Raymond was phenomenal! He insisted on picking us up, even though our flight arrived at 1:30AM and his enthusiasm was infectious from the minute we met him. He made our safari experience a trip of a lifetime with his in-depth knowledge, wonderful stories, and friendship. We love history and politics and Ray was a perfect match for us. His knowledge of Tanzania’s rich history as well as its current sociopolitical landscape, made for great discussions every day! In addition, his driving was fantastic and we always felt safe with him at the helm. He always went above and beyond to make the trip memorable in little ways. For example, when I had mentioned in passing that I would love to try Chipsi mayai, he secretly went to the chef at a camp we were staying at and asked them to make it for me one evening. We would highly recommend Ray to others travelers using Access to Tanzania!
“Every detail was meticulously planned and perfectly suited to our needs. It was obvious that Karen paid careful attention to how we prefer to experience travel and matched us with a guide who perfectly suited our style. Barney was incredibly professional and let us set the tone and pace. He is an outstanding guide in so many ways; he quickly read us and we bonded immediately. Throughout the journey it was obvious that Barney is well respected by the other guides and they often follow his lead because he knows where to go and how to find the animals. He is also an incredible photographer–I got to a point where I just handed him my phone and he meticulously captured our trip. With no exaggeration, our 8 days with Barney were life changing and we think of him each and every day.
While we requested clean and comfortable accommodations with private baths, every place we stayed far exceeded our expectations. Nyikani and Mara Mara were the standout favorites. I have spoken with folks who were unsure and had reservations about the food that would be provided. We ate incredibly well–food was more than plentiful, very good to extremely delicious, and the soups were the best I have ever eaten. Service was consistently exceptional.
Honestly, we can’t say enough positive things about our experience and have been recommending Access 2 Tanzania and Barney to all we can.”