"Grete's Safari Page" Top 5 Page for this destination Tanzania by grets

I’d like to dedicate this page to Dickson and Arnaud.

After seeing a TV program about wild animals in Africa in February 2007, I got a yearning to go on another safari. There was only one cure. The next day I called my travel agent and booked two flights to Nairobi. (David has now banned me from watching any more animals programs in case it costs him too much money!).

The decision had to be made where to take the safari. For many years I had wanted to see Ngorongoro Crater, so I started to look around on the internet for safari operators in Northern Tanzania. I sent off numerous enquiries, and received many replies. One company stood out amongst all the others: Calabash Adventures. They listened to what I wanted and created a safari to suit my requirements. Obviously I was a little concerned about wiring money to a completely unknown company in Africa, but I took the chance.

I am so glad I did. The safari could not have been better. Dickson, our driver, looked after us from start to finish and we were treated like VIPs. I loved having our own driver and the flexibility that offered. The car was perfect for game viewing and Dickson was an excellent spotter. He was also very knowledgeable about the animals and birds we saw, which of course was a real bonus.

What I didn’t expect, was the excellent food provided by Arnaud. In fact, I didn’t expect to have a dedicated cook with us. Arnaud even managed to miraculously produce a cake on David’s birthday, in a bush camp. That is no mean feat.

Elephant and Impala in Tarangire

The vehicle: It was spacious, clean, well maintained and the roof elevated.

Dickson was a courteous and safe driver.

It was very well organised from the moment we walked through the gates in Nairobi and saw someone with a plaque with our name on, until we left the hotel on the last morning in Nairobi.

Calabash provided a pair of binoculars for every passenger. We’d brought our own, but for those who might not have thought of this, I thought it was a very nice touch.

The car carried two comprehensive bird books for any species not immediately recognized by Dickson.

Dickson was an excellent animal spotter and very knowledgeable about the various species of mammals and birds.

A fresh bottle of water was provided for us in the car each morning, and with every meal.

Wildebeest in Lake Manyara

I feel Calabash Adventures would be equally good for the complete safari novice (as they take care of everything) to the more discerning traveller who knows exactly what they want from their safari. This was our eighth safari, and we were very impressed! This is what Calabash arranged for us:

Someone to greet us on arrival at Nairobi airport and guide us to the bus stop.

The shuttle bus transfer from Nairobi to Arusha.

Dickson met us at the border between Kenya and Tanzania with the car so that we could go straight off on safari without having to waste any time.

All transportation during the safari with no limitation on milage.

All accommodation and all food throughout our stay in Tanzania.

All park fees.

The transfer bus back to Nairobi after the safari.

Accommodation in Nairobi.

Below I have set out a few tips of what to look for when searching for a safari company, in case I haven’t managed to convince you yet that Calabash is the best! I hope the tips below will help any first time safari-er as well as well as more experienced travellers. Hopefully this page will give you a better idea of what to expect on a safari. I have been very specific about certain things and more general about others, and I am sure I have mentioned quite a few things that are obvious to some of you. But maybe, if I can just get one more person to open their eyes to the delight of a safari, it is worth it.

• Pros:Tanzania is a great place for safari and Calabash really know how to make the most of it.
• Cons:Dusty and bumpy roads, long days and a long way to go
• In a nutshell:Everyone should do a safari at least once!