Gerry was a star! His passion for the animals, his professionalism, his social awareness, his stories, his laugh and ‘the safari bible’ were all incredibly memorable. We loved sitting at picnic (whether Tarangire, Mto wa Mbu, Ngorongoro, Serengeti) or at the lodges and just talking. We learned so much about Tanzania, the people, and the culture from Gerry. The safari picnics were so enjoyable – great spread from the lodges, Gerry with the utensils and beverages! We saw all of the Big 5 (and Honorable Mention – Gerry knows who that is! 🙂 ) many times over. Gerry had an idea/plan/schedule for each of the days that we modified when it made sense and he was good with that flexibility. Gerry was visible and present throughout our stay in Tanzania, always just the right amount of being there without being overly there. And we really liked that he always took care of the locals – no food went to waste, small cash tips here and there for whomever helped us out, all of which felt very considerate and appropriate. In a country where the scenery, the animals, and the people are the stars of the show, Gerry gets the Best Director or Best Choreography award.
“First of all, I love that it is associated with Project Zawadi. It felt good enjoying the tour and knowing we were contributing to educational projects in Tanzania. Everything was done professionally and very much catered to our needs. Our guides were fabulous! We asked them hundreds of questions and they could answer about most everything – animal habits, climate, geography. My companion was older and a good friend, but I found she often relied on my to carry her things, help her with her camera or help her in and out of the jeep. It wasn’t long before Wilfred noticed and stepped in. And he did it in a way that made her feel special. His taking on this extra responsibility allowed me to more freely enjoy myself and not miss some of the opportunities I might have if he had not been looking out for her. Ray told us, “You came us our guest but we left as friends.” I couldn’t agree more.”