The Best of Kenya & Tanzania (2012)

We felt that learningdiscovery took priority to game viewing, contrary to the groups priority.
Kenya itinerary required a drive through Nairobi where we sat in traffic congestion. Suggest changing itinerary to eliminate the need to drive through Nairobi.

Traveler: Albert Feucht from Melbourne, FL traveled on March 02, 2012

I loved this trip, but it's not without a few drawbacks. Take Immodium and Cipro. Think twice about drinking red wine if you are taking Malarone. Take lots of cash--American is fine, you don't need to change it--because tips alone will run you $600 per person, not including post trip. If you're a shopper, you'll need lots more. A super-zoom camera is perfect for this trip (Panasonic FZ100, Fuji HS10 or HS20), pocket cameras will disappoint and big lens DSLRs will weigh you down.

Take the pre-trip to Maasai Mara. First because it is quintessential Africa, second because the Mara is the Kingdom of Grass and not like anywhere else, third because the pre-trip group bonds. Take the balloon ride in the Mara, especially at this time of year, because it may be raining when you get to the Seregeti.
The Main Trip starts back in Nairobi and is a bit disappointing to begin with. You'll drive for hours through city, slums, suburbs, farms before finally reaching a National Park at Lake Nakuru. If you're a birder, Lake Nakuru is close to Heaven, but there are lots of big game as well, and very close up.
Then get ready to endure the LONG road trip to Amboseli. Hopefully OAT will have replace the terrible minivans from Pollman. Amboseli has many great features, like Kilomanjaro, but most of the elephants (1500) are a long way off.
Then back on the road for the border crossing. Tarangire wasn't super exciting big game wise, but as a birder I had a great time with our super-dooper-walks- on-water guide (Jabir) and outstanding driver (George) who could identify any bird at almost any distance.
The big payoff is the Ngorogoro Conservation Area, Crater, and the Seregeti. Just being in those places was magical, the animals were plentiful, the weather was mostly fine and the photography was fantastic. Our guide and drivers conspired to put us in the middle of the Great Migration, which is an awesome experience. Lion hunts and all.
Unfortunately, the lodging in the Seregeti while very luxurious is way out in the western section meaning driving the same limited roads for 4 days.
After the flight back to Arusha, you're in very another VERY LONG drive back to Nairobi with no air conditioning.
Manage your photographic expectations--you are shooting from the vehicle and cannot get out. Put your camera on burst setting and crank out the shots, you'll get some great ones and throw away hundreds. Who cares, it's digital not film. Take plenty of cards (I took 4450 shots and carried 8 cards of 8 Gigs each)
Our total bird species count for pre and Main trip was 258, a trip record.
See all that you can see, you may never get back to these magical countries.
And BTW, the African people in these areas are absolutely beautiful, you'll take hundreds of shots of just people.

Traveler: Linda Sparks from Green Valley, AZ traveled on February 12, 2012

Be sure to put this trip on you "bucket list."
While my wife and I have not traveled as extensively as many OAT travelers, we have visited over 30 countries and most all of North America - this trip was the best ever! One can not really appreciate the experience unless you do it yourself.
The game viewing is extraordinary (we saw the big 5 on our second day), the scenery outstanding and the guides and drivers were knowledgeable and very professional. Our main guide, Ngonja, gave us great insight into the culture, history, and lifestyle of the people. The visit to the Masai village and school and the side trip to Lake Victoria were real "eye openers" which make you appreciate what advantages we all have. The roads provide the "African massage," but the jostling is well worth it.
The tented lodges were very nice, the food was fine, the hotel staffs very friendly and most contained the amenities of any good hotel room.
Be sure to take a good camera! The picture taking opportunities are beyond your wildest dreams. The abundance of animals is amazing.
The small group size makes for a very pleasant experience, a lot of comraderie, and in some cases lasting friendships.
Be sure to add Masai Mara to your trip. It is a game preserve, which means you can go off road and get VERY close to the animals.
The only downside was the long layover in Amsterdam (6 hours) on the return trip.

Traveler: William Strackbein from Vienna, VA traveled on February 22, 2012

Big question why on Sweetwater- I thought it one of best placees to see the animals.!!!!
Seems many of place you stay now are way off from the game viewing and long drives everyone I read had a complaint.
We stayed in wonderful places and the drives were not too long or difficult.
Maybe the one writer was correct you have suffered quality for bigger profits. Shame on you!!!!!!! Save money by not sending so many catalougues.

Traveler: Jeaneen Bellitti from Port Hueneme, CA traveled on February 01, 2009

Augustine Minja was the best part of the trip. His knowledge and leadership surpassed my experience in traveling. The only suggestion I have to make is to break up the travel with a day to catch up with time. Maybe a stop for one night in Amsterdam then onto Narobi and the same coming home. Coming home was the hardest part of the whole trip. I loved the experience and our drivers were excellent with skill as well as knowledge. Great guys with awesome patience dealing with 11 different people.

Traveler: Barbara Blake from Green Valley, AZ traveled on February 23, 2012

We had a wonderful esperience. We are so glad we went, we won't have missed it for the world. If you take this trip don't miss the Massi Mara. We saw the big 5 within the first 1 12 days. It was amazing no zoo can compare to how close you are to the animals. Beautiful photos. It is like fishing in a barrel. You cannot take a bad photo. Bring at least a 300 lense. Don't bother with wi-fi or cell service or 3G, it doen't work no cell towers. The weather was hot but the evenings cooled off to great sleeping temps. The luggage doesn't stand up it falls apart everyone on our trip was using duct tape and sewing the luggage. Thank god it only starting happening at the end of the trip. Have fun OAT over did themselves on this one.

Traveler: Emily Nieman from Jamaica, NY traveled on January 22, 2012

This is an amazing trip (our 15th with OATGCT) I recommend it highly!

Some things to know before the trip:

• DON’T MISS THE PRETRIP!
We saw the big 5 in the first day and a half. Masai Mara is a Reserve and they go off road. They do not in the National Parks. You see much more and are incredibly close to animals in trees etc. Best photos and experience there!
• Bring a carryon or suitcase to check through to Nairobi, even if empty! Two couples on our trip had to buy one on the last day! You can stow in it the baggage room of the Hotel Intercontinental. You can keep your going home clothes in it and you will need it if you duffel bites the dust before going home! You also tend to buy lots of carvings and native crafts!
• Bring duct tape or gaffing tape to tape the duffel (our tour leader did have one sewn at a local village!)
• They never weighed our bags, doesn’t mean they won’t weigh yours in Nairobi (on the way to Masai Mara, but there were no scales in Masai Mara or Serengeti that we saw!)
• The vehicles in one park were white, it doesn’t matter what colors you wear.
• Washing clothes and laundry is not a problem except for real tents (only two nights)
• Lodges and camps are all great!
• When there are tse-tse flies nothing stops them they bite through clothes. If you allergic to bites bring meds. Take your malaria meds!

Our video is on YouTube
: http:www.youtube.com/watch?v=bySodq5qezY&list=UUK9oFiznXdRnM5tQ_hULaww&index=1&feature=plcp

The landscape is far more beautiful than we imagined. Savannas have tall grasses that wave with every breeze. When it is windy the grasses move like waves in the ocean. The Acacia trees are so magnificent against the stark gold of the grasses and blue of the sky. Some are twisted into fabulous shapes by the wind and rain. The bushes add deeper greens to the landscape. Birds fly through the sky with an incredible profusion of color and make joyous sounds. The light from the strong sun so close to the Equator shines a spotlight on all of this beauty and makes it come alive. It changes from stark bright to gorgeous gold in minutes. Then there is the beautiful silence when all you hear is the wind. Cameras click interrupting the silence as they try to capture something that you must see, hear and feel to experience the beauty of Nature.

Traveler: Nancy G. from Coram, NY traveled on January 22, 2012

This was a trip to be recorded into the anals of O.A.T.'s best trip ever. All guidelines were met, all activities were acomplished...and then some, and a great time was had by all. The lectures and preparation for each day's activities were adjusted according to our needs and not ridgid, and were very flexible to maintain fun and experiences in the African environment.

We saw the Big Five numerous times (Lions, Leopards, Rinos, Elephants and Water Buffalos), the Zebra and Wildebeest migration, a Lion kill from beginning to end, a team of Cheatah's munching on an after kill, vulchers cleaning up after kills of an elephant and wildebeest kill and many beautiul sunrises and sunsets.

The accomodations were simply excellent, food was plentiful and more than adequate with a taste of the unusual (Crocadile meat) however, presentations not too creative.

Many of the side roads were bumpy, sometimes washed out, but adventurous. I suggest some sort of air bag to absorb some of the shock to your sides and bottom, and plenty of mosquito repellant.

An exciting, never to be replicated, lifetime experience. We also visited two schools, three villages and miners prospecting for gold in the river that were "on the fly", not included on the itinerary. A great choice by our trip leader Jabari who was very knowledgeable and well informed about all aspects of African life. The drivers were extremly knowledgeable and terrific in the wild, spotting animals in the terrain.

A terrific job...well done, by O.A.T.

Traveler: Howard Riemer from Melville, NY traveled on January 02, 2012

What an incredible trip this was! There is nothing like seeing wild animals just inches from your safari vehicle, and OAT's guides and drivers know how and where to find these animals! We saw The Big Five, as well as so many elephants, types of antelopes, zebras, and giraffes. And 198 species of gorgeous birds.

One of our favorites of this trip were the extremely good accommodations. The tented camps truly were luxurious, with large rooms, well-equipped bathrooms (many with claw-foot tubs and showers), and the special touches, such as mosquito-netted beds, which made each site special and truly romantic. Each accommodation was so well equipped that all but one even had washcloths (although beware of not-thick towels).

