I have dreamed of seeing Africa for as long as I can remember and as my 60th birthday approached I knew I couldn’t let it pass without making that dream come true. Since my husband had the same desire, we started making plans for a September 2017 trip.

African Dream Safaris had been very highly recommended to us by a previous ADS customer, so we contacted Dawn Anderson and began planning our trip. As you can imagine, expectations that have been building for so many years can be difficult, if not impossible, to meet, but ADS exceeded every one.

From the moment we were picked up at the airport until we were delivered back at the airport ten days later for our trip home, we were treated to a once in a lifetime experience. The animals we saw, including the big five, were amazing and it took us some time to realize it was all real!

To see the animals in their habitat, as they naturally interact, was such an experience, made all the more interesting and educational by our guide, Emmanuel. I don’t know superlatives sufficient to describe Emmanuel’s guiding skills, nor his knowledge of the animals, history and culture of Tanzania. There wasn’t a question we asked that he couldn’t answer or an animal that he couldn’t identify.

One day, while watching a group of wildebeest as they contemplated their crossing of the Mara River, Emmanuel determined that they would be crossing further down the river so we quickly moved and were rewarded with the most spectacular view of the crossing – the wildebeest came out of the river no more than twenty yards from our position.

Emmanuel’s commitment to making our trip the best it could be was something we will forever appreciate. Spending so many hours of so many days in a truck with someone allows you to really know that person and getting to know Emmanuel was one of the highlights of our trip.

Another highlight was meeting the people of Tanzania – their joy of life and pride in their beautiful country was evident in all they did. When we first planned our trip, our focus was on seeing wildlife, but it doesn’t take long for it to become so much more – it happens about the same time you fall in love with the country and the people who call it home.

ADS took such special care of us, and each camp in which we stayed (Mara River Camp, Buffalo, Mbuzi Mawe and Ngorongoro Serena) was more wonderful than the last. African Dream Safaris certainly made our African dreams come true.

Joy and Robert F.
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Safari Dates: September 14, 2017 to September 23, 2017