IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Bwindi Impenetrable National Park by Domitilla Marchi
Amazing seeing the gorillas in the forest, a unique experience
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Marvelous trip
We spent 8 days in Uganda doing a safari with Dav Safaris, it was fantastic! Saw so many animals gorillas, elephants, lions, hippos and crocodiles. The lodges were very nice and the organization perfect. The land is beautiful and the people very warm and welcoming!
ES
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Beautiful and friendly, but lacking a bit of wildlife.
Uganda is a very friendly country and definitely worth the visit.
Pros:
Amazing primate wildlife: gorillas, chimpanzees and many other smaller primates (monkeys) can be easily watched.
Very good birding.
Beautiful forested hills and mountains to the West of the country.
Beautiful geographical features, like Lake Victoria, Murchison Falls, the Nile, Ruwenzori and Virunga mountains. All within reach.
Friendly people everywhere. Drivers, guides, rangers, hotel staff, all are very nice and devoted to their work.
Professional guides and drivers know their trade well.
Very good food everywhere we went.
Good lodges, although some were a bit below par for a mid-range aspiration.
Cons:
Other than primates, wildlife is unevenly present in the parks. Some lack this, some lack that, etc.
Overall, wildlife does not appear in vast numbers as it does in other countries in the region, despite censuses and claims to the contrary (they are sure true, but it just does not show on the field).
Dreadful dirt roads in the forested areas, really bad even for trained drivers with adequate 4x4 cars. Well below the standard in neighbouring countries.
Driving times can be very long on account of the state of the roads (even those on tar).
65+ years of age
Clear and prompt communications with Edison ensured a smooth gorilla hiking experience
My amazing gorilla trek was seamlessly coordinated by Bamboo EcoTours. Every step of the trip, from initial inquiry to delivery, was a breeze, thanks to Edison's clear and timely information. My driver/guide, Amanya, was prompt and friendly and provided information about things along the way on our drive from Kigali to Lake Mulehe and Bwindi National Park. I decided to do the Golden Monkey trek the following day after completing the Gorilla trek, and again this was organised with no fuss. I highly recommend Bamboo Eco Tours!
SE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Honeymoon trip
We just finished a 3-day safari in Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, and Lake Manyara with Sereland Safaris, and it was truly an unforgettable experience. Everything exceeded our expectations: from our professional, humble, and friendly guide, to the wonderful accommodations, and the smooth and thoughtful communication during the booking and planning with Mike, the owner.
This was our honeymoon, something we had been looking forward to for two years, and we couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. The team went above and beyond to make it special, arranging beautiful romantic touches at the lodges as well as during and even after the trip.
I felt safe and well taken care of the entire time, and compared to stories we’ve heard from others, I know our experience was something truly exceptional. Choosing Sereland Safaris was the best decision we could have made.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect Private Safari Adventure
Niko & Susan planned the perfect safari adventure for my husband and I. We spent 8 nights exploring 4 parks; Amboseli, Ngorogoro Crater, Serengeti and Masai Mara. Every detail was planned for us and we were well taken care of while on our trip. All the guides were excellent, friendly and knowledgeable.
Communication throughout the booking was good, and Niko tailored our accommodation to our budget - also providing recommendations along the way.
Highly recommend working with Niko and Susan on booking your safari adventure.
35-50 years of age
Great trip
Our safari experience was nothing short of incredible! From the moment we arrived, everything was so well-organized and seamless. The guides were not only knowledgeable but also deeply passionate about the wildlife and landscapes, which made every drive exciting and educational.
We were lucky enough to see the Big Five, along with countless other animals and birds, and each sighting felt magical thanks to the guides’ sharp eyes and insights. The camp/lodge was comfortable, beautifully set in nature, and the staff went above and beyond to make us feel welcome. The food was delicious, and every meal felt special, whether under the stars or with a view of the savannah.
What stood out most was the sense of connection — to the land, the wildlife, and the people. It was an unforgettable adventure that left us with memories (and photos!) we’ll treasure forever. Highly recommended for anyone who dreams of a true safari experience.
Massive thanks to Max and the Topma Team
AE
35-50 years of age
Professional, exceptional and brilliant
I recently summited Kilimanjaro with Nafika, and the experience was outstanding. Elias was highly responsive from the point of booking and in relation to the climb, the whole team—ranging from porters to our guides, especially Meshack and Erfata - were exceptional. Their professionalism, experience, and focus on our wellbeing ensured we reached the top safely. Highly organized, caring, and dedicated, Nafika truly made this adventure unforgettable.
GR
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
We had a great safari with Verity Bester .She arranged everything perfect.