Our guide, Jabiri, was spectacular, and made sure that we experienced Africa! We toured very poor towns (with incredibly polite and nice people), made a special trip to Lake Victoria for the day, met for cocktails daily on decks overlooking awesome scenery at sundown, learned Swahili phrases, and had a really great time (11 of us on this OAT trip).

The negatives were few: African food is not renowned, and we found it to be unimaginative and repetitive. However, we made sure we tried all that was offered that was different: uglai, wonderful braised spinach and kale dishes, unusual "pancakes" (really crepes). Also, the bumpy roads were bone-rattling, and those with bad backs should take note of this.

OAT made sure that we were hydrated: each accommodation provided two bottles of water, and there was ample water in the safari vehicles each day. As the weather was summer-like and sunny, we needed that water!

Be sure not to eat dairy products (we questioned the refrigeration) or fruits or vegetables that have to be washed. We were careful, and were not affected by intestinal problems, but some of our group were. Also, do not rely on the fact that some accommodations say they use bottled water to make ice cubes. Better to be safe than sorry.

This was our 7th GCTOAT trip, and by far our best to date! So exotic!

Traveler: Georgene Falcon from Elizabeth City, NC traveled on January 02, 2012

When one travels with OAT, one expects adventure, surprises and excitement coupled with professional guides and drivers and outstanding accomodations. This trip delivered it all. Our duffle bags were JUST FINE, held plenty of stuff, no need to overpack--just do some laundry or send it out! No one had a rip, tear, or seam split. Enough agonizing about bags. Bring some tape if you have to obsess about it.

We enjoyed all the bumpy roads, pot holes, occasional fly, exotic bathroom facilities, intelligent and ethical guides, fabulous meals, incredibly luxurious tents and lodges, amazing animal sightings, informative narrations, interesting fellow passengers, and fun, fun, fun. Good travellers make friends, eat heartily, and live the adventure with gusto. That is why we travel with OAT and not hoity toity groups.We will never be able to duplicate the experiences of seeing animals so close, or shopping in a market or meeting a Massai chief and his other warriors.
We opened our eyes and our hearts and got the full benefit of everything-one has to with having to spend so much time in an airplane.

Traveler: Steven Huth from Georgetown, TX traveled on December 01, 2011

Dear Juma,
Thank you for the excellent tour
I've learned so very much
From Maasai village people
To making beads, beer and such
From Learning and Discovery
"A day in the Life"
Your talks of African culture
From circumcision to having not one wife
The game viewing and the animals;
The greatest show on earth
Cheetahs, leopards, lions
and an elephant giving birth!
There is so much more you've given us;
a wealth of information
To share with friends and family
Until our next vacation.

Traveler: Joyce Axilrod from Santa Barbara, CA traveled on October 13, 2011

I enjoyed the trip very much, however, the following distracted from the pleasure. We were not met in Narobi by the Trip Leader as programed. No wildlife was seen in Crecent Island Nature Santuary. There was no game viewing drive in Amboseli National Park. or in Lake Nakuru National Park. Drove through these parks very rapidly and stayed in the main road. Likewise there was no game viewing drive in the Ngorongoro Crater juist a drive on a main road. We did not explore the Oldupai Gorge on foot as programmed. The game drives in the Serengeti wer reduced to four instead of eight as programmed.
The trip leader and drivers lacked knowledge of the parks and their habitat and the general culture of Keyna and Tanszania. Both of which limited game viewing and an understanding of the culture of these countries. Program changes were not coordinated with all members of the safari consequently there were misunderstandings that resulted in delays and unncessarymeetings. Driving rapidily over rough terrain limited game viewing and picture taking and endangered the lives of the ttravelers.
Food and lodging were good. However eating arrangements were cramped and generally uncomfortable. Could not leave or enter the table without disturbing an ajacent traveler. Trip leader lectures, discussions, and directions at the table were distraction from the meal.
I read a review which recommended that persons over eighty should not be allowed to participate in this program. I disagree with this recommendation. my wife and I were the people bewing referred to. Both of us made all the strenous activities carrying a backpack weiging several pounds. We did not delay any activities. Others did delay at times because of physical defects, broken bones, prior ailments etc.

Traveler: Grady Poole from Alexandria, VA traveled on September 08, 2011

I couldn't believe the number of animals we saw in the Serengeti, it was everything anyone had told me before. We rode through 40 minutes of gazelles, 35 minutes of zebras, and the migration of thousands of wildebeest.

And don't underestimate the power of greeting everyone with 'Jambo' (hello). All of a sudden everyone smiled and became your friend, from children to grandmas.

Traveler: John Balza from Ft Collins, CO traveled on October 05, 2011

This trip was filled with memorable moments!!
As we were waiting in line to enter the Serengeti Park, 2 leopards came right up to our vehicle. They were almost too close for a good picture.

We watched a pride of female lions and young one day just sort of hanging out. However. our guide said they were hungry. The next day we returned to the same spot, and they were all feasting on a zebra. The guides really were great at finding animals to look at and photograph.

