Travelers Tony Ford-Hutchinson and his wife Jane at Volcanoes National Park.

A board meeting in Rwanda was the driver for Jane and I to spend a week in Rwanda, with visits to gorilla families being the big draw. Our trip started in the capital, Kigali, with a night at Hemingways Retreat. Our guide was available during the day before he drove up to Nyungwe with the bulk of our luggage, solving the weight limits on the helicopter. We spent some time at the genocide memorial (very moving) and then to get a slice of Rwandan life by touring the main market.

The luxury part of the trip was spending three nights at each of the One and Only lodges, first Nyungwe House next to the Nyungwe National Park, and then at One and Only Gorilla’s Nest, next to Volcanoes National Park. Roads in Rwanda are good but very windy, so we took helicopter transfers from Kigali to Nyungwe and from Nyungwe to Gorilla’s Nest, saving long days of driving. Both hotels are fully inclusive, provide all the trekking gear you need as well as excellent food and wine. Coming in with muddy gear each day and having everything clean and dry the next morning was a great luxury.

Nyungwe is famous for its human habituated chimpanzee groups as well as for outstanding bird watching with many species endemic to the Albertine Rift. A long trek got us close to a group of chimpanzees with the help of the local trackers (unlike gorillas they move around a lot, so the treks are more strenuous). Local guides were able to identify many of the bird species for us (I saw 72 species in all). Gorilla’s Nest is obviously famous for the gorillas. There are many human habituated gorilla groups in the park. They travel at night and do not move much in the mornings when the treks happen. Each morning trackers head out to their location from the previous day and follow the trails to their new location, passing the information back to the groups of up to 8 visitors who are heading into the park with guides and porters. We went on two treks on different days with very different experiences each time. The first group were in a fairly open area, so we got to spend our allocated hour very close to a large family with babies romping around. The second day’s group were in a more dense area of a bamboo forest and moved around much more, but again we were very close to the main group. Both experiences were magical, as you are right on top of the gorillas and they largely ignore you.

A certain degree of physical fitness is needed, given that you may be trekking for two hours or more at altitude (there are many groups of gorillas and they move around a lot). On our last morning we went on a much shorter trek to spend time with a large group of the endangered golden monkeys feeding on bamboo all around us. The trip finished with a three-hour drive to Kigali, with me being dropped off at the Marriot hotel for my meetings and Jane catching an evening flight to London. Thanks to Dan for organizing an excellent trip. These experiences in Rwanda are unique.

Our Africa safari trip to Tanzania and Kenya organized by Dan was THE BEST trip my husband and I have ever taken! An East African safari has been on my bucket list for a long time and our experience exceeded all of my expectations. From the luxurious lodges and camps, to the knowledgeable and friendly guides and hosts, to the incredibly delicious meals (with wines) from talented chefs, everything was just perfect. We saw so many animals on our daily safaris, including all of The Big 5. We even saw part of the Great Migration across the Mara River with crocodiles waiting in the river to eat a stray wildebeest.

My favorite animal moment was watching a mother lioness move her cubs from one location in the bush to another location across a river at Kicheche Reserve to protect her young from being eaten by hyenas (the guides called it “moving day”). Watching the lioness gently carry one cub in her mouth while another cub followed closely behind her crying across the grassy plains was a sight I will never forget!

A big shout out to our guides Kokan in Tanzania, Jennette in the Northern Serengeti, and Josephat in Kenya—they were all amazing drivers, extremely knowledgeable of the plants and animals, and really fun people to lead us on our daily safaris.

We extended our Africa trip with a week in the Seychelles at a villa at The Four Seasons on Mahé Island. It was a great way to relax in the beauty of the jungles above the beautiful beach at Petite Anse. The Creole people of the Seychelles are some of the kindest and most generous people we have ever met! And the Creole food was fantastic, too!

Our trip organizer, Dan, even let our lodges and camps know we were celebrating our anniversary. We had celebratory dances and cake presentations by the Maasai hosts and staff that made our anniversary truly special!

I am already looking forward to returning to Africa and I will definitely work with Dan and his team to help with planning our next trip there.

Kenya Family Trip August 8-22, 2025
We wanted to take a two-week trip to Africa with our three adult daughters and their spouses, targeting August 2025. Almost a year before the trip we began a search for a knowledgeable planner to help us plan this trip of a lifetime. Thanks to Wendy Perrin’s WOW List, we found the best.

Dan and his team worked with us to curate an experience that exceeded our already high expectations. Dan was incredibly helpful and responsive. Early on in the process, he asked us many questions to best understand what we were interested in seeing/doing, and the style of travel we had in mind. After reviewing our needs and interests he felt that several stops in Kenya would be right for us, for that time of year. We wanted to see lots of wildlife, learn about cultures, see baby elephants (a family favorite) and we hoped to see the Great Migration. We trusted Dan to find us the right itinerary to maximize our time, and he did not disappoint! He and his team patiently answered all of our questions along the way, making the planning process painless, and the result was beyond words.

Our flight arrived in Nairobi at 1:00 am, and were greeted by a transfer team arranged by Dan. It was seamless. We stayed in the Karen area of Nairobi for 2 nights to get acclimated after our long flights. He arranged for the same two drivers that picked us up from the airport to take care of us in Nairobi until we boarded the regional plane to our first destination, Reteti House at Namunyak Conservancy.

Reteti House is an exclusive use private safari retreat, just for the seven of us. It is owned and run by the Samburu tribe. Everything about this place was amazing. The staff there was incredible (led by host, Carrie, and manager, Tilas—a native Samburu warrior and amazing storyteller!!) Our Samburu guide, Paul, was also wonderful. Everything was perfect. They were exceptional dealing with dietary issues, including celiac. The camp felt intimate and warm. In addition to game drives, we did hikes, rock climbing and bushwalks. We were welcomed into a Samburu homestead where we met the happiest children, while being immersed in Samburu culture. One special highlight was a private tour of the Reteti Elephant Orphanage, where we were able to feed and walk with the elephants and learn about how they take in orphaned and injured elephants from all over the region. They raise them, with the goal of releasing them back into the wild when they are ready. We absolutely loved our three nights with the Samburu at Reteti House.

We then flew to Mara North Conservancy for the next 3 nights. This area is known for its population of both black and white rhinos. Upon arrival at the airstrip, we were met by our guide, Francis. He was so warm and personable, very knowledgeable, and had a great sense of humor. We arrived at Lewa Wilderness Lodge, a family owned, newly built private residence, with separate bungalows and gorgeous common areas with living rooms (both indoor and outdoor), an exquisite dining room and an infinity pool where you can always watch wildlife roaming by. It was paradise. Their house staff, led by George, and the site manager, Cara, were incredible, and they made sure we were well taken care of. We did game drives, a guided hike, a horseback safari, and a camel ride. They prepared a gorgeous remote breakfast under a giant acacia tree for us, and we toured their on-site wood-working studio, and their fruit/vegetable/herb gardens. It was all truly amazing.

Then we were off to Maasai Mara for the last 4 nights of the trip. We hoped to see the Great Migration. The accommodations at Basecamp Mara Houses were also private…one large private house for the seven of us. It was cozy and homey. The house was a little older than the 2 previous places we stayed at, but we still had our own staff and chef and we were well taken care of. We were surrounded by a beautiful area with wildlife visiting right in front of the house. Due to the truly awful condition of the roads in the area, it took nearly 45 minutes to get from Mara houses to the Mara North and Lemek conservancies for the game drives. The roads were rocky, muddy, and with large holes that made driving bumpy and slow. The Kenyan government is responsible for maintaining these roads, but they have clearly been ignored for a long time.

We had some incredible game drives this area. We enjoyed our breakfast one day watching the hippos play in the river. We spent one day in the National Park. Luckily that day the park was less crowded with vehicles than usual because it had rained the night before! Our guide led us to TWO incredible crossings of the Great Migration. He estimated we were watching 8-10 thousand wildebeests crossing a steep embankment over a creek. We watched for an hour and they just kept coming. Later in the day we saw more wildebeests crossing a larger stream where a large crocodile snatched a wildebeest while it was attempting to cross. It was fascinating, and we had a front-row seat. So many amazing experiences/memories.

Kenyans are warm wonderful people, and their country is so special and magical. We owe it to Dan, for taking our needs and wants into account and planning an unforgettable trip of a lifetime for our family.

Elephants are among the injured and orphaned at the sanctuary. Photo: Traveler Tony Ford-Hutchinson

Multigenerational trip to Kenya
With our granddaughters reaching the ages of 11 and 14, we decided it was time to spoil them and take them and their parents on a safari in Africa. Kenya became the obvious choice because of the direct Kenya airlines flight from New York to Nairobi on Kenya Airways (business class was very comfortable by international standards). Dan suggested staying at Hemmingways in Nairobi on either end of the trip and it turned out that this was very helpful when Kenya airlines cancelled one of our flights and he was able to juggle the Nairobi reservations without affecting the core stays at lodges.

