From the moment we contacted Africa Dream Safaris, we knew we selected the right group to design our personalized safari with our friends Chris and Nanette. Their responsiveness, customer service and attention to detail and was outstanding. Our safari in April with ADS spanned the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater. From the moment we stepped off the plane in Kilimanjaro to the plane ride home, every detail was handled with the utmost care and attention to detail. Our very likeable and incredibly knowledgeable driver-guide, who soon became a cherished friend, delivered beyond expectations and our expectations were very high as we anticipated this epic adventure for over a year. The tented accommodations were very comfortable and while staying at the Lake Masek Tented Lodge on the banks of Lake Masek, we often heard snorting hippos in the water just below. The Crater Lodge on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater was luxurious yet really fit the surroundings. From cool beverages and towels to welcome us upon are arrival to the drawn bathtub with rose petals when we returned from safari, the experience there made us wish we were staying longer. While enjoying appetizers and cocktails on the outside terrace overlooking the amazing crater, our decision in selecting ADS was again reinforced as we traded stories about our safari experiences with guests who hadn’t booked with ADS.

Over the course of our two weeks, were able to enjoy the experience of observing many different kinds of wildlife up close including lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, elephants, hippos, black rhinos, giraffes, zebras, dik diks, warthogs, gazelles and even stood in the middle of one million wildebeests. Although there are so many we could easily recount, two memories we will always have is an adult lion slowly walking by our stopped Land Rover and hearing its tail “thump” the vehicle door as it checked us out and walked on by –and– watching several baboons while they sat on the hood and top canvas of our vehicle as they peered in at us. While we saw other vehicles during our time in the bush, we also had many times our driver-guide took us to places for which there were no other vehicles or people. It never felt crowded and in fact one day as we were driving across the Serengeti, it occurred to us we had not seen another vehicle or another human for over two hours. ADS also arranged for our hot-air balloon flight across the Serengeti. At times the balloon only floated at tree-top level as we quietly floated over pools of hippos and grazing giraffes.

Africa Dream Safaris is the right partner for this kind of adventure — our experiences and memories on this trip will last a life time.

Jim Schmidt & Karla Marshall
April 2011

We would like to thank Africa Dream Safaris for planning an unforgettable trip for us to the Serengeti. The scenery was amazing and I don’t believe there were many animals we missed seeing. I took over 1300 photos and my husband, Mike, took over 4 hours of video. Every day was a new adventure and experience viewing the incredible game and scenery. It is difficult to describe the majesty and beauty of the Serengeti and must be seen by all those who love nature. Our accommodations were more than we expected and very comfortable. The Maasai people were warm and friendly and we enjoyed our time with them thoroughly. Our guide was the BEST. He had the most incredible “eagle eye” for searching out animals, as well as wonderful knowledge of all of the animals, the people, and the country in general. He was a wealth of knowledge, yet very personable and friendly. A true asset to ADS! We have recommended ADS to many of our friends who would like to experience the Serengeti. This was truly a “bucket list” trip for us. Thank you so much for all your assistance in making it so!

Mike and Mindy Walsh
April 2010

My trip with Africa Dream Safaris was exceptional. Our guide was fabulous and very knowledgeable about the animals, the eco-system and life in Africa in general. Even in the more crowded areas we were often by ourselves as we decided when to leave for an early morning game drive and when to head back in. One morning, we came upon two lionesses with 3 little cubs. The lions had just killed a wildebeest. We sat and watched the little family for over an hour until the lionesses dragged the kill away. Not another vehicle was in sight. The same situation happened when we sat and watched a leopard climb a tree next to our vehicle, two male cheetahs courting the same female and an elephant family with a new born calf. Again no other vehicles. It was amazing. We also loved the fact that it was our own private safari. We had plenty of room in the vehicle to move. The private luxury camps were fantastic and the camp staff was exceptional. I kept saying throughout the entire trip that this was the best vacation EVER!!!!!!

