Tag: September

By The End Of The Trip Our Wonderful Guide Was Family.

As everyone says, “It was a trip of a lifetime”. We readily echo that sentiment. It was beyond our wildest dreams to see this many animals in this wonderful environment. Our traveling foursome enjoyed each and every moment.

Our wonderful ADS Guide by the name of Malaki made the trip even more special. We chose to include him in everything we did, and by the end of the trip – he was family! He had an amazing knowledge of the animals and an incredible instinct for finding them.

We loved our choice of tents and lodges and found each unique and special. The food, the sundowners and sunrises were exceptional. The hot showers and hot water bottles were a great treat at the end of the day. It is a trip we will always remember, and we made memories that will last forever. We are grateful to the staff at ADS for answering all of our questions ahead of time and making us feel 100% secure about everything at all times. We will not forget!

I really appreciate all you did for us and all of the silly questions we had. We truly felt secure the entire time. Everything and everyone was fabulous. 10’s on a scale of 1 to 10. The staff, the accommodations, the food, the game drives…all perfect!

All my best,

Gerald and Melinda J.
Weatherford, Texas
Safari Dates: September 1, 2014 to September 8, 2014

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Another Fantastic Safari From ADS!

When my husband and I planned our first safari to Tanzania way back in 2011 with Africa Dream Safaris, we thought it would be a once in a lifetime trip. We were barely into the third day, however, when we decided that the country was so amazing that we would return! This past month in October 2013 we made that return journey. There was never any doubt in our mind who to use, as Africa Dream Safaris had done such a spectacular job with our past safari.

Dave and I had thought the first trip was unbelievable…but this second trip….wow….words simply cannot describe it. The Northern Serengeti in September is nothing short of magical with a lush green wooded landscape teeming with wildlife. We had targeted September for our visit as we wanted to see the migration crossing the Mara River, as well as view Tarangire at its finest. And see both we did thanks to Africa Dream Safaris!

We started our trip in Tarangire and spent two wonderful nights at Swala Camp where we dined and fell asleep to the roars and grunts of lions roaming in the vicinity of camp and the footsteps of elephants walking near our tent. We could even see them from the deck of the dining area!

Our first guide, Michael, drove us throughout the park and showed us the huge elephant herds walking to the water, as well as more than a dozen lions hunting, eating, and resting under the shade of the trees. On our first full morning at Swala we left camp at 6am for our game drive and within a mile of camp we saw a lion nonchalantly strolling down the road. We watched him intently, until we realized that there were twelve more about four feet from our Land Cruiser sitting in the grass staring at us!

From Tarangire, we flew to the far north of Serengeti where we were picked up by our guide for the remainder of the trip, Arnold, in a sparkling and very new Land Cruiser with a sunshade. My husband was especially keen on seeing a river crossing and we were very hopeful of catching one while we were there. Well, within 30 minutes of landing on the Kogatende airstrip….we were right in the MIDDLE of one!

Arnold used his experience and network of guides to find out where the crossing was occurring and quickly get us there. It was absolutely amazing and like nothing we could have prepared for – imagine thousands of wildebeest and zebra clamoring and climbing over one another down the banks of a river and into the rushing water, all the while braying and barking and grunting and kicking up dust. As they tried to get across the water, some would get caught on rocks – or worse yet – in the jaws of a croc.

We found ourselves rooting and cheering as a wildebeest luckily made it to safety after getting pulled down by a croc. Or when a young zebra got swept downriver towards a group of hippos…only to bump face to face with a big mama hippo who submerged herself and appeared to give him a strong push that was enough to get him back upriver and towards shore. As if one river crossing wasn’t dramatic enough, we saw FIVE in total over the three days we spend in the North. We also saw tiny leopard cubs playing, as well as two adults leopards making some new cubs on a rock a few yards from us!

Our other reason for loving the North was the camp we stayed in, Bushtops Serengeti. We had picked it out especially as the place we wanted to spend our anniversary. If we could live anywhere in this world – it would be right in this camp! Absolutely heavenly and luxurious, while still feeling comfortable. The tents were out of this world, with an outdoor shower, couches, hot tub, and a private dining table right on the deck! But, it was the view and the people that truly made this camp. From our deck we watched the sun setting over the expanse of the Serengeti, while sitting on the couch with a glass of wine.

