An hour after our flight landed at Kogatende Airstrip we were on the banks of the Mara River watching a wildebeest crossing. We couldn’t believe our luck. Our safari was already a success and everything else would be icing on the cake. And, boy did we get a lot of icing.
I want to thank you and Africa Dreams Safari for providing my friend Sheila and me with an adventure I still have trouble finding words to describe. I’ll start with spell-binding. I feel as though I had stepped through a portal into a new, vast and wondrous life scape that enriches my present existence beyond measure.
Africa Dream Safaris was wonderful from start to finish. They provided us with a package of very useful information prior to the trip. From the time we landed in Tanzania with a friendly face to welcome us, until we were returning to go home (so sad!), everything was very well planned.
We can’t say enough wonderful things about our recent Africa Dream Safari, from the pre-travel planning to help negotiating the airports and COVID testing in the middle of the Serengeti. But mostly for our amazing, eagle-eyed, super knowledgeable guide Russell. He was with us all day, every day for our entire trip, which made it so personalized as he knew that we were interested in birds as well as the obvious animals, and that Ray was an elephant geek.
We had the trip of a lifetime, thanks to ADS and our driver Chris. From the moment we landed in the Kilimanjaro Airport, ADS was there to make sure everything went smoothly. We choose to have an extra day in Arusha which we would totally recommend because, by the time you get the Arusha Coffee Lodge it’s after 10:00pm. The driving tour of Arusha, the cultural center and the coffee tour were all possible because of the extra day.
We recently completed a safari with ADS. It was the experience of a lifetime…from our initial contact with Dawn to our landing at Kilimanjaro airport we were welcomed and guided through our safari. Our expectations were met or exceeded within the first few days. Everything else was added wonder. We have already told many friends about this trip and hope they might have this opportunity in the future. It is unlike any other trip we have ever taken.
Well…how to begin? Our trip that you so meticulously planned for us was simply amazing! Everything from meeting the delightful Joseph to the last day room at the Arusha Coffee Lodge was seamlessly thought out.
This was a long anticipated trip at the top of our bucket list. We had looked for several years at various safari tour companies, mostly group tours until we discovered Africa Dream Safaris and their private tours. We are two couples who have traveled all over the world for over twenty years.
Our recent trip to Africa including a safari to Tanzania and gorilla trekking in Uganda was truly a trip of a lifetime. The wildlife viewing, accommodations, staff, guides, service and overall experience completely exceeded our expectations.
Our hearts sank as we saw the horde at Immigration deplaning at Kilimanjaro. But then we see our name beckoning on a placard. Skirting round the corner past the teeming horde, we are greeted and whisked past the crowd to wait near the Customs Officer’s booth. Assisting with Immigration and clearing us well ahead of the madness is most welcome ADS; asante sana. Many of that horde were also coming for safari.
You can’t compare Africa to a camping vacation or a wilderness stay in a US national park. Being in the Serengeti National Park was pure and raw.
Departing from Arusha to the Kogatende airstrip set the tone for our entire Safari with Africa Dream Safaris. Other folks were waiting dressed in white jeans and walking shoes, jaunty straw hats and bright colored shirts and jackets- more prepared for a resort than an experience of a lifetime. Well prepared over the previous nine months by Sharon Lyon of ADS, we had come to Tanzania ready to be educated, to push beyond our comfort zones, and to inhale the REAL Africa.
A safari had been on our bucket list, it was something we talked about for years and then finally took the plunge! My search was easy, I google searched the top five safari companies in the United States and Africa Dream Safaris was on that list. What set them apart was their web site, blog pages, personalized tours, and the recommendation of National Geographic.
As avid outdoorspeople and nature lovers, my husband and I decided last year that an African safari would be a great adventure. In particular, we wanted to see the wildebeest migration, and that led us to Tanzania. After several hours of research, it became apparent that African Dream Safaris offered just the type of experience we were interested in.
Our safari to Tanzania exceeded our expectations! It was a life changing experience and one that we will never forget.
The last animal we saw on Wednesday evening was a lone buffalo. Arnold, our guide, commented that was odd, as they are usually in a group. We woke early and noticed some buffalo tracks outside our tent. Heading out at sunrise we passed by two huge hippos staring at each other and we wondered how that confrontation was going to play out. The sun was rising and we headed onward into the Serengeti.
Arnold noticed some action to our left and he headed in that direction. There were about seven lions digging into a very large buffalo, the cubs almost disappearing into the stomach. We parked about 20 yards from the scene and watched the drama of the lionesses chowing down and keeping an old skinny male from even a bite.
We looked into the sky to see my nephew and friend flying overhead in a balloon. After many photographs and about an hour of viewing we went on to continue the game Drive that included seeing wildebeests and Zebras crossing the Mara River, elephant families roaming and a lone giraffe trying to reunite with her family across a stream.
At midday we headed back to camp and passed by the lion kill from the morning. There were different lions from the same pride going after the meat, still keeping the old guy away.
After lunch we headed back out to find a lone young lion guarding the kill from the circling hyenas and jackals and vultures waiting their turn.
At dusk we saw a few lions stripping the ribs of meat and cracking bones. The old lion finally had his turn.
The next morning we headed out to go to the next camp and passed by the kill scene; all that was left were the horns, a piece of skull and a few vertebrae. We regretted not watching the actual kill which we figure happened about 4am before we came upon it, and the cleanup by the hyenas, jackals and birds.
What an amazing experience to witness and realize that this happens every day on this planet. Being the only humans to witness this as well as being so close to the action was unbelievable.
I’m attaching some photos of our experience from start to finish.
Jill U.
Carbondale, Colorado
Safari Dates: October 23, 2016 to November 1, 2016
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