Migration Safari in Kenya and Tanzania With a Few Days in Zanzibar

We travel a lot. I don’t normally write reviews and I typically plan and book everything myself because I am very exacting when it comes to the itinerary, logistics, accommodations, activities, etc. – everything must be perfect. When planning this trip, I vetted and researched at least 10 top-rated companies (including phone interviews) and reviewed a dozen itineraries before beginning to work with Discover Africa and Susan Veldman.

We were a group of 2 couples traveling together on a complex itinerary with high expectations, a restricted amount of time, and a budget range. Susan was patient, professional, friendly, and expertly knowledgeable. She worked with all of our parameters, spent hours on Zoom calls with me, and put together a lifetime experience trip to Tanzania and several other locations that was seamless and exceptional. In addition, Susan checked in with me regularly during our trip to make sure that everything was going well.

We had it all – incredible private guides, perfectly located accommodations, a great combination of luxury and simplicity to meet our desired experience at each location, and enriching experiences.

While on the trip, I was also pleased to hear from independent local operators that Discover Africa is highly regarded in the industry as an ethical company that is one of the best.

Save time and effort – I have done all of the work for you! (lol) – I highly recommend Susan at Discover Africa for your safari dreams!

Our private family safari to Tanzania couldn’t be better! Dev in the home office was super well-organised and answered all our questions promptly and accurately. The safari was very well organised. Frank was the best driver/guide we could ever hope for: personable, knowledgeable and possessing a seemingly superhuman ability to spot all types of game while carefully driving the safari vehicle. All the lodges we stayed at on our safari were each, in their own way, special.

It was downright amazing to be driving all day in the African bush and then drive up to a beautiful luxury lodge at the end of a long game drive. Each one was unique in its own way. All of us will long remember the outdoor shower at Lahia Tented Camp overlooking the Great Migration just below us, as just one example. We viewed tens of thousands of large African mammals. In short, I highly recommend our private, luxury 13-day Tanzania Family Safari.

Susan helped us organize a trip to Rwanda for Gorilla trekking and safari in Maasai Mara. She was extremely helpful, knowledgeable and attentive to every detail from start to finish. From the moment we landed in Africa, it never felt like we had to worry about a single thing. Everything was arranged and thought through. Susan was always available for any questions that we had before and during the trip. We had a magical, worry free vacation and I can’t recommend her enough for anyone planning their African vacation. I cannot wait to start planning my next trip already!

On the whole I would rate the safari as terrific. It exceeded our expectations. All of the properties that we overnighted in were excellent. My favorites were the Mara West Camp in Kenya and the Katikati Camp in the Serengeti. But these were difficult choices. There were no bad ones!

This was a land safari with no in country air travel. All of the drivers (4) went out of their way to make the safari as enjoyable as possible. In fact we observed some wildlife events in Kenya that we might well have missed were it not for the drivers diligence. As far as wildlife is concerned the experience in Kenya was more satisfying than that in Tanzania probably due to the time of the year and migration status.

There was one glitch at the very beginning. Arrival times in Nairobi were not communicated to the local staff resulting in a confused start to the safari.

Living in Florida, I reached out to several tour operators online. Susan Swanepoel from Discover Africa was incredible to work with. She was informative, very prompt to respond, and ensured that all of my questions regarding my Kili hike were answered. She arranged for me to have my trip through the Keys Hotel in Moshi Tanzania. The guide, cook, waiter, and all porters (total 8 personnel just for my solo trip) were excellent throughout the trip.

They truly cared about me and my needs during my 5 days on the mountain. The food was delicious at every meal, my tent was always set up for me, the personal toilet was cleansed after every use, and my duffel bag was carried up the mountain camp to camp by the porters.

Summit night was a hard night because of my limited time to acclimate to the altitude but I made it thanks to my guide, Liberaty. Susan always sent me the requirements, itinerary, and gear list in advance, gave me her personal contact info, and ensured that from the moment I touched down in Africa to the moment I left, I was always safe and in good hands. 5 stars all the way! Thank you to Discover Africa and the team at the Keys Hotel in Moshi!

I am an avid traveler, I love to discover new places and see new things. It didn’t take long for me to put Africa on my bucket list of places to visit with an African safari as a top priority bucket list activity.

I’ve visited other websites and have even communicated with their employees, unfortunately, I didn’t have good experiences with some of them. So upon planning my first safari, I came across Discover Africa & true to their name, they did help me discover a part of Africa.

My correspondent was Karl, and I have to say that he was very efficient, I laid out the specifications for him and he quickly managed to create an itinerary for me. Things were smooth from the planning stage, to the tour itself, to the return. I had a wonderful time and I can confidently recommend Discover Africa for your first (or next) trip to Africa. Africa is certainly a unique continent full of wonder.

My first trip was a combination of two East African countries, Rwanda & Kenya. It was a great combination as there was a stark contrast between the two countries.

Rwanda was a lush, green, mountainous region where farms galore. Kenya had a somewhat harsh, arid landscape. The gorillas and golden monkeys were Rwanda’s flagship attraction so I didn’t dare to miss the opportunity to see both. Some people opted for 2 gorilla treks as opposed to one gorilla & golden monkey trek, and I simply don’t recommend that. There is beauty in both encounters & a contrast in behavior as well. The gorillas were generally more reserved and shy while the monkeys were playful and mischievous. The rules of both encounters differ as well & you had a bit more freedom with the golden monkeys. Rwandans are a very welcoming, friendly people & I lost count of how many times we got smiles, hellos and waves as we drove past them. On one occasion, a couple of cute children did a little cultural dance and song for us.

Kenya was beautiful in it’s own way as well. I stayed at the Governer’s Camp at the Maasai Mara & the experience was nothing short of unique. A 45 minute flight will take you away from society and into the wilderness where the camps are located. You will be greeted by gazelles, giraffes, baboons & zebras upon arrival & transferal to the camp. You will enjoy the escape from civilization, you will enjoy waking up to the grunts and roars of animals as opposed to the grunts and roars of vehicles, you will enjoy viewing the wildlife you may have seen in zoos, only this time in their natural habitat. Having breakfast while marveling at the gazelles & zebras on the horizon is an alluring experience and beats all the dinner nights I’ve had watching my favorite TV shows. If you get the chance, opt for some Kenyan coffee, it’s a pleasure to the senses and the best I’ve ever tasted (and I’m not much of a coffee person).

One thing to keep in mind is that this is nature, experiences will vary from one person to the next, there are no guarantees in the wild. But I can guarantee that you will have a great overall experience. My favourite moment was witnessing the very end of a river crossing by a zeal of zebras as it rained over the Mara river. A zebra met it’s end at the jaws of a crocodile. Our driver brought us closer to witness the spectacle of a bask of crocodiles engaging in a feeding frenzy like nothing I’ve ever seen. All of this while a rainbow arched over us.

Truly awe inspiring.