Whilst we believe our reports to be rounded and thorough, there will often be aspects that some of customers love (or don’t) which may interest you. Alternatively, there may be feedback on ourselves which otherwise we’d be far too modest to share.
We hope you will return the, easy to complete, feedback form at the end of your holiday with your honest opinion of how (fantastic) your trip has been.
Below is genuine feedback from our customers.
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Safari and Beach organised every aspect of our holiday very well and it went without a hitch. After our safari in Selous we then spent a week at Gold Beach in Zanzibar. We wanted a relaxing break in a quiet quality hotel with a nice beach - and that is exactly what we got. The hotel is small (only 67 rooms) but with extensive grounds it felt very spacious. The views from the hotel were spectacular and the pool and beach were very good. A wide range of food available but the buffet on offer was largely the same. I would mention that the a la carte dinner we had on the beach one evening for a birthday was very good (as was the surprise birthday cake). The staff are very friendly and helpful and the hotel and grounds and kept immaculately. Overall a tremendous holiday - thanks Safari and Beach for what you put together for us !
testMorning Gina
Thank you so much for all the effort you put into planning and arranging our itinerary - everything went smoothly and everyone we dealt with in Africa was delightful, thanks to you.
It was a magical trip and far exceeded all my expectations - I could have stayed at Ol Seki forever ( I wonder if Melinda needs an assistant)?!!
Stonetown was fascinating, and on reflection, we wished we had another day and night there, and gone to the beach first, but we squeezed in as much as we could and entertained the locals by wading through the downpours rather than seeking shelter - we’re used to rain!
The drawing-room at Giraffe Manor will stay with me forever (and the giraffes, of course). The comfortable grandeur of that place is something else and the service was brilliant.
David from Gamewatchers ferried us around Nairobi on the last day and he was lovely. So knowledgeable and easy to chat to - and no complaints about the time we spent in the shops at Kazuri and Utamaduni!
Thank you again, Gina. It was a long time coming and you certainly made it a trip of a lifetime.
Kind regards
Sue
Masai Mara, Kenya & Zanzibar, October 2019Gina!
I just wanted to send you a quick message to tell you how absolutely fabulous our honeymoon was!!! We knew from your itinerary that it would be amazing, but we never could have imagined how truly special it would end up being! Everything from our safari guide Muba at Maasai Wanderings to the gorgeous tents and lodges we stayed in was beyond our wildest dreams! We feel so lucky to have had this experience. Elric and I have been asked for our travel notes/details from so many friends...we will definitely be recommending you and your team for their planning!
Thank you for all your help and guidance! You were wonderful to work with and we are forever grateful! We will certainly be reaching out for our next adventure
Wishing you all the best,
Jessica
Hello Charlie
We had Ally Mnelle as a guide. He was very good and knowledgeable, we have enjoyed our time with him. Also, thanks to his experience, we have seen all the animals we were hoping for in abundance.
Out of the safari, we liked most Tarangire and Lake Manyara. These places had animals literally everywhere (including many sightings of lions from close up, and a leopard) and offered a lovely contrasting ambience between the dry safari of Tarangire and the green lush of the lake.
Serengeti had much fewer animals than Tarangire (although we saw many cats there – lots of lions, a few leopards, and a cheetah family from close – so it was definitely worth the trip), so it didn’t feel as impressive. The Ngorongoro crater was nice, but we had a very misty day, so it felt like quite a hard work to get there, and compared to what we already saw in the previous 3 days, this didn’t seem to have so much more to offer. Still very nice and interesting though, but would be probably at the bottom of our list.
As we are not a camping family (or even very outdoorsy), the arrival at Kati Kati has been a challenge to our system. But, we have very quickly realised that despite its basic impression, it offers all comforts that we need (nice clean washing area and toilette in the tent, warm shower available on request, clean beds etc.). I was really pleasantly surprised by the fantastic food at Kati Kati (very nice served dinners, and breakfast was definitely not lagging behind any of the hotel places we stayed before or after.) And all the staff there are very lovely and the fact that we ate with our guide there made it all feel that everyone is a part of the same group, which was definitely nice.
The Next Paradise was perfect, and I am very grateful that we had the beach bungalow – which meant both a stunning view of the beautiful beach and staying directly at the pool. We have loved our stay there, it was literally a paradise for us.. As our daughter is a pescatarian (eats everything, including fish, but no meat), and it is my preferred diet too, the dinners at Next Paradise were perfect, as the food was based on fish, and was always lovely. Out of all beach places that we have ever visited (and we do usually beach holiday every summer), this was absolutely the best.
Just a few very little things to improve (but these in no way impacted our holidays):
• Money. Based on the instructions, we have taken an amount that we though would cover tip for the guide and other tipping in abundance. We didn’t realise that we will need to settle our bill (for drinks) at Kati Kati in cash. Also our bill for drinks and lunches at Next Paradise (which you can imagine comes to quite a substantial amount after 6 days) would have had 10% discount if paid by cash, or attracted 20% charge if paid by card. This would have been useful to know.
• The itinerary was put together very well. One minor point is that we would have been quite happy to travel directly to Maramboi from the airport (rather than going to Rivertrees), as this would have saved us getting up early and packing, and would give us more time in Tarangire. But it is just a very minor detail.
Overall, we were very happy with the trip. Also, extremely impressed with Tanzania as a country (our first visit to East Africa, so didn’t know what to expect). People are very nice, roads and driving is very safe, and (important for the tourists like us), there are perfectly clean toilettes wherever you go.
We really appreciate the lovely holidays you have put together for us, and will definitely recommend you to friends.
All the best
Monika
Greeting from Zanzibar!
Just wanted to say thank you for organising a perfect holiday for us. It exceeded our expectations and one we’ll never forget! The accommodation, staff and safari guide were all brilliant. So glad I did this for my 50th ?
