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Perfect Safari With Excellent Guide - The Highligt of Our African Family Holidays
We are big german family with 6 people and travel a lot. We compared different safari providers and tour companies and finally read about African Wild Cats Safaris. It was well recommended and so we decided to contact them. The good reputation and the very polite team and realistic prices convinced us.
This was our trip:
We started our safari with airport transfer to Moshi, had a relaxed night at the Aishi hotel which was very nice. All transfers very perfect in time.
Safari day 1 we went to Machame village, Chagga-Caves, waterfalls and plantation. There we had an additional local guide and cooked together with the chagga people from Machame village and ate original local food. We picked coffee beans, went through a typical home garden and visited an original chagga house.
The next day we went to Arusha national park. It was our first safari impression with many animals, beautiful lakes, flamingos and a real nice picknick at the lake. We spent the night at Kiboko lodge. This was in the middle of nature, very authentic and with perfect rooms and service. Even there is limited hot water and electricity supply, it was a perfect night with very comfortable lodge, very good food and helpful team. In the morning we had a wonderful view at Mount Meru.
One day later we drove to Tarangire National park. There Jacob showed us lions, cheetah, a hunting leopard, many very close elephants, zebras, giraffes, monkeys, beautiful birds, …… it was great.
Despite our plans, we did not go to Lake Manyara National park, because we wanted to spend a second day at Tarangire Park – for Jacob it was no problem – he was very flexible.
The night at Sangaiwe tented camp was perfect. The tent-houses are very comfortable, clean and spacious. Every tent-house has a veranda with beautiful view, nice big bathroom, electricity, hot water and every comfort you need – this was by far the best place to stay!
Then we went the long way to Twiga lodge for the next trip to Ngorogoro crater. On the way Jacob helped us at a massai market to find a special local blanket. This was very helpful. Twiga lodge is ok for one night because it is directly on the way to the crater road and you have to get up early to reach the park entrance in the morning light.
The Ngorogoro Crater is a must for the safari adventure. We saw a big group of more than 10 lions, many hippos, rhinos, herds of zebras, buffalos, kudus, blue wildebeest, some jackals, hyaena, …. We saw the big five. Went back to Arusha, spent the night at green mountain hotel and went further on to Zanzibar from Arusha airport. Again perfect transfer in time.
Our experience with African Wild Cats Safari:
The team of African Wild Cats and especially Jacob as a guide and driver is perfect organized. All our correspondence was fast, helpful and the prices were well calculated. Jacob is very experienced with safaris and can show you all the interesting places, animals, told as many details of culture, people, Massai life and he is a very safe driver. The children loved the safari with Jacob and we all listened very carefully to his explanations. We had a great time at Tansania with the safari. Jacob was always very friendly, helpful, polite and became a real friend of the whole family. We had great holidays – Thank you again !
In my company I am the quality manager and I surely can recommend Jacob and African Wild Cats as an experienced, trustworthy and reliable safari tour management in Tansania (Christoph)
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Horrific!
Horrid experience. Victor, is not only a liar but a thief. Poor communication, he didn’t uphold the contract. We were held against our will at a hotel before the bill was paid, which we had to pay again. Though Victor received money for these fees 7-8 months in advance. Payment for the park fees weren’t done by Victor. The hotel accommodations he confirmed in the email were not made upon arrival to the Serengeti National Park. Instead Victor arranged for us to stay at a hostel. My group and I paid $200 US/ night to stay at a wildlife lodge with appropriate accommodations. Victor insisted on obtaining cash payment before the driver will take us on the safari.
This man needs to be reported!
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20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Professional, knowledgeable, flexible, confident
A trip to Africa was dream of mine since I learned of Mt. Kilamanjaro in a National Geographic magazine as a child. After much research (and talking with MANY safari companies), we chose Shadows of Africa and couldn't be happier that we did. From the beginning, we appreciated Jake and Stacey's quick and thorough communication. They listened to our desires and made recommendations based on what we wanted and their experience. They were always very open to the changes we wanted to make and gave us options to make the trip just we wanted. I am normally a "budget" traveler but wanted to really enjoy the "extras" in my dream trip. We chose to do a private tour for 2 weeks (this was the right amount of time for us) and really enjoyed how customized it was.
We started in Uganda to see the gorillas. I would never have known to visit Uganda otherwise and we were so happy that we started our trip there. I can't say enough good things about our guide Patrick. He made us feel like his friends from the very beginning. He was knowledgeable, funny, attentive, and seemed genuinely excited to show us his country and the animals in it. We felt completely safe and welcomed by everyone we met. Though seeing the gorillas (within a few feet!) was the most incredible part of our trip, Patrick truly was the gem of our Uganda trip. We were up and out early every day to see as much as we could. Patrick gave us options to take it slower if we wanted but we loved his willingness to spend our days exploring. We headed to Tanzania next and this was my feeling as we left...
"Looking out the small window as the warm plane takes speed and height over the bumpy Entebbe runway, I am struck with an acute mix of sorrow and gratitude. I am overwhelmed to say goodbye to a place I never knew I wanted to visit and came to deeply love in a span of six days. This spectacularly beautiful, rough, chaotic, welcoming, exquisitely unique, corner of Eastern Africa will forever be embedded in my memories. As we rise through the clouds and the patch of Lake Victoria disappears, a brightness grows steadily as my mind wanders back to the hours my eyes were opened to see Uganda."
