20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
BEST TRIP EVER!!! Must do. Mazingira Safari were amazing!
BEST TRIP EVER!!! Must do. Mazingira Safari were amazing!
Booking
At first I was apprehensive booking this. I think in the UK people have learned to be very cautious when paying for things but you simply have to go for it with this. Johari was our contact and from the outset she was brilliant. WhatsApp was the most effective tool for of communication and she was so straight forward and accommodating for our requirements. I had no idea how safaris worked before this but essentially you tell them which parks and areas you want to see and then they book your accommodation along the way and sort all of the transfers to and from the airports. It is all taken care of! It is a slick operation and the majority of arrivals are doing the exact same process as you.
Arrival
You need to sort a visa for Tanzania and that is something you should sort yourself beforehand. Also be sure to sort out the necessary jabs. After a long flight, we arrived into Kilimanjaro and were warmly greeted by our safari guide Tom Ayo (he was the best!) He took our bags to the vehicle and instantly made us feel at home by giving us water bottles with our names printed on. He introduced himself properly and explained the route.
Briefing
On our way to Arusha (our first hotel) we drove through some areas of Tanzania which at first can be an overwhelming cultural adjustment. It was amazing to see the local people and the villages in which they live. Driving through these places was an important part of my experience because it gave us a real sense of real Tanzania. Our safari guide Tom took us to the briefing where Johari who we had been communicating from the outset with, met us and gave us a bottle of wine as a congratulations on our honeymoon. She explained about the tipping culture (bring US Dollars in small denominations) in Tanzania and the expectations at each hotel and park. After a relaxing coffee, we were away on our trip.
Safari Guide
Tom Ayo was amazing! He was knowledgable, warm and friendly. Each day he went above and beyond to make sure we saw all of the animals. His day was full of driving cleaning the car and preparing our packed lunches so he was often up very early. We got to know him very well and listening to his own story was also a highlight of the trip. He will always been in our hearts for how well he looked after us.
Safari Parks
Wow! I did not expect to be this blown away. I thought we might see a few animals at a distance but we regularly encountered our favourite animals up close! The roof off and right next to them. You don’t think it will be, but it is an addictive and moving experience.
Accommodation
Mazingira arranged our hotels along the route and we stayed in a lot of Serena chain hotels. They were superb! Great food, nice rooms and brilliant staff. Not for everyone, but one night we stayed in a camp and for me it was the most incredible experience. Wild buffalo were in the camp in the night and you could hear them chewing the grass outside until they suddenly cleared. The camps are like posh camping. Proper tents and proper beds. The staff put hot water bottles in our tents as well because the mornings/nights of Safari can be quite cold.
Gifts
Mazingira went the extra mile with our trip. They knew it was special for us (first Safari/honeymoon) and on the way to the airport Tom, our guide, picked up a special present for us. We had sent him a picture of us from the Serengeti on WhatsApp. Without telling us, as a surprise he had it printed and framed by a friend. It was so kind and very special for us.
All in all, this was the trip of a lifetime. Safari can be long days and tiring and a financial decision to make but the pay off is well worth it. The memories will stay with us forever. Thank you Mazingira, Johari and Tom, from Hannah & Jake x
Smooth and efficient service!
Very easy to book and make date changes to one of our bookings. Their service is fantastic. Very reliable and I felt safe while on the road the entire time. Their drivers are very experienced and friendly. Would 100% take again!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Professional
Amazing service and experience. Very professional and punctual. How our safari was described to us 3 months before we went is exactly what we experienced. Safari vehicle was clean, comfortable, and relatively new. Highly recommend booking with Kevic!
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best Safari Experience ever
Our experience was extremely positive.
We found Big Cats online and we trust them from the beginning thanks to their extreme availability and kindness.
The guys are always nice and replies are very quick and they can support you with any custom request you might need.
Our guide, Ernest, was a plus. He has 23 years experience and he perfectly knows animals (especially Big Five) and their habits.
We will surely suggest Big Cats to our friends!
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Mindreader
Two 70 something widows wanted adventure, comfort and security, plentiful and up close game sightings, pleasant weather, no bugs, gourmet food, luxe accommodations in an intimate setting and memories for a lifetime. Not much to ask of a safari in South Africa, hmmm? Well, Antoinette at Discover Africa delivered! Fabulous experience in every way! Already booking again for next year…Stop dreaming about it, ladies, just GO!!!!