Thanks again,
Taj Grewal
Hi Gina:
Hope you are well. Truly sorry not to have responded earlier it has been quite hectic since our return. What can we say the trip was truly remarkable and we wish to return soon. We have been all over the world, and in the Serengeti Krish hugged us and said this was the best trip he has been on. So that about sums it all! Tarangire was amazing and the landscape changed throughout the day, from the highlands to the grassy plains, this is a great reserve. The Serengeti, I was awestruck the size of it. My thoughts below
- NDovu - This tent was absolutely beautiful, the pool had an amazing view but we didn't get to use it. The fireplace was stunning, the food was very good. I think this was the best tent for us. After the game drive it was very nice to unwind by the fireplace. I even got a shot of the milky way. I wish we could have stayed an extra night.
- Rhotia Valley - We could not believe the scenery, we were just awestruck with the drive there. Again the staff was amazing the food was very good. They have a great concept and we wish could have stayed longer. The tent was good but it was a little tight for the 3 of us. We did not get to use the pool. Alain's favourite was this one. I wish we had 1 more night here to explore the area. Ngorongoro crater was spectacular.
- Naona Moru - The camp was very roomy and very comfortable, we had the best meals here, unbelievable. Those were our favorite meals. We did have some issues here. The toilets were not working, we had to call someone to flush, so at night it was complicated. We also had some trouble with showers here. Maybe 2 nights would have been enough, but if the migration moved through here we would have been in a great spot. We saw many animals on the 3rd day which would not have been possible in a 2-day stay. The last night was a bit scary for me, a black mamba crawled to our tent, we had hyenas all night, our night vision camera got some shots. So we had stories to bring home!
So I think we picked a varied itinerary, each day was different and breathtaking. It was a good decision to do a fully private itinerary. Our guide Issa was amazing, he really bonded with Krish and checked off everything on Krish's safari guide book. Krish and Issa had many discussions on details of each species, I don't know if I told you that Krish is very passionate about animals, birds and learns the habits and details of each species! I was surprised he knew them all! The boxed lunches were good. I cannot say enough good things about the staff everywhere, they all made us very feel very comfortable.
The only items I wish we could have done
- Bush lunch, apparently it needs to be booked before
- Sunset, we really weren't in a spot to see the sun go down. Issa said Tarangire was a better spot, that time of the year, Serengeti doesn't see those sunsets.
- Night game drive
- The migration but I guess it's hard to time it, perhaps we will try Masai Mara next for it
My friends and family truly loved following our journey and I can't wait to edit my photos. I have several requests to share my itinerary so I will send them your way. Thank you so much for helping us plan and we hope we can go again perhaps with a beach break in Mauritius. This was a magnificent trip, Tanzania is stunning.
Best Regards
Trupti
Hi Gina,
Hope you're well,
I just wanted to email and say a huge Thankyou.
We had the most amazing time and the whole experience I don't think I have the words to explain.
I have been recommending you to everyone who has asked about our trip.
Again Thank you so much.
Regards Stacey & Zane.
Selous, Tanzania & Zanzibar, August 2019Hi Gina Hi Tim from beautiful Zanzibar,
We just wanted to send you a brief thank you before we returned to reality, for such a wonderful trip.
The welcome and kindness and generosity we have received, in all of our camps and stops has been tremendous. Although we have both travelled a lot over our years together, we both agree this holiday has been outstanding, and one of the best experiences of our lives.
We’ve taken pictures of every location and we would be delighted to write up a recommendation for every one of them, and for Oltash our Maasai Wanderings guide, who despite the odd communication glitch was a fantastic driver, who didn’t just find us amazing wildlife to see, he took on a charging rhino, and we and the rhino are still here to tell the tale.
It has been amazing, we have received celebrations and cakes, special treatment, amazing tents and accommodation.... this has been so special and a trip we will never forget.
Thank you - Asante sana from the bottom of our very full hearts.
Kind regards
Julie and John Stephens
Tanzania Northern Parks & Zanzibar, August 2019Hi Gina,
How are you? Apologies for the late reply, we’ve been busy since we got home but back into the swing of things this week.
We had the BEST honeymoon, all of your recommendations and everything you booked for us was incredible, the perfect mix of everything.
Lake manze was so so lovely, milly and Sean who run it are so friendly and welcoming, our guides were the best, so knowledgable and again, friendly, we had the best time with them. Loads info animals in camp, elephants at dinner, elephants walking around camp, hippos, baby hippos, baboons, bush babies and so much more!
No wild dogs, they were hiding in the mountains to give birth. Loads of giraffes, crocs, zebras, wilder beasts, we saw a chase!! A lioness chasing 2 giraffes, one of them a baby, she nearly caught it but it managed to run away, ash caught it on camera, it really was amazing.
Pongwe was magical, after the hectic-ness of stonetown market and safari it was nice to relax. We went to the rock restaurant one night and had seafood platter there which was delicious- we had A LOT of seafood!
Thank you again for all of your recommendations and for helping us book the most amazing honeymoon ever, what an experience it was!
Best,
Shima + Ash
Hi Donna
We have just returned from the most amazing holiday of our life…and wanted to say hello and thank you for establishing Masai Wanderings, the camps and importantly employing, nurturing and empowering the people to enable the trip.
We booked via Nick @ Beach and Safari (and will drop him a line too), but were put firmly and fantastically in your hands for the Tanzanian safari part
We stayed in 3 lodges, of which 2 were yours (or Nasikia Camps) – Ndovu and Ehlane Plains, which were unbelievably beautiful and ‘in the thick of it’
• The staff, the food (super wow – esp for my vegetarian daughters), the comfort, the location…all amazing
From the initial pick up at Arusha airport Ally, our guide, and an absolute superstar, guided us, joked with us, looked after us, ang with us and amazed us. He was obviously a wiser, more adventurous Guide (19 years he said?), and it really showed – he promised us the “best real animals” and did not disappoint (at times much to the fear / excitement of my wife and daughters!). To put no finer point on it – he made the holiday
• We went to Zanzibar for a week after (the Zuri Hotel which was fab too), but all we could do was talk of our Ally Created Animal Stories…
We also went to the School / village that you are supporting and loved that too – a really beautiful experience that we all loved (even the dancing / jumping that we did)
• I have attached a photo of Leapaa (is that right?) with his son (in my sunglasses) and his friends
The back story of you and Nas, is heart-warming, tragic and uplifting all at once. I thoroughly applaud your determination at the start of your journey together, through the obviously terrible dark times following the crash, and then the rebuilding periods of your, and your sons, lives, along with keeping your wonderful staff. They all loved you both, as well as the wider company - you should be very very proud of what you have created (I am an owner-fonder in the UK with 150 staff, and it is tough enough here in ‘luxury, easy London’, so my admiration is immense for you doing it in Africa)
For my 50th 3 years ago, I took the family on what I thought would be the best holiday they ever would have; The Galapagos and then the Jungle…but no, this beat it, and I don’t mind admitting it – all because of you, your company and Ally
• I have already given Nick’s and your names / companies to friends recommending they use you, and only you in Africa, especially asking for Ally (sorry!)
