HU
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent Safari
Good weather , no rain, morning 20 C• afternoon 28C• degrees Tsavo east national park 6-7 hours drive between many animals. We saw the big5 😊.
SA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
South Africa is the best destination for wildlife, scenic beauty, birding, dining, and friendliness.
I went to South Africa expecting a poor utilities. I was astonished of how everything is organized and how civilized the country is. I went to Kroger Park where I saw the big 5 animals. The Safari was organized and the cars operate in designated roads (not allowed to go off-road). The animals were kept alone in their environment.
I had a restriction of eating Halal food only. The Halal food is found everywhere in almost all restaurants.
The people of South Africa that I met were very friendly and they love to laugh and dance.
I went on a boat trip to see the whales and that was really an experience. I saw not only the whales but also thousands of dolphins migrating. That was once in a life time experience.
For sure, I will visit SA again.
BG
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Breathtaking.
Our safari through Kenya and Tanzania was an unforgettable experience from beginning to end. We were incredibly lucky to see so much wildlife, including lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, buffalo, hippos, crocodiles, monkeys, and countless beautiful birds. Seeing these animals in their natural habitat, surrounded by the incredible landscapes of Kenya and Tanzania, is something we will never forget.
A huge part of what made the experience so special was our guides, Willy, Jackson, and Dominic. All three were extremely knowledgeable, professional, friendly, and patient. They knew the parks incredibly well and had an amazing ability to spot animals that we would have completely missed ourselves. They always took the time to explain what we were seeing, tell us about the animals and their behavior, and make sure we had the best possible experience.
Every game drive felt like a new adventure, and we never knew what we were going to see next. From watching lions in the wild to being surrounded by elephants and huge herds of wildebeest and zebras, there were countless unforgettable moments.
Willy, Jackson, and Dominic genuinely went above and beyond for us throughout the entire trip. Their passion for wildlife and their job was obvious, and after spending so much time with them, they became a very memorable part of our journey.
If you are considering a safari in Kenya and Tanzania, I highly recommend Morningstar. The wildlife, scenery, organization, and especially the people made this one of the best travel experiences we have ever had.
A massive thank you to Willy, Jackson, and Dominic for making the trip so incredible!
See you next year.
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible
The best safari trip I've ever taken and I would do it again.
(automatic translation from Spanish)
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
2 weeks in Rwanda for family of 6, trip of a lifetime
Our family of six (including four kids ages 16-24) spent two weeks in Rwanda. Hermosa Tours nailed the itinerary: a perfect combination of what we knew we wanted (gorillas) and what we had no idea we wanted (all kinds of cultural experiences and adventures). This small country is densely packed with beauty and wonders, and I’m so glad we had time to see more than gorillas (which are of course amazing).
Short version:
Our trip included three main stops: Nyungwe National Park, Lake Kivu, and Volcanoes National Park. We also had a half-day in Kigali. All six of us were highly engaged the whole time, which doesn’t happen often. Hermosa Tours was great in terms of communication, transportation, selecting hotels (we opted for mid-level, and all were excellent), and most of all, providing us with our knowledgeable, charming and dynamic driver/guide, Abu. Everything went smoothly, and we felt very welcome and well-cared for. We loved this trip. We definitely recommend it!
Long version:
During our three days at Nyungwe, we saw chimpanzees and Colobus monkeys, worked at a tea plantation, and had some zip line adventures. For our chimp trek, a guide led us on a hike deep into the forest. Groups of trackers, we learned, stay in the forest at all times to monitor the chimps’ location, making it possible for the guides to find them relatively quickly. Once we found our group, having their mid-morning rest on the forest floor, we got to spend an hour watching them, about 25 feet from us. We were fascinated by how their bodies and hands moved, how they climbed and played, how they communicated with their voices and gestures, and how they groomed each other. The next day we hiked in a different area of the park to see Colobus monkeys. Our guides cleared the way through the vines on the steep hillsides, taking us up high so we could be closer to the tree tops, where the monkeys were hanging out. We spent an hour mesmerized by their acrobatics, watching them eat leaves, play, and fly from tree to tree. Afterwards, we got to fly a little too - on a zip line tour, canopy bridge hike, and ropes course, all with breathtaking views. Another afternoon we toured one of the area's beautiful tea plantations, which you see everywhere, lush and bright green, covering the hillsides. We learned how tea is grown, harvested and processed, then we suited up and went to work in the fields ourselves, harvesting tea leaves alongside one of the workers. We really enjoyed the experience and appreciated getting to understand at least a little of what life is like for people here, how they work and live.
