Hear from Our Guests: A Legacy of Adventure

Bucket List Adventure!

Is an African Safari on most folk’s bucket list? It was for me and Gary, however, my best friend and lover died two years ago in March; we had been married for 40 years. Therefore, I had to carry on in fulfilling our bucket list wish and did so with my best friend Karen. The trip was phenomenal to say the least and I would venture to say it was all due to African Dream Safari (ADS)! Our tour guide has traveled with ADS three other times, and she would not pick any other tour company to travel with and there are almost 300 safari tour companies to choose from. ADS also made certain two women traveling by themselves, although with a group, were always safe. There were 23 of us traveling on 4...

Safari Dates: April 8, 2025 to April 15, 2025

Our Second Safari With ADS…Even Better Than The First!

We arrived in Arusha, Tanzania on January 27, 2025 to start our second trip with Africa Dream Safaris. Once we got off the airplane we were met by staff from ADS and taken to a lounge where we had snacks and a variety of drinks waiting for us. The ADS staff checked us in with immigration and got our checked bags and then took us to the Arusha Coffee Lodge for two nights. Joseph was our driver in Arusha and we visited the School of St. Jude and a large market. The School of St. Jude is a private school that runs on donations. We then flew to the Serengeti and met with our Guide/Driver Ellison Mkoyi. On our first trip with ADS in March 2011 we had an exceptional driver guide, Petro, and were...

Safari Dates: January 27, 2025 to February 10, 2025

This Was A Phenomenal Trip, One That We Will Never Forget!

We can’t say enough good things about our experience with Africa Dream Safari. If you want a top tier travel adventure you have found the right organization! Here are key points you may find useful: Our contact, Ann Eilert, was so helpful and responsive to our numerous inquiries. Early on we had to reschedule the dates for our trip which she was able to arrange without a problem. We felt very well prepared for this ‘trip of a lifetime’. With the materials provided by ADS and the wealth of information Ann provided we knew what to expect throughout. Coming from the US we arrived at Kilimanjaro Airport about 24 hours after we left our home. We were greeted there with a sign with our names on...

Safari Dates: September 30, 2024 to October 10, 2024

We Felt Fortunate To Have Such An Experienced And Knowledgeable Guide!

My sister and husband did extensive research of many safari companies and both separately were impressed by ADS. We set up a phone conference with our party of four and Dawn and by the end of the call knew we wanted to book our safari with Dawn and ADS. We committed in April 2023 for September of 2024 and from day one the process was informative and smooth. Dawn emailed us all the information we needed and reminded us when it was time to have our visa, deposits, etc. with all the information to complete our tasks. We arrived in Arusha around 9pm in the evening and were greeted and taken to a building to relax while passports and visas were processed through customs. We were then taken to...

Safari Dates: September 24, 2024 to October 4, 2024

An Awesome Experience With Great Guides And Fabulous Lodges!

We had fabulous time in the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Tarangire Park with Africa Dream Safaris taking care of EVERYTHING! We would NOT use anyone else for future trips to Tanzania. From our first contact to after the trip, communication was first rate. All questions and concerns answered. Ann Eilert was our point person who made everything seamless. She made sure we were aware of everything that we needed to know prior to the trip. No details were left out in the preparation. We had two safari guides (Emmanuel and Russell) as we flew from Tarangire National Park to the North Serengeti. Both the guides were knowledgeable, friendly, thoughtful, and just a pleasure to be around. They...

Safari Dates: August 16, 2024 to August 23, 2024

We Saw Lions, Cheetahs, Hippos And More Within Hours On Our First Day!

When we decided to take a trip to Tanzania, Africa we Googled companies and were extremely lucky that we chose Africa Dream Safaris. From their professional response to our inquiries, their attention to detail in preparing for the trip and delivering a first-class experience, they exceeded our expectations. We were met at the airport upon arrival and were taken to a VIP check-in that got us thru customs with ease. After a long flight that was very much appreciated. Each lodge that we stayed in was top notch. The accommodations, food and service were outstanding. Once we arrived in the Serengeti, our guide Ellson was an expert in finding the animals and getting up close. We actually heard...

Safari Dates: June 10, 2024 to June 19, 2024

African Dream Safaris Is Unmatched!

Returning to Africa was on our bucket list. We are two women over the age of 60. We wanted a private safari for wildlife and bird viewing. We booked the African Dream Safari, 12 day Hemingway Tour and were assigned a personal representative, Sharon. Sharon, Russell our guide and African Dream Safari exceeded our expectations in every way! Our guide’s knowledge and expertise was key to making our tour so successful. We saw firsthand the level of experience our ADS tour guide had over the other tour guides, not only with his knowledge of the parks, animals and the birds, but also with his navigation of the different terrain, where other companies got stuck. The ADS product is not cheap. You...

Safari Dates: March 12, 2024 to March 24, 2024

Another Unforgettable Adventure with ADS!

This was our second trip to Tanzania with Africa Dream Safaris (our first safari was in October 2021). We were wondering if a second safari might be boring but every day proved to be a new and exciting adventure. Our guide Fazal knew where the animals would be hiding, and even found a family of bat eared foxes and a very rare caracal! This time we also saw the big five, and have clear pictures of a mother and baby rhino. We also tracked cheetahs, found a mother lion with four, 3 week old cubs, and the next morning saw her carrying one cub to their new home. We realized how fortunate we are when we toured a village school. The children were so happy, with huge smiles, but the conditions (as...

Safari Dates: March 14, 2024 to March 25, 2024

A Perfectly Coordinated Adventure!

I travel frequently and this safari with Africa Dream Safaris was, without a doubt, the most incredible trip of my life! From the minute my plane landed in Tanzania and until I departed, the experience was amazing! The ADS staff who greeted me were so kind and so helpful! I was completely in awe during the entire trip at the level of coordination through every part of this amazing safari! The lodging in each of the camps (Mara River Camp, Mbuzi Mawe, Lion’s Paw and Maramboi) was outstanding and I had an absolute blast soaking up the culture and getting to know the local staff. But the biggest shout out goes to my wonderful guide Emmanuel – his knowledge, skills, and personality made this a...

Safari Dates: November 2, 2023 to November 10, 2023

It Was Truly A Dream Come True For Us!

We just returned home from the most amazing travel experience that we have ever had. Two couples, 9 days on safari in the Central and Southern Serengeti and the Crater highlands.. – Our guide, Bernard, was perfect for us. Knowledgeable, patient, fun, and a great human. Having returned home, he’s the thing we miss the most! – The animals are incredible. We didn’t know what to expect – maybe lots of driving interspersed with some binoculars viewing? That was NOT our experience. The animals were plentiful and close. Best of all, they are indifferent to the vehicles, so one can often observe them for as long as one likes. – The landscape was incredibly vibrant and varied. After a lifetime of...

Safari Dates: April 2, 2024 to April 10, 2024

Each Day Exceeded The Next!

This by far was the best vacation ever! The reason why it was so wonderful was Africa Dream Safaris. It was clear that we were in good hands from the moment of our arrival in Kilimanjaro. Our guide, Fadzil is a fountain of knowledge on the wildlife, the park, Tanzania. He is the guide all others guides go to find the big cats. He knows where and when to go to see the animals. Best of all, he loves his job, the park, and his clients. ADS had multiple surprise meals out in the bush for us that included singing and dancing. The lodges that we stayed in including Seronera Sametu Camp and Kirawira Lodge in the Serengeti and Lion’s Paw at the Ngorongoro Crater were all beyond expectation and the...

Safari Dates: June 10, 2023 to June 19, 2023

Not Just the Animals: How My Safari Taught Me the Power of People and Patience

When researching initial safari companies, I discovered early that there was a profound difference among ADS and other companies. I received many auto-generated responses during my requests for information, when what I really needed was to speak to someone about the questions I had about booking a safari as a solo traveler. And when I did get a person on the phone, I heard lots of “you can see that on online” or “check the website for information.” And then there was Dawn Anderson, who immediately became a friend and co-conspirator in planning my perfect safari based on my specific desires and concerns. Over the years of planning, Dawn answered emails and phone calls with gobs on...

Safari Dates: May 19, 2023 to May 29, 2023

I Am Ready To Go Again!

I wanted to express how appreciate I am, and others I am sure, for all of the time and consideration given to our group, especially since it was extended to us because of Covid. That in itself speaks volumes about the quality and commitment of Africa Dream Safaris. It was a trip of my dreams and I enjoyed every moment. From the airport pickup to the last day in Arusha, it was perfect. All of the people, staff, accommodations, vehicles, schedules and very special extra treats made it memorable. Having a bush breakfast while watching gazelles and zebra graze is hard to describe. Thank you, Thank you! Lastly but not the least, were our guides. They were so kind, patient, funny and...

Safari Dates: March 24, 2023 to April 1, 2023

We Had Lion Sightings For Ten Consecutive Days!

Don’t wait for the perfect time for your safari. Pick a time that works and GO. Our trip was timed for mid to late January, so the weather was perfect, and we even experienced the early stage of the wildebeest birthing season. We saw an amazing variety of animals from the central Serengeti to the south Serengeti, in the open savannas and the woodlands. The abundance of prey meant that big cats were plentiful. During our ten-day safari, we saw at least five leopards, fifteen cheetah, hundreds of lions, and a rare serval cat. We had lion sightings for ten consecutive days, and even witnessed a kill. Across the Serengeti, we saw herds of wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, impalas, and other...

Safari Dates: January 18, 2023 to January 31, 2023

From Wildebeest Crossings to Tree-Climbing Lions: A Serengeti Diary

First, I would like to thank Dawn Anderson and the team at ADS for their attentiveness to all our needs and the special things they did to make our safari a DREAM COME TRUE! From booking the trip to the moment we stepped off the plane in Kilimanjaro and were whisked away to the private VIP lounge for visa and passport processing, every aspect of our trip was PERFECTION. We had taken an extra day in Arusha to unwind before heading out to the Northern Serengeti. Our visit to Arusha National Park was a wonderful start to what was going to be the most AMAZING trip we have ever experienced. The park was beautiful and although the day was overcast with on and off light rain showers, the gloomy...

Safari Dates: August 5, 2022 to August 13, 2022

A Fantastic Safari Adventure!

From the very beginning, we knew that Africa Dream Safaris was the right company for us as we planned a journey to Tanzania that we had dreamt of for years. The preparation, convenience, responsiveness and expertise provided by ADS were outstanding from the planning stage of our trip, through the entire time we spent in Tanzania, to the follow-up after we returned home. For our 6 days in Tanzania, the animals were amazing, the touring superb, and the tour guide (Dida) wonderful. Dida’s expertise, driving skills and experience truly made the trip! Not only did his sense of humor and kindness make us feel welcome, but his knowledge of the Serengeti and Tanzania as a whole made it an even...

Safari Dates: May 22, 2022 to May 28, 2022

Exceeding Our Expectations!

We researched companies and decided on using ADS for our much-anticipated trip to Africa. We were 4 retirees from Missouri, and we were not disappointed. We chose ADS’s customized Hemmingway Safari. From the planning stage to the meet-and-greet VIP treatment at the airport, we were truly well taken care of. Our trip coordinator, Sharon Lyon promptly and patiently answered any questions that we had, and we had a lot of questions. Joseph, our greeter in Arusha, gave us a great tour of Arusha on our extra day of acclimating to the time difference. We enjoyed visiting the market, the Cultural Heritage Center and the sheltered workshop located at the Coffee Lodge. We were well taken care of for...

Safari Dates: February 6, 2025 to February 17, 2025

Observing These Animals In The Wild Was Just Incredible!

A Tanzanian safari, and specifically the great migration, had been on our bucket list for more than 30 years. When we finally started planning, we knew we wanted to do it right. For us, that meant a private safari. We did our research, and decided to go with Africa Dream Safaris, and Dawn helped put together an itinerary that covered our extensive wish list! After 18 months of looking at photos, the ADS website, Facebook page, and ADS handbook, it was finally time for our safari. With all of this anticipation, excitement, and planning, we were a little nervous that we had built it up too much, and were setting ourselves up for disappointment. But, from the moment we landed in Kilimanjaro...

Experiencing The True Wild Kingdom!

When you grow up watching Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, and your husband asks you where you’d like to go for a milestone birthday, you say, “On safari!” At least I did, and our experience was incredible! When we landed at Kilimanjaro Airport dazed and jetlagged, we were so grateful for the ADS greeting staff who met us on the tarmac, took our luggage and guided us to the VIP Lounge that had comfy couches, water, snacks and a dedicated immigration officer. Once through immigration, Joseph, our Arusha guide, picked us up and gave us an overview of both Tanzania and Arusha as we drove to the Arusha Coffee Lodge. The next morning, Joseph led us on a tour of Arusha, stopping at its immense...

Safari Dates: May 27, 2024 to June 5, 2024

A Spectacular Adventure!

When my wife and I started planning our trip to Tanzania with Africa Dream Safaris we knew immediately we had never worked with a more professional group of Travel Experts. To say they know and understand a Tanzania safari is an understatement. They are true experts. We decided to go during the rainy season (low season) which was truly magical. It rained mostly at night, and we were never wet while on Safari. We arrived at Kilimanjaro International Airport and were immediately whisked into the VIP section of the terminal, fed snacks and our own private immigration officer. The process took maybe 10 minutes. We were then introduced to Janet from ADS who was our liaison in Arusha and taken to...

Safari Dates: April 17, 2024 to April 23, 2024

Beautiful, Wild and Perfect!

Kristi and I first contacted ADS nearly ten years ago. The packet that we received in the mail lived on our bookshelf, through multiple moves and life changes, as a reminder of a dream. We watched the Hemingway experience video over and over and I must admit I had some doubts that the experience could live up to their depiction. I am excited to say that it was everything they said it could be and more! Placing our faith in ADS to plan and coordinate our August 2023 Dream Safari was the most perfect choice we could have possibly made. From the moment we arrived, we were totally cared for and made to feel like family. While others exiting the plane at Kilimanjaro were queued in security and...

Safari Dates: August 9, 2023 to August 20, 2023

The Land Of Abundance!

I’m a traveler. I take 2 big trips a year and 4 to 6 small trips. I happily suffer from Wanderlust and I’m not looking for a cure! With most of my travels, I always say I’m going to return but never do. There are just so many wonderful places to explore. In August 2022, I had visited South Africa, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and Botswana as a solo traveler on a 16 day group tour. The trip was incredible. Africa had touched my soul in a way no other place had done before and I wanted to return. I started doing some research and before I left Botswana, I had already made contact with Sharon Lyon of Africa Dream Safaris. Tanzania, the Serengeti and the Great Wildebeest Migration were high on my...

Safari Dates: August 18, 2023 to August 30, 2023

An Awe-Inspiring Epic Adventure That We Will Never Forget!

We just returned from our safari and it still feels like it was all a dream come true. Hundreds of thousands of animals in all directions to the horizon. A diversity of animals beyond belief and lots of baby animals. The circle of life was vividly and dramatically illustrated and the connectivity of all the animals in this amazing place was beautiful. The VIP entry process was great, immediately after showing the officials our boarding passes we were escorted to a private lounge while all the paperwork was quickly managed. We then exited the lounge right into the waiting van of the Arusha meet and greet ADS team. The ADS meet and greet team showed us around Arusha and took us to the...

Safari Dates: September 12, 2023 to September 21, 2023

A Bucket List Trip Across The Serengeti!

A safari across the Serengeti has long been a bucket list adventure we’ve been looking towards as we embarked on our retirement years. Then COVID hit and our plans were put on hold. We did not want to experience a safari with a group of 10-12 strangers following an itinerary where we were one of a dozen other tours staying at the same lodges. We were seeking a unique intimate experience that we would remember for the rest of our lives! African Dream Safaris (ADS) provided just such a custom experience. Working with Sharon Lyon of ADS over many discussions and planning calls, we were able to craft a custom itinerary for four people that exceeded our expectations. ADS only offers safaris in...

Safari Dates: September 7, 2023 to September 20, 2023

For 12 Days We Experienced An Adventure That Can Never Be Duplicated!

Explaining to friends and family that you were going to Tanzania to go on safari brought many interesting remarks. Some were fascinated. Some were curious and were happy we were the guinea pigs to try it first. However, most stated they would never do such a thing as they would be way to nervous and scared of the unknown. The thought of going to a developing country to see wild animals was simply too much for many to comprehend. No doubt, the days leading up to our adventure had both my wife and I a little anxious. A long flight to a country that we know little about and trusting people we do not know definitely put us out of our comfort zone. This anxiousness ended immediately when we...

