US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
BEYOND ALL EXPECTATIONS
We used African Welcome safaris for The Rwanda portion of our trip to Africa. From the moment Moses, our guide, picked us up at the airport until the evening he dropped us off several days later, he was nothing but outstanding. Everything was planned for and taken care of. Our stay at Serenna hotel in Rwanda was good. We went to Volcano National Park staying at Sabyino Silverback Lodge. The Lodge was more than we hoped for. First class in every way. The staff were remarkable.
Kathy, who pulled all this together for this part of our African trip did a phenomenal job.
PT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
One of the best experiences of our lifes
We are a portuguese couple who have decided to go to Tanzania for our honeymoon. We did a 4days 3 nights safari with Soul Of Tanzania company. We went to Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater.
All the experience was absolutely fantastic! Our tour guide was Erasto Gnowi, he was just amazing, the best guide we could ever asked for. He is very very experienced, knew everything about wildlife. We felt really safe during all the times. ( Believe me, safety is not an issue you have to concern about. If you follow the rules given by your guide everything is going to be perfectly ok!!) Erasto provided us a great experience that we will never forget. It was magical! Also we had cooked meals everyday instead of sandwichs and snacks that other companies offer. Red wine was so good too!
And finally… We saw the big five!! So incredible. 2 leopards, 1 rhino, lots of buffalos elephants and lions.
Thank you Soul of Tanzania and Erasto, next Safari in Africa will be with you again!
Keep up with the excellent work
Marta & Helder
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Extraordinary!!!!
Bison team was just extraordinary! My kids and I had the experience of a lifetime and will be forever changed because of it. They were very knowledgeable and available during the trip to ensure it went smooth.
BE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent customer service
Overall we had a great time and we experienced everything that was at the top of our list. Everything worked out perfectly. Maggie was a pleasure to work with.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A+ Hikking company and experience
Our experience with Great Lake Expedition was amazing! Surpassed our highest expectations.
The whole crew was unbelievable. The porters all worked so hard, our chef Fideli made some of our favourite meals on the trip (and this is compared to luxury safari lodges), our server Kimambo was incredibly kind/efficient/hard working and our driver Ezekieli was really personable, we had some great chats with him.
And of course, our guides both went out of their way to make sure we completed the summit trek. Emanuel was with me when i got altitude sickness on the mountain and pushed me to keep going. I could not have done it without him. Both he and Baraka were very knowledgeable about the mountain, made sure we paced ourselves properly and were so fun to talk to and be around.
Before we departed for the hike the team took the time to go through the equipment check list to make sure everything we brought was up to par. We got the standing tent and portable washroom which made the hike a little more luxurious than it would have been otherwise. The tent itself and all he equipment we rented was in great shape and/or brand new.
We will absolutely recommend Great Lake Expedition to any one we know looking to climb Kili.
I've done a lot of organized portered hikes and i'm so happy to say this was by far the best experience i've ever had.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Annual Safari
I booked my annual safari trip, through Sister Safaris, this year.
I was not disappointed at all! My queries were all meet and done punctually too.
We stayed at a resort called Nambithi Plains - It was absolutely gorgeous, friendly staff , divine food and wonderful wildlife sightings.
Sister Safaris could not have selected a better holiday destination for us.
I highly recommend using Sister Safaris for assisting you with trips.
They are knowledgeable and always happy to help. They took away all the stresses that come with planning a holiday somewhere that you do not know.
Thank you to Sister Safaris!
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
10 day tour in Kenya and Tanzania
My girlfriend and I did a 10-day safari in Kenya and Tanzania that included Lake Nakuru, Masai Mara, Amboseli, Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater. I will split this review in two parts, one for each country/tour operator.
Kenya/ Drone Safaris:
We were just 2. Our driver and guide was Boniface. He was amazing in every part of his job. Driving in Kenya is not care-free, but he always made us feel safe. As a guide he is fully knowledgeable, answered all questions and was super adaptive in case we had some request (e.g. extra toilet break or picture-stop requests). Touring with him was very fun and interesting and he did more than we could ask for in order for us to see as many amazing things as possible. We were lucky to have him as a guide.
The accommodation in Lake Nakuru was at a basic but decent hotel. No complaints. The Miti Mingi Eco Camp (Masai Mara) was also very good. We had a small issue with the water but was fixed before we were back from the game drive. The people working there were super friendly. The Kimana campsite in Amboseli was worse. The first day we had a dripping toilet, no warm water and a weird semi broken bed. The next day we were given a smaller but good room. I had already read such a case in another review, so in case someone stays here i d recommend checking their room as early as possible. Food was also more basic in this camp.
The communication before and during the trip with Lizzy was amazing. I sent way too many questions and she was answering incredibly fast. This was important for us, since you always want to have the feeling of security in a foreign country.
Tanzania/ 7 wonders:
We were a group of 4. Our driver and guide Hozza was also amazing. He made his best in all cases, drove fast but safe and was great at spotting animals and taking us to the right places at the right time. Thanks to him we could even see the gnu crossing at mara river! We also had a cook that did a great job. In general the food was a bit better in this part of the trip.