Traveler: Allegra Anderson from Stone Mountain, GA traveled on February 02, 2011

The Best of Kenya and Tanzania – experiences and evaluations
We have just returned from the October 12th trip which included the excursion to the Masai Mara. It was all a wonderful experience with mostly good weather, a compatible group of people, a good itinerary, good drivers and an excellent tour guide (Amani). The animals were fantastic and we saw all of the “big five” (buffalo, elephant, rhino, lion and leopard) within the first 2 game drives in the Mara. From then on, it was more sightings of all of these, as well as cheetahs, giraffes, hippos, warthogs, hyenas, jackals, baboons, monkeys, many different gazelles and antelopes, and herds of zebras and wildebeest. There were other smaller animals like the bat-eared fox, and some wonderful birds. No shortage of wildlife.
We were too late for the main migration to be still in the Mara and too early for it to have arrived back in the Serengeti, (although we saw some pretty big herds), but it meant we avoided the crowds associated with these events in the lodges and also out with the safari vehicles. We therefore had excellent attention and had time and space to stop and observe animal behavior whenever we wanted.
Arriving in the Mara by a small, 12-seater plane, the 11 OAT guests were met by 2 drivers in pop-top mini-vans. Our local guide, George, greeted us in full Maasai warrior costume (long braided hair, jewelry, red-checked draped cloths, sheathed knife, walking stick, rubber tire sandals!) This seemed exotic until we learned the Maasai people still wear traditional dress as they herd their goats and zebu cattle, and live in round, dung-plastered huts inside thorn bush fences. George was recently married and had paid 4 cows for his wife in dowry! He led the warrior dance in the dining room during dinner. Lots of high leaping!
The Mara Sentrim was the first of the permanent tented camps we stayed in. Nice open-air dining room overlooking the swimming pool. We found the tentcabins throughout the whole trip to be comfortable, but sometimes a bit dark inside with poor wattage lamps for reading. All had mosquito nets which were not really necessary at this time of year. (Even so, everyone was taking various malaria pills. Those on the daily Malarone proved to have less side effects than those taking the weekly Lariam). We always had to be accompanied to our tents after dark by a guard with a flashlight and spear! We could recharge camera batteries either in the tents at certain hours when generators were going, or at the main building. There's always shampoo provided (no conditioner), but only the proper lodges had hair dryers.
Every day we got up early for breakfast and then headed out for a game drive – some lasted half a day, some were all day with a picnic lunch, some drives occurred as we were on our way to another lodge. All were different – you never knew what you might see. Once the roof was popped up for shade and viewing, you could stand whenever the vehicle pulled up, which was as often as someone spotted an animal we wanted to watch or photograph. The drivers were excellent at seeing game, negotiating the rutted roads and tracks and fording streams and gullies. They talked to each other about recent sightings. Dust was often a problem, especially when another vehicle went past, but it's better than mud in the wet season when many unpaved roads become impassable.
After the Mara, we flew back to Nairobi to the western-style Intercontinental Hotel again. Here we picked up 2 more guests, met our main guide, Amani, and 2 new drivers, and proceeded to the Giraffe Center and nearby Karen Blixen's house before driving through the Rift Valley to the beautiful 5-star Naivasha Simba Lodge. All amenities here. Saw white and black rhinos at Lake Nakuru, but the famed flocks of flamingos have been replaced by pelicans as the salinity of the lake changes.
A long drive back past Nairobi and south to Amboseli. Great numbers of elephants in the swamp here. The Sentrim Amboseli tented camp, (reached by an atrocious dusty, rutted private road), has beautiful grounds, wonderful views of Mt. Kilimanjaro, (clear nights and mornings), and a lovely swimming pool. Desert climate. While here, we visited the local Amboseli Primary School where we brought gifts and pledged money towards much needed projects and then toured the adjacent Maasai village. The dung-plastered, round, windowless, mud huts in the compound were incredibly primitive. We were invited inside, and in the gloom, one of our members sat on the edge of a bed. Big mistake, as he ended up with bed bugs in his clothes! (These cultural experiences are great, but expect to reward the indigenous people by donating andor buying their crafts. The women lay their wares on the ground. Some of the items are made by them – especially beadwork – and some are obviously produced elsewhere.)
Crossing the border into Tanzania, we transferred to a bus for the drive to Arusha, and then got 2 new drivers and a different type of safari vehicle (pop-top, 4WD, modified Toyotas and Nissans – more comfortable than the mini-vans). These vehicles all take a beating, so have to be replaced every few years. Some were a bit newer and nicer inside than others, but all were austere. We took turns sitting in the various seats to be fair. Leg room can be restricted. The person sitting next to the driver cannot stand up and take photographs. The persons sitting in the back seat cannot hear the driver giving information when the vehicle is moving. However, if the tour guide is in the front, he can turn towards the rear and then it's easier to hear. Not all of the drivers were as easy to understand or as well-informed as the tour guide.
Lake Burunge tented camp was nice. Tentcabins were set far apart and a quite long way from the main dining building overlooking the lake. We visited nearby Tarangire National Park where we watched a lion stalking prey. Great picnic spot overlooking a river. Later, Amani took us to a local market, gave us money, and made us buy foodstuffs as part of an interactive process. We then donated the food to women who showed us how to weave grass mats.
Before a game drive through Lake Manyara NP, we stopped to view families eeking out a living by panning for gold – Amani had negotiated a donation for this privilege. Arrived at the beautiful Tloma Lodge with its green lawns, coffee plantation, and huge vegetable gardens. Another cultural experience by walking to a medical center, observing hand making of bricks, and having an interesting talk in an Iraqw compound. Then a rare free afternoon to rest, catch up on the internet, or use the inviting pool.
Drove to the Ngorongoro highlands on a washboard road and down into the crater. This was the most disappointing game drive as the crater was almost empty of animals until the migrating herds arrive and give birth. Exciting drive up the steep, one-way road out though – would hate to tackle that in the wet! Many miles farther on, we stopped at the famous Oldupai Gorge (NOT pronounced Olduvai!) for exploration of the anthropological digs and museum and lectures about the Leakeys. Lake Masek is one of the most remote tented camps and while the tents have a huge bathroom area and nice fittings, the showers are “moon showers” with an open roof . When a weather front came across and it rained, the tents proved to be cold and dark for our free time. Heard hippos grunting nearby during the night. We counted about 30 giraffes not far from the camp.
Overland to the Serengeti NP, we drove into a short rainstorm on the vast treeless plains and the route became slippery mud. Our driver did NOT use his 4WD as he said it wasn't “serious” enough for that! Saw lots of big birds on the plains – Secretary Birds, Kori Bustards and Ostriches. Once through the park gates, the countryside changed and we saw a magnificent black-maned lion and his family on the rocky outcrop of a kopje. A cheetah on another. Klipspringers on another. A big python alongside the road.
We were very lucky that our home for the next 4 days was the amazing and luxurious 5-star Bilila Lodge in the center of the Serengeti. (It is currently being taken over by the posh Four Seasons). It has a gorgeous infinity swimming pool, and a waterhole for the animals just beyond. Apparently elephants come to use it in the dry season. We regularly saw waterbuck, zebras, wildebeest, impala, warthogs and buffalo from our balconies. This was an amazing climax to our trip and the daily game drives from here found all sorts of interesting sights including the mesmerizing hippo pools, a pride of 18 lions and a leopard in a tree with it's kill. The country varied with acacia forests, palm-lined rivers with crocodiles, and open grasslands. This is a fabulous park!
The food throughout the trip was tasty with a huge array of choices from plentiful buffets. Soups and fruits were especially delicious. Box lunches were also good and no complaints when we had to make them ourselves. The restaurants we went to were also excellent. The biggest problem is that we ate so much and had so little exercise that everyone tended to put on weight! Despite all precautions, some of us still had sudden bouts of diarrhea, so medication like Imodium and Cipro was a must. The worst was needing to “go” while on a game drive, as proper rest stops are few and far between. Drivers don't like to stop near bushes or trees as you never know what animals are lurking therein, so emergency breaks were usually more open or behind the vehicle. A brown paper bag containing t.p. was useful.
Despite using DEET, we did get bitten in a few swampy places by pesky Tse Tse flies, which luckily don't carry sleeping sickness in those areas. Their bites are like a small sting with no residuals.
We stopped quite often at large souvenir shops where the array of goods was mind-boggling. You have to get used to bargaining and you can usually get the items for ½ the opening price or less. Hotels and lodges have small gift shops where you can browse without being pestered, but prices are higher. The best place to shop is the competitive craft market in central Nairobi. We went there on our first day but were too overwhelmed to buy anything, and also did not want to carry it. We went there again on our last day and this time we knew what to look for and what the prices SHOULD be. By now, we were hardened bargainers! The sellers are mostly nice, often funny, always ingenious, pleading and VERY aggressive. Bargaining takes SO much time! (A set price is so much easier!)
The new beige OAT bags held together, but barely. We took duct tape as a precaution. My husband used his OAT bag, but I took a slightly larger, much stronger wheeled bag that we already had, and it was great to stuff all the purchases inside that. It met the size and weight requirements but was much heavier on the way back. After the short flight from Nairobi to the Mara, the bags don't get weighed again until coming home where the international weight allowance is ample.
A word about visas. After talking to friends and doing as much research as possible beforehand, we decided to get our Tanzania visas here in advance. This was probably a wise move as the Nmanga border at the time we went through was very busy and it took long enough just to get our passports stamped. There were touts and pushy souvenir sellers and sketchy people all around so the guide wanted to herd us through as quickly as possible. The Kenyan visa however was another matter. We had our paperwork all filled out in advance as we disembarked the plane in Nairobi, but our hearts sank as we saw the huge line at the single visa counter. It proceeded so slowly. However, as soon as the other passport stations cleared, we were able to use those too and photos were taken and visas were issued very quickly. We explained our itinerary, and were told we only needed a single entry visa for $50 each, which enabled us to go into Tanzania and back within a 3 month period. (Thus we saved $180 per couple by NOT complying with OAT's idea of buying multiple entry visas in advance in the U.S. through the travel company. Just in case, we had an extra $100 set aside with extra applications filled out, ready to buy additional visas coming back into Kenya later, but that was not necessary.)
Another piece of good news, the road from Arusha to Nairobi is now fully tarred all the way. That was a huge complaint in former postings as to how rough and dusty and slow it was. The question was often asked as to why OAT didn't just fly everyone back. The answer is, the little airport in the Serengeti is not equipped for international flights. Therefore, passengers would have to fly from Serengeti to Kilimanjaro International Airport in Tanzania and from there, take another plane to Nairobi in Kenya and that would be much more costly and take just about as long. We deplaned at Arusha Airport at 11.30, sped to the border, took a bathroom break at another souvenir shop, ate a box lunch in the bus, and reached Nairobi on the newly paved highway before 5 p.m. The trouble started after we reached the outskirts of the city when we were caught in horrendous, chaotic, peak-hour traffic and it took an hour to reach the hotel. (A new flyover in the works may help this situation a bit in future).
Last day in Nairobi we did a walking trip to the market and then had a tour of the historic Stanley Hotel. Took the bus to the interesting National Museum. While at lunch at the museum restaurant, a violent thunderstorm unleashed torrential rain and then heavy hail and the temperature dropped drastically! Checked out of our day rooms at the hotel and then ate an early dinner at a Brazilian restaurant on the way to the airport. Not the famous Carnivore serving bushmeat, but this one served tasty traditional meats carved off the skewers at the table, and was fun.
Long flights and lots of waiting at airports to get back home, but it was all worth it. In asking those people who had taken the Ultimate Africa trip beforehand which one they preferred, they couldn't say, as each was different and equally enjoyable. So it's a personal choice, or try to do both!
Hope this account gives a true picture of what to expect on this safari. Now to sort through the thousands of photographs.....!

Traveler: Barbara Waight from Los Altos, CA traveled on October 12, 2011

AFRICA!
The variety of animals and birds, access to native culture, absence of bugs, temperate climate, quality and variety of food, lodging, knowledge of drivers and guides and the quality of vehicles all exceeded my expectations. The only negatives were the long drives on rough dusty roads and occasional stomach troubles.

ANIMALS AND BIRDS. We identified a dozen different kinds of carnivores including six types of cats: lions, leopards, cheetahs and three smaller cats (the African wildcat, the golden cat and the serval). We saw many spotted hyena and a rare striped hyena, jackals, bat-eared foxes, banded and dwarf mongoose. We viewed many giraffes, elephants, zebras, wildebeest, Cape buffalo, warthogs, baboons, ostrich, monkeys and a dozen different kinds of antelopegazelle. We also saw hippos, rhinos, hyrax, crocodiles, lizards and turtles.
One of our group, a passionate birder, identified over 300 birds she had never seen before.
We got a rare close-up view of a cheetah leisurely crossing our path and then stopping nearby. I was surprised how little the vehicles bothered the wild life. Lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, zebras, antelope and hyenas often walked within a few feet of the vehicles. When someone saw a large cat, the word was soon spread by radio and vehicles congregated from every direction.
Our most fortunate sighting was a leopard in a tree next to the road. After watching it devour the Thompson gazelle carcass it had dragged up the tree, we drove on a mile or so to have our picnic lunch. When we returned after lunch we watched the leopard climb down from the tree and lie down next to our vehicle for a photo op. Our driver said we were so lucky we should go to Vegas as soon as we returned to the States!

NATIVE CULTURE. We were exposed to the culture of two native tribes: the Maasai and the Iraku. I was surprised to discover that many Maasai continue to live in temporary mud and stick structures, the nomadic life I naively thought ended a hundred years ago. The Maasai village we visited has only existed for three years, since a European benefactor built a permanent education campus and Grand Circle financed permanent water wells. Prior to that, the villages moved at least annually for better pasture and water for their cows and goats.
The Iraku, primarily farmers, seem to have adopted more modern customs and for the most part live in improved mud-brick housing, although plumbing is a rarity.

BUGS AND CLIMATE. Probably the season we chose to visit, the end of the dry season, was the reason we rarely saw mosquitoes. Flies were common but bites were rare. We did not need the mosquito head-nets we brought, and we often did not bother to apply Deet. The temperatures were moderate. Nights were cool enough to sleep comfortably, and I only needed a fleece one windy evening. Although it was sometimes hot and muggy in the afternoon, the heat wasn’t oppressive. I doubt if the temperature ever exceeded 80 degrees. The last few evenings it rained.

FOOD AND LODGING. There was a variety of food with lots of fresh vegetables, no doubt tailored to American tastes, and the food was very good. At the advice of our guide, we ate everything (but didn’t drink the water) and only rarely had minor stomach problems.
The lodging was first class. In my opinion our least desirable lodging was the five-star Inter-continental Hotel in Nairobi, where Obama stayed. The tent camps were great. Each couple had its own tent with ensuite bath. All tents had permanent foundations with plumbing, good beds, fine showers and flush toilets. Our most priimitive tent, near Amboseli, was about 25 feet square, larger than many motel rooms.
Often we were instructed not to leave our tents after dark without requesting a Maasai warrior to lead us with a bright light and a spear.