The camp manager and the entire staff were so welcoming and really topped off the whole experience. They made the night of our anniversary very special with a dinner on the deck of our tent, lit up by lanterns, decorated by rose petals, and completed with a song, cake, and visit from the camp staff and our guide Arnold who we had quickly already bonded with. Bushtops also had this insanely cool infinity pool that looked out over the Serengeti. After a game drive one day my husband and I cooled off in it and then stood back in the pool with Safari beers in our hands and happily sighed as we looked out over the plains and said, “Now this…THIS is why we work – for moments like this.”

From the North, we went to the Lobo area and then onwards to the Central Serengeti where we stayed at Africa Dream Safari’s outstanding Sametu Camp. Jonas made us feel right at home with warm towels and Safari beers when we arrived. For the first night we were the only guests and enjoyed a beautiful evening watching the sunset, sipping wine, listening to the hyenas whoop, and chatting with our guide Arnold. A lioness even chased a zebra through the camp after we finished dinner and headed back to our tents!

The Central Serengeti provided our “32 Cat Day” thanks to Arnold’s amazing skills as a guide. In ONE day we saw 7 cheetah (including two cubs), a leopard in a tree, and 24 lions (including 10 different cubs, four of which were less than three weeks old).

I can’t say enough about how Africa Dream Safaris made our second journey to Africa the incredible experience it was. Dawn flawlessly planned a breathtaking trip that went far beyond our wildest expectations. Arnold and Michael were amazing guides who showed us the wildlife of Tanzania, knew exactly where to position us for great photographs, maneuvered the Land Cruisers through difficult terrain safely (unlike many other companies we saw), and gave us memories that will sustain us until a third trip! I have no doubts that without them our trip would not have been the same incredible experience.

Having done two trips now to Tanzania, we have seen many other companies and guides and listened to the stories from their guests. They simply don’t compare to the high level of quality, professionalism, kindness, and expertise provided by African Dream Safaris. We will be back to Tanzania and will most definitely use ADS again! Thank you Dawn, Arnold, Michael, Jonas, and the entire Africa Dream Safari staff!

Moira and David F.
Chicago
Safari Dates: September 25 to October 4th

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Viewing The Wildlife Privately Was A Huge Bonus For Us

Words and pictures will never quite express our feelings and memories from our recent trek to Tanzania. From the very first contact with Africa Dream Safaris, with our safari specialist, Dawn Anderson, to the final trip to the airport to go (sadly) home, every detail was attended to. Not only were our questions answered in a timely manner, but they were answered with full explanations which better helped us to prepare for the safari.

We began talking about the trip in January of 2013, making the final commitment in April to go on our trip in late September of the same year to coincide with our 30 year anniversary and our son’s plan to study abroad at the University of Dar es Salaam. We began our trip with a two day extension to spend some time in the Mount Kilimanjaro area. We flew from Dar es Salaam (where we had been visiting with our son) to Arusha on Friday, Sept. 27, 2013.

We were greeted warmly by ADS staff and whisked up to Ndarakwai Ranch. While there we enjoyed the stunning views of Mt. Kilimanjaro, a walking safari, a night game drive, and a day hike excursion on the Shira Trail. The food was superb and the accomodations were delightful, including the nightly visit of the bush baby to the dining tent! On Sunday we left the ranch to travel back to Arusha for shopping at the Cultural Heritage Center and a one night stay at the beautiful Mt. Meru resort. ADS staff picked us up on Monday morning and transported us to the Arusha airport for our early morning departure to the Serengeti. At last, our long awaited safari was beginning!

Our driver/guide, Claude, met us as we got off the plane, quickly introduced himself, gave us traditional Maasai gifts as anniversary gifts, and helped us with our luggage. Within minutes we were settled comfortably in our safari vehicle and had entered a land full of animals only seen in zoos before. Our first stop was at the Mara River to catch the very tail end of a wildebeest crossing. We would end up being entertained both this day and the next as we watched the herds gather at the very edge for quite some time, only to change their minds and disperse and regather later in the day.

Our first day of safari was quite successful as we saw a partial river crossing, lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, hippos, a cheetah with two young cubs, and countless birds and antelope of various species. We stayed the first night (Monday) at Lemala Kuria Hills, which was a place of abundant beauty. We were surprised during dinner with an anniversary cake with our names on it and it was presented with a song by the kitchen/dining staff!

Our safari continued with a two night stay at Buffalo Springs Camp. During the next two days, the wonders of the Serengeti continued to reveal themselves as we saw a rhino with a young baby, a cheetah just after she had killed an oribi, a lion pride of 11 lions, and continued abundant sightings of zebras, giraffes, elephants, wildebeest, and water buffalo.

