SE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Flexible, professional and friendly contact, from start to finish!
Me & my friend finished our amazing tour in Uganda on the 31st of December 2018. The reason we picked Matoke Tours is that we felt very comfortable as soon as the correspondence started. Ann at Matoke were very keen to listen to our wished and to make the best possible experience for us. Together we came up with a program that would suit our needs and interests. And everything worked out really perfect :) On top of this we were also so grateful with our guide Alfred. The three of us got along very well. He is such a sweetheart and we enjoyed having interesting conversations with him, as well as silent moments. He was always polite, humble and patient. We could not have wished for a better guide/driver.
As for the tour itself. Wow, we were not prepared for the beauty that Uganda has to offer! We enjoyed every second. The only thing we might have done different if we would do it all over is to go to Murchison Falls NP instead of QE NP. Our driver kept telling us that it is so amazing there and that there is more animals in that park as well. And I think we would also have skipped Lake Bunyonyi and instead stayed a day extra at Lake Mutanda. Lake Mutanda and the sceneries around it is among the most spectacular we have ever witnessed. It left us speechless! And of course the Gorilla experience was a highlight, which was done close to Lake Mutanda. Not only seeing the Gorillas was extraordinary but the whole trek itself and the mountains and greenery.
Thank you Ann and Matoke for really good arrangements. We are so happy for this trip which will for sure be a memory for life.
Finally, if someone asks for an experience with an orphanage, I suggest to contact Masaka Kids. They are based in Masaka and can be followed on Instagram. When we came they performed for us and we danced with them on stage. So sweet and talented kids :).
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great experience
I joined the group which they went mikumi.for 3 days,and i must admit that they were on time,the driver had 19 years of experience and he speaks 4 languages and chef give us delicious taste during the trip,the vehicle was clean and Good,also the team is well trained they gave us great experience
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Cuan is an exceptional travel agent and planned our unforgettable three week safari to Africa.
Cuan used his extensive local experience to plan our incredible trip that spanned 9 countries with 7 flights. Cuan provided an excellent service with great communication. Nothing was a problem and if there was he would fix it. At every step of the way we were met by friendly local guides who would transfer us to the next stop. Our highlights were the Big 5, Mapula lodge on the Okavanaga delta, the 3 day house boat on the Chobe River, Victoria Falls, sitting with the meerkats, the gorilla trek in Uganda, a Masai Village cultural experience, the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro crater and the wilderbeest crossing complete with a crocodile attack. 3,000 photos later our African safari thanks to Cuan was the trip of a lifetime. I would highly recommend Cuan to plan your next African Safari!! You wont regret it.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
6-Day Lion Trail - amazing safari experience!
The most amazing experience! Olly, KB and Avaleno were absolutely superstars from the moment we met them...
We were travelling around Africa and went to Maun in Botswana to look for a specific safari through the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park, ending up in Kasane. We wanted as long as we could get for what we had to spend. Got some quotes from a number of companies and chose the 6-Day Lion Trail with Skytheme Safaris as the best option, and knew we had made the right choice from the very start! We booked it 2 days before we went - Olly came over to meet us in our hostel and took us into town to pick up some last minute supplies, while he spent the rest of the day making the arrangements for us. He even upgraded our tent after seeing how tall my boyfriend is, and gave us comfier beds and upgraded our campsite locations for better animal viewings for the time of year. KB was our guide and Avaleno our chef and both were absolute superstars - it was a real pleasure to spend the week travelling around the national parks with them. KB was incredibly knowledgeable about the animals and their behaviours, so he knew when to stop and watch some interesting things unfold (impala standing to attention looking in one direction - lions around the corner; lions chilling under a tree with elephants nearby - the elephants chased them off!) and Avaleno made a beautiful campsite every single night and kept us delightfully full with absolutely delicious food for every single meal - even when we had lunch on the road we stopped and set up the table complete with table cloth and all the condiments you can think of. He even made bread from scratch on the camp fire, which was so delicious, and a birthday cake! We saw so many animals (all the big 5 and the ugly 5), and felt really lucky to be able to do a longer than the usual safari at 6 days, which meant we got to sit and observe animal behaviours and interactions more, which was wonderful. We have thousands of photos! Thank you Olly, KB and Avaleno - cherished memories for us of our time with you in beautiful Botswana! xx
IN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable and life changing experience ever
We had the most stunning outing this time! They were so kind and educated. We saw the most mind-blowing sights in Tanzania, including the scene and creatures!
