Our safari in Tanzania with African Dream Safaris was an incredibly amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience. Every aspect of the trip was incredible in its own right. Starting from the planning phase, our consultant, Lynn was extremely knowledgeable, helpful, and so friendly. She helped us out with all of the details, last minute questions, and customized our trip to our particular wishes. She even went as far as contacting our family after ensuring a safe arrival in Tanzania. We cannot say enough about Lynn’s support and guidance!
On to the safari aspect, it truly is hard to put in words. Everything from the animals, lodges, food, service, and VIP service was top-notch. Camps such as Swala, Buffalo Springs Tented Camp, Seronera Sametu, and of course the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge are worth special mention, each in their own unique ways. The caretakers/ managers of each camp went out of their ways to make us feel at home from the moment of arrival to departure. Everyone was so friendly and accommodating, and we felt completely safe the entire trip. The food and drinks were amazing. From eating breakfast with the elephants drinking from their watering hole in front of us at Swala, to butler service at Ngorongoro Crater lodge, to fun filled dinners with our newly-found friends at Seronera Sametu, the experiences were unforgettable.
As far as the animal exposure, even our guide called it a “blessed” safari. Every day was like an adventure out of National Geographic. Watching the animals in their various environments was awe-inspiring. Everywhere you looked seemed like a postcard in the making. Particularly interesting was the vast difference in the fauna and surroundings of the various locations- from the dry Central Serengeti and the impressive kopje structures, to the plush Northern Serengeti, to the swamps and woodlands of Tarangire and Lake Masek, and of course the Ngorongoro Crater which has it all.
Our timing at the end of the dry season in September seemed ideal for us from a game-spotting and comfort perspective. We were able to see literally hundreds of zebra, elephants, wildebeests, giraffes, hyenas, buffalo, baboons, hippos many species of birds, lions, cheetahs, leopards, rhinos, hyraxes- of all ages (babies included).
Some trip highlights included ostriches mating, a giraffe mating attempt, lions feeding their cubs, hippo pools, cheetahs with their cubs, leopards with their cubs in trees feeding, baboons on the hood of our vehicle, elephants with their young, tree-climbing lions, and spottings of 8 rhino. Perhaps the most exciting single event was the crossing at the Mara river, where hundreds of wildebeests rushed to swim across and gallop right in front of us. We even saw crocodiles feeding. Our trip to Zanzibar for a few days at the end was a nice relaxing touch as well.
Our guide, Michael, was also amazing. He was able to spot animals in the distance all over the place while driving us safely around all day. His knowledge of the natural world including the animals and the environment was truly astounding. He was extremely nice and accommodating as well and we never felt rushed. He would look out for great picture-taking opportunities and go out of his way to make our experience unforgettable.
Throughout our safari, we had the opportunity to see other tour groups and operators. There is no doubt that there is a huge difference in the experience provided by ADS compared to the others. A private safari is invaluable- providing the flexibility for timing, location, and duration of the game drives, meals, and rest. The large open topped Land Cruisers were ideal for comfort, viewing, and picture taking, and the refrigerator within was a very nice amenity. Other companies had vehicles with people crammed inside and mileage limitations which we believe would significantly detract from the overall experience.
All in all, our trip in Tanzania with ADS was an amazing experience which will never be forgotten. All of our friends who hear our stories and see our pictures (a few of which are attached) are amazed, and we whole-heartedly recommend them to sign up with ADS. Thank you again for such an incredible experience!
Sincerely,
David and Julie Capiola
New York, New York
September 2011
