When Time Stood Still

We just got back from our African Safari today. We wanted to take a few minutes to let you know what a wonderful time we had and that we had priceless memories to last us a life time.

From the moment we started corresponding with you about this trip, every step of the way has been nothing but excellent. We wanted to thank you and ADS for a truly exceptional service.

The meet and greet staff, Mathias and Ali, were professional, courteous, efficient and very welcoming. They took care of us every step of the way with a smile. What a nice group of folks!

Our driver-guide Russel, became our expert, our guide, our driver, our translator, our advocate and eventually our friend. Not only had he an extensive and very detailed knowledge of the animals and animal behavior, of the birds, of the vegetation, but he also was like an encyclopedia on anything and everything Tanzania related. We were very impressed. Having worked with well-educated scientists throughout our professional careers, believe me when I say we do not get easily impressed.

Although the driving conditions were quite treacherous, Russel got us through some very challenging areas safely. Not only does he know the terrain well, but he also really knows how to drive that land cruiser.

What impressed us the most was Russel’s respect of the wildlife. Although his focus was to give us the best possible experience ever, he did not ever do it at the expense of the animals. Having observed the opposite by a few of the other tour companies, we were very proud of being guests of ADS. Thank you for hiring and retaining such good quality and well-educated, highly experienced staff. It was truly a delight to be in their care.

Everyday was different, everyday was unique in a different way, and everyday was full of surprises. The stars of the show were the extending-to-infinity landscapes of Africa, all the wonderful animals of the Serengeti and the infinite number of glitters in the crystal clear night skies of Africa. The Ngorongoro park was an unbelievable experience all on its own – reminding us what the earth looked like before men started abusing it. It is/was hard for us to watch baby animals being killed as part of the infamous food chain. As I told Russell, I understand it but wish there was another way. In contrast to that, it was awe-inspiring and life-affirming to watch wildebeest babies “getting dropped” all around us.

We also enjoyed the eclectic mix of the lodging options. We had a little bit of taste of everything and enjoyed every single one of them in different ways. We plan on providing comments on Trip Advisor for all and make sure that they receive the positive feedback they deserve.

Our trip to the Serengeti Cheetah Project was extremely informative and we were very impressed by the valuable work that Dennis is doing for the cheetahs. We definitely plan on staying in touch with that project and contributing some to their valuable efforts.

All in all, it was a priceless experience which was made truly unforgettable by the excellence of your staff and your carefully prepared itinerary. Thank you! You can be sure that our friends and family will hear about ADS.

We are already talking about a second trip, this time during the Fall season sometime in the next two years. We will definitely stay in touch!

Thanks again for a job exceptionally well done!

Stanley and Huri F.
Arlington, Virginia
Safari Dates: January 28, 2016 to February 9, 2016

 

  1. So great to read. We’re in the process of booking with ADS. It was great reading your experience and seeing your photos. Thanks for sharing.

  2. I thank you for your post. I haven’t gone yet,but l will take ADA when I do! Just trying to make a decision on when!

  3. We also had Russel as our guide and were extremely impressed by his knowledge and humor! It was a trip of a life time. One bit of advice, bring 2 camera bodies and rent a really good tele-photo lens, I got some great up close photos!