US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
This company stole $2,900 USD of my money! DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!!!!
I am one of many people who trusted ISIA last year. I wired $2,900 USD to the company a year in advance. Four months before I was to leave, I received an email that my safari was being cancelled because the company was going bankrupt. The money was never returned. A group of us set up a page on Facebook. Some of the clients lost much more than I did to these dishonest operators. You can search for our stories on Facebook under 'It Started In Africa Client Group.'
Please contact me if you have any questions about what happened to me and others. I am happy to share my story with you. Please do not book with this company.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceptional Tours and Service!
It was absolutely amazing from when I first step foot in Uganda until the very end. Justus and Moses took great care of me, from answering any and all questions through email prior to me getting there, to the beautiful and picturesque drive from Entebbe to Bwindi and everything in between. This is hands down my favorite trip and tour to see those magnificent gorillas in their own habitat in the incomparable Uganda. Everyone was so kind, knowledgeable and accommodating I couldn’t ask for anything more. It is a trip of a lifetime and if your on the fence about it just go.
PK
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Ticket booking
The booking was fast.... The representative was responsive... I trusted him wth my money jus by talking to him...wl do business with them again
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing five days safari and four days in Zanzibar holiday
An excellent and memorable experience - we did five days of Safari with Jeff, who was an amazing guide - very knowledgeable and friendly. We went to Manyara park, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire park. We saw lots of animals, many up close - thanks to Jeff's excellent knowledge and ability to spot things from far away!
We contacted Dusty Roads in October to make a booking and they were very responsive and accommodating of our plans to give us a bespoke holiday plan. The itinerary they prepared was very well thought through and organised, and each of the lodges we stayed at were very good, as was the Zanzibar accommodation. The booking and payment process was very straightforward. The overall trip combining safari and Zanzibar was also much better value for money than other safari tour operators we contacted.
We would confidently recommend Dusty Roads to our friends and hopefully will also come back some day again!
JP
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Kenya with great guide!
It was really amazing trip!
Our guide, Danson, arranged a great trip for us. This trip has made me happy.
I become fond of Kenya.
Especially the experience of riding a balloon was so exciting for me. I could see very beautiful landscape from sky.
My husband promised me forever love on the balloon.
I will never forget that.
Danson is always very kind for us.
Since he speaks Japanese, I felt safety and enjoyed.
He made and presented us misanga, which is a lucky bracelet knitted by strings. I was very happy about his feelings.
He sometimes taught me Swahili. Thus, I get interested in Swahili.
I strongly recommend Savannah Sound Safaris, when you go Kenya. I want to go Kenya again.
Thank you for the great trip, Savannah Sound Safaris. Thank you for everything, Danson.
JP
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
My first trip to Kenya.
It was first trip to Kenya, and the best travel ever.
I love to take photos.
I wanted to take photos of wild life.
I made my dream come true through this trip!
I was able to take a lot of great photos.
Our friendly guide, Danson, made our trip amazing.
He knows safari very well and find great spots where we can take amazing photos.
I had been surprised that Danson took me great spots where I can see cute lion babies, cool lions, beautiful cheetah, breathtaking landscape and so on.
I had never imagined that there is such a beautiful place in the world.
Danson arranged our trip to really wonderful.
He must be a master of animals of Kenya.
In addition, he kindly and politely guided us in Japanese.
So, there is nothing to worry about anything.
I would like to go Kenya again soon.
Thank you for everything, Danson and Savannah Sound Safaris.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unforgettable experience !!
Ilse organized our personalized trip to Uganda, DR Congo and Rwanda and that was not the easiest thing to do!
This trip exceeded my expectations and I have already recommended this company to my friends.
Every day of our trip was wonderful!
We manage to see Big Five in one day ( I recommended to visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary).
Murchison Falls National Park is beautiful with abundance of wildlife and birds ( strongly advice to to go on river cruise and hike waterfalls).
We did gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park, experience that I will remember for a very long time!
If I have to say what made biggest impression and impact on me, that was part of our tour in DR Congo.
This is so beautiful but yet so deeply wounded country.
Virunga National Park is magical place , not only because of wildlife, but mainly because of dedication and hard work of rangers and park management in order to preserve park and support local communities.
Part of our group hike Mount Nyiragongo ( for very fit only ) and that was very unique experience.
Our tour guide Richard was very knowledgeable , friendly and very professional , thanks to him our trip was safe and funny and very interesting!
