CA
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Bwindi Impenetrable National Park by Teresa Gonzalez
I have few words to describe this magical experience. I have wanted to visit for a long time and finally realized a dream. A spectacular visit.
BE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Beautiful trip
Fantastic thing to go on safari to Serengeti & ngorongoro. Beautiful scenery, so many animals, a good guide, magical campsites and good food.
CA
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Ngoni Safaris was an excellent tour operator and the guide was absolutely incredible.
Uganda surprised me. The amount of wild life, species of birds, quality lodges, made our trip unforgettable. The chimp and gorilla visits of the trip were magical. The gorilla trek offered us an opportunity to view the ground of gorillas including babies.
I highly recommend a visit to Uganda.
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Gorilla & Chimps, but also much more
This trip it is not all about primates, even though the Gorilla in Bwindi and the Chimps in Kibale are the main purpose of any safari in this Country.
Sir Winston Churchill was right in saying that this is the "pearl of Africa": the sources of the river Nile, the Murchison Falls, the lakes (Victoria, Albert, Edeard, George, not to mention the volcanic crater lakes), the Rwenzori Mountains, the Volcanoes.
The traditional game drives in the National Parks (Kidepo, Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabrth) are eautiful and very interesting especially for bird watchers, but of course this is not a big five premier destination.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Neal de Jonge is a dedicated and excellent tour operator!
My husband and I had a trip of a lifetime with Jewel of Africa. I started planning this trip in 2019, but because of covid it was postponed until June 2022. So I was in communication with Neal and Elize for almost three years. They were so quick to reply to my many emails.
Our trip began in Windhoek, Namibia. Our itinerary in Namibia included Sossusvlei, Swakopmund,
Hoanib Valley, and Etosha. We saw all of the big 5 animals.
We then flew to Capetown and had a great tour of the Cape and the surrounding area.
Then we flew to Botswana and visited the Okavango Delta and Chobe. Wildlife was abundant!
Our final destination was Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
I would have never chosen this itinerary on my own, so I am so thankful that I was able to trust Neal to plan this amazing 21 day journey! Every accommodation was over the top. Safari drives, boat rides, flights to the remote lodges, meals, and drinks were included with the price of the tour. Everything went smoothly and I can’t thank Jewel of Africa for a perfect trip of a lifetime!
This tour company is beyond excellent. I would highly recommend using this company for any trip to Africa.
BR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Perfect, flexible, professional guide provider!
I asked them to organize very personal customized tour and they made it. Thanks to them, I had an unforgettable experience with my family.
CH
Experience level: first safari
Fantastic organized local tour operator!
It was really easy to discuss the tour with Edison in advance. He always answered our questions quickly and very competently. In Uganda we were then picked up by Amanya. He guided us safely and competently through Uganda and was very accommodating. The trip through Uganda remains unforgettable! We can recommend a tour with Bamboo Ecotours to everyone!
BR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Professionalism, good value of money, experienced company
Me and my husband went for a 5 day camping safari with Suricata, around the main national parks in northern Tanzania.
We initially chose Suricata because of the reviews and affordable price, since we were traveling in a short budget.
Since the beginning were positively impressed by the company. Starting from Hilary (it's a he, he is one of the owners) perfect timing to respond to all emails, messages and inquiries. We heard that prices could only be lower if negotiated in Arusha with other companies, but definitely none of them would offer accomodation on the previous day and the day after, as well as transport from the airport and back to the airport on the next day.
The professionalism of the company is outstanding, and I must say it's a good and refreshing feeling, especially when you are traveling around in Africa.
The safari group could not be more pleasant, with couples and single travellers composing a really diverse group, and the driver and chef were always thoughtful and positive.
All this said, the safari was amazing :)
MA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best choice ever !
We were at first really scared because picking a good agency with high quality service and affordable prices only from the internet can be quite tricky. But Lenchada safaris exceeded our expectations. We can guarantee you for anyone whos looking for à safari to stop looking because Lenchada offers the best service in town. Special thanks to Alex from the administration for his careness and Alex our guide (the best!) for 3 perfect days in Masai Mara.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
14-day safari for three: the MOST AMAZING adventure ever!
