50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Tarangire National Park by Mick R
Another good destination. Would love to spend more time there and really explore the park. Good variety of animals but needed more time to seek them out. Have had excellent cheetah and elephant sightings, a long-distance leopard in a tree sighting.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Serengeti National Park by Mick R
The Serengeti has to be seen to be believed as photos and videos do not do it justice. The place is huge, and the variety and number of animals is mind blowing. The migration is worth seeing and you will never forget it. the best part is that the animals are there all year round, albeit, in different locations which makes it even more amazing.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Ngorongoro Crater by Mick R
Great place to visit which a large array of animals and habitats in one place. The rhinos managed to allude us on 3 visits (expect for a sighting a very long distance away) and we did see a serval on the recent visit.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Mkomazi National Park by Mick R
Mainly went there for the black rhinos but did enjoy the park. Did not see any cats.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Lake Manyara National Park by Mick R
Have only had limited time in the park and therefore only seen a small portion of it. Have been there twice and not seen any cats or main predators.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Needs quite a lot of improvement.
I did the 4-Day Unforgettable Tanzania Safari with 3 friends in August 2023. Communication with the operator was sporadic at times and it was hard to get answers to the questions I asked. However, we were collected on time from our hotel in Moshi and out guide Christian was very good. The vehicle however left a lot to be desired. It was an older 4-seater land cruiser which was very cramped for 4 adults and had small windows which made spotting animals and taking photos difficult as not all 4 of us could stand at once and get a clear line of sight. There were some long driving times particularly from Mkomazi NP to Tarangire NP which left us with only a couple of hours in Tarangire. As a result, we ended up doing a slow drive around a small circuit which gave us limited game viewing opportunities (we did see a leopard in a tree, but it was a long way away - not a fault of Chirstian). We did have a good interaction with a black rhino in Mkomazi and same good viewing in the Ngorongoro Crater.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A walking babysitter, encyclopedia and friend
Every morning Peter would be early for the drive. The car was always clean and water available. He always had a good attitude. We had five children ranging from nine to seventeen and he was able to connect with each person. He seemed to know every answer to every question they had. He also had a range of books for them to look through as well during the quiet moments of waiting for the great migration to unfold. He was a great storyteller of both the urban african legends and life stories. We miss his quiet kindness and we hope to connect with him again in the future.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Good operator but can improve on comunication
A friend and I did the 5-Day Private Photographic Safari in the Kruger Park. After an initial hick-up with the transfer from Johannesburg to Hoedspruit (we did receive a refund at the end of the safari) and a change of camps from Satara to Letaba and Oliphants (which we were not advised of until meeting our guide) the trip was amazing. Our guide Nick was excellent. Not only was he good at spotting animals but was a great photography teacher as well. The end of the 5 days he had us both using the manual settings on our cameras. There was a lack of cat sightings with only 3 lazy lions seen in the 5 days but that was made up for with lots of hyenas and some great wild dog sightings close to Letaba Camp. Both camps were nice, with accommodations at both clean and tidy. Food at the camps was good but choice limited as it was the same restaurant chain at both camps.
CN
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Responsible tour guides, great accommodation
The tour was well organized and it was the most memorable trip of my life. The tour guides are all patient and responsible. The accommodations were great. Would definitely recommend to anyone.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Perfection: A magical experience far exceeding our expectations!
Service, price, quality, responsiveness, and personal attention doesn't get any better!! The team at Awuor Escapades is highly professional and experienced...don't let their small size or "year founded" worry you. Many of the bigger agencies consider you just another number, but these guys truly care about your experience and know what they're doing. Just put your trust in their hands and relax.
Our family did a 7-day mid-range safari, beginning in Nairobi, and then traveling to the Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, and then Amboseli before returning to Nairobi. There were 5 of us (me, my wife, and our three grown children), and while we had initially asked for a shared tour in order to cut down on cost, they upgraded ours to a private tour at no additional cost because we would be fully occupying a single vehicle any way. That, combined with the fact that their initial quote was less than what was advertised online--and their very prompt and personalized replies--put them ahead of all competitors and reassured me that they weren't just prioritizing profits. They care and will work with you. Even after we were in contract, I would fire off a 15-question email before bed, and the full response would be there for me in the morning.
They had arranged for a driver to pick us up at the airport, where we arrived very late. The next morning, the representative from the firm with whom we had been coordinating everything (Henry Sam) showed up personally to meet us at the hotel and ensure everything was in order. They had tailored a Nairobi package to our timeline since we had an extra day there at the beginning (Elephant Orphanage, Giraffe Center, Memorial Park, and a Maasai Market stop), and fully briefed our driver, resulting in a well-executed first day. The next morning we began our safari in earnest that would take us first to the Maasai Mara, and Henry showed up again, as did the company founder Charles Awuor himself. It felt nice to know that we were worth their time. They introduced us to the guide/driver who would be with us for the remainder of our tour (a different Charles), and he had over 20-years experience as a guide! We felt in very capable hands.
Every stop along the way was truly magical. We absolutely loved the mix of accommodations that collectively made it a mid-range: from tent camps (I mean, they're tents, but there are beds inside, and full bathroom!), to cozy cottages, to luxurious Sopa resorts (literally zebras walking past our luxury room's front door!). Everything was arranged according to our requests when we arrived at each (a room with 3 beds for our kids, and a separate room for us). We saw every animal that we hoped to see, and all up close (and some can be elusive, so much much credit to our guide Charles!) And we took care to be supportive of the local economies (something Awuor Escapades values...as opposed to extracting everything to Nairobi). The weather was perfect every day. We rode in a van with a pop-up roof, which I initially thought might be limiting, but it was a full-time 4WD, with tough tires, and we went to literally every single place those land cruisers went (to the meter)...only more comfortably.
We were equally well-taken care of on the way out, with our driver filling our time before our flight and driving us to the airport. I don't think I would've changed anything, because each place offered something unique. However, what I didn't realize at first was that you can totally customize any element of the tour when you are working out your quote at the beginning. I just assumed that the parks and accommodations listed were set as advertised, but if we wanted to stay at a different place for some reason at a certain park, or if we wanted to scratch one location and add another day to a different location, they can totally do that for you. The Awuor Escapades team is well connected and knows all the locations. Might be cost implications (up or down), but they'll work with you. And don't be afraid to ask for advice. They will give expert recommendations, and you can rest easy that they're not trying to take advantage of you.
This was a fantastic, unforgettable, truly magical experience that our whole family will cherish for a lifetime. If we ever return for another visit (there's ALWAYS more to see), we would be pleased to work with Awuor Escapades again!