Clients Trip Reports: Jan – Mar 2024

East + Southern Africa

Flying Safari to East Africa

Hi Kyle,

Once again we had a great trip.

In Nairobi, Eden was a perfect travel recovery stop. Quiet and peaceful. We enjoyed our day of touring especially the elephant orphanage and the giraffe sanctuary. The bead factory was interesting as was the Karen Blixen house and history.

Tortilis Camp and Amboseli National Park were great. The camp has a friendly staff, great views of Kilimanjaro and a nice pool for hot February afternoons. We enjoyed our game drives with our guide Solomon and seeing the huge tuskers in Amboseli. The park was the most crowded we visited, but not bad compared to peak season.

We loved Sirikoi in the Lewa Conservancy. The Laikipia area is beautiful and it was great seeing rhinos. We had some great game drives as well as a morning walk…Our guide Ngila was very knowledgeable and friendly. Dining was great. We enjoyed the pre-dinner campfire. Food was fresh and healthy and delicious.

Sasaab was a very beautiful lodge. Our rooms were quite spacious and the plunge pool welcome on hot afternoons. We enjoyed evening drives along the river near the camp and spent a day in the Sambura Reserve which was not crowded. We had some very close encounters with elephants there and saw a variety of other wildlife. We also had a lovely morning walk along the river. On our last night there was a barbecue with traditional food for all the lodge guests. It was fun visiting with the other guests and sharing experiences. We also enjoyed the Sambura women dancing and including Sherri and me. Our guide Sammi was very attentive.

Mara Nyika is a very nice camp. It is a little fancier than the Great Plains camp we stayed at in Botswana – Duba Explorers, but also very friendly. The rooms are spacious, but it is the many perfect details that set it apart. Easy to use lighting and ample his and her storage for those couples who don’t want to be in each other’s way. The food was excellent and we really enjoyed a bush breakfast and sundowners served from the camp food truck/ bar. Our major activity was game drives and they were very productive with plains game and young cats – leopards, lions and cheetahs. Our guide Steve was very knowledgeable and had a great sense of humor. He was great at getting in a good position for photographs. It was fun trying out the canon cameras that they had in each room.

We are glad we got to add Kenya to our list of visited countries. Although some of the stops were a little hot in the afternoon, pools helped and the evening was cool. The greenery and occasional clouds made for great photos and the lack of crowds and crowd control in the conservancies with vehicles limited at sightings was a plus. Fencing around the camps was a new experience. At Sirikoi it was only designed to keep elephants out of the acacia forests, but it made it seem less natural.

Our transfer to Tanzania went well and our overnight at Arusha Coffee Lodge was pleasant and comfortable.
Sanctuary Kichakani, in the Serengeti, is a great traditional tented camp. The tents are comfortable with a great porch for sitting and warm buckets showers which were an adventure. We had amazing game drives with the migration quite close. It’s an amazing sight seeing the large herds of wildebeest and zebras on the southern plains and all of the green grass. Our guide Emmanuel was very good. The camp staff was friendly and there were great sunset views from the main camp area and fire pit. The tse tse flies weren’t bad.

The Grumeti Reserve and western Serengeti are a very beautiful area. The two Singita facilities we stayed at were beautiful – Faru Faru and Sabora Tented Camp. The dining experience and flexibility were appreciated. We had the same guide, Jimmy for all 5 days which was really nice. Of all our guides, I think he had the most knowledge of animal behavior. He was also attentive to David’s interest in birds. We had some great sightings including leopard, lion, cheetah, a caracal, herds of gazelle and impala, topi, lions in trees, spiders and a leopard tortoise and multiple birds and elephants…

We ended our safari with 5 nights at Azura Benguerra in Mozambique. It was an idyllic place to chill after our action-packed safari. We enjoyed some great snorkeling and swimming, a trip to paradise island, an evening dhow sail and sunset, beach walks, Peri Peri Beach Club, a massage and our private plunge pool and a private beach dinner. It was a little warmer and more humid in March compared to October, but still a great experience.

Overall a wonderful trip! We will bask in the memories for a bit and then start planning our next safari!