PL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unforgettable trip with ETT
Exciting and full of impressions and adventures trip through 3 countries. A great experience of meeting gorillas and chimpanzees, but also an amazing experience from a boat on the Nile. Photos with crocodiles and hippos near the waterfalls will remain in our memory for the rest of our lives. Thank you Erast for taking care of us and for the wonderful time together on the island near the volcano in DRC.
Good luck.
BR
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
EPIC TRIP WITH WITO
Gorilla Treking in Uganda & Rwanda
I found Wito Africa Safaris by chance on instagram. It appear to me by chance and caught my attention. It was a post regarding gorila treking in Uganda and Rwanda. I sent a DM for further info and Abdullie immediately answered my inquiry. Later we had a live chat to get to know each other. In this interview, I spoke of my expectations regarding the trip and received a beautiful e very detailed email with the trip plan, hotel, parks, etc. And prices and payment schedulled. My trip started on august 6h, in Entebbe, Where Titi pick me up Around 3am and drove me to the hotel. Titi is very polite, respectfull and excelente driver. The next day, Viriano met me at the hotel for a briefing and the next morning we started our drive to Bwind Mountains Where I would do the gorila treking. ON the way, we stopped for chimpanzee treking. Viriano is na amazing driver, very polite, spetacular, Always concerned with my well being. The experience was epic and amazing, unforgettable. After the gorila treking, I was driven to the border of Rwand and Uganda, where I was handed over to the driver-guide Cristian who was responsible for my visit in Rwand. Cristian is awesome! He loves Rwanda and knows just how to transmit his love to us. Actually, he knows all about Rwand, Rwand history and actuallities. There I visited Dien Fosse´s Museum and the Genocide Musuem. We had lunch at a restaurant where the food was superb. I strongly recommend WITO. The organisation and choice of accomodation by Adullie was perfect. My three guides, Titi, Viriano and Cristian were spectacular. I had such a good life experience, and as I Woman travelling solo, I felt extremely safe and respected by my guides. During the trip, the Wito team was Always in contact with me on whatapp to check if all was good. At the end, in Rwand, I was given beautiful souvenirs “a gift bag” with variou souvenires from WITO to take home. Definitely, recomend and my next safari will be with WITO, I have no doubt, because I am sure it will be amazing.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Helpful and knowlegeable
We had a wonderful time, great customer service and very knowlegeable guide. I highly recommend Seven By Far Tours.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
One of our top trips ever!
I have to say, our trip was one of our most memorable and fun trips ever. We had been on safari years ago through another operator and were very disappointed. But Natasha did not disappoint. The lodges we stayed and the hotels she chose were spot on. In addition, our transfers were flawless. The one time a driver was running late because of a traffic jam, we were told when our flight landed and had an easy solution. Natasha really knows South Africa and also really spent the time to craft a trip that was right for us! It was a milestone birthday for my husband, so this mattered! And everyone knew where we stayed and he was treated to cake, singing, etc. And can I say the animals are just amazing!!! Thanks to Natasha and the team!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent but ask about tips!
7 day Machame route on Kilimanjaro followed by 3 day safari at Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater.
Trek was excellent. Guide was great, food fantastic (especially given we were camping on a mountain!). We finished in 6 days which we appreciated (as we were all able to summit successfully). Only issue here was with tips. We tipped the recommended amount according to the Tanzanian Porters Association but the guides and porters had been told to expect two-three times more. I would encourage speaking to Cubs when booking to clarify what exactly the expected tipping situation is. Especially as the staff were all so fantastic!
Safari was great. We didn’t see as many of the rare animals as we had been hoping but not through any fault of our guide. The camping was fine, but be aware that if you are in a group with an odd number of people you will be asked to share a tent with someone else. Perhaps to be expected for a shared safari but I think worth mentioning upfront.
Overall, we definitely recommend Cubs for both trekking and safaris (especially given their low price compared to most other companies) and it would have been 5/5 if the above issues had been mentioned to us beforehand so we knew better what to expect.