Dan recommended we first head up North to Reteti House in the Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy, one of three lodges owned by the Samburu people. Reteti House has a policy of only hosting one group at a time, so we had the lodge to ourselves with our own Samburu warrior Guide and spotter. The lodge has a commanding view over the plain towards the mountains in the Mathews range, with a water hole below the lodge where we regularly saw elephants, giraffes, warthogs, Kudu and Dikdiks. This area is famous not just for wildlife, that differs from that found elsewhere in Kenya (Reticulated Giraffe, Grevy’s Zebra and Somali Ostrich for example), but also for its unique culture practiced by the semi-nomadic Samburu people and their famous “Sarara” singing wells. One of the highlights of this location is the fact that it was only a 10-minute walk to the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary. This allowed us to get there for the elephants first feed of the day before any other tour groups. Our granddaughters were so excited to be able to feed a damaged elephant, a baby giraffe and a baby kudu. After the feeding we led the herd for a morning walk and spent some time watching them from some rocks; a magical experience.

After 3 nights in Reteti we flew down to Cottars 1920 camp, situated in its own conservancy at the Eastern end of the Masai Mara near the Tanzania border. This long-established camp provided us with a wonderful Masai guide and spotter and excellent access to wildlife without all the crowding seen in other parts of the Masai Mara. We luxuriated in their fine dining in the mess tent, and when it got dark were escorted to our tents by Masai warriors. The animal sightings were outstanding with excellent multiple viewings of all three big cats, including a cheetah kill, lions stalking an African buffalo, and lions eating a wildebeest. In addition, we saw many other animals including Masai giraffe, zebra, elephants and hippopotamus, and as we were in a conservancy, were able to go out for night drives which are forbidden in the park itself. The real highlight on our last day was a river crossing on the Sara River by 1,000s of wildebeest. On top of that I was the only birder on the trip, but managed to get the group interested in the colorful bird life as well. They were particularly interested in the secretary bird, and I myself managed to log up 151 species.

Thanks to Dan and his team for arranging an excellent trip with all connections, internal flights etc. working like clockwork.

A red colobus monkey in the Jozani Forest, Zanzibar. Photo: Kim Segal

We just returned from our first family safari planned by Dan. My husband and I had used him for two previous trips, but this was the first time taking our two children—ages 6 and 8—to East Africa. We all agree it was our best family trip to date.

The star of the show was, unquestionably, our time at Lewa Wilderness. While it’s not the over-the-top luxury we have had at other safari camps (I put it in the 4-4.5 star range in terms of accommodations), it was absolutely perfect for our family and a place as all know we must return to soon. They were so exceptional at accommodating our children and had a whole host of activities you could engage in. We particularly loved the fly camping—definitely reach out through Dan or to Lewa directly to ensure you can book that in advance. The setting was stunning and the experience was so wonderful. We also loved fishing for crabs in the nearby stream with Mark, and our private game drives with Emmanuel—request him as your driver! We got along so well with Emmanuel that we invited his wife and children to join us on our final game drive and it was truly such a special experience to get to meet his family and have them see their dad / partner doing what he loves. Emmanuel alone is enough of a reason for us to return.

The food was exceptional and the rooms were comfortable and clean. They are a bit older—charming, but definitely not bug-proof, so you will see spiders and whatnot in your room from time to time.

The wildlife in and around Lewa is amazing. You will tire of seeing rhinos—which I never would have thought possible. You also will see a lot of lions, and you get the “Northern Five” there as well, which makes it an extra-special stop. One day, we saw the entire big five in just a single morning game drive. We also had a wonderful experience with the vervet monkeys that visit Lewa—they came right up to our room and kept high-fiving and interacting with my kids through the window; I was lucky enough to be outside and the pictures I captured are some of my favorite from the trip.

The staff at Lewa were unparalleled and I know we had our WOW Moment while there, but I’ll be honest in saying I’m not even sure which moment it was—we had so many incredible ones! We were surprised with a breakfast out in the bush one morning after our game drive and then returned to camp by camel. We had a private tour of their organic gardens and a private meal made for us down at their garden kitchen—where we got to talk to the chef and Lewa staff, make our own pizzas, and just relax—and we had an amazing final dinner set up for us at a private table, poolside. I *think* the garden tour was our WOW moment, but the truth of the matter is that every minute at Lewa felt like a WOW Moment to us.

Following Lewa we went out to Zanzibar for a few nights of R&R on the beach. Dan recommended an excellent beachfront resort and booked us into their Presidential Suite and we enjoyed every second of our time there. Again, hotel staff went above and beyond for us, providing my husband with mosquito protection at night when he wore shorts to dinner and serving spiked coconut water poolside. While in Zanzibar we enjoyed a combo of pool time and activities—highlights included a spice tour, a quick stop to see the Red Colobus Monkey, a tour of Stone Town, a private sunset cruise for our anniversary, and a snorkel trip—the snorkeling there was amazing! Dan also coordinated with the hotel to arrange a special dinner for our anniversary, and we had an amazing meal served on the beach in front of a wall of palm fronds trimmed with Christmas lights. Magical!

Our final stop was Nairobi, where we did a private behind-the-scenes tour at Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage (you absolutely want to do this over the public tour available), spent the night at Giraffe Manor (nice, but a bit of a miss for me and my husband, as it has changed a lot since we were there in 2013); and had a chance to do a few cultural tours through Nairobi. Worth noting are the Nai-Nami walking tour we did of downtown Nairobi—your guide is a former street child who tells about their life and experience growing up on the streets, and it was highly impactful and allows you to see the REAL Nairobi—not just the posh Karen district where most guests frequent. We also did a super fun tour called Go Granny Go, where we drove to a village and met local grandmothers who are raising pigs to help bring income to their families. This was my husband’s favorite experience in Kenya as we hung out with locals, saw their daily lives, cooked a (delicious) meal together, heard their stories, and our kids just played soccer with the grandchildren present. There were hugs all around when it was time to say goodbye and if we have time when we return to Nairobi, we would book it again.

As always, communication with Dan was exceptional. There were a few issues with his ground team in Kenya—a mistake in booking the elephant orphanage being the big one—but Dan worked very hard with me to resolve the issue to my satisfaction and in the end it allowed us to add on both the Nai-Nami and Granny tours, so it worked out even better than our original itinerary.

I am already in talks with Dan to plan our return to Lewa in 2027, while adding on another stop or two, and I don’t think you could possibly go wrong with using Dan and his team to book your dream safari trip. I would never use anyone else.

I also would highly encourage families with younger children to not wait until your kids are older to go on your first safari! Truly, my kids were the perfect age for safari and they loved it, and Lewa and Baraza were so welcoming of our boys. Just use an expert like Dan who has young kids and has been to basically every camp and can tell you which camp is right for your family. It was a magical trip and my children enjoyed it just as much as they will in five or ten years, so don’t get stuck on the idea that you need older children to get the most out of it. Instead, realize that going at a younger age just means you will have more opportunities to go back!

We travel the world with our two adult children. We use Wendy Perrin’s WOW List planners, and would never plan a trip without them.

Dan planned a trip of a lifetime where we were on safari in Nairobi, Kenya, Rwanda. We had amazing hotels with staff that welcomed us, knew us, made us feel like family. We never lifted our suitcases—there was someone to take them in and out of our hotels.

On every flight, we were met at airports and whisked through customs, getting boarding passes,
getting where we needed to go. Without the guides in Dubai, we would have been lost.

Our guides on safari were exceptional. They went out of their way to get us to see lions, cheetahs, elephants—all of the animals in each city. They knocked themselves out for us. We had breakfast in the bush that was amazing. We went to two rivers to see animal crossings, but the animals were skittish about crossing that day.

Our itinerary was perfect. We went from sea level up 5,000 feet before our gorilla trek, which was beyond amazing. The trek is a jungle narrow walk on rocks and wet mud. I had two outstanding porters who got me through. I couldn’t have done it without them. After a 2-hour trek, we saw gorillas. We got the best location to see 15 gorillas. The sight is life changing.

This is a trip of a lifetime not for the faint of heart. You are treated like royalty, helped at every moment, but you are up early for safari, going on rocky roads, but every minute is worth it. I am thrilled that we took this adventure, and recommend it to anyone who loves nature, animals, and wonderful people.
Thank you Dan for planning with us a trip of a lifetime.

Where do you begin to describe a family trip of a lifetime? Dan was the planner for my family of 9. We spent 12 days in Tanzania & Kenya staying in wonderful villas, eating great food, seeing spectacular scenery and animals by the unbelievable numbers. Our guides & drivers were first class. Thank you, Dan, to listening to our wants and supplying us with what we needed to do & see.

