Honeymoon Testimonials

As for the honeymoon, we could of not asked for a better trip. Every last detail was thought of.

Selous was beautiful, your explanation to us was exactly how it was, un-crowded, excellent service, great game and fantastic location. We saw many animals including the elusive African Wild Dogs, which were truly amazing, many lions, including a buffalo and a wilderbeest kill, which were fantastic to see, we felt very lucky and our game guide Mtumbo, had great knowledge of all the animals and great enthusiasm for his job.

The Selous Safari Camp was outstanding. The staff were so friendly and attended to all our needs. Our room was amazing and for a few days we had a giraffe grazing off the tree just by our veranda.

After all the action of the safari it was so relaxing at Shooting Star Lodge.  Once again great staff who looked after us really well and made our stay so comfortable. 

We would both like to say thank you so much, James, for such a memorable honeymoon, we have nothing but praise for Aardvark Safaris.

Alexandra and Wayne Martin, Wiltshire, England

Firstly, let me start by thanking you so much for an absolutely perfect honeymoon. It was amazing from start to finish and seamlessly linked without hitch or hiccup.

Zanzibar was fantastic and an ideal place for us to gather ourselves after the whirlwind that was the wedding (which also went without hitch, and was a brilliant day, except for a little rain!).

Recharged and very excited it was then off to Selous....it was everything we had hoped for. Great location, beautiful accommodation, excellent food and the guides and all the staff at the camp were brilliant.

It was tough to leave the game reserve on the Tuesday, but you had really saved the best for last, and when we arrived at Ras Kutani we couldn't believe it. It was pure luxury. Our suite was incredible, the food was amazing and again all the staff were fantastic. Marc and Lana certainly know what they are doing, with great emphasis on the personal touch. It was the perfect end to a pretty much perfect honeymoon, so once again on behalf of myself and Clare, thank you so much.

Clare and Mark Weaver, Hampshire, England

Dermot and I wanted to say a big thank you for the effort you put in to make our honeymoon such an amazing trip.  

We really appreciated all the work you put into refining our trip and making it so individual to us.  We absolutely loved all the places we stayed at that you'd recommended as they really suited us and also helping ensure we had some lovely restaurant bookings in place over the busy Christmas and New Year period was great.  

Having the detailed driving instructions between each place was incredibly helpful and made the whole process much less stressful knowing where we were going!

Victoria and Dermot Bailie, Edinburgh, Scotland

We have just returned from our Honeymoon staying 4 nights at Selous Impala Camp, Tanzania and 8 nights at Breezes beach resort, Zanzibar. 

We had received lots of conflicting information about where to go for safaris and in the end I contacted Sarah at Aardvark who put together the perfect holiday for us even though we were fairly vague about what we actually wanted.

Having never been to Africa before we can honestly say the whole experience from start to finish was just fantastic especially the Safari. 

At the Selous Impala camp as we were treated like royalty and had our own personal guide.  We saw all the big game including leopards.  Breezes was very relaxing and we were able to unwind, chill and get a few scuba dives in.

We paid more than we expected but that was just down to ignorance on our part about how much these things cost.  In the end we decided it was not worth skimping on something so important and I would definitely recommend Aardvark if you are looking for a tailor made holiday!

Jane and Del Buckle-Hopkins, Kent, England

Our trip was absolutely fantastic. Where do I start?

Selous Impala Camp was a wonderful little place. The camp managers Barbara, Lorenzo and Andrea were really easy to get on with and couldn't do enough for us. The staff team as a whole were all lovely, and made us feel very welcome. Accommodation, food etc were all of an excellent standard and we have no complaints, just praise.

As for the wildlife, all I can say is WOW! We had literally just left the airport in the reserve when we were in the thick of it, giraffe, impala, vultures, baboons, hippo all just beyond touching distance (which was probably for the best). The guides were very knowledgeable and passionate for the local wildlife and surroundings, and if it wasn't for them I am sure we wouldn't have seen as much as we did do! We were lucky enough to see two male Lions taking a nap in the shade of some trees, as well as a few days later seeing a pride of 8 young lions playing whilst we believe the adult females were away hunting. Out of the different types of safari we did, I think the walking safari one was the best ways of experiencing the wild. Even though we didn’t get to see any leopard, just the mention, of Makumba our guide, saying "there are probably 2 or 3 leopard watching you now" was enough to make the hairs stand up on my neck!! No zoo, fenced park will ever get near to the experience of seeing these animals in their habitat.