Go to Uganda. :)
Tanzania was everything you think of when you see pictures of Africa. SOOOO many animals. The herds were huge! The landscape was breathtaking and I spent so much time feeling like I was in a movie and this couldn't be real. My pictures could not do it justice. The Serengeti is stunningly beautiful. We stayed in the park and were able to see the stars of the southern hemisphere. It was an unexpected joy. We spent the last two days in Kenya in Maisa Mara and enjoyed a hot air balloon ride. It was a great experience to see the animals and landscape from that view.
The lodges and camps that Jake and Stacey chose for us (we did a mix of mid-range and luxury and asked for a mix of"tents" and lodges) throughout the trip were wonderful. We did not spend a lot of time at our lodging as we wanted to be out on game drives as much as possible but each one was unique and comfortable. Some of the nicest accommodations I have ever had were on this trip.
Overall, our trip was more than we could have possibly imagined. We were very pleased with Jake and Stacey's planning and the comfort and ease they gave us as we planned such an unforgettable trip. With any trip, things can happen you don't expect and we were always pleased with their handling of our questions and concerns. You won't be sorry that you took a trip to Africa. I said it was the trip of a lifetime but now its hard for me to grasp that going back wouldn't be in my future.
Thank you to everyone at Shadows of Africa for taking such great care to show us the trip we could never have imagined.
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65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
John Moody and Extraordinary Journeys have proven to be the very best at what they do.
We have traveled throughout most of the world, at times by ourselves, as well as with tour groups, and I must say that traveling with you and Extraordinary Journeys is the highlight of all of our travels. Of course, being in South Africa, and being so close to those magnificent animals, brought us so wonderfully close to nature and our place in it, that it made the trip that much more special. Being able to reach out and actually touch a lion or a leopard, in the wild, was thrilling. Fortunately I was warned not to.
The accommodations were first class, the in-country travel was both smooth and interesting, and it proved to be an exceptional educational experience. The Apartheid Museum, Nelson Mandela's home, Soweto and the history of that beautiful country is etched in my memories forever. Table mountain and CapeTown alone were worth the trip. Your choices of hotels, Safari Camps, restaurants and guides was as good as it gets. The people you contract with (especially Clive and Johan) are professional, informed, interesting and they cared about fulfilling all of our needs and answering all of our questions, some before we even asked.
So, I have to give you FIVE STARS. But beyond all of the above, I have to commend you and your staff for making this a trip of a lifetime. From the initial contact with Frances, all the way to our boarding the plane home, your attention to detail, constant communication, close attention to everyone on the tour, and just being the perfect and generous host, you and EJ were as good as it gets.
And I have to admit, that in all of our travels, either personally planned by us, or through a travel agency or through a tour group such as yours, EJ was by a wide margin, the very best.
Thank you and Frances and the rest of the staff at EJ for providing the trip of a lifetime.
Best regards,
Geoff Grenert
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The services were amazing
Everything went as i had expected..no disappointments or lags. Great tour
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65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceeded Expectations!
Our trip, led by John Moody of Extraordinary Journeys, was just that - extraordinary. From the planning stages to our return home, we were well taken care of. We have traveled extensively, both on our own and with tour groups, and this trip was superior in terms of customer service, attention to detail, and accommodations. Of course, being on safari was a huge highlight, and we could not have been more impressed with the people we met and the thrill of spotting wildlife, from herds of elephants to a solitary cape buffalo. I highly recommend Extraordinary Journeys for their ability to plan and deliver exceptional travel experiences.
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50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Once-in-a-lifetime trip became first-in-a-lifetime; already planning when I can go back!
I can't say enough about Rose and The Luxury Safari Company. My best friend and I decided to stop talking about going on safari "someday soon" and to step up to the plate and do it. We are just getting back from almost three magical weeks there. Going in, we knew we wanted to see animals but didn't know much more. Rose guided us flawlessly and packaged a three-camp trip that far exceeded our wildest imaginings. All three camps were part of the Elewana Collection, and each was a fabulous and uniquely different experience. Put together, they comprised a perfect snapshot of our African dream and will be a great barometer when planning the next trip. Rose's availability and virtually immediate responsiveness to questions was unparalleled, and all facets of the trip from our departure from Nairobi to the bush, to our departure at trip's end back home went off without a hitch. I could go on and on and on and on, but suffice it to say that I cannot recommend this company more highly and feel incredibly lucky that with all the tour companies out there, we chose this one. EVERYONE IN THE WORLD NEEDS TO GO TO AFRICA, and call Luxury Safari Company to facilitate it!
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35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Memorable and amazing!
James and Jack were outstanding. They went above and beyond to ensure we got as close to the animals as possible on each excursion and they were friendly, funny and professional! I highly recommend Bison Safaris!
NO
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Honeymoon with safari in Tanzania and beach relaxation at Seychelles
The Luxury Safari Company made our honeymoon beyond what we could have dreamed about. The service from day one has been extrodinary with great follow up service pre departure, during the vacation and after. The service has been personal and very professional. I would highly recommend the company to others wanting a personal process with very good knowledge about different lodges, destinations and time of year to travel where.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Lion King Adventures go above and beyond to create a perfect experience for every customer
Choosing a safari operator for a holiday of a lifetime can be daunting but Anna in the Lion King office does a brilliant job of putting together an itinerary, providing a good description of what to expect from the safari, and answering any questions promptly. Ossie, our driver and tour guide, made our adventure so special by working tirelessly with obvious love for his job to ensure we got the most out of every day on the safari. We couldn't have asked for a better tour operator.