Top notch from start to finish
Andrew, Andrew, Andrew. From the moment he greeted us at the airport, his happy personality and upbeat spirit immediately let us know we were in good hands and in for a great time. Andrew was a wealth of knowledge regarding the animals, landscape, people and anything Tanzania. We laughed so much and within days, Andrew knew what we wanted like to be out all day on game drives, explore off the beaten path (which meant we found some great private animal viewings that were spectacular), and how to make us laugh. Andrew noticed quickly that I was really into photography and needed the best angles and light for shots and I was amazed at how me would position the car just right for a stunning shot. He knew little things too like to shut the car off every time I was shooting pictures to minimize vibrations. I trusted Andrew whenever he said ” can I move the car” because even if I was in the middle of shooting what was great, it never failed that moving the car meant something grander. He would move us 100-200 yards up the road away from the activity and at first would wonder why but every time, the action followed us.He knows the animals behaviors. Andrew was truly the best guide and I was sad to say goodbye to him when we left after spending 11 days together but promised him we would be back. We never did the “get a pic and leave” but would often sit and watch the animals for long periods of time while he explained the interactions or just sit quietly and enjoy the experience. When everyone else left a site because the lion was simply sleep, Andrew backed the car up and said ” let’s eat lunch here.” We didn’t question, but 20 minutes later, he pulled up to the rock where the lion had moved to the grass and told us to watch. All alone, we watched cubs venture from the brush to the mom to nurse. Incredible! This happened over and over on the trip because we simply sat and watched. Patience is key as well as trusting the guide. We learned to never question when he quickly said we needed to go. They are the best.
“Overall, we had a very good impression of A2T as a company. A2T had been undoubtedly very customer-oriented, which was evident from the very beginning of the tour, that is, booking. The extra mile A2T spent on calls to understand our requirements and then come up with the final itinerary was ver assuring. Later we almost had to backtrack from the trip due to Ebola concerns, and the extra time allowed for us to make the final decision was very helpful.
Later on during the trip, we had a special situation which required overnight usage of electricity. Our guide, Mussa, and Stella from the Arusha office really reached out to resolve that issue by sending a charger from Arusha to Karatu. The solution was impressive (also unexpected), and it became just another good example of A2T’s emphasis on customer services.
Our guide, Mussa, was great. We all liked him very much. I will talk more about him later (assuming there is another column to discuss).”