Best regards,
Vikki Canfield, Feb-Mar 2024

 

“Wilds of Tanzania” Safari

Mark, Saskia, Kerry,

This trip was truly amazing and we want to thank you all for expertly coordinating our guides, accommodations and activities.

The guides we had were truly the highlight of our travels.   Henry at Little Chem Chem was young, but so very experienced and he was fun to spend 2 days with.  He showed us so much and we learned so much in a short time.  The Little Chem Chem Concession is a very special place indeed. 

We spent a total of nine days with Mohamed Rashid “Moody”.  His 20+ years of guiding in Tanzania, his knowledge of the area and the animals’ behavior, and his unbelievable driving capabilities in sometimes challenging conditions just amazed us.  He was friendly, personable, accommodating to our needs and has a marvelous sense of humor.   We enjoyed discussions with him about all sorts of things.  He was genuinely interested in us as well, and asked lots of questions to learn more about our backgrounds and lives back home.

All 5 of our locations were very different from each other which we appreciated.  The staff were competent, friendly, and professional and they made our stays very comfortable and enjoyable.   The food was very good and we were sometimes amazed at how they can deliver such quality and a gourmet presentation out in the middle of nowhere.  Particularly the Lemala Ndutu Tented Camp where meals were like being in a fine dining restaurant complete with candle light and white tablecloths.  Really amazing when we think about how difficult it is to transport all their goods to such a remote and hard to get to location.

Our wildlife viewing exceeded our expectations.  Some of the experiences we had were truly rare and up-close observations.  Our guides seemed to have a second sense about where the animals were, how close we could get to them safely and without disturbing them, and set us all at ease…

Our overall favorites were Lemala Ndutu Tented Camp and Little Chem Chem and we would definitely visit those locations again on any future safari trip to Tanzania.

Thanks again for a wonderful experience! 

Lorraine Nichols & Gary Barnes, Feb 2024

 

Tanzanian Tented Group Safari

AAC curated the trip of a lifetime for me. From discussing the options in the Taco Bell line with Maria (thanks for your flexibility), to the booking, to the actual safari. The service was unmatched, and the places we stayed were so lovely and interesting. I won’t soon forget hearing hyenas whooping in the Serengeti at night near our camp, or candlelit dinners by a coffee plantation near the Ngorongoro Crater at our lodge. Seeing sleeping lions in a tree, a huge herd of elephants moving across the plains, goofy birds, and wildebeest and zebras as far as the eye can see. The guide, Maulid, was incredibly knowledgeable, and I have no idea how he kept all that information in his head. Thank you to him for making the experience personalized to things we wanted to do! I made friends, memories, and my back home friends are now considering a safari for the first time in their lives.

Thank you again!

Sierra Burrier, Feb 2024

 

Serengeti Flying Safari

Hi Miles,

We had an unexpected guest at breakfast this morning in the Serengeti.  Even though our guide checked for lions at the site, this female quietly appeared just as we were setting up.  Although she appeared calm we quickly got back into the vehicle just in case.

Do we have to pay extra to have breakfast with a lion??

Liz Tong and Russ Butler, Feb 2024

 

Private Botswana Safari with Specialist Guide Brooks Kamanakao

Hi Alison and AAC staff!

What a FANTASTIC adventure we had with our guide Brooks Kamanakao. He truly is one-of-a-kind…this is our third safari with him and each one is better than the last. 🙂

Our trip went perfectly smoothly…no issues at all. One thing we LOVED was having Menzies meet us at the airport, not only when we initially arrived in Johannesburg but also when had finished our safari and were heading back home. The Menzies staff whisked us right through security, bypassing long lines, and guided us safely to our hotel on arrival and to our gate for our flight home. That was GREAT…we didn’t have to think or try to figure out where to go, we just followed him. What a nice bonus to the trip!