Five days was enough time to see Table Mountain, Robben Island, vineyards, and the Peninsula.

Second trip planned for us by Dan Sapperstein (and we recommended him to friends for whom he planned a terrific trip as well). This was a short (5-day) trip to Cape Town, where we stayed at More Quarters (in a centrally located, quiet area of the city) which we liked and visited Robben Island (heart-rending) and Table Mountain (we were lucky, no fog), went to a few vineyards (had a delicious lunch at one of them) and traveled some of the Peninsula where we saw, among other things, the Penguins at Boulder Beach. Our guides and drivers were excellent. The trip logistics were perfect. Cape Town is a beautiful city. Dan made sure we had a great trip.

After a 14 year gap, we returned to East Africa. Our first fabulous trip was organized by Nina, our second by her son, Dan. We had planned to return several years ago, but delayed our trip because of Covid.

Dan is incredibly knowledgeable and a pro at matching the trip plan to what we wanted (last time gorillas, this time elephant orphanage and Giraffe Manor). We decided to only visit Kenya and Tanzania and my husband wanted to add on scuba diving at the end. Because we had seen the great migration on our last visit, Dan suggested we go in early October for a little less crowding. We flew into Nairobi a day early and Dan advised us to stay at the airport for safety and ease. He recommended that on this buffer day in case there were problems with our flight that we just catch up on sleep after our 20-hour flight. It was a good recommendation for someone who tends to pack too much into a trip and the Four Points was very nice.

I don’t know how he did it, but he got us a night at Giraffe Manor (18 months out and it was booked solid for months). Yes, it is an Instagram thing, but it was magical waking up at 5:30 in the morning to have a giraffe waiting at your window for treats. From there we flew to Sarara Camp, a really lovely place with only 6 tents, excellent food, and a watering hole near the lodge. The staff are remarkable, the food delicious, and the camp intimate and warm. The entire venture is with the Samburu community. I love that Dan supports these community conservancy efforts. In fact when I asked about visiting Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage in Nairobi, he suggested Reteti which is run by the Samburu. It’s a wonderful place where the women of the tribe supply the goats milk used for the elephants (it’s loaded with supplements), so the entire community is involved and benefits. We absolutely loved the time at Reteti, a must see, as well as the Singing Wells where a tribe member digs a well to water livestock and sings the family song. From there we flew to the Masai Mara and stayed at Il Moran, one of the two small Governors Camps that we had stayed at previously. It expanded its public areas, but you still have everything on the Mara river. The tents are big and comfortable and very Hemingway in feel. The food was very good and we had an amazing guide, Elisha (note that at this camp game drives are usually shared with another couple if you are there as a twosome, and Dan had reminded us of this). We had only three tents with guests, so it was practically a private camp (October was indeed less crowded).

Over the 14 years since our last trip to Africa, we kept in touch with our guide, Chile, from Tanzania and Dan made sure that we once again spent 5 days with him. For us personally this was incredibly special. In the Serengeti we stayed at Lemala Nanyukie Lodge. It is in a quiet area of the park but had great game viewing. This camp is amazing from the enormous, beautiful tent to the fabulous food and attentive service. The Serengeti is so large that you can’t cover it all, but it is important to have an experienced guide as we did, because Chile had to help several guides who were lost (and he never got stuck in the many water filled potholes). Dan really has a handle on how to match you up with a guide and has a stable of people he works with regularly.

From Serengeti we went to Ngorongoro Crater which is so full of life. Here we saw rhinos (literally walked in front of our vehicle)! Of course we saw so much wildlife, and with the great guides, so many things we would have missed. We had another Lemala camp booked on the rim and it was nothing like the one in the Serengeti. This is where it pays to have a ground operator, the camp was not what we thought it would be and in fact was so problematic that we called Dan on his mobile and raised our concerns. Within an hour he had booked us at another property off the rim for the second night. The stay at Plantation Lodge was lovely, amazing staff and food and Dan got us into a great suite.

Finally as we had said my husband wanted to swim with whale sharks, and Dan recommended the small island of Mafia because it was close and in season for whale sharks. He did scuba for several days (we booked the scuba on our own), but only snorkeling is allowed with the whale sharks and we did that on our last day, mind-blowing.

Dan patiently answered all our questions over our months of planning and made arrangements for some food allergies and even distilled water for a CPAP machine. He kept us up to date about visas and entry requirements and made the planning easy and completely customized to what we wanted.

A wonderful safari to a magical place where the people are incredibly warm and welcoming and the wildlife viewing is beyond anything you can imagine if you haven’t gone.

Pro tip: Bring a really good camera and big lens—we rented a 28-400 (we had one already) and lots of cards. Yes, I took some great photos/video on my phone, but a camera really helps.

Tanzania and Rwanda, October 2 to October 13, 2024
Dan did a great job for us! We stayed in some of the most exquisite lodges. We had amazing guides and saw amazing sights. Dan’s knowledge of the area was spot on. Our guide in the Serengeti, Eugene, was phenomenal. We saw both a cheetah and a leopard as well as lions and elephants and giraffes and zebras. In addition to taking a safari in Tanzania, we saw the gorillas in Rwanda. Dan said we would want to go twice and he was absolutely right. It was the experience of a lifetime! Dan also made himself available very quickly to talk through with us, the issue of the Marburg outbreak in Rwanda, which we really appreciate it.

Mother giraffe and baby in a Masai Mara field. Photo: Traveler Tracy Solomon

Safari had been on our bucket list for years—and we wanted it to be special. Daniel and his company made it so! He was incredibly helpful in guiding us in terms of where to go, and the locations and tented safari camps he chose were fabulous. We went to three locations (plus Nairobi)—Lewa Conservancy, Namunyuk Wildlife Conservancy and the Masai Mara. Each location and camp had its own special characteristics from the animals to the people to the landscape.

Each time we thought our next stop couldn’t top the last one, but it always did. It is hard to explain how different a safari is from our usual trips to cities or beaches so picking one unique moment is challenging—but just the ability to be with the animals so close and observe them was amazing. Elephants have long been my favorite, and we saw a lot of them. Also getting to drive behind a lioness and her two cubs as they calmly padded along was incredible. Flying in 4 seater airplanes was also a unique experience—and saved so much time! We enjoyed those little flights, after our initial anxiety!

Daniel didn’t just add value, he created the trip, saving us endless hours of research and honing in on what we were interested in. I highly recommend Daniel and his team!

We used Dan about 10-12 years ago to plan a trip to South Africa that was so memorable we contacted him again to plan my husband’s 80th birthday trip to Kenya to see the great migration.

The whole trip was amazing. It was seamless from the time we landed in Nairobi to the time we were taken to the airport for our trip home. The hotels and camps were lovely and we saw animals galore.

Our first stop was in Ol Pejeta at the Ol Pejeta Cottages. This is a Rhino preserve and we saw many black and white rhinos along with the big five, cheetahs, baboons, monkeys and other smaller animals. We had a whole cottage to ourselves with our own chef, butler and driver/guide for the whole stay. Hezzy, our driver/guide, showed us everything we wanted to see. The sundowners and hot brunch in the bush with other guests were special.

We then took a bush plane to the Masai Mara to try to catch the great migration. Our “tent” at Mara Expedition Camp was unbelievable. Meals were served in the main “tent” and at night we had our own escort to and from—complete with spear.

Again, here we had our own driver/guide, Mike, for the duration and he was superb. He positioned us perfectly to see some of the wildebeests and zebras crossing the Mara river. He managed to get us in position to see leopards several times—a mother and two kits walking around our vehicle and a male leopard at rest. He spotted serval cats (tiny leopard spotted cats with bushy tails and large bat fox type ears) that were most elusive, and an enormous croc sunning itself on the river bank. Of course we also saw lions, giraffes, elephants, hyenas, zebras, water buffalo, cheetahs and myriad other special sights.

The staff everywhere were warm and welcoming and at the hotel and both camps, the staff made a special effort to celebrate my husband’s birthday with cakes and songs and dances by the staff—it was so very special.

Daniel planned the perfect trip to Kenya. We moved from Namunyak in the north to Lewa to Masai Mara. The transportation ran smoothly with its many moving parts. The topography of the camps went from mountains in Namunyak to the plains in the Mara. The wildlife steadily grew as our trip progressed. In Lewa, black and white rhinoceros were abundant. In the Mara, all species were abundant but the hippos and crocodiles were added. We saw the elusive leopard and 3 cheetah in the Mara and too many lions to count.

Lewa Wilderness was by far the standout in terms of accommodations, food, and guide. It is a spectacular property. I would highly recommend Daniel as a trip planner for Kenya and in fact already have.

Traveler Nancy Rieger says spectacular meals at the camp rivaled the finest urban restaurants.