So many thanks , it was an experience that we shall all never ever forget
CJ
Tanzania Northern Park & Zanzibar, July 2019Hi Gina,
Thank you for your email, and sorry for the delayed response, we are just trying to get back into the swing of things! However, thank you very much for arranging such an incredible honeymoon for us. It really was an amazing experience that we will treasure forever. Already we have realised how difficult it is to portray to people, even with some of our great photos, how amazing it is to see these animals running wild in the stunning scenery of Africa, but we are trying ?. Thanks to your organisation and our amazing guide Yunus, we were able to see all we could wish for and more on safari, and then were able to relax and enjoy the stunning beauty and hospitality of Pongwe Beach.
Lake Manyara was a nice little ice breaker into our safari with incredible views of the rift escarpment, as well as a wide variety of animals. We saw baboon, zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, hippo and vulture. We also got a glimpse of the rare tree climbing lion asleep in a tree, which was very exciting. We also had a wonderful little experience with two youngish bull elephants cooling down in a stream next to the road. Beautiful animals that proceeded to cross the road right in front of us, stopping to block our route for a short period of time.
As you say the Ngorongoro Crater really is an extraordinary experience. The scenery is extraordinary, as well as the array of animals. We managed to see a number of Black Rhino here, two of which were only about 100m away, and seemed to eyeing up a road crossing at some point. Unfortunately, they didn't move any closer, but we got a great view through our camera and binoculars of these incredibly rare animals. We managed to briefly see a hippo baby (I don’t know the proper name) out of the water . We also saw a few lions in the crater, a group of which seemed to be having a bit of a stand-off against a couple of Buffalo. Although they did not try to take down the Buffalo, it was an incredible sight to see the lions in stalking position (although possibly more defensive than offensive).
Last, but certainly not least, experiencing a safari drive in the Serengeti was another incredible experience. On the route from Ngorongoro to our lodge, inside the Serengeti boundary, we first past vast herds of Wildebeest on migration, which was a stunning sight to see. We next came across a large pride of lions, including cubs. This was an amazing sight and we got some beautiful photos of the family. We saw two females return (possibly from a hunt) and be welcomed by the group, which was lovely to see. Whilst they were relaxing in the sun, we saw two wildebeest heading directly towards the pride. It was very exciting to see the lions perk up, and a couple go into stalking, awaiting the wildebeest. Unfortunately the Wildebeest were already on their toes and spooked by something so the lions did not get close to a kill, but it was amazing to see the behaviour of the lions as they stalked and briefly chased the Wildebeest. Once into the Serengeti properly, the vast plains are difficult to comprehend, but provide a spectacular back drop to the view of all the animals. On our final safari day in the Serengeti we went out with the aim of finding leopard and cheetah, but saw more than we could have ever imagined. We saw two cheetah brothers, stuffed from a recent meal, relaxing under a tree, before moving for us to get some great photos of them looking out across the plains. We saw two separate leopards, one male relaxing in a tree before taking a wander down and into the bush. The second, a female, had just descended from a tree and wandered very close and between safari vehicles, which was another amazing sight to see. Over the day we saw various Lion, Giraffe, Elephant, Wildebeest, Buffalo, Birds, Warthog and Zebra (I’ve probably forgotten some), so we had an incredible final day on safari.
We obviously only had a short and tight safari programme, but we were incredibly lucky with what we saw, as well as with the weather, with three days of beautiful sunshine and only a few clouds. Confirming how lucky we were, it only started raining at the end of our final day, and it rained heavily overnight and whilst on our journey to the airport. A huge part of our incredible safari was down to our fantastic guide, from Maasai Wanderings, Yunus. We did discuss the tight programme with him briefly, but he promised he would do everything he could to make sure we would see everything we possibly could. He worked incredibly hard, driving for very long days both on safari and between locations to make sure we could see all we could possible see, and he always did it with enthusiasm and a smile, never showing an ounce of disdain for the amount of driving he had to do. We were truly in awe, not expecting to be on safari for as long as we were. Yunus was incredibly professional at all times, explaining everything to us as we went. His knowledge of the animals, the local cultures, the landscape, and much more was incredible. There was not one question he was not able to answer…. and there was a lot of questions. He took a lot of time to share his vast knowledge as we watched the animals, whilst also having a laugh with us. We found him to be a very friendly, kind and caring person, as we also got to know about his passions and his life, and we would recommend him and Maasai Wanderings to anybody. It was also great to find out from Yunus that Maasai Wanderings give a lot of training to their staff, and do a lot of work within the local community and schools. It makes it even more special to hear that the money we spend is really benefitting the local communities, as well as the wildlife conservation. Thank you very much for planning our honeymoon to fit in these days perfectly, it all felt well timed and extremely well planned. We had no doubts about where we were staying or any concerns at all thanks to your expert knowledge, experience and skills. We felt really well looked after and able to relax and enjoy.
In terms of the accommodation on safari, Endoro Lodge was a beautiful place with very friendly and helpful staff. Chrissy made use of the lovely pool and the room and food were excellent. We were welcomed on arrival and the fantastic hospitality continued throughout. Naona Moru was also an amazing place to stay. The staff were very friendly and chatty, they really looked after us. The room and food was amazing, far and above what we expected, and a little mention must go to Frank, who was a very chatty and entertaining waiter at dinner on our first night. On our second night the whole team surprised is with some singing and dancing as a celebration of our honeymoon and our final night. It felt very special, and a little emotional.
