Back in 2015, my wife and I embarked on our first safari with Africa Dream Safaris. It was a trip of a lifetime for both of us. So in 2023 we started to plan for our second safari after my retirement. Because of our first experience with Africa Dream Safaris, we reached out to Dawn to begin planning our September 2024 safari, which would include our daughter, son-in-law and our nine- year old granddaughter.
An hour after our flight landed at Kogatende Airstrip we were on the banks of the Mara River watching a wildebeest crossing. We couldn’t believe our luck. Our safari was already a success and everything else would be icing on the cake. And, boy did we get a lot of icing.
A Tanzanian safari, and specifically the great migration, had been on our bucket list for more than 30 years. When we finally started planning, we knew we wanted to do it right. For us, that meant a private safari. We did our research, and decided to go with Africa Dream Safaris, and Dawn helped put together an itinerary that covered our extensive wish list! After 18 months of looking at photos, the ADS website, Facebook page, and ADS handbook, it was finally time for our safari.
Serengeti. In the Maasai language it means “endless plains”. But it is a land of deception. Born from a volcanic eruption three and half million years ago, she has not forgotten her past. She harbors vast savannas, wetlands, and forests. From the heights of Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru to the river Mara. You cannot trust your own eyes. Beauty and violence side by side, one and the same. As the day begins over the river, you don’t see the hippos and crocodiles just below the surface. The shadows and reflections hide the danger.
We’d had a Serengeti National Park safari on our bucket list for several years, but we weren’t sure if it was ever going to come to fruition. However, one of my wife’s good friends booked a safari through Africa Dream Safaris (ADS) and was thoroughly impressed with the results, so we decided to give it a go. We were not disappointed!
We had fabulous time in the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Tarangire Park with Africa Dream Safaris taking care of EVERYTHING! We would NOT use anyone else for future trips to Tanzania. From our first contact to after the trip, communication was first rate. All questions and concerns answered. Ann Eilert was our point person who made everything seamless. She made sure we were aware of everything that we needed to know prior to the trip. No details were left out in the preparation.
Africa Dream Safaris (ADS) was recommended to us by a friend who booked a Serengeti trip. It was a great recommendation as we were absolutely impressed with their overall program. We arrived in Kilimanjaro from Amsterdam, and ADS had someone meet us off the plane and guide us through immigration and customs. It took about 10 minutes.
For a company with a name like African Dream Safaris, the bar is high, as this is supposed to be the stuff of dreams. Our experience showed that they are good at making reality live up to everything you dreamed it might be and then some.
The incredible experience started when we began booking our safari. We selected ADS because they offered the itinerary we wanted, so we spent time where we wanted and not where we didn’t want to go. If you have specific goals and ambitions for this safari, tell them! ADS made it possible for us to see what we wanted.
After two years of dreaming and planning we had very high expectations for our family safari. African Dream Safaris exceeded those expectations at every turn! Our goal was to create a lasting memory and share the excitement and beauty of the African Safari with those we love most, our family. We wanted an experience that would capture the awe and excitement of all thirteen of us, across three generations, ranging from 5 years to 70. A tall order.
When we decided to take a trip to Tanzania, Africa we Googled companies and were extremely lucky that we chose Africa Dream Safaris. From their professional response to our inquiries, their attention to detail in preparing for the trip and delivering a first-class experience, they exceeded our expectations.
We recommend African Dream Safaris to anyone looking for a custom personal trip that changes their perspective on life forever. We saw any and every animal you can think of including the Big 5 but it was more than that from birds to wildlife and plants to trees. In addition, our driver-guide and now close friend Russell is the best.
I’ve dreamed of going to Africa since I was a very young girl. The first elephant I saw brought tears to my eyes. Every day felt like a dream and each day was better than the day before. The animals and people of Tanzania captured a piece of my heart and I truly could go back and stay.
My 8th safari adventure with ADS and it keeps getting better! Starting in 2005 with a family trips and the three of us in one vehicle, to groups of friends and up to four vehicles ADS has every safari planned seamlessly. This trip there was 14 of us from Canada – 13 who were experiencing Tanzania for the first time.
March of 2024 brought to reality a trip that was close to 10 years of dreaming, talking and planning. We covered the Central and Southern regions of the Serengeti, Crater highlands and the Rift Valley…nothing was left out. Finding words to adequately describe the experience has proven to be hard since all our descriptions seem to fall short of the real deal.
When you grow up watching Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, and your husband asks you where you’d like to go for a milestone birthday, you say, “On safari!” At least I did, and our experience was incredible!
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