Author: Michael

Quote of the Week: Leslie Grossman

Whatever expectations I had before leaving were totally blown out of the water once we got to Kilimanjaro… [The ADS staff] are so competent and caring and made me feel so welcome. And that just set the tone for the rest of the trip. [Our guide] is a remarkable man. I gather from all the customer comments that all of your guides are wonderful, and I know my only experience was with [our guide], but my gosh, he is amazing. His passion for and love of his country and its fauna and flora is his gift to those of us privileged to have him as a guide and mentor. I felt totally safe, totally taken care of, totally in awe of the amount of animals [our guide] was able to find, he has a 6th sense for that. We spoke with [non-ADS] people in the lodges who hadn’t seen nearly the amount of animals that we had […] After having dreamed of going to Africa for as long as I have memory, your amazing company and staff made this woman’s dream come true!! How do I thank someone for that? Words seem so small, but they are all I have, so from my entire being, heart and soul I thank you so much.

Leslie Grossman
September- October 2008

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Quote of the Week: Jackie Cooper

I was looking forward to seeing some wonderful African birds on our trip, and bought a book to “study up” beforehand. I am an intermediate “birder” and was so grateful to our guide for his knowledge of the birds of Tanzania. I saw 105 species I had never seen before! We had a private tour, and were able to stop (engine off/ no shaking – which we appreciated!) at every opportunity to look at the birds, take photos, and refer to our guidebooks. Obviously, we loved all the larger animals as well – but what a treat to see the beautiful small creatures of Africa. It added another dimension to our fantastic trip. My favorites: the Kori Bustard in mating form (neck puffed, tail up) and the Lilac-breasted roller. That’s what I loved about Africa Dream Safaris – the ability to “tailor” our trip to our interests!

Jackie Cooper
September 2008

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Quote of the Week: Jeff and Mary Pines

We would like to thank you and all of the staff at Africa Dream Safaris for making our first African experience so wonderful. We were awestruck at every turn – each location brought new sights and adventures. We appreciated the meticulous attention to detail – from the planning stages, through the local staff in Tanzania who met us in Arusha and immediately made us feel welcome, and throughout our exceptional safari. We were especially interested in exploring the birdlife and our guide far exceeded our expectations by introducing us to over 140 new species of birds. We also enjoyed learning about the many kinds of plants and animals native to Tanzania and their relationship to the people and environment. At each of our overnight accommodations we were greeted warmly and treated to delicious meals, gorgeous scenery, and helpful staff. The opportunities to meet and visit with individuals from several different cultures made our experience truly authentic. The balloon safari and walking safaris provided us the chance to see the wildlife from a different perspective. We would highly recommend Africa Dream Safaris to anyone considering a trip to Northern Tanzania.

Jeff and Mary Pines
August-September 2008

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Quote of the Week: Colleen and Roland Baker

The trip was like no other! From day one, from the moment we left the airport, we were amazed by where we were and by what we saw and by the amazing wonderful Tanzanians. Gosh, it was just over the top, all the way through. We have to acknowledge our guide….just amazing how full of information that young man is, and so patient, and almost having a 6th sense as to where the animals are. He has a wonderful sense of humor too. We saw amazing animals…..a leopard dangling on a tree branch, another leopard sleeping out in the open on a kopje with her 2 babies nearby, a black rhino, a teeny teeny baby elephant with mother, young male lions under a bush eating a water buffalo (that crunching sound will stay with us forever!), a pride of 10-11 lions sleeping under bushes after gorging themselves on a zebra (only the skeleton remained) and a water buffalo (half of it remained), a cheetah on a termite hill, a herd of wildebeest running through the dried lake at the Crater, the bazillions of wildebeest up at the Mara River, and all those birds everywhere. […] This trip has provided us with stories for a lifetime….we only hope we don’t tire out our audiences. Thank you so much for everything.

Colleen and Roland Baker
September 2008

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Quote of the Week: Linda and Mike G.

The plane ride from Arusha to the Northern Serengeti was a scene we will never forget. Having that included with the trip was spectacular. We got to see a whole new perspective of Tanzania and visualize where we will soon explore. The second we landed, [our guide] greeted us with a big smile. We started driving and ended up seeing zebras, giraffes, baboons, buffalo, wildebeest, leopards and lions within two hours. We couldn’t believe it and we jokingly asked [our guide] “now what are we going to see, we weren’t expecting this all in one day, let alone our first day?” Not only did we see all the animals on our handy checklist that ADS provided us, we also saw how the ecosystem revolved on how the plant life was not only beautiful landscape but provided survival to the animals. Just watching the cycle of life with animals among animals and animals among the natural habitat of the land was intriguing. [Our guide] knew everything! We were impressed by his knowledge of everything around us. At the end of our trip we consider him a friend. He was so kind and accommodating.

