NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Professionally organized trip of a lifetime!
Trip of a lifetime.
Our group ( my husband, father, 2 brothers and 2 friends) enjoyed a 6 night safari with Philimon as guide. Our friend had been in Botswana and he promised us the true bush experience and wow he did really deliver by booking with walking stick.
Safari
We did a 6 night safari to okavango / moremi/ Khwai / chobe
Philimon picked us up in Maun and then took us to the Okavango delta where they took us on mokoros ( local kayaks) to the camp on an island. Immediately we saw crossing elephants and hippos in the river. In this area we did walking safaris which really was a special experience, we saw lots of animals including hippos.
In Moremi the campsite really was as adventure. We saw a leopard at night and there were quite some elephants and baboons passing trough.
When we arrived in Chobe I thought that we already had an elephant overload but still seeing them play and swim in the river was a nice experience.
The game drives in all areas were great. Philemon really goes all out to ensure that you see as many animals as possible. While in Savuti we were the first ones to spot a lion in the morning due to Philemon’s great tracking skills. He is very knowledgeable about animals and birds.
Food & drinks
Dix the chef offered a great variety of food including fresh baked bread. Really enjoyed each and every meal and the sitting in the evening at the campsite fires with nice wines/beers and G&Ts.
Accomodation
The tents were comfortable, with clean and comfortable linens. The toilets were way better than expected ;)
The camping is really in nature and I have never felt this close to animals before ( while still feeling safe).
Communication/ booking
During the booking process the contact with Philemon was very professional and he will really think along with you to plan the perfect trip.
I just cannot stop raving about our trip! Recommend walking stick to everyone if you want a true African safari experience. Next time hopefully we will able to go longer.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The best experience of my lifetime!!!
I recently had the pleasure of booking with Traipsing. I am SOO happy I did. Sandra is AMAZING. I was a single female traveler and was nervous to travel alone. However, Sandra went above and beyond to help me. I had the opportunity to meet her and Jason. I am so happy I did. They are definitely people I will always remember and forever be grateful for.
This company have staff members who were not only professional but also genuinely friendly and approachable. They took the time to listen to my needs and preferences, offering valuable recommendations and suggestions to enhance my booking. It was evident that they had a deep understanding of their offerings and were passionate about what they do.
The booking process itself was effortless and efficient. The staff members were efficient in handling all the necessary paperwork and details, ensuring a seamless experience from start to finish. They were thorough in explaining all the terms and conditions, leaving no room for confusion or surprises.
What truly set this booking place apart was their commitment to going the extra mile. They surprised me with personalized touches throughout my stay, making me feel like a valued and cherished guest.
I highly recommend using them to anyone looking for a memorable booking experience. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Once in a lifetime safari experience
Ibrahim from Luitours safari company responded relatively quickly to WhatsApp and email. The process of safari and payment was smooth. The itinerary was flexible and tailored to our circumstances as we needed to fly from Arusha to Zanzibar on the last day at 4pm. However, we were only informed that our lodges from the original quotation/itinerary were no longer available AFTER we paid the deposit. Fortunately, the new replacement lodges were very nice and exceeded our expectations. The tour guide, Okuli was friendly and knowledgeable. He visited us for an in-person briefing the day before the safari started. He answered any queries we had and managed our expectations of the safari. He picked us up on time on the first day of the safari. He was a safe and calm driver despite some terrible driving and road conditions. He went out of his way to ensure we saw as many different animals as we could. He drove at a slow speed and stopped when required for us to take pictures and videos. He explained the differences and characteristics of different animals. He was honest about the river crossing was too early for the time we went. He received the latest information about animals location via radio with other drivers and fly safari. We had great conversations with him throughout the 4 days safari to learn more about the Tanzanian culture. I would highly recommend Luitours and Safaris.
SI
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Highly recommended, the best safari with Shadows of Africa
Our trip to Tanzania was an amazing experience thanks to "Shadows of Africa" tour operator. We spent some days in safari ( Lake Manyara NP, Ngorongoro crater, Tarangire NP... Special thanx to our Toyota "super driver" Zamoo. He was realy amazing, he knows everything about National Parks and animals and we saw a lot, a lot of them. Thanx also to local guide in Zanzibar.
