Travel reviews by Amy from Sacramento

"We had a great two-night stay at Onsea House.

We got into Kilimanjaro Airport late in the evening, and we were met at the airport and taken to Onsea House, which is about a 45-minute drive. On arrival, we were given cool towels and freshly squeezed juice. Our rooms were in the newer Machweo section of the inn, and they were much nicer than we had expected! The decor is inviting and elegant, and the beds are extremely comfortable.

But the best part of our stay was the FOOD. We are foodies and we've eaten at many great restaurants, and the food here is outstanding. We were served an amazing multi-course dinner after our late arrival, and all of our other meals were equally excellent. If you book at Onsea House, I highly recommend doing the all-inclusive full-board option.

They are very generous with the food and wine/beer - you will definitely get your money's worth, and it's nice to not worry about the cost of each item you're ordering."

"I had high expectations for Greystoke Mahale. I've been dreaming of going there for years, and I was afraid it wouldn't live up to the amazing things I've heard and read about it. It turned out to be even better than I could have possibly imagined! This is a truly magical place, and there's no place like it anywhere in the world.

We spent four days trekking and interacting with chimps and monkeys, relaxing on the white-sand beach, swimming in the amazingly clear water, fishing off the wooden dhow, playing with Big Bird the Pelican, kayaking from the beach, and hiking the gorgeous forest trails. The thatched-roof bandas are whimsical and luxurious at the same time. They're made entirely from reclaimed dhows (boats), and they are completely open to the environment (there's just a mosquito net around the bed at night), and yet it feels safe, secure, and a little adventurous. The food was delicious and plentiful, and the service was flawless.

Kate and Cameron, the managers, created a very relaxed and easy vibe, where nothing is a problem and everything is possible. I had been concerned about whether we would want to swim in the lake.. I had heard about crocs, hippos, water cobras, bilharzia, etc. Once we got there, we realized that there was nothing to worry about. The water is slightly alkaline, which keeps it crystal clear and makes it feel very silky and soft on your skin - we didn't want to get out of the water once we were in it! The worrisome creatures only hang out near the rocky shoreline areas, so all you have to do is stay well away from the rocks and there's nothing to worry about.

I really can't say enough good things about Greystoke Mahale. If you have a chance to go there, don't hesitate - just go!"

"Our experience at Alex Walker's Serian camp in the northern Serengeti was mixed. The biggest strength of the camp was the quality of the guiding and the overall wildlife experience. Having a private open-sided vehicle with our own guide and spotter was amazing! The guides are very well-trained, and having a spotter in addition to a driver/guide meant that we found animals that others might have missed. Our guide Michael and our spotter Puce were an excellent team, and they went out of their way to make our experience great.

On the other hand the camp itself was very disappointing, which mainly seemed to be due to poor management. The staff was good and they worked very hard, but the tents were a bit shabby with very poor attention to detail. The main mess area was cramped and stuffy, and the camp as a whole was not a very comfortable place to hang out. The camp is located in an open area with no water or trees nearby, so it just bakes in the sun all day. The paths from the tents to the main mess area are long, dusty, and unshaded.

Strangely, we did not hear or see any wildlife from our tent or the camp over the four days we spent there. Probably just a result of timing and luck, but we missed hearing the nighttime sounds that we've experienced on other safaris."

"The Nomad camp at Kuro Tarangire is beautifully designed and located. The main dining and lounging area is light and airy, with chic design using gorgeous local crafts and textiles. The camp is located along a wildlife corridor, so we were able to see elephants, impala, zebra, giraffe, and waterbuck walk by (in the distance) as we ate meals or relaxed with a drink. The individual tents are very well-appointed and comfortable, and the service couldn't have been better.

As far as the park and the wildlife, I would caution anyone considering Tarangire that the guides are required to stay on the main park roads, so we were unable to get very close to any of the animals. We did have good elephant sightings, as they are extremely common and easy to see in Tarangire. There were many other vehicles in the park, and overall it didn't have a very wild feel to it.

On our first morning game drive, rather than stopping for a breakfast in the bush, our guide drove us to a designated national park picnic area, which was paved and developed, with a large parking lot and a bunch of ugly plastic picnic tables. There were 5 or 6 other groups there having breakfast there as well. All of the vehicles at Kuro Camp are fully enclosed with a pop-top roof, rather than the open-sided vehicles that we had been promised. Our guide seemed rather bored and uninterested in guiding, and he ended up functioning more as a driver than as a guide, so our wildlife experience was disappointing.

I would also caution that the tsetse flies are pretty thick in Tarangire!"