Following an amazing safari, which exceeded all our expectations, we weren’t sure it could be matched, but Pongwe Beach hotel certainly did that. Everything about it was exceptional, from the room, to the beach, the pool, the food and especially the staff who were always so friendly and helpful. It was an amazing place to be able to relax. We enjoyed some kayaking in the sea, and a snorkelling boat trip to see some stunning fish, coral, starfish, lobster, and even an octopus, but mostly we just relaxed and enjoyed the views and great weather. We did get up early one morning to watch the sunrise, which was stunning, and we recommend everybody do.
I think it is fair to say this holiday will struggle to ever be beaten, and we do hope to return one day. Tanzania is an incredible country with stunning scenery and amazing wildlife; however what made our holiday so special was the people. The Tanzanian people we were in contact with were all such beautiful, friendly, kind, caring and funny people. The hospitality was like nothing we have ever experienced before, and maybe never will again, it was amazing.
All of this of course wouldn’t have been possible without the brilliant help and organisation of you and the Safari & Beach team, so thank you for arranging such and amazing honeymoon for us. All of your recommendations were exceptional and beyond our expectations.
Thanks again, we will definitely be recommending Safari & Beach to anybody we know looking to go on safari, and hopefully one day we will be looking to go back on safari with you guys.
Dave & Chrissy
Tanzania Northern Parks & Zanzibar, January 2019Just a quick note to say thank you so much for organising us such a phenomenal honeymoon. we got back last night and had the BEST time - it was all completely perfect and we didn't have to think about a thing. Having the whole itinerary planned for us was a novelty and we didn't even have to worry about where to next / what transfers etc because there was always someone waiting for us!
Lots of rose petals and swans made out of towels too so thanks for telling everyone it was our honeymoon - we were spoilt rotten!
I've raved about it so much to my parents that they might be in touch too for something similar!
Thanks again
Masai Mara & Next Paradise ZanzibarWe had the BEST time! I have been struggling to put into words how amazing our honeymoon actually was.
By the time we got to Selous Riverside Safari Camp it was after lunch so we’d missed the afternoon trip but we went on the river safari late afternoon which was brilliant, could only be discribed as breathtaking for our first few sightings. We seen a mamma hippo with her baby on her back, would only have been around two days old. We seen a lot of birds, hippo families and some crocs, was great! The river was definitely a bird lovers paradise! Back at camp we came across baboons and two other types of monkeys, a scorpion in our room, geckos galore and some lemars!
The next morning we went on our full day safari into the reserve and WOW! I am fanatical about giraffes and my first sighting as soon as we got past the landing strip of them in their natural habitat was a little emotional, I did have a tear in my eye. The day just got better and better. We went on to see so many giraffes I lost count and impala. We were then greeted with a lovely smell and some pumbas appeared but quickly scarpered when they spotted us. After having a quick loo stop behind a bush I walked out to find an elephant walking across the field towards us, to say this was unreal would be an understatement! I nearly had to pee again ha!! Following her we seen her family emerge from the trees behind her, I think for a second my heart stopped I was so shocked as the previous day the trips had failed to spot any elephants. We followed them for a while, watching and admiring quite near. We had a lone bull come over to the truck a little later to see what we were up to and pick up some fruit; his trunk was two feet away from us!!! Wow, just WOW!! Abdullah our driver was fantastic, I have left a review on their page mentioning him and our waiter we had, Sultani, he was also great!! Abdullah took us round some thee tracks and we then stumbled across a male lion (omg!!) and his 4 ladies chilling in the shade after clearly eating too much. This was crazy as we were only feet away from them, just awesome as well as a little scary. Following our tabby lunch by a lake and the hippos wallowing in the background we went on to see wildebeest, zebra, BIG crocs, hyena, water buck, more hippos, water buffalo and baboons (which were also very lively in camp haha! We had a few laughs with their behaviour). Safe to say the day was a dream come true!
Our food was good although a choice would have been nice, that’s not a complaint by any means though. Shaun and Elené were great management hosts. They upgraded us to a tent with our own dipping pool!! On our last night we had dinner on the river bank alone with a firepit under the stars. To our surprise all the staff came out singing a local song to us with a cake to wish us all the best in married life and I did cry at this special gesture! It truly was magical. I felt quite sad to be leaving after a day and a half and two nights stay, but we were heading to our (in our opionion) second paradise spot.
The flight was short and sweet so all good there. The journey from Dar seemed to take forever, think it was our excitement getting the better of us! On arrival we were greeted with drinks and nibbles and were given two gifts in envelopes. We were escorted to our room which was lovely and were presented with a large fruit platter and a bottle of fizz! We opened the envelopes and they were a sunset cruise and an Al La Carte meal under the stars. We couldn’t believe how lucky we were. Once settled in we went for lunch and it was lovely followed by heading to the beach for a few hours before the sun was due to set. We watched the perfect sunset and couldn’t stop smiling.
The staff, food and room were all faultless. The hotel was just perfect.
We had a wonderful sunset cruise. We arranged some trips ourselves, we went out on a jet ski, went on a snorkelling trip (out of this world!), swam with turtles in a local sanctuary and, with the help of Francesca at the hotel we spent our final day at Pongwe island lodge. The food here was exceptional, the views outstanding and the staff wonderful. Upon our arrival back as a special treat we were upgraded to a beach front villa, with a butler and a jacuzzi!! What a perfect end to a truly OUTSTANDING holiday.
I can’t thank you enough for helping my dad plan our dream honeymoon. You will and already have come highly recommended from us!
Think I’ve covered everything from our amazing time away
Selous & PongweI would like to thank you for all of the time you spent helping me to plan the trip - your excellent organisation made the whole trip run very smoothly. Our safari guide Praise from Maasai Wanderings was so knowledgeable, friendly and helpful and made our safari a wonderful experience. He asked what was on each family member’s “wish list” and it was certainly delivered, with close viewings of lions, cheetahs, a leopard and baby elephants!! We were out each day early and, after a full day on safari, we arrived at the accommodation for the night just before sunset!
