It was the trip of a lifetime!!! You created a safari that more than fulfilled our wishes, it actually exceeded any preconceived expectations. It was an amazing trip and one we will NEVER forget!! We are so happy that we went with ADS. From the moment we landed we were completely taken care of (as we had hoped). The VIP service upon landing from the airplane was a great kick off to a super trip. It was so nice to have the vehicle to ourselves and be “in charge” of when we wanted to leave in the morning, to when we stopped for lunch, up to the point of when we came back to the superb lodges. Knowing that there was no limit to the mileage was also a BIG plus. The ADS vehicles are allowed in areas not many other outfitters can go—-so it is like having the Serengeti to yourselves. We saw ALL of the animals we wanted to see (the big 5-leopards, lions, cape buffalo, rhinos and elephants) and sooooo many of them!! There was one situation where we saw a herd of over 35+ elephants-it seemed like they just kept coming and coming and coming!! We also added on the hot air balloon to our trip and were completely thrilled that we did so!!

I do have to say that the office here in the States was wonderful in answering any questions and concerns we had prior to the trip and I feel they did a terrific job in planning out our trip. We could NOT have done this on our own!! Even when we were out on safari we were taken care of by the courteous staff and our knowledgeable guide. The lodges and food were well above anything we could have imagined. We would not hesitate in recommending ADS to anyone who wanted to take a ‘trip of a lifetime’!!

Rhonda and Andy Powali
June 2010

An amazing view of a Pangolin…a very (very) rare creature that has only been glimpsed by a slim handful of lucky guests!

Upon our initial arrival to the Serengeti at the Grumeti airstrip from Arusha (a surprisingly vibrant city of 400,000 and the home of most everyone who works in the Serengeti), our bush plane was greeted by a large herd of Impala which prevented us from landing until our pilot buzzed the runway. From that first introduction, and for the balance of our safari experience, we were blown away by the sheer magnitude of wildlife which exists in this magical (and thankfully protected) corner of the world.

As we approached our tent upon return to camp late afternoon on the first day, our path was crossed first by a small group of Warthog running by, followed by encountering several Rock Hyrax (a rodent similar in size to a large hamster) resting on the steps leading up to our stilted luxury tent, only to be capped off by seeing a pair of Baboons sitting comfortably in the chairs outside the front entry! While the sun was setting with a brilliant orange-red hue behind a Kopjes (a large rock formation) adjacent to our camp, and as we were enjoying a refreshing drink on the deck outside, we listened to a cacophony of Hippos grunting in the nearby water hole, Elephants trumpeting in the nearby thicket of trees, and Lions roaring off in the distance.

Our safari happened to occur during the great northward migration of the Wildebeest, and at one point our guide (who is a magnificent, knowledgeable guide possessing a gentle spirit) had to stop the vehicle for approximately twenty minutes as he estimated 15-20,000 Wildebeest ran by us in a thundering cloud of dust. Though there were innumerable amazing encounters, both in life and death, with the myriad animals we were blessed to observe, one of the most tender highlights was being able to witness a male and female lion during their “ceremony”, wherein they part from the rest of the pride for several days to mate.

Having your urban life interrupted by such a dose of pure nature in its rawest form somehow becomes a very existential experience which lets you know, no matter how much we try to manipulate our own life, there is a certain order to the world of which we are inexorably a part. A certain peace is gained while being in the wild that makes you realize that everything happens for a reason, and that all is as it should be. What started out as a dream trip on our “bucket list” has transformed our perspective and become a life-altering experience which we will repeat whenever we need to renew our spirit.

Amy and Steve Gunther
June 2010

Lions passing in front of a herd of Cape buffalo.

Two zebra friends passing time together.

The DeRose family and their ADS guide, having a good time on safari!

I just want to thank you and African Dream Safaris for the most amazing adventure! There are no words to describe what I feel in my heart so I’m not even going to try. I’m sure you understand how I am feeling. Truly an experience of a lifetime, and my only complaint is that it went by too quickly. Tom and I have traveled to many places, but this is by far the best travel experience I have ever had. I love Africa, and it will always be with me. I know that someday I will return. A special thank you to our guide for putting his heart and soul into our safari experience, spending 11 to 12 hours a day with us or more. He had us on the road at 6:00 or 7:00 each morning!! Every day of our safari was unique and special. Not only was our guide extremely hard working, but we were amazed at all of the animals he was able to spot! Never a boring or disappointing moment. You are very lucky to have him as an employee of ADS.

Please know that you and African Dream Safaris can count on our referral. I have not been able to stop thinking or talking about my safari experience….I am already working on my brother and his wife!

Cindy and Tom Ressler
June 2010

A young baboon quenching his thirst in the river.

Cindy enjoying a nice view of some cheetahs!

A small sampling of the Great Migration.

It was a real pleasure dealing with a company who knows that customer service does not stop when the check clears, but actually just begins.

It is an understatement to say we had an amazing 10 day safari. Our guide had to be ADS’s best and made us feel comfortable and welcome from the moment we met him. He was very enjoyable to be around and was an expert at spotting game we had not even seen with our binoculars. His knowledge of the animals (and birds), their habits and characteristics was simply amazing. The lodging throughout the safari exceeded our expectations. Every place we stayed had great food, cold beer, and great rooms (even the tented lodges). Every lodge had a wonderful staff and we were treated like royalty. The game drives and animal experiences are really hard to fully explain to those who have not experienced it. The magnitude of the great migration, lions basking on a kopje, cheetahs, lions or hyenas feeding on a fresh kill and herds of elephants so close you could almost touch them. Even the pleasant weather and beautiful scenery was more than we could have imagined.