Christine Smith
April 2009

My trip with Africa Dream Safaris was exceptional. Our guide was fabulous and very knowledgeable about the animals, the eco-system and life in Africa in general. Even in the more crowded areas we were often by ourselves as we decided when to leave for an early morning game drive and when to head back in. One morning, we came upon two lionesses with 3 little cubs. The lions had just killed a wildebeest. We sat and watched the little family for over an hour until the lionesses dragged the kill away. Not another vehicle was in sight. The same situation happened when we sat and watched a leopard climb a tree next to our vehicle, two male cheetahs courting the same female and a elephant family with a new born calf. Again no other vehicles. It was amazing. We also loved the fact that it was our own private safari. We had plenty of room in the vehicle to move. The private luxury camps were fantastic and the camp staff was exceptional. I kept saying throughout the entire trip that this was the best vacation EVER!!!!!!

Christine Smith
April 2009

Our first trip to East Africa was three years ago with a tour through National Geographic. This time we went with Africa Dream Safaris. The ADS experience was much better than what we experienced with NG. The four of us had our own Land Cruiser with a driver/guide. With [our guide’s] help we designed our own safari and did what we wanted, when we wanted, without worrying about other members of a tour […] We saw more animals and birds than we had ever dreamed of. The weather and company were great, the food delicious, the accommodations top-notch and the guide outstanding. We couldn’t have asked for more!!

To read Dick and Marjie’s full safari journal and photos, click here! http://dmtipton.blogspot.com/

Dick and Marjie Tipton
April 2009

This was our 3rd trip to Africa, but even so, it was unique. From the flight over Lengai at the start of our safari to the final overnight in the farmland of Karatu, it was fabulous. But even before that, we were met as we got off the flight from Amsterdam, had our visas taken care of, baggage collected, and on our way to the hotel while 95% of the other passengers were still waiting in line for immigrations. That was special. However, we came for the wildlife and were definitely not disappointed. The big five, thousands of wildebeest and zebra, about a zillion birds, and many other interesting creatures. It’s hard to describe being in the center of a noisy mass of animals stretching to the horizon in all directions. The best part, however, was that this was our own private safari. Only the two of us in that land cruiser with our guide. And what a guide he was. He led us to places where we could watch wildlife without seeing any other tourists.

Al and Alice Reich
April 2009

This was our 3rd trip to Africa, but even so, it was unique. From the flight over Lengai at the start of our safari to the final overnight in the farmland of Karatu, it was fabulous. But even before that, we were met as we got off the flight from Amsterdam, had our visas taken care of, baggage collected, and on our way to the hotel while 95% of the other passengers were still waiting in line for immigrations. That was special. However, we came for the wildlife and were definitely not disappointed. The big five, thousands of wildebeest and zebra, about a zillion birds, and many other interesting creatures. It’s hard to describe being in the center of a noisy mass of animals stretching to the horizon in all directions.

The best part, however, was that this was our own private safari. Only the two of us in that land cruiser with our guide. And what a guide he was. He led us to places where we could watch wildlife without seeing any other tourists. The lodges and camps were superb. It was especially nice to be in the private luxury camp, where we could determine our own schedule for meals, bedtime and wakeup, etc. Mbuzi Mawe Tented Lodge was every bit as well equipped and appointed as any of the hotels. The service and food at Ndutu was top notch and the view from our room at Ngorongoro Serena couldn’t have been better. Bougainvillea Lodge was the perfect place to wind down after an exciting 2 weeks. And, of course, dining in the ‘African Bush’ was a distinct pleasure.

Al and Alice Reich
April 2009

This was the most interesting and enjoyable trip we have taken. The folks at Africa Dream Safaris made sure every aspect of our safari was taken care of. From picking us up at the airport to dropping us off at the end, nothing was overlooked. We can’t say enough good things about everyone we came in contact with. Especially important was our driver guide. His ability to find and see animals borders on uncanny. [Our driver guide] looked after every need in a warm and enthusiastic manner. The accommodations and food were world class. We typically saw animals within minutes of leaving each day. The only problem we had was trying to fit in everything we wanted to do. We would recommend Africa Dream Safaris to anyone contemplating a trip to Tanzania. Especially, first time visitors who might be apprehensive about making a trip such as this.

Bob and Vivian Bousquet
April 2009