Armand and I sought out Dan’s team for a safari to Tanzania and Kenya because of his excellent reputation. We had a wonderful trip, and were met every step of the way once we landed at our first stop, Arusha, Tanzania.

Dan secured wonderful hotels and camps, beginning with the beguiling Plantation Lodge. The property was stunning, a green Eden, with wonderful food, warm hospitality, and a room that would qualify as a generously sized apartment in Manhattan. Our fabulous and informative guide, Eric, took us to Lake Manyara the first day, and to the Ngorongoro Crater the second. Lake Manyara had beautiful geography, albeit with fewer animals because of recent flooding. The Crater was a revelation. We saw ostriches mating–including the male doing his hilarious approach dance to the female. Also had a lot of time with the babboons, the most entertaining primates around.

Then it was off to Tanzania, and Taasa Lodge. The ride from arport to Taasa brought us smack dab in the middle of the wildebeest/zebra migration. Thousands of animals honking and bleeting, crossing the Sand River. More wildlife sightings than one could imagine: crocs, warthogs nursing their young, vultures fighting over a fly-ridden wildebeest, two lionesses and two cubs with bloody mouths who were just starting to dine on a freshly killed wildebeest. Birds and hippos galore.

The only dampers at Taasa were being given a substandard room with no hot water on our first night (after arriving at 7 pm instead of 5 pm) , a guide who spent 80% of her time talking to her tracker, and a butler who was unfairly given a job he could not do. The lodge manager claimed he wasn’t listening. But he was, and was trying hard. He just needed more training. Still, I would recommend Taasa because of its location, views, and its soups. Just need to make sure about the guide and room butler.

I’ve saved the best for last: Mara Expedition Camp. Dan had highly recommended this camp. It delivered in every single way. Our guide, Clifford, was superb. No roaring around at high speeds, he was patient in seeking out wildlife and was often the first guide to spot a lion, a herd of elephants, hyenas sleeping in the grass like frat boys who had partied too hard the night before, lizards, the golden orb spider, birds of every size, hippos, crocs, I could go on.

The other staff at Mara were exceptional. They made us feel like we had a home in the Mara. Their warm hospitality, their genuineness, kindness, their special surprises that brought even more enchantment to our stay (one: a hot breakfast in the bush alongside a river) , the nature walks around the camp, the gourmet food, Yes, gourmet food that rivals restaurants in New York, London, Paris. A lovely, comfortable, and quiet tent with plenty of light, charging stations, and hot water. We’re going back there again one day with our grandchildren.

Dan made sure we had the time of our lives. He spent time asking us questions before our trip. And he made certain that we were able to see everything that we had hoped for, that we stayed in some of the best accommodations available at our budget, and that we never had any worries. We are also grateful for our WOW Moment. At Mara Expedition, wonderful gifts were in our tent upon arrival. A hat, a stylish neck gaiter, and more. :) We will come back to Dan’s company. Our next trip may be to Rwanda to see the gorillas!

Tracy Goble and family enjoying lunch on a sandbar of the Zambezi River.

WOW!! We just returned from Zambia and had a fabulous experience, planned by Daniel Saperstein! We normally travel to Zambia for work with a university in Ndola, but this year we brought our oldest kids and grandkids with us and wanted a special safari experience. Daniel found an amazing safari camp and arranged a seamless trip for us! First, we did our work in Ndola. We had a great deal of luggage, and knew before we left it would be a problem for the small plane we were on for safari. Daniel went to work in a WOW way, and found a tour group in Lusaka that could store our hard-sided bags for 4 days!! I’m sure it wasn’t easy, but he found a way to get us to safari and still be able to carry everything we needed for our trip.

On to safari in the Lower Zambezi…we arrived in Sausage Tree Camp and had an absolutely fantastic experience!! Henry met us at the Jeki airport on the dirt air strip. We climbed into the open jeep for our transport to camp, but Henry asked a question. “Would you like to get settled in your rooms, or would you prefer we go find the wild dogs we just had spotted in the park?” We knew how hard it was to see wild dogs, so we said, “Let’s go!” and off we went on safari!! Henry was amazing, and my grandchildren were so happy they could understand him since many who speak English in Zambia have accents that are hard for Americans to understand. Our time at Sausage Tree Camp was definitely special, with surprise lunches on a sandbar with our feet in the water, unexpected sundown cocktail parties set up on the river bank, and dinner under the stars one night! The resort is staffed with amazing people who cared for us like family!! I would never have found this safari camp by myself, but Daniel knew all about it.

When we left the camp (after seeing so many amazing things, like lionesses eating a water buck, a leopard retrieving a kill out of a tree, fishing on the Zambezi River, 2-week-old elephants surrounded by protective parents, and so much more), we headed to Livingstone to experience Victoria Falls! We stayed at the Royal Livingstone Resort, which is an experience every traveler needs in their lifetime!! My favorite place in the world is sitting on the deck by the river at sunset, listening to the nearby Falls thundering with hippos calling in the distance. The breakfast at the Royal Livingstone is an epic buffet, and most likely you will see zebras and giraffes walking by on the grass. Daniel also arranged for us to visit the nearby park to see White Rhinos. They are heavily protected, but you still get to drive near them, and then get out of the jeep to walk near them for photo ops!! What a wild experience!! Our trip as a family was a dream come true, and we cannot thank Daniel and his team enough for this great adventure!!

Martha and James Issokson saw not just wildlife but a rainbow on their safari in the Masa Mara Conservancy.

We just returned from a wonderful stay in Kenya. We started planning this trip with Daniel over one year ago. His guidance enabled us to narrow down the many possibilities for a trip to Aftrica. He was helpful in selecting the time of year, the locations, and also the type of resort experience we wished to have. We stayed at two of the Kicheche resorts from February 4th-February 12th. The selection of camps in the Masa Mara Conservatory and the Old Pejeta Conservancy provided a wonderful variety of terrain and wildlife to view. The camps were exactly the type of accommodation we described for Daniel. The location, food and level of service were above and beyond our expectations. The staff made us feel at home and were very eager to accommodate our every need. Experiences like viewing elephants, buffalo and gazelles from our tent at the Old Pejeta camp and watching a pride of lions feast on a freshly killed hippo at the Mara Conservancy made our trip one we will not soon forget. We hope to return to Africa someday soon and will certainly call Daniel to assist us once again.

Gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. Photo: Traveler Edy Netter

Our 12/16-12/25 trip to Uganda + Rwanda, organized by Dan Saperstein, was amazing! Each safari camp (there were 3) offered a different set of experiences, all of which were fantastic. At Lemala Wildwaters (Uganda, at the source of the Nile) we stayed in a beautiful cabin surrounded by whitewater as dramatic as any I’ve seen. I especially liked that most guests were from Uganda. The food was terrific. One caveat: The white water rafting is not for the faint-hearted. Amakoro Songa Kinigi Lodge (Rwanda, Volcano National Park) offered entertainment, a community walk (I highly recommend doing this, but my husband had trouble getting back because the sun was going down + the path was rocky). Gorilla-trekking was beyond amazing. I was glad I did it twice! Our focus at Wilderness Magashi (Akagera National Park) — a tented camp, where we had a Christmas dinner which was sublime — was animal sightings. We traversed Wilderness’s beautiful private reserve with Leo, our terrific guide by safari van + the lake where the camp sits, by boat. The most thrilling: black + white rhinos + their babies + an attempted kill by a leopard. The baby impala he hoped would be his dinner, escaped. Every place we went, the people — the staff, our guides — were terrific. At Amakoro + Wilderness there were little surprises, but I’d spoil the fun if I disclosed them. The logistics + our drivers were perfect — with one exception: the drive from Entebbe to Jinga (Lemala) was awful. Our van was not air-conditioned. The smells (dust + pollution) were overwhelming. It was not pleasant. All in all, Dan’s team planned a trip we’ll remember forever. We’ve travelled for many years. This trip was special.

We just returned from an amazing trip and safari in South Africa planned by Daniel Saperstein. Daniel listened to our likes, dislikes, and goals for the trip and planned an outstanding vacation for us. The hotels in the Royal Portfolio collection are by far the best accommodations and customer service we have EVER experienced. The safari at the Royal Malanwane was exceptional with our incredible guide, Nigel, and tracker, Lawrence. The Royal Malanwane goes above and beyond from arrival to departure to create a memorable experience. We saw all of the Big 5 and then some! We can’t wait to return with our family. We had some changes during the trip due to flooding in the Franchook region, but with the help of Daniel we were able to successfully adjust and spend time in Hermanus enjoying the whale watching. Transfers were well planned and we were well taken care of for the entire time in South Africa. This trip was an experience of a lifetime. Cape Town is beautiful and Table Mountain affords views like no other. The Silo Hotel in Cape Town was amazing and they welcomed us back after we had to make another change to plans with a suite that was beyond our expectations. The complete trip was spectacular.

