SE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Gorilla trekking and safari in Uganda
We spent 13 days in Uganda and 3 days in Rwanda doing safari, chimpanzee trekking, gorilla trekking, bird watching and cultural tours and visits, all with the travel agency Home To Africa.
We have previously visited Tanzania for a safari trip. Although the safari parks of Uganda are not of the same vast size as those in Tanzania, the low number of tourists in Uganda made our visit feel like a VIP tour. We spotted many animals, including all of the big five. The Ziwa rhino sanctuary is currently working on reintroducing white rhino to the national parks of Uganda. Here we got to get up-close on foot with a number of rhinos.
Our driver and guide Sam was extremely knowledgeable about the parks we visited and the animals living there. He also told us a lot about the history of Uganda and the culture of people living in different parts of the country. We had a great time together, and we really felt that he did his very best to give us an unforgettable holiday.
The highlight of the trip was the gorilla trekking in Bwindi NP. It was an amazing experience visiting a gorilla family in their natural habitat. We got to spend one hour watching them eat and interact with each other, before we had to head back to the civilization.
Uganda is also a great travel destination for birding. We photographed a number of exotic birds during our visit.
We were positively surprised by the quality of the food, which was excellent at all hotels we stayed at. We enjoyed a mix of local dishes and traditional tourist dishes. The hotels that Home To Africa recomended were all amazing boutique inspirerande lodges.
Overall, we are very happy with our trip and we recommend Uganda as an excellent travel destination off the beaten track. Home To Africa made it possible for us to see different aspects of this beautiful country!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Truly amazing experience
We booked a 3 night 4 day safari which started in Tarangire, then through the Serengeti and ending up in Ngorongoro Crater - it was a budget camping safari. The safari itself was amazing, would 100% recommend. The camping was certainly an experience we won’t forgot, being woke up in the night by howling hyenas and grazing buffalo. We saw every animal and bird imaginable, including all the big five, and even got to visit a Masai village. Seth the tour operator was helpful, he organised the trip, he responded to all emails quickly. Seth is an agent and it will be a different company that you will have the actual safari with but this isn’t a problem. We went with big five voyager - our guide and chef were great! The balance we paid on the morning of the safari was 150 usd more than what Seth said it would be however we didn’t really mind as we still paid under the market rate for this type of safari. Wouldn’t hesitate to use Seth again. All in all great experience.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
I would give more than five stars if I could!
I have been to a few African safaris but my trip to Zambia was THE TRIP OF MY LIFETIME! Stacy, Ami and the whole Dazzle Africa team were the dream team to bring you a dream trip to Africa. Everything exceeded my expectation – from the spectacular accommodations at Mfuwe Lodge and the bushcamps, some of the best cuisines I have ever had, knowledgeable safari guides, to the unforgettable stargazing experience in the African savannah. I will never forget seeing African wild dogs, a critically endangered species. Highlights of my trip were numerous. We visited local wildlife conservation organizations, a secondary school and a village where we interacted with local people, experienced genuine African warmth and hospitality. I am most impressed by Dazzle Africa’s giving back projects that make a positive difference for the wildlife and local communities. You can find tens of thousands of safari tours at any given day across the African continent but not many are as committed to the philanthropic cause as Dazzle Africa. Safari with a purpose is what sets Dazzle Africa apart.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Highly professional operator with a heart for wildlife conservation
I am a repeat customer of Paul and have gone on safaris arranged by Paul a few times by now. I have different needs and requirement every time due to my budget, length of stay and other factors. Paul was patient and able to accommodate my requests every single time without any hassle. My husband and I visited the northern circuit and it was my husband's first safari. The package that Paul put together was the highlight of our life. Paul has years of experiences and wealth of knowledge on African wildlife and best safari destinations. What impresses me most is that while he is a safari tour operator by trade, he has a heart for wildlife conservation - as evidenced in his incredible wildlife photos on his social media platforms and his highly informative newsletters.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great time. Reasonably priced.
Rajab was very responsive to all my inquires. I scheduled a two day trip for Kilimanjaro. When I asked about sleeping accommodations he sent pictures. Other companies offered the same trip at much higher prices. Adam, our driver, picked us up near the Kilimanjaro airport. Adam (same name ) our guide for the hike was great. Maximus, our cook, prepared excellent and delicious food. I highly recommend the two day trip over the one day. If you do the one day be prepared not to see Kilimanjaro. I have already recommended Rajatours to a friend.
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Splendido Safari
In January I was with my family in Tanzania to spend a couple of weeks between Safari and the sea (Zanzibar). For the Safari, after a long search and selection of local agencies, I have chosen the AAA Express Adventure and I must say I did very well. The manager of the agency Jalala proved immediately helpful and competent, he patiently answered all my (many) questions before leaving and when we arrived he went out of his way to make this travel experience unique. I also might appreciate his organizational skills during a small mistake regarding a booking, solving the problem in a timely and smart way. Finally, I can only conclude this brief review by thanking our driver Emily who accompanied us throughout the Safari and who, with his experience and professionalism, has allowed us to live a dream. Thanks again Jalala !!!
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Peter designed the perfect custom tour of Kenya and Tanzania for my family: Trip of a lifetime!
