I can’t say enough about how great Alex was. He was kind, thoughtful, humble, knowledgeable, funny, easy going, and seemed to anticipate what we wanted and needed. As a group of four women, we always felt safe. He gave us advice on how to handle different situations such as some of the more aggressive souvenir vendors which was perfect. Anne had been to Kenya and had seen four of the “big five,” so, daily, she told Alex, how she was expecting to see that fifth animal, a leopard. He handled all of our ribbing with grace, and we did indeed, get to see more than one leopard! How he could spot some of the animals was amazing. He was always very careful driving, too. I hated saying good bye to him!
“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.”