Noel made our experience in Tanzania with Access 2 Tanzania an incredible adventure. He was very patient with all of our questions, knowledgeable about the animals and plants and, because he valued accuracy, thorough in his occasional search for correct identification, open to explaining his culture, able to take friendly ribbing, hospitable, and funny, as well as careful and respectful in his driving habits. We were very comfortable with his following the law about not going off-road through the bush; however, we saw other guides who had no compunction about flaunting the rule: one driver chased a cheetah mother and her cub through the high grass so that his clients could get a better look at them! Noel was also very open to our inquiries about how and why he became a guide, his family, and his daily life. He was certainly someone with whom I was happy to spend 12 hours a day. At the end of the trip we practically viewed him as a son and he addressed me with the same respectful greeting that he would his mother.
“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.”