Safari Dates: July 24, 2023 to August 5, 2023

Three Safaris, Three Dreams Come True!

After our 3rd ADS safari, we would like to say “three safaris, three dreams come true”, but it just wouldn’t be accurate. In our wildest imaginations, we never dreamed of going on 3 safaris! Thankfully, ADS helped elevate our dreams to a higher standard through treasured, awe filled memories — each unique and new. ADS is simply the pinnacle standard for safaris! Their consistent distinction in planning, execution and uncompromising commitment to an over-the-top personal experience is nothing short of astonishing. For each of our 3 safaris Sharon, Michael and the Tanzania ground team not only took care of everything with meticulous detail, they treated us like family and were wholeheartedly...

Safari Dates: June 1, 2023 to June 10, 2023

We Had An Adventure Of A Lifetime!

My wife and I always like to see animals be it the Grizzly bears catching Salmon in Alaska, the Polar bears of Churchill or the local animals of Minnesota. So going to see the animals of Africa was an adventure I wanted to do. It was great to do it with my wife Pam, my cousin Bruce and his wife Lori! The big question is when to go? We picked the middle of January through the end of January, to break up our Minnesota winter! We couldn’t be happier with our choice of when to go. There are many Safari companies to choose from in Tanzania and as we found out you cannot possibly see lots of animals. But for us after choosing Africa Dreams Safari for our adventure we couldn’t be happier with our...

Safari Dates: January 18, 2023 to January 31, 2023

The Best Check Mark Off Our Retirement List!

Our African safari was the best mistake of a lifetime. We were planning on going in February of 2024, but our information arrived with a 2023 itinerary. One look and we were hooked. Dawn our safari planner got a call the next day and our plans were becoming a reality. Dawn helped us with every detail, answered all questions and helped with all the paperwork. We have only been out of the USA twice so the VIP treatment at the airport in Tanzania helped ease our stress. Esther, our Arusha greeter is a bubbly and friendly person. She was so much help getting us to our hotel and the the airport in the morning. We discussed our safari itinerary and that we were looking for every ANIMAL. She never...

Safari Dates: March 1, 2023 to March 10, 2023

The Animals Were Everywhere, All The Time!

Our safari in April of 2023 was a long time coming. We started the process of booking with Africa Dream Safaris in 2019. We had almost booked it when Covid hit and a divorce of a husband who was also going to accompany us occurred. Dawn Anderson, our ADS booking agent, was extremely accommodating and we picked back up our plans in late 2022. After a lot of back and forth we finally got our dream safari booked for April 2023. On to the safari…from the VIP meet and greet at the airport, to when our guide dropped us back for our flight home, it honestly, could not have been any better. Didah, our guide, was personable, engaging, and must have had binoculars implanted in his eyes – his animal...

Safari Dates: April 12, 2023 to April 22, 2023

An African Dream Come True – And So Much More!

In 2019, we two couples started planning and booked a trip to Tanzania with ADS for 2020. Needless to say, COVID-19 had something to say about that plan! The trip was postponed twice, until this August 2022. Michael Wishner could not have been more understanding and accommodating regarding postponing our trip twice. Michael is truly a “hands on” leader of the ADS operation. He is punctual about sharing information, replying to e-mails, and is always available by phone or e-mail. In our group, he turned dread and anxiety, and even the thought of not having the credentials needed to make the trip, into an overnight “problem solved” for one of us. You have no idea how much his involvement in...

Safari Dates: August 19, 2022 to August 29, 2022

We Had Lions And Elephants Right Next To Our Vehicle!

This past May we were fortunate enough to go on a safari and we chose Africa Dream Safaris to help us. Africa Dream was the best decision! One of us is a bit of a nervous traveler, and they took care of everything – there was nothing that went wrong – if there was, we never knew as they took care of it immediately. Before our trip all our questions were answered in a timely manner, and in detail! The animals and scenery were phenomenal! Our guide, Chris, could spot the animals a mile away and helped us to find them. Chris even smelled honey badgers far away and we were able to travel to where they were and watch this rarely seen animal. We saw a leopard and even lions in trees. Chris was an...

Safari Dates: May 15, 2022 to May 23, 2022

Worth The Wait!

We had been looking forward to this trip for a long time, having booked two years in advance and then delaying a year due to Covid concerns, so by the time we got to Tanzania our anticipation had been growing for three years. And to be honest, so had our anxiety over travel to a strange place during strange times. However as soon as we were greeted by ADS staff as we deplaned in Kilimanjaro, shepherded through another Covid test and then whisked off to the Arusha Coffee Lodge for a welcome night’s sleep, we quickly relaxed realizing that we were in experienced hands, well prepared to take care of everything for us. The next morning we flew to Seronera Airstrip in Central Serengeti to start...

Safari Dates: March 4, 2022 to March 16, 2022

She finally said Yes, and our Trip of a Lifetime became more than we could ever imagine!

I would like to start with an apology for the length of this review. This experience is so profound that it warrants a full description of all our encounters and the many wonders of a Trip of a Lifetime, so read on if you like. The very first night I met Darleen I got to ask her three questions…would you like to dance? “Yes”. Would you like a drink? “Sure”. Would you like to go to Africa with me? Well, she didn’t answer my calls for three weeks. So, life happened, and it took me 36 years to finally get that answer I was looking for, and for the summer of our 35th anniversary we finally went on my ‘Dream Adventure’. It was by far more than I ever expected. I had been looking into this for...

Safari Dates: August 25, 2021 to September 8, 2021

The Serengeti Is Truly An Amazing Experience!

Excellent, Outstanding, Amazing, Unforgettable are just some of the words I would use to describe our Africa Dream Safaris trip. From our first contact with ADS until the end of our tour, ADS was there to answer our questions, make recommendations and provide support for this amazing adventure. As this is the year of Covid, ADS made sure that every place we stayed and visited was safe. Our guide, Ben, was amazing, and by the end of the trip we felt we had a new friend. The Serengeti is truly a wonderful experience. Anyone wanting to visit the Serengeti should select Africa Dream Safaris, trust me, you will not be disappointed! They really are the best and we hope that, in the future, we can...

Safari Dates: September 8, 2021 to September 20, 2021

Memories Etched On Our Hearts and Minds…Again!

ADS earned our trust, respect, admiration and profound gratitude on our first safari so there was absolutely no question of who to turn to for our second. A safari in the age of Covid sounded daunting, but ADS met every challenge with the same high standards of commitment, excellence and assistance that is their hallmark. This trustworthiness is one of the big reasons we chose ADS again. Well prepared by Michael and Sharon on what to expect at the Kilimanjaro Airport, we were able to get through it without any problems and were delighted to see Mathias waiting for us outside. With a smile that rose above his mask and into his eyes, he said do you remember me from last time? Of course! We...

Safari Dates: May 11, 2021 to May 21, 2021

Africa Dream Safari 2.0

In the month of September, 2018, my wife and I enjoyed one of the most amazing travel experiences possible, an African safari hosted by Africa Dream Safaris. At the conclusion of that adventure we found ourselves wondering if we would ever again be able to return to Tanzania and repeat such an awesome travel experience. As good fortune would have it, we did repeat our African adventure, spending 14 days on safari in April 2021. The Serengeti and Ngorongoro Conservation Area during the green season was a very different safari from that of the dry season. The savannah of the Serengeti exploded with vibrant growth of every imaginable shade of green. So, which then, is our favorite season for...

Safari Dates: April 8, 2021 to April 22, 2021

Our Safari Was Everything We Hoped It Would Be And More!

We had high expectations for our safari to Tanzania, and Africa Dream Safaris not only met them, but exceeded those expectations. We have been following ADS on the internet and Facebook for many years and knew that when the time came to take a safari to Africa we would go with ADS. Often in this kind of situation when you’re so excited about something for so long, it’s easy to get disappointed. After all, we’d seen so many amazing pictures on the ADS website from other people’s safaris that it was going to be hard for our own trip to be as good. But in this case, our safari was everything we hoped it would be – and more. For starters, ADS made sure we were safe during our trip even though...

Safari Dates: April 9, 2021 to April 19, 2021

Traveling To Tanzania During Covid

To go or not to go “In the circle of life…it’s the wheel of fortune…it’s the leap of faith…it’s the band of hope…til we find our place…” Well, we took a leap of faith and found our place in an unbelievable Serengeti safari experience! Where to begin? I’m sure so many of you fellow travelers are wondering about what traveling is like now, so I will give you an honest and extremely thorough account of our travels and sights during this crazy time. Get ready if you choose to read this, because it’s a very long blog! Back track to a year ago when we were planning our trip. I have wanted to go to Africa for over 50 years, so this was going to be the perfect retirement trip for me after being a...

Safari Dates: August 28, 2020 to September 8, 2020

It was Truly A Trip Of A Lifetime

Becky and I returned from Tanzania and our Trip of A Lifetime on January 24, 2020. It was an amazing adventure, and we will carry our memories of it for the rest of our lives. We love wildlife and bird-watching and had talked about a safari to Africa for 20 years. We even attended a couple of travel shows about Africa, but couldn’t really figure out how to start and where do we go? How do you coordinate this? Is it safe? So, we procrastinated. Until, we met our new neighbors. Inside their home was a number of pictures of African wildlife and I asked the question…where did you go? Tanzania, 3 times, and all with Africa Dream Safaris. Without hesitation, they called Sharon Lyon and said...

Safari Dates: January 13, 2020 to January 23, 2020

Another Epic Adventure!

I recently returned from another fabulous safari with ADS….my fourth! As I basked once again in the beauty of Tanzania and its people, I couldn’t help but wonder how can anything surpass such glory?! To travel to this haven of natural wonder four times is such a blessing. To watch the circle of life play out in front of one’s eyes is truly amazing. To do so on a private safari with ADS makes for an incomparable experience…every time! There’s just no other way to go! The people of ADS work relentlessly to assure that all is perfect from start to finish. Once again, Dawn outdid herself in putting our itinerary together and was always available to answer questions and provide guidance even...

Safari Dates: January 17, 2020 to January 28, 2020

Wow…This Is So RARE!

My friends and I just got back from an incredible trip to Tanzania, to include Arusha, the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Ngorongoro Crater itself, and once again – I have ADS to thank for it! This was not my first trip to this part of the world, but just as in past trips – seven in all – it was no less incredible! The true “magic” of Africa is that no matter how many times you return, the experience is just as fresh and new as if you had never been. Every day in the bush is unique – and you just never know what you will see around the next corner. As the famous quote goes, “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath...

Safari Dates: April 5, 2019 to April 13, 2019

Every Day Had WOW Moments!

Before my wife and I visited the Serengeti, I had 2 fears. First, I had visited the Serengeti 50 years ago and was fearful it had changed for the worse. I was pleasantly surprised that the wildlife was still very diverse and plentiful. Second, I was fearful my wife would not enjoy herself. She’s a city girl not used to camping. After our first night “glamping” she announced she loved it. She was enthralled every day with the immense vistas and close proximity to animals. She dubbed the extraordinary daily events as “WOW moments”. We worked with ADS on our itinerary which we wouldn’t change. In summary, we landed near the Mara River in the North Serengeti  and traveled south east spending 2...

Choosing ADS Was A Wise choice for us!

Before we booked with ADS I read and researched so many different companies for our safari and I can tell you that I am so happy we chose ADS! From the moment we got to Kilimanjaro we were greeted by your staff and escorted through customs and off to our overnight accommodations. We were greeted every step of the way with polite and excited personnel. We never had to wonder where we should be or how we would get there. The places we stayed were top notch and we were very excited to have WiFi at all three locations and running water at two of them. Our favorite was Woodlands Camp, because of the location, the animals right in the campsite and the food they made for us each night. Lions Paw...

Safari Dates: February 14, 2019 to February 23, 2019

A Close Encounter With Two Cheetah Brothers

For all my life, I have dreamed of a safari in the Serengeti. At our usual birthday cake eating at work, it was my turn to answer the 3 questions we all get asked: Favorite family tradition, who would you like to have dinner with, and what is your number 1 bucket list item. When I said my bucket list item was a safari in the Serengeti, it finally clicked “why do I just keep saying it, it’s time to do it!” One month later, I had decided on Africa Dream Safaris and officially booked my trip for January 2019. After 43 years of wanting and 1 year of waiting, I now have had the most amazing experience of my life! Having never had a real vacation, and having never left the United States, I was a...

Safari Dates: January 17, 2019 to January 27, 2019

Two Words “LIFE CHANGING”!

It was much, much more than a safari, it was life changing is so many ways. Oh how true this was all 10 days of our Safari. When our friends Nancy and Lenny asked us if we wanted to go on a Safari with them, we had no idea what to expect. This would be their third safari with ADS. They tried to tell us what to expect and we watched every video on the ADS website and read all the blogs! It still was beyond our wildest dreams. The smells, the bumpy ride, the sounds of lions roaring, the elephants trumpeting, cheetahs calling their cubs, not to mention the close proximity of the animals were unbelievable. The kindness of the people touched our hearts! It was such a comfort to be greeted by two...

Safari Dates: January 9, 2019 to January 19, 2019

We Saw It All Including Multiple Wildebeest Crossings!

Our safari exceeded all of our expectations and it was because of the amazing people at Africa Dream. From our trip advisor Sharon Lyons to the team that met us when we landed at Kilimanjaro Airport and ushered us through customs; from the individual and special welcome at each lodge to our knowledgeable and attentive guide, Davis, our African vacation was truly an awesome, once in a lifetime experience. We saw it all, multiple wildebeest and zebra crossings, lions nursing their cubs and hunting prey, leopards, cheetahs, herds of elephants and the rare rhinoceros, the full circle of life was on display. Some of our favorite moments were taking in the quietness of the surroundings and the...

Lions, Lions, Lions

While drafting this post it feels as though to convey the African safari experience will be a daunting task, one in which mere words will fall far short of the diverse enormity of this wonderful adventure. The folks at Africa Dream Safari however made it all possible. Beginning with the efficiently expedited ADS Tanzanian visa check in process we were in good hands. Mathias was there, waiting to guide us through a seemingly unending mass of visitors. Everyone in the terminal haphazardly arranged in serpentine like lines, the result of two wide body plane loads of passengers arriving at the same time. As others gave serious questioning looks we were whisked to the front of the line. I felt...

Safari Dates: September 5, 2018 to September 19, 2018

Africa Is A Place That Will Call You To Return Again And Again!

The decision to travel with Africa Dream Safaris this past August 2018 was a very easy one because we had traveled with them in March of 2017, during the Green Season. My husband was keen to photograph the Great Migration in the North Serengeti, on the Mara River. Our guide, Pokea, told him , ‘Then you have to come back at the end of August!’ So we did! We requested Pokea as our guide for our second trip because he is so outstanding in his abilities to know where the animals are, and where the light is best for photography. In addition, he is an amazing bird guide and my husband is an avid birder! This past trip was just as wonderful as the first! From our arrival at JRO where we once again...

Safari Dates: August 20, 2018 to August 29, 2018

ADS Delivers What They Advertise With Great Panache!

How does a person research and decide on a safari company? I tried to recall my research and what lead us choose Africa Dream Safari for our trip. One of the main reasons for choosing ADS was the private tour concept and what the reviews shared about this. We were going as a family and wanted it to be us sharing and not ‘making friends’ or some dictating our trip with their limitations. Second reason was talking with Dawn and setting up our vacation. Dawn was available by phone anytime we called and no question was left unanswered. Thought that may just be the sales gimmick but soon decided it was for real. Well, we can’t say how wonderful ADS was for us and to us. Our African Dream Safari...

Safari Dates: August 20, 2018 to August 29, 2018

Stop Dreaming, Start Planning, and just GO!

This Africa Dream Safari was a ‘top of the bucket list’ adventure for my daughter and me, as we both celebrate milestone birthdays this year. With the help of Dawn’s expert planning, our dream trip was amazing! I can’t say enough good things about our safari guide, Wilfred. He was knowledgeable (about EVERYTHING!) engaging, personable, and he made sure we saw every animal possible. He truly made each day of our safari personalized and enjoyable. From the woodlands of the Western corridor to the Central plains and down to the Ngorongoro Crater, every region of the Serengeti brought once-in-a-lifetime sights to treasure, thanks to Wilfred’s exceptional knowledge and experience. He even saved...

Safari Dates: June 4, 2018 to June 12, 2018

Never In My Travels Have I Met People More Kind, Generous and Genuine.