She arranged everything professionally. The communication was excellent .She responded immediately to our questions .The choice of lodges was great .All the drivers were excellent.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A great adventure made possible by a professional, trustworthy team!
QUICK SUMMARY: We loved the tour; we felt we were in excellent hands; the guides and chaperones were exceptional; any hiccups were smoothed over quickly and professionally; the team was very responsive and proactive with communication throughout the entirety of trip. I would definitely book with Rafiki Tembo again.
Before booking, I asked a friend which tour company she used when she went on safari in East Africa 8 years ago. But after searching for the company online, I learned they had since gone out of business. I chose Rafiki Tembo from the listings in SafariBookings based on the positive reviews, the destinations included, and price point. It was a leap of faith, but it turned out to be an excellent choice!
Rafiki allowed my group (3 travelers total) to customize our trip, so we added an extension from the mainland to the island of Zanzibar for the last 3 days. We also chose to arrive in Nairobi from the U.S. a day before our official tour began so that we could visit the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Nursery and the Giraffe Center, both of which are in the Kenyan capital. While we made our own hotel arrangements at the Fairview Hotel for this pre-tour time in Kenya, Rafiki offered to arrange all transportation, from airport pickup to our hotel, and to and from each of our Nairobi destinations. (Shout out to our driver George, who was so sweet and patient!)
After Nairobi, our official safari began with our Kenyan guide Unique Gee, who whisked us away from our hotel to the Great Rift Valley. He was funny and engaging and answered all of our many questions about wildlife and Kenya in general as we made our way through the Maasai Mara National Reserve, Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha. He also shot quite a few photos which he shared with us for free. (Thanks Gee!)
We stayed at 2 different Sopa lodges on the Kenyan safari and the accommodations were excellent. Beds were comfortable, views were sweeping, and the food was delicious and abundant with a wide variety of options (it was buffet style). The staff were also very pleasant and helpful. In addition to the game drives, we also did a hippo cruise and walking safari in Naivasha. I recommend both!
For our next stage of the trip, we flew from Nairobi to Arusha, then to the Seronera Airstrip, where we met our guide Deo, who took care of us throughout our Tanzanian safari. Like Unique Gee, he too was amiable and very knowledgeable about the wildlife, land, and people. We really enjoyed getting to know both Unique and Deo, who seemed more like friends showing us around than hired guides.
For our time in the Serengeti, we stayed at the Osero Serengeti Luxury Tented Camp. As the name suggests, we stayed in tents, but it was more "glamping" than camping as they had comfy beds and full ensuite bathrooms. While the food wasn't quite as good as the Sopa lodges, it sufficed. The staff and service was excellent, and we enjoyed chatting with them. Note: wildlife are free to roam through the camp at any time, but we never felt unsafe.
Our drives were longer in the Serengeti because the park is larger than the Maasai Mara, and wildlife is more dispersed. In addition to the larger game, we were able to spot some of the smaller animals, like a klipspringers, colorful lizards, a serval, hyrax, banded mongoose, and more.
After the Serengeti, Deo drove us to the Ngorongoro Crater, where more wildlife and awesome views awaited us. We stayed at the Farm of Dreams Lodge in Karatu, which was very charming. The next day we opted to do a cultural tour of Mto Wa Mbu. Don't miss out on this!
We had the choice between biking and walking, we chose the latter. Rafiki arranged for local guide Abdul to take us to a Maasai boma, a local wood workshop run by members of the Makonde tribe, a community kitchen where we ate some of the best food on the trip, a banana beer bar, and a primary school. Again, be sure to add it to add the cultural tour to your itinerary. (Thank you Abdul for sharing your town with us!)
For the final part of our trip, we flew from Arusha to Zanzibar. Here, we were taken excellent care of by Joshua and Yusuph. The first day we went on a snorkeling trip arranged by Rafiki with Jofari Safari Blue to a sand bar and smaller island. It was great fun! The second day we toured the Hakuna Matata Spice Farm and then did a walking tour of Stone Town. We really loved our time in Zanzibar and wished we could have remained there longer, but we had to get back to the U.S. (Thanks again, Joshua and Yusuph!)
What a fantastic trip! Traveling can be stressful, but we had a lot of peace of mind thanks to Rafiki Tembo. We felt like they had our best interests in mind throughout our time in East Africa. They had so much to coordinate on their end (accommodations, domestic flights, various tours in 2 different countries, guides, drivers, etc.). Even though they are a newer company, they were consummate professionals. They are also good people who you will come to know and love as we did! For real!
Thank you Lowassa and team for everything!
P.S. Rafiki Tembo have the best safari company name. "Rafiki" means "friend" and "Tembo" means "elephant" in Swahili. Elephant Friend! What's better than that?
