50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Reliable, punctual, fulfilling promises
My husband and my two adult kids signed up for a nine day Serengeti budget trip with Lion King Adventures.
A few notable mentions before getting into the details:
- Lion King Adventures worked really hard to make this a good trip, and they were very trustworthy and well organized.
- Our guide, Mwita, really made this trip magical. Without him, this trip would not have been the same. Ask for him, because he is dependable, organized, keeps the car clean, knows the roads like the back of his hand (and is a mechanic), is safe, friendly, and is always in touch with other guides to find the rare animals on the radio. We saw all the Big 5 and much thanks to Mwita. He is SO knowledgeable and knew the information about every single animal we saw, which isn’t surprising since the Serengeti is his homeland.
Traveling to Tanzania
Nick was very accommodating--we changed our mind several times due to family issues, yet he was able to rebook our itinerary. We were initially very hesitant to sign up with any online agency, but Lion King was referred to us by a casual acquaintance and it worked out well.
We travelled via KLM and read the reports of lost luggages, so we travelled with just carry-ons. We paid online for the Tanzania visa and it took about 7 to 10 days. It took a lot of finagling to reduce their photo size and passport images to fit the requirements. We also had to download code vaccination QR code as that was a requirement. We found an online QR code conversion and used it as proof of vaccination in Tanzania accept all WHO approved vaccinations.
We still requested that the guide be vaccinated and he was. We were not well-versed in photography and after several searches we decided to rent a canon camera from the company for $100 and brought our own SD cards, which worked out very well.
KLM requires that you buy seeds from them but thankfully the flight was not full and we were able to sit together.
On landing, of course, there was a mad rush in the long line at the visa process—it took us about an hour and a half to get out of there and Nelson from Lion King was waiting for us with our names.
Day 1
Nelson brought us to our first day accommodation at night at the Pazuri inn in Arusha. It was an hour drive from the airport. This lodge was tucked in from the main road and was tough to find but was a beautiful place with a swimming pool and very spacious rooms. The staff were very pleasant and we had a beautiful breakfast in the morning with a charming group of staff. This was an amazing place and I wish we could have stayed longer.
Day 2
We met our guide/driver at the Pazaree in on day two. Our guide, Mwita, was the best thing that happened to us. His father was a park ranger in central Serengeti where he grew up and he knew everything. Mwita is an extremely pleasant man and he was not tired of answering all of our questions.
We travelled to Tarangire national Park. It was an amazing side to see elephants only a few feet away from you, giraffes staring right out you, and the whole assortment of animals and birds around the car. Mwita took us to a watering hole where there was an amazing group of elephants zebras and Wildebeests as well as antelopes.
We stayed at the Tarangire Simba Lodge with an awesome dinner, but this wasn’t the best part. Right behind the lodge is a watering hole, and all the way past sunset we watched elephants, zebras, wildebeests, waterbuck, giraffes, warthogs, and jackals drink 30 feet from us. Later in the evening, waterbuck and a large elephant even came right in front of us to the pool to have a drink of water. This was truly a thrilling experience.
Day 3
After a beautiful breakfast at the Tarangire Simba Lodge, we did another game drive where we saw a cheetah eating a gazelle, and a lioness with a fresh catch of wildebeest. We saw tons of baby elephants and got beautiful views overlooking the park. We then drove to the sister Simba Lodge based in Karatu, where we were treated with a nice dinner. The chef was amazing and there was a nice buffet with a variety of meat and fish. In the morning we got to see a beautiful view of the whole valley, and we fell asleep to the sounds of different animals like hyenas.
Day 4
Central Serengeti: we drove from Karatu to Central Serengeti National Park, which took pretty much the entire day. Now I know the meaning of a “Tanzanian massage.” We had to go around the Ngorongoro Crater and the great Rift Valley, which separates continental plates. This yielded beautiful sights. On the way down from the crater, we stopped by a Maasai village, and were greeted by a Maasai elder’s son. We had a great time with songs and dances. We then had a pit stop and lunch overlooking the Olduvai Gorge and saw the museum there. This is truly a special place if you are interested in anthropology and paleontology, and is the perfect environment to understand the evolution of humankind. Mwita then drove us through his home village in the heart of central Serengeti. We saw tons of lions—cubs, male lions with manes, and females hunting and stretching in trees. We stayed at a place called “Into Wild Africa,” where we were serenaded to the sounds of lions and other animals at night. The people were very warm and friendly, and accommodated us with great breakfasts and dinner.
Day 5:
Northern Serengeti: we briefly did a game drive in Central Serengeti while passing through where saw some more wildlife (hippos and buffalo) before continuing North. We briefly exited the park to take a shortcut, and saw beautiful Tanzanian villages and people. We then arrived at the Kenzan Mara tented camp, and watched a beautiful sunset over the valley. In August, this valley is covered with wildebeest and zebra for the Great Migration. The next morning, we woke up at 4:30 to take a balloon ride over the Serengeti. Although this was expensive at $550 pp, it was definitely worth the 1.5 hr ride. We got fantastic shots of the Serengeti and Mara river, and saw hippos, gazelle and huge herds of wildebeest and zebra. Our pilot, Pradeep, was so engaging and cheerful, and we were treated to champagne and a beautiful breakfast after landing. Mwita immediately picked us up and took us to see the Mara River crossing of the Great Migration. Mwita knew exactly where to go and when to go. We parked and waited at River marker number 4, and watched as the wildebeest accumulated. Seconds before the crossing started, Mwita moved our car to get a closer look, and we were blown away as the wildebeest crossed right by us. This was the most spectacular event in my life, that brought us to tears—to see the sheer number and determination of these animals to risk their lives in crossing this river was unparalleled. There were other groups that never saw any crossing for two days in a row, but Mwita knew the animals and the land like the back of his hand.