Our next several days were in Lake Kivu, a beautiful, deep, and narrow lake in the African Great Lakes region, part of the African Rift Valley. We enjoyed swimming and boating, including a hike on an island with thousands offruit bats hanging upside down from the low branches of guava trees, right at eye level. One of our favorite experiences was night fishing. The local staple fish, a kind of sardine called sambaza, are harvested at night, when they come up from the deep water to feed near the surface by moonlight. We joined an active fishing crew one evening on board their vessels - a set of three long and narrow wooden boats, connected side-by-side with bamboo poles. The crew made room for us (all six of us), let us take turns rowing, and showed us how they work together to spreading their giant net underneath the three boats and lower it deep down into the lake. We also visited a coffee cooperative and learned about this important crop from bean to cup.
Our last major destination was Volcanoes National Park. At a pretty high altitude, 7800 feet, it was misty and cool, perfect for evenings by the fireplace in our cozy guesthouse. The park itself is very has a constant air of excitement, with all the tour groups gathering at the entrance each day at 7 am for delicious free coffee and dance music to get you going! On our first day, we saw gorillas. Led by our guide, we hiked for an hour up a mountain through dense grassy shrubby jungle. We then put on our face masks (to protect the animals from our germs) and quietly entered a little grove of trees and bushes where “our” group of gorillas was relaxing. We spent an amazing hour in quiet awe with a family of 25 gorillas: big powerful silverbacks, moms cuddling with babies and young ones, curious toddlers, “kids” wrestling and playing games. Some of them seemed curious about us, while others seemed completely uninterested. We were able to stay within a few feet of them, being sure to do whatever our guide told us to do to behave safely and non-threateningly. We took tons of amazing pictures and felt completely safe. We also spent a few hours at the Dian Fossey museum and visitor center - very informative about gorilla research and effective conservation efforts.
Later we went on another a guided trek to see Golden Monkeys. We spent an hour watching these gorgeous animals dig around in a potato field just outside the park border, finding small potatoes that were left behind after the field was harvested. Another highlight was visiting a traditional cultural village - a recreation of traditional village life, with people demonstrating things like drumming and dancing, grinding grain with stones, brewing beer, making medicines, hunting with bow and arrow, and a traditional wedding ceremony (in which, we were surprised to learn, we were to be the bride and groom). We also enjoyed a canoe trip down a winding river, among rice paddies and other farms, greeting the children swimming in the water and farmers working in the fields, and seeing tons of beautiful birds.
On our last day in Rwanda, we returned to Kigali and visited the Genocide Memorial, moving and chilling, a must-see to get a sense of the horror that Rwandans have been through and how they are moving forward.
Our driver/guide Abu will be forever in our hearts. I can’t imagine a better friend and guide. He was so good at connecting with each of us, making sure each kid was engaged in ways that were meaningful for them. Sometimes he'd add a quick stop to get a special snack for us or show us an extra sight that he thought we’d enjoy. He made sure we always had food that suited our dietary needs (pescetarian and vegetarian = no problem). On our drives to and from our various destinations, we had lots of time to talk, laugh, and get to know each other, sharing stories about families and plans for the future, discussing food, politics, history, movies, all kinds of things. After each experience, each hike or new sight, we couldn’t wait to get back and tell Abu all about it, ask him questions, and get his take on things. We had the trip of a lifetime, thanks to Abu. Overall, we loved this trip. Can’t recommend it highly enough.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An amazing and unforgettable holiday
We had an absolutely amazing holiday organised by Beyond the plains safaris. I would definately recommend them.
The organisation of the trip was perfect from dealing with our enquiries before we went to a smooth trip when there. Our guide for the main part of the trip, Dan, was excellent. Very friendly and helpful and a big part of what made the holiday so special.
