The plains of the Serengeti have always been one of the images of Africa embedded in our minds. What a dream come true to be able to see and experience the Serengeti firsthand. As our plane descended into Grumeti airstrip we could see hippos in the river and herds of zebra, wildebeest, and buffalo grazing on the grass. Our guide Claude and our Toyota Land Cruiser were waiting there for us.

After a brief check in with the park officials, we were on our way for a half-day game drive in the Grumeti area. After viewing the zebras, wildebeest, cape buffalo, and impala up close, Claude spotted some lions in a distant tree. We were never able to reach his level of game spotting over the next six days. Lions are rarely found in trees in the Serengeti or most other places for that matter. After shooting some photos from a distance, Claude thought he would try getting the vehicle in closer.

While he maneuvered the vehicle through the grass I fiddled with my camera changing lens. When I looked up we were parked just outside the foliage of a tree, the tree with the lions! There were five lions resting comfortably in the branches and another laying on the ground near-by. All this within the first 90 minutes of arriving, any doubts or skepticism we had about the Serengeti’s game-viewing reputation was permanently removed from our minds.

The lodging arranged by Africa Dream Safaris was top notch. The food was good, well-prepared, and plentiful. You could dine with American-like cuisine or explore African dishes as you chose. The staff were attentive, polite, and truly interested in your enjoyment of the experience. We slept well and enjoyed some fantastic sunset views from our rooms. Usually, internet service was available in select areas, like the lobby, for those needing to stay connected to the outside world.

It’s really the game drives that define your safari experience and Africa Dream Safaris does it right. Our knowledgeable and friendly guide was great at sensing what we wanted to see, or really should see, and when we had had enough. He always asked of course, but you felt he already knew the answer.

Being able to customize the day’s itinerary was a real plus over shared game driving. The Land Cruiser is design to accommodate 8, so there is plenty of room to spread your stuff and get up when you want for a photo from the open roof. We could sit in the shade and yet had ready access to the rolled back roof. A cooler and snacks in the vehicle get you through the longer drives without growing hungry or thirsty.
Overall, a great experience we would definitely do again and certainly recommend.

Walt and Sheila M.
Redondo Beach, California
Safari Dates: May 2, 2014 to May 10, 2014