When we came to leave Selous Impala camp, we were very sad but probably had seen as much as we were going to see, so the trip to Zanzibar was a welcome change. And my, what different worlds Selous and Zanzibar are. Our hotel, Breezes Beach Club, was beautiful, and again the staff were very helpful and welcoming. Our room was fantastic and the quality of the food was exceptional! We managed to see some more wildlife in Zanzibar, notably the Red Colobus monkeys and some dolphin on one of our trips.

This 'belated' honeymoon was an experience we will never forget, and will be very hard to better. We have definitely got the safari bug, if not the safari budget!! The service that Aardvark safaris provided us throughout our booking was second to none, and something we've never experienced with the larger, more commonly known tour operators. For this we are very grateful.

Aidan and Gemma Lever, Jersey

It was AMAZING, incredible, fantastic!! We had the best time ever! From beginning to end it was perfect so thank you so much for all your help in organising it.

The Seychelles were lovely - really relaxing and very spoiling! Our room was perfect and the service was faultless. The resort was very quiet and actually it was lovely to just relax and spend time together after the chaos of the wedding.

Kenya was my favourite part - totally fantastic. I cannot rate Kicheche Mara camp highly enough. Everything was superb; people, food, tents, guides - amazing amazing amazing. We saw SO much our first full day out before lunch we had seen the big 5 incl a black rhino, two cheetahs, endless lions and a crossing on the Mara river which was so spectacular!! Our guide Jimmy was a legend he really knew his stuff, and the new managers (who official started the morning we arrived) were lovely - they even got us a bottle of sparkling wine which they left in our tent and which we had for sundowners watching three lionesses. The flights and everything worked out brilliantly (quite a long wait in Nairobi on way back but that was ok). Machuscula House was also good - little eccentric in ways but that added to its charm and the people there were also lovely.

Bush and Beyond were great especially in relation to my charger. Unfortunately the one my mum sent (at unbelievable expense - oops!!) was held in customs so Chris kindly picked that up and I got it on the way home. He was a total star and went and found me one in Nairobi which he sent with his driver when we arrived in Kenya! So grateful as I learnt a lot about my camera from the guy who shared the guide with us and I ended up taking over 1200 photos!! Major editing required!

Anyway, that's about it - if you have anything else you wanted feedback on just email. Once again thank you and Gale so much for all your help in ensuring we had the most amazing honeymoon ever!

Robbie and Holly Longstaff, Lincolnshire, England

We loved Mdonya and Lake Manze: waking up with many elephants having their breakfast in front of our tent, using candles and tornado lamps in the tent,listening to the sounds of animals in the nightwas a unique experience. As you had told us, it was a true safari experience! Sand Rivers was also fantastic: the place, the view on the Rufiji river, the staff were absolutelyremarkable.

We had wonderful game drives in both the Ruaha and the Selous, excellent boat trips at Lanke Manze and Sand Rivers, andsome good fishing and walking safaris also, in excellent conditions. We were thrilled by the diversity and quantity of animals.

As regards the beach part, Pole Pole was very remote, and it this exactly what we were looking for. The snorkelling and diving were both excellent, and we had the opportunity to have a bbq on a sandbank, which was memorable.

To conclude, you once again perfectly understood our wishes and expectations, and please be sure that they have been met. We are very much looking forward to our next trip in Africa with your team, and are thinking about whatthe next destination will be...

Thank you for your excellent advice, energy and reactivity!

Benjamin and Vanessa, France

Thank you to everyone, but particularly Sarah, at Aardvark Safaris for helping us to arrange the most perfect honeymoon in Kenya and Zanzibar. Right from the outset their advice and support was invaluable. We were so pleased to have come across Aardvark, everything went smoothly from start to finish and we loved the pre-departure pack! They helped us to pick wonderful accommodation that suited us perfectly – starting with the luxurious Lleleshwa camp in Kenya, where we were treated like royalty to the tranquil and stunning Breezes Beach Club on Zanzibar.

Our time on Safari was incredible and far surpassed our expectations; camp fires, sundowners on the reserve, night time game drives, bush BBQ’s and incredible wildlife, to name a few. Our time on Zanzibar was the perfect end to the honeymoon, full of honeymoon surprises and food and wine to die for!

