Our adventures with Africa Dream Safaris far exceeded our expectations in every possible way imaginable! We were excited to observe the wildlife in their natural habitat. We never dreamed that everyone at ADS and the wonderful people they worked with would not only become friends but family (Sharon, Janeth, Sambe, Russ and Michael are just a few of our new special friends).
In a word, perfect. Our guide, Pokea, had a 6th sense for where there would be animals and action. The first day we witnessed a crossing of the Mara River by wildebeests. From there, we saw everything from a lion kill to a leopard. We even had a close-up experience with cheetahs. It was beyond anything we imagined we’d see.
Our group spent eight wonderful days on safari in the South and Central Serengeti starting April 15. The weather was perfect…maybe a total of 15 minutes of daytime rain, plus a couple of showers at night while we slept.
We were fortunate to see three lion-wildebeast encounters (the lions won) and even lions mating. We saw cheetahs, leopards, rhinos, hippos…the whole list of hoped for game.
We loved our guides Russel and Thomson. We enjoyed their senses of humor and appreciated their enthusiasm and ability to see and identify animals and birds. With the naked eye, our guides routinely spotted wildlife that we could barely see with binoculars. I still don’t understand how they do that.
We were very satisfied with the tented camps. They are much nicer and more comfortable that we expected… or even hoped…and the food amazed us all, especially at the Seronera Sametu camp. The evening meal at the Seronera Sametu camp always started with soup, and the three soups we had were some of the best I have ever tasted. By all means, if you have the opportunity to stay at this camp, do so.
Our final two nights at the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge capped off the trip. We had been told that it was luxurious, but I did not expect the rooms and the food to be THAT wonderful. What a nice way to end the trip.
I am not much of a photographer but I have attached a couple of pictures. Others in the group will send much better photos I am sure.
Bob and Pat D.
Madison, Mississippi
Safari Dates: April 15, 2014 to April 23, 2014
Our safari two weeks ago to Tanzania was beyond our expectations! We had so many magical moments! Our first animal siting was a group of zebras on the runway when we were trying to land causing us to make a second approach! We also saw an elephant and giraffe out the plane window just as we were landing. What a start!
We saw a pride of 10 or more lions, a set of cubs, wildebeest, cheetahs and a host of rare birds all on our first afternoon. Our amazing guides Russell and Thomson were so knowledgeable and could spot everything! By the end of the week, we had tracked numerous leopards, seen three lion kills, cheetah cubs, baboons, blue monkeys and so much more! We saw it ALL!
Our accommodations were great and in the perfect order. We loved how the tent camps made us feel so much apart of the environment. We ended at the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge and what a treat it was! The views from our room were breathtaking and the elegant amenities and warm bath waiting for us at the end of the day were a pleasant surprise.
The days we spent on safari were filled with many magical moments that our group will treasure for a lifetime! Probably the most magical moment was rounding a corner on our second afternoon heading back to the camp and seeing 50 to 60 giraffes silhouetted by the sunset. It was like something out of a movie.
Bob & Jamie C.
Meridian, Mississippi
Safari Dates: April 15, 2014 to April 23, 2014
Regions Explored: Central Serengeti, East Serengeti, South Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara
Lodges: 3 x Sametu, 3 x Lake Masek, 2 x Crater Lodge
Lynn, this trip was the most fabulous we’ve ever taken! I don’t think we can ever duplicate or match it for it beauty of Tanzania, its people and its animals. Our accommodations were outstanding…truly first rate. We were spoiled especially by the Crater Lodge staff! But each lodge was unique. We were thrilled when a dozen elephants visited the pond behind Bilila Lodge. Then, at Kusini Tented Camp, the camp director treated us to a short astronomy lesson of the stars and constellations in the beautiful night sky; no light pollution! What a marvelous view of the Milky Way.
Our safari guides were kind, courteous and so well informed…and so proud of their country! We felt very safe and comfortable with them and learned so much from them. The idea of our group using two vehicles turned out to be a very good suggestion…not just from the standpoint of having extra room for viewing the animals but because one vehicle could always return to the lodge early while the other could stay out longer for those of us who could not get enough of the animals and scenery. Every aspect of the trip was wonderful…and we’ve got lots of photos to remember it by.
Thanks for all your careful planning on our behalf. It was a dream come true for us.
Ouida and Wayne Drinkwater
Ridgeland, Mississippi
March 2011
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