US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Company did ok but guide was disappointing
I communicated via email with Benson on a 1-week itinerary for me and my 3 children and he presented a comprehensive mid-range safari package in a timely manner. Everything went well until we started out with our private guide. Logistics were smooth with one exception that was clarified with a quick call to Benson. Otherwise, the guide was obviously more interested in chatting with others on his 2 cell phones and car CB than in providing information to us, his clients. Some of the communication was between guides sharing animal sightings in the area and there was no shortage of those the guide pursued but there was more than one case of me seeing an animal in a place that required backing up and the guide disregarded my request. This was my 3rd time on a guided safari but my childrens’ first and they missed out on so much, even with my advocacy. I prompted the guide several times to provide information - differences in species, etc. - and answers were one or two sentences at best. It got to the point at one meal where, after loudly reminding my daughter that using electronics during dinner was rude and unacceptable, I had to ask him to put his cell phone away minutes later. He never asked what kind of animals we were interested in, never pulled out a field guide, and offered very little personal insight. I felt like my family was a load to be transferred between locations rather than a family who had crossed half the globe to appreciate his homeland. We met other Benson guides who showed far more interest in their jobs (and us) so I think we got the guy who’d grown tired/bored after 15 years of guiding. One other minor thing: Benson claimed he would come by to meet us which he never did. The week was good in the sense that the animals are everywhere in the parks, camps and food were good and we didn’t have any catastrophes but I know the trip would’ve been MUCH better with a different guide.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
we went on a 6 day 5 night safari in Tanzania ( 3 national parks) all arranged through Wildebeest
We had an excellent experience with Mr. Noah Kuti and Wildebeest Safari. The communication was very good prior to the safari. The guide Mr. Hamza was very knowledgeable about the wildlife and was also a very good driver. I paid up in full in advance and was a little worried as I had never dealt with this company before. We visited Ngorongor Crater, Serengeti national park and Manyara National park over 6 days. However I was very pleased with the entire trip. Accommodations at the Serena Lodges in each of the national parks was excellent. Food was very good. We were able to customize each day to our liking. We traveled about 1500 kilometers off road over 6 days !! We got to see amazing wildlife up close. I would recommend this company without hesitation. If there is one thing that I could ask for, then I would ask for a newer safari jeep with better shock absorbers !! The entire safari was reasonably priced and well worth every penny we spent !
We are a family of 4 living in the US. We are in our 40's and our two kids are teenagers.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Two Countries, Two Safari Guides, Thousands of Animals!
The selection process started about 10 months before our trip. After the initial quote from Noah, we had to adjust it a few times to match our flights and the overall schedule. The process was fairly easy and Noah, at Wildebeest Safaris, was very accommodating.
In Kenya, our guide Dennis was very experienced at finding animals, and getting us as close as possible to the various game we found while on safari. While in Tanzania, Hamza took over as our guide and was extremely knowledgeable when it came to the different kinds of birds and game we saw. Both guides made an effort to find the animals that we wanted to see, and make the game drive - whether it be an early/late game drive, or a whole day adventure - as pleasant as possible for everyone. Again, both guides were GREAT!
Throughout our safari, we stayed in many different kinds of accommodations. In Masaai Mara, we stayed in an up-scale tented camp, with our own personal bungalows and a main lodge where we had our meals. In the Serengeti we stayed in a typical bush camp, with true tents for our room that did not lack modern amenities such as running water and electricity. In both the Ngorongoro Crater and Amboseli National Park, we stayed at a Serena Lodge, the most luxurious accommodations of the trip. All of our lodging had very friendly and accommodating staff, with good food and lots of amenities for guests.
My only complaint would be the safari Land Cruiser in Tanzania, which was not the extended model and gave us barely enough room for all the luggage for our family of four. The extended version was in Kenya was much more spacious.
Our family had an exceptional trip thanks to Wildebeest and our two guides, Dennis and Hamza.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
These guys know what the customer needs very well
Safari is a once in a lifetime opportunity for many and I am no exception. Hekima understood that and brought back the National Geographic kid back to life with an extravagant safari experience. Our tour guide Jumma is a very experienced guide with hawk eyes, who made sure we spot the big five and also rare to spot honeybadger and the Karakal. I will suggest you all to give Hekima a try, as these guys are doing a wonderful job as a start up and bring Tanzanian tourism on the global map.