Our holiday was made up of 2 days in Nairobi before heading out across the Massai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Ambroselli and Salt Lick on safari and finally catching a train to the cost for a few days relaxing.
On safari we saw so many animals it really surpassed our expectations seeing so much and being so close. I think going to the different parks really allowed us to see such varied environments.
I have nothing negative to say about the company or our experiences with them but advice for other travellers would be to be prepared for lots of early mornings and driving between the parks. Also the food whilst fine and as expected did get a little repetitive and if you are a fussy eater may struggle. But again both these things we had expected and so didn't impact in our overall enjoyment. If we had our time again the only thing I would do different would be to have a second night at Salt Lick Lodges just to take time to enjoy such a unique setting. It would also have been nice to see more of Nairobi as it looked such a fascinating city but given the traffic we didn't see much on our city tour.
The beach stay at Pappilion Lagoon Reef hotel was also great. It was a lovely relaxed atmosphere and the perfect way to end the holiday.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An Unforgettable Safari with Guide Jimmy & Wildebeest Footsteps Adventures
Our safari with Wildebeest Footsteps Adventures was an absolutely unforgettable experience! A special thank you to Jimmy, our Safari Guide, whose knowledge, professionalism, patience, and passion for wildlife made every game drive truly exceptional. He knew the parks incredibly well and went above and beyond to make sure we had the best possible experience.
We would also like to give a huge thank you to Erick, the Company Owner, who was excellent from the office side. His communication, organization, and personal attention gave us complete confidence throughout the planning and booking process.
From start to finish, everything was handled professionally, and we felt genuinely cared for. Jimmy and Erick are a fantastic team, and they made our Tanzanian adventure incredibly special. Highly recommended! If you are planning a safari in Tanzania, Wildebeest Footsteps Adventures is a company you can trust.
20-35 years of age
Wonderful fun tour!
Such a fun tour! The caves were amazing, it was so nice to have the transport covered to and from Joburg and to the caves and museum!
Rudzani was a wonderful guide, so fun to talk to! So informative and kind and fun! Had such a lovely day!
PL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great pleasure of seeking wild animals with Sir Charles
We have spent 6 wonderfull days with Sir Charles, our safari guide, during our journey to Kenia. We have visited Masai Mara, Amboseli and Hell’s Gate. All the Safari trips were very interesting, all places differ and all delivered us great experience. Our guide, Sir Charles, was very engaged in seeking for animals, he knew exactly where the animals were supposed to be and during our safaris he was sharing with us a lot of interesting informations about animals that we have met. He was very kind and had great ideas for lunch place, car stopping for the best views on animals passing by and he was also very cheerful and always ready to answer to our questions. We spent really valuable time together.
ES
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An Incredible Safari Experience
### An Incredible Safari Experience
Our safari experience in Tanzania was absolutely incredible and truly worth every moment. This company offers a unique experience based on genuine respect for the environment and the animals, which made the whole journey even more special.
Innocent organized everything with great understanding, kindness, and patience. He was always available to answer our questions and help us with any concerns or problems, making us feel very well looked after throughout the trip.
But without a doubt, one of the biggest highlights was our guide, **Dula**. He was incredibly knowledgeable, intelligent, and attentive, with an amazing understanding of the environment and the animals. His sense of direction was incredible, and he seemed to anticipate where the animals would be before we even got there. He always knew how to choose the best possible spot to give us an unforgettable experience.
Nothing seemed to escape his attention. He was extremely observant and made sure we never missed anything, while also giving us plenty of time to enjoy the moment and take photos without ever rushing us. He never saved his energy and was constantly focused on making the experience as special as possible for us.
His professionalism, patience, enthusiasm, and genuine passion for his work were exceptional. He took care of everything — our safety, the timing, the food, the quality of what we saw, and the explanations about the animals and their environment.
Thanks to Dula, we didn't just see the wildlife — we truly experienced it and learned so much along the way.
We would absolutely recommend this company to anyone looking for an authentic, responsible, and unforgettable safari in Tanzania. An amazing experience with an exceptional guide that we will never forget!🐘🦁🌿