Pom Pom Camp was WONDERFUL and the concession itself is one of the best we’ve ever visited. Pom Pom definitely exceeded our expectations! The camp itself was a wonderful mix of traditional camp setting reminiscent of safari camps of yesteryear, but without missing out on any of the creature comforts I love. And we saw absolutely breath-taking wildlife sightings every single drive in that concession, including witnessing our very first kill when the wild dogs took down a lechwe only to have a pack of 20 hyenas steal the kill away and gobble it down in just a few minutes, all the action just a few feet from us. It was a bit gruesome, but a fascinating and exciting experience. And we saw the biggest group of hippos we’ve ever seen, including a tiny baby whose momma pushed him out of the water to safety in another area of the lagoon. Oh…and we even got to see a pangolin, our first ever!

Kwara Camp was very nice too, the rooms were fabulous! We enjoyed the mokoro ride early one morning and also got an amazing rainbow shot as the storm clouds swirled around us but it never rained on our boat safari one evening there.

Our last stop was Chitabe Lediba…we had stayed at the main Chitabe camp a few years ago and knew the concession was fantastic. Chitabe was a great culmination of a just wonderful safari adventure…lots of lions, leopards, birds, giraffes, zebras, and of course ellies. The cheetahs had eluded us until the next-to-last day when we were thrilled to see the beloved cheetah Supermom there at Chitabe.

I can’t think of anything that could have possibly been better…the whole adventure was just INCREDIBLE!!! Thank you for making it happen! I’m hoping to enter some of my photographs in your contest when I get through them all…we both dream of returning to Botswana again in a couple of years.

Terresa Gray, Feb 2024

 

Great Migration Calving Season to Tanzania

Dear Kyle and AAC Staff,

What a magnificent adventure. The itinerary worked out so well for birds and mammals…

Beginning with our visit to Arusha National Park and ending with our final game drive in the Eastern Serengeti, we were treated to an ongoing visual and auditory feast. I benefited by traveling with three master birders, and their knowledge coupled with Jeremiah’s opened my eyes to an unexpectedly rich and beautiful avian world that I had not fully expected when contemplating the trip. Jeremiah is a knowledgeable and thoughtful guide. He frequently got us close enough to the animals so that I was able to get good photos using only my iPhone, and he respected our desire to avoid the vehicle scrums to the extent possible when desirable animals were spotted. Jeremiah periodically took my iPhone to show me how to get even better visuals, several times shooting through binoculars to get closeups. (I still can’t hold both still enough to shoot!) His sense of humor and willingness to stop for insects and some plants added to my overall enjoyment of our days in the field. It was great to have him guide us through the entire trip.

I loved the very different properties that were chosen for our safari. Each had its own special feel, and all were top-notch with great staff and really good food. Lion’s Paw Camp positioned us to get into the Ngorongoro Crater as early as possible, allowing us to travel some 85 miles over two days crisscrossing the crater floor and marveling at the many habitats within the crater walls. I loved the tents at the Siringit Migration Camp and hearing the lions and hyenas at night. Finally, the Lemala Nanyukie Lodge is exceptional, and if I could have changed anything about our trip, it would have been to spend a little more down time there as well as at the other lodging sites. But would I have sacrificed any of the game drives? No. Absolutely not.

As a first-time traveler to Tanzania, I can’t say enough about The Africa Adventure Company and our guide, Jeremiah Lucas. Responsive communications from AAC and the customized web-based access to trip details were great. The variety of properties visited, the excellent food and staffing, and the ability to experience Tanzania’s fabulous wildlife in the enormity of such wisely protected and expansive habitats made for a memorable trip and an overall transformative experience. I have already begun recommending AAC to friends.

Jennifer Green, Feb 2024

 

Safari to Kenya and Tanzania

Elena, we have returned from our trip to Kenya and Tanzania.

Other than one long day on a crazy bumpy road, (we should have flown), everything on our trip went smoothly and was absolutely first rate.  Our guides (especially Wilson) were knowledgeable, kind and fun to be around

Our accommodations were great.  The camps we stayed in gave us an African experience with many comforts and lovely settings.

We saw beautiful landscapes and incredible numbers of animals (some on our tent roof and our deck).  The flight home is always hard but the experiences and the beauty keep us traveling despite being “old”.  Thank you for helping us plan. 

Thank you. 