We recently returned from a truly amazing trip to Kenya and Rwanda, organized by Dan Saperstein. We began planning our trip over a year ago, initially interviewing two companies that were rated as being in “the top five” by respected travel publications. Disappointed that their representatives weren’t really listening and designing trips that met our criteria, we reached out to Wendy’s team and got connected with Dan.

Dan is a great listener, and promptly put together an itinerary for September that excited us and met our requirements. With his guidance, we selected two locations for safaris on private lands in Kenya, the Lewa Conservancy and the Mara North Conservancy. The safari experiences at the two locations complemented each other really well. In Lewa, we saw four of the Big Five upon arrival, just on our drive from the airstrip to camp! Home to countless unique species, there we also saw Grevys Zebra, white and black rhinos and even wild dogs. Fortunately, we also made it to the Masai Mara in time to see the migration and a drama-filled river crossing, as well as all the Big Five. Our last stop was Rwanda, where we went gorilla trekking for two days. It’s hard to explain the joy and wonder one experiences when face-to-face with a gorilla family, but it was extraordinary and we are forever changed.

For all of our adventures, Dan secured safe, plush accommodations and knowledgeable, helpful and attentive local guides who were great ambassadors for their countries. We were really impressed with their sincere commitment to conservation and their communities. We are so happy we entrusted Dan with our first trip to Africa, including our “bucket list” time with the gorillas; he delivered a truly awesome experience.

To celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary, we decided we wanted to take our two daughters and their families on an African safari. The trip Daniel Saperstein planned for us was fantastic. Since we and our daughters live in 3 different U.S. cities, we met in Nairobi and stayed for 2 nights. The accommodations at the House of Waine were outstanding and the staff very accommodating, given two of our arrivals were very late and the 4 grandkids varied in age from 6 to 13. This gave us time to get over some jet lag and see some of Nairobi. We then flew via private charter for 4 nights to a Saruni camp in Samburu, followed by another private charter to a Saruni camp in Maasai Mara for 4 nights, before returning to Nairobi for our flights home. Daniel made all these arrangements.

The staff and guides at the camps were friendly and went out of their way to please us. The facilities were spacious and first-rate. The food was outstanding and the kitchen staff worked hard to accommodate the kids that were somewhat picky eaters. They had a special celebration for our anniversary at all three locations. They also celebrated one of our son-in-law’s birthdays while we were on the trip with a cake and singing at each location..

Samburu is semi-arid and Maasai Mara lush and green. It was great to see the two different areas and experience the different as well as similar animals in each. Daniel is the one that recommended the two different areas and we are quite happy he did. The pace of the trip which he planned was good; having 4 days at each camp gave us the time to truly experience and appreciate each area.

Our experience suggests that other travelers should pace their trip similar to ours. Two of our international flights were extremely late and having 2 nights in Nairobi before going to the safari camps allowed us to catch our breath. Also spending 4 nights at a camp allows you to settle in and appreciate the uniqueness of the location.

Seeing all the animals with our extended family at each location made this a special travel experience. Some of the most outstanding were seeing the 5 animals unique to the Samburu area, lions along with some cubs, leopards, cheetah, elephants, giraffes and hippos. The sundowners and meals in the bush also were very special times. Of these, the most memorable was having a bush dinner with an open bonfire and full moon celebrating our anniversary. Local folks came in their native dress, danced and sang. They encouraged the kids and adults to participate and we all had a grand time.

We would not have had all these wonderful experiences if it had not been for Daniel. After listening to what we wanted for the trip, he put it together recognizing our unique situation with 3 families and 4 children. When we had questions, he responded within a day and often sooner. He guided us through the procedures to get a Kenya visa as well as medical requirements and considerations, what to bring and packing limitations for the private small-plane air charters. When we go on safari again, Daniel will be our planner.

We just returned from a remarkable trip to Southern Africa, as planned Dan. Our guides (along with the animals, of course!) were incredible, with each day bringing a new, exciting adventure. We met artists, designers, and entrepreneurs in Johannesburg and Cape Town who we would not have met without our well-connected guides. And then we went on safari! The animals did not disappoint, and neither did the lodges. Our seasoned rangers taught us so much about the wildlife and helped us to feel more connected to the experience. Every driver and guide provided our family excellent service from beginning to end. We would love to visit again someday soon!

Dan arranged the trip of a lifetime for me, my wife and our son and daughter-in-law. It was a private safari in Tanzania and then a few days in Rwanda and Nairobi. Every detail was taken care of—basically all we had to do was show up. The safaris, camps and guides were amazing and his recommendations were invaluable in making our trip absolutely wonderful.

We began our adventure in Arusha on July 26, 2023, where we met our guide at the airport and spent the first night at a local hotel (the Mt. Meru). The next morning our guide picked us up we were off on safari. It was private—just the 4 of us plus our driver/guide in a 7-passenger safari vehicle with a pop-up-roof. After a couple of hours getting out of Arusha, Tanzania, we entered Tarangire National Park and saw elephants, zebras, and—the list is too long to include here, but it was incredible. The “camp” we stayed at for the next 2 nights, the Maramboi, was a delight—spectacular views, great food, terrific pool and very comfortable tented chalet. We had never stayed at a safari “camp” before and, frankly, it’s nothing like camping—more like a luxury getaway with all your needs taken care of.

All of the accommodations arranged by Dan while on safari were terrific:
Maramboi Tented Lodge on Lake Manyara. Fabulous view and GREAT pool!
Acacia Farm Lodge, in Karatu. You’ll have your own butler. Pure luxury.
Mbalageti Tented Challets in the Serengeti: Watch herds of animals right from your porch.
In Rwanda, I’ve got to make special mention of the Virunga Lodge. Possibly the most spectacular, elegant and wonderful place we’ve ever stayed.

We began each day very early to catch the animals when they’re most active. Some days we went out for a few hours in the morning, then relaxed at the camp, then a few hours in the evening—again when the animals are the most active. Our guide knew where to look and every game drive was filled with sightings of new species.

As we headed west in Tanzania we went into the Ngorongoro Crater (you need layers for the drive over the rim) and encountered the rare Rhino, many lions and beautiful scenery. Continuing west, we spent 3 full days in Serengeti National Park.

Dan selected great guides for our trip. In Tanzania, our guide, Vienney, was with us the entire 9 days we were there. He was a walking encyclopedia of knowledge about the animals and their habits. With his deep knowledge he was able to predict where we were most likely to see the rare cats—cheetahs and leopards—and we saw them all. Often we were the only safari vehicle at the site. While in the Serengeti we witnessed the Great Migration where thousands of wildebeest and zebras head east to areas with more water—an amazing sight. In my lifetime I never expected to see and experience a trip like this.

From the Serengeti we flew to Rwanda, where Dan had arranged treks to see the mountain gorillas. The treks are arduous, but very worthwhile. It’s an effort, but once you encounter a gorilla family, the experience will amaze you. Their behavior is so much more human-like than I imagined. Dan will advise you to always hire a porter to help you on these treks. Great advice and, frankly, essential. I hired 2 porters and they made it their mission to see to it that I both made it to the gorilla site, but also never slipped or fell. This is a breathtaking experience that you will never forget.

The planning process for our East Africa journey began before the Covid shutdown and then resumed last year. Throughout it all, Dan was patient and very responsive to the myriad of questions I threw at him—constantly! His communications were always timely and contained the answers that we needed. His advice was spot on and every detail—minor or major—was taken care of.

Every step of the way there was someone there to help us. When we got off a plane, there was someone with a sign with our name who whisked us through immigration and customs. As I wrote above, all we had to do was show up. Thank you Dan Saperstein and his team for the exceptional service that truly made this a trip of a lifetime.

Giraffes in the bush, Kenya. Photo: David Max

We are so grateful to Dan for his expert arrangement of our Kenya safari in June 2023! We all absolutely loved it.

Dan’s mom had arranged our first safari quite a few years ago, and it felt special to have now had incredible safaris arranged by two generations of the family.

When we arrived at the first camp and stood looking out at the pool, watering hole, and mountains, one of our girls said it was the most beautiful place she’d ever been. We had a very meaningful experience both with the amazing animals (on drives and right there at the watering hole) and with the local employees.

It was a perfect follow-up to go from there to our second camp, which was gorgeous and so comfortable. The food is delicious, and the staff is very warm and welcoming. Everything was fantastic there: our driver, all our game drives, all our meals, the gorgeous Wow Moment breakfast surprise outdoors, our tents, the manager, the chef who made us homemade jams to bring home.

We are so grateful for Dan’s design of the trip, staying at the two amazing camps and in the order we did.

