35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Prompt, reliable, responsive, and great value for money
My family recently (July 2024) completed a 14 day safari in Tanzania (plus a couple of pre & post days in Arusha and Dar Es Salaam). Of these, 7 days were in the North (covering Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro), and the remaining 7 days were in the South (covering Nyerere, Mikumi and Ruaha). It also included a couple of flights within Tanzania. The entire trip was arranged with the help of ‘Smile With Us Tours In Africa’, and I have nothing but nice things to say about them. All planning, booking, payments, etc. were centrally coordinated by Jacob, who has been absolutely wonderful!
I started by requesting an itinerary from Jacob. He was prompt, and the itinerary he shared covered all the parks I wanted to visit. I worked with him closely to fine-tune the number of nights in each park, change specific camps / lodges, and add extra activities like walking safaris and night safaris. This took several iterations, and Jacob was always very prompt in sharing the revised itinerary. I was working with a couple of other providers as well, and Smile’s quote was the best for the itinerary I wanted. Once everything was to my satisfaction, I finally booked the safari with him in July 2023 by paying 30% of the cost in advance (with the remaining due a few days before the start date).
Considering the amount involved ran into 1000s of dollars, I was apprehensive about the advance as well as the final payment. After all, I would be paying the whole amount before the safari had even started! What if Smile couldn’t deliver, or if things went wrong? Fortunately, my apprehensions proved to be completely unfounded!
From booking till the beginning of the safari, Jacob kept me informed periodically about the progress regarding hotel bookings, flight bookings, etc. He was also very responsive whenever I had any question – he typically responded within a few hours of my email, which was amazing considering the time difference of 7 hours between the US and Tanzania! A few days before the start of the safari, he also shared his local contact numbers as well as the contact number of the guide assigned to me.
Once my trip started, the execution by Smile / Jacob was flawless. All airport pickups and drop-offs were on time, and the guides / drivers assigned to me were pleasant, welcoming and knowledgeable. The camps / lodges were excellent, and the 4x4 Land Cruisers assigned to us both in the North & South circuit were in excellent condition with comfortable seating, a built-in fridge and outlets for charging.
I firmly believe that the true test of any organizer is when things go wrong, and Smile / Jacob shined there as well.
We had 2 nights booked in a lodge in Nyerere (Nyerere Tented Camp). When we reached there, it had a lot of things that ticked us off: the atmosphere was not at all welcoming, it had hygiene issues, and it had geckos – lots of them! Having geckos on the walls is one thing - this place had so many crawling on the floor of the restaurant!! I brought this up with Jacob, and he immediately found an alternate accommodation for the second night – and this was during the high season!
Another instance of making things right was when our Land Cruiser broke down on the last day (which is not a reflection on the condition of the vehicle – the best of vehicles break down in the tough conditions of these parks!). Jacob worked with our lodge, and arranged a game drive through them to make sure that our experience didn’t suffer and we ended our trip on a happy note!
All in all, I had a very positive experience with Smile / Jacob from the beginning of the planning to the end of the trip. I would not hesitate to utilize their services again, and whole-heartedly recommend them!
A special shout-out to our guide Salum Msese (aka Salim) – he was absolutely wonderful, and went above and beyond several times in the 7 days we spent with him on the Southern circuit. Just to give an example: We had a day full of driving (Nyerere to Mikumi that took 9 hours), followed by a night game drive (3.5 hours) - and he did it with a smile, without any hint of tiredness. The next day, he did an early game drive and then another long drive (Mikumi to Ruaha that took 7 hours) - and this was after only 4 hours of sleep! Salum was always eager to show us as many animals as possible, and took every effort to ensure this – he followed lion footprints, spoke with other guides, and made sure we had the best possible experience.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Ongeri Expeditions is the Safari Travel and Holiday Provider of Choice!
Ongeri Expeditions surpassed our expectations! From the safari choices offered to us. The ability to respond to all our questions regarding the Safari and accommodation choice we had made. Ongeri Expeditions made our safari booking promptly, and provided excellent value for money. They connected us with the right partners for flight bookings, hotel reservations and transfers. The partners they used on the ground were super efficient, friendly, and offered great service. The tour to Kichwa Tembo in the Masai Mara was an unforgettable experience. We would recommend the safari to visitors. Kichwa Tembo is an excellent little paradise in the Masai Mara, the staff are friendly and offer wholesome service, especially the Tour Guide and the Restaurant staff.
Ongeri Expeditions allowed us to have a seamless safari of choice!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Amazing Safari Experience with Gametrackers
I had the pleasure of a trip to Sarova Lion Hill with Gametrackers recently and it was an exceptional experience from start to finish.
The journey to Sarova Lion Hill was very smooth. Our drivers were highly skilled and also friendly, making us feel comfortable throughout our journey. Their vast knowledge about this area and wildlife made this trip much more worth while.
