US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Without Arrow Trekking I wouldn't have made it to Summit
Arrow Trekking was a great company to choose. They offer competitive pricing for their services, and pay great attention to detail while we were on the Trek. At each camp everything was already set up for me when I arrived, and the Porters were very friendly and supportive. They greeted me each time with a big smile and made sure that I had everything I needed. The food was delicious, and they always made sure I had enough water and snacks to keep me going throughout the day. Isaack was a great guide as well. He explained to me the different terrains we were going through, and constantly monitored how I was feeling in order for me to have the best experience possible.
US
Without Arrow Trekking I wouldn't have made it up to the Summit
Arrow Trekking was a great company to choose. They offer competitive pricing for their services, and pay great attention to detail while we were on the Trek. At each camp everything was already set up for me when I arrived, and the Porters were very friendly and supportive. They greeted me each time with a big smile and made sure that I had everything I needed. The food was delicious, and they always made sure I had enough water and snacks to keep me going throughout the day. Isaack was a great guide as well. He explained to me the different terrains we were going through, and constantly monitored how I was feeling in order for me to have the best experience possible.
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Absolutely incredible
GoExplore Safaris was absolutely incredible, even from the initial communication. They were prompt in responses were willing to change things time and time again while we were deciding what to do. They were patient and were very caring with best recommendations. My own 2 favorite parts of the trip were the things they recommended that I did not even know about and our driver Chris was so well versed with the entire place making us feel very safe
The trip started with Chris (our guide) picking us up from the Airport He was friendly and on-time and we really enjoyed our time with him. He was interested in getting to know us and was always giving us great information on the things we saw. He kept us fed and was really a lot of fun!
GoExplore Safaris recommended us we do the Chimpanzee sanctuary in Budongo Forest as well as the Rhino sanctuary in Ziwa. Both were absolutely incredible on foot up close experiences that I will never forget. They were incredible neat locations and both had a good cause worth our support. Please if you would like to go to Uganda don’t look further just contact Brian of GoExplore he has firsthand information regarding planning tours around Uganda we surely will recommend you to our friends wanting to travel to Uganda.
AT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent organisation!
Thanks for all. We had a great and perfect time and perfect meals (Amos is a really great cook) in Gombe N.P. with Gombe Track Safari.
For our walking safaris we had an excellent guide!!
Many thanks to Joshua for his organisation.
CL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great experience!
I took a 5 days safari with Meru Slopes and I had a great experience. Since the first minute I was able to talk with Meru Slopes' operator, who kindly answered all my questions. The tour it self worked perfectly: they picked me up in the airport and did everything that was planned as it was described in the itinerary. The operator, guide and cooker was very kind with me and I always felt safe. The tour it self was more that what I expected! We saw the big five and we were able to get very very close to the animals and to enjoy the great sorroundings. Additionally, I left my kindle in the safari car and they sent it to me to other city. I really aprecciate it! Great people and tour!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
It was the best tour operator we have known.
The safari was really well organized. We enjoyed the time spent with our Driver. Thanks to Stephen, the Manager of the tour became who made our trip unforgettable. We kept in touch until now.
CL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing, they did a good job sharing about the culture of the locals!
Well organised team and were available for feedback and queries about the whole trip.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We had an excellent safari guide who was extremely knowledgeable.
Communications were clear and very useful. We were very well informed before the trip and the level of expertise provided by our guide was excellent.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Peniel and his team are fantastic - don't use anyone else.
My wife and I, both of whom are Kenyan citizens living in the UK, were keen to climb Mount Meru (as my wife tried Kilimanjaro a few years ago but suffered from severe altitude sickness). We emailed in excess of 60 different tour operators and their responses fell into one of two categories: either they simply ignored us and failed to reply, or they quoted us a truly astronomic price. Peniel was the sole exception in both regards. Not only did he get back to me (and respond to each of my subsequent emails) immediately, but he also offered the most economical quote, and even notified me of a discount we would be eligible to by virtue of our East African citizenship (reduced national park entry fees). Furthermore, despite problems paying in advance by bank transfer, Peniel made an exception for us and was happy to accept cash the night before we were due to set off!
Although I was initially apprehensive to engage with the cheapest tour operator, fearing that this would also reflect in a lower quality of service, I can safely say not only that none of my fears were borne out, but that we received a far superior service than that offered by other tour operators (which I know from bumping into other trekkers on our hike, see below).
I couldn't possibly provide a review of our trip without also mentioning Aloyce Manyanga, the mountain guide working for Peniel, and his team. Aloyce was phenomenal and without him neither me nor my wife would have reached the summit. On the second day my knee gave way and Aloyce lent me his personal walking sticks and gave me some of his painkiller medication. The mountain ranger told Aloyce that I wouldn't be able to make it to the summit, and advised him not to take me, but Aloyce knew how much the trip meant to me and after assessing me (and massaging my knee with hot water and salt that night) said he was determined to get me to the top, as long as I was happy to continue.
On the night before we were due to set off for the summit, Aloyce checked our clothing and equipment to make sure it was suitable. As my wife was missing a suitable torch, he gave her his personal one and made do without. Owing to my impaired knee and my wife's altitude sickness, he insisted on carrying all of our food and water, and employed another member of his team to assist us. Needless to say, because of his assistance and generosity, we made it to the top.
On the climb itself we were with another couple who had engaged an expensive tour operator. Not only did their guide make anything other than a rare appearance, leaving the fellow trekkers with only the mountain ranger most of the time, but their guide also seemed woefully unaware of the path to follow up the mountain (which is not ideal considering the final stretch is the steepest and is undertaken in the darkness of night!). They later learned that in fact this was the first time their head guide was climbing the mountain! Luckily for them, they started on the same day as us - and Aloyce has a very big heart so made sure they reached the summit too.
The food we received each day was more than we could consume, and it's quality was comparable to a restaurant. Peniel has a background in hospitality and client service which clearly influences the way he conducts himself and his business. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Peniel, and would definitely use him again in future (which, if all goes to plan, will be in the next 12 months!).
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Exactly what I was looking for!
Over the past 20 years, I have been on safari a few times and had the opportunity to take my wife for her very first safari in November 2017. I wanted her to experience a diversity of landscapes throughout the greater Kruger area, as well as have the fun of tented camps. I found Tailor Made Safaris after looking around a bit -- and though most of their feedback was from European travelers -- I decided they had the right mix of what I was looking for. And, they did not disappoint in any way. EVERY bit of our journey was well coordinated, very professional, and exactly as described on their website. The camps and itinerary greatly exceeded my expectations. The staff was also very, very helpful when a postal error resulted in us not receiving our tour book in time. They quite literally printed one off and had it waiting for me at our hotel in Jo'burg. Speaking of which, the tour book is a GREAT thing to have. It was very helpful and all the tips were spot on. We won't hesitate to use TMS again!