Overall: Best Memories did not disappoint. We had the best driver EVER, Patrick. He got us up close and personal to everything, was extremely professional and courteous, and had a wealth of knowledge about all things nature, culture, or otherwise Kenya. We could not have had a better guide in Patrick! As others have mentioned, Best Memories is a small organization and it does feel risky to transfer money overseas to a small operator. However, I believe we had much more personalization and it feels right to invest in a small, local business. We had no problems whatsoever and Isaac was a joy to plan things with and was very accommodating of our interests and schedule. Isaac planned all the accommodations, transfers, domestic flight, and tours, which we were delighted to not have to figure out ourselves. I feel we got a better value than we would have with some of the other larger, commercial operations.
Below are reviews for each location, on a scale of 1-5 with 5 being best for Accommodation and Food. Note that for most locations, it is standard to have guards to protect guests from wild animals (which we found were actually needed as we were awoken many nights by lions, elephants, or hippos!). It is also the case that guests are not allowed out of the vehicle in most park locations for safety reasons, so it is nice to find accommodations that have some protected grounds (usually with electric fences) to walk in for birding and other casual wildlife viewing in one’s free time. Also, note that a tented camp (hung canvas tents under a roof on a platform) does not mean less luxurious - the nicest and most comfortable place we stayed was at Voyager Ziwani, and was a tented camp.
Nairobi/Eka Hotel one night
Accommodation - 3 - The hotel was convenient and somewhat upscale, but the beds were not as comfortable as elsewhere. Not really in a location for wandering much. The staff was excellent.
Food - 4 - there were many delicious choices at the buffet and the coffee was exceptional
Park/wildlife/birdwatching - we went to the giraffe center and were able to feed them - this was a wonderful experience and our first stop in Kenya. We also went to the Karen Blixen Museum, which was historically interesting and there is a lovely nature trail where we saw some birds and Hyrax.
Nakuru/Lake Nakuru Lodge one night
Accommodation - 4 - Lodge was very comfortable and we had the end unit, where we had a great view of the valley and a pride of lions!
Food - 4 - buffet had local foods and choices and the most delicious passionfruit mousse dessert
Park/wildlife/birdwatching - spectacular - flamingos by the thousands and likely the best and most likely spot to see rhinos in Kenya. Also up and close giraffe watching. Lodge was terrific for wandering the grounds for birds.
Masaii Mara/ Enkorok Mara camp - two nights
Accommodation - 4 - the tented camp is just outside the park and has lovely grounds for birdwatching (no fence, be careful for elephants). The staff were very helpful and protective.
Food - 2 - As a new accommodation, I think they were still working out menus; some things were good but much less choice and not as well prepared as other locations.
Park/wildlife/birdwatching - Far and away the absolute best of all the parks. We saw a crocodile eat a zebra (gulp), lions having sex, a cheetah on a wildebeest kill close up, a leopard in a tree with a gazelle, many thousands of wildebeests, warthogs, rollers, secretary bird, ostrich, jackals, hyenas, and so much more.
Lake Naivasha / Naivasha country club - one night
Accommodation - 5 - the country club is ye old time colonial style and upscale. The rooms are comfortable. A very relaxing place to stay, with tables on the lawn and lovely cocktails.
Food - 5 - food was exceptional with very many gourmet choices and local foods of top quality. Great chef.
Park/wildlife/birdwatching - We went on an hour boat ride to birdwatch and were not disappointed with many specialty waterbird species. The grounds are good for birdwatching but not extensive and very much “garden” rather than wild. A guard will walk you to your room to protect from hippos, which are numerous.
Ambeseli / Kibo Safari Camp - two nights
Accommodation - 5 - the camp is extremely well run and the tents are luxuriously comfortable and lovely. The grounds are protected with an electric fence and are natural and good for bird walks. In close proximity to a Masaii village, which we visited and got to learn about the culture. It was one of our favorite accommodations.