Overall we had trip of our life and thank you again Ilse, Richard and Matoke Tours!
PS
I will be back one day!
CH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Mercury Zanzibar was a reliable tour operator, even thow there were some changes in the program.
We were picked up on time as prearranged in Dar es Salam. We felt always secure due to our very experienced driver, who was a knowledgeable safari guide. His english was quite basic, but over all sufficient. Accommodations were simple, but clean and for the price absolutely o.k. Unfortunately there was a lot of rain in January, what didn't allow us to drive the intended route due to a flooded road. We had to face a very long drive back to Dar es Salam and the next day to Mikumi. But everything was organized and we were housed in a good hotel. The really ennoying thing was, that for the last day our guide did not know that we were supposed to go to Udzungwa. So I recommend to check the program the first day of the trip with the guide. After some discussions and bargaining we found a good deal with Ndamungu from Mercury Zanzibar Travel for a compensation. All over it was a good experience with great game drives and due to the long drives we we saw a lot of the country.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A fantastic experience with a local friendly company who really delivered beyond our expectations
The wildlife was fantastic and we saw the big five as well as many other animals alongside an exceptional range of birdlife and beautiful natural settings. The weather was perfect for us too.
The accommodation at Kudu Lodge, Rhino Lodge and Osopuko Tented Camp was delightful. Each of these places was very different in character but we really enjoyed our stay in each of them. Not only was the accommodation lovely, but the staff were, without exception, helpful and friendly. The food throughout was of a really good quality and all packed lunches substantial and much appreciated.
The first night at the hotel in Arusha was disappointing in that it was rather tired and basic and the bedroom and shower were, to be honest, not a great start to the trip. Having said that, the food there was good.
The hotel at Lake Eyasi was also fine, but if I am being picky, I would say that we had probably the longest time there to relax of any of the places we stayed, yet there was the least to do. The wifi was very poor and the pool, which we did use later on the afternoon for a quick swim, had no shade available and it was too hot to use the poolside loungers without umbrella protection. This as a shame as we would have been delighted to spend the afternoon by the pool. Also there were mosquitos in abundance so we didn't hang around the dining area in the evening. However, the staff were good and the food was fine.
The visits to the two different local communities and the lakeside visit were enjoyable and made particularly so by the great local guide Thomas.
The final day visit to Manyara NP was perhaps an anti climax as it was the least spectacular of the parks we visited and it felt rather in hindsight that if we had visited there before the other places we would have enjoyed what it had to offer more.
If we were to visit again, which I do hope we will at some point in the future, we would revisit Serengeti, Ngorogoro and Tarangire but probably not Manyara nor Lake Eyasi.
The vehicle was fine and what we expected and stood up to the terrain well.
Our driver and guide Anderson was very friendly and we were well looked after by him. The vehicle was always ready, clean and tidy with water and packed lunches all stowed away for prompt starts to each of the day's adventures.
He was able to drive us confidently between and inside the parks and gave us an overview of where we were and what we may see. He was good at spotting animals and helped us 'get our eye in' in the first few days. It was also nice having his company at mealtimes and I think we all felt comfortable with each other and there was plenty of laughing during the trip.
I think that Anderson does lack some in depth knowledge of animal characteristics and behaviour and I personally would have welcomed more 'commentary' about the way the animals live their lives etc while we were driving around - perhaps that will come with more experience. Having said that, we really did like Anderson and he did contribute to what was for both of us an unforgettable experience.
The liaison with Amos at the company office via email from the start, was the principal reason we picked the company. He got back promptly and helpfully to all my questions and inspired great confidence - a confidence which was definitely well placed.
As you know, there is a huge range of options out there on the web for the potential visitor, and having the overall umbrella of the Safari Bookings.com portal made me confident to explore companies within it. The company's offer and their responsiveness then stood out for me which made choosing to book with them an easy choice. Their price was reasonable and, I believe, pitched right for what they delivered and indeed the quality of the food and accommodation in most respects exceeded our expectations.
I definitely recommend this company.
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing once-in-a-lifetime experience made even better by an extremely knowledgeable guide!
This safari with Lion King Safaris was so much better than my wife and I could have imagined. The level of knowledge of our guide, Good Luck, made our safari an unforgettable experience. His attention to detail and explanation of the interactions between the wildlife, indigenous peoples and their dependencies on the changing climate made for a complete understanding and appreciation of these beautiful wildlife preserves. We could not be more pleased with our safari with Lion King!