Before we went I couldn’t really imagine what the different accommodations would be like but all your recommendations were excellent and I need never have worried! If only we’d have had longer! We didn’t get our best sleep at Naona Moru camp due to noise of the wind and animals walking around during the night, but what an experience - I didn’t realise we’d have a huge comfortable tent with running water and a 3-course meal served by excellent staff while camping in the Serengeti - and to have lions go through the camp at night, well, what can we say??!!
The light aircraft trip over to Zanzibar was a must and thanks for putting that in the itinerary - even those of us that don’t enjoy flying agreed it was part of the trip experience!
Onto our stay at Pongwe - definitely needed after the busy days on safari and what a place to relax - thank you again for the recommendation. All the staff were so friendly and the few days doing nothing but ‘chillaxing’ on the wonderful beach did us all good!
So a huge thank you again for the help in planning and arranging our family African adventure - it exceeded all expectations and the seemless way it all fitted together is down to your experience and advice. Several friends have been inspired by our trip and I will be passing on your details to them! We thought it was a once in a lifetime trip but are already saying we’d love to do it again in a few year’s time!!
Tanzania Northern Parks & Pongwe ZanzibarThe holiday was all good thanks very much, you pitched it very well for us.
We saw everything we hope to see on safari and our guide Baraka was great, incredibly experienced. We saw lots of Africa as well as the animals on safari too which made it a more interesting experience.
Baraka made sure everything went well, uniformed, clean vehicle every morning, hugely knowledgable and a consummate professional. He showed everything we wanted to see.
Camps were great but the high winds made it noisy and we were pleased to have a night at Kitela Lodge.
Stonetown was interesting although we were tired and eat at the hotel which was fine for the night and we were looking for to some beech and rest.
Next Paradise was very good, they dealt with everything straight away and service was good, including installing a larger tv in our room for the World Cup! It’s a shame that the family bungalows do not have two bathrooms and the snack menu could have been wider for lunch but no complaints, it really is an excellent hotel, very well thought out and designed in a way to give everyone a sense of their own space. We scuba dived and rested!
Tanzania Northern Parks & Next Paradise Zanzibarwe are back home after a thrilling holiday in Tanzania. Every one especially the little ones were thrilled with the whole experience. Everything went well with no mishaps like illnesses,lost baggage or missed flights. Except for a couple of items - two binoculars- that were misplaced either at Rhoita Valley tented accommodation,or Ehlane Plains or in the vehicles,the little ones did not lose even a crayon, which is a real record!!
Even the animals obliged as you can see from the few photos attached. The Zanzibar ones are yet to come to me from members of the family.
Masai wanderings are very good particularly Amos and Wilson the two drivers. They went out of the way to obtain a stock of Soy Milk for Shanti as the lodges had indicated that none was available on site. We are very impressed with the way Donna is running the show. The book released recently by Donna on the history of Masai Wandering is well put together and very moving to read. Mentioned this to others who were at Elhane Planes at the same time we were there , in particular one family from Seven Oak, coincidently arranged by Gina from S& B. They too were impressed with the book. We are pleased that there are connections between the places we stayed on the mainland of Tanzania and institutions offering help to those in need. Had good long chat with the Doctor couple from Holland owning the Rhotia Valley and the manager from Germany about the way they started the venture and how they provide much needed help to many youngsters.
All lodges and tented accommodations are well run and took every effort to make the stay comfortable and memorable. Endoro Lodge was a wonderful place with it's own charm so was River Trees Country Inn.
Please convey our sentiments and sincere thanks to all who provided the services to make this trip a very memorable one.
Tanzania Northern ParksThe trip was amazing!! We both thought Naona Moru camp was incredible. There were elephants right near the camp. We were so well looked after and the service was great. We even had a picnic with a sunset view organised by the camp.
Godwin was our guide and looked after us very well. He knew so much and made our experience unforgettable. We saw all of the big five and even managed to see the all in one day. Seeing elephants and lions up close was amazing. It was also great to see the huge number of wildebeest, buffalos and zebras.
We both loved Ngorongoro crater, the scenery was amazing and seeing hippos in the lake whilst we had lunch was really nice. The drive both around the top and bottom of the crater was great.
It was great to see Stonetown and see the architecture of the buildings. Kisiwa house was nice but we felt the other accommodation we stayed in was nicer.
Next paradise was very good. We used the time to relax and do some activities too including snorkelling where we got lucky and saw dolphins. We also went jet skiing. We also had a very nice dinner on the beach, which Arrthi surprised me with :)
There were so many highlights including: seeing a leopard try to eat it’s prey (impala) when it was stolen by a hyena, seeing baby elephants try and climb up the bank of the river but continuing to slip down, seeing wildebeest charging in the wild.
Thanks so much for organising the trip!! It is something we will always remember.
Tanzania Northern Parks & Next Paradise ZanzibarWe had an amazing family holiday (2 kids aged 10) and the service and recommendations from S&B were fantastic. Local Masai Wanderings guide (Clement) was brilliant, knowledgeable and friendly and a real joy to travel with. Everything went very smoothly which was a testament to the organisation by S&B. Many thanks to Nick and the team, we will be back!
Feast FamilySafari and Beach organised every aspect of our holiday very well and it went without a hitch. After our safari in Selous we then spent a week at Gold Beach in Zanzibar. We wanted a relaxing break in a quiet quality hotel with a nice beach - and that is exactly what we got. The hotel is small (only 67 rooms) but with extensive grounds it felt very spacious. The views from the hotel were spectacular and the pool and beach were very good. A wide range of food available but the buffet on offer was largely the same. I would mention that the a la carte dinner we had on the beach one evening for a birthday was very good (as was the surprise birthday cake). The staff are very friendly and helpful and the hotel and grounds and kept immaculately. Overall a tremendous holiday - thanks Safari and Beach for what you put together for us !
