Check! A word I was to hear many times spoken by our wonderful guide, Deda, from African Dream Safaris as we spotted animals and birds. A group of our close friends traveled to Tanzania for a 9 day safari in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. My friend Nancy and I came armed with pamphlets and books of the wildlife to document our sightings. Deda joined in by shouting “Check” as we marked off the animals in our list. Deda and Wilfred shared their expertise of the habits of the wild animals, and as a result of their patience and knowledge, our group was able to witness nature in action daily.

We saw the wildebeest and zebra cross the Mara River at least twice with the Nile crocodiles waiting. A lion had killed a wildebeest and left most of its carcass for the dozens of vultures who devoured it down to its bones! A leopard was spotted in a tree with its dead gazelle. WOW! A mother cheetah and her three sons were resting under a tree, but patiently we waited. They stood up, went in hunting mode and suddenly chased a gazelle and killed it for a meal, all in less than a minute. W0W!

Deda and Willfred had an amazing ability to know just how to move the land rover in position around the other vehicles to get us an amazing view for observations and pictures, over and over again. Nature unfolded before our eyes over the 9 days on safari. Check, Check, Check!

I cannot say enough about the hospitality and friendliness of the people of Tanzania. From the time we arrived in Arusha, to our flight back home, everyone wanted us to feel welcome in their country. Our visit to the Masai village was awesome. The Masai exhibited so much pride in their heritage and traditions.

On safari we witnessed amazing cooperation among the guides between rival companies to ensure that everyone saw the amazing animals. What surprised me most about this trip was not just the variety of animals we saw, but the sheer numbers of healthy animals that exist there. And that they seemed unbothered by all the spectators around them.

I certainly did not expect to get so close to the big cats, elephants and giraffes. It was great to see all the young babies and the families of the animals. WOW! Now I know why Deda stated that Americans are known as the WOW tribe.

African Dream Safaris’ attention to detail made sure our visit exceeded any expectations with accommodations that were exquisite, comfortable and welcoming after a long day on safari. Thank you for providing the opportunity for an adventure of a lifetime!

Joanne and Gary H.
Orlando, Florida
Safari Dates: July 21, 2019 to July 29, 2019