GUIDES AND VEHICLES. Not only Juma, the OAT Trip Leader who accompanied us on our entire trip, but also most of the drivers were very knowledgeable. Two of the three drivers in Tanzania (Muhammad and Leaky) had over twenty years of experience and were outstanding in spotting and identifying birds and animals. The third driver (Nicky) was not as expert, but was fun and enthusiastic.
I expected that the fourteen of us would be transported in two eight or nine passenger vehicles. Instead we had three vehicles: minibuses with safari roofs in Kenya and land rovers in Tanzania. Both types of vehicles had four rows of seats with an aisle between seats, so everyone had a window. And when the tops were up the passengers could stand for a 360 degree view. Within the National Parks vehicles were not permitted off-road. And our drivers did not allow us to leave the vehicle very often. The roads were mostly gravel, and were often corduroy and dusty. There was no air conditioning. So many rides were rough and dirty.
Near the end of our trip OAT flew us in a small plane from a landing strip in the Serengeti to Arusha, Tanzania, and then we had a long bus drive back to Nairobi, Kenya.

Traveler: Bill Wilson from Billings, MT traveled on September 20, 2011

We had a fabulous trip to Kenya and Tanzania. The seven couples on our trip were all good friends and OAT could not have provided a better African experience. Our guide, Juma, was amazing as were the driver guides. The accommodations were wonderful permanent tented camps, the food was great and we traveled at just the right time of the year (September 20- October 8th). The weather was perfect, we had no bugs and very little rain. Best of all, we saw every animal that we had hoped to see...often x 10. If you want to travel to Africa, consider this trip with OAT.

Traveler: Sally Knostman from Billings, MT traveled on September 20, 2011

My husband and I did this trip with 3 other couples in Sept. and had a fabulous time. We wanted to go to Africa mainly to see the animals, but we got so much more out of the adventure than we ever anticipated. The trip from the U.S. is long, and most of the roads in Africa are long, rough, and dusty, but every minute is worth the grand experience.

The lodges and tented camps are first class, and the food and drink ample and good. Be aware, though, that electricity is powered by generators in the camps, so lights and power are out most evenings (9 or 10:00pm) til morning. You're tired at the end of the days, so it's really not an inconvenience, but a flashlight is a must. All the tents and lodges had plugs for charging your cameras, phones, etc.; but only during those times the generators are running. So plan accordingly.

Our guide, Richard, was extremely knowledgeable about everything from the land, the countries and the birds to the animals and their habits; and he went out of his way to make sure all 13 of us traveling together were very well cared for - both individually and as a group. As an expert photographer, he also made sure we got the best and 'up close' shots of the animals, birds and scenery - especially the beautiful sunrises and sunsets. The drivers were first-rate at handling the jeeps on the rough roads and off-road trips; and at finding the animals. And our driver, Yusuf, in Tanzania, was exceptional at giving us details about plant and animal life during the game drives, which added to the great experiences we had throughout the 19 days. We so appreciated how Richard and the Ranger Safari drivers loved their country and could answer any questions we might pose about the land and its history, as well as the plant, animal and human life we encountered there. I can't thank OAT and these individuals enough for providing us with this life-altering experience.

Thoughts:
*Don't miss the Masai Mara pre-trip. It's a MUST and an adventure you will never forget.
*Take heed to what OAT advises regarding the physicality of the trip. You many times have long days on rough, dusty roads and do lots of climbing in and out of the jeeps (which, by the way, were much, much better than we had anticipated!). And you must be able to see well to get the most out of the trip. *Don't leave home without binoculars.
*It's good to have a scarf or something to cover your face with when the dust gets bad. Remember: no air conditioning in the cars, so the windows are open while you're traveling.
*Take toilet paper. Some of the rest room facilities are holes in the ground; and there will probably be times you must go while on a game drive - behind the jeep. But that just adds another layer to the fantastic adventure of being there.
*Don't miss the early morning game drives. That's when the animals are the most active; and the sunrises and scenery that time of day is spectacular.
*Be sure to do the walking tour and museum visit in Nairobi at the end of the trip. What we saw in the museum is like nothing I've ever seen.

Recommendation for OAT:
*Consider changing the next day drive back to the Oldepai Gorge, which is between the Ngorogoro Crater and Lake Masek. The roads are too long and hard to go 'back' for the day. We stopped by the gorge on the way between the Crater and Lake Masek, and had the next day free, which was wonderful. We were able to wash clothes, wander about, visit and relax. We would have 'mutinied' had we been required to travel to the gorge the day after, as the schedule is currently.
*Fly travelers back to Nairobi from Arusha vs. the 5 hr. bus ride. It's a real downer to be on the bus for that long after the serenity and adventure of the Serengeti.

We were first-time OAT travelers, and after this trip can't wait to travel with them again. And we can't wait to get back to Africa!!

Traveler: Betsi Wilson from Hayesville, NC traveled on September 04, 2011

This is a trip of a life time. I would suggest to take both the pre and post trips. The people are so friendly that you feel welcome every where you go. Every- day was filled with an exciting adventure, lots of animals, and new experiences. I would take lots of small bills fives and ones for tips as it is hard to get change. It is easy to exchange to local currency ( but not necessary) once you are there, the guides are very helpful. OAT and the guides made the trip very easy as all the connections and reservations went very smoothly. The trip was more than we expected.

Traveler: Nancy Jones from Westport, WA traveled on September 18, 2011

In general, our experience was Amazing. The itinerary was well planned, the weather was great, the guides and drivers were outstanding and the wildlife cooperated !!

Our warm thanks to our guides (George Olg Glisho in the Masai Mara and Jabiri Olomi in the base trip) and drivers (David Mutiso in the Masai Mara, James Wachira for the rest of Kenya and George “Eagle Eye” Mollel in Tanzania), whom we cannot thank enough for their wonderful efforts.

There was, unfortunately a major negative which can only be attributed by OAT management and definitely not to the local staff, such as guides or drivers. I will address this at the end of this review.

We did take the pre-trip to the Masai Mara, which, in our experience, is a must. Our group of 13 got along great, helped each other, rotated seats so that everyone could avoid the rear seats which are the ones most affected by the road conditions, but, as another reviewer put it, none of the perceived negatives, such as the bumpy roads, the TseTse flies (only in the Serengeti lodge outdoor areas) and other occasional inconveniences mean a thing when considering the great time we had.

We got lucky, when we arrived at the Serengeti, which had the most road dust, we had a couple of short rains, mostly in the evening, which settled the dust…but created some mud holes on the roads….which meant just another driving experience. The migration south started early, so we witnessed thousands of animals moving into the Serengeti, which appeared to turn green overnight after the short rains.

As if seeing such a great variety and quantity of wildlife wasn’t enough, 92 lions in the base trip alone, we did see a lioness carrying newborn cubs from one bush to another, a baby giraffe, barely a day old with the umbilical cord still attached and lots of other young animals. In one occasion we had to wait because a baby elephant decided to nurse while his mother was standing in the middle of the road. We saw the Big 5 four times, twice in the Masai Mara and twice in the Serengeti. The rest of the parks were just as interesting and loaded with wildlife. And, we did get to see Mount Kilimanjaro without any cloud cover, even if for a short time.

Meeting the people was both a great experience and an eye opener as to how good we have it. We attended a 7th grade Math class at the school near Amboseli, met Masai people and talked and danced with them, attended a choir practice at a church in Karatu and had many other great interpersonal experiences throughout the trip.

Accommodations were as expected. The staff at the tented lodges was attentive, the food was more than adequate, availability of electricity was as much as we needed and the animals roaming outside our tents at night made it even more interesting.

I can go on for ever, but the primary purpose of this review is to let people know that this is a great trip, what one sees or does not get to see will vary, wildlife does not follow a schedule or a script. Clouds over Mt. Kilimanjaro is not under OAT’s control, regardless as to what other reviewers seem to imply.

Take a chance, go, your experience may be as good as ours, maybe even better !!!

All that being said, there was a fly in the ointment…and only OAT management, not the guides, the drivers or any other local staff, is to blame.

The vehicles used hold six people in the back very comfortably. The windows open (when there is no dust flying) and the tops pop up. Everyone in the back has the ability to spot, look at or photograph anything, regardless of where it is in relation to the vehicle. The person seating next to the driver can only see through the windshield and the left window. Additionally, anyone who wants good photos knows that nothing good comes out when shooting through tinted glass, so photography is be limited to the left window. No place to stand either.

Following is the reason that would cause us not to take another similar OAT trip. There were thirteen in our group in two vehicles, which meant that someone had to rotate through the front seat every day. The guide and drivers did their best to maneuver the vehicles so that everyone got to see out when we encountered wildlife, but this was not always possible. Which meant that someone ended up disappointed at one time or another.

We came across two other OAT groups, one had fourteen members, the other fifteen. Each group had three vehicles, we had two. This trip is too expensive, therefore it is unfair and presumptuous for OAT to decide to cut costs and lower the quality of the experience.

(The above was included in our trip feedback to OAT, sent after we returned home and which OAT has received.)

What makes even less sense is that a friend of the only person traveling with us as a single wanted to come along and share her room, which would have increased the group size to fourteen, but OAT told her, long before the departure date, that the trip was sold out.

Please don’t let our only negative experience stop you from taking the trip, just ask for details before you send OAT the final payment. We will certainly do so next time.