Alan WoofWe saw everything possible due to our wonderful drivers and game spotters Steve and Oliver who became one of the family. We had two game rides each day with a rest after lunch at camp. Our group ranged from 15-70 yrs and we all came back with wonderful memories of a once in a lifetime experience. This could not have taken place without the time taken by Safari&Beach over our itinerary, and communication with us to satisfy our needs. Well done everyone!
Pat SpeirsBest holiday ever. It really was. The professional and timely approach by Charlie from the start was echoed all through the experience. She even managed to get us upgraded to the honeymoon suite on Zanzibar which was out of this world. Thank you Safari and Beach, you do an exceptional job.
Peter and Ana IrelandWe just wanted to say thank you so much for all your help in booking our unforgettable Honeymoon for us. We had an absolutely amazing time, our guide was incredible and the staff at all the camps and lodges were fantastic and so helpful. What with everything else going on with the planning of our wedding, we really did struggle to put together an itinerary and all flights within our budget so it was great to have your help with this - we could not have chosen better ourselves, thank you.
Natalie & Justin SeviourWhat can we say - Nick & James at Safari & Beach delivered our perfect honeymoon! This has been a dream for the two of us for over 10 years and Safari & Beach not only delivered, but exceeded all of our expectations. From the first call until the day we departed, nothing has been too big or small for the team at Safari & Beach to help us with - to ensure this was a trip of a lifetime. From our very first first call when we outlined what we would like, Nick went about creating a tailor made package for us that would suit, not only our safari adventure, but our luxury beach holiday in Zanzibar that followed. Wow! Wow! Wow! For all aspects of our trip - the team at Safari and Beach know exactly what they are doing having travelled thoroughly through the region and rest assured you are in extremely good hands. To top it all off, they were by far and away the cheapest quote we received - but please do not get this confused for Safari & Beach cutting corners because this is simply NOT the case - We actually met another couple in Zanzibar who travelled the same routes on safari and stayed at the same lodgings we did, but paid significantly more. To my wife and I, it appears that Safari & Beach simply want to share their passion and enthusiasm for Africa with the world! All we can say is thank you to Nick, James and the Safari & Beach team - we can't thank you enough and will certainly be recommending you to friends and family. When (and not if!) we return to Tanzania there is only one place we'll be coming. Thank you once again for the trip of a lifetime and for memories that will stay with us forever.
Hardeep & HollyWhen you book a holiday like this you know it's going to be early starts and early nights, and on the go Inbetween. It is the most rewarding experience, and the mix of luxury and tented accommodation makes you appreciate both, the consistent is the level of service from all staff, and their inherent friendliness was an added bonus. The food was always consistently good, two or three choices including a veggie option, and drinks not expensive even though you were a captive audience! We were a party of 8 , with 4 teenagers and our two jeeps and driver/guides were fantastic and made every effort to make our trip truly memorable. They asked if there was anything we particularly wanted to see, I suggested a Maasai village visit, and the very next day it was accommodated without major deviation from our intended route. James and David from Maasai Wanderings are to be recommended.
Morag BennettCould not have been better; exceeded expectations. Already planning our next safari! S&B are to be commended for their organisation.
D MiddletonWe had a very, very nice trip. The combination of 5 days on safari and a week in Zanzibar worked well for a company of eight with a teenager and two kids aged 6 and 7. Good start and interesting in Arusha. Serengeti was extraordinary, in particular the south but also the central part, and we're glad to have visited Ngorongoro as well. Matemwe Beach in Zanzibar was just as laid back as we had hoped for, and comfortable. Good service and excellent food. All flights and pickups worked perfectly. Thank you so much for preparing our trip.
Hallvard, Kristin, Derek, Tanguy, Sigrun, Leon, Lucas and EskilI'm back from Tanzania and just wanted to say a big thank you for organising such a perfect holiday. The quality of the safari and accommodation throughout exceeded my expectations. I was particularly impressed by the fact we had our own private guide and driver at Selous, which allowed us to customise our daily safaris. The transfers were organised seamlessly and all drivers were thoroughly prepared and professional. My tales of the trip have inspired several friends and families, so I'll be sending them your way. I've also fallen in love with Africa so am sure I'll be in touch again to organise another trip.
Roxy & CarstenThank you so much for your email and I am sorry I haven't been in touch before its been a manic month so far! Our Honeymoon was absolutely amazing and we cannot thank you enough. Where do I start... Firstly that was the best transfer we have ever had! to be flown across with just 4 of us in a plane then straight into a Landrover was out of this world, as soon as we started our journey to Lake Manze we came across Hyena's eating a dead elephant we couldn't believe it... Lake Manze was just our cup of tea, so laid back and everyone was so friendly. The staff especially Trisha couldn't do enough for us. We were lucky enough to see 4 of the big 5.. No Rhino's but we weren't expecting to see them. The tents were amazing and we loved our outside shower under the stars. We really didn't want to leave!! Then onto Matemwe Beach... thank you so much. We were so shocked and happy to be upgraded to the Asali suite on arrival, what a place. Absolutely beautiful, and again such friendly staff and excellent food. We felt as though we were treated like royalty, we loved our candlelit dinner on the beach and the flowers and messages on the bed each morning. From start to finish we have been so impressed with the service you have given us and you arranged our perfect honeymoon. We cant thank you enough and will obviously highly recommend Safari & Beach.
Emma and GarethSand Rivers was amazing - such a beautiful spot. Accommodation was great - I think they must have upgraded us cos I certainly wasn't expecting a plunge pool. Hillside villas just wonderful - all open air and you feel so close to nature. There was a relief manager (Sasha) whilst we were there - he was great, really made us feel at home and was always around to check we were OK and offer a drink!! Great guide (Ernest) - tracked down 3 lionesses, plus cubs, then a leopard on the way back to the airstrip. good variety of activities, game drives (obviously) but great river trip plus fishing and picnic, and trip to hot springs and swimming. Excellent food and very sociable at the lodge even though it was quiet. Wall to wall sunshine - nice. Echo beach also lovely. Quiet and intimate. Sue the owner had quite a few of her family over for Christmas so felt quite homely. They were very welcoming - tracked down a family game when we asked for one and even some aloe vera gel for my daughter who had a heat rash. Rooms fine - maybe a little shabby chic but very clean and individual. Quiet beach - very little hassle, nice pool and hot sea (my husband couldn't believe how warm it was). Excellent food and attentive service. Flights all amazingly punctual - I wish European flights were as reliable. My 16 year old son managed to sit at the front of the coastal plans with the pilots which made his holiday as he was hoping to be a pilot. all in all holiday of a lifetime!! So thanks for great recommendations and getting it all sorted out for us.