All in all an amazing honeymoon and something we will never forget.

Thankyou!

Charlotte and Ed Rawstorne, Cardiff, UK

A huge thank you to Sarah for putting together a perfect honeymoon for us – a wonderful mix of action and relaxation, exactly what we wanted.

Our first week on Safari was incredible. We were lucky enough to see a cheetah chase down an impala on the way from the airstrip to the first camp, and this set the standard for the rest of week! We were blown away by the variety of wildlife - all of the guides were incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the animals, birds and the general environment we were in, and so willing to tell us all about them. The Kicheche camps were amazing, it is hard to imagine how a tent can be so luxurious. The food was also fantastic, and the African traditions of “sun-downers” in the middle of the savannah were certainly welcome after a hard days safari. We felt extremely well looked after – including a few special honeymoon surprises! Our second week in Zanzibar was a lovely counterpoint, extremely chilled out. We also loved that the restaurant changed its decor to match a new theme every night.

All in all we had a wonderful two weeks – the only downside was that it went too quickly!

Kim and Andy Hacquoil, Jersey

Naibor was perfect, the people were just so friendly and could not have been more welcoming. We were lucky enough to catch the start of the migration and on one morning were by a river watching thousands of wildebeest and zebra come across, quite amazing.

Borana was also perfect, again everyone was just so friendly. We had a great ride on the first day where were able to get quite close to zebra, oryx, hartebeest. Then the next two days we were riding for about five hours each. The horses were lovely and Nicky and Michael were great company. One night we stayed at Michael’s brother’s house, where once again we were made to feel very welcome, not like paying guests, but like friends of the family. Louise had a great birthday with champagne at breakfast and in the evening.

The helicopter ride was awesome, most definitely the highlight in a holiday packed with highlights, we were able to spend 20 minutes flying over the lakes and valleys up to the summit of Mount Kenya, then 20 minutes flying around the peak looking at the ice, then another 20 minutes flying down the lush valley. Our pilot was great, pointing everything out and exceptionally friendly.

William and Louise Bryant, London, England

A huge thank you to Alice, Jo and Gale for putting together our wonderful honeymoon to Rwanda and Tanzania. We are so glad that we got in touch with Aardvark as everything worked perfectly from start to finish and we couldn’t have asked for anything more. Thank you also for bearing with us through numerous changes to the itinerary and all the questions!

Your knowledge of the area and the lodges really helped to make our trip so special. It’s hard to pick highlights but seeing the gorillas, a lion kill on the first day of our safari and everything about Fundu Lagoon spring to mind.

We will definitely be recommending you to friends and family whenever we can.

Best wishes

Andrew and Jessica Bird, London, England

I wanted you all to know what a simply marvelous time we had and would recommend your services highly to others.  Tongabezi Lodge was great!  Our room (Tree House) was partially flooded due to the high water….so, when we asked to be moved to a different room…they upgraded us to the Honeymoon House….It was marvelous!

Selinda was absolutely stunning….and I cannot rave enough about the staff.  Ishmel in particular was simply an amazing man. 

And again….our wedding at Leopard Hills….though threatened by rain…came off in spectacular sunshine.  Right next to the watering hole as we had always dreamed!!  Can’t say enough wonderful things about Vanessa and the entire team there.  It was a wedding dream come true!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for making our wedding and honeymoon such a wonderful adventure….surely never to be matched or forgotten!!!

Thomas and Vicky Berry, California, USA

We LOVED it, had the best time. I loved the simplicity and tranquility of Mumbo Island, the riding was totally fab and we fell in love with the horses and all the animals at Kande Horse, and then were blown away by Kaya Mawa - and our very own Honeymoon Island!! Wow!  It was a perfect, perfect trip.

Charlie and Jo Saunders, London, England

For our first anniversary/belated honeymoon we knew we wanted a safari, but that was about all we knew. My initial idea was Botswana and in a couple of days Victoria had put together some itineraries for us and also the suggestion that Zambia would provide an equal safari experience yet offer us more for our budget.

How right she was. Kasaka River Lodge was a fantastic experience with amazing people and a superb range of activities from game drives to canoeing and fishing on the Zambezi for Tigerfish. We combined this with a few days at Victoria Falls and then we finished with a week in Cape Town.