Traveler: Peter Coriasco from Moneta, VA traveled on September 18, 2011

This was the best trip ever. It was tiring because of long days over dust filled roads, but OH was it worth every ache and pain.
We had a wonderful tour guide and teriffic drivers. The animals in their natural habitat would put on a teriffic show several times a day. Seems our guides and drivers knew just where to go for these experiences.
The Maasi Mara is a MUST SEE at the beginning. Go there when the migrating animals are there in full force. You will never see anything like it any where else.
We were so pleased with our tented camps. Most were luxury for a tent, not what you would expect. Food choices had something for everyone, with pleanty of clean fruit and vegetables.
Because of the season, we did not get the first mosquito bite! Some flies were bothersome at times, nothing much really.
For most of us the bathroom stops were adequate, but be ready for squat toilets too.
Sun glasses and bandanas helped keep the tons of dust under control in, but dust masks would be helpful to keep handy at times.
Money exchange was really not necessary.
US$$ accepted everywhere. But, bring lots of cash for drinks at the lodges, because some do not take credit cards and those that do can lose internet from a cloud overhead.
Electric convertors are NOT necessary just an adaptor or 2 for cameras and cell phone. Note: Electricity was not available in the middle of the day in most places, and some tents had no power at all. Cameras were charged in the barlodge.
OAT did everything right! It is the best for touring in small groups.
An important note. As an RN, I would advise that anyone over 80, think twice about this trip. A couple in their mid 80's were on this trip. They really were miserable on some of the long hard driving days. They missed trips the next day to recover. This trip is hard physically. Don't pay any attention to the miles you walk. That has little to do with the physical stress of this trip. This couple did hold us back because we had to wait for them, always. You also have to be quick with the camera and binoculars to catch the animals, which they were not. You need good vision and hearing to really enjoy this trip.
Our group of 8 were age range 65-71. Three other ladies in their late 70's were in good enough shape to keep up with everything.
GO NOW the younger you are the better, don't wait. The experience of a lifetime awaits!

Traveler: Sharon Odell from Hayesville, NC traveled on September 04, 2011

This was my first trip with OAT and exceeded my expectations. Good news. The road from Arusha to Nairobi is now paved (except for a few spots) and the drive is quite comfortable. We saw the Big 5 the first day of our pre-trip to the Masai Mara. Other game viewing was also great as we saw 45 species of animals and approx 160 species of birds. The accomodations were very good except for the camp in Amboseli. Staff at all camps and lodges were very helpful and welcoming (except Amboseli). True, regarding other reports, the accomodations were frequently off-site and required considerable travel time for the game drives. Our Driver Mohamed was excellent. Had great English and was a good spotter. I wish there was a "Very Good" category for the trip. It was not excellent because of the long drives and the excessive remindershints from our guide that now would be an appropriate time to show our appreciation to an individual. (He sometime reminded us of the tip-box for staff or passed an envelop for collection of tips). For the quality of accomodations, good food, and friendly staff, I would rank the trip as Very Good.

Traveler: Bobbie Miller from Huntington Beach, CA traveled on September 02, 2011

Our trip started with the pre-trip to the Masai Mara. It was a rocky start. Not good driversguides or a leader. What saved the pre-trip was the fact we saw thousands of animals, including the Big Five. Wildebeest and Zebras crossing the Mara River. The accommodations were good. Once we arrived back in Nairobi we met our true and wonderful guide, Gus. From then on the trip was wonderful. Everthing ran smoothly.

We enjoyed visiting the grounds of the estate of Karen Blixen,and the Giraffe Rescue Center. Wish we could have visited the rescue center for baby elephants but that was not on the agenda.

We were fortunate to see the birth of a Thomson's Gazelle. Something we won't forget. Visiting the Maasai Village was also very interesting. Lots of poverty in Africa.

We throughly enjoyed all the lodgestented camps that we stayed at. Very clean and beautiful views from the lounge where a glass of wine was most welcome at the end of a long, dusty and bumpy road ride. It is exciting to hear animals outside your tent in the middle of the night.

The only scary part of the trip was driving on some of the two lane highways through the Rift Valley and from Arush to Nairobi. Poor roads and hundreds of large trucks, making passing very scary. I would have felt safer facing a lion.

I especially enjoyed the people. The staff at all the lodges were very friendly. Tried to please every minute. On two occasions we passed on the mornings activities and stayed at our lodge and enjoyed the beautiful surroundings - one place located in the center of a small coffee plantation with beautiful gardens. I thought it was really 'cool' to sleep under the beautiful netting over our bed.

A great book that we purchased at the hotel in Nairobi is Jonathan Scott's Safari Guide to East African Animals. It is the book that all our driversguides had on the seat next to them. Great trip with a fantastic guide, Augustine Minja.

Traveler: Jean Reiley from Westlake Village, CA traveled on August 03, 2011

My husband and I took this trip in March-April of this year (2011) and rate it as one of our best trips ever. This was our 11th with GCT-OAT and we think it could not be improved upon! Accommodations were interesting and comfortable, food was bounteous and delicious, guides and drivers were knowledgeable and conscientious, and the game drives and sightseeing were fascinating. Previous reviewers complained about the long drives to reach parks and other sites, but each drive took us through a part of the country that we enjoyed seeing. Yes, the roads are bumpy, but our vehicle was comfortable and handled every obstacle--from fording streams to climbing over rocks to churning through mud.

It is hard to pick out a favorite experience, but surely high on the list would be seeing the Big Five,not singly but en masse; driving through the legendary Ngorongoro Gorge, surrounded by zebra, giraffes, and elephants; the first sight of Kilimanjaro, looming through the clouds; looking out over the Great Rift valley, which seems to go on forever; watching my husband being kissed by a giraffe at the rescue center; standing in Karen Blixen's house, realizing that this is where she really lived. Too many wonderful experiences to list, although I could go on and on.

This is a wonderful trip, I would take it again, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes adventure.

Traveler: June Zimmerman from Pike Road, AL traveled on March 29, 2011

1. Of the 10 trips - the best airline travel
2. Incredible animals - please do not take a newly purchased camera- seems as though 2 many people try this
3. Lots of surface travel, some days are long - bring along a travel pillow - inflatible works well
4. Lots of dust - if you have allergies or sinus issues, take precautions
5. Clothing - wear layers as this trip is near the equator - temps are fairly even, plan accordingly - nights & early AM can be cool
6. Bring snacks and plan to share
7. Guides are incredible, do your research ahead of time- ask questions
8. As always - many opportunities for purchases: Tanzania accepts US dollars - please bring 'crispies' newrecent bills without tears or marks
9. Small gifts are always nice - schools can really utilize
10. Bring a map as none are supplied

Traveler: Leslie Applebaum from Oakland, CA traveled on August 07, 2011

This was my first OAT trip, and I was truly blessed to be a part of an amazing group of people with an awesome trip leader. Bariki was so knowledgeable, patient, energetic, compassionate, and friendly, and so well complemented by Rollex, our other driver guide, who was similarly gifted.

We started out with just five in our group due to travel delays for the others who were scheduled to fly through a snow-bound Heathrow. Slowly but surely, they all finally arrived, and our ultimate number was 13. For this group, that was a very lucky number!

We were blessed with wonderful weather (December is a GREAT time to take this trip), and incredibly productive game drives: we saw the big five, but so much more! Hundreds of elephants in Amboseli, a leopard with its kill in the Serengeti, pockets of the great migration of wildebeasts, more than 40 lions from Amboseli to Ngorogor Crater to the Serengeti, many so close we could have touched them, and for the birders in the group, almost 300 species for their life lists. The accommodations were even better than anticipated, the meals were excellent, the staff along the way so accommodating.

The opportunities to "learn and discover" were slighly revised due to the holidays, but our visit to a Masai village was a highlight...complete with lessons on how to make fire, and a welcoming by the tribe that was memorable. A lunch with a local family near Lake Manyara, a walking tour of a coffee grove, and local village, informative lectures by Bariki and Rollex about the history of our destinations all enhanced the game viewing activities.

Others reviewing this trip mention the final trip from Arusha to Nairobi as a negative point on which to finish the trip. I would agree this is something that really should be looked at, since it seems there should be better options. Nevertheless, in the grand scheme of things, those (very literal) bumps in the road couldn't change the fact that this adventure exceeded all expectations. Thank you, Bariki, Rollex, and the Lucky 13 for making this an adventure to remember, for all the right reasons!

Traveler: Margaret Riley from Durham, NC traveled on December 20, 2010

My wife and I have returned from our KTZ-trip, and I would like to share my assessment of this tour. Most likely it is not only mine, but I want to speak for myself, here.

I have been on other OAT tours in the past that have been simply excellent and of superb quality and value. I am sorry to say that this one could not measure up to the high standard established by the other three tours we went on with OAT (PeruEcuador. India, Japan). I believe I can assert it even more plausibly as a former tour guide myself, with 9 seasons of completed work, back in the 1990s.

The KTZ tour was a very mixed bag, in my opinion, hurting the reputation of OAT and not meeting my expectations set so high by the excellent organization and superb tour guiding provided by OAT previously.

Unfortunately, I cannot and will not recommend this tour to others. Let me just briefly enumerate the pluses and minuses of this tour and comment on them occasionally.

What was good:

• Lodgings themselves: All accommodations were very good, even though they differed—from the Intercontinental Hotel in Nairobi to the mobile tent camps in the Serengeti. All were comfortable, adequate, and very clean. (I believe the group’s favorite was the tent lodge at Lake Masek, in Tanzania. It was mine, for sure.)

• Food (although it could be more local): There was always plenty of food, mostly buffet style. However, after a while the breakfasts became very monotonous, as did some of the other meals. The culinary highlights were the locally flavored meals, as in the village on the day of our visit in the Maynara Park.

• Animals: This aspect--being the main purpose of our trip--has not disappointed us. Keeping in mind that we were visiting national parks and not zoological gardens, there were long periods of time (even whole game-drives) during which we drove a lot without seeing a single animal soul. However, those periods were well rewarded by our sightings, like a cheetah kill, groups of running giraffes, and prides of lion families, with cubs and all, at arm’s length. (We saw a total of 81 lions during our trip!)