Definitely, the highlight of this trip were game drives and catching the sunsets and sunrises. We saw a lot of wildlife at close quarters and the drivers made sure we got enough time to take photographs as well as appreciate nature around us. They amazed me by their ability to spot animals easily and provide some useful facts concerning them.
If you are going for an adventure safari in Kenya, then you should consider using Gametrackers. Thank you Gametrackers for making my safari so outstanding!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Experience of a lifetime
This was by far the most amazing trip for me. We set off with numerous unrelated challenges here and there but ThinkScene Safaris did their best to give us the adventure we were dreaming about. The manager Brenda was incredibly understanding and she did everything to ensure we got nice hotels, food, and experience even though most facilities were fully booked. The driver was exceptional, we saw all the rare animals and birds in proximity. The entire experience is worth and I recommend this operator to anyone looking to visit East Africa.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing
I have been in Uganda but the Gorilla experience was so awesome and I love it so much. The one 1 hour I spent with the gorilla's. Kudos to yusuf my guide
BE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great uganda experience with Innocent
Our driver Innocent was not only always on time, he was available at every time. He has extensive knowledge about various subjects such as local animals, plants, general facts and the different regions. He is also just a very nice person to be around. This defenitely added value to our experience in Uganda.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Safari
We booked a 12 day safari trip. We stayed for 2 nights at the Reef and Beach Hotel in Zanzibar, then flew to Tanzania for 3 nights, then went back to Zanzibar for 7 nights. There were some early mornings and we weren’t given many specific details about what to expect, which would have been helpful. But everything worked well when it happened. We went on 2 full day game drives, which were amazing. There were only 4-6 people in each jeep. We saw giraffes, elephants, wildebeest, zebras, monkeys, lions, hippos, crocodiles, hyenas, impala and one very shy leopard. All up close - absolutely amazing! Our guide Oscar was excellent but be prepared for long, hot days of very bumpy rides. We stayed in a bush bungalow at Africa Safari Selous. They were lovely but they are in the middle of the bush so be prepared for mosquitos and other wildlife and limited WiFi. The selection of food was slightly limited but delicious. Masai tribesmen are always around the camp and walk you back to your room at night. They also dance around the fire pit at night, which was great to watch. Our hotel in Tanzania was lovely too. It was set around a mangrove forest where Red Colobus monkeys live and they wander around the grounds - very cute. There was a really good selection of delicious food, including Swahili options at the buffet restaurant. Or you could go the the a la carte restaurant for an extra cost. We paid £56 for a 3 course meal for 2 including lobster. The jetty bar is beautiful, with lovely views of the Indian Ocean and you can swim from there when the tide is in. There isn’t really a beach to sit on. But you can explore the rock pools when the tide is out. All airport transfers were private in good quality cars, but the roads are awful with lots of pot holes so it does take a while to drive anywhere. Everyone was very friendly and smiley. Staff at the hotels were very helpful. It would have been useful to know that you would need a separate bag for the safari and the weight limit is 15kg. Also that you need to check out of your hotel in Zanzibar when you go on safari so when you arrive back early in the morning you need to check in again and will have to wait several hours for a room. Overall we were very impressed with the quality of the holiday and value for money. It exceeded all our expectations.
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The ultimate experience with Zepisa African Safaris
Zepisa African safari
Big 10! Highly recommended!
Nyemo provided us with all the information we needed from the start (October 2023) until the safari (July 2024). We opted for the northern parks and went to Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara. We enjoyed everything; the car, the overnight stays, the parks and of course our private guide/driver Gilbert. We spotted the Big 5 and many more beautiful animals such as the cheetah, hyenas, many giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, impalas and an abundance of bird species. Gilbert was very patient and gave us a lot of information. Gilbert was able to name the different bird and animal species and support them with the books he had.
Tanzania has so much to offer and it is great to have Nyemo as your contact person and Gilbert as your guide/driver! Good luck gentlemen with your company!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Ongeri Expeditions exceeded all my expectations with their outstanding professionalism.
From the moment we booked our trip to the final farewell, their team ensured a seamless and memorable experience. The guides were knowledgeable, courteous and prioritized our safety and comfort. Every aspect of our expedition was meticulously planned and executed, showcasing their dedication to delivering top-notch service. I highly recommend Ongeri Expeditions to anyone seeking an extraordinary adventure with a company that truly cares about its clients. I can't put a price to their excellent execution.
BH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible Experience, Smooth Communication, Great Drive/Guide
So our 4-day, 5-night safari with Karibu Safaris was totally awesome! Robert was super helpful, answering all our questions and making sure we were 100% satisfied before we paid anything. We communicated easily on WhatsApp and email.
When we arrived, they picked us up from the airport and took us straight to Masai Mara Camp. Our tour guide, Raymond, was super knowledgeable and friendly, which made our adventure in the Masai Mara even better. He made sure we had the best experience, and since we had a private 4x4 car, we started every day at sunrise.
My wife and I saw some incredible wildlife. It was so exciting to finally spot all after searching for them.