Location. Location. Location. The golden rule of real estate is also the golden rule of safari. And ADS put us in the right location. We can only echo what others have said about the sheer numbers of animals, the quality guides (hey Dida!), the benefits of a private safari (car!!!), and the camps. They are all great. But having our own truck was the greatest of all. We set our own pace. We on the way every day at 6am, watched the elephants as long as we wanted, broke for lunch when we felt like it and headed back to the camp when we felt like it. Driving through the plains reminded me of my deep sea fishing days looking for fish as we trolled. And the thrill of spotting an animal was the...

Safari Dates: May 15, 2018 to May 24, 2018

Just Do It!

I love Africa and all that it offers, to both the heart and the soul. To me there is no place quite like it on Earth. It is hard to explain this to people who have never been, but it is truly life changing, and I love to share my experiences traveling there with my friends. Because of this, my friend Katrina had been waiting to go on an African safari with me for years, but there was always something it seemed that would get in the way of our being able to make it happen. Then, about a year ago, she said to me one day out of the blue, “OK. I say it’s TIME! You know that African Safari we keep talking about? Let’s just DO it!” YAY! Of COURSE, I was totally on board, and so – well – “just do...

Safari Dates: March 30, 2018 to April 7, 2018

An Amazing African Safari I’ll Never Forget

Nine of us women, mostly teachers and friends, set off for Tanzania to experience the most thrilling adventure many of us will never forget! Before we flew over the beautiful Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, we had a day trip in Arusha to shop for memorable treasures. We stopped at a crafts village where we saw locals make beaded jewelry and treasures for the home. Some of them were deaf and I was thrilled we could communicate with each other using American Sign Language! We made each other’s day! I would love to go back after retirement  to work with them and get to know them better and maybe work in the school for the Deaf where they all had once attended. We learned so much from our...

Safari Dates: March 30, 2018 to April 7, 2018

The Best Trip Of Our Lives. Thanks ADS!

I am compelled to write this blog about our recent safari experience with Africa Dream Safari for several reasons. You see, I really had no idea what I was to get out of the experience. I am not an avid photographer and I am not necessarily an ‘outdoorsman’. I just knew that I was looking for something that did not fit into my definition of a ‘standard vacation’. I wanted this experience to be truly unique in every possible way…something that would give us an essence of life’s challenges on a scale and from a perspective different than our own – in this case, the relentless, unforgiving ecosystem that is Tanzania, and is defined by these numerous species of animals living in their natural...

Safari Dates: March 20, 2018 to March 29, 2018

A Safari In Tanzania Should Be At The Top Of Everybody’s Bucket List

We’ve just returned from the trip of a lifetime! We were a group of six and were looking for a private tour company that could provide the best of what Africa has to offer. Africa Dream Safaris was the tour company that was recommended to us as the best, most attentive and most reliable. Our expectations were high but we were not prepared for the magnitude of what were about to experience. Right from the inception, Michael Wishner provided guidance, knowledge and patience in our planning stages. He was always available to answer every question, large or small and to provide us with helpful advice; everything from what to take to where to stay to which camera to purchase and he was bang-on...

Safari Dates: January 18, 2018 to January 28, 2018

Africa Dream Safaris’s Review

My wife and I just returned from our 14-day trip with Africa Dream Safaris. We went to the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara. We went late January to the middle of February and had fantastic weather the whole trip. This was during the Green Season and we saw the Great Migration and game viewing was unbelievable. We have been planning to go on an African Safari for some time. I started my research about 5 years ago and this is when I found African Dream Safaris (ADS). The reviews were excellent and I saved all my research for some future date. Well, that date finally came when we had the time and the resources to finally pull the trigger. I went back to my old files, did some...

Safari Dates: January 26, 2018 to February 7, 2018

The Flying Leopard!

We landed at the Kilimanjaro Airport and were met by African Dream Safari representatives and, from that moment on, they took care of every single detail. After spending two nights in Arusha we flew to the Grameti Airstrip in the Western Serengeti and met Bennett, our driver-guide, who immediately became our friend. He quickly honed in to what we really wanted to see and do over the next eight days. It became obvious that he had an uncanny ability to know where our favorite wildlife were and he took us there. Although we saw thousands of migrating wildebeest and zebras, most of the pictures which follow are of single, or just a few, of a given species. We were amazed at how close Bennett...

Safari Dates: May 24, 2017 to June 2, 2017

5 Best Safari Moments of 2017

As 2017 comes to an end, we can’t help but look back on this adventurous year with such gratitude to our guests who have chosen us as their host to experience the wonders of Tanzania. With countless safari moments to revisit, it’s fun to look back and select some of our favorites to share with you. 1 / The first is from our guests Mark & Katherine H, from Flemington NJ who traveled with us as a 30th Anniversary gift to each other. “Right from the plane, we adventured on our first game drive. The drive started at 11 am and ended just before dusk at 6. We saw so many animals that first day including a herd of elephants crossing the Mara River and a close up view of a pride of lions with their...

We Will Always Cherish Our Memories Of Tanzania!

As avid outdoorspeople and nature lovers, my husband and I decided last year that an African safari would be a great adventure. In particular, we wanted to see the wildebeest migration, and that led us to Tanzania. After several hours of research, it became apparent that African Dream Safaris offered just the type of experience we were interested in. From the beginning, Dawn expertly answered our questions, prepared an excellent itinerary and delivered top notch information so we could adequately prepare for our trip. Like all of the entries on this blog, we have to say the entire trip was flawless in details—from the smooth visa processing upon arrival, to outstanding accommodations and...

Our Goal Was To Experience Africa – The People, Culture, Land And Animals.

Like many, I began planning for our safari by researching the internet to find out: when was the best time of the year to visit, where should we visit, what were the merits of the various travel companies that offer a safari in their catalog and who could we trust with planning this unique adventure for us. I had pages and pages of notes and was totally confused by the various opinions and information that I found.  Then I stumbled upon the Africa Dream Safari website and heard that there is no best time of the year, just different times. The testimonials explained that ADS would take you to where the animals were, whenever you could go.  They even had an interactive map that explained...

Safari Dates: August 30, 2017 to September 11, 2017

A Remarkable, Life Changing And Humbling Experience

A safari had been on our bucket list, it was something we talked about for years and then finally took the plunge! My search was easy, I google searched the top five safari companies in the United States and Africa Dream Safaris was on that list. What set them apart was their web site, blog pages, personalized tours, and the recommendation of National Geographic. Dawn was wonderful, helping us develop an itinerary that met our needs to a tee! Kathy helped coordinate our flights and if you’ve not used Qatar airlines, we highly recommend you do, our flights were wonderful. People ask us how was your safari? Our response has always been the same, it was remarkable, life changing, humbling and...

Safari Dates: October 13, 2017 to October 27, 2017

Our Amazing African Safari

My wife and I completed an amazing 12 day safari in September with Africa Dream Safari (ADS), which exceeded all of our expectations. There are many reasons why I am glad that I selected ADS for our safari. First, I received expert advice when planning the itinerary for our trip and choosing the camps. (Many thanks to Sharon for answering all of my pesky questions and to Michael for his photography tips—the beanbags worked out great!). Second, from the moment we landed in Kilimanjaro and throughout our safari, we received VIP treatment from and because of ADS. For example, we were able to avoid the long visa line and got expedited entry into Tanzania because of ADS (thank you, Mathias!) and...

Safari Dates: September 5, 2017 to September 17, 2017

I Don’t Know Superlatives Sufficient To Describe Our Amazing Guide!

I have dreamed of seeing Africa for as long as I can remember and as my 60th birthday approached I knew I couldn’t let it pass without making that dream come true. Since my husband had the same desire, we started making plans for a September 2017 trip. African Dream Safaris had been very highly recommended to us by a previous ADS customer, so we contacted Dawn Anderson and began planning our trip. As you can imagine, expectations that have been building for so many years can be difficult, if not impossible, to meet, but ADS exceeded every one. From the moment we were picked up at the airport until we were delivered back at the airport ten days later for our trip home, we were treated to a...

Safari Dates: September 14, 2017 to September 23, 2017

Potential Safari Adventurer

I’ll make it simple. Go to Africa, Go to Tanzania, go with Africa Dream Safaris. Period. Going on a safari has been a life long dream of my wife and mine and our emotions and expectations were soaring as the days neared. Now I sit at my computer in Miami, with the task of articulating the adventure we just returned from. Well here it goes. Tanzania took my breath away- Literally. As I replay the best moments of our trip, the feeling of breathlessness, of excitement, of adventure- flood right back in. From seeing a river crossing, to traversing the majestic Kopjes in search for big game, to watching herds of elephants be elephants, our trip in the Northern Serengeti got off to a great start...

The Totality Of Tanzania…The Country, Its People And The Wildlife Is Truly Special

Our first ADS safari was in April of 2014 at the end of the green season. Almost immediately Africa was in my blood and I knew I would have to make a return visit within a few years. So we did…in August of 2017, during the dry season. Imagine my surprise upon landing at Kilimanjaro Airport to be greeted once again by Matthias, who gave me a big hug and said “welcome back, Sue!” As countless other ADS safari guests have testified, the personal attention you receive from ADS is beyond your wildest expectations…from the moment your feet hit the tarmac to the minute you walk through security after bidding Matthias and Joseph a fond farewell at the end. It goes without saying that the ADS guides...

Safari Dates: August 3, 2017 to August 13, 2017

A Private Safari Was The Way To Go Rather Than A Group Tour

From the moment we arrived in Arusha and were greeted by Joseph and Matthius, our trip was flawless, liberally sprinkled with surprises around every turn that would delight even the most seasoned traveler, and just simply, the most epic adventure. We came away from our trip with so much more than we bargained for – we saw the great migration, the crossing, lions mating, angry lions confronting hyenas who had stolen their food, elephants, giraffe and zebras galore, and so many more animals. We saw the Big Five! What we were unprepared for, and for some reason were so incredibly surprised about, was the cultural experience that this trip offered. The Tanzanians, across the board, are so warm...

Safari Dates: June 26, 2017 to July 11, 2017

The Bottom Line

I am not a person who is easily impressed, but simply put, my 10 day solo ADS adventure in late April was the most amazing trip I’ve ever taken. I live in Colorado, which is an impressive place in its own right. I’ve traveled to Europe, 47 states and Canada and I’ve seen some terrific sights in my life, but this trip was amazing from the time I stepped off the plane until the time I got back on it. I’ve never had a trip quite like this safari and I can’t wait to go back with my kids! When first considering Africa I had many of the stereotypical images that many Americans do: Africa would resemble a Lawrence of Arabia film, it would be dangerous and backward, etc. I couldn’t have been more...

Safari Dates: April 29, 2017 to May 6, 6017

Our Safari Was Nothing Short of AMAZING!

We recently returned from our Africa Dream Safari vacation and from our first contact with Michael to start the planning process, to the moment we hugged our wonderful driver guide Bennett goodbye at the Kilimanjaro airport, the whole experience was nothing short of AMAZING! We had wanted to do a safari for some time and initially had our sights set on a South African safari until a work colleague told us about her private safari experience with ADS in Tanzania. The private nature of the safari was all we needed to hear to turn our focus to ADS and Tanzania. The next day I got in contact with Michael Wishner and he did a phenomenal job of putting together a superb itinerary with “Stanley”...

Safari Dates: May 13, 2017 to May 22, 2017

A Trip Of A Lifetime!

For anyone wondering whether or not the last part of the rainy season is a good time to visit the Serengeti, we can testify that for 2017 it was a great time to go. During our 10 day safari, we saw just a few rain sprinkles and only a couple short-lived downpours. The rain was a non issue for us. It kept down the dust, and everything was green and beautiful. Our driver/guide, Michael, was awesome! Every morning he greeted us with a washed and cleaned out vehicle. All day long he expertly navigated over or around potholes or large rocks. He spotted and pointed out game we didn’t even notice. We saw dozens or thousands of Cape Buffalo, gazelles, cheetahs, lions, hippos, wart hogs, elephants...

Safari Dates: April 29, 2017 to May 9, 2017

Our 5th Safari To Tanzania!

It’s hard to believe but we just finished our fifth safari with Africa Dream Safaris. We keep heading back to Africa because of the warmth of the people and the new experiences we always receive from nature. We keep going back with ADS because their service is excellent. We know that there will never be a problem from the minute we land at the airport to the time we are dropped back off at the airport. This trip to Africa included a climb up Kilimanjaro and ADS was most helpful in arranging transportation associated with the climb. We felt like VIP’s throughout our stay. We had welcome back cakes and baskets, a congratulatory cake for climbing Kilimanjaro, a private sundowner and fireside...

Safari Dates: December 14, 2016 to December 26, 2016

5 Best Safari Moments of 2017

As 2017 comes to an end, we can’t help but look back on this adventurous year with such gratitude to our guests who have chosen us as their host to experience the wonders of Tanzania. With countless safari moments to revisit, it’s fun to look back and select some of our favorites to share with you. 1 / The first is from our guests Mark & Katherine H, from Flemington NJ who traveled with us as a 30th Anniversary gift to each other. “Right from the plane, we adventured on our first game drive. The drive started at 11 am and ended just before dusk at 6. We saw so many animals that first day including a herd of elephants crossing the Mara River and a close up view of a pride of lions with their...

The Leopards And Lions Were Our Favorites

We were so blessed to go on our first safari and could not have been more thrilled that we chose Africa Dream Safaris. We researched several companies prior to making our decision and never once had any regrets. It all started with our discussions with Dawn Anderson. Once we spoke to her, we were sold that ADS was the right company for us. Dawn answered all of our questions, no matter how trivial. She provided suggestions and insight that ensured every detail of our trip was handled. Dawn is the best ambassador for ADS with her exemplary customer service and desire to make our trip memorable. Once we landed, we were met by Matthias who moved us through the immigration process so quickly...

Safari Dates: May 21, 2016 to May 28, 2016

The Great Migration Was A Magnificent Sight!

Our Africa Dream Safari began with our arrival along with our friends Kris and Nara at Kilimanjaro Airport the evening of May 11th. After the long flight the nights rest in Arusha was welcome. The following morning our bush plane pilot, Liz, pointed out Mount Kilimanjaro, Maasai communities, migrating Wildebeests and other sights below as we flew to the western Serengeti. During our final approach to the grass airstrip we saw Hippos, a pride of Lions sleeping in the grass, Giraffe, Wildebeest, Baboons and Monkeys! Our guide Anglebert greeted the four of us, transferred our luggage to the Land Cruiser, and within the first two hours we saw Impala, Eland, Giraffes, Crocodiles, Hippos, Monitor...

Safari Dates: May 11, 2016 to May 20, 2016

Africa Even Had A Few Surprises On Our 4th Safari!

We have just returned from our fourth safari with Africa Dream Safaris and this safari was just as wonderful as the first one. Africa and ADS never fail to impress. We choose Africa Dream Safaris because we know that everything will be taken care of. There is nothing left to chance. No worries that we will not be met at the airport or miss our flights or share a jeep with people with dissimilar interests or have limited game viewing time. When ADS says that you have unlimited time and mileage for game drives, they mean it. The rains this year have confused the wildebeest and they have been a bit off of their normal migration pattern, but it turned out that that was of little concern because...

Safari Dates: April 21, 2016 to May 3, 2016

My Trip To The Serengeti For Spring Break 2016

I have just returned from my 4th trip to Tanzania through ADS, and every time I am fortunate enough to visit this beautiful country, I am treated to a whole new and exciting experience! This trip was no exception! First off, I should say that every time I go, I try to take people along with me people who have been dreaming their whole lives of visiting a place like the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater – and I cannot express to you the joy that comes from watching them see for the first time the amazingly raw and wild beauty only life on the open plains of Africa can offer. On this trip, we started off spending our first day in Arusha, going to visit the School of St. Jude (an AMAZING place!)...

Safari Dates: April 7, 2016 to April 16, 2016

Our Incredible Serengeti Adventure!

Our safari from March 9 through March 17 was absolutely fantastic! The entire experience was seamlessly planned and unobtrusively managed by you and your Africa Dream Safaris team. The attention to detail showed in every aspect of the experience, including the many extras ADS showered upon us. Your staff demonstrated the highest level of professional competence as well as being friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable. They couldn’t do enough to make us feel comfortable, pampered and secure. Special kudos are in order for our wonderful guide, Anglebert. His incredible tracking skills, indefatigable energy, patience, flexibility, focus and photographic expertise resulted in sightings and photos...