The visit to the young elephant sanctuary was a favorite for us all. When we saw the little elephants play in the mud, run for their goat-milk bottles, and then go to rest hour, we were all smitten, and one of the girls said it was the same schedule she had had in nursery school.

The day rooms at the beautiful Nairobi hotel on our way back were a great idea and really made a difference.

The VIP service in the airports was friendly and efficient and saved us from some long lines.

Dan’s pre-trip guide was super helpful to review several months before the trip.

Dan did an outstanding a job from start to finish. A million thanks, Dan! We will not forget this dream of a trip!

We had some wonderful cultural experiences in the Nairobi area, and visiting Reteti (the women-owned elephant sanctuary in Samburu) was magnificent.

Everywhere we went, the people were wonderful — helpful, kind, informative, gracious, and we loved the wildlife!

We just returned from our trip to South Africa. It was a fabulous trip. We went to South Africa because we were invited to a wedding there. We had hesitated and weren’t sure if we would go, but at the last minute (6 weeks prior), we decided, “what the heck?” And we are thrilled that we made that deicsion.

We quickly got in touch with Daniel. He listened to me, delved into the types of places that we liked to go, and created an itinerary that was interesting, eye-opening, and fun! His accommodation selections were perfect. Our time in each location was exactly what worked. And we flowed effortlessly from location to location, every driver was on time, interesting, and safe. In addition, after Daniel had put together our itinerary, I felt it was too pricey. Without making me feel bad or acting inconvenienced, he quickly redid the itinerary to meet my budget. Daniel made the experience of working with him incredibly easy. I can’t recommend him highly enough.

Our last 4 nights were spent at Tswalu for a safari. Wow!!! What a place. We were pampered. Every single person who worked there was kind, generous, and always smiling. We loved our stay there. In addition, our guide was a fountain of knowledge on not only the animals and plants in the area, but had a remarkable knowledge of the stars and astral beings. We loved our night rides with her, learning all about the night sky. And the food at Tswalu and the dining experiences were “events,” which we will long remember and smile at. There are so many aspects I could talk about at Tswalu, but not sure anyone wants to read this long of a review. Suffice it to say that this is a must-visit place if you are in South Africa.

Dan Saperstein helped us plan our recent trip to Africa. Although this was my 6th time and my husband’s 3rd in Africa, in our opinion, having a knowledgeable travel advisor is critical to having the best experience. This is the third time we reached out to Dan for help in planning an African adventure.

We wanted to go on safari in Tanzania and also see the gorillas in Rwanda.

Dan suggested a lodge we were not familiar with for 3 nights, Chem Chem, before moving on to one of our favorite lodges, Singita Sasakwa, for 4 nights.

It was a great combination. Chem Chem is on the eastern edge of Lake Manyara and it is a beautiful setting. For 1 of the 3 nights we were there, we were the only guests! We felt like we were in our own retreat in the spacious tent-style accommodation. Service was 5-star. It’s always amazing to us how remote places like this can provide Michelin-equivalent meals, including spectacular wines. There was a watering hole right outside the window with a variety of wildlife passing by on the way to the lake at all times. Mesmerizing and great photo opportunities.

Our walk with Riposhi, our Maasai guide, was special and very informative. Our guide, Emmanuel, was one of the best we have ever had.
We then spent 4 nights at Sasakwa, perched above the rolling plains of the Serengeti. Picture Karen Blixen at her home in Africa with all of today’s modern conveniences and more! We have been to 5 of the Singita lodges in Africa and they never disappoint. Each time we are surprised and delighted by the beauty, the details, the meals, and most of all the people!

We then flew on to Rwanda, landing in Kigali. After a day and a half in the capital, including a visit to the Genocide Memorial Museum, and an overnight stay at a special place, The Retreat by Heaven, our driver transported us to the Singita Kwitonda Lodge for our 3 night stay.
WOW!

This may be our favorite Singita property, which is saying a lot! Just opened 2 years ago, it is the prime location for the gorilla treks. An added bonus is they provide all the gear you need for trekking so you don’t have to pack those things, a big help with your limited luggage allowance.

We had several conversations with Dan throughout the planning process and he also always responded quickly to e-mail questions we had. There are so many details that go into a trip like this. It is difficult to get into these camps and lodges, as they all have limited accommodations, and Dan was able to make it happen. The logistics are also tricky, as the bush planes between places, and in this case, countries, need to be arranged. There was always someone to meet us at the airports and take us to the next place. We were never left wondering what we had to do next.

We were required to get a Covid test in Kigali to be able see the gorillas and Dan made those arrangements as well.

We love Africa and look forward to our next visit!

My trip was originally planned in 2019 for South Africa in October 2020. My girlfriend also planned a trip in 2019 with Dan for March of 2020 in East Africa. All had to be cancelled, but Dan was able to have both trips rolled over until 2022. In the interim, my friend and I decided to combine our trips and go together…

We just returned from our 3 weeks, which included trekking to the silverback gorillas and golden monkeys in Rwanda, staying in Hermanus and Cape Town, and doing 2 safaris in South Africa and 1 in Botswana. Below is my letter to Dan:

I don’t even know where to begin—my trip to Africa was the most exciting, fabulous life experience I have ever had. I had so many concerns—but you took care of every detail—from the incredible camps and safaris to the expediters at every airport. Your safari information packet and detailed itinerary prepared me for everything I might encounter.

In hindsight, the marrying of Jo-Ellen’s and my trips was quite an achievement. I had no idea how difficult it was and you accomplished it all. Your attention to detail and co-ordination worked perfectly.

I found Africa “infectious”—I absolutely loved the safaris—the animals—the expansive bush country—and the people.

My whole-hearted thanks for planning a perfect trip.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  I had an amazing trip to Africa, that Dan put together for me. Between my ideas, after a lot of research, and his suggestions it really was a dream come true. Everything was arranged perfectly. The transitions to different locales were seamless. Thank you Dan, for a trip of a lifetime.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  Our 2-week safari trip to Kenya was nothing short of EPIC! Four families with teenagers traveled together in a perfectly planned trip by Dan and his team. We stayed in 4 places (Nairobi plus 3 camps) and experienced a variety of accommodations and settings that progressed magically and logically. Each location – Amboseli, Ol Pejeta, Maasai Mara – revealed more of Kenya’s treasures: the people, the animals, the landscape and the spirit. We saw WAY more than the Big 5, had many take-your-breath-away moments, fed a blind black rhino, pet baby elephants, fed giraffes, visited chimps saved from a bush-meat market, jumped, danced and laughed with the Maasai, and went on almost 20 game drives! They added fun twists like breakfast out in the plains, dinner in the bush, and flexibility when we needed it. The local team and guides from Bush & Beyond were exceptional – every departure leaving with a hug and heartfelt wish to see them again. Dan’s office provided all the guidance – we are busy execs and didn’t have time for much planning or discussion – and info we needed. This trip should be on everyone’s bucket list – we are lucky to have gone!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  We just returned from a great trip to Botswana planned by Dan and his office.
For five of the six of us this was our fourth Safari. The first for my future son-in-law.
Dan had the unenviable task of creating a trip that would appeal to three generations of the family, and he had to work around our very tight vacation schedule. A lot of back-and-forth trying to make appropriate camps work for the dates we wanted.
Since we’ve been on several safaris already, we have learned what we like (eating at different and varying places around the camps) and don’t (bucket showers). Dan suggested camps that worked beautifully for our family. He made sure that the camps knew that we wanted to eat alone as a group because we feel more comfortable being on our own schedule.
Also, my daughters have food allergies and Dan made sure the camps were well aware of what was safe vs not. Of course we checked in with the chefs at each camp, but they had everything under control which made us feel very comfortable.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL Our family of four (2 adults and 2 children ages 12 and 15) spent an amazing week in Kenya in early July planned by Dan Saperstein. Kenya was beautiful, the wildlife was plentiful and awe-inspiring, the people were kind and welcoming, and the camps we stayed in were perfect in every way. We split our time in Kenya between two camps, one in the Mara and the other in Laikipia, which gave us a chance to experience different landscapes. The Mara was action-packed with prolific wildlife viewing. Laikipia was less dense in wildlife (although we still saw plenty!) but very serene and relaxing. Our days were filled with private game drives, time at the pool, delicious meals, walking safaris, sundowners, and even mountain biking. The guides were all top-notch, as were each and every one of the staff members at the camps we stayed in. In addition, the drivers and airport representatives were all of the highest quality. When our flight arrived in Nairobi at 4am, the airport representative who met us upon landing whisked us through the airport completely hassle-free and faster than I could have imagined. We felt well taken care of every step of the way, making the long travel as easy as possible. Planning a safari for the first time can feel overwhelming due to the number of possible destinations and lodging options. Dan made it feel easy, providing suggestions while listening carefully to our goals and desires for the trip. I also appreciated that he provided plenty of options that fit our objectives and worked within the budget we envisioned. We will always cherish the memories from this family trip!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  What began as a thought to go to a warmer place in February morphed into a bucket-list trip to Kenya & Rwanda! I reached out to Dan Saperstein in November and the planning began for an African adventure for my husband and I from 13-23 February.