His vehicles are clean, fantastic chefs, his staff is helpful & excellent guides. Highly recommended for others to experience too!
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Awesome Adventures with Yellow Zebra!
Yellow Zebra delivered on everything they promised and then some. Antonina Welfing helped with the logistical details. When we landed in Jo-burg, we were met and cared for at every stop of the journey. Every driver from Ilios travel was professional, on-time, and shared their experiences along the way. Amazing! One gentleman could spot a hyena basking in the mud at 2 Km away...we have the picture to prove it! The accommodations were outstanding. But most amazing of all were the safaris and camps that we visited. The staff were excellent at both Simbavati and Madikwe Hills. We give a shout out to our game drivers Caswell at Simbavati and Lucky and Max at Madikwe. They ROCK! You can rely on them to deliver you safely from a charging elephant...which they did. We can't wait to go back!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Safari
Our tour guide was amazing, helped us take great pictures and was non-stop taking pictures on his phone. You could tell he loved his job, the only guide I saw on the trip taking pictures. We saw lots of animals with loads of interesting info.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Kruger National Park by Bert
Kruger seems to be bush (where I was at least), which is more enclosed by vegetations, trees and hilly terrain. If you want the expansive type of visits where you see herds of giraffe galloping across the wide open plain, or the "great migration", my sense is that that is more in Kenya. But Kruger is exactly what it should be, and I was thrilled with my overall experience, and the plethora/variety of animals I saw. NEXT trip (Hopefully), I will go to Kenya, and then also see the gorillas in Rwanda. (I stand to be corrected if other areas of Kruger are more wide open. It's huge). I did NOT go to the public part of Kruger close to Johannesburg, for example, because I wanted to stay away from those crowds, so I can't comment on that area but the Youtube videos are not enticing (crowding, paved roads; undisciplined, "self drivers", etc).
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
My dream safari adventure come true
I decided to go "first class" as it was my trip of a lifetime and I wanted to go to more exclusive areas not open to the hordes of general public and self drivers and dozens of land rovers surrounding a pride of lions.... I was not disappointed. I stayed at "Kings Camp" and Notten's Bush Camp". I cannot recommend those camps highly enough. (Note that Notten's Bush Camp operates by night by candle and lantern light only - which is a bold move and you have to be into that. I found it really a great idea - set up a great, classic safari vibe, exciting and romantic, but I suppose you have to be into that. You were able to recharge electronics in your room at any time)
I especially commend Paperjet Travel - who worked on giving me the exact trip I wanted - and they found camps (in the mid season granted) who would not charge extra for single occupancy. I think I exchanged 35 emails with them over time. They answered every question promptly and generously, even questions about the drought in Cape Town and the potential strike by South Africa Airways (so - they supported me beyond the call). They put me at ease with detailed and accurate information. They tweaked my itinerary several times after giving me numerous options until it was exactly what I wanted. I can't recommend Paperjet highly enough. Ask for Jason. He is THE best.
Guides were every informative, congenial, accommodating - couldn't be better
Wildlife - we saw every conceivable animal. I stayed in two different camps so that I hedged my bets on seeing all animals. That turned out to be a great choice.
Accommodation was truly first class in every aspect. The food, the set up of the camps, design and architecture, amenities, the personnel, the service; I was treated like a king
Transportation was flawless from airports and between camps. Even the drivers acted as guides. They stopped once or twice to show me animals.
I was not at any disadvantage as a result of going "mid season". Animal sightings were excellent and plentiful
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari