Author: Michael

A True African Dream Trip

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Posted on by Michael

Having returned late Thursday night and still recovering from jet lag, we are still pinching ourselves at how lucky we were to experience, explore and witness all that we did. I can’t begin to thank you enough for all your hard work in putting together an unforgettable itinerary. Being met in Dar es Salaam and again in Arusha by the very friendly Meet and Greet staff was much appreciated and took the stress out of our arrival in to Tanzania.

Our tented lodge accommodations were incredible and we all agreed that the change in our accommodations the first two nights at the Seronera Sametu Camp worked in our favor. We loved the remoteness of it and how the camp came alive with wildlife long after we had gone to bed. The staff was wonderful and Jonas was the perfect camp host. Our only regret of the trip was being so awestruck by the Crater Lodge and having only one night to take it all in! Two nights would’ve been well worth it. What an extraordinary place.

Last but certainly not least, how do any of us begin to thank you for booking our trip with our guide ‘extraordinare’, Reggie. His vast knowledge of the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Preserve and his passion and understanding of the wildlife made our eight day safari a true African ‘dream’ trip. We will always have a deep appreciation for the incredible life changing experiences he shared with us and what he taught us about the wonders of the African wildlife and the country he loves so much. He is above and beyond the best! We will miss him.

Dawn, again, many, many thanks for all that you did!

Teri and Duane Woods
Paradise Valley, Arizona
Safari Dates: March 23, 2013 to April 3, 2013

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One Very Happy Camper

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Sharon, I have started this letter about six times and have never finished and I finally figured out why. My vocabulary is not big enough, nor does it contain enough adverbs and adjectives to describe the trip you planned for Angie, Sue and me. I will try again.

First, when you received my first email inquiring into ADS and what it had to offer, you were the first to send a reply back to me. That reply was within the hour after I hit the “SEND” button! In your email you not only replied but you send me information about what you offered and the idea that we could come up with a custom safari that wouldn’t put us in the poorhouse. You gave me suggestions and then you asked questions about what I was thinking about.

Over several months we wrote back and forth, added 2 people, lost one then finally settled for the 3 of us. You were so willing to go with the flow of endless questions and changes, etc. You are such a great person to work with! (This is the first place that words fail to describe how good you are at what you do!)

After waiting an eternity for our departure date to arrive we finally left Anchorage, AK for Seattle, WA and then on to Amsterdam, then on to Arusha, Tanzania. And just to make life harder for you we just had to schedule a side trip to the village of Geita on the west side of the country. The hotel in Arusha had a room waiting for us when we returned and Mathias met us each time with a smile, a hot washcloth and a welcome that made us feel at home.

Then there was the flight to the Serengeti! The flight was great, the views of the landscapes, seeing the Masai bomas from the air were amazing. We landed at the airport in the Serengeti and had to wait a short time for our driver. Apparently the Serengeti is as fickled as the weather in Alaska! Wilford was late because of a washout on a levee that was rather spectacular. We didn’t mind, Sue found some Pringles to eat (and share) and I took lots of photos of the different birds and their nests. It was fun, the day was beautiful and life was good.

When our gallant guide arrived we headed for the Serengeti and an unknown world of wonders! Right off the bat we saw giraffes, the same group I saw from the air while we landed! We then saw hippos, lots and lots of hippos in the river. Then we saw the leopard! It was in a tree, just hanging around while its cub was taking a nap in the fork of the tree. We were mesmerized; we didn’t want to move and head for the Seronera Sametu Camp and the “roughing it in tents” that awaited our arrival. What a way to start our adventure!

In Alaska we are no strangers to tents, big ones, medium ones and small ones. But the tents at both Seronera Sametu and Naabi Hills were 5 star plus tents. The beds were comfy; the bathrooms were a wonderful, and a much appreciated surprise. I know you told me that the accommodations were going to be wonderful but your words were not nearly powerful enough to tell me what to really expect. WOW! I could live in one of your tents (just not in Alaska!)

Wilford, what can I say about a man who has studied hard, learned the information and embraced the knowledge with a willingness to share the information with those around him. Then there are his eyes! He found animals for us that were hidden so well that we would have missed them. Our first lions were found because he saw some ears almost a mile away. The caracal’s (3) would have been a wish not some really cool photos! Wilford found all kinds of rare animals and birds for us. He also found lots of lions (over 150), leopards with cubs and solitary (2), and cheetahs (I can’t remember how many!), one on the hunt and was successful and I caught it on camera!

When we arrived at Naabi Hills for our second “Roughing it on the Serengeti” campsite we were in awe of the sight that met us. The wildebeest were there by the hundreds of thousands! They were grazing, playing, walking and running everywhere. Horizon to horizon there were animals. Mixed in with the wildebeest were what I called Incidental Travelers, that is the zebras, water buffalo, giraffes, elephants, Thompson and Grants gazelles, ostriches, hyenas, lots and lots of them. It was easy to see why they say that there are millions of animals that partake in the Great Migration!

What are the best memories of amazing moments, now that’s a tough one? How do you choose one or two moments out of a 10 day trip to one of the most beautiful places on earth? For me personally I will never forget the second night at Naabi Hills. We had been out on the Plains all day, seeing all things wonderful and exotic. Hyenas were in large numbers throughout the day. We saw them sleeping, eating, running and soaking in the cool water of the pools near the numerous kopjes. I was fascinated to learn that they were clean animals, not smelly like our grizzly bears in Alaska.

We had been told each morning how many and what kind of animals came to visit us (the campsite) after the sun went down and the lights were turned off. Elephants, I think a lion or two and hyenas. The song of the hyenas were very distinct, the whup-whup song that is now burned into my brain!

I was in bed in a TENT; sound asleep when the songs started. The group had at least 6-10 animals in camp wandering around between the tent Angie and I stayed in and the next one over where Sue was sleeping. What woke me up was one animal that came closer to the tent and got tangled in the rope that was holding the tarp on the top of the tent in place. It walked into the rope, starting fighting to get away from it, growled, snarled and literally fell against my bed on the outside of the tent! I woke up with such a start that I was close to panic! The growling and yelping was by my head with a thin quarter of an inch of tent wall between us! The animal hit the tent side (and my bedside) 2-3 times before it left while making lots of whupping noises!

The most incredible thing is that the same scenario played out 3 TIMES, probably with 3 different animals! Just as the first animal was leaving the area by my bedside Angie started snoring and I was terrified that she would cause the animal to come back and try to get into tent to see where the noise was coming from. I threw a pillow at her and scared her, too.

The next morning I took photos of the 5 ropes that were pulled out of the ground. I have great respect for these animals and will NEVER UNDERESTIMATE them again! That was my moment. Angie will have to share her memories with you and Sue has already shared her thoughts.

As we moved on to the other venues in the itinerary the trip just got better and better. Spending time in the Ngorongoro Crater was icing on the cake. It was the culmination of a trip of a lifetime that will rate at the top of my BEST THINGS I HAVE EVER DONE LIST!

Thank you Sharon! Thank you for everything; for answering my initial inquiry as rapidly as you did to arranging all the details that made this trip so easy and comfortable. And thank you for helping to arrange the logistics for the side trip to the orphanage to Geita in western Tanzania! Talk about one VERY HAPPY CAMPER! You and ADS are truly THE VERY BEST!!!

Linda I.
Anchorage, Alaska
Safari Dates: April 2, 2013 to April 10, 2013

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Top Safari Highlights- The Serengeti Seven

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Posted on by Michael

What are the most sought after wildlife sightings for anyone embarking on an African Safari to Tanzania or Kenya, East Africa? Well, there is certainly no shortage of big game to choose from and everyone seems to have their favorite tour sightings. However, some of us here at Africa Dream Safaris created our own safari list called the Serengeti Seven (lion, cheetah, elephant, leopard, giraffe, hippo and of course the wildebeest migration). In our opinion, these are the most commonly sought after animals that we frequently here guests buzzing about. Luckily in the Serengeti National Park, frequent and incredible encounters abound. Though to be fair, many other african safari tours to other destinations probably do encounter these seven species but its just that in the Serengeti it’s not unusual to see them all in a single day!

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Our 3rd Safari With ADS!

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Once again, we would like to thank everyone at Africa Dream Safaris for making our safari such a wonderful experience. This was our third safari with ADS in three years. The questions that we are always asked are “Are you going someplace new?” “Are you going with a different company?” “Why would you go again?” The answers come down mostly to the fact that ADS and all of its employees are so exceptional that we couldn’t consider going with anyone else. Petro was our guide on our first safari and on the most recent safari. His knowledge of the animals and their behavior and his ability to spot animals still amazes us. It was like going back and seeing an old friend.

As far as returning to Tanzania for three consecutive years (first at the end of January/ beginning of February and the next two times in early April), there is always something new, different, and exciting to see. This year, one of the highlights included seeing several leopards, including a leopard close-up and making not one, but two kills. Unfortunately, her choice of prey was a bit disturbing as it was two feral kittens, but seeing a leopard close-up for about three and a half hours was exciting. Also, we finally got pictures of lovebirds!

Other highlights included seeing the Great Migration, seeing lion almost every day, seeing the most amazing number of zebra that we have ever seen, seeing many new (to us) types of birds, watching a monitor lizard, watching a mother lion and her two cubs playfully slipping and sliding in the mud during a brief downpour, watching the hippo at the Hippo Pool, and yes, watching the interaction of dozens of vultures on a kill.

To sum it up, in our opinion, going to Tanzania with ADS three consecutive years was just as exciting from the first safari to the third. Who knows? Maybe there’s a fourth safari in our future…

Jim and Sandra M.
Safari Dates: April 1 – 10, 2013
Torrance, California

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An Expertly Planned And Executed African Safari.

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Thanks to the entire ADS staff for an unforgettable family safari vacation. We did not expect the diversity in the animals we viewed, or the landscapes we traveled. Our pictures have been a huge hit with our family and friends who cannot believe the situations we were a part of, such as a Lioness fighting with a pack of Hyenas over a meal (our picture included here). Our guide had extensive knowledge of the animals, the land, and the culture, which added to what was happening right outside of the truck. We were learning and having fun at the same time! Our guide was top notch and always found interesting “surprises” for us to explore.

The pre-safari planning insured we had everything we needed, so that we didn’t need to worry while travelling, and could just focus on enjoying the trip. The help with renting our camera equipment was great, as the photos we were able to capture will preserve these family memories. We appreciated the escorted service from the airport and back again, as we never felt alone, or had to worry about what was next, again letting us focus on having fun and enjoying Africa. The accommodations were excellent as well, and have received as many comments as the photos of the animals and landscape. We realize the effort it takes to provide these services in the middle of the Serengeti and the hard work of ADS and the Camp staffs to provide them.

And, when on the last day, the unpredictability of Africa lead to a missing bridge and no road to Arusha, the ADS staff was quick to pull together a “Plan B”, to insure we made it to our plane on time. We will have no problem recommending ADS to anyone wanting to have an expertly planned and executed African Safari.

Thanks,

Greg, Molly and Lily F.
Columbia, Tennessee
Safari Dates: March 26, 2013 to April 1, 2013

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Serengeti Cheetah Report – March 2013

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Posted on by Michael

The latest news from the safari capital of Africa has just been released. Here is a link to the March 2013 Serengeti Cheetah Report prepared exclusively for Africa Dream Safaris by Helen, the on-site researcher for the Serengeti Cheetah Project (please allow for 30 seconds to download as it’s a rather large file).

You won’t find this information anywhere else. Africa Dream Safaris helps fund the Serengeti Cheetah Project’s ongoing conservation efforts. In turn, periodic reports are prepared exclusively for Africa Dream Safaris by the on-site researchers for the Serengeti Cheetah Project.

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We saw everything…the Big 5, the Ugly 5, some of the Little 5

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We have been home from our safari for a few days and are still beaming over the experiences. It was one of the most memorable times in our lives – a privilege to see some of the earth’s most beautiful and unique animals in their native environment. We were a bit concerned that the game drives in the Serengeti during the rainy season would mean we’d forego opportunities to fully experience the area. Not at all true. We saw everything we’d hoped to see….the Big 5, the Ugly 5, some of the Little 5, and the highlight being the assembly of a million wildebeests working their way across the plains at the onset of the Great Migration. There was also the added bonus of so many babies and healthy animals enjoying the abundance of food. It was truly beautiful to see dozens of shades of green foliage across the Seronera plains, around the Gol Kopjes, Naabi Hill, Ndutu Lake, Olduvai Gorge and Ngorongoro Crater.

We have reflected on what made our safari so wonderful, and have to say the most important item was the quality of our guide. Not only did Russell seem to know everything about the animals in the Serengeti, but he also had an energy introducing us to the animal behaviors. He could spot animals and birds from hundreds of yards in the distance before there was anything obvious to see. We were often the first, and only, vehicle at a sighting and Russell attentively positioned and repositioned the vehicle so that we could have the best viewing and picture taking opportunities. And, regarding birds, we had only a slight interest in birding when we started our safari. However, Russell’s knowledge of birds was infectious and by the end of the safari we had recorded sightings of 123 species. We enjoyed laughter and good natured ribbing – especially during our quest for the dung beetle!

Thank you for all of your efforts. We hope you enjoy a few of our favorite photos.

David and Lynette B.
Georgetown, Texas
Safari Dates: April 7, 2013 to April 15, 2013

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A Trip of a Lifetime…Twice!

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Every day a new adventure….literally. Our first safari was on July 2011 and was amazing. This one, in March 2013 was so different that it was AS amazing as the one before! The trip was flawless and everything was taken care of by ADS.

Our guide Anglebert was incredible! He knew where to go, what to look for, where to park the car to have the best view. We really can´t say enough about his knowledge and expertise!

We saw lions and cheetahs hunting. Lion cubs of all ages, Serval cats, lions resting on trees, leopards and rhinos, which we missed on our first trip…. the list goes on and on.

The lodges and camps were great! Once again our expectations of a safari were exceeded. Incredible Tanzania, perfect guide, wildlife everywhere what an incredible safari!!

Alejandra M. and Family
Mexico
Safari dates: March 26, 2013 to April 3, 2013

 

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Having A Private Safari Made All The Difference!

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We had been planning our safari with Sharon for over a year, and our expectations were very high – but the safari was better than we had even dreamed!

In the first two days, we saw more animals than we thought we would see the entire trip, and it just kept getting better. We saw leopards (and their cubs) sleeping in trees. We got to know at least a dozen cheetahs, thanks to our guide Pokea’s ability to spot cheetah ears in the tall grass from at least half a mile away! We hung out with dozens of lions, and even spent an hour watching two of them mate (and then mate again…and again…and again!). We fell in love with the zebras and wildebeest, especially after we witnessed two baby wildebeest and one baby zebra being born, and then up and walking within 15 minutes! We loved the hippos, and the elephants, and our favorites – the warthogs! Oh, and the hyenas, the jackals, the gazelles…we even saw seven black rhinos on our last day, in the Crater.

Our accommodations were wonderful. We spent the first two nights at the private luxury camp and spent our first night on safari listening to lions and hyenas walk outside our tent! The staff was so welcoming and pampered us beyond belief, including the delicious lunch boxes. Then we spent three nights at Lake Masek tented lodge, in a gorgeous private “tent” with hardwood floors, a cast iron tub, and mosquito netted beds. The last two nights were at the Crater Lodge – wow! This is probably the most amazing lodging we will ever stay at in our entire lives! It was luxurious and opulent without being over the top, and we even were greeted by the resident buffalo herd on our last night walking back from dinner.

Having a private safari made all the difference. We left when we wanted (as early as possible!), stayed out to eat lunch with the animals, and spent as much time watching things as we wanted. Other vehicles would sometimes stop by our spot for 5 minutes and then speed off – but we got to really enjoy getting to know the animals and didn’t have to follow anyone else’s agenda. We think our guide, Pokea, must be the best ADS guide – he was expert at spotting animals, answered every single questions we had about them (there were a lot!), and seemed to know exactly what we wanted to see or do at every moment. We never had to worry for a minute on safari that everything wasn’t completely taken care of, from the moment we were greeted at the airport to the moment Pokea dropped us off.

We would go on safari with ADS again without hesitation and only wish that we were still on safari!

Amber H. (Washington, D.C.) and Kirsten G. (San Francisco, CA)
Safari dates: March 5-12, 2013

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New ADS Media Gallery

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We are delighted to announce the publication of our new online media gallery here at Africa Dream Safaris. Please see the below links to access the new media gallery sections. Enjoy the show!

Video Gallery

Wildlife Photos

Lodge Photos

People Photos

Vehicle Photos

If you’ve been on a safari with us and have video you’d like to share with ADS, post it to Youtube or Vimeo and send us the link. We’ll add it to our archive so others too can experience the magic of Tanzania.

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Our Dream Safari…..And it Was

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We have been back about 2 weeks now and are still talking daily about some aspect of the trip and still going through the thousands of photos that we took. We have thought and thought about what we might say that would be different than what others have said about their experiences with ADS and have come to the conclusion that there is NOTHING BETTER anyone CAN say.

ADS is an outstanding, first class company to work with in every sense of the word. From our very first contact with Sharon, who actually helped us pull our trip together in about 3 weeks…YES 3 weeks!! We were planning on an October trip, but due to some extenuating circumstances the opportunity for a trip fell in our laps and with Sharon’s expert help we got it together–seamlessly. Of course that was just the beginning.

From the moment we stepped off of the plane ADS delivered on their promises. Everything you are told, you can rest assured will happen..above and beyond your greatest expectations! Our guide, Emmanuel was excellent, knowledgeable, and personable. We so enjoyed spending each day with him and learning from him. What a wealth of knowledge about the animals, the land and the people! He answered literally everything we asked and more. He knew where to find the animals and was willing to get us to them.

If all day game drives is what you want—you get them. If you want to chase cheetahs—you chase cheetahs. If you want to see a kill, you will see a kill. If you want to see a giraffe drinking water, believe me, Emmanual even found me one of those! I guess what I am saying, is that he literally did everything in his power to make this the perfect safari for us.

We ran into another ADS group and Emmanual and their guide, Reggie, would use their radios to talk to each other and let one another know what game they were seeing. This was an added bonus, as it maximized game viewing for us..GREAT TEAMWORK ADS! It was also fun meeting some other ADS clients and exchanging stories about our adventures.

We stayed at 3 different camps all of which were impeccable. The staffs were friendly and very accommodating and we really did not have a favorite place. They all were outstanding. At the 2 ADS camps the personal touch of being met each evening with a warm towel to wash your face and a glass of juice made you feel like you were coming home. Such a special “extra” they do for clients!

We must say that the Seronera Sametu Camp with Jonas and his staff was a wonderful place! We were the only people there for 3 of the 4 four nights, and were treated like royalty. The sunsets from here were unforgettable. Lake Masek Tented Lodge was our second camp. It too was amazing. Their chef, Veronica, is reason in and of itself to want to go to this beautiful camp. She is a character and an absolutely amazing chef! Our last camp was at Lion’s Paw tented camp and it was probably the most beautiful with its lush green surroundings. D.C. and his staff had a nice surprise for us on our last night, making it very special. I can’t imagine any of the other lodgings being any less wonderful…makes me want to visit all of them.

As far as the safari itself goes, we saw more in the first two days than we hoped to see in the entire trip, so we were thrilled with the outcome. There were so many highlights that it is hard to choose one or two. My husband is a passionate photographer and for him the thrill of photographing several chase/kills was a dream come true. He got some outstanding shots that we will treasure.

For me, to be in the midst of the great migration was phenomenal. I cannot think of another thing in nature that I have witnessed that has been quite so amazing. It was truly remarkable. We even witnessed a baby Wildebeest being born and timed from birth until it was up and running alongside of its mother to be about 17 minutes. Absolutely incredible–as Emmanual told us, it is Life on the move.

I could go on and on about elephants and baboons, and zebras, warthogs rolling in the mud, hyenas, jackals, hartebeests, vultures waiting to clean up a kill, lions mating, cheetahs hunting, leopards in trees, rhinos, hippos, birds, and oh so much more…..absolutely everything we dreamed about.

ADS is superb, flawless and reliable. Every member of the team in every way is there for the client. Their strength in my opinion is their customer service and attention to detail. Thank you ADS for helping us make memories that will last a lifetime. We will come back and without a doubt we will use ADS.

Richard and Toni O.
Rifle, Colorado
Safari dates: February 19-March 3, 2013

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Travel Guide – Safari Recommendation #3

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Posted on by Michael

Planning an african safari to the Serengeti, East Africa is a complicated endeavor. The Serengeti National Park is an enormous ecosystem (roughly the size of Massachusetts). Though the park is arguably the finest african safari destination in all of Africa due to its large concentrations and diversity of wildlife, the vast distances makes maximizing game viewing an inherent challenge. Safari tours to Tanzania offer seemingly limitless options so below are some quick planning tips to help one develop the best itinerary possible: #3. Diversity is the key (i.e. not having all your eggs in one basket) to planning the perfect african safari tour. To further increase your wildlife viewing opportunities, choose an additional night of two (over and above the previous four nights mentioned) exploring some of the more remote and off the beaten path areas. After all, the quality of one’s animal sightings can be just as important as the sheer number. If it wasn’t, a trip to the local zoo might yield the same results and would certainly be substantially cheaper. Great off the beaten path areas are the eastern Serengeti plains in the green season and the Loliondo Game Reserve in the dry season.

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Picking ADS Was The Best Decision We Made!

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A trip to Africa on a safari was something that I had always dreamed of. When I talked to my husband about it, we decided to make the dream come true sooner than later. The first step to making this trip come alive was doing our research and figure out which safari company could best meet our needs of what we wanted to both see and do. There are so many companies out there to choose from, but there was something about Africa Dream Safari’s website that caught our eye. We read every detail on the website and requested a brochure. It was the best decision we made! Africa Dream Safari took care of everything, from the time we were picked up at the airport, to the time we were dropped off at the airport.

Sharon played an essential role in planning our itinerary, and now that we are home and looking back at our trip, there is not one thing we would have changed in that itinerary. She worked with us, giving us an itinerary that would give us the best experience of Tanzania. Her emails were always prompt and very informational. We also felt the Africa Dream Safari handbook was excellent in making sure we were entirely prepared for everything when out on safari.

Another person who played an extremely important role in the success of our trip was our guide Michael. We realized early on in our safari that without a superb guide our trip would not be the “trip of a lifetime”. Michael was a superb guide! Everyday he had something new to show us. We would be driving along and suddenly come to a stop and he would see a dark spec in the distance that ended up being something spectacular to watch. We may have seen some of the same animals each day, but each day brought something new and different to view.

Michael was very flexible with us in letting us watch the animals as long as we wanted or had suggestions for other viewing options. He was a joy to be with and everyday when we parted for the day, we thanked him for another incredible day. He was extremely knowledgeable about the animals, birds, trees, plants and his country. He was a fantastic guide!

Our itinerary consisted of a variety of lodges. We stayed at each lodge for two days, then would move on to a new lodge and a different area of Tanzania. We were able to see the beautiful countryside of Tanzania when traveling to our next destination. We thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to stay at so many different resorts.

Our favorites were the tented lodges, so we were happy to be able to stay at more than one tented lodge. The tents gave us the sense of being so much closer to nature and the animals. We still remember the thrill of seeing a Cape Buffalo right outside our tent, on our second night, while being escorted back to our tent from the dining tent. Or, watching the Zebra and Wildebeest off the deck of our tent. The tents were not like the camping we are used to, but instead had all the luxuries of home. The staff at all the lodges were extremely friendly and very welcoming.

After 10 days of safari, it was time for our trip to come to an end. This safari exceeded our expectations. There is not one animal that we wished we could has seen, and did not see….we saw it all. On our flight back home, we talked about what was each of our favorite parts of the trip. We both had a difficult time coming up with just one favorite part. This was a “trip of a lifetime” and we each had many favorite parts and Africa Dream Safari made it happen….Thank You!

Tina & Shawn L.
St. Paul, Minnesota
Safari Dates: March 11, 2013 to March 19, 2013

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We recommend ADS to anyone looking to take this trip of a lifetime.

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Many months of planning and anticipation finally came to fruition on February 20, 2013 when we arrived in Arusha to start our safari with Africa Dream Safaris. After being whisked through the VISA process, we were happy to have listened to planner extraordinaire Sharon and only brought carry-on luggage. Soon we were on our way out of the airport and on to Mt. Meru Hotel for an extra day of rest before embarking on our safari. I highly recommend this extra day, as we felt rested and refreshed on February 22 for our flight into the Serengeti.

We were met at the Seronera airstrip by our guide Reggie who briefed us on safety and promised that if we were patient we would see amazing things. This turned out to be very true and we ended up seeing much more than we ever imagined possible.

Barely out of site of the airstrip, we were already seeing gazelle, hartebeest, warthogs, and more. I started clicking away with my camera not realizing that there would be so much more (I needed to relax and be patient—but it was just so exciting!) I had read half a dozen books in preparation for the trip and had an idea that we’d see most of what I was interested in with the exception of perhaps the elusive leopard or rhinos. But leave it to Reggie to find 3 leopards on the very first day…and one that walked no more than 3 feet away from our cruiser!

In addition to the leopards on the first day we also saw a lion eating a giraffe, black-backed jackals, bat-eared foxes, hyraxes, dik dik, giraffes, and many birds. We ended our first day at Seronera Sametu Camp, greeted by Jonas who has the biggest smile in the Serengeti. It had started to rain, but we were ushered in with an umbrella, a cool washcloth, and delicious juice. We very much enjoyed Sametu Camp, where we were virtually the only guests for 3 nights. The food was excellent and we even got to watch the “TV” on our last night (code word for camp fire).

The highlight of day 2 may have been watching a newborn baboon with its family. Or was it coming across a pride of 9 lions napping under a tree? Or finding 2 more leopards? Day 3 included a trip to the Sametu Kopjes, where Reggie spotted 2 cheetah on the way—our first sighting of this curious cat. In another area Reggie pointed out some dangling wildebeest legs hanging from a tree (that was all that was left) and upon closer inspection he saw a baby wildebeest lodged in an adjacent tree. He knew we were in a leopard’s territory and with patience, we found it (if you’re keeping count, that’s 6 leopards by day 3).

We enjoyed a lovely sunrise and breakfast on our last day at Seronera Sametu Camp and began our journey toward Retima Hippo Pool. Slightly delayed by a flat tire, we encountered some other safari-goers who stopped to chat. We talked about what we had seen and quickly learned we’d seen WAY MORE than they had—which became a common sentiment from people we encountered traveling with other companies and guides. One of the advantages of ADS is that their drivers have a lot of experience and they aren’t competitive with one another—they share information and sightings via radio to give their guests the best.

We spent the next 3 nights at the lovely Lake Masek Tented Lodge. This may have been our favorite place, with its luxury accommodations, great food, friendly staff, and relaxing deck overlooking the lake (which goes perfectly with a Tusker beer). Setting out early each day (with Reggie, you’re always the first out) from Lake Masek we encountered so many sights.

We were usually out in the bush for 11 hours a day, taking our breakfast and lunch with us and soaking up everything we possibly could (Reggie pampered us with a table and chairs for lovely picnic-style meals.) We were fascinated by the cheetahs and following Reggie’s advice we patiently observed them which usually leads them to come close and enjoy the shade your truck or even chew on your mud flaps.

We learned so much from Reggie about the behavior of all the animals. My mom and I had a great time trying to “name that animal,” and I even tried to stump him with a sighting of something from the balcony of our room at the Serena Crater Lodge. After consulting several guidebooks, Reggie determined that the small, all black creature with the red beady eyes, and long, thin tail I saw was a Slender Mongoose.

Our last full day was spent in the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater. Reggie had informed us that for 15 years he had always been the first car at the Crater gate in the morning when it opened at 6am, and we were determined not to break his streak. This paid off as he sighted 2 Rhino within the first 15 minutes, as well as discovering a very large pride of sleeping lions. It was a special sight to watch the male and female lion sleeping entwined face-to-face. Later on we were able to get an even closer sighting of 2 more rhinos that crossed the road near our vehicle.

We ended our safari with a short trip through Lake Manyara. While this is a relatively small park, it was really great for watching baboon, vervet, and blue monkeys, as well as some really large birds. And you never know, out of nowhere you might see a herd of 6 elephant running across the road on a hurry somewhere!

We now know why this company receives so much praise. It truly did exceed all of our expectations. Thank you, Sharon, for your wonderfully planning and to Reggie for being a great guide and friend!

