CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Great service for our group!
After many back and forth email communications to create the ultimate itinerary for our group we were very happy to finally get on our way. Our group of 30 was very pleased with service, accommodations and guide (Machiel) on our 7 day tour of South Africa. Tanja (African Savanna Travel) had everything organized smoothly- hotel check-ins were very smooth with keys already labeled for us on arrival- we rarely took more that 5 minutes to check in the whole group of 30. All of our activities were great and communication between Machiel and our destinations was constant so that we would waste no time on arrival. Machiel was continually in contact with our next stop to let them know our ETA and make changes on the fly. This made everything go very smoothly for us. On top of all the regular tasks, Machiel also assisted one of our group members to make travel plans for a family emergency that arose part way through the trip. Janet was able to rest easy knowing that Machiel was helping her make connections every step of the way - above and beyond. I would certainly use African Savanna Travel again for my touring needs.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very well organised safari trip
It was a unique wonderful and a memorable safari experience. It was a well organised trip, covering Arusha, Tarangire, Serengeti national parks. Ngorongoro crater was excellent and we saw a black rhino. It also included Lake Manyara. Excellent choices. Endoro lodge was exceptional, like a five star hotel. Well located with a Mountain View. Good selection of meals, including breakfast. We would not recommend Ilboro lodge. The location was bad. My wife found a metallic screw in her pasta dinner and showed it the waiter. My son ate banana cake and developed vomiting and diarrhoea all night.
The driver, Saleh was very good, safe driver, does not need a sat nav. His colleague driver from a different company got lost for two days! Saleh was very knowledgeable. However, it was difficult to understand at times. I am sure he will be a different person in a few years’ time.
In short. It was a brilliant safari trip. We will recommend to others without any doubt.
ID
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The most wonderful tour ever
We were really impressed by the great nature of africa, especially luckily we saw male lions sitting under a tree.
All of the accommodations arranged by the tour were much beyond our expectations. The guide was very kind, professional, and trustworthy. The tour team responded to our questions in a timely manner and to the point. Even when our luggage was lost in transit, they helped us and managed to get and send it all the way to our place in safari.
MX
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Lake Manyaya is junt an Interesting place!
In East Africa, this Lake Manyara is really very interesting place, as my openion. The most famous thing about this lake is, it has almost whole year-round water due to which it seems green and lush all times. For trekking the monkeys and baboons, this is the best location. We found that the game drive here was a bit more intresting if compared to the other three locations that we had visited. This lake is full of flamingos, but when we did our game drive it found that there are no roads passing nearby, so everywhere look was a pink haze in the distance. At this place we also get opportunity to saw some numbers of elephants, lions, giraffes... but it was kind of disappointed as being spoiled by the amount of wildlife in the other parks. It is interesting to see and explore this location, because of its dissimilarities from the other parks.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best safari
I have just been on the most amazing safari around Kenya with Tekko Tours and William.
I initially searched for tours that would accommodate what I was looking for, I emailed a few and only Carol from TT promptly got back to me. I had several email conversations with her about the trip, I think I exhausted her with my constant questions but she was so patient with every email.
I made a change to the itiniery she had suggested which wasn't too much trouble for her at all. I was convinced I wanted to go with them.
I was slightly apprehensive at first if they were a genuine company and looked them up everywhere but I was reassured.
So with my trip booked I was ready to go, Carol kept in contact keeping me informed all the way.
On arrival in Kenya there was a slight mishap where instead of the driver collecting me I went with the hotel transport. The driver said he was there maybe I just missed him.
Anyway, I met William the next day and let me tell you he is amazing. Yes I was slightly weary at first as I was a single female alone on this trip but William soon put me at ease.
On our trip he did his upmost to show me everything he could, on the long road trips he would point things out and let me about the area. Now, I'm not much of a talker, ( I like to look and observe everything) and maybe William is but we made conversation so our journey wasn't that dull or full of non stop chatter....we had some laughs.
One thing I praise William on is he is always client focused, he did his upmost to make sure I saw each and every animal there was to see. He even went beyond and raced to catch a lion as we hadn't seen one that particular day.
Carol called me half way through to check everything was ok and that William and I were getting along, she needened worried at all.
We went in the landcruser, which to be honest was fine as it had the open roof. The only issues were the seatbelt didnt work properly, fixed that with a bit of paper and in the front seat by your feet it tends to get quite hot even with the windows open. We did make stops along the way for toilet breaks, however I just found with all these stops there are gift shop attached to it and they really persist in trying to get you to buy something. On the first stop I think I was duped into buying something, which was way over priced. After a few stops I just didnt bother go in. I did say to William i would rather stop at markets or places where local people are selling things at a more reasonable price.