Susan and Hu Hamilton, Feb 2024

 

Family Safari to Botswana with Specialist Guide Dave Luck

Dear Alison,

As you can gather from the email I just sent to Dave, everything was great…It was great fun to have Dave Luck as our guide, the staff at the camps made sure we were well provided for, and the girls have officially declared it the best family trip we have ever taken.  Thank you again for all your patience with my questions making the arrangements and a truly incredible experience.  Hopefully, we will be in touch before another 20 years goes by.

Best regards,

Philip Moustakis, Feb 2024

 

The Best of Tanzania

I’ld like to share a few thoughts and compliment you and your team on a well-designed trip for a tagalong traveler joining Lorraine Nichols and Gary Barnes on a trip they conceived.  I loved their choices.

1. I am grateful we chose to take the excursion to Arusha National Park from the Arusha Coffee Lodge in Arusha. Why?  It was a great introduction to many of the animals we would encounter later in the safari.  But we were introduced in a leisurely, relaxed pace in a small area.  In our case with our extraordinarily experienced and observant guide, Mohamed Rashid, we luckily saw colubus monkeys hopping from tree to tree, apparently a rare sight.  We saw blue monkeys up close, other animals that we saw later but not so intimately.
2. I thoroughly enjoyed the Little Chem Chem Lodge experience and easy access to wildlife. One tantalizing question was proximity to Tarangire National Park.  I would have liked the option to try a day exploring that area as well.
3. I loved the Lemala Ndutu Camp dining arrangement that mixed up our seating each night allowing us the opportunity to meeting new fellow travelers as we dined each evening.
4. The balloon ride was a definite high point in a flash moment. We flushed out a leopard hiding in  the brush under our basket  as we rushed additional air into the balloon.  As he /she ran out we all watched the graceful race away from us as the animal disappeared into the distance and we floated away. 
5. Our guide, Moody…Mohamed Rashid, was a gem of a guide. I went as a novice observer.  He shared his bio –from his years first as a big game hunter guide saved then allowed to change to a nature guide, his deep knowledge of the history of Tanzania, language, culture, tribes, he answered all our so many questions and he did so with such good humor and kindness.  He was the part of the trip I can’t put a value on.
6. Ending at Lemala Nanyukie Camp was the perfect way to put a Big Red Cherry on my Ice Cream Sundae. When I walked into the room I just took a deep breathe and smiled. The wonderful wait staff and welcoming staff at this location and other camps made the stays so memorable.  

Throughout the trip was wonderous and unforgettable.

I thank you for all.  

Diane Norman, Feb 2024 

 

Private Photographic Safari to Kenya

Hi Kyle,

I just wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know that my trip was fantastic! Again, all the connections and transfers were perfect and everyone was top notch. The wildlife was exceptional, and the Emakoko, Encounter Mara, and Offbeat Ndoto guides and camps provided a wonderful experience.

The sighting highlights include:

– White rhinos fighting in Nairobi National Park. My guide and I called in rangers to monitor an injured young rhino, who said after assessing the situation and reviewing my video and photos, that they would likely call in a vet the following day if they locate it in the morning.

– Spent many days in Naboisho with a mother cheetah and her four! 6-7 month old cubs as they roamed, played, and the mother tried to hunt. The entertainment factor of four cheetah cubs playing and stalking each other is out of this world! We were sitting nearby with them when their mother spotted a Thomson’s gazelle, gave chase, and caught it.

– Saw a baby wildebeest being born and standing up for the first time. Saw the whole thing!

– Followed another cheetah at Ndoto for two days. He made two failed attempts at small groups of topi, and then we were in a perfect position to see him stalk, and chase a Grant’s gazelle past our vehicle, and catch it!

– Saw a very sad situation where an orphaned baby wildebeest walked over to us, only to be spotted by advancing hyenas. It tried to hide directly behind our vehicle, but the hyenas chased it out and eventually caught it. We later learned that some of the Ilkisiusiu lion pride were seen by another vehicle walking with wildebeest legs, so we assume that they caught the baby’s mother.