Best,

Rachel J. and Ann J.
Chicago, IL and Dayton, Oh
Safari Dates: February 20, 2013 to March 2, 2013

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Our Trip To Tanzania Was My Mom’s Dream

Family Vacations

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Posted on by Michael

Our thanks go out to Africa Dream Safaris and their marvelous staff! We were greeted in Kilimanjaro by the ADS staff and they never left us during our eight day safari through the Serengeti. Before leaving, Lynn took good care of us by answering all our questions and preparing us with material. A big part of the fun of every holiday is planning and anticipating. Our trip to Tanzania was my mom’s dream for at least 13 years. I was lucky to get to go along with her on this adventure. My mother and I called Lynn multiple times, asking questions and analyzing the data that was returned to us. We really appreciated all her hard work and efforts to insure we had a great trip. We chose the right company to host us…definitely!

Tent Camps/Hotels – Every accommodation was great and the staff aimed to please every need. It was fun being in an international atmosphere, with different languages being spoken at every table at breakfast and dinner. The beds were comfortable and wifi was available at most places so we could check email, text home or send video clips to our family and friends during the trip! We would use “Face-Time” on our cell phones to get free video service to the USA. The staff at the camps got a real kick out of this technology and all got in on the video streaming to home, so our family at home could see the people and the accommodations, etc.

Food – we dined both breakfast and dinner at the hotel or tent lodge wherever we were staying. They all had European standard cuisine that was delicious and a good variety of choices. The fruit selection in Tanzania was amazing – the most wonderful tasting pineapple, mango and passion fruit were my favorites – I ate them at every breakfast opportunity. We had a packed lunch for every day on the trip, which was helpful so we didn’t have to return to the camp in order to eat lunch – we could just keep on our adventure.

Guide – Our trip WAS our guide. Thomson Malekia knew so much about all the sites and animals. He and his colleague, Francis (another ADS driver), walkie-talkie’d each other to help their respective guest see the best sightings of the Serengeti. Thomson was very friendly with all the SUV drivers – everyone loved Thomson! We are so grateful to have such a professional, experienced and friendly driver – he was just amazing! He’d stop anytime we wanted to take pictures. He would jump out of the SUV when it started to rain, to close the sunroof panels so we wouldn’t get too wet. He’d go to bed after we were taken care of for the evening and be ready to drive again as early as we wanted to start.

Animals – we saw so many animals – Right off the bat we saw two Leopards in a tree and we saw two lions mating. Then we saw a hippo pool with a giant crocodile lingering at the edge. We saw a kill – infanticide killing of a baby hippo by one of the adult hippos. – this was all during day one! We also saw cheetah, elephant, giraffe, striped mongoose, fox, hyena, vultures and cheetah. The Thomson Gazelle, Grunt Gazelle and Impala were so graceful and quick. The wildebeest and zebras everywhere – we got to see them migrate, which was so interesting. The baboons and their babies were so fun to watch. We watched all week with our check list of animals we wanted to see. We even got to see two Black Rhinoceros on the last day. Thompson knew of my passion for Flamingos and made sure we saw plenty of them. The Ostrich, Crane, and many bird varieties were with us at every stop.

People – Everyone spoke English, which was very helpful to us. We visited a Maasai Village, where we were introduced to some native tribal people, their homes, their traditions, lifestyle, and interaction with each other and the world outside. We saw the children in their schoolhouse and the people tending to their cows, goats, sheep and donkeys. We jumped off the ground with the tribesmen to their rhythmic beats. I’m really glad we opted for this excursion – it was one of the highlights of the entire trip!

Time of Year – We originally were going to start our trip in January, because that’s when the babies are born, but Lynn suggested a “hidden secret” – going in March or April. At this time the babies are big enough to run with the rest of the pack. It’s the rainy season, so the cloud patterns in the background added to each picture we took. It rained but not too much…just enough to keep it cool. I’m so glad we listened to Lynn with this suggestion!

Thanks to ADS for our trip – it was everything we wanted and more. I’ll definitely suggest ADS to people wanting to take a safari in Tanzania!

Karen D. (mom) and Brad D. (son)
Long Beach, California
March 18, 2013 to March 25, 2013

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