All adjustments remained within the original budget. Even nationwide fuel shortages had zero impact on our itinerary. That level of reliability is priceless.
Genuine, Heartfelt Hospitality
From the warm airport welcome and thoughtful surprises to the beautiful welcome dinner and touching farewell evening, we felt truly cared for — not as clients, but as guests and friends.
This is more than a tour agency. It is a team with heart, integrity, and exceptional professionalism. They don’t just organize trips — they create life-changing experiences.
We left Ethiopia with memories deeply engraved in our hearts — and we are already dreaming of returning.
FI
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Purely professional
*Very professional tour operator*
Big thanks to Husna, she handles our booking smoothly. She was very patient, friendly and answered all our questions making planning process easy. It was also nice meeting her at the airport! Excellent communication throughout.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing
We had a great trip that was very well organized with great attention to details. Especial thank you to both our drivers Banana and Hamisi. They went above and beyond to make our trip interesting and comfortable.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great time at Maasai
Excellent communication and hospitality throughout the safari and an exceptional time within the park. Our driver Kush was fantastic.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
So professional and amazing
Communication was top notch,the service were to perfection..... I really had a great time and would love to do more tours with you
MX
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The trip truly through Serengeti, Ngorongoro, and Tarangire, with great experience,
The safari vehicle was in excellent condition and very comfortable, allowing us to enjoy long game drives without any inconvenience. It was well maintained and provided a safe and enjoyable journey.
I highly recommend Fantastic Time Travel to anyone looking for a reliable and professional tour operator. Their friendly service, excellent organization, and unforgettable safari experience make them truly exceptional.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Largely a transfer service that is not equipped for multi-day itineraries
I booked Touch Africa for a 7-night safari based on a smattering of positive reviews and a desire to support a smaller, locally owned business. This ultimately turned out to be a mistake, as the company does not yet seem equipped to handle complex or multi-day itineraries. It’s worth noting that this was not my first safari, nor my first time in Africa.
Pros:
• Communication leading up to the safari was good, and they were always responsive — though it did seem like multiple people were sharing a single WhatsApp account.
• Last, the individual that everyone seems to interact with, was very friendly and knowledgeable about Zimbabwe and the Victoria Falls area.
• We were paired with a game drive operator in Chobe named Rocky, who was outstanding.
Cons:
• They operate mostly as a glorified transfer service. Last showed up to transport us between lodging points, and that was largely it. The transport itself was an unmarked, fairly old and worn-out minivan with only one working passenger door, which could only be opened from the outside. We also had to ask for seat covers to be removed so we could use seatbelts, after a few fairly harrowing drives.
• Despite clearly expressing that our primary goals were wildlife/big game viewing and staying in a tented camp, our Chobe lodging — Tlou Lodge — was located directly behind a strip mall. We later learned that Touch Africa cannot access lodging that requires a 4x4. I ultimately paid out of pocket for alternative accommodations (Elephant Valley Lodge — outstanding) and arranged directly with our game drive operator, Rocky, to handle pickup and drop-off.
• The itinerary listed the transfer from Chobe to Nata as “approximately 2 hours.” In reality, this is a 315 km / 195-mile drive that took over 4 hours in the aforementioned minivan.
• Nata was described in the itinerary as being “home to vast salt pans and unique desert wildlife.” However, we quickly discovered that not only is there little to no wildlife in the region at this time of year, but the salt pans themselves had been flooded for nearly a year. This is without even getting into Nata Lodge itself, which had its own lengthy list of issues.
• Despite being on time or early for every other engagement, Last was late for our airport transfer. As a result, we ended up using the lodge’s transfer service, who — thankfully — drove like a bat out of hell and allowed us to just barely make our check-in window.
TL;DR (short version):
There were numerous negative experiences (I distilled it down to the major ones) on our trip that could have been avoided with basic due diligence and clearer communication. It became increasingly clear — and was later admitted — that larger, multi-stop itineraries are new territory for Touch Africa, and unfortunately we were the ones impacted by that learning curve. We paid approximately $6,000 for what amounted to a $2,500–$3,000 experience (after researching typical room, transfer, and activity rates). The best parts of our trip — aside from our Chobe game driver — were the result of last-minute changes I personally made that were not part of the original itinerary provided by Touch Africa.
I am not typically someone who leaves negative reviews, and I have tremendous empathy for smaller companies. I fully understand when issues are genuinely out of a provider’s control (weather, road conditions, lodging quirks, etc.). However, it was abundantly clear, time and again, that Touch Africa was out of their depth in planning and executing an itinerary of this scope.
Finally - I gave Touch Africa 2 months to provide a fully agreed upon, relatively small, partial refund (Hence the delay in this review), They eventually stopped responding and I never received a single payment.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect!
Our safari to Mara and Lake Nakuru was remarkably executed with the help of our tour consultant Esther. She was receptive and did not tire to help me and family achieve the best safari. We got to see the big 5 and most of the birds species with the help of our guide/ driver Martin. Would recommend Jupicon expeditions for their great organization!