During our two nights (Tuesday and Wednesday) at Buffalo Springs we enjoyed a walking safari to the top of a hill behind the camp, a night game drive, and a traditional bush dinner served from an overlook area away from the main dining area. The food was delicious and the hospitality extended was remarkable. We felt as if we were personal friends/guests of Mark and Neil rather than international travelers. On Thursday we visited the local Maasai village before beginning our drive to the Seronera Sametu Camp. The village visit was both fun and educational and we came away with a renewed appreciation for the Maasai traditions and work ethic.

As we drove to the Seronera Sametu camp, where we would spend the next two nights (Thursday and Friday) we continued to see a great number of zebras, giraffes, elephants, water buffalo, hippos, and various antelope and birds. Jonas, and the staff at the Sametu camp, were very attentive and excited to hear about the things we had seen.

On Friday we were thrilled to watch a mother leopard with two young cubs and a recent kill. It wasn’t long before the mother and one young ran off but we were able to watch the other cub eat the kill for quite some time. Eventually a baboon family ventured into the area and chased off the last cub who dropped the meat and ran up a different tree. This whole event was thrilling to watch.

On Saturday we departed the Sametu camp with the desire to see an adult male lion – this was about the only thing we had not seen at this point. It wasn’t long before Claude was able to follow the tracks to a grasslands area and one beautiful male lion popped us as we were driving by. It was almost surreal how he just raised up at the perfect time as he was completely hidden in the grass prior to popping up. As we stayed and watched him, we discovered that there were another 15 lions also hidden in the grass. As we stayed and watched this beautiful pride, all 16 lions moved about and we were able to enjoy this in the quiet beauty of the early morning.

From there we ventured to the Oldubai Gorge and the Ngorongoro Crater and a one night stay (Saturday) at Lion’s Paw Camp. The crater was unbelievaby beautiful and filled with abundant wildlife viewings. On Sunday morning we were able to watch the drama unfold as two packs of hyenas enclosed on a water buffalo herd, killing one of it’s young. It was a back and forth fight as the hyenas would attack the baby and the adults would then chase the hyenas off. The hyenas would come back, attack again, only to be chased off once more. This lasted for over an hour, until the baby water buffalo was too badly injured and the adults were too exhausted to continue the fight.

From there we traveled to Lake Manyara and finally back to Arusha. We had a day room at the Mt. Meru Resort, a pre-arranged dinner at 5:00 and a 5:30 departure for the airport. The ADS staff saw us safely to the airport check in. Although we have many great memories and pictures from the trip, it is hard to summarize them in a short article – we felt we could have written a book!

A large part of the success of this trip goes to our driver/guide, Claude. He was attentive to our every need and desire, was excited to teach us about the wildlife and vegetation of the Serengeti. He provided us with wonderful picnic areas and he was able to use his knowledge to find the wildlife away from the other safari vehicles. This luxury of being able to view the wildlife privately and for extended periods of time was a huge bonus for us. All in all, it was the trip of a lifetime!

Alice and Mark P.
Prospect, Ohio
Safari Dates: September 27, 2013 to October 6, 2013

 

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Your Way Of Doing A Photo Safari Is Far And Away The Best

The trip was outstanding. Having our own knowledgeable, and personable, guide and driver, plus a vehicle dedicated to our exclusive use, made all the difference in obtaining the extraordinary photos we were able to capture. When we return to East Africa it will definitely be with ADS, because your way of doing a photo safari is far and away the best.

Here are a few photos from our trip that I consider exceptional.

Best regards,

Chris and Sandy S.
San Diego, California
Safari Dates: September 10, 2013 to September 22, 2013

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Three Outstanding Safari Encounters

We had a great safari for which I thank you very much. We saw a huge migration of several thousand crossing the Mara River and it was an amazing experience of life and death. Three outstanding and unusual experiences for us, even though we are old hands on safaris :-

1. A mother cheetah and her cub, on the prowl for food, startled a civet cat out of its hiding, the cub started chasing the civet cat and a cat and mouse game started between the two. All this while the mother cheetah ignored the civet cat and her cub playing, as she was more concerned about her prey , some Tommies a long ways off. We managed to get great photos.

2. During the huge crossing of the migration, some of the wildebeest drifted into the territory of the hippos. One hippo was not particularly pleased and was so angry he chased one of the poor wildebeest, already exhausted from the crossing, bit into his stomach and killed him , before wandering off, having vented his anger! Amazing encounter for a herbivore!

