My family and I just returned from our long awaited safari with ADS. I put extensive planning into this trip in determining which country to go to, when to go, and (most importantly) what company to go with! As a result of my research, I had very high expectations of ADS and they exceeded all expectations. Our entire trip was flawless perfection and surpassed my wildest dreams.

We were met at Kilimanjaro Airport by a “meet and greet” team led by Anna, an exceptionally friendly and efficient woman who managed to speed our travel weary group through customs and immigration in no time flat.

From there, we were whisked off to Arusha Coffee Lodge for a warm welcome and restful overnight stay surrounded by a lush property including monkeys in the canopy. My coffee loving adult children raved that the property’s coffee was the best they’ve ever had.

After a bush flight out to the Serengeti and our 1st camp, our true adventure began as we met our incredible guide Russell and headed out on our 1st of many unforgettable game drives.

We were overjoyed to have Russell as our constant guide for our entire trip. He possessed an impressive wealth of knowledge about the animals and their habitats, especially the countless bird species. In addition to his knowledge, Russell possessed a warm, friendly, and humorous personality which quickly made him like part of the family.

Russell had an almost superhuman ability to spot and correctly identify animals so far in the distance they could barely be seen with binoculars! He would then deftly navigate our vehicle close so we could stay and witness their natural behaviors. A huge benefit of having our private, dedicated expert was that we could focus on seeing and experiencing what mattered most to us without compromise.

With Russell as our guide, every day became more unbelievable than the one before! Big 5? Easy, no problem. We were fortunate enough to see truly countless lions, elephant herds, zebras and wildebeest on the move, baboons, black faced vervet monkeys, velvet monkeys, hippos, Cape buffalo, hyenas, jackals and hundreds of magnificent bird species.

As rare as rhinos are, we managed to see seven in one day in Ngorongoro Crater! We spent a while watching a standoff between three rhinos and an agitated elephant over a mudhole!

We were amazed by the animal behaviors we were able to experience including elephant babies nursing, lions mating, lion cubs nursing, cheetahs on the hunt, a cheetah eating its kill, and so much more. Baby animals are irresistible and an April trip allowed us to see many babies of every species.

The properties we stayed at were each unique and beautiful with every possible luxury. I am vegetarian and every lodge had the most delicious vegetable dishes I have ever eaten. I had to fight off my meat loving family members for them! The staff were warm, friendly, gracious and accommodating.

I was blessed to celebrate my birthday on the trip and we had an unforgettable sundowner, bush dinner and cake prepared and joyfully presented by the staff with song and dance. I was able to dance with the staff and share a truly heartwarming and unforgettable experience.

I could go on forever about my amazing experience. Suffice it to say that I will tell anyone considering a safari, ADS is the ONLY way to go!!

Mary L.
Punta Gorda, Florida
Safari Dates: April 4, 2022 to April 15, 2022