Victoria did an excellent job at organising and offering tips and advice on every aspect of our trip. Aardvark certainly gave us a holiday of a lifetime and we can't thank them enough. We will definitely be back for more.

Matt and Shirine Swan, Sussex, England

The peaceful and remote island of Mumbo in the middle of Lake Malawi was our down time complete with bucket showers and a hammock side lake view.

Aardvark's team created a tailor made holiday, they are the perfect planners for a special holiday which is that little bit different.

Tim and Helen Stephens, Surrey, England

Six weeks to go before my wedding and I was getting worried that after reading the Seychelles guidebook from cover to cover I hadn't yet booked the honeymoon.  Then I rang Aardvark and Victoria came to my rescue with her wealth of knowledge and experience.  She listened to what we were looking for and our budget to put together a fantastic itinerary.  We spent five relaxing nights on La Digue cycling to all the different beaches and playing with the giant tortoises before following Victoria's suggestion to go to Denis.  Whilst La Digue had been lovely, Denis took our breath away.  We had a beach to ourselves, snorkelling on the coral reefs with all sorts of fish and some turtles.  The food was amazing, especially the fish, and the service superb.  My only advice is to follow Victoria's recommendations!  As my wife Agnes said throughout 'This is the best honeymoon I've ever had!'.  Thank you Victoria, thank you Aardvark.

Ben Chris, London, England

I have had a dream of Africa in my mind for 40 years. This dream came true on my honeymoon to Lewa.

All the colours, the smells, the magnificence of the animals in their natural surroundings, the sensation of a real, untainted existence, and the people.

A big thank you to the people at Ardvark and especially to the kindness of the friends we made in Lewa Wilderness Trails for fulfilling my lifelong dream!

Charlotte Kennedy, Seville,Spain

The easiest most stressless wedding around!  From leaving the UK to arriving back everything was expertly organised in a friendly and professional manner.  Nothing was too much hassle and we had the most memorable fews days of our lives.

Flora and Tom Corbett, Inverness, Scotland

We were delighted with Aardvark. Their knowledge of Africa is second to none and their expertise ensured we had honeymoon perfectly tailored to our needs. Indeed the service provided delivered beyond our expectations and we would have no hesitation in using Aardvark again for future trips and recommending them to family and friends.

David and Beverly Lee, London, England

Hi Alice, I think Chris has already spoken to you saying that we have now decided to go to Califonia instead of Africa for our honeymoon.

I just wanted to write to say how helpful and professional you had been with all of our enquiries. You gave us honest and good advice but what impressed me the most was the efficiency of answering our emails, (your other competitors have still to respond after 2 weeks.)

If we were ever to travel to Africa I would have no hesistation in using Aardvark Safaris.

Laura Beard, Scotland

I can honestly say the trip was the best we have ever had and we stayed at some of the most amazing places I could imagine. We saw everything on safari that we wanted, including lions, cheetahs, elephants and even a leopard feeding. Both camps we stayed at (Tortillis in Amboseli and Rekero in the Mara) were incredible and the staff couldn’t do enough for us. We even got some special treats as a honeymoon couple.

I would recommend anyone to use Aardvark Safaris, you couldn’t find a better level of service or attention to detail. Their help and advice was fantastic and our honeymoon was better than we could ever have imagined.

Steve and Bev Richardson, Manchester, England

Thank you so much for organising such an honeymoon.  Every detail was well thought out and the properties you chose were of very high quality.  This was a trip we will never forget.

Brad and Adriana Markel, Calgary, Canada

I just wanted to drop you a line to say thank you for our wonderful honeymoon. We left Vuyatela on Tuesday after the most incredible week. We have wanted to go on a safari holiday for a number of years and our honeymoon gave us the perfect opportunity. Vuyatela exceeded our expectations on every level. The people are so genuine and kind, we felt at home immediately. The scenery and animals were just amazing – lions attacking buffalo on our first drive, the beautiful one-eyed leopard with her kill, and a herd of elephants sauntering past as we lay on our deck. Our surprise private dinner and petal-filled bath was such a lovely touch and made us fall in love with Vuyatela even more.

Thank you all so much for a truly exceptional honeymoon, and we really hope to come and visit again.

Lindsay & Simon Hunter, London, England