I and my wife we will remember this trip forever.
Thank you once again!
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
What a Wonderful Company!
My two friends and I had a wonderful experience with African Big Cats Safaris from the beginning of the planning process to after returning from safari!
William and Naomi were very responsive to all of my inquiries and very patient with the many changes in plans my friends and I made over the course of a couple of months. They were available by email and WhatsApp, which made communication simple.
Our driver/guide, Nathaniel, was quite amazing. He was an excellent driver and was able to find so many animals, and then position the Land Cruiser so we could get the best pictures. He had started his career as a ranger in the Serengeti and was a wealth of knowledge about the animals and their habitats. We learned so much! And if you are interested in a walking safari, he's your guy! In addition, Nathaniel was a great help in Arusha, taking us places we were interested in visiting and connecting us with services we needed. We feel lucky to have him for our guide.
The accommodations booked by ABC Safaris were all great! We weren't sure what to expect from a "comfort safari" but were so happy with each of the places we stayed. The highlight was Intimate Camps in the central Serengeti. It was an amazing "tent" camp and I can't recommend it, and the staff enough. In fact the staff at of each place we stayed was lovely and welcoming.
Finally, I'd like to give a shout out to Emanuel Kavishe, the founder and managing director of African Big Cats Safaris. Emanuel came and met with us the evening before the safari to provide us with detailed information about the safari, and answer any questions we may have had. He also met with us when we returned to Arusha. He took notes about what we thought about our guide and accommodations, and was very appreciative of any and all suggestions we offered. We were very impressed by his business model and sincerity.
Thank you to African Big Cats Safaris for providing us a trip of a lifetime to Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater (Caldera!), the Serengeti, and Tarangire National Park!
Unforgettable
We came to Uganda for our honeymoon and did an 8 day trip to Kampala, Murchison, Queen Elizabeth NP, Kibale, Bwindi and Lake Bunyonyi. Rahim’s family is from Tanzania, and I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania, so we were very excited to come to Uganda - and learn some of the languages (Luganda, Tooro, Runyankore - all with help from Stanley!!).
Before coming to Uganda, we started off by having great communication with Sedrick! He was able to answer all questions we had, and made us feel at ease knowing that we did not have to do much planning besides picking out the tour that works best for us. He came with his associate, Jolly (who is absolutely lovely!), to the airport at 3AM to pick us up and offered a full tour day for us in Kampala our first day (we were exhausted since we came from another jam-packed day before landing here so opted to relax instead). Sedrick was so willing to help us with anything we might need, it was amazing to meet him. He even went above and beyond when one of our flights was canceled the day before we were supposed to leave to help us rebook.
After our day in Kampala, we were ready at 0700 the next morning to meet our driver/tour guide extraordinaire - Stanley. We cannot say enough great things about Stanley. He is the absolute BEST and we are grateful we were fortunate to luck into having him as our driver/tour guide. He is incredibly knowledgeable, is an amazing driver, is kind, courteous, willing to have fun with us and joke around, and all around an awesome human we are glad to call our friend now. He made sure we had the sweetest pineapples, the best bananas, and always made us feel cared for. Our drives were absolutely beautiful! Somehow, the lodges knew it was our honeymoon (I'm thinking Sedrick may have something to do with that!) and every place we stayed had a special surprise for us, which was so nice.
We were very fortunate to see lions, hyenas, so so many hippos, crocs, warthogs, cobs, waterbucks, Jacksons, giraffes, elephants, zebras, chimpanzees, baboons, gorillas, rhinos, and the ever elusive leopard. We did have one game drive where all we saw were some cobs/warthogs (we kept joking the animals went on vacation to the Congo that day!) - it STILL was such a fun time being in the open jeep and soaking in the landscape. The tour guides at every place we stopped at were amazing! Stanley had told us a lot too, so it was good information reinforcement (and he made us look a bit smarter!). The community walk in Kibale is so wonderful - we met a lot of great people there (learned to make baskets, coffee, banana juice/beer/gin, and talked with the village witch doctor). The chimpanzee walk was unforgettable, as was the gorilla trek. We ended up on a medium difficulty trek, mainly because we ran into 2 jungle elephants and had to divert our path. One of our favorite times was when Stanley taught us some card games back at the lodge after dinner whilst it rained - similar to Uno! We had so many awesome adventures, and our trip was doubly amazing because we had such a great driver and new friend in Stanley. He made sure we could see everything we wanted to when places became a bit crowded (eg lions, leopards sightings) and adapted quickly to our sense of humor and adventure.
