HI Nick,
Just to say a big thanks for organising everything for us. Everything went smoothly. The only tricky moment was checking at Zanazibar which was a bit chaotic, with not enough staff in the right places at the right time, but everything else was perfect.
We loved the camp. I am so glad we went to Kimondo. The staff were wonderful. fun, kind, and super professional. They think of everything and really want to make sure you have the best experience and take pride in what they are doing. Our guide Masenga worked really hard everyday to ensure we saw what we wanted to see. It was full on and sometimes we were out 10/11 hours a day.
We were lucky and saw two good successful wildebeest crossings (with no fatalities), lions mating, lions fighting, giraffes, zebras, cheetahs, impala, Topi, gazelles, vervet monkeys, baboons, elephants, wart hogs, eagles, vultures, hippos and more. I have over 1K photos so will certainly try to pick a few for the gallery.
We loved the Z hotel. Again happy staff and a pleasant vibe. It never felt crowded even though it was full. We loved the roof top bar. Overall, Zanzibar was different to how we expected - perhaps naively.
It was good to know that both main companies contribute something to the local community.
In hindsight I would have added in another safari element and reduced the beach bit, budget permitting.
But it was a truly wonderful experience and the camp staff definitely made my birthday memorable with birthday cake supported by song and dance! everyone joined in and it was great fun.
I would be grateful if you could also pass on our feedback to coastal aviation too! It was a great experience for us to fly on prop planes for the first time and everything went really well. Gareth, our first pilot, was particularly charming and pointed out sites and wildlife as we flew. The only problem was the check in at Zanzibar to Dar. I felt for the one guy trying to check everyone in in a very short space of time with no support. There was just one guy dealing with bags for 3 flights leaving at the same time which was just not doable in the time he had. the company should have more people at check in as it seemed there were three guys standing by the aircraft with clip boards not doing anything!
(Ed's Note: we also asked Debra to say a few words about her experience booking with us) I chose the Tanzania specialists firstly because I found the web site really easy to use and then when I spoke to Nick he was very knowledgeable, putting my mind at ease straight away. He understood what we were looking for perfectly, choosing the best camp in the Serengeti and hotel in Zanzibar - both suited us down to the ground and we loved every minute of our trip.
best wishes
debra
SEE THEIR GALLERY