My main focus for the trip was not just an animal safari, but also to experience the African culture, see the local conservation efforts, witness the labors to preserve endangered species, and incorporate my interest in the work of Dian Fossey and Jane Goodall.

Dan engaged immediately via telephone and truly listened to me. He created an itinerary that checked all the boxes; not an easy thing to do! To add to the complicated logistics, it meant traveling to two African countries: Kenya and Rwanda.

Dan was very patient with my numerous emails and questions, promptly responding to each one. He was also not afraid to advise if something was not a good idea and offered other options, which I appreciated.

He coordinated with local ground operators in both Kenya and Rwanda, which made things so much easier. From meeting us at the plane with a wheelchair, getting us through Customs & Immigration, arranging COVID testing or self-quarantine when required, escorting us to our guide/driver, even tracking down a missing suitcase and getting it delivered just as we were leaving for our safari. I’m sure we could not have done it without them. It was obvious that Dan communicated our wishes to them, too, so it was a seamless transition.

How was this trip different from a pre-pandemic trip? The most obvious is the multiple, varying requirements for COVID testing. It could be confusing as to when to get tested, how to get the results, where to post them online, etc. Dan answered all my questions and once we departed, the ground operators coordinated everything. No worries!

The lodging Dan suggested was amazing! Not only great, personalized service, but each of the four locations took precautions to minimize health risks. The two where we stayed the longest come with my highest recommendation:

Ol Pejeta Safari Cottages in Kenya: We had a very private & secluded cottage with a verandah for dining and just relaxing. We received royal treatment from the moment we arrived; our personal butler (John), chef (Victoria), night “watchman” (Robert), and guide/driver (Mike) were all great! Our hosts, Andy & Sonja, ensured we felt welcome by adding little touches that made all the difference.

Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel in Rwanda: A quiet room with a secluded patio meant we were never aware of the other guests. Our room attendant (Salus) always made sure we had everything we needed. Even though the tables in the dining area were well-spaced and everyone wore masks, the manager offered to serve our meals in another building that was more easily accessible for me. He even prepared a special candlelight dinner by the fireplace on our last night.

Our WOW Moment was perfect! We had a private tour of the Ol Pejeta Conservatory Northern White Rhino Project, met the two remaining Northern White Rhinos, and learned about the global efforts & cooperation amongst countries to save the species.

This was exactly what I wanted in the trip — to see and experience the Kenyan & Rwandan people & culture without being too touristy. Dan and his connections with the local operators and the best guides, definitely made this a fantastic trip.

My advice: Listen to your guide’s suggestions and go for it! Be flexible & spontaneous. A rare cheetah sighting? Let’s go! An early awakening to watch the sun rise behind Mt. Kenya? Definitely worth it! A personal tour of a beading or weaving “factory”? Sure! Visiting a project to improve lives for single mothers? (And celebrating their joy as they sang and danced to welcome us.) You bet! There is so much to see & do that you never know what you’ll find! But most importantly, just be in the present and experience Kenya & Rwanda. And know that, with Dan and his team behind you, it will be a once-in-a-lifetime trip!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  My husband and I are always thankful that we have selected a Wendy Perrin-recommended planner for our most significant trips. This trip was no exception! As we were headed to Africa for a wedding over the holidays, we decided to extend our stay and spend 8 days in Kenya on safari. Wendy connected us with Dan & his team, who planned an exceptional journey for us. Dan was highly engaged from our first call, asking detailed questions about our expectations, wishes for the trip, and prior experiences, to get a sense of what was important for us when we travelled. What resulted was a magical experience. We spent 3 days at a really unique camp in the Namunyak Conservancy, where we were able to learn about how the local tribes are being integrated into the conservation efforts. We were incredibly well-taken care of, including getting a private flight from the local airstrip to our primary airstrip to avoid a 2+ hour bumpy drive! Our second camp, just outside of the Mara, also exceeded expectations, with fabulous service, food and spa.

This felt like the perfect trip for on-going pandemic risk. We felt safe throughout, with most of our time spent outdoors and with strict restrictions around vaccination status and masks. When we first booked, the world had calmed down, but with Omicron hitting the world in December, we had a lot of last minute stress… Dan was fabulous with continuously communicating through changing restrictions and ensuring that we had all the paperwork and could meet our testing requirements. Whenever any bumps arose (e.g., company to take our departure test was late), Dan was available via WhatsApp and quick to respond.

10/10 would recommend Dan and his team. For folks looking to go on safari in East Africa – any time of year is great! You will have different experiences based on timing (e.g., Great Migration, vs. just normal safari) but the views and experience are breath-taking no matter the timing.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL Dan and team planned an amazing trip to Kenya and Rwanda for my husband and me. Their choice of destinations – three very different but equally wonderful Kenya camps plus a great lodge in Kenya – all offered us incredible stays with excellent food and service. The Kenya game drives were amazing as was our up close and personal visit with the silverback gorillas in Rwanda. Taking this trip during COVID could have been a challenge, but Dan anticipated all of our needs and arranged Covid testing as well as guides and transfers, which made our great adventure worry-free. The team knows Africa very well and were able to personalize our trip to meet our specific wants and needs. Well Done!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL Going on safari in Kenya, from the 19th to the 30th of September, 2021.

When we started planning our trip to Kenya over two years ago, we knew from our experience with an earlier trip to Botswana that we would benefit from working with an expert knowledgeable about Kenya. We contacted Dan and, after listening carefully to what we wanted, he put together a well thought out itinerary. At this point, he had already proven his value to us. Then COVID struck and his services became even more important. Dan walked us through the preparation of all the additional paperwork necessary to enter Kenya in the middle of the COVID pandemic. The staff at the safari camps Dan had selected for us were fully vaccinated. In addition, they wore masks at all times, even though almost all our activities were outdoors, including our meals. Knowing that we needed a negative PCR test to return to the US, Dan arranged to have COVID testers come directly to our last camp. Taking everything together, we felt perfectly safe throughout our trip.

Dan’s value was proved to us in other ways as well. Included in our original itinerary was a visit to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi, where we had adopted an elephant. COVID forced the orphanage to change the hours they were open to the public. As a result our plan to visit after returning from the safari camps was no longer possible. When we learned this less than a week before the start of the trip, Dan was able to rework the itinerary to allow us to instead make the visit upon our initial arrival in Nairobi. This included getting us on the approved visitors list and arranging a car and driver to take us there.

In short, our trip to Kenya was everything we could have hoped. The logistics were carefully planned and everything came off without a hitch. Dan and his team put together an itinerary that perfectly met our expectations. We visited three safari camps, spending 3 nights at each. The three camps were quite different, but each was special in its own way and provided a wonderful experience.

The most beautiful camp was Sarara with its 6 tents. The setting is spectacular and we had the best tent (number 6) from which to enjoy our stay. One unexpected feature of our tent was the elephant path just behind it. On several occasions we just looked through the screen in our bathroom and enjoyed the sight of elephants crashing through the brush, probably on their way to the watering hole visible from the lodge. One particularly pleasant surprise was getting met at the Air Kenya airstrip by Jeremy, the owner, who flew us the rest of the way to the camp in his private plane, thereby avoiding a two hour drive. At the end of our stay, he then flew us directly to our next camp, bypassing the three hour drive that we had expected.

Sirikoi was our overall favorite camp. Sirikoi is a small camp, with just 4 tents and 2 cottages, but it has the best combination of location, game viewing, wonderful dining, and attentive service. Sue, the owner, has done a spectacular job of creating a little bit of heaven on earth. We were quite impressed by the degree to which the camp is self-sufficient. During our ‘Back of the House’ tour we saw how the camp is able to grow most of its own food, build its own furniture, power everything with solar, and even make its own charcoal to be used in the tent fireplaces. The camp’s location in the Lewa Conservancy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is superb. Close in viewing of dozens of both white and black rhinoceroses with their babies was quite special. We could have easily spent a week at Sirikoi.

The Mara Bushtops camp wins the award for best game viewing. Our guide asked us what we wanted to see and we answered: as much as possible. He was happy to comply. During our two full days there we took two game drives in the Masai Mara. The first was 8 ½ hours long, the second was 9 ½ hours. We were reluctant to stop since we kept seeing remarkable things. We started at 5:45 each morning and enjoyed breakfast on the drive, eating at a table set up for us in a particularly scenic location. The last drive was best of our trip. On that one drive, we saw all of the Big Five, plus cheetahs feasting on a kill, as well as the tail end of the Great Migration featuring a large herd of zebras crossing the Mara River into the Serengeti. In addition, we managed to pay a short visit to Tanzania. It was a wonderful way to end our trip.