3. At the same crossing , a crocodile came swimming , targeting a tired wildebeest on shore , who stupidly jumped back into the water, followed by the crocodile, who tried to take a bite off his rump but did not succeed. Both were swept away by the rapids, the crocodile first followed by the wildebeest, who landed right into the mouth of the crocodile but the croc did not attack him! They then swam towards the opposite shore, wildebeest first followed by the crocodile.

The wildebeest tried to get on the rocks , stepped on top of the crocodile , got on the rock only to fall back into the water, with the crocodile following. Again the crocodile opened his mouth as if to nudge the wildebeest on to the shore. The wildebeest lay its body semi in the water as it was tired. We were expecting the crocodile to take the opportunity to grab the wildebeest but it did not. After a couple of minutes watching the wildebeest , it swam away! Can you believe that? It must have just eaten and was full or it was a very charitable crocodile. The wildebeest survived to live another day!

Meileen C.
Singapore
September 8, 2013 to September 12, 2013

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We Would Drive For Hours And Never See Another Vehicle

We really enjoyed our trip to Africa. We saw more wildlife than we ever expected. Rented a 70-300 lens for most of the shots. Our guide was knowledgeable and excellent at finding wildlife and could spot things that we would never have seen if not for him.

We saw plenty of everything. I think when we drove “cross country” we had some of the best and most memorable views of the trip. We would drive for hours and never see another vehicle.

John, Lolly, Charles, Cynthia.
Baton Rouge and Sunset, Louisiana
Safari Dates: September 13, 2013 to September 25, 2013

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Sit Back, And Let Your Dream Come True!

When I was a little girl, visiting zoos to see the animals, I always dreamed of, someday, being able to go “somewhere” and see them free and out of cages. In September 2011 I began to plan my dream trip. After spending twenty plus years in the travel industry I started by reaching out to my contacts; from travel agents, travel professional to tour operators asking for their recommendations. I met with people in our community who have been on safaris (some more than once) and, of course, doing research on the internet. Did I mention that I’ve been accused of being anal?! I requested and received so much information that our mail person was begging me to stop!!

I started reading the information and weeding out many tour operators whose idea of a small group was anything below twenty people. Then I read more and looked at photos of six people (or more) in the vehicles and realized that I wanted more flexibility! I didn’t want to have to worry about getting the top of someone’s head or their ear in one of my photos! Or, not being able to see what was on the other side of the vehicle…or even not having the freedom to stay as long as I wanted to stay to watch a particular animal. So, I kept looking.

I noticed the quote on the Africa Dream Safaris information packet; “Life is not measured by the amount of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away” and I thought to myself, so true. I included their information in a smaller pile of tour operators that did the true “small group” safaris. From there I started doing more research, emailing each of the tour operators, checking with the Tanzania Tourist Board, the Better Business Bureau, Trip Advisors, etc. (Told you I was anal!)

Based on everything, including the quick, detailed and informative responses from Sharon (Lyon) I choose African Dream Safari and from there on life was easy!! Sharon, who I now refer to as “safari planner extraordinaire” took care of everything! I gave her my dates (another plus with ADS, they plan the safari around your travel dates!!) and told her I wanted to see animals, animals, animals. That was priority one and secondary, sunsets! I trusted her to pick the accommodations (after all she’s been on safari sixty times versus my zero – so who would know better?!) I told her I wanted to see and do everything and she got it all into our itinerary.

By July of 2012 the reservations were made and all I had to do was wait until September of 2013 for my dream to come true!! From my first contact with ADS until this September any question I emailed Sharon was answered so promptly (regardless of time of day or day of the week) that I asked her if she ever took time off!

When I started getting the newsletters I was so excited and in awe of all the beautiful photos and reading about everyone’s experiences I knew I had made the right choice. As the time got closer I told Sharon that when they assigned a guide to us to make sure they knew that, if our bodies could handle it, that we wanted to be up and on safari first thing every morning and would stay out as long as we could, so to make sure we got a guide who was ok with that.