• Last day in Nairobi and its pace: After the dreaded (and unnecessary) long drive from Arusha to Nairobi, the last day in Nairobi was very welcome. Leisurely and yet informative (with the city walk and museum visit), it didn’t feel like just the necessary evil to await our late evening departure for home. The late checkout of the hotel (before our evening departure) was also very helpful.

• Knowledge of the flora and fauna by the guides: The information of both of our driversguides with regard to the animals and plants we saw was impressive and encyclopedic. They seemed to have very sound information, often backed up by their own volumes of picture books, such as bird catalogues, etc.

What wasn’t good:

• Too many parks visited, unnecessarily: It may sound preposterous, but I believe that we had to cover too many parks, which extended the driving times on mostly terrible roads and in uncomfortable jeeps. Some parks had definitely different things to offer, and that’s great. (E.g., the flamingos in Nakuru or cheetahs in Serengeti, etc.) But some parks cost us a lot of time and energy to get to and across, with very meager results. (The biggest disappointment in this regard was Amboseli, with a big detour from Nairobi to Arusha, but only one visit to the park, and minimal wild life to see, not to mention ZERO visibility of Kilimanjaro due to the cloudy weather.)

• No maps, individually and otherwise: As a former tour guide myself I find it inexcusable that the company andor the tour director don’t provide the travelers with a map of the territory to be covered during the trip! I myself would always distribute maps on the first or second day of the given trip, when I worked as a tour guideescort. Everybody in my group appreciated it very much. It makes things more comprehensible—topography, borders, locations, not to mention distances. I believe, everybody in our KTZ-group wanted a map and was disappointed not to get one. We asked our guides several times for a map or for local brochures of the parks, but they were very unresponsive to those requests. For that reason we simply resigned ourselves to keeping quite on that topic. The dissatisfaction did not disappear, though.

• Certain lack of responsiveness by the guide(s): Speaking of lack of responsiveness, this seemed a more general pattern on our tour. Our guides were awesome and polite drivers; they tried to take care of all technicalities, like room keys, the details of our schedule, timing, etc., but altogether there was a palpable lack of gentle authority on the part of the guide(s) in terms of keeping the group together, informed, satisfied, and happy.

• Lack of social, political, cultural background commentary orand lecture: The guides did not provide us with a sufficient amount of insightful information on topics other than the animals and plants. It seemed to me that they either didn’t know very much themselves and thus didn’t have to give us much in that regard, or they were unwilling to divulge into discussion of that type, as they saw it unnecessary. Or maybe even both—that didn’t know because they thought we didn’t need to know it on a safari trip. This is obviously a huge mistake, as we were really thirsting for more background lectures (even of short span). Ironically, we have experienced ourselves that such situation doesn’t have to be the norm: once in the lodge at the Lake Burunge, some of us listened in on another OAT group staying there, as their guide was giving them information about the ethnic composition of the society in Tanzania, and the like. It was informative and interesting. Another occasion to experience the difference was when our main guide (John Bosco) had to leave the tour in Arusha and we got a substitute guide for the last two days, named Shaukat. His way of relating to the group, his responsiveness to questions and requests, as much as his lively manner of presenting lots of interesting information about politics, religion, and culture of the region impressed us very much.

• No information about the driving distances! According to our main guide, John Bosco, the route of the entire trip was about two thousand miles! This was a fact that to our knowledge has not been mentioned anywhere in the materials on the KTZ-tour. Of course, we could have measured the distances at home on the map by ourselves, before making an informed decision of signing up for this particular trip, but it seems that this kind of information doesn’t necessarily have to be kept secret by OAT. Two thousand miles on bumpy and dusty African roads, all within two weeks! Nobody in our group thought it was really such a special treat.

• Too many box lunches: Even though food in general was good, as mentioned above, there were too many box lunches, substituting for regular lunches. They had to be eaten on the fly, sometimes even in the very jeeps in which we already were spending many hours sitting, because of some danger of attacking birds andor other animals, etc. Incidentally, one such a planned lunch site in Serengeti was taken up by a couple of lions, so we couldn’t stop there….

• No enforced rotation: The rotation was not enforced by the driver(s)guide(s). There was sometimes a lot of discontent voiced behind the guide’s back about the fact that the same people were ending up in better seats than others, with impunity. In both of our jeeps, there were clearly two different categories of seats in terms of comfort and visibility.

• Lodgings too far away from the game areas: Often (with the exception of the Amboseli Park), we had to drive first quite far (for an hour or more) from our accommodations to the areas where would commence our actual game drive. The location of the lodge at Lake Burunge with regard to the Tarangire Park is a case in point. (Over one hour, each way!) Another one is the (otherwise wonderful!) lodge at Lake Masek, from which we had to drive back for an hour and a half to visit the Olduvai Gorge, after half a day at Ngorongoro. And, then, we had to drive for an hour and a half back from Olduvai to the lodge at Lake Masek, before continuing on to the Serengeti, next morning. Even the mobile camps in the Serengeti Park itself were in remote locations, from which we had to do extra driving to begin the actual game drives. And the second mobile tent in Serengeti was especially far away from everything: we had to drive for over an hour to reach the Mara River and begin our actual game drive on one day (that was very tiring, by the way) AND on the last day in that camp, we had to have breakfast at 5 AM in order to drive for almost an hour to the airport to catch the flight to Arusha, leaving at 7 AM!

• Constant reminders about the tips for staff at lodgings: As a former pro in the tourism industry, I very well know how important tipping is, but some of us felt it repeatedly that there was very much emphasis put on tipping the staffs at all lodges, and that the frequency of the reminders in that regard was almost uncomfortably high. Also, with regard to our drivers dubbing as guides, it was a bit unclear how to tip them at the end of the tour. Double? One amount for driving per person per day, and another amount for guiding (such as it was) per person per day? As some group members remarked out loud that that they thought we had no more than “glorified drivers” on out tour, I believe that our tour leaders did not earn any tremendously high tips, at least this time around.

• Bad timing for several lunches: Due to long and challenging driving almost every day, sometimes the timing for lunch was significantly off, by which I mean, the lunch was comparatively late, especially since we would have breakfast very early.

• Too long stops—unjustified: We had lots of undetermined stops, by which I mean that there was no information given as to how long we will stay there, or when we are supposed to report back. Even though the group of 13 is not unwieldy, the lack of precise time information created sometimes confusion. Sometimes it also seemed that we had an excessively long stop because of some people purchasing souvenirs and other trinkets. (The lunch-cum-shopping stop, right after crossing the border, on the way from Arusha to Nairobi.) Some stops of that kind were made only because one or the other person would specifically request it, or a driverguide would have “promised” them to stop especially there because of some special merchandise. (The stop at the store at the escarpment on the way out of Maynara to the Farmhouse.)


• No microphones in the vehicles: For all the little information we were receiving from our driversguides, a lot of it was heard only by some people during the drives, because there were no microphones in the jeeps, the road and jeeps created considerable noise, and only the people in the seat next to the driver and maybe in the first row could hear what he had to say. Sometimes there were addressed some interesting topics and questions that were however no more discussed with the whole group in front—at a lodge or during a stop.

• The vehicles too outdated: Not only were we cramped on the jeeps—and especially in the middle rows which didn’t leave enough space for the legs of any person taller than 5’8, but our two vehicles were in the absolute tiny minority among all others in any of the parks that didn’t have a hatch or roof above the heads of the people standing up and viewing the animals. The sun was scorching our heads (despite the hats, of course) and faces, whereas at least 95% other visitors in their vehicles enjoyed protection of their heads by the lifted roof. It was a palpable contrast.


I would hope that it has become clear by now that the negative aspects of the tour outweigh the positive ones, not only in their number but also importance.

ALL IN ALL I REGRET TO SAY I CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS TOUR TO ANYBODY.

Traveler: Pawel Lutomski from San Francisco, CA traveled on July 02, 2010

I have traveled with OAT eight times so don't get the idea I don't like the company.

I am writing this as a constructive evaluation of this trip.

Let me begin by advising that I took this trip in 2004, and was so excited with trip that I repeated it in 2010.

I was disappointed this time. Let me compare.

In 2004 we began in Nairobi with two days to get acclimated to the travel and see some very nice sights. We visited the Karen Blixen Museum, the "Out of Africa House" and a giraffe rescue center. This year we visited these along with another animal orphanage that rescued baby elephants.

From Neirobi in 2004 we traveled to Sweetwaters game reserve which was alive with animals of all types. While at Sweetwater we visited a Chimpanzee sanctuary where we observed the rescued chimps and their behavior. This year we traveled to Crescent Island Nature Sanctuary where we walked for two miles amoung the animals. The problem was, we never got close to the animals. The next day we traveled to Lake Naivasha which was only established in 2006. Animals were not yet able to build up their population.

In 2004 and 2010 we than traveled to Amboseli National Park which was a mature park with an abundance of animals.

In 2004 we then traveled to Tarangiri National Park, Tanzania's third largest national park. Again, a mature park with unlimited animals. This year after a six hour drive from Amboseli to Arusha over extremely rough roads, we arrived in Arush and visited a tanzanite jewelry center.

In 2004 we visited the Ngorongoro Foothills via Lake Manyara which included game drives. In 2010 we went to the Ngorongoro Highlands with a stop at a native vilage where we saw their shop with items for sale and not much more. The next day we visited Lake Manyara. The next day this year we walked about two miles to visit a local bar, a health clinic which was empty, and a native home where we learned some of the skills of the natives. An interesting stop.

Both trips included an informative visit to a native African school.

Both years we then went to the Ngorongoro Crater with a game drive in the crater.