Safari Dates: March 9, 2016 to March 17, 2016

When Time Stood Still

We just got back from our African Safari today. We wanted to take a few minutes to let you know what a wonderful time we had and that we had priceless memories to last us a life time. From the moment we started corresponding with you about this trip, every step of the way has been nothing but excellent. We wanted to thank you and ADS for a truly exceptional service. The meet and greet staff, Mathias and Ali, were professional, courteous, efficient and very welcoming. They took care of us every step of the way with a smile. What a nice group of folks! Our driver-guide Russel, became our expert, our guide, our driver, our translator, our advocate and eventually our friend. Not only had he an...

Safari Dates: January 28, 2016 to February 9, 2016

Wow, Just Wow.

Words cannot begin to describe the experience we had on our safari tour, and pictures cannot capture the spectacular sights we saw. Although our expectations for the adventure were very high going into the trip, the reality greatly exceeded those lofty expectations. Of course, we went to see the wildlife, but we were blown away by the number and variety of animals that we experienced. From the time we arrived until the time we left, it seemed that we were surrounded by animals. We were fortunate to see the Big 5 – lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, and rhinoceros (on the last day in the Ngorongoro Crater) – and they were certainly a highlight of the trip, but they weren’t the only...

Safari Dates: September 12, 2015 to September 26, 2015

Fell in Love with Africa

As our plane circled over a grassy runway in the Serengeti my husband and I and his parents saw our first African animals in abundance. Giraffe striding gracefully, zebra grazing and baboons running across our path as we landed. All the planning, decision making, and long travel melted away as excitement and awe overtook us. The swollen Grumeti river prompted adventure from the moment we stepped off the plane, forcing us to cross a suspension bridge to our waiting vehicle on the other side. On our first day we couldn’t believe how many animals we saw- lions, giraffe, hippos, bat eared fox and numerous birds to name just a few. Each day became more magical than the previous. A running joke...

Safari Dates: June 6, 2015 to June 20, 2015

The Tented Camps Were A Wonderful Part Of The Safari

We recently took our son and daughter-in-law to Tanzania on a safari with ADS. It turned out to be the trip of a life time! We saw so many animals. Of the 2 million wildebeest in Tanzania I think we saw 1.5 million of them. We saw more lions than we could keep track of. We were even fortunate enough to see the very rare African wild dogs and of course we saw many elephants, giraffe, zebras, warthogs, antelope, hippos, monkeys, baboons, cheetahs and leopards. It takes a dedicated and knowledgeable staff to organize a safari of this quality. Dawn Anderson was wonderful. She always answered my, at times, ridiculous questions. She planned a surprise birthday party for our daughter-in-law at our...

Safari Dates: September 18, 2015 to September 25, 2015

The ADS Staff Were Incredible In Managing A Very Scary Situation

I traveled to Tanzania nine years ago with Africa Dream Safaris and was deeply moved by this unique experience. Seeing so many beautiful animals touched my soul and the gentle people of Tanzania captured my heart. At the time, I was very impressed with the ADS team both at home and in Africa. Their enthusiasm about Tanzania was palpable and their knowledge of the Serengeti was evident in every detail of my trip. After ten wonderful days exploring Tanzania, I knew, without a doubt, I wanted to return and would do so with ADS. So, last March, with great excitement and anticipation, I began planning a safari for myself and my partner, Janet. With the expert help of Dawn Anderson, who answered...

Safari Dates: October 2, 2015 to October 14, 2015

Karibu Serengeti! An Experience Of A Lifetime!

We started planning our safari in May of 2013 and as the date of our departure grew closer, the anticipation grew exponentially. We could hardly wait for our adventure to begin and we were not disappointed! From our arrival in Arusha where we were very warmly welcomed by ADS staff, to our beautiful accommodations at the Mount Meru Hotel, to the wonderful dinner that night and our subsequent flight to the Western Serengeti were exceptional! We thought things could not get any better, but we were wrong! All of our accommodations from beginning to end, (from the Mount Meru hotel to Kirawira, Sametu, and Lions Paw tent camps, to The Manor), exceeded our expectations! They were all fabulous! Our...

Safari Dates: May 11, 2014 to May 21, 2014

Keeps Getting Better, Beating Perfection!

Three days into our August 2023 Safari to see the river crossings we were so blown away with what we saw that we decided to book a return trip to Tanzania to experience the birthing season in February 2024. I didn’t think anything could beat our first trip with ADS but I was wrong…experiencing the migration during birthing season was AMAZING!!! The wildlife was extremely active and everyday was a photographers’ dream. We saw 4 wildebeest births, a zebra minutes after being born, baby wildebeests and a zebra taking their first awkward steps, lions, hyenas and baboons mating, giraffes, impala and dik diks fighting, young cheetahs, lions and elephants playing, tree climbing lions, beautiful...

Safari Dates: February 11, 2024 to February 22, 2024

Maybe Twice In A Lifetime?

In August 2023, I realized a decades-long dream of going on a safari. I originally planned a trip for 2010, and selected ADS based on a recommendation I had received years before and thankfully kept. Things changed, as they do, and that trip never came to fruition. At that point, I told myself that within a year of retiring, I would make that dream a reality. And I did! Working with Dawn Anderson was a pleasure (both in 2009 and recently). She was so patient in answering every question we could throw at her and knowledgeable on every aspect of the location. Russell, our guide, was simply amazing. We often had trouble spotting an animal using binoculars, after he told us where to look. He...

Safari Dates: August 19, 2023 to August 29, 2023

We Had Many Amazing Photos But They Only Tell Half The Story!

My brother and I found Africa Dream Safaris through a referral, and from the moment Dawn reached out to us, we were impressed with the level of detail, knowledge, and passion that was exhibited throughout the process. This was our first safari trip, so we needed some hand holding throughout the process; Dawn and team were very patient throughout and organized a wonderful itinerary for our 10 night stay in Tanzania. Once we touched down, the VIP lounge service made sure our immigration and customs experience was a positive one, and there we met the ADS ground team. We flew out to the northern Serengeti the next morning, and we immediately saw the wildebeest river crossing. Our driver, David...

Safari Dates: July 13, 2022 to July 22, 2022

Africa Dream Safaris – A Trip Of A Lifetime

My husband and I just returned from a two week adventure, exploring the country and wildlife of Tanzania. We were so happy to be there in April, which is the low-season period for them due to being in the rainy season. The rains, however, had very little impact on our activities. On the other hand, the greenery, the abundance of new-born babies among the many animals, and the much lower crowd numbers made for a wonderful experience. African Dream Safari is a top-notch travel agency, and they took exceptional care of us from beginning to end. That means they were there to meet us as we disembarked from our plane, took us where we needed to go, kept in touch with us via WHATS APP to help us...

Safari Dates: April 2, 2025 to April 13, 2025

Never Dreamed We Could be Up Close to So Many Animals!

When we began researching a possible trip to Africa, we stumbled upon a set of nearly unanimous rave reviews of Africa Dream Safaris on an independent review site. Subsequently going to the ADS website, I was impressed with all of the information there. I realized I was repeatedly going back to the ADS site for info even when looking at other tour companies. Our positive feelings were reinforced by all of the helpful info Jeff provided in response to our photography questions. What really sealed the deal was our interaction with Dawn. She was extremely patient in working to develop an itinerary that was right for us. Her detailed help only continued through the full year of prep before our...

Safari Dates: September 10, 2024 to September 21, 2024

Most Importantly We Had An Amazing Guide!

From the beginning with ADS, our Safari trip coordinator, Dawn Anderson, everything went so smooth and easy. She was a huge reason why this dream trip was truly our dream come true. We cannot say enough about the information and help with setting everything up, even help with all our flights getting there and back with Cathy King. When we arrived in Kilimanjaro we were immediately met by our meet and greet specialist, Joseph Emmanuel Wado. He helped us get through immigration in just a few minutes while having lovely fresh squeezed juice. He made the process seamless and not stressful at all. Our luggage came through with flying colors, we were so happy. We got into the van to take us to...

Safari Dates: September 24, 2024 to October 2, 2024

Ten Days Of Amazing Wildlife Encounters!

An hour after our flight landed at Kogatende Airstrip we were on the banks of the Mara River watching a wildebeest crossing. We couldn’t believe our luck. Our safari was already a success and everything else would be icing on the cake. And, boy did we get a lot of icing. When we had first decided we wanted to see the great migration, we talked with several safari travel operations, read as much as we could find online, and watched a lot of BBC and National Geographic documentaries. When we found ADS and talked with Dawn, we knew we’d found the right place. She immediately put us at ease by calming any concerns we had while also amping up our excitement. Dawn is knowledgeable, patient, kind...

Safari Dates: September 29, 2024 to October 10, 2024

Best Day Ever!

My 8th safari adventure with ADS and it keeps getting better! Starting in 2005 with a family trips and the three of us in one vehicle, to groups of friends and up to four vehicles ADS has every safari planned seamlessly. This trip there was 14 of us from Canada – 13 who were experiencing Tanzania for the first time. When ADS staffer Mataus picked us up at the airport and delivered us to Lake Duluti Lodge outside Arusha our African adventure had truly begun – Where else does your personal cabin have a note reminding you to close your patio door when you go out to keep the monkeys out of your room! We explored the grounds and resident monkeys with a Massai guide, and the next day our ADS...

Safari Dates: April 8, 2024 to April 19, 2024

It Just Keeps Getting Better!

We just returned from our 4th safari with Africa Dream Safaris and it was every bit as magical as our first. My wife, DeeDee, was a little reluctant to return to the Serengeti again as she was concerned it could not be as good as the last…boy was she wrong! Michael went out of his way to make certain we were treated like royalty everywhere we went. The new VIP treatment at Kilimanjaro airport makes your arrival seamless. Mathias met us after we cleared customs and drove us to the Arusha Coffee Lodge. We spent 3 nights at the Coffee Lodge to give us time to shake off the jet lag and enjoy the Cultural Centre and Shanga (2 places you do not want to miss). On day 4 we flew to the Seronera...

Safari Dates: February 9, 2024 to February 16, 2024

The Trip Of A Lifetime, Can’t Wait To Go Back!

This trip was simply spectacular. From the Serengeti itself to the animals to the camps and lodges to the service, everything was amazing. My wife and I started thinking about this trip 10 years ago, started actively saving for it 5 years ago, decided on timing a year ago, booked in Fall of 2022 for May 2023 and we keep asking ourselves the same question – “Why did we wait so long?”. From a planning standpoint, Sharon, Michael, Jeff and the entire ADS team were incredibly helpful. Their experience with Tanzania and the parks was evident from the outset and their responsiveness was as good as it gets. Sharon helped us settle on a timeframe that worked for our schedules, created an amazing...

Safari Dates: May 17, 2023 to May 27, 2023

Patience…Patience…Patience

As we have learned through 6 safaris with Africa Dream Safaris, the operative word to ensure a very successful and exciting adventure, is Patience. Some people would call what we observed as lucky, but I like to refer to luck as: when planning meets opportunity. This, combined with our patience to observe a single animal for hours at a time led to some very unique and rewarding experiences. The planning aspect of our safaris starts and ends with ADS, which has always been done at an exceptional level. The moment we arrived at Kilimanjaro International we were whisked away to the VIP entry building bypassing the normal hour long wait. The VIP process took just a matter of minutes and from...

Safari Dates: April 17, 2023 to May 2, 2023

Our Guide Was The Best Combination Of Knowledge, Skills And Affability!

On arrival in Kilimanjaro airport, we were met by escorts and facilitated through customs. I think I may have sent some worrisome signals about what ADS was getting into with us when one of my first acts was tripping over a step and doing a total face plant in the reception area. All around hurried to my rescue and fortunately the only damage was to my dignity! As you had warned could happen, our luggage did not make it to Kilimanjaro with us. We met Esther who communicated with airport staff and got the information and documentation to make sure our bags would get to us eventually. She then collected us and what we did have, and saw to it that we were well and safely herded to our vehicle...

Safari Dates: March 23, 2023 to April 1, 2023

Africa Dream Come True!

First of all, the world owes the people of Tanzania a dept of gratitude for conserving the Serengeti ecosystem. It is a place like no other! Africa Dream Safaris works within the culture and the ecosystem to share the magnificence that is the Serengeti. The relationships they have built were evident at every turn and I think that’s a testimonial to any company. This was a trip of a lifetime for us that I had wanted to do since I was a child. We chose to do it for our 35th wedding anniversary and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate a long and wonderful marriage. Every step of the way, ADS staff were there to answer questions, give advice, and share their knowledge, but it was truly...

Safari Dates: May 18, 2022 to May 28, 2022

Everyone At ADS Went Above And Beyond!

Our trip to Tanzania was spectacular and ADS certainly played a large role in ensuring that was the case. Dawn Anderson was referred to us by good friends who travelled to Tanzania twice. During our first call with Dawn, we knew we had found the right person and safari company as Dawn listened to what we wanted and meticulously planned our trip, leaving no detail to chance. Dawn was knowledgeable, incredibly responsive and patient. This was very important to us, as we had never been to TZ before and had lots of questions, many really detailed and specific to our needs. As a result, we left for Tanzania in early February confident there would be “no surprises” and this was first borne out as...

Safari Dates: February 11, 2022 to February 25, 2022

Every Day From Sunrise To Sunset We Saw Animal After Animal!

Thank you for an experience I will always remember and treasure. I am struggling to find the words to express my profound gratitude to our guide, Emmanuel, who I am convinced provided the best safari experience anyone could ever have. All the ADS staff, as well as the staff at the different lodges, showed us tremendous kindness and took great care of us. They made everything easy – from picking us up at the airport, quickly moving us through customs and covid tests, getting us from one lodge to the next, catering to our food preferences, and answering our endless amount of questions. Emmanuel was the preeminent ambassador for Tanzania and for the animals. I probably asked 100 questions a...

Safari Dates: March 4, 2022 to March 16, 2022

Another Excellent Tanzania Experience!

On our very first date in 1966 my wife and I talked about places that we wanted to see someday and Africa was at the top of the list for both of us. Life got in the way and it took us until 2014 to finally decide to make our dream come true. Fortunately we chose ADS to plan our “Once in a Lifetime trip” but we found that it exceeded our expectations so much that we just had to go back in 2018, and now we have just returned from our third trip to Tanzania with ADS in August 2021. My wife thinks that this has been the best trip ever but I can’t decide since they have all been just great. One thing you can be sure of is that everyone with ADS from the people working with you from the home...

Safari Dates: July 27, 2021 to August 14, 2021

Our Africa “no-longer-just-a-dream” Safari

August 2019 found us examining our extensive travel Bucket List and deciding to move “Safari to Africa” to the top. A photography friend who had traveled to Tanzania several years earlier with Africa Dream Safaris and who knew that we wanted a private safari told us, “I’ve already done the research…don’t bother looking at any other safari company!” So one phone call later, and a lengthy discussion with Sharon, Vice President of ADS, our much-anticipated safari trip planning began in earnest, and was to commence the following spring in April 2020. And then the world stopped… Flights and safari details over the course of the next year were postponed, cancelled, changed and/or rescheduled so...

Safari Dates: April 17, 2021 to May 1, 2021

A very heartfelt thanks to ADS, the lodges we stayed in and to the people of Tanzania

1726…no, that’s not the year we did our first of 5 safaris with ADS…that’s the number of miles we covered during our exceptional 12 day safari! As my wife and I are avid photographers, going during the wet season has been very high on our list. We knew would never have another opportunity to go during peak season and have a minimal number of vehicles in the Southern Serengeti and Ngorongoro Conservation Area, as Covid would severely limit the number of safari travelers. Our guide ensured we would be in the optimum area to observe the Migration, which meant driving many miles to follow the ever moving herds, depending upon which lodge we were staying. ADS excels at getting you to the...

Safari Dates: February 10, 2021 to February 22, 2021

Once in a Lifetime To Twice in a Lifetime

We did a once in a lifetime photo safari to the Serengeti back in February 2018. Within a year, the magic of this place started calling our names again. I called Dawn Anderson, with Africa Dream Safaris, to get the planning process initiated for the second time. Since our first trip was during the green season, we thought we’d like to experience a dry season safari, with hopes of witnessing a Mara River crossing. We eventually booked our trip for mid August. After a handful of months of anxiously awaiting our departure, the big day finally arrived. We boarded our flight in Houston and 22 hours later found ourselves landing at Kilimanjaro International airport. Unlike our first trip, where we...

