The Amazing Shadows of Africa Guiding Team!
Shadows of Africa
- Offices In:
-
United States
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2010)
- Member Of:
- ATTA, TATO & TTB
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $4,336 to $26,018 per person per day (MXN, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
Best. Adventure. Ever.
Great company, amazing people. We traveled to Tanzania, and stayed at the Ngorogoro Crater and in the Serengeti.
Trip planning from initial outset with Jake and Stacy at SOA was so stress free and fun. They happily provided solid recommendations and answered each and every question (no matter how trivial); their replies came within the day if not immediately. As an unexpected bonus, they created an interactive online trip itinerary, with a map of our trip, descriptions of the camps/accommodations, and general info on the areas we would visit, among other things. Each and every time we changed plans, they updated the itinerary. Without prompting, Jake and Stacy sent loads of information on travel reqs/visa/vaccinations, packing, and also on the areas, animals, and culture. And they were so friendly while doing it! Their advice and answers made it all fun, and we felt very prepared at each step while there. Jake and Stacy also happily connected us with their representative in Zanzibar, who was happy to book transfers and a tour for us, although we had arranged the flight/hotel to Zanzibar on our own (also great service there!).
As for the safari itself, our guide, Loma, deserves a separately devoted paragraph, with super special appreciation and recognition. Loma was a perfect fit for us, he was so fun and friendly, and our trip would not have been the same without him! He picked us up from the airport in a happy mood, and even after spending 5 days in the car with us (many 12+ days) and away from his home, we became friends and were promising to return to visit his family and kids. Having grown up in the area, Loma is very knowledgeable about the areas (seriously impressed that anyone can navigate the Serengeti without a map!), the culture and people (he had an answer every time we asked what or why), the vegetation/plants, and definitely the animals (even the birds!). He knew the specific habitats and behaviors of each animal, and made very good on his promise for us to see each of the Big 5 -- twice! He also tracked the ever-elusive cheetahs! Loma allowed us to get some very great photos. He was also very attentive in general, and made sure that we were always comfortable and doing well, even when we got to the camps. He got up and out early with us and made sure that we experienced every bit possible, but remained totally flexible to whatever we wanted (shopping included!). On the last day, he even arranged a trip to the local village at Mto wa Mbu to see the banana plantation, meet the local tribes, and shop their art and carvings. Loma went above and beyond to make our trip extra special. It really felt as though he was enjoying his time on safari with us, and I hope that he enjoyed it as much as we did.
The jeep was comfortable and clean, and appeared no different than any of the other jeeps that we passed, except perhaps even a bit nicer than most. It has a roof which easily pops, binoculars, a power strip, and a cooler where we sometimes packed wine for lunch. There were only 2 of us, and we had plenty of room to move around.
SOA offered 5 star service from our initial inquiry all the way through. I would return and use this company (and guide!) time after time.
IL
Email Aharon | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
AMAZING!!
i traveled in north Tanzania , arriving in Kilimanjaro and visiting Arusha national park, Tarangire park, Manyara park, lake Eyasi, Ngorongoro crater , and Serengeti Park for a period of 9 nights and 10 days. i arranged my tour online with Inge who was very helpful and prompt in her replies. i was met at the airport by Ukardi, my Tanzanian guide and driver for the next 10 days.
My stay in Tanzania was like a dream, i lost count of the days and didnt care what day it was.
At one stage i decided to change my itinerary and this was done with efficiency and ease via the office.
i saw leopards, cheetahs, several types of monkeys, turtles, crocodiles, many species of birds, and of course the lions, giraffes, hippos, rhinos, buffaloes, zebras, gnus, mere cats, several types of deer,a variety of insects and reptiles, the abundance of wildlife left me in awe.
And it was the people of Tanzania that made my stay memorable with their ready smiles and curiostity and their world of contrasts, where the Masai tribes people walk 8 miles to the supermarket with their cellphone tucked into a beaded bag and the bush people with their amazing archery skills and gentle laughter at my attempts .
But it was Ukardi that brought it all together with his knowledge of the terrain and his wealth of information on all aspects of Tanzanian life, its people , birds and animals, big and small. i felt safe at all times and was touched by his caring both of me and his fellow Tanzanians, was a pleasure to have known Ukardi and his "eagle eyes" that saw animals in places that only an eagle could see. And last but not least a big thank you to our cook, Roman, who kept me well fed.
I would highly and warmly recommend Shadows of Africa.
PT
Email Ricardo | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing life experience
I will be always grateful to Inge and Shadows of Africa for what I can describe as the best experience of my life.
We did a 6-day safari including Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Tarangire and Ngorongoro Crater.
Everything was perfect. Our guide Alex was very good. He always had an answer to my (many many) questions (related to animals or general life in Tanzania) and he always suggested that we would do things in our (we traveled as a couple) best interest.
The accommodations were great, the lunch scheme was very good (while everybody else was eating sandwiches every day for lunch we had always a complete meal) the vehicle was reliable and most importantly, we could see a lot of animals.