In 2004 we explored Serengeti National Park until time to leave Africa. We flew from the planes of Serengeti to Arusha and boarded our plane for home that night. In 2010 we explored Serengeti National Park for four days, two tented camps, flew from the planes of Serengeti to Arusha, then drove six hours back to Nairobi over those same very rough roads.

We then spent two days in Nairobi where we visited a local market, a museum where we saw the bones of all the animals we had seen in the National Parks. This 2010 trip was OK until we did that return trip to Nairobi and it's associated activities.

My suggestion. If you want to visit Africa, consider the OAT Safari Serengeti:Tanzania trip. After doing these two trips of The best of Kenya and Tanzania, I would NOT repeat it. I would do the Sarari Serengeti" Tanzania trip.

Don't miss Africa. This is a wonderful place to visit and the people and guides are wonderful. OAT just messed up a wonderful trip. I hope they get it straightened out next year.

I traveled from February 19th - March 9, 2010.

Traveler: James Picard from Moon Township, PA traveled on February 19, 2010

A trip of a lifetime! From the first night when our fantastic guide, Allen, greeted us at the airport until he returned us to Nairobi airport, we were treated royally. A guide can make or break a trip; Allen was the best we've had with OAT. He was knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and always ready to help. We were concerned about the accomodations before leaving, but were very pleasantly surprised--even the mobile tents had everything! The food was delicious and had many Western dishes and the views from the dining areas spectacular. We saw so many animals daily, including "The Big Five"; met so many interesting people; and enjoyed observing students learning English in a small Maasai classroom. The only negative was the dreadful drive from Arusha to Nairobi at the end of the trip. Allen was one terrific driver. One can barely call it a 'road'. OAT should consider flying its clients directly back to Nairobi. We lost an entire day traveling on roads that looked like they had been bombed! Other than that, the trip was perfect!
We have great pictures and wonderful memories.

Traveler: MJ from Basking Ridge, NJ traveled on January 08, 2010

This trip was a wonderful trip and a trip of a lifetime! We had 3 experienced guides that created an incredible experience! Hats off to John Bosco, Norman and Godson. We saw every animal you can possibly imagine and enjoyed the travel, food, land and culture.

We were rained out of our second mobile camp (the mobile camp is a great experience and would love to do again) and John Bosco made arrangements on the spot to house us at a lodge in the middle of the Serengeti. It was seemless. Our guides took care of us and spotted game that virtually no one saw, they were unbelievable. I loved the tented camps, they are a wonderful experience and allow you to be out in the open. Would love to go again.

Traveler: Thomas from Kenmore, WA traveled on November 04, 2009

Before we left the States, I believed there would only be three women on our tour. However, when we arrived in Nairobi we were met by two couples who had already been in Africa for a few weeks. We also met our leader, guide and driver, all in one,Omari.
On our very first game drive we saw the big five as well as what seemed like thousands of gazelles, zebra, wildebeest and warthogs. All of this was made possible by our cooperation in acting as spotters with a generous sharing of photography tips. There were the eight of us in one vehicle each day and we bonded. We felt that we were the luckiest safari ever. ( Now that I have read other reviews I see that everyone thinks that.) For me the highlight was watching a cheetah steal a baby gazelle from three jackals who had been circling the baby and its mother for several minutes. We saw the puzzled mother, the disappointed jackals and the cheetah's protection of its kill after the fastest run I ever saw.
The accomodations and food were very good but lodges or tents closer to where the game drives would have to be would have been better.

The airplane aspects of our trip were not a good part of the trip. Personally it took me about 34 hours to get home to Massachusetts.

Traveler: Susan from East Falmouth, MA traveled on November 26, 2009

To sum up our experience in one word it would be "Incredibile" We had long dreamed of a trip to Africa and finally got our chance. We took the pre-trip to the Masai Mara and would say it is a "must do".

Our guide was "Rollex" and he was unreal. Not only was he extremely knowledgeable about the animals but also about birds, insects and plants and how they all interacted in the "bush". We saw the big five, the migration, and 100's of other animals. We also saw (on 2 separate occasions) a cheetah run down an Impala for a kill - something Rollex said he had not seen in a year and a half and started calling us the "Lucky 5".

We even tried to jump with the Masai warriors and Rollex about fell out of his chair laughing and saying, "that was the most horrible thing I've seen"

Then our "Lucky 5" of the pre trip joined 7 others to form the main trip group. This time our trip leader was Omari and our driverguide was Emanuel. Again - both were exceptional just like Rollex. We had many laughs with them and they became friends instead of our guides.

The trip to the Masai village and school at Amboseli was very interesting and informative. The view from our room at Ngorongoro Crater was stunning. When we got to the Serengeti we caught up with the migration again. What an experience!

Our man at Victoria Falls was Jonathan. How does OAT gets the guides they do? They are the best. Vic Falls itself was a little disappointing because the flow was much less than normal because of the drought East Africa has had for the past few years. But nature is one thing OAT cannot control.

We were continually called "Lucky" by the natives because everywhere we went it would rain - usually at night - but only heavily during the day a couple of times. It was the first rain for months and months. A benefit of that though was that it kept down the dust we had heard so much about before going. We had no problem with dust OR mud due to the our Land Rovers and talent of our drivers. We even had to pull a van from a competitive travel company out of a ditch.

The accomodations and food were excellent and the mobile tented camp was a memorable experience. Nothing like hearing the animals during the night. We were supposed to go a second mobile tented camp in the north but they had a bad storm that knocked down some tents and a supply truck got stuck going there. But OAT didn't miss a beat and put us up for 2 nights in the beautiful Seronera Wildlife Lodge in the middle of the Serengeti.

We said our goodbyes to our guides sadly. They were wonderful as was this trip.
.

Traveler: James from Winston Salem, NC traveled on October 26, 2009

We are IC members and this was our first OAT trip. Spectacular is the only word that describes our many experiences during the 28 days. A compliment to the tour guides, Patrick in the Masai Mara, John Bosco, Godson and Norman, on the main body of the trip and Reason in Victoria Falls. Their knowledge and ability to spot game was fantastic. We saw every animal, including some of the rarest (Black Rhino, Serval cat and a Cheetah that came within 10 feet of our vehicle.
Michele, my wife, and I were worried that since very few travelers signed up for the pre and post trip, that those trips would be canceled. Far from it. On our pre-trip to the Masai Mara we were three travelers with our own private guide (Patrick). His knowledge of the are was scary. He drove to known viewing sites, the various drivers were always in contact with one another, over unmarked roads that were merely ruts in the terrain. We saw almost all of the animals on our "to do" list right there in the Mara. We were able to witness millions of wildebeest getting ready to cross the Mara River as part of their annual migration. Our main body of the trip was ten travelers with three guides in two vehicles. We were treated like adults and we conducted our own vehicle and seat rotations as such. A highlight of the trip was the visit to a local school and seeing the extreme needs of the students and staff. We have sent a package of supplies to the school since our return and we plan to do this again on a regular basis. Our adventures through Kenya and Tanzania we marked by extremes of luxury and honest to goodness down to earth accommodations. The food was always excellent, well prepared, varied enough, mixing traditional "American style" food with local recipes and goodies. Our post trip to S.Africa and Victoria Falls was another amazing surprise. Only my wife and I participated in this tour. We jetted down to Jo'Berg and stayed at the Avante Garde Lodge just outside the city. Wonderful lodging with our own private chef, what a treat. Our stay included a side trip to Soweto, a very educational experience. Our trip continued to Victoria Falls. I wasn't "wowed" by what I saw. Nature has a way of doing things that are not in the guidebook. The water levels on the rivers were pretty low and the falls were mere ribbons of water in some places. There was one really great view which sort of made the trip. We took a helicopter ride over the falls. It was my wife's first helicopter experience and the lokks on her face (captured in some photos) made the trip great fun. Our guide, Reason, was a gentleman to a fault. He shared his home and family with us and introduced us to his neighbors. A fine way to meet the local people of Vic Falls. As I said at the start, this was our first OAT trip, but we are now talking about China, Egypt and the Galapagos. Grand Circle trips are great (we have taken 5) but the OAT trip was truly an adventure.

Traveler: Mel and Michele from Leesburg, FL traveled on November 01, 2009

Let me preface by saying this was one of the best of the 16 trips we have had with OAT. Even the 41 hour flight schedule does not diminish the beauty and wonders we saw and experienced in Africa between September 15 and October 9, 2009.

Let me first highlight the very positive and fantastic trip.
1. Trip Leaders - Our Trip LeaderDriver Barikiel Bee was exceptional and did everything in his power to make all 13 of us comfortable and have an outstanding experience. He was knowledgeable in all facets of the trip, extremely upbeat, always smiled, and punctual. Our Assistant Trip LeaderDriver Leonard Sangeth completely complemented Barikiel and provided a wonderful balance between the two men. He was a Maasai warrior and his perceptions of life, culture, and history of the natives gave all of us a look into Tanzanian (Kenyan) life.
2. People of Africa – Do all of them smile? This is one of the wonders of our experience. It seems everyone we saw and met smiled and was genuinely happy to see us.
3. Tent Camps – Yes, they were tents but the tents were plush. Private baths with hot water on “demand” for showers, complete privacy, and cool nights led to nice sleep. Meals were prepared by “chefs” who went all out to provide great food served in a 5Star restaurant style. Their clothes’s washing was excellent. Electrical power was very limited.
4. Safari Trucks – Well, this is a negative. With our group of 13 we rotated between all the seats in the two vehicles. These vehicle were old, I was told that OAT is scheduled to get new vehicles in February 2010. No AC, no sun cover on the roof, dust was a constant. I carried my backpack and camera in heavy plastic bags. Our clothing was covered in dust at the end of each day.
5. Itinerary – very good. I read all the other reviews and ours seemed much better. Yes, we had to drive to get to the game, but there were no other camps closer. Everyone else had to drive. The roads were very PRIMITIVE. There is no way I can reflect on these. But if we had wanted paved roads we would have stayed home.
6. Hotels – most were 4 Star. AC, plush rooms, well appointed facilities, great meals, welcoming staff. The only exception was the Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge and their practice of discrimination against the Tour Directors and Drivers. We always ate with both Barikiel and Leonard until this hotel.
7. Game – we were a lucky group; we saw all of the big five and many times. Barikiel and Leonard knew where they were and drove us there. They waited for all of us to shoot our pictures (with engines off).
8. Weather – Sun, SUN! Temperature was cool in the mornings (mid 60’s) to mid 90’s in the mid afternoon. No rain. I was told by natives that the best time to go would be April and May. But due to the severe drought, trees had no leaves so we could see the game.
9. Post Trip to Victoria Falls – again, we were very fortunate to have an excellent Tour Director in Reason Ndloyu. He took care of us! He went out of his way to show us everything he could in Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Zambia. He even took us to his home where we met his wife and two children. The hotel felt like 5 Star but was in fact 4. Free clothes washing, internet and all meals (from the menu) were provided.


