What sort of place is it that combines a beachside holiday....and ready access to the chimpanzees?

Chada Katavi

 

Kristen and Mark, the relieving managers, were marvelous hosts. They know Chada Katavi so well, having been managers there in their own right for two years. We loved the wildness. Michael was in fact stuck in the boys’ tent for 40 minutes one afternoon when an elephant mooched around outside.

The game viewing was thin; Geoff Cousins, another Classic Safari client, said it was very thin compared to what he had seen at Chada Katavi eight years ago. But we weren’t bored: the bird life, a real interest of Jan’s, was wonderful, and we had lots of contact with a large pride, always exciting.

So we loved Chada Katavi, a very different experience. Again, it was terrific to meet Geoff, his son and daughter and an American couple as we all travelled to Greystokes togther for the last leg.  We were very fortunate to spend a week with these people in western Tanzania. As a group we had quite a reputation by the time we went on to Greystokes.

Greystokes Mahale

Magic from the first time you see it. We could easily return to spend a week there, combining it with time at say Lamai where the Cousins were going after we parted ways. I’ll talk to you about that. It seems the migrations had just reached Lamai.

What sort of place is it that combines a beachside holiday with a mountain backdrop, an extraordinary sheet of fresh water and ready access to the chimpanzees?  Yes we were lucky there too: on our two viewing days they were never more than 20 minutes walk from the beach.

TS July 2012

The best holiday our family has ever taken...

Hello all,

We have returned from our trip to Tanzania/Zanzibar with more memories and good feelings than any other trip our family has taken.   Tanzania is a spectacular country and seeing it with Nomad made it that much more so.  From the magnificent settings of the camps, to the knowledgeable and friendly guides who we embraced as part of our family; to the amenities and outstanding camp managers; to the delicious food; to the organized transport from camp to camp; and especially, the exciting activities that made each day so full and satisfying.   It was a trip that we will always remember.   

We had never been to Africa nor had we been on a vacation of this type but if one could describe a safari company as having a “corporate” culture, Nomad certainly does.  Every aspect of the experience at Nomad camps was not only well thought out and made good sense, but also created a feeling that can be summed up with the words “good taste.”   Besides the excellent accommodations, there are quirky and clever touches and pleasant little surprises at each site.  All are done in a casual and effortless style which belies the hard work that goes into creating a first class experience for guests in very remote settings. 

Do I give you the impression that we had a good time??   It was the best holiday our family has ever taken and we are grateful to have had the experience.  Thank you to Ubuntu for exposing us to Tanzania at the gala we attended back in 2010 and thank you to Beth who helped liaise with Nomad.  Thank you to everyone at the Nomad camps who we will never forget.   We will be back!  

HS, July 2012

Lovely Lamai...

Lamai Serengeti sensational....setting, panoramic.  Rooms excellent (water fluky heat sometimes but that's part of the fun in remote areas).  Food excellent....gourmet often, excellent produce for salads etc, staff lovely, managers Sacha and Tamlyn very helpful and seem very good.  Emmanuel a very good and friendly guide too ( and a fantastic driver through slippery mud!).  Animals excellent too.  It deserves the accolades. Catered to Madds brilliantly.

J&C, June 2012

Game galore at Serengeti Safari Camp

We saw a cheetah (at a distance), a leopard (in a tree) and two black rhino (partially hidden in the long grass) as well as lions, baboons, elephants, giraffes, hippos, birds, wildebeests and more. We chanced upon a lion and her meal, and in the crater, a little gruesome, but we saw hyenas feasting on a wildebeest. Also in the crater, a bull elephant stepped onto the path we were traveling on to have his meal so we had to stop and wait for him to finish---quite refreshing. We came across some lions resting in the afternoon sun and a lioness lay right at the wheel of our vehicle and looked up at us---so close! 

We saw and heard hundreds of wildebeests a few times and once, hundreds crossed our path and we had to wait for them before proceeding. Unfortunately we did not see a river crossing.

The tented camp was lovely - so well organised - the warm water bottle at night, the wake up call with a warm beverage of your choice and a very comfortable bed. The bucket showers made showering a little more exciting. Again the communal dinners were enjoyable and we always started with a chat around the fire and on some days - more stories around the fire after dinner.

VG June 2012