I’m a traveler. I take 2 big trips a year and 4 to 6 small trips. I happily suffer from Wanderlust and I’m not looking for a cure! With most of my travels, I always say I’m going to return but never do. There are just so many wonderful places to explore. In August 2022, I had visited South Africa, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and Botswana as a solo traveler on a 16 day group tour. The trip was incredible.
Africa had touched my soul in a way no other place had done before and I wanted to return. I started doing some research and before I left Botswana, I had already made contact with Sharon Lyon of Africa Dream Safaris. Tanzania, the Serengeti and the Great Wildebeest Migration were high on my to do list!
I was impressed from hello. I was provided a lot of thorough information in short order. Communication was easy and excellent, whether it was by email or by phone. Everything was laid out from visas, currency, tipping, packing, help with flights, itineraries, add ons, photography, lodging choices, etc.
I booked a 12 day private safari for two for August 2023. I was expecting another great Africa trip. What I received far surpassed the previous experience in every way!
Upon arrival at the Kilimanjaro Airport we were quickly escorted into a VIP area, our luggage collected, processed through and off to Arusha, to spend the night after a long day of travel. The Arusha Coffee Lodge was wonderful. Beautiful and comfortable accommodations, excellent food and friendly staff. A wonderful welcome to Tanzania and a great way to get the trip started.
In a nutshell, the Serengeti was spectacular! The trip of a lifetime. There is something so primal about Africa. It reaches deep within me.
Witnessing the Wildebeest Mara River crossing was a phenomenon that is hard to describe. We were profoundly moved while witnessing this awe inspiring sight.
The hair on our arms was standing up while our jaws were dropped in utter disbelief and joy!
The Serengeti National Park is the land of abundance! I had seen more animals by day 3 of this trip than I had in 16 days the year before and that was only the beginning! We saw stalking, kills, families, mating, patient standoffs between multiple animals, the beauty of the countryside and the heart of the people.
We saw large prides of lions and herds of elephants taking walks, cubs hidden in trees, a cheetah just hanging by itself on a termite mound, hyenas crunching on the bones of dead wildebeest, 2 lions eating a wildebeest in the river, leopards hanging from trees with their kills and even witnessed one letting out a mating call.
The Camps were wonderful. Bush dinners, special lunches, goodbye cakes, welcome gifts. We were sung to, danced for and with, and taken care of every day. We never had a concern or worry.
We saw gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and zebra, hundreds of elephants, dozens and dozens of lions, over a dozen cheetahs, 7 leopards, loads of crocodiles, gazelles, giraffes, hippos, topi, impala, warthogs, cape buffalo, hyena, ostrich, baboons, tortoises and a vast variety of beautiful birds.
We even spotted the rare caracal. My friend Kris spotted so many ostriches, that she has officially become the Ostrich Whisperer! We even created our own fun with Selfies with Safari Animals! I could go on and on…
Our guide Alex was amazing. He is an ecologist and spent 15 years working for Tanzania National Parks. His knowledge was immense. The parks, roads, animals, animal behavior, types of birds and history of each area and its animals was profound and enhanced our trip tremendously. I received no knowledge on my previous trip and the amount of knowledge we were given daily, made a huge difference.
I still love the story of Bob Jr in Central Serengeti and the brothers that dethroned him. I have told that story, with pictures, to so many people upon my return. I miss seeing those beautiful majestic animals.
We first met Alex upon arrival in the North Serengeti. We had taken a small plane from Arusha to the Mara River area to get our safari started. He greeted us with a huge warm smile that we both couldn’t help but hug him. We had a lot of fun with Alex and were very grateful to of had this experience with him.
The experience with Alex was just another reminder of why it is so important to pick the right tour company. We saw so many other companies on our journey, including other ADS vehicles. It was obvious in so many ways that we were definitely in the best hands.
The other ADS guests we met felt the same way. Everything about ADS is top notch, from its vehicles, communication, itineraries, properties but, most of all, its guides.
We did add the sunrise hot air balloon ride over the Mara River. It was an excellent experience with a great breakfast, our introduction to a loo with a view and we met people from all over the world. Highly entertaining staff.
I’ve been back a month and I still have Serengeti on the brain, in my heart and deep in my soul. Only one solution… we are already booked with ADS to return in February of 2025! I am so excited to experience Tanzania in the green season as well as during the wildebeest calving. I understand it is another phenomenal spectacle that I can not wait to experience first hand.