I can’t say enough about the animals we saw…I could write pages and pages and that is why I highly recommend for whoever is even thinking of going with ADS, you will just have to find out for yourself. The pictures alone on the website and the pictures we took on our own are a testament to what you really see. […] Thank you so much for providing us a trip of a life time and memories that will always last. We look forward to another trip to Tanzania with ADS!

Linda and Mike G.
Aug/Sept 2008


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Quote of the Week: Lana and Tim Davis

Africa Dream Safaris is poorly named – it should be ‘Africa Fantastic, Unbelievable Safaris’. From the moment we landed, the people who took care of us went above and beyond. Our guide was wonderful, the accommodations excellent and the food extraordinary. And we saw much, much more than we expected. We are both in our sixties with hip replacements and I am a Type 1 diabetic so we were apprehensive about taking this trip. What a waste of emotional energy! Everything was perfect! Because we chose to, we left at dawn every day and returned just before sundown – I’d go back tomorrow and do it the same way. […] If you want a truly personalized, fantastic safari, choose Africa Dream Safaris.

Lana and Tim Davis
August 2008

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Quote of the Week: Ann Eilert

How can one do justice to such a trip by summarizing in a paragraph or two the genuine warmth and kindness of the Tanzanian people, the amazing beauty of the richly filled woodlands, the expanse of the seemingly endless grassy plane, or the raw beauty of nature as it takes its sometimes cruel, often uplifting, but ever inspiring course in the lives of the animals that thrive there? I knew visiting such a place as Tanzania would be a rich and rewarding experience even before we went, but today I am simply in awe of the amazingly spectacular sights, sounds, and deeply rooted emotions that we experienced. […]

Having now lived overseas as an educator for nearly 20 years, and having traveled extensively in Europe, as well as throughout parts of Asia, Africa (Egypt & Kenya), and New Zealand, I definitely expected this trip to be “pretty great” – but I can now say in all honesty and without any reservation that this trip by far exceeded any travel experience I have ever had in the past– bar none! It really was a dream-come-true. Thank you, ADS, for taking all of us on a true “trip of a lifetime!” I, for one, cannot thank you enough!

Ann Eilert
August 2008

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Quote of the Week: Gina McKenzie, Doug and Carol Williams

WOW! What can you say about the trip of a lifetime? Africa Dream Safaris made it happen for us! From our arrival in Arusha to our reluctant departure eleven days later, each day was filled with the most incredible experiences. By the end of day one, we were privileged to witness not one but two wildebeest crossings at the Mara River. We really thought to ourselves, “what more can there be?” But each day was better than the last – two more river crossings, all the wonderful animals in huge numbers and usually up close and personal, a glimpse into their behavior and the life and death struggles that happen daily. […] We were richly rewarded by the many things we witnessed. Our camps and lodges exceeded our expectations. From the friendly staff, the delicious food and comfortable accommodations, we were treated like royalty. […] This was absolutely the best vacation we’ve ever taken. We all agree we want to return. When we do, we will call on Africa Dream Safaris!

Gina McKenzie, Doug and Carol Williams
August 2008

**Bonus Feature!  This short video of the Mara River Crossing was recorded by Mariela Kotun in the Northern Serengeti in August 2008:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XjkCUCqPws

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Quote of the Week: Dan & Lynne Kohlhepp

I can’t say enough about our safari and the high level of service we received from Africa Dream Safaris. We saw everything we wanted to see and much closer than we expected. Africa Dream Safaris performed flawlessly from the planning of the trip all the way through to the post trip follow up. After anticipating this trip for months, my expectations were very high and I have to say they were exceeded by the reliable and friendly team at Africa Dream Safaris. […] During our first hour of game driving we saw an amazing amount of animals including elephants, lions, zebras, wildebeests, ostrich, giraffes, monkeys, baboons, eland, and more impalas and gazelles than we could count. The rest of the safari brought even closer sightings of lions, cheetahs, huge herds of wildebeests around the Mara River, rhinos, leopards, entertaining groups of hippos and elephants, many species of birds and much more. […] We were very pleased with all of the lodges, the high level of service and comfort of the accommodations. […] All of you at Africa Dream Safaris were very helpful and friendly. The ADS team did all the work, and all we had to do was enjoy the experience. I will highly recommend Africa Dream Safaris and look forward to planning a future safari with you!

Dan & Lynne Kohlhepp
August 2008

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Quote of the Week: Mark Coleman

We really had a memorable trip to Tanzania thanks to Africa Dream Safaris whose personnel and attention to detail allowed us to focus on the jewels of Africa – the landscape, people and wildlife. Each day proved as special as the one before. Reflecting on each day we were sure that the next could not live up to the last – but we were consistently proved wrong. From following a male lion down a dusty road to his lioness and young cubs, with no one else anywhere to be seen to intrude upon our private viewing, to a pair of cheetahs who sought out the shade of our Land Cruiser for more than an hour, to the adolescent rough-housing of two young elephants, each trying to exert his dominance over the other, each day held its own unique surprises for us. As eventful as each day was, the service and accommodation that greeted us each evening was beyond our expectations and truly appreciated. As I review the photos of our trip, a smile comes to my face remembering fondly our trip of a lifetime.