– Saw Ndoto, a young leopard, try to move her kill from high in a tree, only to accidentally drop it in the river below. She quickly jumped down and figured out how to get it out of the river, and then carry it up another tree. She very nimbly moved from tree to tree very high up with the agility of a monkey!

– Saw one of the four Offbeat Pride male lions stalk, try to beat up, and chase off a teenage male from the Acacia Pride, which they are trying to take over.

– Spent several evenings with the Offbeat Lion Pride as they played and chased each other. One particular evening, 21 of the 24 pride members came together on a hilltop overlooking the valley below and became incredibly playful in what was a spectacular scene; and not just the cubs of various ages, but all of the big lionesses got in on the fun too. They had a grand time, as did we! My guide said that he had never ever seen them so playful.

– Saw a hippo walk up behind a sunbathing crocodile and actually tried to nip it’s tail, which scared the croc into running back into the Mara River.

Thanks Kyle!

Chris Swindal, Feb 2024

 

Luxury Safari to Tanzania and Cape Town Extension

Hi Mark,

Just returned yesterday from our fabulous safari. Everything from start to finish was just wonderful.

We loved each and every camp, lodge and hotel (The One&Only was the biggest surprise….loved it and am probably now a convert).

The sequence of camps turned out to be perfect….Namiri Plains was fabulous and our guide, Moinga is as good as it gets….an absolutely fabulous guy who was willing to do anything we wanted to do and stay out for long days….he was perfect for me and gave just enough info to Sheryl and Ed that they could enjoy the sightings and learn stuff at the same time. He was great at positioning me for shots and any mistakes were mine alone. Got some fabulous cheetah images that I was very happy with. We did have a mother cheetah allow her two cubs to try to chase and dispatch a Tommie fawn….a little tough to watch as they didn’t know how to choke it and eventually at it alive starting from the back….the squeals were tough to listen to. Fortunately, the grass was a bit high so much of what happened was obscured from view. Was also really happy to find 3 spotted eagle owls and 3 barn owls….that along with 9 cheetahs. The camp was wonderful and our private chef there made exceptional meals. Loved the staff as well….great place to begin.

Daniel was very nice and is the perfect guide for newer safari goers as he likes to talk about the animals and for people who’ve never been it was really appreciated. He also was willing to do whatever we wanted and spent a long time in the early morning a late afternoon looking for what I heard from Moinga was a relaxed caracal near camp. Last night as the sun was setting we finally found her….my first sighting ever of a caracal and something I’ve wanted to see and photograph for decades. Just amazing! The staff at Olakira is over the top wonderful….everyone was delightful and catered to all our dietary whims and anything else we needed.

Off to Ngorongoro Crater Lodge which is of course gorgeous….the crater is the crater….nothing terribly exciting but I wanted our friends to see it and the lodge. Our first lunch there was exceptional and our second (in the crater) was memorable as a kite took a chicken leg of my plate as I held it. I was talking to our friends when I felt something smash into the plate and next thing I knew the chicken was gone and the kite had it in its beak. Pretty funny really…

Off to Cape Town….Our guide, Andrew, who I know you know well is very special….we all kicked it off instantly and just had the best time with him. I have done both the Peninsula tour and winelands a few times but enjoyed them both as did our friends. Great conversations and lots of fun to be with him. As I said, The One&Only was the biggest surprise….having never stayed in one I just expected a hotel and not a gorgeous resort….

Until the next time!

All the best and please thank your whole staff who do such a great job making sure everything is taken care of and all the i’s are dotted and t’s crossed.

Eric Gurwin, Jan-Feb 2024

 

Galloping Gnus Safari to Kenya and Tanzania

Kyle,

Thanks to you and the Africa Adventure team for an amazing vacation. Every aspect was flawless: the flights, transfers, accommodations, food, and guides/drivers. We also want to thank your team on the ground for their arrangements in Kenya and Tanzania. David Barisa, our safari guide, was exceptional. He knew so much about each park, animal, and bird. We learned so much from him. He also had eyesight better than most eagles. He could spot something from a mile away and tell us exactly what it was.