NOW “A TRIP THROUGH HELL FOR 12 HOURS”
Our OAT “specially prepared” itinerary stated”:
biDay 18 ArushaNairobi
Fly to Nairobi
We enjoy an early breakfast and then we head to a small airstrip in the
Serengeti and board a small aircraft for the short but thrilling flight to Arusha.
We have a box lunch in Arusha before flying to Nairobi. The rest of your
afternoon is at leisure to rest or doing some last-minute shopping in Nairobi.
Dinner is at a local restaurant.
Included Meals: Dinner bi

Unfortunately, this is not what happened. We flew from the Serengeti Tent Camp to Arusha. When we were transferred to a safari truck at 12:30 PM and we were driven to Nairobi where we spent an awful 7 hours on the under construction East African Highway. No AC, severe dust, washboard road that is almost impassible, vehicle driven at 60 to 70 MPH (GPS data). We had to eat our lunch on the drive. We stopped once for a bathroom break and only stopped again when one of our group got very sick. We had water for only five of the six people. We entered Nairobi and traffic was stopped. Friday night. We got to the hotel at 8:30 and were told we had no dinner. It was to be on our own.

What made this unacceptable, other than what I have written above is that I had been told this by a previous OAT group on the evening we arrived in Nairobi on the second day of our trip. I spoke to our hostess and she promised to look into this problem. During the trip, I spoke to our Tour Directors and even offered to pay for a flight from Arusha to Nairobi when we were told that we could not fly as OAT had promised. And no meal! We had a flight at 4 AM the next morning to go to South Africa so we had a very short night.

We discussed the fact that someone from the Boston office should take this trip. We now see that OAT’s Best of Kenya and Tanzania trips in 2010 have this exact itinerary; drive from Arusha to Nairobi.

In summary, a wonderful and beautiful trip was almost ruined by the 12 hours reflected above. Fortunately, we had a spectacular time on the Post Trip. I should also mention that those people who do not take the post trip fly out of Arusha, Tanzania and do not face the above mentioned problem.

For a closer look at the trip, please go to our website www.garciatrips.com. There you will see GPS maps of our wanderings, videos, five pictures per day and the daily journals of our trips.

Traveler: Vic and Gennie from Monument, CO traveled on September 15, 2009

This was our 6th trip with OATGCT, and it was everything we had hoped. We saw lots and lots of animals, all of the big 8, including a mini-migration of wildebeest in the Serengeti. Although expensive, the hot air balloon ride was a real highlight! Our trip leader Allan became a father for the first time, and we all visited the newborn Ashley and mom in the Arusha hospital!

The box lunches got rather tiresome, and there weren't enough pit stops--for older women squatting behind a bush can be difficult! The roads are horrible and very rough. Unfortunately Jack collapsed from dehydration and we weren't able to go to the planned extension to Victoria Falls. The insurance company was spectacular, and got us a prepaid direct flight out the next day! Dawn at least plans to return, next time to South Africa where the roads are better--and this time she'll go to the falls.

Traveler: Jack and Dawn from Decatur, GA traveled on September 03, 2009

Overall it was a good safari with alot of sitings of animals. I took the Maisa Mara pre trip which was the high-lite of the trip. But with the pre-trip, you end up spending too much time seeing too many schools and too many village visits that are the same of same old. The last village cost an additional $20 to get in. But the reason why I am writing is that OATS seems to be cutting corners over the last years although their prices keep going upconsiderably (for the African safaris). NIce hotelslodges are substituted last minute with cheaper ones sometimes located outside of the prime game area. Because of this, we spent alot of time driving just to get into the prime area of the resort rather than already being there. (Hotel substitutions in external nile trip in 2008 as well just to show the trend). The food wasn't as good as the "Ultimate Africa" trip we took in 2004. Jeeps kept breaking down, parts not available on site. Also, when promised 2 games drives on a day, our guide said he can only take us on 1 because OATS only paid him for one. Andi this was in Tanzania, the best part of the safari. The guide tried to do the best he could but it wasn't the same. There was only 1 person to do the work of the guide and the driver whereas before on other safaris, you had a guide and a driver so the guide can educate the group as you partake on the safari. Guides weren't as knowledgable as previous safaris. There is alot of driving on bumpy dusty roads so be sure you can handle this. It was ok for me.

Traveler: Mildred from San Jose, CA traveled on August 19, 2009

I will start with saying this is a good trip for viewing animals. We saw all the big animals and tons of lions and elephants.

It is NOT a trip for getting exercise and keeping fit. There is 3 buffet meals a day, and very little opportunity for exercise and or walking. ( i don't count walking from the room to the buffet table exercise).

I skipped two game drives to walk around a lake and a coffee plantation (which I arranged myself, this was not an offered activity)

We spent hours upon hours in the trucks. Sometimes over 8 hours a day. Sometimes in severe dust on very bumpy roads We had pleanty of water, but, didn't drink too much....see below.

There were few bathroom stops planned, and we had to ask to find a bathroom after several hours. And many of the bathrooms were holes in the ground.....ok if you are able to squat. Some in our group couldn't do that, and then had no opportunity to empty their bladder.

The visits with the local people were great, and my favorite part of the trip. I wish there had been more time for this

Our guides were good drivers and knew much about the country and animals.

The lodges and tented camps were fine. The food good.

Will I travel with this company again? Maybe when I am 80.........

Traveler: west coast girl traveled on August 14, 2009

I would rate this trip excellent except for the fact that some camps were rather poorly located. For example, one-hour drive to Masa Marai, while other travelers stayed within the the park, and saw tons more animals. OAT should contract with camps that:

1. Have a watering hole or animal path at the tents.
2. Are located within the central parts of the parks.

Overall, the trip was another great experilence, and I remain a loyal GCT and OAT customer.

Traveler: Gordon from Annapolis, MD traveled on June 20, 2009

Wow, what a great experience. This was my 3th OAT trip and it was fabulous. The safari's were great. We saw lots and lots of lions, zebras, cheetahs, elephants, leopards, hippos, rhinos ect.ect. Our trip leader said it was one of the best game drive sightings he has been on. We couldn't have asked for anything better. We had so much up close contacts with all the animals. Most of them walked in front of our jeep. The lodges were great- the atmosphere was very African. The rooms were large in the lodges and tents. The tented camps were very nice. Kind of like how the royals go camping- with hot showers with lots of water pressure. The last night in the tented camp in the serengeti, we had lions growling outside our tent all night long. An experience not to be forgotten. The food was great. Don't plan on losing weight on this trip. Our guide Seif was great. He was nice, caring and very knowledgable. He kept everything running smooth and everyone happy. The only negative was the dusty and very bumpy roads. They are making a major highway but it will be a while until it is done. If you want a great african experience you can't go wrong with this trip. I also took the post trip to Victoria Falls. The falls were great and so was the optional trip to Chobe- they were elephants everywhere.

Traveler: Denise from Sarasota, FL traveled on May 23, 2009

We just returned from this trip and were thrilled with the number and the variety of animals that we saw. (over 60 lions, ten cheetahs and three leopards -- Wow!) We took this same trip in 2000 and enjoyed staying at some different camps this time round. The pre-trip to Masai Mara was an excellent new treat -- we actually saw four of the big five on our first game drive!

Obviously we are very partial to Africa since we have also done the Ultimate Africa trip twice (2004 and 2006). If we had to pick a favorite it would have to be Ultimate Africa -- we loved the remote camps and the bush sounds at night. Nevertheless we would highly recommend everyone taking both trips since there is no place on earth quite like the Ngorongora Crater and the Serengeti Plains.

We think OAT does a superior job with its Africa trips and we never miss a chance to sing their praises.

Traveler: Robert B from Houston, TX traveled on February 21, 2009

We took the Best of K&T trip 5 years after we took the Ultimate Africa trip. We expected the K&T trip to be a bit of a let-down - it was not! We saw a greater variety of animals, including both leopards and cheetahs, in many different settings. The enclosed vehicle was just as easy to view from as was the open seating on the Ultimate trip.

We did not see the variety of birds on Best of K&T as we did on the Ultimate trip, even though we saw many. On both trips both our guide and our drivers were knowledgeable about the birds and wildlife.

We had more interaction with local people on the Best of K&T, including a school visit. This is one of the aspects of OAT that we have always enjoyed. We also were able to visit local markets as well as larger towns. On the Ultimate trip we were more isolated and could go days without seeing another group. This added to the sense of being on a safari.

Traveling between camps by small plane on the Ultimate trip was a unique experience. It saved a lot of time, as well as a lot of jostling! But it also eliminated many opportunities to interact with the local people and culture.

We cannot recommend one trip over the other. They are different in approach but equal in quality. If you enjoy nature and want to do a safari, We would suggest doing both - with a few years in between.

Traveler: David & Pat from Cincinnati, OH traveled on January 23, 2009