Safari Dates: August 20, 2019 to August 28, 2019

Why We Keep Returning To Tanzania!

My husband and I have recently returned from our sixth safari with Africa Dream Safaris. Yes, six safaris. We know that is crazy. For those people scouring the internet looking for a safari company to take you to Africa and reading reviews of those companies, we will tell you why we have chosen Tanzania to go to and why we have chosen Africa Dream Safaris to take us there six times. We choose to go to Tanzania because the Serengeti area is still a pristine, clean, uncrowded, non-overdeveloped, wild area. Tanzania is a safe country with friendly, welcoming people. The variety and huge number of animals is staggering. In our six safaris we have never failed to see all of the big cats to...

Safari Dates: April 5, 2019 to April 17, 2019

Every Day Was Filled With Unexpected Surprises And Adventure

AFRICA DREAM SAFARIS has not been selected by the National Geographic as the world’s best Safari Outfitters, and the best safari value without reason. From the first contact with Dawn at ADS to our final departure from Kilimanjaro airport, every detail of the safari was beautifully crafted and synchronized to give the highest degree of satisfaction and pleasure. Our hand-picked guide, Emmanuel, was exceptional, as I believe, is every guide serving with ADS. The accommodations were both luxurious and comfortably adventurous and needless to say, the Serengeti overwhelms with its quantity and variety of game. Every day was filled with unexpected surprises and adventure. All the staff and...

Safari Dates: February 17, 2019 to February 27, 2019

The Greatest Experience Of Our Lives

People keep asking about our African Safari and it’s still hard to put into words. We have told people that if we could use one word to describe the trip, it would be “SURREAL”! All the planning for the perfect safari was easy with African Dream Safaris. Sharon Lyon walked us through the process step by step. She allowed me to plan the trip to fit our wants, needs and budget making it a success from the start. I’m a professional photographer and a client that owns many of my wildlife prints wanted more. The couple decided to send me to Africa to take pictures so they could have more wildlife prints for their home. During each search for safari companies, I continued to come back to A.D.S...

Safari Dates: September 21, 2018 to September 29, 2018

20 Photo Tips for Shooting Wildlife

We’re very excited to tell you all about a new section of our website called – Our Photographic Ambassador. In this super comprehensive guide to safari photography, our expert wildlife cinematographer/photographer Jeff Smith shares 20+ tips to ensure you capture the most awe-inspiring and unforgettable moments from your trip. From suggestions on cameras and lenses to details about shooting from a safari vehicle and packing your gear, he thoroughly answers all of the photo questions we’ve been gathering from our guests for years. Jeff should know a thing or two about how to show up prepared to shoot wildlife, he’s been on safari with us 5 times! A note from Jeff: “The Serengeti is a long way...

An Exceptional Safari With A Fantastic Guide

I emailed ADS and received a prompt response from Sharon. After a few months of discussions Sharon provided us with an itinerary for a 10 day private safari. We wanted an authentic experience so we opted for the custom Hemmingway Camp option. This included 2 nights at River Camp in the Northern Serengeti, 4 nights in Seronera Sametu Camp in the Central Serengeti and 2 nights at Lions Paw Camp at Ngorongoro Crater. Our favourite location was the Central Serengeti and the Seronera Sametu Camp. Travelling from Australia we chose to fly QATAR Airways as they were the only international airlines (other than KLM) that fly directly into Kilimanjaro Airport. QATAR Airlines in our view is 5 star. On...

Safari Dates: November 5, 2018 to November 14, 2018

Extraordinary Photos From The Serengeti

Our Safari trip with Africa Dream Safaris far exceeded our expectations. From the time we arrived in Arusha to the time we completed our tour we felt well taken care of. With the careful logistical planning that ADS provided, we were able to breeze through customs and immigration and it was a comforting feeling to have an escort that we could trust. When we stepped off the plane at Seronera Air Strip, David was there to meet us. We spent the next week with David and really enjoyed his calm presence, his knowledge, and ability to accommodate our interests. While I am an accomplished photographer, my commercial work is primarily architecture with subjects that don’t move. I was a bit...

Safari Dates: March 1, 2018 to March 11, 2018

The Animal Viewing Will Far Exceed Your Wildest Imagination!

When we returned from our Africa Dream Safaris vacation in July 2018, we tried with great difficulty to explain to our friends and family the magic of our experience. We describe it with this analogy: “When you see a wildebeest at the zoo, you think to yourself, “Wildebeest…boring….let’s go see the elephants!” However, on Safari, it feels as though you have been transported back in time when you see thousands upon thousands of those very animals running straight toward your vehicle! To add to the heart-pounding thrill is watching the zebras, impalas, and other wildlife running alongside the wildebeest in perfect harmony. Visiting elephants at a zoo may be great but watching them interact in...

Safari Dates: June 21, 2018 to July 1, 2018

Our Second Once In A Lifetime Safari!

Several years ago we took a once in a lifetime trip with ADS. It was incredible! The fact that we controlled the adventure was perfect for us – if we wanted to hang back and watch something, we could. Having our own dedicated driver guide made that possible. The guides and the camps were exceptional, and the people we dealt with were helpful, friendly, and went out of their way to make sure we enjoyed ourselves. This year we celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary, and we wanted to do something very special to celebrate. A repeat trip to Africa quickly became the obvious choice. We had worked with Sharon Lyon on our first trip so we contacted her for this trip, and she assured us she could...

Safari Dates: March 24, 2018 to April 4, 2018

Our Best Photos From Our Return Trip To Tanzania!

This was our second safari to Tanzania with Africa Dream Safaris. We wanted to go back in April since that is when Dawn said there would be many newborns. And she was definitely right about that! In the end the trip turned out to be quite special – not necessarily better than the one a few years ago – but different, and thus presented a quite diverse view of Tanzanian wildlife unlike what we experienced before. All in all, very, very satisfactory. Our guide Wilfred was a gem and the safari met or even exceeded our expectations in many ways. Regarding the python, it is difficult to believe a rather lumbering, non-poisonous snake could catch a normally alert and very rapid hare – specially in...

Safari Dates: April 7, 2018 to April 18, 2018

Our Second Safari to the Serengeti and Tanzania!

Back in the fall of 2014 my wife and I decided it was time to fulfill our ‘once in a lifetime’ dream trip. We made the wise choice to use ADS for our tour and we were overwhelmed with the experience, which was perfect in every way. Our once in a lifetime trip turned into a ‘we gotta go back again trip’, so we returned to Tanzania in March 2018. Of course we chose ADS again and once again they were extremely helpful and accommodated our every need. You’ll read that there is no bad time to go on safari and now I’m convinced it’s true. Our 2014 trip was in September because I wanted to see the Wildebeest migration crossing the Mara river–it was fabulous. This time we chose March and April to...

Safari Dates: March 27, 2018 to April 12, 2018

My 5th Safari To Tanzania!

I am a professional cinematographer/photographer and a lover of Tanzania. With regards to wildlife, the two go hand in hand. Like everyone leaving their comments here, I recently returned from the Serengeti. And again, it has left a huge impression. The fact that this was my 5th safari with Africa Dream Safaris alone speaks volumes… and writing an ordinary glowing “review” seems redundant. I’ve done that previously. So I’ve decided to include some pictures and address something that my friends often inquire about when I tell them about my trips to Africa… let’s call it “ What do I do next?” Let’s say you’ve decided you want to go to Africa. After all, it’s not a hard decision once you do a...

Safari Dates: April 29, 2018 to May 6, 2018

We Feel So Blessed To Have Witnessed Mother Nature At Her Finest

After contemplating an African safari for some time, I decided to start seriously looking into such an adventure about 8 months ago. I did a web search and found a handful of tour operators and called several of them and their references. I never really felt comfortable with any of them and then I made the call to Dawn Anderson with Africa Dream Safari and the rest is history. I spoke with 4 or 5 previous ADS clients and spoke at length about their experiences. It was then that I was sure I’d found a tour operator that I had full confidence in. Dawn was always and still is so enthusiastic and eager to chat about life in the Serengeti and the animals that make it such a special place. I had...

Safari Dates: February 1, 2018 to February 14, 2018

Africa Dream Safari Review  

You can’t compare Africa to a camping vacation or a wilderness stay in a US national park.  Being in the Serengeti National Park was pure and raw. Departing from Arusha to the Kogatende airstrip set the tone for our entire Safari with Africa Dream Safaris.  Other folks were waiting dressed in white jeans and walking shoes, jaunty straw hats and bright colored shirts and jackets- more prepared for a resort than an experience of a lifetime.  Well prepared over the previous nine months by Sharon Lyon of ADS, we had come to Tanzania ready to be educated, to push beyond our comfort zones, and to inhale the REAL Africa. We felt completely equipped and ready to track the Big 5 coming off the plane...

Safari Dates: October 7, 2017 to October 17, 2017

We Were Lucky To Witness Four River Crossings!

My sister and I just returned home from our first African Safari and thanks to ADS it was an incredible experience! Never having traveled outside of the United States, we were a little apprehensive as we prepared to embark on this adventure. Early on in our trip, we soon realized there was no reason for concern. The invaluable advice from ADS and the numerous blogs had us more than prepared. The ADS staff and our guide helped us through every step of the way, whisking us quickly through customs, getting us on the bush plane to the Serengeti, and getting us settled in at each of the lodges, even calling ahead so hot water was available for a shower when we arrived at camp after sunset. All...

Safari Dates: August 2, 2017 to August 10, 2017

We Were All Alone With The Great Migration!

It is not often when reality surpasses your dreams but from the moment we landed on a dirt runway in the Central Serengeti and a herd of wild Zebras were our welcoming committee to the time that we were surrounded by over 2 million as we were front and center to the Great Migration, I knew we were part of something I could only imagine…up until then! Over the next 11 days, we slept in tents (a few lodges) and fell asleep to the roar of Lions. Each and every day was something different and brought with it a new and exciting experience that will be with us forever. Whether it was waking up and going out to see a Leopard drag his recent nightly kill up a tree, to the daily box lunches we had...

Safari Dates: April 10, 2017 to April 21, 2017

All We Could Say Was WOW!!

On April 17, 2017, four of us embarked on a trip of a lifetime that was well orchestrated by Africa Dream Safaris. Adventuring on an African safari was a bucket list for all of us, and the abundance of animals we saw in the Serengeti was phenomenal. It was a 9 month planning trip but Dawn from ADS took great care of us and provided all the details to make our trip perfect. We departed the US on a Sunday and hit the ground running (or should I say driving) on Tuesday. ADS arranged everything from the pickup at the airport in Kilimanjaro to all the lodging—we never had to lift a finger nor was there any doubt that there were any issues with our reservations. Its truly amazing how everything...

Safari Dates: April 17, 2017 to April 26, 2017

Thank You ADS For The Most Spectacular Journey!

We didn’t know what we were in for when we boarded our flight to Arusha last November, but we arrived in a land of enchantment, generous hospitality, and heart-stopping drama in kingdom animalia. We absolutely loved our time in Tanzania, and have ADS to thank for every moment of that wonder. From Dawn’s precise pre-trip details to our warm welcome at the airport to our final goodbye in Zanzibar, we had the absolute trip of our lives. Our guide Ellison was the best, and we mean that literally, responsible for opening our eyes to the treasures in the land. He could predict animal behavior so precisely, and his eyes were always finding not only hard-to-spot animals like rhinos and leopards...

Safari Dates: November 12, 2016 to November 26, 2016

An Amazing Solo Safari Experience!

I just returned from an incredible 7 day Tanzanian safari experience, and once again I have ADS to thank for it! I should begin by saying that I have been on safari with ADS 4 times in the past, and have had some pretty amazing experiences. Each time I have gone in the past, I have traveled with various groups of friends, most of whom had never been on safari before we went together, so getting to see the wonders of Africa fresh and new each time through their eyes was always so enlightening, creating experiences I will most certainly remember for a life time. So then, just how does one go on safari for the 5th time with ADS and make it any better than the previous 4? Well, you change it up...

Safari Dates: March 31, 2017 to April 8, 2017

I’ll Be Back To Africa!

This is my sixth safari, and my second with Africa Dream Safaris. I have taken enough safaris to compare different outfitters, and I go with ADS from now on for a number of reasons. First of all is the service, from both Sharon in the U.S. as well as the team in Arusha. On this particular safari, we had a problem at one of our locations, and our guide immediately contacted the office in Arusha who made things right. Which is what I’ve come to expect from ADS. The second is the quality of the guides, which is second to none. I made the mistake on one of my earlier safaris of going with a budget safari company (you see their vehicles throughout the Serengeti, but I won’t name them). What I...

Safari Dates: March 7, 2017 to March 17, 2017

A Photographers Dream!

If you are reading this review then you are probably looking for a Safari company to provide your dream trip to Africa. Look no further Africa Dream Safari is the place to sign up. From beginning to end your every desire and whim will be taken care of one hundred percent of the time. My wife and I are experienced international travelers both professionally and personally. Our goals were simple: 1. Painless reservations – smooth transit 2. Trip Insurance and medical evacuation insurance 3. If possible expediting service upon arrival in Tanzania 4. Private Guide 5. Experienced Guide with knowledge of wildlife and lighting conditions for photography 6. Enough luggage allowance to accommodate...

Safari Dates: September 18, 2016 to September 29, 2016

What An Amazing Trip!

My wife and I and two friends visited Tanzania in September and October for 2 weeks this year. We chose ADS on the recommendation of friends and were really happy we did. We have been traveling to Africa for nearly 30 years and this turned to be one of our best trips. Dawn did a wonderful job of putting us into camps that were very comfortable, welcoming, in the right areas for wildlife and at our request a bit away from some of the more busy areas. We started planning this trip over a year earlier and Dawn was always cheerfully available for planning and any questions that came up. Because we had our own vehicle and guide for the entire 2 weeks we could tailor each day as we wanted. I am a...

Safari Dates: September 23, 2016 to October 7, 2016

50th Birthday

For my 50th birthday I decided to check off the one item on my bucket list, an African Safari. After much research I decided on Africa Dream Safaris. The best decision I could have made. From my initial contact with Dawn to the final farewell with Mateas we were always safe and very well taken care of. Dawn’s professionalism is second to none. Even when we decided to add two more people at the last minute it was not a problem, at least on our end. Upon arrival in Kilimanjaro we were greeted and through customs in record time. Looking at the line that formed behind us we were happy to be traveling with ADS. The staff at every camp was friendly, courteous and full of knowledge. We were always...

Safari Dates: September 8, 2016 to September 18, 2016

A Spectacle of Wildlife

I am a professional photographer and cinematographer here in the States. I have been to Tanzania three times previously, all three times with Africa Dreams. Most recently, I actually went to help with some of the videos that appear on this website. I am, to say the least, a fan of Africa Dreams Safaris. So when ADS invited me back in 2016, how could I refuse? Upon my safe return they asked if I would jot down a few words about my trip. What could I say that I haven’t already said before? Just the fact that I have now been 4 times with the same company speaks volumes. But still, I had to say something. So in the vein of doing something “different”, I’m sending this along. Enjoy! Jeff S...

Safari Dates: May 9, 2016 to May 16, 2016

The Real Magic Was Of Course The Animals!

I returned three weeks ago from the most amazing trip to Tanzania with African Dream Safaris. I have lived overseas for over 25 years and have traveled extensively on many wonderful trips but have to say this is the best trip I have ever been on. Dawn Anderson’s planning of the trip and the help that she gave at every step was far and above anything expected. Dawn was more than willing to answer any questions and responded quickly to a multitude of emails from the most mundane questions of hair dryers to the more important of visas and travel insurance. I even asked many questions about photography which she gladly answered in detail. I have to add that just days before departing I realized...

Safari Dates: April 8, 2016 to April 16, 2016

Amazing Serengeti Photo Safari

We wanted to add our input to the testimonials you have about African Dream Safaris. We had a great advantage to be traveling with our friends Tim and Donna, who traveled with ADS on two previous safaris. First, we should say the ADS tour handbook and packing guidelines were most accurate. We took almost nothing that should have been left behind. I did take extra socks to be used as bean bags and they came in very handy to anchor cameras on the seat…it really is bumpy on all the roads. We very much appreciated the commitment from our guides to keep the vehicles clean and ready every day. We saw many other companies with dust covered vehicles. A super caution about the DUST: with the top...