We enjoyed our stops in Nairobi at the Giraffe Center, Elephant Sanctuary, and Karen Blixen Museum. It was fun having the giraffes take food right from our fingers. We didn’t expect the tough, scratchy tongues. I’m glad we added the time in Nairobi before heading out to the camps.

Each of the camps is different in their own way but also had much in common. The staff members are so friendly and helpful. It made for a very warm experience.

Tortilis Camp (Amboseli) – Candy and Graeme and their staff are very welcoming…We arrived from the airstrip and only traveled 10 minutes before our guide, Jonathan, took us to a herd of about 40 elephants including 4 babies. It was a great welcome to the park. The camp itself is very beautiful with great views. Yes, the walk uphill from the tent back to the main lodge can be challenging during the afternoon heat, but the views of Mt. Kilimanjaro are worth it. Tents are very comfortable and roomy.

One morning we were also able to visit a local Maasai village. We learned a lot and were able to meet many of the villagers, their children, and a bunch of baby sheep and goats. Watch where you step when touring the village. Back at the camp in the evenings, we will never forget the sound of the tiny frogs after dark. So much sound from a very small creature. The sheer number of elephants in the park is overwhelming. They were everywhere and had no fear of coming close to our car. On our full day in the park we had a bush breakfast and a sundowner on a hilltop, all arranged by the camp as part of our game package. I greatly enjoyed trying to line up the wildlife pictures so that the mountain would be in the background. Finally, we met some great people at Tortilis and enjoyed making new friends on our shared game drives.

Tarangire Ndovu Tented Camp – Great staff and always a beautiful sunset. We enjoyed sitting around the lodge relaxing over a drink or in the pool after lunch. Again, the tents were very comfortable and large. We met many people that we encountered again at later camps. It was fun to realize we were seeing “familiar” faces at meals later during the trip. The park had excellent viewing opportunities. Lots of elephants, giraffes, gazelles, and birds. We saw our first lions within minutes of entering the park gates, including one perched up in a tree above us.

Lake Manyara – We were only here for a few hours on our drive to the crater but saw hordes of monkeys and baboons. The park is so dense and lush, it’s a very different experience from Amboseli and Tarangire. Lunch under the huge tent in the bush at Wayo Green Camp was very special. We were the only guests for lunch. Food was great, especially considering the setting. It was a good break from all the car time that day.

Ngorongoro Lion’s Paw – This isn’t the easiest lodge to get to but the setting and accommodations are exceptional. We loved the luxurious rooms and outstanding food. The entire staff was again exceptionally welcoming, friendly, and helpful. Our waiter, Jackson, was always around to help out, even assisting with luggage as we loaded the car to head out.

The crater itself is an amazing place. The animals are just everywhere. We were immediately surrounded by a very large herd of wildebeest and zebra. We also had some rare sightings of a serval cat and two black rhino. We had the special experience of coming upon a baby wildebeest just a few minutes after being born. At first it struggled to stand. We hung around and waited. Within 15 minutes it was bounding around, forcing its mom to give chase a few times. We also had a close encounter with a territorial elephant. He started taking aggressive poses and trumpeting. When he started moving towards our car we didn’t waste any time accelerating out of the area. During our single day there, we covered the entire crater floor and saw so many animals and birds. Later we enjoyed a great dinner and a warm heated room in the evening. The lush setting and steep crater walls make for great picture opportunities. I took over 3,000 pictures that day.

Along the way from the crater west to the Serengeti area we stopped at Olduvai Gorge. It seemed many people just drove by the access road and didn’t make the stop. We found the location and museum awe-inspiring. The anthropology and history of this place make it very special. I don’t know how anyone could pass it by. It only took us about 90 minutes to see everything, but it made a huge impact on us…

Lemala Ndutu Mobile Camp – This was the most “primitive” of the four camps we stayed at, especially right after Lion’s Paw. The accommodations were good, with a large tent and mostly workable bathroom. Food and communal dinners at a single long table were great. Everyone was outgoing and happy to exchange stories and recommendations. The staff was again exceptional. We were greeted with moist towels every time we drove back into camp. Our room attendant, Bruno, was always there to assist in getting around the camp before sunrise and after sunset. He was quick to set up the safari shower when we needed each day. Two of the nights we heard male lions very close to camp marking their presence within their territory with growls. We could hear several males in “conversation” one night. Yes, it woke me up a few times, but it’s a great experience to have to talk about. We also woke up one morning to find two giraffes having their breakfast not far from where our breakfast was served.