We were so fortunate to have Ally as our guide. Within a few days we nicknamed him “Ally the AWESOME” or “Awesome” for short. Why you ask? Well, on our first day we saw the big five (including a lion chasing a leopard up into a tree)!! The second day we saw four of the big five. We would comment that we’d like to see a leopard in a tree with a kill. Well, sure enough Ally would find us one. Then me, being anal again, would say on a later day I’d like to see one closer, and he’d find another! We’d ask to see a giraffe with a baby, and literally five minutes later, there one would be. This happened over and over, at about day four or five I challenged him to find me one of two animals….a polar bear or a penguin, after all he’d found everything else so far I had to make it tough, if I’d have picked anything native, he’d have found it!! How he can see the animals at a distance while driving is remarkable! Add to that the knowledge he has about the animals, the ecology and the country – he made our trip awesome.

Our accommodations were each unique and special in their own way. The staff, at every location, welcomed us and was truly concerned about our comfort, making sure we felt welcomed and were taken care of. And the food, way too much to eat, even in our picnic boxes!!

To anyone who’s looking for a private safari, a once in a lifetime experience (which after having done it you’ll want to make it more than once in a lifetime) make your life easy, pick up the phone or send an email to Sharon and sit back, and let your dream come true!

Hallie and Walter P.
Port Charlotte, Florida
Safari Dates: September 15 to September 25, 2013

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Our Photos May Be Numerous, But Our Memories Are Even Broader.

Jambo! We have just returned from our safari in the North and Central Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Lake Manyara and we are still marveling at everything that we experienced. Our photos may be numerous, but our memories are even broader. We still can’t believe that we were able to see such majesty and wonder with our own eyes.

We knew that we would have a truly incredible experience even before we landed in the Serengeti, when many of the meet and greet staff and even some of the staff at the Arusha airstrip said to say “hello” to our guide, Pokea. Upon actually meeting him, we felt very comfortable and at ease knowing that we were in the hands of a true professional. Our first day was quite an eye-opener. We saw a serval, a cat that we both wanted to see, before lunch, then dined al fresco among hundreds of zebra, buffalo and wildebeest and witnessed the Great Migration crossing the Mara River. All of this before dinner on the first day!

The rest of our safari proceeded with just as much grandeur and awe each and every day. We saw just about every animal that we could have imagined and more, except for the elusive rhino. One highlight of our animal viewing experience was watching lions mating in the early morning light. Hopefully, they will produce a very healthy litter to maintain these proud and noble creatures. Also, we got to witness on two consecutive evenings, giraffe nibbling on treetops and vervet monkeys within the tree munching on leaves, right outside of our room while we were sitting on our deck at the Migration Lodge! Watching elephants meander up to a watering hole just off of the hotel pool at Four Seasons-Bilala was yet another of our many happy memories. They just marched in so regally and all had their fill of drinks and then marched off into the distance trumpeting. Another true highlight was the hot air balloon ride. Being our first, what better place to float than over the Serengeti, and with a wonderful champagne breakfast afterwards.

Of course, we want to thank all of the kind and gracious people of Tanzania for all of their warmth and welcoming ways. Everyone, from the meet and greet staff to each and every staff member at all of the properties to our departure team, was exceptionally friendly, courteous and professional. A very special note of appreciation goes out to our phenomenal guide, Pokea. He was an absolute treasure to be around. His vast knowledge, patience, diligence and keen eyesight were absolutely amazing! We miss him terribly already. Lastly, we would like to thank Dawn for all of her patience and prompt responses to all of our questions, which I’m sure were numerous.

Asante Sana Dawn! Thank you very much to all of the staff at Africa Dream Safaris and everyone else involved in making our dreams a reality!

Christopher and Lydia B.
Valley Stream, NY
September 18-24, 2013

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Despite All The Recommendations, I Remained Skeptical…

Randi and i became interested in a photo safari in the Serengeti after one of her colleagues had returned from a safari (with a different company) and shared some of her experiences and impressions as well as photographs. This interest was reinforced during a New Zealand vacation last year where we met a couple who had been to Tanzania and had an incredible experience with ADS. Despite these recommendations, I remained skeptical; I was persuaded, however, to read the ADS testimonials and contact Sharon Lyon to begin preliminary planning for what became the “trip of our lifetime!”

In preparation for this safari, Randi and I read a number of travel books and articles. Despite this preparation, we were both surprised by what we found in Arusha; I was not expecting to find a modern urban city which Arusha certainly is becoming. We chose to spend an extra day there before beginning our safari to acclimate before “heading into the bush” and this was certainly welcome after nearly 24 hours traveling from Rochester, Minnesota to Africa.