Day 6:
Northern Serengeti: we once again woke up at Kenzan and immediately went to see migrations. This time we saw three river crossings in one day, all of which were an amazing experience. We saw cheetahs hunting, a leopard’s catch of a gazelle hanging on a tree, and left to Central Serengeti to reach the Embalakai Camp. Here the staff welcomed us with open arms, greeted us with fresh hibiscus drinks, and celebrated my birthday with song and dance. We again had a comfortable stay and listened to lions, hyenas, and buffalo around us through the night.
Day 7: We drove from Central Serengeti to the Escarpment and did a game drive through the Ngorongoro Crater. It was a long, hard day with a rough ride, but Mwita knew exactly where to find the elusive and rare black rhino when no one else did. We Caracals, jackals, hyenas, flamingoes, as well as mating lions. We then arrived at the Escarpment luxury lodge where we are writing this review from. Our chef, Michael, treated us to probably the most amazing dinner we had ever had—spicy Indian food and perfectly cooked prime steak.
Day 8: Yet to come, but we are planning to do a game drive through Lake Manyara and leave Arusha tomorrow night back to Amsterdam and the US.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very flexible and friendly service
We went to the Victoria falls and Hwange national park. The service we received was A class all the way from puck up till we were dropped at the airport. The staff were polite. The accomodation was fantastic.
No complaints at all well done to the team and thanks for making it memorable.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our agent made the process very simple and thought of details we would not have traveling that far
The agency listened to the changes we requested for our “bush and beach” vacation. Their communication was excellent and there we absolutely no problems.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great pre-trip planning, effective communication and outstanding field execution
Tour guides are very friendly, go distance to accommodate our large group of 15, and surprisingly knowledgeable about eco-systen and geography behind our field observations
AL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best experience ever!
Helpful and friendly! The tour operator organized everything for us and we just had the best time of our lives.
Lori was our tour guide on Serengeti national park and made our trip unforgettable.
We decided to do a two days trip but is defenitely not enought. Would enjoyed a lot some more days there.
CH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Outstanding agency with extensive experience in Nambian tour planning
Criss cross organized for our family a 3 weeks trip around Namibia and we really enjoyed our time very much.
The tour was extremely well organized with lots of practical details and very interesting.
Thinus was always very reactive to our questions and helped us to recover some delayed luggage from Lufthansa.
What a beautiful country and beautiful people which will leave us lasting memories.
I'd recommend anyone to contract this agency and will refer some of my friends.
HK
Everyday surprise
they gave us surprise everyday! Our driver very nice person. Our hotel looks nice. Our itineary was nice. Hotel food was nice! everyday was nice!
AE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding African Experience
Best word to describe our experience in Kenya is "Outstanding"! I've got to share with future travelers that Bison Safaris was the right choice for me and my friends. From the beginning Maggie was always very responsive and understanding since our trip was supposed to happen in 2020, then Covid hit us, we moved to 2021 and still vaccinations weren't in place and finally we had it in 2022. From airport pickup to drop off they were flawless. Kim, our tour guide, has been in the business for 17 years and knew every inch of those parks, always very patient with the millions of questions we had, he explained everything and made sure we were at the best places at the right time to see the wildlife. The hotel selection was also a highlight of our trip; we were positively surprised at every hotel we checked in. Overall Kenyans are very welcoming and full of good vibes; Ah! and their food is delicious! This is a place to come back.
Thank you Maggie for everything - hope to see you soon!
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Friendly & knowledgeable staff, a diversity of activities to enjoy & an overall awesome experience.
My sister Kim and I thoroughly enjoyed our 10 day Signature Tour (Safari & Cape Town) of South Africa with Go Touch Down Tours in April & May, 2022. All of our tour guides - Bill on the Safari portion, Lindo at Humala River Lodge and J.P. in Cape Town were friendly, informative, knowledgeable and went above and beyond to help us enjoy each activity. All of the other staff at each of the resorts where we stayed were also awesome, as were the accommodations and all the meals we enjoyed, especially the bries! Also, the small size and cohesiveness of our tour group made the trip that much more enjoyable.
The Safari experiences at both Humala - Songimvelo Game Reserve & Pilanesberg National Park were amazing and Cape Town and surroundings were a beautiful area to explore, and we have some awesome photos and memories to last a lifetime. Great value for the money and I would highly recommend Go Touch Down to anyone, young or old, wanting to enjoy an awesome, complete Africa Tour experience.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Maurice was responsive, thorough and competent, and booked an exceptional safari trip for us.
We recently completed a 10 day safari adventure with Africa Safari Classics. It was one of the best travel experiences I have ever enjoyed. Maurice was extremely responsive and promptly and thoroughly answered all of my questions and e-mails. He reviewed options with me, and assured he booked us in the accommodations we desired. Maurice coordinated our pick up at the airport, and all of our guides and transfers for the entire trip. Peter and Levi were awesome as our guides, and our tent rooms at Satao Elerai and Mahali Mzuri were incredible. We felt safe and well cared for the entire trip. I would highly recommend Maurice and his staff for your safari planning, he provided the trip of a lifetime.