Jo HolmesWe've had an unforgettable holiday experience. James put together a really well thought out itinerary, customised to our particular family and based on in-depth knowledge and understanding of the country, the people and the accommodation. The travel tips were detailed and invaluable. The only thing missing was the warning that, if you happen to have US dollars dated before 2000, a lot of places won't take them even though they're legal tender. All the arrangements went smoothly and we were particularly happy with our guide from Masaai Wanderings. Nickson had a real love and unbelievable knowledge of all the animals, birds etc and an incredible understanding of their behaviour which meant that we got to see pretty well everything except snakes!
WendySorry I've been slow to reply - Christmas and all that! Yes, we had a terrific holiday thank you. Very good itinerary.
Sue ColeHi Charlie, Literally just back at home in Bath and wanted to take the earliest opportunity to thank you enormously for principally arranging a holiday of a lifetime! It was everything we hoped and so much more. We would run out of superlatives very quickly if we tried to describe the whole holiday but it ran like clockwork from the moment we had our initial discussion on the phone to the moment we landed back at Heathrow. We have so many memories (and photo's) that we will treasure and look forward to the next opportunity we have to book another trip with yourselves. Thank you again and please see attached one of the many highlights!! Karla and Mike
Karla and MikeWe had the most fantastic time imaginable and the trip exceeded all our expectations. The safari was wonderful and Paul, our guide, was amazing. He was so knowledgeable that we come home well informed not only about the wildlife but also about the life and culture of Tanzania. He was incredibly thoughtful and enabled us to see everything, even spending 3 hours searching for Rhino. We even saw leopards on 2 occasions. We would be extremely grateful if you could pass on our comments to Masai Wanderings as we couldn't have asked for a better guide. Pongwe Beach was magic. The room was beautiful and the whole atmosphere was wonderful with the views, the sound of the sea and the food. The only slight drawback was the cost of the taxi to get anywhere. We only left the complex once to go out on a dhow which was great fun. If we did it again we'd probably opt for 5 days at Pongwe & 2 in Stonetown. This isn't a complaint, just an observation. We've already recommended your company to several people. Thanks for your work putting the trip together and I'll be in touch to have a chat with you. Stella & Peter
Stella ThomasWe had a fantastic time - by breaking the holiday into plenty of different stages, it felt more like a month's holiday, rather than just 2 weeks. Lewa Safari Camp was very luxurious and comfortable. The main building was particularly good with a very clever layout so you could sit inside and read their great library of books, or sit in a number of different places under the verandah. In the evenings, it was lovely to sit beside the log fires and have delicious meals. I loved the swimming pool! The huts were very good with everything you could possibly need. The game drives and bush walks were excellent, very good guides - exciting to see black rhino and cheetah. Kicheche Valley camp was also very good. More 'tent-like' and the main building, although very well furnished etc had a more 'temporary' feel to it. The hosts there were exceptionally kind and interesting to talk to. Had a very interesting day watching several young male lions and lionesses. Also hippo, mongoose. The Masai guides were good - the game drives were much longer - sometimes we seemed to travel for 4 or 5 hours - we went one day to see the wildebeest migration with river crossing hadn't appreciated that it was a long 2 or even 3 hour drive to get to the Mara game reserve to watch this. Hadn't appreciated that the Naboisho Conservancy is infact some distance from the Mara reserve itself. We also had a great first week when we went for a couple of days to a lodge called 'Sleeping Warrior' on Lake Elementaita which I really enjoyed. Very spectacular scenery with calderas and open plains of impala and gazelle. Wonderful birdlife, especially around the lake. We then visited Jo which was great and spent another couple of days at Malu Tree House near Lake Navaisha which was really interesting. Thank you for all your help in arranging our trip. Best wishes Louise
Louise TinkerHi from all of us Charlie Just got back from one of the most memorable holidays ever and it wouldn't have happened without all your help and expertise. I did tell Andrew the owner how excellent your service was, you were knowledgeable, helpful and extremely patient with all our questions and concerns -you really went the extra mile for us. Please do show this email to your Manager and let him/ her know how impressed we all were Thanks for making my birthday so special Tish Orfeur.
Trish OrfeurHi Nick, Just back from Hols, and thought I would drop you a quick line to say many thanks for sorting all with Matemwe Bandas and Tom's place. Great stay and just the type of place I was looking for, sure Tom and everyone at Matemwe will do very well indeed and be buying the plot next door v. soon. What a great place to Chill and a real pleasure indeed. Thanks for sorting this little trip for me, you made it very simple for me..... Thank you. Jon.
Jon GreavesHi Nick, We are now back from our fantastic trip and just wanted to thank you and your team for putting together a great itinerary for us. We had an amazing time, much down to our wonderful guide Francis, and also our lovely room at Pongwe. We will certainly recommend you guys to our friends and family. Thanks again, Lynne and Kerry.
Lynne & KerryWe had a brilliant time thanks and it is a shock to the system being back in the cold and at work!! Lagoon Camp was excellent, a great recommendation - we saw a pack of wild dogs on 2 occasions - not a kill, but they were hunting a herd of wildebeest and it was quite a sighting. Cheetahs and leopards too, so we were really happy and Fraser got some amazing photos. Tau Pan was really worth going to aswell - we really enjoyed the different landscape (we were in the middle of a sandstorm at one point before it started raining which was quite an experience) and good game viewing there too - our guide and tracker were both excellent. Cape Town was great to finish with and we did a lot of exploring, avoiding the crowds in the centre where possible after Mandela's death was announced. Weather was a bit off and on, but luckily had a few good days of sunshine. Thanks again for all your help - we really enjoyed it!