I had to then leave William after the landcruser broke down, but William was ever the professional.
I then spent 4 nights in Mombassa, then returning to Kenya. At my surprise William was there to collect me.
A few notes on the camps I stayed at:
Sweetwater camp
Nice camp with views of zebras coming to drink water.
Food was plentiful and nice
Staff very friendly and helpful
Room very spacious
Flamingo hotel was not the best.
No water in room
The food was terrible
No buffet, had to order dinner at lunch and even then the vegetables were hard.
The wifi only available in reception and bar area.
The rooms were very nice though.
Savoro camp
Lovely camp and staff
Tent was too low
Lots of bugs in room bathroom
Food great
All staff friendly helpful
Got my bag fixed for only $5
Naivasha camp
Horrible camp
Room dingy and dark
Shower was dripping hot water, tap had no hot water, although they fixed it 2 hours later.
Food is terrible, no real variety.
Staff are mainly nice apart from evening reception when I went to report the water issue she said 'he will come with you and fix it, GO'
Rooms outdated with holes in nets
The swimming pool, well!
No animals to see unless you pay to have boat ride to see hippos.
Amboseli - oltukai lodge
Lovely camp
Lovely room with no issues
Staff all very friendly
Food ok, set menu at times but that was ok as was very nice.
Tsavo East national park - ashnil aruba lodge
Room, shower with spiders and webs and other creatures.
Nets with holes
Not cabin as shown on website
Staff all very friendly
Fans in rooms, one which doesn't move.
Toilet didn't flush properly - needed a few times.
Not that many animals as grass and trees cover them and they are too far away to access.
I would highly recommend Tekko Tours and would consider booking with them again.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Kibale- dark and dense forest with Plenty of chimps
The main motive of visiting this park was my interest to see chimpanzees and truly, I was not disappointed. In fact, we were very fortunate and found a big family of around 20 - 25 within only few minutes' walk from the park head-quarters. Our guide Nelson was very informative and helpful, and the chimps were very approachable, without any distraction or notice of human beings. I had visited Mahale Mountains in Tanzania last year in may and on the basis of both visit, I would say my experience of chimp trekking in Mahale was slightly better than here in Kibale. The Mahale chimps were mostly out in the open, so it was easy to saw them and photographed more clearly. They also visited Kungwe Beach Lodge. In Kibale the chimps were in dense forest, so they could not be seen so clearly and there was poor light for photography. This is just my personal experience. Someone else might say quite the reverse.
DK
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A fantastic trip to South Africa and Mauritius
Vanessa from Greatest Africa was a great partner, and helped a lot in the planning and the execution of our vacation. We felt safe all the way, and enjoyed here knowledge of hotels and areas.
CZ
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Me experience with owner and drivers was exelent!
Werry good. Good cars nice program and good driver and guide.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Incredible Experience
Our tour was planned with Frena Adventures for Murchison Falls. We took a boat cruise to the falls and along the way we got chance to saw many bird species and animals. We were so lucky that to see Elephants along the water edge. Our guide was very informative and pointed out a lots of things and species before we even spotted them. He was very informative about each animal or bird and told us very interesting facts about them. We even got a chance to see a group of young crocodiles about 30, swimming together inside the river. They were very young, must have been about 2 weeks old only!
After that we got off at the top of the river close to the falls to walk up to the top of the falls. It's not a strenuous walk but I would recommend you take lots of water with as you will need it. The views of the falls along this walk as spectacular. You also get an amazing view of the river from the top.
I highly recommend this trip and tour company if you are looking in the area. The falls are a must see for anyone.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Happy holidays
African Overland is a great tour company. My family were quite impressed right from the beginning of planning the safari. All our inquiries were handled on time and in a professional manner . For sure my family cannot praise African Overland enough for the impressive reception and overall tours.
Their staff proved to be quite professional, ready and willing to help and expertly handled all our queries. Our guide proved to be extremely knowledgeable. He took us to 4 different parks which included Arusha National Park, Serengeit, Ngorongoro and Tarangire .
We are convinced we got the best guide all through our tour not to mention the confortable accommodation and to top it all, interacting with the friendly people of Tanzania was a big plus for us. African Overland met and exceed all our expectations about an African tour and we look forward to having many more with them.
Our stay in both mid range and high end accommodation proved to be way above our expectation. Our favorites were Serengeti and Ngorongoro National parks . All in all we had a wonderful safari at a very affordable price . Afrcan Overland gives quality and non forgettable not to forget, affordable safaris and we would not hesitate to recommend a better safari company to choose for your trip in Tanzania. Way to go African Overland.