I would without a single doubt in my mind hire the services of Shadows of Africa again in the future
FR
Email Hans & Naman from Paris | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Perfectly organised climbs of Mt Kilimandjaro and Mt Meru - great food, great care
Two friends, we booked simultaneous climbs of Mt Kilimandjaro and Mt Meru. Our guides were Augustin on Kili and Amiri on Meru. Both were professional and pleasant company and made sure all the details were taken care of so we both made it to the top. Food was FANTASTIC. After the climb we stayed at just opened Olerai Lodge where Kash and her team members provided great hospitality. Thanks also to the drivers Youssouf and Augustin taking us from one place to another. Hopefully we will see you again one day.
Email Pawel | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Safe, interesting and very well prepared safari
We as a family are very satisfied with Shadows of Africa prepared safari. Everything was perfect, well organized, we had influence on what we do, our driver Dickson was great :) and we saw a Big 5... And we was quite ecological and not produced unnecessary trash... not like the many others we saw
IL
Email RAH | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great trip to Tanzania
Was a pleasure to deal with Shadows of Africa, in particular Inge who was sensitive to all our extra dietary needs and special requests we had on the way. She went out of her way to find solutions and really thought out of the box for us. We had a wonderful trek on Mt Meru with a great guide; Amir, and ranger; Ali. Both were super professional and also a lot of fun to be with.
The safari was great. Our guide Dullah was amazing, he taught us how to observe the animals and gave is intense background for each creature.
Shadows delivered on all it's promises.
IT
Email Gabriella Bianchini Palma | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Flawless: everything organized to perfection
Communication was excellent, the service top notch, we got more than expected, the tour was as programmed and a bit of good luck helped a lot on spotting many animals during our safari. the guide, Loma, truly made the difference. Very nice and professional guide and person.
Email Brent Oya | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wine Tasting Tour
Janice is very professional and has a great knowledge of wine and she knows a lot of Cape Yown’s history. She is very personable and will make any tour a special memory, we loved our day with her and would highly recommend Janice and her tours.
Email Tony n Louise | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
50th B'day trip of a lifetime
We chose Shadows of Africa as Inge was so helpful and was able to answer all of our questions and tailor a trip for our needs and budget. After arriving in JRO airport a driver took us to our first night's accommodation at the Moivaro Lodge in Arusha. The next day we met the lovely Dullah and Philemon our guide and driver and set off on our travels. We did Tarangire NP and headed off towards Serengeti NP staying at Bougainvillea Safari Lodge in Karatu and then onto Sametu camp for two nights. We then did the Ngorogoro crater and stayed at Marera Valley Lodge in Karatu. We ticked off the Big 5, saw a kill and had a close encounter with three cheetah juveiles who used our jeep as a lookout post. Our Serengeti balloon trip was an amazing experience with breakfast under an acacia tree. Our guides were very knowledgeable and the nicest guys too.
Email Anne Hatfield | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
These guys are experts at planning perfect safaris!
We did a seven day/ six night safari with Shadows Africa and it was the most incredible trip of a lifetime. We’ve traveled a lot and felt like very confident trip planners, but quickly realized how important a travel agent is when visiting Africa. You absolutely need someone to help you plan it who is an expert in where the animals are at what times of year, the best lodges and camps to stay in, and just navigating the culture there. Tanzania is like no place we’ve ever been, and there is literally no way you can plan a trip to a place like this by yourself.
Inge Olgert was our travel agent and planned the most incredible trip for us within our budget. She helped us to choose the most spectacular lodges and camps. Each of our accommodations surpassed our expectations. They were all immaculately decorated for luxury, comfort, and the perfect safari theme.
Shadows of Africa handled all the logistics for us. Our guide Moody Kabongo picked us up at the airport, helped us with all our bags, and transported us everywhere we needed to go. He taught us all about the culture in Tanzania, and knew about every animal we came across. I don’t think there’s an animal he doesn’t know about. These guides seriously know their stuff. We were extremely impressed. He was so friendly, and we trusted him completely. We had the vehicle to ourselves for the whole week. Moody basically just handled everything for us (all the park fees, travel navigation, and luggage), while all we had to worry about was taking pictures of all the animals we saw and enjoying ourselves to the fullest. Moody easily became one of the best parts of our trip. If you end up traveling to Arusha, he is the guide you want. Moody is the absolute best.
Shadows even handled all the covid logistics for us there. The guides, lodges, and camps all took covid very seriously there and did their best to operate safely. We had to get covid tests for traveling back to the US, and our guide was able to schedule it for us and take us to the clinic. This clinic was pretty remote and pretty much everyone was not speaking English, so we were extremely thankful to have our guide handle everything for us.
I cannot speak highly enough of this travel agency. Everyone we worked with planning this trip was an absolute pleasure. Inge Olgert is an expert and is among the best of the best at putting together memorable trips. Moody Kagongo was the best guide we could have asked for. These people helped us to have the best trip of a lifetime. Because of their hard work, we’ll have incredible memories we’ll cherish forever. If you’ve ever dreamt of going to Africa, you want these people to help make it happen.