If you're comparing different companies and hemming and hawing about price/experiences/etc. - look no further. Ngoni Safaris is absolutely the way to go!
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Tongesai Mutematsaka was very reliable, concientous and accommodating.
Our 9 day tour which included Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, Chobe Park and Okavango Delta, Botswana went very smoothly. The local guides who lead expeditions and game rides were all knowledgeable and excellent. We enjoyed seeing elephants up close at the water hole at Elephant Sands, the meerkat tour at Planet Baobab, two sunset cruises and walking safaris, one viewing rhinos, helicoptor rides over Victoria Falls and Okovango Delta, the Mokoro dug-out canoe experience viewing hippos and crocodiles along with many birds and, of course, the game drives and animals were amazing. The accommodations and food were all very good and the Boma restaurant with local food and entertainment was a fun experience. I had a minor health issue in Maun on a Sunday night and Tongesai was very thoughtful and drove my daughter to the local hospital pharmacy to get a medication. My daughter made all the financial arrangements and found Cultural Vibes to be very competitive for the services offered. If you are looking for a locally owned family run business, check out Cultural Vibes Travel & Tours.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Saw all kinds of animals on private safari in Kruger
We saw most of the "Big 5" animals and so many more just on our drive into Kruger National Park to Skukuza Camp. Our guide, Eric, was great a spotting animals while safely driving us. We are not true birders, but we saw many beautiful birds. Our guide was excited to point out some that were somewhat rare to see. We stayed in a "rondavel" or round, thatch roofed private building at camp. Clean, comfortable, a little spartan with a private bath, refrigerator, and some kitchen items. Our tour included meals cooked at the camp by our guide which were wonderful. Skukuza Camp is on the Sabie river with a bar & restaurant overlooking it. Large gift shop with snack foods, beer, and wine. Morning and evening safari rides in an open vehicle were cool, but with blankets from our room we were fine. We felt we saw more wildlife in Kruger with much less driving around a previous safari in Kenya. Safari vehicles are restricted to driving on the roads in Kruger which we preferred verses Kenya. Guides seemed to be friendly with each other offering siting information to each other. It was about 5 hours by van from Johannesburg Airport to Kruger NP entrance
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Trip
It was an easy flight from Addis to Nairobi where I caught an afternoon ride to the Sankara Hotel. I had a pleasant evening and was met promptly at 7:00am as promised. The 5 hour ride to the camp just outside the Masai Mara Reserve went smoothly and included vistas of the Rift Valley and a couple of opportunities to do some shopping.
The camp was welcoming and the room generous and comfortable. The only surprise was the hot water bottle at the foot of my bed, which I thought was a small animal!
The afternoon included a stop at a Masai village where, for $30, you could get a tour of their homes and see some dancing. It was a fine experience, but I would have preferred not to have been given a tour of their wares with the expectation of a purchase at the end.
The ride to the game park was only interrupted by a gaggle of women animatedly selling their wares with calls of “Jambo, Hello! All for $10!” As I awaited my driver paying the entrance fee.
The park was amazing! I was able to see Zebra, Giraffes, and Water Buffalo within minutes of entering. The next two days were equally exciting as we saw Cheetah, lions, Hippos, Topi, Hyenas, Impala, Elephants, a Leopard, and many birds. The only one of the Big Five I didn’t see was a Rhino.
Overall, it was a great trip and made even greater by my guide, with his eagle eyes and kind demeanor, Charles.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very diverse and varied experience!
The reserves and botanical gardens are breathtaking! I recommend seeking tours that offer transport to and from the destinations.
We found people friendly, food and activities affordable and readily accessible.