Africa Dream Safaris really took care of us from the time we stepped off the plane until the time we stepped back on. They are truly a first class organization! We went into the trip thinking it would be a once in a lifetime experience but are now looking forward to our next experience with Tanzania and Africa Dream Safaris.

Don Reichert
June 2009

**Bonus Feature!**
This short video, comprised by Peter and Jody Arebalo, represents some wonderful highlights from their safari in May:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4so93gP4mFk

Jambo! I do not know where to start or how to express just how fabulous our safari was. Our disappointment was that it came to an end!! Thank goodness we booked with Africa Dream Safaris. [Our ADS rep’s] combination of professionalism, friendliness and knowledge was the reason for our fortuitous choice. Our time in Tanzania exceeded all our expectations and I believe we had set our hopes for a fantasy safari pretty high. […] The itinerary was perfect for the amount of time we had to work with but there is no way it would have been as great without our guide. I do believe that a guide will make or break a trip like this and I cannot imagine anyone working as hard or as cheerfully as [our guide]. We came upon a couple of other ADS vehicles and they seemed to be having a great time too, unlike some others that we talked with […] Thank you once again and we will definitely be contacting you for another future Tanzania adventure.

Jayne Carson
June 2009

Getting back to work and acclimating back to this time have left us with little time in the pm to email you back. We had a wonderful time on our trip. We couldn’t believe how many animals we saw in just the first 2 days! Ryan, my 9 year old, said while grinning from ear to ear in the jeep that he would “recommend this trip to anyone”. We saw everything we had hoped to see and more. We were shocked at how close the animals would be to the jeep. All of the accommodations were excellent. The change to Mbalageti was a surprise, but it was a really neat place. I almost wish we would have had another day there. The service everywhere was excellent, especially the private camp.

We really enjoyed [our guide]. He has great enthusiasm and experience. He was very eager to show and teach us as much as possible. I did want to let you know that I think it was such a great idea that ADS sent him to the USA. He is still just so excited about his experience and feels it gives him a better appreciation for why people come to Tanzania. Also, I wanted to let you know that Jonas, at the private campsite, is absolutely wonderful. He is attentive, hard-working, eager and friendly. He will be an asset to your company. There were no disappointments on our trip. It met and exceeded our expectations. We will definitely send some photos and a comment on the website, but it may take us a few weeks!

Oh, the only thing I will comment on is our visit with Daniel about the Iraqw. He is a very pleasant and knowledgeable man, but his presentation is quite long. It was interesting, but after a long ride in the jeep, a 2 hour talk can be a bit too much. I would kindly ask him to develop a standard 45 minute presentation, and then allow people to ask him questions if they would like more details. This would put his tour at about 1 hour, which seems more appropriate. Thanks again!

Stephanie Kahle
June 2009

Jambo! I do not know where to start or how to express just how fabulous our safari was. Our disappointment was that it came to an end!! Thank goodness we booked with Africa Dream Safaris. [Our ADS rep’s] combination of professionalism, friendliness and knowledge was the reason for our fortuitous choice. Our time in Tanzania exceeded all our expectations and I believe we had set our hopes for a fantasy safari pretty high. […] The itinerary was perfect for the amount of time we had to work with but there is no way it would have been as great without our guide. I do believe that a guide will make or break a trip like this and I cannot imagine anyone working as hard or as cheerfully as [our guide]. We came upon a couple of other ADS vehicles and they seemed to be having a great time too, unlike some others that we talked with […] Thank you once again and we will definitely be contacting you for another future Tanzania adventure.

Jayne Carson
June 2009

A trip to Africa had long been on my ‘Bucket List’ and a dream of mine but there was never anyone who could or would go with me. Little did I know that my wife, two sons and Africa Dream Safaris (ADS) planned the trip of a lifetime for me and my two sons for my 70th birthday. ADS had prepared us for every detail before we arrived in Africa with not only their outstanding website information but also personal interaction. We arrived at Kilimanjaro WITHOUT my bag as it stayed over in Amsterdam for an extra day. However, ADS didn’t leave me stranded and went out of their way and made this issue a priority until they had gotten my bag from the airport and delivered it to me out in the Serengeti. It was a real pleasure dealing with a company who knows that customer service does not stop when the check clears, but actually just begins.

It is an understatement to say we had an amazing 10 day safari. Our guide had to be ADS’s best and made us feel comfortable and welcome from the moment we met him. He was very enjoyable to be around and was an expert at spotting game we had not even seen with our binoculars. His knowledge of the animals (and birds), their habits and characteristics was simply amazing. The lodging throughout the safari exceeded our expectations. Every place we stayed had great food, cold beer, and great rooms (even the tented lodges). Every lodge had a wonderful staff and we were treated like royalty. The game drives and animal experiences are really hard to fully explain to those who have not experienced it. The magnitude of the great migration, lions basking on a kopje, cheetahs, lions or hyenas feeding on a fresh kill and herds of elephants so close you could almost touch them. Even the pleasant weather and beautiful scenery was more than we could have imagined.

Africa Dream Safaris really took care of us from the time we stepped off the plane until the time we stepped back on. They are truly a first class organization! We went into the trip thinking it would be a once in a lifetime experience but are now looking forward to our next experience with Tanzania and Africa Dream Safaris.

Don Reichert
June 2009

The 4 sequential photos document the story of a pride of lions hunting their prey, from stalk to feast.  A haunting illustration of the triumph and tragedy that must coexist out here on the Serengeti Plains.

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