Our initially booked plan was including one day in lake Manyara, one in Serengeti and one in Ngorongoro. Once we arrived in Arusha, we were offered an alternative of two days in Serengeti and one in Ngorongoro, since lake Manyara is currently flooded (we also saw this on our way to the Ngorongoro). This was a gift from above. I would def recommend two days in Serengeti, as it is maybe the best park i ve been to (very close to Masai Mara). It was also the only reason why we had enough time to see the Mara gnu crossing. We are very thankful that we were offered this alternative.
The accommodation in Arusha (Ambassador hotel) was very good and i can def recommend its restaurant. It won’t be anywhere close to fast, but the quality and prices are great. The Seronera camp in Serengeti was not the best. There was no hot water and the bathrooms were dirty. We also had a night at the Serengeti Heritage Camp (lodge/ luxurious camping). Everything was very nice there, from the food to the tents/apartments. Lastly, we were already prepared for the Simba campsite of Ngorongoro and how cold it is, so after all it was fine. There is also hot water, nice view and you will wake up next to zebras that get their breakfast behind your tent!
I only communicated once we were in Arusha with George and Evelyn from 7 Wonders, but they were great at proposing the change of plan and at making sure that our booked lodge in Manyara would be “transferred” to one of the Serengeti nights.
In general, we are both extremely happy we booked this trip with Drone Safaris. If someone has realistic expectations about potential delays and things that can always happen (we were waiting for a couple hours at the border for the shuttle to Arusha to start for example), then they are free to experience some amazing parks that offer maybe the best safari experience in the world. Go for it.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Absolutely love the Great lake expedition team!!
I went with my fiance and we had an amazing time. With just the two of us we felt like rockstars as our crew handled every detail and we summited safely.
We also followed up with a 5 day safari that was equally amazing.
The Lemosho route has become the new favorite, and we were worried Machame would be busy, but we did it September 2021 and there were only two other couples on the route. This changed after a couple of days when the Lemosho and Machame routes combine. I highly recommend the 7 day Machame as you get ample time to acclimatize, and you start from the bottom in the rainforest so you have actually climbed the whole thing.
At every camp, Great Lake Expedition seemed to have found the best and most private space to camp.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Parakuyo & Meleck John provide the BEST custom experiences and service!!
I had an outstanding time traveling with Parakuyo Tours & Safaris and highly recommend them to anyone wanting a personalized, culturally enriching, and adventurous experience in Tanzania!
Meleck John, the leader of Parakuyo, and I met about 5 years prior to my actual travel to Tanzania: September 6-25, 2021. He was patient and kind and worked with me, meticulously, to plan a 3 week journey through his country that included hiking Kilimanjaro, a safari across the Serengeti, stops In Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangeri National Park, and a peaceful stay on the Indian Ocean in Zanzibar.
I organized this trip for a group. Although we were originally scheduled to visit in 2020, our trip was postponed due to Covid. Despite the one year delay, and two persons who canceled their reservations from the original booking, Parakuyo continued to provide superior customer service and excellent advice.
Summiting Kilimanjaro- Each of the travelers was able to summit “Kili” which made the hike special for everyone. Meleck recommended we take the Machame Route because of its beauty, vast changes in topography, and summit success rate. I am grateful for his recommendations because he was spot-on. There was exceptional beauty on the mountain and sleeping on Kili was a magical experience every night. In addition, the meals were great, the porters were kind and Parakuyo took extra care of one of the hikers who struggled to summit. Because of his team’s patience we were each able to realize our dream, together, by reaching the top of Africa.
Serengeti (Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire)-I wanted desperately to see the wildebeest migration and as many lions as possible. We accomplished this and so much more! It’s amazing to see animals roam free on the Serengeti. I was in awe of both the number of wildebeest, elephants, lions, zebra, and other wildlife we saw. We stayed in Bush tented camps, took in a safari from the sky on a hot air balloon ride, and enjoyed learning about Tanzania and it’s people along the way. The accommodations were akin to “glamping” which I REALLY appreciated after sleeping on the ground for six nights on the side of Kilimanjaro. I loved hearing the sounds of lions and birds at night. Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire are equally special places and shouldn’t be missed and Meleck was insistent that I include them on our itinerary.
Zanzibar-It’s paradise. Parakuyo arranged our accommodations and the place we stayed was exceptionally beautiful. We went to sleep and my woke up to the beauty of the Indian Ocean from our bedrooms every day. It was glorious.
Our adventure was not an ordinary one. In addition to the holiday, I was producing a documentary. Meleck John aided me in taking care of some administrative details for the feature length film, “Three Extraordinary Women,” by working with the Tanzania Film Board and others and ensuring our camera crew were cared for.
Parakuyo Tours & Safaris is a unique company that provides boutique services of exceptional quality to its clients. In addition to ensuring we had a great time it was important for Meleck to gain our trust and he did just that! He is reliable, conscientious and meticulous—and that’s a powerful combination!
Lastly, it was important to me to do business with a local Tanzanian company. I would encourage anyone who reads this review to consider spending their dollars “consciously” in the country by supporting businesses, like Parakuyo, where staff are treated with dignity and respect and profits are fed back into the community. Parakuyo pays its staff decent wages. Sadly, some tour operators provide only one meal per day to porters to cut costs, but not Parakuyo. Parakuyo provided a culturally enriching experience. We left having felt connected to more than the natural beauty of the land, but the beauty of its people!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Helen is awesome with outstanding customer care skills.She always follows up.
Afrikan Travellers is the go to travel agent.They always look for cost-effective options for flights as well as accommodation.I highly recommend it.