DE
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Outstanding service of perfect staff
African Bush Lovers is a small travel agency in Kasane/Botswana which offers safari tours, travel services and accommodation. Even from the initial planning phase in Germany for our self-organized trip from Dar Es Salaam to Johannesburg, I had extensive e-mail and telephone contact with Stanza, the director of the company, and his wife Kenny. Never in my life would I have imagined that a stranger would be so keenly involved in helping us make a success of a somewhat crazy journey.
Both the safari in Hwange NP in Zimbabwe and the River Boat Cruise on the River Cuando were excellently organized. Stanza and Kenny themselves took care of every detail right through to clarifying whether proof of a yellow fever vaccination was needed at the Zimbabwean and Botswanan border or not.
Several changes in our itinerary, needed due to unforeseen and unpredictable situations, were made by them with the utmost ease. And when there was a problem with the transfer of the deposit they trusted me to settle the total amount on site. Almost unimaginable!
They are wonderful people who also employ well-chosen and highly competent staff. At the end it was like saying farewell to friends.
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
8 fantastic days in Uganda
We have just returned from our 8 day tour of Uganda with Matoke tours and would recommend the itinerary and the company unreservedly. The accommodation throughout was good. Kibale was but more basic than the other two but very atmospheric. Being low season for 3 nights we were the only guests in our hotels! Bothe Marafiki and Chameleon Hill were lovely and the food was delicious in both and staff at all 3 hotels were helpful and pleasant.
The predator tracking in QENP was fascinating and quite exciting as the lions were threatening the cattle of a local community so we were thrilled to be part of that and then to see 3 lions in the trees in Ishasha too was a real bonus. James the researcher was very experienced and it was thrilling to get to see lions at close quarters and that others could not (due to his electronic tracking equipment).
But of course the gorillas were the highlight. We were very lucky to see 2 groups and a confrontation between 4 silverbacks as well as spending some time with some babies - and we only had to trek for 30 minutes before finding the group.
However the star of the tour was our driver/guide Edwin. He was professional and informative and a safe and excellent driver in some challenging conditions. He never seemed to tire of our questions and was willing to go the extra mile to make sure se had the best experience possible.
Anna in the Matoke tours office was speedy and efficient in response to all our queries and we had complete confidence in the company. We chose the mid range accommodation option which we were very happy with and we upgraded to a land cruiser which proved to be a good decision when we encountered some very wet and muddy tracks en route. It was a truly memorable holiday.
CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The experience was once in a life time and unforgettable.
My friend and I recently did a 3 night 4 day safari with Donak safaris. We did the northern circuit through tarangire, serengeti and Ngorongoro. We were very impressed with Beatus quick and accurate email responses. We were able to pay online with only a small bank fee which was easy and convenient. Both our guide and cook exceeded our expectations and was very knowledgable and entertaining. Our driver ensured our safety and comfort and was very patient when we wanted to stop and take photos. Some suggestions that would be helpful is to provide a packing list, locations of camping spots and itinerary, breakdown of costs and re-check dietary preferences during the pre-departure info session. Overall I would highly this company and it’s the best price around.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Off2Africa did everything we needed and wanted, planned well for us. We had a wonderful time.
As an ex-Zimbabwean, I had specific wants and needs like visits to familiar places, staying in familiar places and no real interest in visiting a game park. Off2Africa understood these wants and fulfilled our wishes in exactly the right manner. They got us into the places we wanted to see, gave us good advice on travel times and distances and in fact did all of the essential thinking and planning for us. Tifiny anticipated a number of our interests and proactively ensured we were aware of the options available. In fact I sent one e-mail to Off2Africa telling Tifiny she was "the best". One thing we learned - My US bank needed more information on the receiving bank than had been supplied. This caused some stress in meeting the payment deadline. The venues they chose of us included Big Cave at the Matopos, a wonderful choice as this is a sublime place. Shearwater Village at Vic Falls was also a good choice. I would happily recommend Off2Africa to others.
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The passion of experienced travellers, shared to enable an inspirational, relaxed and exciting trip
Kate and Darren's effusive advice and guidance made for a truly exceptional safari, where questions were promptly answered and arrangements were perfectly smooth and trouble-free.
Early ambiguity concerning internal flights was clarified and the experience from then on is to be wholeheartedly recommended. The abundance of information prior to the holiday meant we arrived well informed and free to soak up all the trip had to offer. All guides and pick ups worked as planned and effortlessly negotiated round some minor inconveniences with the weather. The itinerary itself was perfectly assembled to give an authentic picture of the huge variety of culture and wildlife in Southern Africa.
Emails were responded to seemingly immediately, with detail and comfort-providing clarity.
Kate and Darren's passion for travel and for Africa, their attention to detail and faultless communication, means that we are delighted to recommend them and their company and to offer the highest rating possible.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Fantastic
Our Safari was well planned and structured. From the pickup in the morning, the drive to the park and stops to the park for viewing and sightseeing. Our driver constantly communicated with us and suggested ideas based on our needs and what we hoped to accomplish. We managed to view all the animals that we wanted to see and we were accommodated at every step during the safari. Our driver/guide was easygoing and went out of his way to ensure that we were comfortable and satisfied with our game drives.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
We had a fabulous time in Serengeti and Ngorongoro and Manyara
The communication from Hamadi was prompt. Our guides Shaffie and Muta were very knowledgeable and found some incredible animals and birds for us!
I would highly recommend Hamadi and his company to my friends traveling to Africa.
FI
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
4 days Gorilla safari
I cant say much on our previous safari but but how amazingly Brian is at his job he organized everything as stated in the our itinerary and he was very punctual in picking us up at the airport we stayed in a very nice hotel in kampala later the following morning drove to bwindi forest for the gorillas passing through beautiful highlands of the country Uganda is so beautiful and the people are so friendly we don't think this was going to be much fun. we tracked the gorillas in bwindi and these were so good we saw the young ones play as well and they were the best highlight of the safari our lodges were so good even depending on the amount we paid goexplore we never expected this kind of services but everything went well as we were on our safari thank you so much Brian for the great gorilla holiday me and my wife shall definitely recommend you to colleagues
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unforgettable trip adventure!
Bernard of Africa Anziza Odysseys is simple the best! From pre-planning until the last day of the trip, he was always there to help and in contact (even went out of his way to tour us around Kampala even late at night). He was easy to work with in planning our trip and had many suggestions and recommendations for us to have a unique experience. He was very organized and everything was well thought of. On our last day, despite being a LONG day, he still accommodated and prepared an excellent dinner for me and my friends at his home.
Sam, our driver and guide, was excellent as well. When I got sick during the trip, he made sure I will be alright and ready for the Gorilla Trek (the highlight of the trip!).
We can’t wait to plan our next trip with them.
Thank you again to the Bernard and his staff!
Experience level: over 5 safaris
Designed a perfect schedule to fit our itinerary and in two days saw masses of animals.
Excellent. Our guide was experienced and brilliant at locating and then spotting animals no matter how well camouflaged.