Our guide, Emmanuel, met us after our short flight into the Serengeti and we were immediately immersed in Africa, its wonders and incredible animals. During our first game drive we saw cheetah, lions, and a second Mara River crossing by thousands of wildebeest. We saw an enormous Nile crocodile on the opposite bank of the Mara (thankfully); he was taking the sun and seemed to have recently had a large meal. In some instances, we were close enough to have touched the big cats who were unconcerned with our presence amongst them (I did not expect this); one large male lion appeared so exhausted that he completely ignored our presence.

Each succeeding day brought new joy and unanticipated contact with Africa and Serengeti. That we saw so much of hidden Africa is completely due to Emmanuel. How he was able to locate leopards in rocks and trees from the distances that he did amazed us. On a subsequent afternoon, we were overtaken by a pride of ten lions and Randi and I were awed as these magnificent predators wearily passed our stopped land cruiser, brushing close to the side as they passed. So close that I was able to count the fat black ticks on the back of one adolescent male. Nor can Randi and I forget the young leopard who, with two siblings, came out of the grass and stopped beside our vehicle. He looked up at me for a long moment and then moved away.

William N. and Randi H.
Rochester, Minnesota
Safari Dates: September 2, 2013 to September 12, 2013

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I Can’t Say Enough Great Things About Our Guides

We got home late last night. What a trip!! I can’t thank you and your team enough. Everything was superb throughout the entire process.

I wanted to take a moment to recognize the crew in Tanzania. From the moment we landed we were greeted by the ADS team. Martus and company were extremely professional, kind and so gracious. It was a wonderful way to be welcomed to Africa.

I can’t say enough great things about the 4 guides that were with us. Francis, Russell, Thompson, and Rafael were terrific. Micheal, Richard and I were escorted by Francis. I can understand why he is so accomplished in what he does, and why his peers look up to him as a leader, and mentor. He was exactly what you would want as your guide. He was funny, knowledgeable, amenable to any changes in our plans if applicable, and very intelligent.

You should feel very proud of what you have built as an organization. I will definitely recommend ADS to anyone that has dreams of going on a safari. I want to thank you and your team again for enhancing my safari experience. It truly was a trip of a lifetime, and one that I will never forget.

Please let the guides know how much I appreciated their efforts. They are 4 amazing individuals, whom I will never forget, and whom I know will go far in their professional endeavors.

Thanks again Sharon for everything. When life has me traveling to Africa again I will definitely get in touch with you.

All the Best,

Deb B.
Baltimore, Maryland
Safari Dates: September 17, 2013 to September 26, 2013

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Our September 2013 Tanzania Safari

‘Adventure Of A Lifetime’…is the best way to describe our recent two week safari to Tanzania.

After our short plane flight into the Kogatende Airstrip, we met our driver/guide, David Chando, and began our trip into the bush. We immediately realized what a special person he is. He was personable, professional, respectful and all around great.

David’s knowledge of the animals and his country added to the success of our safari. His work day did not end after arriving at our camp in the evening. He made sure we planned the next days activities and he informed us where we were going and what we hoped to see in those areas. Next, he proceeded to clean the vehicle, stock it with supplies and have it ready to go the next morning.

After leaving the airstrip with David, in only 4 minutes, we saw our first animal, which was a Hippopotamus. Animal sightings were abundant and frequent throughout the safari and that was very impressive.

Our lodging accommodations exceeded our expectations. Particularly enjoyable was the Four Seasons, Ngorongoro Serena Lodge and the Swala Tented Lodge. The local staff at every resort treated us like rock stars. We could not have been more pleased with the service they provided us.

This truly was an adventure of a lifetime, thanks to the professional assistance from all the staff associated with Africa Dream Safaris. We have recommended to our friends, and suggest to anyone interested in taking a safari, to consider contacting the best organization for this type of vacation, Africa Dream Safaris.

Among the four of us, we took thousands of photos and movies, which will continue to provide us wonderful memories for years to come.

Below are some of our special sights, enjoy.

Chuck, Cathy, Donna and Dee
Fallston, Maryland and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Safari Dates: September 5, 2013 to September 15, 2013

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Within Minutes We Were Watching The Wildebeest Cross The Mara River

Thank you for setting up this wonderful safari for our group. Starting with the Lemala Mara River remote camp and finishing with Swala was the right way to go. All the camps were special in their own way, and we enjoyed all the experiences from the “talking showers” to the gourmet meals. We have many memories to cherish.