Mark Coleman
August 2008

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Quote of the Week: Joe and Julia Myer

We can’t thank ADS enough for helping arrange a truly memorable and wonderful safari. We brought home so many great memories – and pictures. We’ve received many great comments on the pictures we’ve shared with our friends and family, and all I can say in response is, “imagine what it must have been like to be there, to be in front of that leopard, to chase that cheetah running after a gazelle, to watch that bird swallow a snake whole, to see the 6 lion cubs laying with their mom…” And those stories are just the tip of the ice berg of what we saw and experienced. We couldn’t have asked for a better person to work with during the planning stages, a better host upon arrival to Tanzania, or a better driver guide to lead us on all our adventures. From the time we first contacted ADS to plan our trip to the final goodbye as we entered the airport to come home, we were treated respectfully and at times felt like family. I most definitely would recommend ADS to my friends and family as they were an absolute pleasure to work with. Thank you for a truly wonderful safari – Asante Sana!

Joe and Julia Myer
August 2008

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Quote of the Week: Dan and Lynne Kohlhepp

I can’t say enough about our safari and the high level of service we received from Africa Dream Safaris. We saw everything we wanted to see and much closer than we expected. Africa Dream Safaris performed flawlessly from the planning of the trip all the way through to the post trip follow up. After anticipating this trip for months, my expectations were very high and I have to say they were exceeded by the reliable and friendly team at Africa Dream Safaris […]

During our first hour of game driving we saw an amazing amount of animals including elephants, lions, zebras, wildebeests, ostrich, giraffes, monkeys, baboons, eland, and more impalas and gazelles than we could count The rest of the safari brought even closer sightings of lions, cheetahs, huge herds of wildebeests around the Mara River, rhinos, leopards, entertaining groups of hippos and elephants, many species of birds and much more […]

Over all, everything was as represented. All of you at Africa Dream Safaris were very helpful and friendly. The ADS team did all the work, and all we had to do was enjoy the experience. I will highly recommend Africa Dream Safaris and look forward to planning a future safari with you.

Dan and Lynne Kohlhepp
August 2008

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Quote of the Week: Ann Eilert

From the first moment of our arrival in Arusha, where we were warmly greeted by the cheerful and professional ADS staff on the tarmac, to the final moment of our departure, we could not have been made to feel more cared for, welcomed and relaxed. The accommodations at each and every place we stayed were outstanding and comfortable, and we were exceptionally well fed – whether it was in our semi-permanent tent, our permanent tent, in our private luxury camp, or in a lodge. (We experienced them all!) And our safari guide that met us when we landed in the Serengeti – what can I say about our guide to do him justice? After watching and listening to the many other groups that we saw on safari in the lodges, camps, and on the wildlife circuits, I now truly believe one’s safari is going to be only as good one’s guide…and our ADS guide was absolutely exceptional – truly, he was beyond compare! […] This trip by far exceeded any travel experience I have ever had in the past– bar none! It really was a dream-come-true. Thank you, ADS, for taking all of us on a true ‘trip of a lifetime!’

Ann Eilert
July 2008

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Quote of the Week: Jon Baird

The trip was beyond all of our expectations. We were thrilled with all of the accommodations and especially grateful for the services of our guide. He was without a doubt the supreme facilitator of our amazing experience. We cannot say enough wonderful things about him from the gentle way about him to his very keen understanding of the ecosystems we experienced. He was truly a blessing on this trip and we hated to say goodbye to him…

[Our itinerary] was a perfect balance of game drives and relaxation time so that all could experience the full pleasure of this amazing continent. We all knew this was to be the trip of a lifetime and yet, none of us were prepared for just how impactful this adventure would be. It’s been over a week and we still cannot stop talking about the trip nor finding a few moments to look at the pictures we took. I could go on forever talking about our experiences but let me leave you with one thought: every one of us walks away from this journey an ambassador for Tanzania, Africa, and Africa Dream Safaris. It was truly the trip of a lifetime and one I hope we can repeat some day.

Jon Baird
June 2008

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Quote of the Week: Al and Allison Scheflow

We absolutely loved our entire safari. We had the BEST guide. How did we get so lucky? He knew where to find everything. The accommodations were outstanding. Al didn’t want to leave Kirawira, the view was spectacular. Marcia celebrated her birthday there and the entire staff came and sang at the table. Everyone was talking about how beautiful the song and singing were. We were only about 5 minutes into our safari when [our guide] said “see the elephant?” What??? Already?? and it just didn’t stop. We saw everything: rhino, cheetah, leopard, plenty of lions, hippo, giraffe etc. […] The service was over the top. Those guys were so friendly and warm […] Asante sana, tena. We will be back!

Al and Allison Scheflow
June 2008

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