UA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Exellent service by Gecko safaris.
Our 7-day safari with Gecko safari was the absolute highlight of our time in Uganda and Rwanda! Jessy's passion for the animals and the park were felt at every turn - he's been guiding safaris for 14 years and was still just as excited as we were to find the animals and explore the park! We had Sam as our guide the last day of our tour and he was also fantastic - both incredibly knowledgeable and did all they could to show us a great trip filled with animals and beautiful views . Gecko safaris is highly recommended for any tour in Uganda,Rwanda, Tanzania and Kenya.
NO
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Experience with an Amazing Crew!
The staff at Hekima - right from Elieza, Jackson, Juma, Michael and others, always went the extra mile to ensure nothing short of an incredible safari experience. We were a group of 6 guys and all our needs (including varying dietary requirements) were taken care of. I would also suggest a stay at Hekima House before and after the safari.
Special credit to Juma, who was our driver as well as guide for the 5 days. He had extremely sharp eyes that could spot a honey badger a mile out in the grassland. He took extra efforts to allow us to see the Great Migration that had drifted off farther than the normal safari routes. Add to this his impressive knowledge of the various wild animals and his excellent sense of humor, we really couldn't have asked for a better guide!
Hekima will ensure that extra "personal touch" to your experience. You will end up making friends for life. Highly recommended!
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great experience of the trip with Giltedge
Giltedge provided a great service for this trip. Thanks to them we had a great experience and enjoyment. Especially the agent we worked with, Sybille, she had great customer focus, communication skills, problem solving skills, and follow up. She customized the trip that met our goal and expectation. Everything was arranged in a seamless way. We enjoyed the stay at Victoria Falls, and we saw all big fives plus much more while in the safari game reserve.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The perfect experience capturing wildlife, ecosystems and the heart and soul of Southern Africa
From our first email correspondence with Juliane, it was obvious that she was open to our suggestions about what we wanted to plan for our trip and she made every effort to bring our plans to fruition. She offered options and strong suggestions when she felt we may have been veering slightly off of the best course and everything that she planned was fabulous, far exceeding our expectations!
She kept us up-to-date with any changes necessary and was very forthcoming with price changes. Her love and knowledge of southern Africa and all of the beauty it has to offer was obvious! And once we were in Africa, she was ever available when we had questions. She even met us before we left and was there at the airport as we returned from the bush. A professional but more importantly, a lovely woman who runs a wonderful company! We feel it’s very helpful to have a travel agent living and working in southern Africa who understands the politics and weather issues that can arise should any last minute changes be necessary. She truly had our best interest, safety and joy in mind!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing trip, flawlessly executed, great guide and highly recommended!
I spent about 2 days reading the reviews, narrowed down Earthlife Expeditions based on that and don't regret my decision even a bit. Deo customized our trip based on our needs. Junior was our driver + guide and he did not disappoint. First day, our Land cruiser had a small issue and Junior stayed up at night to ensure it was fixed and we would have a smooth trip. We were traveling with a 6 year old child and were very nervous. Our son was even sick for about 2 days but Junior ensured that our trip was uninterrupted and we could still cover everything. He was very caring, made sure we ate well, stopped frequently and ensured we had a good time. Now about wildlife, we saw some unique things (that included animals in action - Lions mating, Leopards mating and Cheetah chasing gazelle). Big 5 was easy given Junior's local knowledge and sharp attention. We saw 40+ lions and all the other animals that we hope to see which was amazing. We were not rushed at any point and he helped us click some of the best pictures. We felt completely at home with all the care and attention. The fond memories will stay with us for the lifetime. We already miss Junior who became family to us and the trip memories will stay with us for the lifetime. Deo arranged Next Paradise, car and driver in Zanzibar after the safari where we were able to have a very relaxing beach experience. We highly recommend Earthlife and would not hesitate planning the trip even with young kids!!
PK
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Every thing was out class & Excellent
communication was perfect and service was Awesome.