Arnold was our outstanding guide/driver. He is so knowledgeable about all the animals, birds, vegetation and the area in general. He was so enthusiastic about everything we saw and that feeling rubbed off on all of us. It is wonderful to see someone so proud of his country and heritage.

Within minutes of picking us up at the airport, we were watching the wildebeest cross the Mara River. Arnold really seemed to know the animals and their habits and had us at the right time and the right place so often. He was always conscious of where he placed the vehicle for the best viewing angle and lighting for photography. And… his ability to spot animals was amazing. He never rushed us when we wanted “just one more picture”. He is truly an asset to your company.

Thank you for providing this wonderful experience and we will be sure to recommend your company to everyone we know.

Attached are 11 photos from our safari.

Susan and Don F.
September 6, 2013 to September 16, 2013
El Dorado, California

Africa01.jpg – Lion cub playing

Africa02.jpg – Spotted Hyena resting

Africa03.jpg – The Leopard that walked DIRECTLY in front of our Land Cruiser

Africa04.jpg – Lunch on the Savanna

Africa05.jpg – Maasai dance

Africa06.jpg – Hippo pool

Africa07.jpg – The male Lion we saw that tried to kill 2 males cubs from another pride

Africa08.jpg – Dwarf Mongoose

Africa09.jpg – Baboon with new baby

Africa10.jpg – Sunset behind a Baobab tree

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Around Every Corner There Seemed To Be Another Wondrous Sighting

As we disembarked from our internal Tanzania flight, our ADS driver/guide, Arnold, greeted us with his big friendly smile, welcoming us to the Serengeti. From then on we could tell our safari would be a wonderful and exciting trip. He quickly took care of all the paperwork and we took off to watch nature unfold before our eyes. Within an hour of our arrival we were already watching the first of our three wildebeest crossing of the Mara River. By that evening we had already seen more wild animals then thought possible. As the days went by we kept checking off the animals from the ADS list, even adding several new species which Arnold would point out to us.

The Serengeti terrain was so diversified and beautiful. Around every corner there seemed to be another wondrous sighting, of Lions, Leopards, Cheetahs, Hippos, Nile Crocodiles, Elephants, Giraffes, herds of Antelope, Zebra, Buffalo and Wildebeest, all walking right by our LandRover. By the end of our safari we were able to list 47 identifiable animal/reptile species and 34 identifiable birds, all which Arnold explained in detail about their behavioral patterns from birth, child rearing, mating to death.

Arnold’s exceptional abilities to read the animals, allowed us to witness a rare sighting of the astonishing interaction of two male lions hunting down male cubs of a different Pride. Seeing the lioness intervening to distract the male lions to protect her male cubs was amazing. We felt like we were reliving last month’s article in National Geographic on “The Life of a Serengeti Lion”.

We started to accuse Arnold of being able to send an email message ahead to the animals, saying we will be there in 10 minutes for viewing and pictures. Sure enough, we would arrive at just the right time to see another amusing animal crossing right in front of us. His ability to position the LandRover so the lighting was perfect for our pictures was incredible. His continual patience of letting us yell out “Stop! Arnold I want to take another picture!”, just added to the excitement of our safari. Arnold even predicted rain, changing our planned “Nature Walk” to an earlier time, and sure enough at 3:30 it started to rain just as he predicted.

Our Massai Village visit gave us a real view of the village people of Tanzania and their hopes and hardships. Listening to the village people describing their traditional ways and how they are realizing there is now a global world out there which is requiring them to move their villages forward into this changing world while trying to keep their traditional values was inspirational.

We thank Dawn for helping us plan and setup our incredible safari. Her suggestions, directions, the choice of camp/lodging sites gave us various experiences “in the bush”. She always took into account our desires and answered all inquiries in a very timely manner. She was always just an email away.

ADS’s LandRover was in tiptop shape. As we traveled those ruddy roads each day, we appreciated traveling with a topnotch company. (Arnold kept the LandRover neat, clean and in good working order; he is a man of all trades)

Thank you ADS, Dawn and Arnold for this amusing and wonderful safari. As Arnold says “Every time is a good time in the bush”

Steve and Marie R.
El Dorado Hills, CA
Safari dates: Sept 4-16, 2013

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We Are Forever Changed

Hello Lynn,

We are pretty-much back to normal here in Santa Fe, but I have to say that we are forever changed by our Tanzania experience. We were exceedingly pleased with all aspects of the trip, and your planning proved to be a major factor for the successful logistics and overall magnificence of the trip. By getting us out into the bush [in these really special camps], we were able to experience the wildlife as few others can.