Food - 4 - buffet had many well-cooked local and international foods and choices, the cocktails at the bar were some of the best. Great soups and breads. The service was excellent.
Park/wildlife/birdwatching - one of the best camps and one of the best parks. You could see Kilamanjaro, and we got up and close with elephants, hippos, and many many bird species.
Ziwani Voyager Wildlife Sanctuary / Voyager Ziwani Camp - one night
Accommodation - 5 - our favorite of all the accommodations. The tents were luxuriously comfortable, and the manicured grounds are protected with an electric fence. On a damned creek with hippos and crocodiles for easy viewing. Very relaxing.
Food - 5 - The best culinarily of all the locations. Amazing multi-course meals and delicious cocktails.
Park/wildlife/birdwatching - one of the few places we had a guided walk - this was very interesting and we were safely able to avoid the elephants and saw a variety of birds. Manicured grounds good for birdwatching. The night drive wasn’t as productive as hoped (we were looking for aardvarks and honey badgers!) but was really interesting and we did see hyenas eating a stillbirth and Nubian nightjars.
Tsavo West / Taita Hills Sanctuary / Saltlick Safari Lodge - one night
Accommodation - 3 - our least favorite location, albeit scenic and interesting in terms of construction and location. It felt a bit like being on a cruise ship, in that you cannot leave the accommodation (no grounds). That said, the close-up elephant, zebra, and cape buffalo watching at the watering hole was pretty amazing. Good for young children, but less exciting for the slightly more adventurous.
Food - 3 - tasty but not as delicious or interesting as other locations, catering more to international travelers and children.
Park/wildlife/birdwatching - beautiful park, but less wildlife in numbers and diversity than other locations. We did see some specialty species (bustards and multiple species of hornbills including the special ground hornbill) and the largest number of cape buffalo as huge herds on the landscape, as well as lions up close.
Tsavo East/ Ashnil Aruba Lodge - one night
Accommodation - 4 - very comfortable rooms with back patio for wildlife viewing just across the electric fence (where there were elephants and a lion!). Some of the best grounds for wandering bird walks.
Food - 4 - The food was quite good with local and some international foods, especially nice desserts. Lovely patio for drinks.
Park/wildlife/birdwatching - a drier location with some different species than elsewhere. Really interesting giraffe watching- two young males fighting by banging their necks against each other. Great elephant viewing and some new species of antelopes not seen much elsewhere (dikdiks up close, Oryx, lesser Kudu, and the interesting Gerenuk) and birds (Vulturine guineafowl, Shelly’s Starling, and Eastern chanting goshawk).
Diani Beach/Royal Villas - three nights
Accommodation - 5 - a very quiet and non-touristy upscale location with extremely comfortable rooms. They put our 18yr old in a separate room rather than add a bed; I’m sure this added to the cost, but was a mixed blessing :-). Unfortunately not on the beach, though it isn’t a far walk. ATM and grocery nearby. Grounds small and gardened, and not really any birdwatching. There was a snake, that was promptly removed. Exclusive and quiet location with a nice pool, good for honeymooners. I probably would have preferred one less day, but our flight home required an extra day stay (also we are not beach people, sun-phobes).
Food - 5 - very good food served multi-course. Service is impeccable and friendly.
Park/wildlife/birdwatching - None on the grounds. We went to the Colobus monkey conservation center one day, this had also a lovely nature walk and was the real deal and not touristy. A walk on the beach led us to “the chill spot,” a local restaurant on the beach that we loved and hung out at for a few hours. The next day we took a trip to Kasite marine park and Wasini Island for snorkeling. The snorkeling was terrific, but the highlight was the locally prepared seafood meal (octopus, prawns were the best EVER, rabbit fish, lobster, and crab) with sea grass cooked in coconut, and the walk around the village. This was the best meal we had on our visit to Kenya and is not to be missed!
In summary, I would give Best Memories Safaris and our tour driver Patrick the highest endorsement! It truly was the best memory of a lifetime.