We worked with Peter to design a 10-day tour of 3 parks each in Kenya and Tanzania in late Oct / early Nov 2018. He helped select just the right type of camps and lodges that fitted our restricted budget and made us feel like we were living royally. All of the accommodations' staffs were welcoming, attentive and kind. Most of the food was buffet-style which enabled all of us to find things we liked to eat. Both of our drivers took great care of us -- especially at the border crossing from Kenya into Tanzania -- and communicated with other drivers to ensure we saw the best of the wildlife in each of the game reserves. For us it was a trip of a lifetime and I'm so very glad that we worked with Africa Flash McTours.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great 2 week Safari with a super Guide, Livingston kept us informed of every detail and answered !
Everything was great during an almost year long planning process to the very end. Communication was perfect and the Safari spectacular and varied.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful 2-week Tour!
Two of us took an incredible 2 week vacation in Kenya and Tanzania in January. We started planning this trip 16 months ago. The first company we booked with turned sour, but luckily gave us a full refund. Upon excellent reviews on TripAdvisor, we ended up then booking with Amazing Memories Safaris and what a great decision that was. Anne (general manager) was great to work with, answering my emails & questions and planning out & booking our trip. We were on a budget, so we needed a mid-range priced tour and Anne delivered. We were impressed with the camps and lodges we stayed at; most were 3.5–4 Star ratings. Not super fancy, but they were surprisingly comfortable and enjoyable. The autos we traveled in weren’t new or perfect, but they got us through the mud and we LOVED the pop-up roofs for viewing.
We visited Samburu, Ol Pejeta, Lake Nakuru, Naivasha, Masai Mara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro & Amboseli. Can't really say what our favorite park was as they all were unique and wonderful. Our driver/guide in Kenya was Joseph; with 20 years experience he was such a great asset and really made for an excellent tour experience. It was uncanny how he could spot the animals, network with other drivers, and was just simply a friendly, thoughtful and pleasant person to be around. We happily invited him to share a few meals with us, just to spend more time with him and hear of his life, tour experiences and Kenya.
In Tanzania, we were turned over to a partner company called Migada Adventures Tours & Safaris. (Evidently Kenya drivers can’t do Tanzania, and visa versa). Donald was our driver for 3 days; a good driver. Again, Anne coordinated all this for us, and going through immigrations/visa at the border, going and coming, was easy and simple.
The only negative issue we had (and it wasn't really their fault, I guess) was when we arrived into Nairobi at 10pm on a Sunday night, there were only 4 Kenya immigration/visa agents processing all the passengers on our Boeing 747 plane. It took us 2.5 hours to be processed and there was still more passengers behind us that waited longer. Not smart on Kenya’s part. Our driver, waiting for us, left… guess they figured we missed our flight. We had to take a taxi to our hotel. Amazing Memories apologized and refunded to me the money I spend for the taxi. But beyond that issue... our tour was WONDERFUL and was truly a trip of a lifetime.
We highly recommend Amazing Memories Safaris and would choose them again for tours in East Africa.
Now, if interested… some tips for fellow travelers, from our 2-week tour experience:
1. Take lots of new or newer USD for tipping, Visa’s, village visits & drinks at camps. We took about $1200; part of which was $200 in new $1 bills and they really came in handy tipping porters, housekeeping, waiters and security people. We found out that tips left in ‘camp tip boxes’ don’t always trickle down to staff. Staff genuinely appreciated the personal tips. Most camps & roadside shops, took Visa/MC, but not all. We did withdraw $200 in Kenya Shillings from ATM – probably only needed $100.
2. Tipping: We followed Anne’s advice of tipping $10 to $20 USD per day per person to our driver/guide and $10 USD per day per room to Camp Tip Box.
3. After reading lots of blogs on the internet on what clothes to take on safari (i.e. only beige colors; no black, white, blue, camo, bright colors), our experience was that it really didn’t matter… take & wear what you have and are comfortable in. Don’t go out and buy a whole new wardrobe. You will see people wearing everything. In warmer parks… we wore shorts and tank tops, comfortably. We found our converted zip-off pants to shorts, invaluable.
4. It sounds like "high season" is July-Sept, when the Migration happens. Yes, we missed that, but we are so happy we went in "low season" as the large crowds in the parks were gone, temperatures were comfortable, hardly any bugs, and in two of the camps... we were the only ones there. Very personal service & memorable.
5. We really didn’t need it, since we didn’t see many bugs… but before we left for Africa, I treated our shirts, pants & shorts with Sawyer Insect Repellent; just spray on and let dry. Our Friends that do a lot of traveling swear by it for controlling bugs.
6. Ahead of the tour, we were a little concerned about the food we would eat in East Africa. Don’t worry… Lot’s of great food at camps and lodges and we never went hungry. Lot’s of rice.
7. Wi-Fi was spotty or non-existence at most lodges and camps we went to. Don’t expect to rely on it.
8. Expect some long days, riding many hours on dirt, dusty & bumpy roads. We found the roads in Tanzania are better than in Kenya. I wear contacts so can’t tolerate dust. I took with me some compact padded motorcycle goggles (Global Vision Aerodynamic Eyewear) and they really saved me a couple of days in avoiding the dust.
9. Last comment-Our opinion: You will spend a lot of money for a trip like this. You will enjoy your vacation in Africa more if you go with the right attitude. Not everything will be perfect. Don’t be demanding. Just go with the flow and you will then be pleasantly surprised and appreciate the African experience more.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great way to travel with kids!!
We travelled around Tanzania (4 adults, 3 kids) with Let’s view Tanzania. We had our own tour which we planned, 4WD Toyota Land cruisers at each Trip of call at our disposal, an English speaking guide when we went to tourist attractions, great food ordered in advance (they catered well for the kids). Overall it was an easy holiday!