Our trip to Tanzania in October 2011 was truly a trip of a lifetime. I had wanted to go on an African safari for a very long time and once we decided to go in celebration of our 35th wedding anniversary, I was baffled as to how to put the trip together. Friends of ours recommended African Dream Safaris and we are so grateful they did.

We highly recommend ADS. Sharon and Michael both helped us put our itinerary together and they did a spectacular job tailoring the trip to our needs, especially my husband’s delicate back. They absolutely take care of everything – you just have to pay and show up. Every member of the ADS “team” both in the US and in Tanzania was wonderful.

Our trip by far surpassed all our hopes and expectations. It was fun, exhilarating, adventurous, interesting, beautiful, relaxing (in Zanzibar) and quite a learning experience. The animals were awesome, the scenery was magnificent and the people were unbelievably welcoming (Jambo!).

We loved our guide, Anglebert, and can’t complement him enough. Our exceptional safari experience was due to him. He is so knowledgeable and enthusiastic and his focus was making sure we were having the best time possible. His eyesight was unbelievable – he could spot animals from afar and could also anticipate where the best viewing would be. He also helped us with our photos and made suggestions on getting the right shot. Besides all that, we really enjoyed being with him and our time together was precious.

Our favorite accommodations were Buffalo Springs Tented Lodge, with their warm, welcoming, devoted staff, and Private Classic camping. It was an amazing experience to “camp” in the middle of the Central Serengeti and hear lions roar from our tent. The camp staff made us feel like royalty and we would recommend this to all. We also loved ending the trip in Zanzibar where we relaxed, snorkeled and were pampered for three days before returning home.

We followed ADS’s recommendations to get an early start in the morning and be patient while observing the animals and were rewarded with incredible experiences. We saw the wildebeests cross the Mara River twice (on successive days) which was thrilling. The sheer numbers and variety of wildlife we saw each and every day was staggering. We saw lions eight out of our nine days but there was one day where we saw lions eating, drinking, hunting, sleeping, mating and nursing their cubs.

Tanzania is truly a magical place. Thank you ADS for our fabulous, dazzling, breathtaking and astonishing trip.

Ellen and Gary Michel
Los Angeles, California
October 2011