Safari Dates: February 22, 2016 to March 3, 2016

Our Goal Was To Photograph The Big Cats Of The Serengeti

This was our first African safari to Tanzania and we are already planning to return. It is impossible to put into words what this trip meant to us. What an incredible privilege we felt to share time with an amazing array of animals. The moment we stepped off the short flight from Arusha to the Central Serengeti, herds of wildebeest and zebra surrounded us as they joined the great migration. Within the hour we located an elephant herd bathing in a watering hole. Across from them a lion pride with cubs guarded a zebra kill beneath an acacia tree. Another large herd of elephants approached the lions – who scattered and regrouped as the elephants passed. We never knew what would happen moment...

ADS hires the best, most experienced, most educated Guides in all of Tanzania.

I recently got back from Tanzania…for the third time. Three times I have stepped off that blue and white plane on the Kilimanjaro tarmac. Three times I have found my name on a hand held a place card next to an Africa Dreams Safari logo. And three times I’ve found a smiling face behind it to effortlessly shuffle me through the madness. People often ask me why I have gone to Tanzania three times, and more specifically, why I have gone back with ADS each time. I am a professional wildlife photographer and a filmmaker. And this trip was mostly dedicated to shooting a Safari themed film. Why Tanzania? Well, for starters, it is the best safari destination in the world in my opinion. Because of...

Safari Dates: March 7, 2015 to March 16, 2015

Our ADS Experience Really Was A Dream Come True

We are now nearly a month post safari and it all seems like a dream now, a vivid and unforgettable dream. African Dream Safaris is no misnomer, but rather a most accurate descriptor of a company, a style, and a philosophy that succeeds on every level in delivering the promise of once in a lifetime experience. From our arrival in Arusha and the kind and welcoming reception at the airport and the rapid delivery to the comforts of our first Africa hotel, things got underway as smoothly as possible. The upward trajectory gathered speed quickly the next morning with the arrival of Francis, our peerless guide and soon-to-be friend. We were but two couples, my wife and I accompanied by two dear...

Safari Dates: May 27, 2015 to June 7, 2015

On Safari with the Author of Bradt Travel Guide to Tanzania

Africa Dream Safaris was delighted to host Philip Briggs and his wife Ariadne Van Zandbergen for a 15-day safari. Philip was in Tanzania doing research for the latest editions of the Bradt Tanzania Travel Guides. Philip Briggs is the author of the prestigious and well-respected BRADT Travel Guides. Philip’s published works include Bradt Guides to Tanzania, Northern Tanzania Safaris, and East African Wildlife, as well as many several other books about Africa. Many loyal fans follow Philip’s travel advice and recommendations very closely when planning their own dream safari vacations. And rightfully so…Philip has traveled extensively in Tanzania for many years and offers an unparalleled...

A Return to the Serengeti: A Father & Son Safari Journey

This trip to the Serengeti started in the Blue Mountains, Sydney, Australia for myself, and from the Gold Coast, Queensland for my son Michael. This is my 2nd trip, the first being 7 years ago and the first trip for Michael. We flew Qatar airlines which provides the fastest and most direct route from Australia to Arusha. Our flight from Sydney to Doha was nonstop for about 15 hours with a 3 hour layover. Then from Doha to Kilimanjaro 8 hours with a stop at Dar Es Salaam. We arrived at Kilimanjaro at 4:30pm and were greeted by customs officials who guided us to an air conditioned waiting area to complete our paperwork and entry to Tanzania. We were provided with refreshments which included...

Safari Dates: November 1, 2025 to November 10, 2025

Until The Next Time…I Will Miss You Africa!

Our family just returned from the best and most amazing trip of our lives – a safari in Tanzania with African Dream Safaris. The trip was flawless with every detail implemented of delicious food, amazing tour guide who was so nice and informative, beautiful accommodations, and travel. We landed in Kilimanjaro with three nights to rest up in Arusha – two at the beautiful Grand Melia and one at the stunning Arusha Coffee Lodge. Both were exquisite and very different. I highly recommend both places! We left Arusha Airport on a small plane to head to the Central Serengeti for our first stop. I love that ADS planned the trip based on the big migrations. The Sametu Camp was glorious with the best...

Safari Dates: May 28, 2025 to June 6, 2025

Very Few Vacations Over Deliver But ADS Did In Abundance!

This was, without a doubt, the most memorable trip of our lives! When people say it is life-changing, they are right! We were totally impressed with the entire ADS staff and the excellent attention to detail which went into the whole safari experience. Our safari was packed full of memorable events including seeing a kill, a zebra birth, virtually one with a herd of elephants, catching 4 lionesses in a tree together and so much more. Ben, our safari guide, stated that our safari was one of a kind in what we experienced. I must say that some of the details ADS surprised us with like the bush dinner in the Serengeti were not only fantastic but so surprising. All our accommodations were...

Safari Dates: May 22, 2025 to May 31, 2025

The Perfect Balance Of Adventure, Luxury, And Education!

Our safari in Tanzania with African Dream Safari was truly unforgettable. Our amazing drivers, Ellison and Emanuel, made the experience exceptional. They were incredibly knowledgeable about the animals and birds, and by the end of the trip, they felt like true friends. Ellison and Emanuel knew the area inside and out, always knowing the best spots to find certain animals. They expertly navigated the vast landscape, and they were always happy to stop as long as we wanted to observe wildlife, share interesting facts, and ensure we had the best views. We even saw rare animals that neither of them had encountered many times before. Their passion and expertise were evident in every conversation...

Safari Dates: December 28, 2024 to January 7, 2025

Exceptional, Phenomenal, Unprecedented…

Our adventures with Africa Dream Safaris far exceeded our expectations in every possible way imaginable! We were excited to observe the wildlife in their natural habitat. We never dreamed that everyone at ADS and the wonderful people they worked with would not only become friends but family (Sharon, Janeth, Sambe, Russ and Michael are just a few of our new special friends). ADS effortlessly and seamlessly took care of every single detail from the day we began customizing our safari until the day they welcomed us home. Our safari was spectacular by spotting amazing animals and observing their unique behaviors up close. It was made even more extraordinary because of our brilliant, gifted and...

Safari Dates: April 5, 2024 to April 13, 2024

A Dream Come True For My Family!

Recently my family and I went to Tanzania for a safari. Over a year ago we researched options of tour companies, routes, costs, etc. We decided to have Africa Dream Safaris arrange our entire trip from the moment we arrived until the moment we flew out. Our decision was based on recommendations, reviews and most of all how Dawn took such an interest in our trip asking us questions about what we want to make sure it was just perfect. She was always helpful, extremely responsive and patient if any changes were needed. We had high expectations for the trip and were very excited. To say the trip was far beyond our expectations would just be scratching the surface. First, I must mention the...

Safari Dates: July 20, 2023 to July 28, 2023

My Dream Come True with Africa Dream Safaris!

An African Safari was on my Bucket List…and this was like a dream come. From start to finish this was an experience that exceeded my expectations! Traveling with my sister, brother, and niece – we were “all-in” to fully absorb and experience every opportunity that was presented to us. From the moment we arrived at Kilimanjaro Airport, until we said our heartfelt thank you’s and good-byes, we were taken care of by the “ADS family” with enthusiasm, care, and expertise. Our guide, Russell, made our experience 5 Star. Russell’s knowledge of the animals, birds, land, locations, tribes, and history, consistently held us in awe. We were thrilled to experience The Big Five. It was beyond...

Safari Dates: April 13, 2023 to April 20, 2023

A Truly Heartwarming And Unforgettable Experience!

My family and I just returned from our long awaited safari with ADS. I put extensive planning into this trip in determining which country to go to, when to go, and (most importantly) what company to go with! As a result of my research, I had very high expectations of ADS and they exceeded all expectations. Our entire trip was flawless perfection and surpassed my wildest dreams. We were met at Kilimanjaro Airport by a “meet and greet” team led by Anna, an exceptionally friendly and efficient woman who managed to speed our travel weary group through customs and immigration in no time flat. From there, we were whisked off to Arusha Coffee Lodge for a warm welcome and restful overnight stay...

Safari Dates: April 4, 2022 to April 15, 2022

We Will Be Back!

Back in 2015, my wife and I embarked on our first safari with Africa Dream Safaris. It was a trip of a lifetime for both of us. So in 2023 we started to plan for our second safari after my retirement. Because of our first experience with Africa Dream Safaris, we reached out to Dawn to begin planning our September 2024 safari, which would include our daughter, son-in-law and our nine- year old granddaughter. My wife and I were really looking forward to experiencing the safari through the eyes of our granddaughter. However, we were both a little nervous the second safari would not live up to our first experience. Boy were we wrong. A new experience on this safari was the VIP service in...

Safari Dates: August 31, 2024 to September 8, 2024

We Are All Still Carrying A Bit Of Africa In Our Hearts!

As I sit down to write a testimonial for our trip, I find myself at almost a loss of words to describe our family safari with ADS this past summer. Words just don’t seem to do justice to our experience. All thirteen of us, aging from 8 to 75, agree that this was a trip that will never be forgotten. We received wonderful guidance and assistance in planning. Dawn was patient and quick to respond to any of our questions or concerns. The number and variety of animals that we saw were amazing; the animal viewing way exceeded our expectations. But it wasn’t just being able to see the animals; it was seeing them living in their wild habitat – wildebeest trying to cross the dangerous Mara River...

Safari Dates: August 1, 2024 to August 11, 2024

The Quality And Quantity Of The Animals We Saw Were Truly Amazing!

For a company with a name like African Dream Safaris, the bar is high, as this is supposed to be the stuff of dreams. Our experience showed that they are good at making reality live up to everything you dreamed it might be and then some. The incredible experience started when we began booking our safari. We selected ADS because they offered the itinerary we wanted, so we spent time where we wanted and not where we didn’t want to go. If you have specific goals and ambitions for this safari, tell them! ADS made it possible for us to see what we wanted. In addition to hitting all the sites we wanted (Mara River crossing, Ngorongoro Crater, Olduvai Gorge and museum, and others), the itinerary...

Safari Dates: July 8, 2024 to July 16, 2024

Our Family Safari Was The Trip Of A Lifetime!

After two years of dreaming and planning we had very high expectations for our family safari. African Dream Safaris exceeded those expectations at every turn! Our goal was to create a lasting memory and share the excitement and beauty of the African Safari with those we love most, our family. We wanted an experience that would capture the awe and excitement of all thirteen of us, across three generations, ranging from 5 years to 70. A tall order. The result was magical for each and everyone of us. The landscape and animals were stunning. We were very lucky to have the three best guides possible. Their skill and tenacity at finding all types of animals was uncanny. Even better they became a...

Safari Dates: July 16, 2024 to July 24, 2024

Being Surrounded By Wildlife Each Day Was The Highlight Of Our Family’s Safari!

From the moment we arrived in Kilimanjaro, we were embraced as friends, and this warmth and hospitality continued until the very end of our journey. Our adventure began and ended at Arusha Coffee Lodge, which provided the perfect introduction and conclusion to our safari. We also highly recommend visiting the social enterprise ‘Shanga’ whilst you’re there, and making time to participate in one of their workshops for an inspirational experience. Flying from Arusha to the Seronera Airstrip in Central Serengeti, we witnessed zebras and giraffes making way for the plane as we touched down. There, we were warmly welcomed by our guide Ellison, and our safari began. Some say that this area gets...

Safari Dates: January 11, 2024 to January 17, 2024

Thank You For A Wonderful, Life-Changing, Family Adventure!

We just returned from a magical 10 days in Tanzania. Our family fell in love with its incredible wildlife, breathtaking beauty, and friendly people. Although we went into it thinking this was a once in a lifetime trip, we already want to go back! Africa Dream Safaris was amazing to work with from start to finish and orchestrated a safari that was even better than our wildest dreams. From the moment we landed in the Northern Serengeti and were welcomed by baboons on the airstrip, animals were everywhere! We saw giraffes, elephants, hippos, lions, zebras, wildebeests as far as the eye can see, and even a rare black rhino – all within the first day! From there, it just continued to get better...

Safari Dates: July 14, 2023 to July 24, 2023

Epic family adventure!

We are a family of five adventurous world travelers seeking to experience the beauty of nature, explore the achievements of mankind and experience different cultures. Our family adventures include climbing Machu Pichhu, scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef, sailing the Galapagos, hiking Petra and sailing the Greek islands just to name a few. However, our recent African Dream Safaris Serengeti experience brought our travel experience to a whole new level and every day of our safari exceeded expectations. From initial website contact to our return to the USA, ADS was absolutely first class. Great communication, education and timely responses to prepare us for our adventure. Every detail was...

Safari Dates: July 1, 2023 to July 8, 2023

Awesome and Eye-opening Trip!

Ours was a small extended-family group, me (66), my daughter (32), and two of my sisters (60, 58). ADS was thorough, flexible, and accommodating in working through the myriad details of planning the trip. Upon arriving in-country, ADS staff were very helpful and courteous while also ensuring that key transitions were trouble-free, e.g., arrival and processing at Kilimanjaro, drive to Arusha, departure on small plane from Arusha to the Serengeti, and eventual departure from Kilimanjaro at the end. We of course spent many days and long hours with Russell, our ADS guide and driver of the Toyota Land Cruiser. He was masterful in navigating and maneuvering the vehicle to find, view and...

Safari Dates: April 12, 2023 to April 21, 2023

A Trip Of A Lifetime For Our Family!

It’s hard to put into words this trip. Africa…it has been on my bucket list forever and I knew I would make it there someday…and last week it finally happened! The best part – was that it was a total family affair in honor of our fiercely loving, fiery, Italian Mimi and her 80th trip around the sun…and what a celebration it was!! 5 families, 18 of us that included 8 adults and 10 teens made the trek to Tanzania. After many long plane flights, we were greeted by our amazing ADS team…who became like bonus members of our family as well as our seamless gateway to the unforgettable beautiful and serene Serengeti. We truly experienced Africa and all that this amazing country had to offer. We...

Safari Dates: July 16, 2022 to July 21, 2022

Incredible Wildlife Viewing From The Moment You Arrive!

We would like to start by saying African Dream Safaris surpassed any expectation we had of a family safari in July 2022!  Having the uniqueness of our kids being ten years apart we wanted a safari experience that was right for our family!  Our guide, Emmanuel, fit right in with our family from the start and was extremely knowledgeable of all the animals and culture! There is nothing that can prepare you for the amount of incredible wildlife you see from the moment you arrive in the Serengeti!  My 7 year old counted 38 lions on our safari!  The people in Tanzania our so warm, gracious, and leave an everlasting smile on your face! The memories will last a lifetime but we look forward to going...

Safari Dates: July 10, 2022 to July 16, 2022

Thank You For A Wonderful Vacation!

Overall, for our family, our safari was an unforgettable and, most likely, a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience. However, if we are ever fortunate enough to go on another safari in the Serengeti, we will definitely use Africa Dream Safaris again. For anyone considering a personal safari tour, they should book with Africa Dream Safaris and here is why… A. Our ADS team was very organized and provided clear communication and great service from the time we began the scheduling/reservation process early on until the time we departed Tanzania to come back home. Everyone that we interfaced with was very friendly, personable and always answered our questions to our satisfaction. B. The bush plane...

Safari Dates: June 7, 2022 to June 16, 2022

Just Us And A Million Wildebeest!

Trip of a lifetime! Amazing! Epic! Having just returned from 14 days in Tanzania it is hard to imagine how the trip could have been better. I texted my safari consultant at the end expressing my excitement and satisfaction from truly an ‘African Dream Safari’. I had thought this was a once in a lifetime trip but now hoping I can find a way to return with my wife so she can experience safari. It’s a special year with my son Jack graduating high school and me recently retiring and so this trip was a chance to celebrate that. Our trip began with a 7 day climb of Mount Kilimanjaro which found us standing on the roof of Africa on Feb 19th. This mountain had been our next goal after climbing many...

Safari Dates: February 21, 2022 to February 26, 2022

Family Safari Adventure

The trip we thought would never come (due to COVID-19) was finally here! My entire family was very much looking forward to spending the next two weeks in the beautiful country of Tanzania! To start, I’d like to thank Dawn Anderson for helping and guiding our family in putting together such a wonderful itinerary for our trip. Dawn was so kind and helpful throughout the entire process and made sure all questions and concerns were answered right away! Michael and his entire team are truly what made this trip so memorable! When arriving to Tanzania, we were greeted by Mathias, who was so kind and welcoming, and went over our itinerary in great detail. He made sure we were all informed of what...

Safari Dates: September 6, 2021 to September 15, 2021

A Multi-Generational Adventure!