Emma Renaudon-SmithThe honeymoon overall was just amazing! It was the perfect honeymoon destination for us and really unique experience.
Sheena & NavinTruly amazing. Fantastically organised by Nick and the team - great recommendations for accommodations, incredible safari guide who was able to give us the best African safari experience and topped off by our bit of paradise in Zanzibar. Perfect!!! Thank you for making it a wonderful honeymoon!
Adam and VictoriaI'm happy to confirm that the Holtedahl family has returned safely to their respective homes in London, Luxemburg and Oslo; all ten of us being very, very happy with their stay at Ngalawa Beach Village 6.-13.April. The food is marvelous, the atmosphere relaxed, the pool great and the sea-side bar, furnished with game-tables and free access to freshly made juices, was a fabulous experience. Thank you for recommending Ngalawa: a perfect choice for a three-generations-family stay.
Brit & TrulsThank you for organising a fabulous holiday for us - memories of which will last a lifetime. We have arrived back completely awed by Tanzania and Zanzibar. We saw the all the wildlife we could possibly wish to see. Our driver was charming and looked after us brilliantly. Lodges were excellent and food fantastic. As you know, we were a little worried about how the weather might turn out but apart from a couple of thunderstorms during the night there were only three occasions when we noticed the rain - twice during the late afternoon after we had returned from safari when we might have spent a little longer burning ourselves by the pool and once in Zanzibar when, despite the rain, we spent most of the day on the beach as it was so gloriously warm - so, as you had promised, the weather did not detract from a truly memorable experience and in fact probably made for some stunningly rich scenery and fewer tourists! Thanks for everything!
CarrieI am just back from Tanzania and wanted to thank you very much for a fantastic itinerary. I loved all the accommodation choices made, all the connecting flights worked well and the guide was superb. I had a great time and let me know if you want to get some more feedback on any of the properties suggested by you and also Pongwe Beach which excellent. There were some minor development areas which didn't spoil the fun at all. Overall I am very satisfied and would love to go back again.
ArminMatemwe Beach Village is the perfect place to spend a very relax holiday at. Excellent food, nice rooms and one of the best swimming pools (designed and in different levels both in shadow and in the sun). The white beach is probably one of the best at Zanzibar.
ErikBeen meaning to email you for a couple of months, so apologies for being so slow. Wanted to say thank you very much for helping us and booking such an amazing holiday - it was perfect from start to finish.
Mel JMany thanks for organizing us this wonderful holiday. We thoroughly enjoyed the place. It is just perfect for kids and was exactly the quiet place we were looking for. I don´t remember having enjoyed such good food in a hotel for a long time. Thank you to you as well for your quick and uncomplicated services on such short notice.
Claudia PTotal relaxation!?! This place is perfect if you want an excuse to do nothing more than lie on the beach (or by the pool), reading a book and sipping a few Tusker beers.
TonyLast week I returned to the United Kingdom from the most wonderful trip to Tanzania walking up Kilimanjaro. I just wanted to write and thank you and the team at Nature Discovery. Our guide Godlove was nothing short of outstanding. We all agreed it was he who got us up the mountain and he who made our trip more special than we could imagine. He was supported by Polite who kept us entertained and charmed. The rest of the crew were also an inspiration - constantly smiling, helpful and made us feel really special, particularly myself who they sang the most fantastic "cakey-o" happy birthday to, that still has us singing it today. Pascoe served us with not only our food, washy-washy and tea, but much laughter too. I know you are the leading trekking company up Kilimanjaro and it is evident why. We were looked after incredibly professionally with all our needs met, whilst at the same time feeling secure we were in safe hands. As Godlove & Polite would say at the end of each day "good job".
Elizabeth SantosA completely amazing experience from start to finish. From Safari and Beach recommending and organising the trip, we got exactly if not more than what we wanted. To finish off our trip Safari and Beach organised a week on the beach in Zanzibar. Again a truly wonderful experience. I would highly recommend Safari and Beach as they give you honest advice and recommend the best for your budget.
Nicola and David AyonoaduMany thanks for a truly great holiday! Selous was a great success as we saw the wild dogs on 2 occasions and some great lion kills. In fact we saw a pride of 10 lion including cubs within 10 mins of landing in the Selous! Zanzibar was wonderful! The sunshine hotel was beautiful and the staff were lovely. The food was excellent. Probably the best hotel I have ever stayed in. Gabriele and Adam are the perfect hosts and we considered them friends by the end of our stay. Thank you especially to you Nick as it took us a long time to put it all together and you patiently kept sending us different options! Hope to do business again sometime.
Andrew MortonJust to say that our trip was amazing - even better than Natalia had described. Lake Manze was definitely the right choice of camp with elephants meandering through. The whole set-up was wonderful! And then Pongwe, and then Stonetown. Nobody wanted to come home. We will definitely go back to that part of the world and will be recommending you if any of our friends intend to visit! Once again, many thanks for organising such a wonderful trip!
Malgosia RozwadoskaNick got to the crux of what we were looking for quickly and made some excellent suggestions based on proper first-hand experience. He fitted the best possible trip into our budget, negotiating rates on our behalf and producing an itinerary that fitted the time we had and the things we wanted to do perfectly. Starting with an idyllic remote safari in Tanzania's Selous game reserve and finishing off with a week in a totally unspoiled corner of Zanzibar, everything ran smoothly and all his tips were spot on... If you're looking for some reassuring expert advice, look no further!
Simon RoutsThe trip of a lifetime.
Helen Hulme-SmithAn awesome time. Thank you.
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Safari & Beach does “exactly what it says on the tin”. We organise safari and beach holidays to Africa. We believe our expertise, knowledge and enthusiasm for organising travel to Africa is unrivalled. We are no frills so you get what you pay for. No fancy marketing gimmicks just our pure honesty. We are so confident in our prices, we have a price guarantee.
We want you to find planning your holiday an enjoyable experience and leave you excited about your forthcoming trip. Give us a ring. 01548 854125. Let’s start planning.
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