Tanzania Holidays Safari Interview
| Safari Company Used: |
Roy Safaris |
| Safari Location: |
Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater
and Lake Manyara Tanzania |
|
Duration: |
Four nights, May
2003 |
|
Traveller Details: |
Yionna
Pavlides,
Australia. Four people in the group. |
|
Safari
Interview Questions
|
|
Where did you stay during your Tanzania holidays and what
was it like? |
The lodges that they
provided – we went to the
Sopa lodges and for Lake Manyara we went to Kirurumu Tented Lodge.
At the Serengeti and
Ngorongoro was a 4-star lodge, and all the meals were provided. Very nice, the
rooms were very good, they had a show on as well for us at the hotels. They were
all very friendly.
So we were very, very
pleased, it was a shame that we actually should have done it longer, extend a
couple of days longer, we regret… a lot of people think when you do a safari
that's enough but it's not. When you come back and you think I should have
stayed two or three days longer.
Tanzania holidays lodges, hotels rates and reviews...
They were very,
very good, because I did everything through the internet. It was the first time
that I've done it through the internet and I was really quite afraid, because
you don't know what you're getting, when you get there at the end.
But they were
very good. Everything that they promised and what they said on their e-mails and
everything, it was excellent. And the driver that they provided, he was
excellent.
We were very,
very happy with
Roy Safaris. I was so happy with them that I've actually
referred two other people who've gone with them as well.
We were there
for four nights, five days so it was a bit of a rush and I think another two
days would have been just perfect, would have been more relaxed. I do tell
people now that go on Tanzania holidays, when I recommend to them, make sure you take a couple of days extra
and really enjoy it.
We saw
all the big 5. As I said our driver was absolutely… he made sure that we didn't
go out disappointed. He was such a terrific driver that he said, you’re not
leaving here till you see the big 5 and we did, it was just wonderful.
What did a typical breakfast and dinner consist of?
It was a
full English breakfast with yoghurt, fruit, eggs, bacon, pastries, cheese,
breakfast cereal. For lunch, because we were on the road, we would mainly have
like cold chicken, eggs and fruit. For dinner it was a 3-course meal, which was
of course what they provided at the time. Their meals were very, very nice. Then
you had a choice – like the entrée and the main meal.
First of
all we had to get up very early, which was a pain for the people we were with
because my sister hates getting up early.
But it
was – I was up at the crack of dawn knowing where we were going to go. The roads
were a little bit rough but we managed it, we'd stop and have a look at the
animals, and we'd talk, it was great.
Then we'd
stop for lunch and the drivers would give us sort of lessons on the animals, you
know a bit of a nature talk, which was great. Then we'd continue on till we get
to the hotel at about 6 o'clock… 6, 6:30 and then we’d get ready for dinner.
Then we'd start all over again and it was just wonderful, the staff were very
friendly.
We loved
the relaxation in the evening, I must admit, after the bumps. I think it's also
the company you're with as well. It does make a difference. We went with my
sister, the 2 of us, in 1996 I think it was… and the group that we were with
weren’t very nice so we didn't have a really good time.
But this
Tanzania holidays trip that we did was wonderful because we picked the people we wanted, so it was
great.
|
Was
there anything that didn't meet your expectations on the trip; any
disappointments or regrets? |
Back to
the Questions |
No, the only disappointment was that I should have stayed
longer. There were no disappointments at all, everything just went smoothly.
We took the shuttle bus from Kenya to Arusha, and we even
enjoyed that. They came and picked us up, they took us to our hotels, they
picked us up in the morning, we weren't left alone anywhere. We didn't wander
off at night, we didn’t want to do that. You know, it was just – no, that's my
highlight, I loved it. That's why I keep trying to go back every two years for
Tanzania holidays.
That
shuttle bus, can you book that before hand?
Yes, Roy Safaris did that all for us. They just wanted to
know where we stayed in Kenya, and we gave them our hotel address and it was
only US$20 per person, and they came and picked us up from the hotel and took us
right down to the Arusha hotel. It was wonderful.
We had no problems in trying to find our way in trying to
find our way to catch the shuttle bus or anything like that. That was very well
organised by Roy Safaris, they did an excellent job.
|
Any tips and advice for
others interested in a Tanzania holidays safari and how do you rate your trip? |
Back to
the Questions |
Just make sure you know exactly what you want before you actually go there.
If you do it through the internet, and dealing through an agent, make sure
you tell them what you want. Because they don't know what you want.
A lot of people just say, oh do a safari, but there's lots of things – how
long you want to spend, things like that, and hotels and lodges where you want
to stay. I think you should always check - if they recommend a lodge - on the
internet what it’s like, so you know what to expect.
Because they give you a name and you don't know if you're living so far away,
they say such and such a lodge but once you go on the internet you see, oh this
is terrible. You have to do your own Tanzania holidays research if you do anything through the
internet. But if you're dealing with an agent in your own country you can go and
see them and you can always go back and complain afterwards.
But once you leave, through the internet, I think it's a little bit hard once
you've given them the money, you know you really have to do your research.
What would you say is the most useful item for Tanzania holidays?
On a Tanzania holidays safari especially you need binoculars, definitely, that’s the first thing.
Your camera. You need a hat and sunscreen, for sure.
I wasn't into swimming in the pools and things like that so it didn't worry
me because you get up so early and get back quite late, unless you go camping,
maybe it's a different thing. But for lodges I found binoculars, sunglasses and
camera, those are the main things that you really need.
It sounds like you had one of those really great Tanzania holidays. How would you rate your safari
overall, if you had to do it on a scale from 1 to 10?
Oh, 10. It was definitely 10 with Roy Safaris. I think it's
also about how you feel. If you go with an open mind and say you’re going to
have a good time, you tend to do that.
But if you have reservations and say, ah look there's no
water here… we don't have this back home. If you start comparing it with what
you have in Australia, well I'd advise you not to go. You have to go with the
flow and then you'll have a good time.
|