Our family of seven including two grandparents, two daughters and three grandsons took a trip of a lifetime to Tanzania with Africa Dream Safari. The trip exceeded all expectations! From the excellent communications of pre-trip planning to completion. The only stressful piece about air travel was getting a Covid test 72 hours prior to arriving in Tanzania, which in fact was uneventful. The great part was everyone on our planes going and returning had tested negative for Covid. We were met at the Kilimanjaro airport and met by ADS staff. They smoothly escorted our family thru the visa lines and were taken to the delightful Arusha Coffee Lodge. The accommodations are first class, and we...

Safari Dates: July 26, 2021 to August 6, 2021

A Perfect Family Adventure

We could not have been happier with our trip and our experience with Africa Dream Safaris. After a glowing recommendation from our friends who had previously traveled to the Serengeti with ADS, we reached out to Sharon Lyon and were not disappointed. Planning the trip was easy with Sharon’s guidance. We arrived in Tanzania both excited and nervous as this was our first safari experience. We were immediately met by ADS personnel and were in the best of hands from there on out. Emanuel, our guide, who without a doubt must be the best guide in the Serengeti, met our plane when we landed in the Serengeti, loaded us into our vehicle, and off we went on the adventure of a lifetime. We stayed at...

Safari Dates: January 4, 2020 to January 11, 2020

A Multigenerational Adventure

We had a group ranging from age 8 to 80 and every single one of us in our family had a trip we will never forget. I wanted to commend your entire company for an amazing safari experience. The entire thing was planned and executed flawlessly from your incredible staff picking us up at the airport after a long journey and sparing us the two-hour wait in customs to the transport to the airport at the end. Your guides, Russell and Chris, were incredibly knowledgeable and felt like members of the family by the end of the trip. The lodging was second to none, with an incredibly friendly staff and amazing views at each place. The views of the landscape and animals were unforgettable. I will highly...

Safari Dates: July 18, 2019 to July 26, 2019

Asante Sana ADS

June 13, 2019, Seronera Valley, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. It was a fitful and exciting night. I could barely sleep in our tented lodge through the sound of roaring lions wandering around Sametu Camp. From 2am to 4am, I lay awake wondering what I would do if a lioness chose to approach my dear cub (AKA my teenage daughter). We left Sametu Camp after a late breakfast on a morning Safari. As the day progressed, the glaring sun began to beat down upon us as we shifted uncomfortably in our seats from the dry heat. My daughter and I had already chugged down the first of many Stoney Tangawizis for the day. Our throats burned from the refreshing and sharp ginger taste. Our knowledgeable...

Safari Dates: June 9, 2019 to June 19, 2019

It Was A Privilege To Take This Vacation With My Family

I grew up in Wyoming, and it seems like most of my childhood memories are outdoors. Our family vacations almost always featured the camper and hiking boots over hotel rooms and large crowds. We’ve always enjoyed the nature of Wyoming (and Colorado, where I live now) and thought it was one of the best reasons to live here. My parents and I, and especially my Dad, have always talked about how amazing it would be to go on an African safari and see a whole new wilderness. My parents recently retired and decided it was high time to make that dream a reality. And I, despite being an adult with a child of my own now, somehow lucked into becoming their third wheel. We’ve been back for a few months...

Safari Dates: March 26, 2019 to April 5, 2019

A Wonderful Father and Son Adventure!

Where do I begin? Well, I will begin and end with our amazing driver and guide Claude. We cannot say enough about Claude, not just his expertise as a guide, but more importantly, how wonderful he is as a human being. I told my son Matthew on the flight to Tanzania that our trip will depend heavily on the person we get as our guide. Claude exceeded our expectations in all possible respects. Primarily, he is very friendly and attentive. As a driver and guide, it is obvious he knows more than most guides we saw in other vehicles. Claude knows how to find animals using all kinds of signs. He knows exactly where to drive and park the vehicle for the best viewing and photos. He also is extremely...

Safari Dates: August 1, 2018 to August 10, 2018

There Was So Much We Loved About Our Trip!

I’m not sure where to even start other than we had a fantastic safari. First of all, the tented camps and tented lodges were much nicer than we envisioned. The workers at all of our lodges, which many were local Masai, were incredibly friendly and always happy to help in any way. That also seemed to be true of all the Tanzanian people we dealt with from the hotels to the cultural center to F.A.M.E to the meet and greet staff and to any locals we met on safari. Then, there comes our guides. I’m sure everyone that travels with ADS believes they had the best guides and we are no exception. We loved our guides Roman and Emmanuel (Ema) and could not say enough about them. Their friendliness...

Safari Dates: July 29, 2018 to August 7, 2018

A Fabulous Family Adventure in Tanzania!

After planning for more than one year our family’s “Trip of a Lifetime”, I cannot be happier to have chosen Africa Dream Safaris. Dawn’s help, patience, and advice were invaluable and the trip unfolded seamlessly. Following a very long trip from the U.S. across Europe and most of Africa, we landed at Kilimanjaro airport where we were met by Mathias who made the visas process quick and efficient. Our trip started at the River Trees Inn where we had our first experience of a dinner “al fresco” under an “Out of Africa” open dining room, and beds surrounded by mosquitos’ nets to the delight of the children. The real adventure started the following morning when we flew to the North West corner...

Safari Dates: August 14, 2017 to August 22, 2017

Fun And Awe All The Way!

Since returning home from our very first safari in Tanzania, we can’t stop reminiscing on all the breathtaking memories we had in the wild and are already thinking of our next trip back! With 8 of us all together, mom and dad, 3 sons, and 3 daughters-in-law, on our first trip together in Tanzania, we felt so well taken care of by our 2 excellent safari guides and at each of our accommodation sites. Africa Dream Safari took care of our every need so that we were able to enjoy our time together witnessing unforgettable moments with the Big 5 and many more. We were blown away each day and amazed at how each day seemed to top the day before. Some of our treasured moments include viewing a...

Safari Dates: March 10, 2017 to March 18, 2017

How I Found My Hakuna Matata

Going on a safari was on my mother-in-law Joyce’s bucket list, not mine. Still, we gratefully accepted the invitation to accompany her. (We’re givers, I know.) For a year we received e-mails from Joyce admonishing us what to do to prepare for the trip to Tanzania (not the least of which was practicing taking a shower with our mouths closed). Care packages of DEET and rain ponchos arrived at our house. I stored them in a drawer and hoped I wouldn’t forget where I’d put them many months later when it came time to pack. The safari loomed in the future for so long. Now we have been and returned. It is over in time, but not gone.   When you don’t know what to expect in an experience, you allow...

An Amazing Experience With My Children And Grandsons

I am 71 years old, so I knew this trip would be physically and mentally difficult for me. My children called Michael Wishner a saint for answering my 100 or so anxious emails. The bumpy roads, all the shots, brushing our teeth with bottled water, upset stomach, dust despite the fact that we purposely traveled in April, the so called wet season, which was dry, no make-up, no hair dryers at most of the camps or AC which I happen to like, 7 airplane rides and last but not least, proximity to wild animals! But what an experience to share with my children and grandsons. My older grandson, at 16, wasn’t thrilled in the beginning because he only loves sports and isn’t particularly interested in...

Safari Dates: April 10, 2017 to April 17, 2017

Taking the Kids on a Journey through Africa They’ll Never Forget

I was fortunate enough to conduct a relatively short safari to the Serengeti with my family this April. Working for ADS, I’ve taken a number of safaris over the years but this was one of my best ones yet. We enjoyed four nights at Seronera Sametu Camp, an outstanding little bush camp that sits right at the edge of the famous Serengeti plains. This area is known as the big cat capital of Africa and I can’t imagine a better wildlife viewing experience anywhere in Africa. What I love about this area (besides the lion and cheetah viewing) is that due to its unique location at the woodlands-plains boundary, it contains an abundance of species that live in both habitats. From woodlands species...

Amazing Cheetah Video!

I’ve had lots of incredible wildlife encounters over the years having been fortunate enough to conduct dozens of safaris in the Serengeti. However, having cheetahs jump on my vehicle was one specific sighting that had always alluded me until last week on a recent trip to the Serengeti. Ironically, the night before we had a wonderful dinner lecture at our camp by Dennis Minja, the project manager of the Serengeti Cheetah Project (btw, I highly recommend adding this presentation if staying at Sametu Camp since Dennis is usually in the immediate area studying his cheetahs). Dennis was briefing us on the status of the cheetahs in the Serengeti, their behavior characteristics and the types of...

The Best Vacation Decision We Have Ever Made

After more than a year of planning and anticipation, our dream of an African safari became a reality when we were joined by our two adult sons and their wives in Tanzania for what can only be described as the trip of our lifetime! No amount of research or planning could have prepared us for the thrill of seeing for ourselves the endless line of wildebeest and zebra moving south through the plains of the Serengeti, the successful hunt of the cheetah amongst the grazing gazelle, or the lions resting lazily in the shade of our land cruiser! Add to that the leopard napping with its kill in the branches of a sausage tree, all of the elephants and giraffes, sighting two of the elusive black...

Safari Dates: January 24, 2017 to February 1, 2017

Thank You ADS For A Fantastic Experience!

Five years ago, my wife and I went on our first African safari with ADS. It was truly a trip of a lifetime! It was during that trip that we said to each other, We need to bring our grandchildren back here when they get old enough, and see this through their eyes! Well, our two oldest grandchildren are 13 and 15, and we felt this was the year to fulfill that wish. After much planning to find 10 days where we were all available, our son’s family of four along with my wife and myself embarked on our Tanzanian safari. There was no doubt that we would again choose ADS as our tour company based on the outstanding trip we had 5 years ago. We were not disappointed! From our planning with Michael to...

Our Family Adventure To The Serengeti!

Its only a few days after our return home, and we are still trying to fully absorb our experience with ADS. We were amazed by so many things that it is really hard to be able to write down how well things went, thanks to ADS. Arriving in Tanzania isn’t all that complicated but when you’ve traveled almost 24 straight hours, with 6 people, it can feel that way. It was great to see Mathias, as soon as we came into the building, at the Arusha airport. He efficiently got our visas, and helped us through the process. As we came out of the airport, his partner Ali took our bags, got us to the Mt. Meru hotel and checked into the hotel very quickly. The next day, when we landed at the Grumeti...

Safari Dates: May 14, 2016 to May 21, 2016

A Family Adventure To Tanzania

We arrived at night on March 16 2016 to a warm breeze in Arusha. Our driver handed us bracelets made by Masai women for us girls, along with stamped postcards too. We were escorted right through check in and fell exhausted onto our comfy beds at the nicest hotel in town. After a lovely breakfast on the porch our guide Patrick greeted us in the lobby with Masai gifts – beautifully beaded clubs (angoras) for the boys and traditional necklaces for the girls. After loading luggage and boxed lunches into the dark green jeep that was to be our transport for the coming days. We drove through small towns witnessing women carrying heavy loads on their heads, old men hawking batiks as the car...

Safari Dates: March 16, 2016 to March 26, 2016

Our Family’s Photo Safari To Tanzania

The safari was magnificent! David Chando was a fabulous guide. He was conscientious, knowledgeable, took great care of us and best of all understood what we, as photographers, needed. I hope you enjoy a selection of our most favorite safari photos below. Thank you Africa Dream Safaris! Paul, Daiva, Katarina, Jonas and Anastasija M. Downers Grove, Illinois Safari Dates: August 5, 2015 to August 12, 2015 King of the Serengeti Now For Somethiong Completely Different The Real Beasts Of The Serengeti Brothers Bird’s Eye View Jumping Jack Flash Dental Checkup Referee Conference Lone Ranger

Safari Dates: August 5, 2015 to August 12, 2015

A Cheetah on the Hood and a Safari Beyond Our Wildest Dreams!

After researching and being frustrated with other safari companies who would not help us with the intricate details of putting our safari together we finally found Africa Dream Safaris and what a relief that was. Right from the beginning Sharon put us at ease and was able to answer all of our many questions in detail. She listened to our desires and what was important to us and put together our perfect itinerary. After 3 flights and being in the air for hours and hours, we landed over an hour late at the Kilimanjaro Airport due to our flight being delayed. We so appreciated being quickly led to the VIP Lounge where we relaxed while others took care of all the paperwork for us. One of my...

Safari Dates: July 15, 2025 to July 28, 2025

The Greatest Travel Experience Of Our Lives!

Our experience started with ADS in 2019 with a 10-day safari planned for 2020 in Tanzania. Unfortunately, it was delayed due to the Covid shutdown. Then medical complications (a foot fusion surgery in 2022 and back surgery in 2023) caused additional delays until May 2025. These details are provided because ADS (Dawn Anderson) patiently stayed with us through our initial planning and subsequent delays and never wavered in her commitment to assist us whenever or however needed to plan the long awaited safari. And what a final plan it was! Her pleasant attitude, dedication and continued support simply has to be beyond comparison in the travel industry. OUR PERSONAL GUIDE AND DRIVER Russell is...

Safari Dates: May 12, 2025 to May 20, 2025

Our Safari with ADS: A Journey of Feelings, Not Just Words

Our visit to Tanzania wasn’t just a trip—it was a journey of feelings. From the very beginning, there was anticipation and a touch of anxiety. But planning everything with Ann Eilert, our pre-travel guide, immediately set us at ease. Her attention to detail—what to bring, the paperwork, procedures—was not only accurate, but incredibly comforting. There was a feeling of relief upon landing at Kilimanjaro Airport, where the VIP team greeted us, took care of our luggage and passports, and whisked us away to a lounge with snacks and a chance to relax. Then came our warm welcome from the “Meet and Greet” car and our driver Joseph, whose friendliness gave us our first true taste of Tanzanian...

Safari Dates: April 10, 2025 to April 22, 2025

Eagle Eye!

I want to start by saying the safari greatly surpassed our expectations. African Dream Safari took care of us from the time we landed in Kilimanjaro Airport until the time we departed for our trip home. It was an adventure of a lifetime. In the first hour of our safari we saw three of the big five game animals. By the end of our safari we saw all five! It was wonderful to see all of the animals in their own environment. The lodges were fantastic and the staff at all the lodges were so friendly and accommodating. The food was exceptional from the picnic breakfast and lunches to the dinners at the lodges. As regards to our excellent driver Ferouz, he was amazing and he could spot animals a...

Safari Dates: April 2, 2025 to April 12, 2025

Thank You For Making Our Dream Come True!

Africa Dream Safaris was wonderful from start to finish. They provided us with a package of very useful information prior to the trip. From the time we landed in Tanzania with a friendly face to welcome us, until we were returning to go home (so sad!), everything was very well planned. Our guide, Dhal, was fabulous! He was so knowledgeable about all the animals and their behavior, the culture, the geography, and Tanzania in general. We were able to see four of the Big five animals in the first 2 hours!! Dhal seemed to know exactly where the animals were located. He was like the animal whisperer! It just kept getting better and better each day, and far exceeded anything we could possibly...

Safari Dates: October 10, 2023 to October 21, 2023

Who Needs Roads Where We Traveled!

When we decided to go to Africa for a Safari we spent a month looking into different companies. We literally started from scratch not knowing a thing. We decided Africa Dream Safaris was the best choice. That had to be the understatement of the year. From the initial questions, conference calls, emails and phone calls, we were constantly impressed and excited. That being said, the Safari was 100 times more impressive. Every two days it was like, how can you out do this, yet with our guide Arnold it was certainly outdone each day. We were our own group of 4 from the start and felt like family by the end. Who needs roads where we traveled. We saw the big 5 within the first 6 days. Definitely...

Safari Dates: August 29, 2022 to September 7, 2022

Our Retirement Trip To Tanzania!

Amazing animals, excellent service, generous, warm people, exceptional guide – that describes our African Dream Safari in the Serengeti. Our ADS representative Dawn Anderson put together an unbelievable itinerary, with a great combination of tented camps and lodges. Each one with their own charm and warmth. Dawn was always available and ready to answer questions. This was our retirement trip and ADS made sure it was very special with a retirement dinner under the stars, Masai gifts, dances, fruit basket and sparkling wine and even a sundowner party and goodbye cake. They far exceeded any of our expectations. This trip was perfect from the start with the Meet and Greet staff at the airport...