We were particularly grateful to have Pokea as our guide. He is amazingly knowledgeable, and he took us to locations were the action was really happening. His patience [with our unending questions] was very welcome. Pokea is an amazing asset to your company. And of course, the itinerary was second to none.

With the custom aspects of our travel, we were able to focus on our particular interests, and Pokea was more than willing to provide us with outstanding service for our requests. The Ras Nungwi Zanzibar R&R at the end was very special too.

I have attached a few photos that I hope you might like. Please don’t hesitate to count on us if you need an endorsement or recommendation. We have only the highest praise for you and your ADS company! Thank you again.

Ken Apt and Mary Morris
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Safari Dates: September 30, 2012 to October 13, 2012

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ADS Trip to Tanzania

After a few weeks of daydreaming of Africa and reviewing photos, we are finally settled back into our daily routines. We had the most wonderful and life-enriching safari organized by Africa Dream Safaris (ADS). It was, with no doubt, the best trip we have ever had in our lives. With less than a year of advance planning with Sharon Lyon of ADS, our trip came together without a single hitch or even the slightest problem. ADS delivered on every aspect of trip they said they would. Sharon provided excellent advice and discussed various last minute issues prior to our departure. She was always helpful and courteous.

Our safari began with flawless flights and entry into Tanzania. We had an extra day for shopping and night lodging. With a short flight to the Mara River – Kogatende Airstrip, we met our guide, Anglebert. He had us in the mix of wildebeest, zebras, giraffes, and hippos within fifteen minutes on the road. We cannot say enough positive and good things about Anglebert. We hit it off soon after our arrival and the fun began. He has a keen eye for spotting wildlife and for photography. He was always getting us into great positions for photographs. Besides deftly handling the Landcruiser over some pretty rough terrain, he was insightful about Tanzania’s animals, plants, parks, government, and the like. We came away with a great learning experience, especially with lessons in patience. We had the opportunity to view three spectacular and exciting wildebeest and zebra river crossings on the Mara River thanks to Anglebert.

We stayed at a mix of tent camps, tented lodges and permanent structured lodges during our sixteen days in Tanzania. We would say our best experience was at the ADS private camp, which we wished we had added a couple more nights. All of our camp and lodge accommodations were wonderful and the food and service was delightful. Most notable was the professional manner in which each camp or lodge treated us. Each place we stayed the staff knew our names as we got out of our vehicle. That kind of treatment made us feel truly welcomed! One special event for us was a night at the Crater Lodge when a visiting astronomer put on a show for the folks staying there. He pointed out so many stars, planets and constellations we thought we were back in college.

We tried just about everything ADS had to suggest or offer on this trip from the hot-air balloon safari to a Masai village tour. We had a walking safari with the Masai and a night safari – not at the same time, mind you! We had a private guided tour of the Leakeys’ dig site at Olduvai Gorge, thanks to Anglebert. We visited the F.A.M.E. facility and stopped at a local primary school to give away supplies to the students and teachers. All in all, this trip was rewarding and fulfilling.

Saying we saw many wild animals would be an understatement. Each day, which started at predawn, we were off and within minutes we would be looking at some animal. We took over five thousand photos and still had time to take in each moment of viewing with awe. One day we came upon a female cheetah and her two cubs with no one else around. We watched them watch us. They played all around the Landcruiser for about fifteen minutes before they scurried off. A short time later we came upon a pride of sixteen lions that had just finished eating a kill. Again, we were the only people around to see this event. Everyday, Anglebert was able to get us into a viewing situation that seemed to match or exceed the previous day’s experience. The best event was on our last day as we were leaving Swala Camp. Anglebert spotted a rare African wild dog that led us to a pack of fourteen dogs resting under trees nearby. We watched the dogs for about an hour. There was so much to see, and hear, and smell all the time that the entire experience was worth the cost of the trip. It was just plain magical!

Finally, enough cannot be said about the professional ADS staff with whom we had contact. A special thanks to Emmanuel for getting us about in Arusha. Thanks to Anglebert and Juliette for getting us into the Arusha National Park for a half-day tour before we left Tanzania. For those who are looking or thinking about an African safari experience of a lifetime, we would recommend talking to Sharon Lyon with Africa Dream Safaris.

Steven and Suzanne Olmstead
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Safari Dates: 25 Sept. thru 10 Oct., 2012

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