The Ndutu / Southern Serengeti area is so vast, we were overwhelmed with the views. Our guide David was an expert on all the special places with his vast experience in this area. We enjoyed visiting the marsh and hidden valley. We were able to drive right into the middle of the migration with wildebeest and zebra everywhere as far as the eye could see in all directions. We had lots of time with lions and cheetah. At the end of the second day, we finally located a leopard just as the sun was setting. We were happy to finally see an allusive leopard but pictures were difficult with the lack of light. We spent much of the next day in our search for leopards. At the last hour before dark, we did find two leopards sitting in nearby trees. It was a highlight and a great picture opportunity to finish up our final game drive.

It was difficult to say goodbye to our guide David Barisa at the Ndutu airstrip. We were so very impressed by his knowledge, driving skills, and exceptional personality…

Arusha Coffee Lodge – This is a beautiful, luxurious place. Rooms are amazing and the lunch buffet was great. We found the lodge and lush pool area to be very relaxing. Having a dayroom before the long flights home was a great way to end our stay in Tanzania. We will try to do something like this on future vacations as a way to wind down…

Again, our thanks to you and the staff of AAC. You put together a fantastic adventure for us that was exciting, informative, and perfectly executed.

Carol & Sandy Levy, Jan-Feb 2024

 

Safari to Tanzania and Rwanda

Hi Miles,

We had a great trip, one of the best we have every taken. I think the itinerary was excellent and afforded us a variety of venues for viewing the splendid African wildlife. Ephraim was a superb guide for us during the portion of the trip in Tanzania. He has quite a remarkable skill set—skillful driving, spotting wildlife, knowledge of what he is spotting, nice personality to get along with his clients. I’d gladly hire him for my next safari.

Tharcisse did a nice job getting us around in Rwanda. Again, I admired his driving skills, as the driving on the roads of Rwanda is not for the faint of heart. While he didn’t guide us for any wildlife viewing, he was friendly and reliable and made us feel very safe driving us around the country.

As to the places we visited and stayed:

We had visited the Ngorongoro crater in 1996 and had a so-so experience. This time was definitely better, probably because of the quality of our guide, Ephraim, and maybe because it was in early February rather than July/August. Lemala Ngorongoro Camp was comfortable with very friendly service, not as luxe as the other accommodations (and not expected to be)…

Southern Serengeti was just outstanding. The wildebeest calving seemed to be just taking off on our last game drive, with more calves seen each day, but still not large numbers. We saw a nice variety of wildlife on the game drives, although, as expected, the morning drives were mostly about the migrating herds and their potential predators. The Siringit Migration Camp was comfortable, and the food was quite good, considering the location…

Central Serengeti was terrific. As expected, finding animals was not as easy as in Ndutu area, but we had some great viewing of lion, hippo, giraffe, and elephant. Food and service at Olmara Camp was top notch.

Then, on to Rwanda…The Amakoro Songa lodge was very nice—beautiful grounds, very nice accommodations, good food, and well-trained staff who were always trying to please us. They even provided leg gaiters for the gorilla trek and golden monkey trek, so we will return the ones we purchased from REI for a refund. You might let clients staying there know that the lodge provides leg gaiters. The trek to see the gorillas was awesome, an experience we will treasure. We also found the golden monkey trek to be very worthwhile.

The last night in Rwanda at The Retreat by Heaven was fine; we had dinner in their restaurant, and it was very nice. The morning visit to Agahozo Shalom Youth Village was very interesting and worthwhile. It was nice to see this ongoing project that seems to have success with students who come from very challenging circumstances.

So, again, it was a great trip. Thank you for helping to put it together and answering all our questions before departure.

Best regards,

Jim Ramenofsky, Jan-Feb 2024