Safari Dates: April 2, 2022 to April 13, 2022

The Gold Standard of African Safaris

Shortly after my 60th birthday, my wife and I decided to start researching a bucket list trip: an African safari. After contacting several companies, we easily settled on Africa Dream Safaris with Dawn Anderson as our advisor. Dawn was fantastic and really listened to what we were looking for, making suggestions to accommodate our every wish. In August 2025, we left Ohio for 12 days in Tanzania. After 22 hours of flights, we landed at Kilimanjaro and were comfortably escorted to the VIP customs lounge where we met our ADS rep for Arusha, Joseph. Getting through customs was very easy, and the lounge had snacks, comfortable couches, and clean bathrooms. After getting through the customs...

Safari Dates: August 1, 2025 to August 12, 2025

Kudos To Our Professional, Competent, Capable and Friendly Guide!

We went on a ten-day safari to Tanzania in March 2025 upon the strong recommendation of friends, and the safari exceeded our expectations in many ways. Primarily, what impressed us was Peter, our safari guide. Not only did he have extensive knowledge of the animals, birds, and flora, but he really understood the pace we hoped to enjoy. Peter was so accommodating with regards to moving the vehicle, stopping for long periods of time for us to take photos or simply observe animal behavior. Yes, we had an itinerary to follow, but our experience was excellent because we had the agency and freedom to stay put and see what we could see, which included a leopard hunting a waterbuck, a cheetah...

Safari Dates: March 28, 2025 to April 8, 2025

Thank You For A Dream Come True!

Africa in the spring is an amazing time to visit. We didn’t have the crowds; the weather was perfect and the animals were plentiful. And did I mention “babies”? So many babies! Lion cubs sauntering through the tall grass to the road. Cheetah cubs feasting on a fresh kill. Elephants milking from their mothers. There were baby zebras, wildebeest, impalas, hippopotamus and the lists go on. Of course, it helps to have an experienced and very friendly guide (Bernard) to take you on your game drives. We saw so many things we never expected to see. The knowledge our guide shared with us was endless!!! The best part of our trip was taking in the 360-degree view of it all. At one point, we saw...

Safari Dates: March 8, 2025 to March 15, 2025

Our Safari Was Magical Once Again!

Africa Dream Safaris sets the gold standard for all other safari companies. This was our second trip with ADS. Ann Eilert expertly and patiently organized our safari. She was genuinely interested in preparing us for all aspects of our upcoming adventure. When we arrived in Tanzania, we were immediately met by VIP representatives who whisked us away from the crowds into a lovely reception room with snacks and beverages. Joseph, the ADS representative, took care of us in Arusha and we felt well-cared for with him in charge. We stayed 2 nights at the Arusha Coffee Lodge which included a fascinating tour of the coffee plantation and then flew off to the Serengeti to meet our driver/guide...

Safari Dates: April 25, 2025 to May 4, 2025

We Were Blessed With An Outstanding Guide!

We received everything we expected and more during our Africain Dreams Safari trip to Tanzania. From the moment we got off the plane in Kilimanjaro we felt part of a wonderful family. Getting through customs by ‘skipping the line’, was a real plus after a long flight. We felt like celebrities arriving at Kilimanjaro airport. The short trip to the Lake Duluti Lodge brought us to our first night with a beautiful room including a fourposter bed and a huge tub which provided relief after the long flights. Dinner was served in an elegant dining room as well. The second day we drove early in the morning through Arusha while sightseeing the various shops, local people, and the various modes of...

Safari Dates: September 13, 2024 to September 21, 2024

This Was The Experience Of A Lifetime!

Africa Dream Safaris (ADS) was recommended to us by a friend who booked a Serengeti trip.  It was a great recommendation as we were absolutely impressed with their overall program. We arrived in Kilimanjaro from Amsterdam, and ADS had someone meet us off the plane and guide us through immigration and customs.  It took about 10 minutes. We then met their Arusha based team who drove us 1 hour and 10 minutes to the Coffee Lodge.  This really is a very nice hotel with large rooms and excellent service. The next morning, we had an early flight to Central Serengeti.  We landed at Seronera Airstrip where we were met off the plane by our guide Michael. Over the course of a week he took excellent...

Safari Dates: July 15, 2024 to July 22, 2024

Celebrating Our 40th Wedding Anniversary In Tanzania!

I can’t even begin to tell you how wonderful our anniversary safari trip was. ADS and Tanzania exceeded our expectations in every way. We did not have one problem. Everyone was helpful and kind. Michael, our guide, was AMAZING! He knew all about Tanzania, every animal, their behavior, and where to position the Land Cruiser for the best view and photos. He was able to spot the wildlife when they were hardly visible to the eye. How does he do that? Michael also knew when to watch and wait for an animal to see a particularly interesting behavior and it paid off handsomely. He is an excellent driver too. We can’t say enough about how impressed we were with him. He took care of us so well. We...

Safari Dates: August 16, 2023 to August 26, 2023

Amazing Tanzanian Adventure!

All I can say is what an amazing time we had touring Tanzania with African Dream Safaris. It was an incredible journey from the beginning planning stages working with Dawn. She helped with planning and scheduling with our changes and ultimately gave us an incredible anniversary trip. The Hemingway experience was all it promised to be and more. The camps we stayed in were absolutely amazing. The staff were friendly and attentive to all our needs. They truly went above and beyond. The food was delicious from breakfast to picnic lunches to dinner and many choices. From the time we got off the plane at Kilimanjaro airport to transport back to airport, we were guided by great staff and felt...

Safari Dates: September 1, 2023 to September 9, 2023

Perfect in Every Way

We had considered a safari for decades yet never found a company that provided the type of private safari that we hoped to experience. After much research and comparing safari companies, we focused our attention on Africa Dream Safaris by communicating directly with Dawn. A lengthy and detailed phone conversation solidified our decision that Africa Dream Safaris was the company that would help us meet our goals. Our goals were two-fold: to experience the unique culture(s) of Tanzania (while avoiding “tourist areas”) and “to see as many different animals and wildlife as possible” during game drives. Dawn patiently worked with us during the process of planning our days to include visits to...

Safari Dates: October 1, 2025 to October 13, 2025

ADS Was The Best Decision We Made For Our Honeymoon!

From the second we arrived at the airport to the moment we were dropped off, everything about this experience exceeded our expectations. This was our very first safari and to say that it was an amazing experience is an undersell. We genuinely could not have had as phenomenal of a time as we did during those 9 days if it wasn’t for our AMAZING safari guide Fazal and the generous, kind, and incredibly welcoming staff at each of the Hemingway locations we stayed at (Mara River, Sametu, and Lion’s Paw). From the quality of the accommodations to the precious care they took of us with the big and small surprises we were peppered with in each stay (shout out for Patrick, Ramadhani, Frankie and...

Safari Dates: September 25, 2024 to October 1, 2024

Bill and Cyndi’s Safari Story!

We’d had a Serengeti National Park safari on our bucket list for several years, but we weren’t sure if it was ever going to come to fruition. However, one of my wife’s good friends booked a safari through Africa Dream Safaris (ADS) and was thoroughly impressed with the results, so we decided to give it a go. We were not disappointed! We started out on the morning of Aug. 6th and arrived in Tanzania at around 9:00PM on Aug. 7th. We were met at the Kilimanjaro airport by an ADS rep, who ushered us through the customs process and then to our transportation to Arusha, which was with ADS rep Joseph and a driver. One thing I’d like to point out is that someone from ADS is always with you, which...

Safari Dates: August 7, 2024 to August 16, 2024

Going On Safari With Africa Dream Safaris Is Truly An Elevated Experience!

We have recently returned from our second safari with Africa Dream Safaris (ADS) and all I can say is it was truly a trip of a lifetime! Admittedly, I was reluctant to return to the Serengeti after our trip with ADS in 2018. I was concerned that it might be a let down the second time around as our first trip was an amazing, life altering experience. My wife Donna has a certain persistent way about her and lucky for us we returned! My skepticism couldn’t have been more wrong as Sharon pulled out all the stops to deliver a truly amazing experience. Your elevated experience with ADS begins with you being escorted to the private, air conditioned VIP arrivals lounge at Kilimanjaro airport. Then...

Safari Dates: March 4, 2024 to March 14, 2024

The World Back In Perspective…

Thank you for helping us to put our busy lives and the crises filled world in perspective. In just 7 days, you brought into focus the wonder of nature, the warmth and kindness found in mankind, and the tranquility of immersing oneself in a patient search for beauty in our midst. We cannot imagine this possibility without the attentive and thoughtful guidance of the Africa Dream Safaris team. From our first conversation with Sharon Lyon about our dreams for a safari over a year ago until our escort to Kilimanjaro Airport by Bernard and Esther for our return flight last week, every detail was stress free and luxurious. ADS identified the best time of year for our interests and most suitable...

Safari Dates: August 1, 2023 to August 8, 2023

Take The Time To Do The Things You Never Had!

Africa was never on our radar or bucket list, but my dad had planted the seed with my brother and mentioned it to us and the search was on! Being recently retired there was never a hesitation in saying, yes!  Not knowing anyone who had been on a safari led to our search and exploring on our own. The goal was Africa with the 4 of us in a safari truck and to be able to see what we could see! From our first contact with ADS team member, Dawn she walked with us the entire way by answering questions in emails, phone calls and even had zoom meetings. She was very thorough, and no question was left unanswered. We chose African Dreams Safari, and it was more than phenomenal! Covid and a year or...

Safari Dates: August 26, 2022 to September 7, 2022

The Third Time Was The Charm!

Friends and family members were asking WHY? Why are you going on a safari…for the THIRD time? It’s really hard to explain to someone who hasn’t been to Tanzania on a safari the “why”. There are many reasons why… The people – they are so friendly, welcoming, their smiles so sincere The vastness of the land, the peace and tranquility, the beauty The sunrises and sunsets The animals, not only the big five, but all the other animals and birds…ones you’ve never even heard of! To try and put all of that into words for others to understand is hard. How do you capture a feeling? I tried to explain… The awe, wonder, the vastness of the migration? Animals as far as you can see in every direction...

Safari Dates: August 26, 2022 to September 8, 2022

From Beginning To End, The Africa Dream Team Delivered!

This trip was a long time in the planning. From our first contact back in 2019, our Safari consultant Dawn Anderson was encouraging, a wealth of knowledge and patient. We knew we wanted to do a safari for our 30th Wedding Anniversary in September 2022 and we knew we wanted Tanzania – the migration, the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater. We also wanted a private experience so we could go at our pace and see what we wanted to see. When the ban on international travel lifted in Canada in the fall of 2021, we finally booked! Then we waited and watched the pandemic run its course. Grateful does not begin to describe how we feel that this trip of a lifetime happened with no disruptions or delays...

Safari Dates: September 6, 2022 to September 17, 2022

We Had So Many Wow Moments!

Wow! There aren’t enough superlatives to describe our September safari with ADS. While my husband and I are frequent travelers and have enjoyed many wonderful expeditions, we had no idea how magical and unique this immersive experience would be. We chose ADS because my brother and sister-in-law had recently traveled with ADS. My sister-in-law does her homework when she travels so we knew we didn’t need to look elsewhere. She always finds the best. As expected, ADS did not disappoint. In Dawn’s capable hands, trip planning went flawlessly. When the day finally arrived, we found ourselves in good hands with Mathias who greeted us in Arusha and sent us on our way to Northern Serengeti after a...

Safari Dates: September 11, 2019 to September 20, 2019

Experience of a Lifetime

Going on a Safari has always been on our bucket list of ‘want to do’s’. But fears of distance, unknowns and where to go caused hesitation. Then a year ago our friends who had gone on a Tanzanian safari encouraged us. Well this got my husband and I thinking…we should just do it. We started our research and found Africa Dream Safari online. What got us interested in ADS was the fact we could go on a “private safari” just the two of us, a guide and safari truck. We are in our 70’s and wanted to be able to schedule the days to our needs. We found this to work well. And so our ADS Safari began to take shape with Michael guiding us. We chose our dates. We wanted to be in the North for the Great...

Safari Dates: August 28, 2019 to September 5, 2019

Our 3rd Safari With ADS

If a Serengeti safari isn’t on your bucket list, it should be. When my wife and I first discussed the possibility of a trip to see the Great Migration I was very nervous. I felt this type of vacation was outside of my comfort zone. We researched dozens of safari companies and after much deliberation ultimately decided on Africa Dream Safaris. Michael was extraordinarily patient with us and happily answered every question we could come up with. On all 3 of our safaris we have been warmly and professionally met at the Kilimanjaro airport by Mattias. He helped gather our luggage and loaded it into a waiting ADS vehicle for transport to the hotel in Arusha. On this trip we spent our first 4...

Safari Dates: May 19, 2019 to May 31, 2019

This Is Not a Vacation It Is a Lifetime Experience

On the second day of our safari in March of 2019 I asked my wife, “How do you like our vacation?” “It is not a vacation, it is a lifetime experience!” she replied. The next 13 days totally verified how true that statement was. All of our senses filled us with wonder, joy and extraordinary new memories throughout the trip. It all started a year before our trip when I suggested that we take a trip to Africa. I have been to South Africa twice and wanted to share what I had seen with my wife who had never been to Africa. At first she was reluctant but I kept sending her information and videos about African safaris from my searches on the Internet and ultimately she decided a trip to Africa was...

Safari Dates: March 7, 2019 to March 21, 2019

Romantic Safari Getaways

What could be more romantic, adventurous and memorable than an african safari getaway? Over the past 20 years, we’ve hosted more honeymoon and anniversary safaris than we can count. Each of these private romantic vacations was custom-tailored to ensure that each and every desire was fulfilled. This collection of safari stories and trip enhancements offers a glimpse into the infinite possibilities for creating the trip of a lifetime for two. Imagine endless savannas teeming with millions of wildebeest, towering boulders sprawling with tawny lions, and collapsed volcanoes brimming in mist. Imagine a place completely unaware of civilization, where wildlife still reigns supreme. It is hard to...

Safari Dates: August 31, 2015 to September 16, 2015

Words Can’t Describe Our Safari!

Early last year, my wife and I planned our 30th wedding anniversary present to each other and our family – a safari to Africa. I must have looked through dozens of websites to try to learn as much as I could about where to visit, the best time to visit, and how to visit. It all seemed so complicated, until we came across African Dream Safari’s website. ADS’ website was so helpful and we soon had our trip booked to visit Tanzania’s Serengeti and the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater. I must admit, we were somewhat anxious about what to expect before our journey began. We had read so many wonderful travel blogs about past ADS safaris and the pictures were just amazing. Could they all truly...

Safari Dates: August 15, 2017 to August 24, 2017

A Herd Of Elephants Wandered Between Our Tents!

We have just recently returned from our safari to Tanzania which was arranged by African Dream Safaris. After researching many private safari operators we selected ADS and this was the best travel decision we have ever made. From the time our plane landed in Kilimanjaro until our departure eleven days later everything was handled in a professional, friendly manner by competent ADS personnel. My wife and I are celebrating our 50th anniversary this year and wanted to do something very special. A safari was always number one on my wife’s bucket list but I was somewhat ambivalent. Within ten minutes of leaving the small airstrip in the West Serengeti I was hooked. We were joined by my brother...

Safari Dates: May 6, 2017 to May 16, 2017

A Most Memorable 40th Wedding Anniversary Celebration!

Jambo!! My wife and I celebrated 40 years of marriage in June 2016. To celebrate our milestone, we booked our ADS Safari and looked forward to this great lifetime experience! Our 10 day ADS Safari was April 2nd 2017 to April 12th 2017. We arrived in Arusha where we were met at the airport by Mathias and our wonderful Safari Guide, Russell. We spent two nights at the Mount Meru Hotel for a much needed rest and city tour of Arusha before venturing out into the Serengeti on our Safari! We flew out on a bush plane the morning of April 4th to Central Serengeti where Russell met us at the air strip and from there we embarked on our wonderful Safari! Upon leaving the air strip, we immediately saw...

Safari Dates: April 2, 2017 to April 12, 2017

I Had Always Wanted To See The Great Migration

Our safari began, as so many others have described, with arrival at Kilimanjaro airport and a swift and easy passage through customs and arrival at Mount Meru Resort in Arusha. The following day we were treated to a tour of Arusha with an informative, detailed running commentary by Mathias and Joseph about the city, its people, and industries. We also toured the Cultural Heritage Center that holds a vast collection of paintings, carvings, and jewelry. The following morning we flew from Arusha regional airport to the Mara River Airstrip in the northern Serengeti where we were met by our guide/driver Anglebert. From here, and for the next 12 days, our animal sighting experience was beyond our...

Safari Dates: August 28, 2016 to September 11, 2016