Mara Bushtops is a luxury camp with all the amenities that implies. During our three night stay we were the only guests in the 12 tent camp and were treated royally. Even though travel in the age of COVID can be challenging, there are certainly benefits to going at this time. Being able to avoid the crowds normally associated with visits during the high season is special.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL My husband Kenn and I waited and planned a long time for our African dream trip and had very high expectations. Thanks to Nina, Dan, and their team, the reality exceeded ALL of our expectations. While my comments only add to the long list of their delighted clients, we treasured the amazing itinerary that Nina Wennersten and Dan Saperstein put together for us. We visited Rwanda and Kenya, leaving Los Angeles on September 7th and returning home September 22nd. We flew business class on Qatar which is an airline experience every traveler should have at least once in their lifetime. We enjoyed unparalleled service and comfort between two flights and 22 hours of travel plus a layover in Doha, Qatar, understandably selected recently as the number one airport in the world.

Nina did an amazing job re-shuffling all of our dates and plans when Covid forced us to wait a year-plus to begin our African adventure. She managed to fit everything on my bucket list into our new itinerary plus a few incredible add-ons. We loved every camp and lodge that she sent us to– each one unique and wonderful in their own way from the magnificent beauty and luxury of Singita Kwitanda Lodge in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda (the only lodge minutes away from the gorilla trekking), to the intimacy of Sirikoi Lodge in the Lewa Conservancy in Kenya, to Bushtops and Salas Camp in the jaw-dropping expanse of the Masai Mara, Kenn and I realized early on that the best view rooms, guides and services were not coming to us by accident. It was clearly the benefit of being with Nina and all the good will her team has built up over the years. To end our trip with the wonder of the Masai Mara was a magical finale to the trip of a lifetime.

All of Dan’s notes were enormously helpful and understandable, especially during the pandemic when each country’s required Covid testing paperwork and qr code uploads would otherwise have been daunting. The ground teams in Rwanda and Kenya were indispensable. When we went through customs in Rwanda, I made sure to ask for the East Africa Visa, but whether it was the mask or the fact that my customs agent was a trainee, he gave me the visa only for Rwanda which I failed to pick up on. But our ground agent immediately recognized the error and went to great lengths to fix it. What a nightmare that could have been without the necessary added visa to let us enter Kenya!

Giraffe Manor was on my bucket list. Because Giraffe Manor is now familiar due to extensive publicizing, I was afraid it might come off as kitschy and more of a Disneyland experience than something out of Africa. Actually, neither was the case. Delightfully, Giraffe Manor is instead an authentic re-creation of a Scottish hunting lodge with the incredible inclusion of 12 giraffes. Nina made sure we had a “view room” at Giraffe Manor which made all the difference in the morning. We were on the second floor and had the joy of waking up to giraffes at our window. Giraffes don’t like to bend down because it causes them light-headedness, so those people with rooms on the first floor didn’t have this memorable experience. Who knew this giraffe ephemera? Well, Nina did, thankfully for us.

We learned firsthand the value and importance of having a well respected and trusted travel agency behind us. There were, simply, no snaffoos, no problems and only wonderful treatment, lodgings and unforgetable experiences everywhere we visited. Many WOW reviews have already talked in detail about the impeccable quality of the guides, trekkers, drivers, staff at all of the lodges Nina and Dan endorse, and we concur. Truly, there was not one experience or moment we would have traded throughout our entire two week trip. Personal safety was felt at every stop along the way with tremendous care and caution taken at every lodge to ensure nothing was sacrificed in the name of cleanliness and Covid protocols.

How Kenn and I can possibly add to all of the other African WOW reviews might be our reflections and suggestions after returning home: This is not a trip to economize on. We heard from other travelers tremendous differences in their experiences based upon the camps they stayed at. This might seem like a small item, but when you’re on a safari drive for 8-10 hours, you don’t want to be in an overcrowded van with closed windows leaving Nairobi at 4 am with a driver who is not familiar with the Masai Mara the way the local, incredibly knowledgeable guides are. Kenn and I had an open-air Range Rover to ourselves with a Masai trekker and expert guide. We saw every animal on our wish list plus many unexpected surprise viewings.
Also, plan tipping as part of your overall trip budget. We allocated $50-$100 daily which proved accurate for all of the wonderful service people who made our trip so memorable on a daily basis, from the safari guides and trackers– whether on hikes or in vehicles– to the dining staff, the housekeeping team, the daily laundry service, etc. These people could not be more helpful or gracious, and tips are their bread and butter. Now is the time to visit Africa. It is uncrowded, and the tourist industry is only beginning to re-open after over a year of Covid-related cancelations. None of the lodges we stayed at were full, and we experienced none of the traffic jams at any view site throughout our trip. We were also able to see some of the Great Migration without being bumper-to-bumper with competing vehicles.

We also realized that Africa may be a bucket list trip, but it requires a certain level of fitness and the ability to hike in somewhat challenging terrain if one wants to trek with the gorillas or venture into jungle-like settings. This is not the trip for anyone with a bad back or prone to car sickness. The daily drives often begin at 6 am to see the sun rise and can extend an entire day, 8-10 hours of very bumpy driving conditions on muddy roads– I use the word “roads” with an eye roll–up and down riverbanks like a roller coaster and no restrooms or comfort stops, period. There’s simply too much to see, as each drive is a completely different, magical experience. Finally, I can’t emphasize enough the value and importance that one’s travel agency brings to a trip like this. For my husband and I with a very limited knowledge of Africa outside of the few “musts” I had envisioned as part of my first African experience, we placed ourselves completely in the hands of Nina and Dan, in large part because I so trusted Wendy’s WOW List from our initial travel experience with them to Tahiti several years ago. That decision ended up guaranteeing the trip we had. Thank you beyond words for everything that Nina, Dan and their team in the U.S., Rwanda and Kenya did to make our Africa trip a milestone memory that we’ll always cherish.

The team in Dan’s office was amazing. Our trip to Africa was early post-pandemic and we travelled to 5 different countries. Dan scheduled 6 COVID tests en route, which was seamless and easy for us. The quality of the camps was extraordinary, both in Kenya and Botswana. They were small, high level of service, food quality was excellent, lodging was lovely. Dan was knowledgeable of the camps, different pros/cons, with staff having been to all of them. We felt like we were getting knowledgeable and insider advice.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL We recently returned from a magical African Safari Adventure in Kenya with private safari camps, private game drives, and private flights (more on that later). In the spring of 2019, we completed the Get a Personalized Recommendation questionnaire on Wendy Perrin’s website and were connected with Dan. We were scheduled to travel for twelve days in August 2020. Instead, we spent the summer of 2020 at home due to COVID-19. We rescheduled our safari adventure for August 2021.
Dan and his team worked tirelessly to reshuffle the four safari camps in an effort to match the schedule of the only airline that had limited direct flights to/from New York and Nairobi.
Dan walked us through all the COVID-19 requirements to ensure smooth travel. Dan also scheduled our COVID-19 test at the last Safari camp 48 hours before leaving Kenya.
Our magical trip began at the airport in Nairobi and from the moment we landed through our very last day we were in paradise. We joked that for 12 days we did not have to think about anything but the beauty around us. Everyone we came in contact with took care of us to ensure that our trip was flawless.
We were greeted at the Nairobi airport by a local liaison who escorted us through COVID-19 verification, passport control and customs. We were out of the terminal within 15 minutes! A local liaison was waiting for us outside with the driver, Sammy, and after a few minutes of introduction we were on our way to the first safari camp, Emakoko, Nairobi National Park. After one night at Emakoko we flew to Sirikoi Lodge, Lewa Conservancy. We were the only passengers on the flight to Sirikoi. Upon landing at the airstrip, we were greeted by James from the Masai tribe who was our guide and driver for the next three days. At the camp, we were greeted by Caroline and Emily who co-manage the lodge. We were one of three couples at the lodge and we enjoyed first class service. Our luxurious tent was our home for the next three days. Sirikoi has a water hole on its outskirts so we saw animals throughout the day – zebras, buffalos, giraffes, gazelles, impalas, and numerous birds. At sundown, the animals move into the grounds for the night as a safe heaven. We loved getting to know James and the Masai’s traditions. We had a private game-drive and the freedom to go on sunrise or sunset game drives, take a bush walk with a local ranger, and explore the Lewa Conservancy. On one of the sunrise game-drives we were surprised with tables loaded with fresh breakfast and we enjoyed being watched by curious giraffes. After three nights at Sirikoi we flew north, on a private flight, to the Sarara Tree Camp, Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy, at the foothills of the Mathews Range, or Ol Donyo Lenkiyieu.
We were greeted by Resin from the Samburu tribe who was our guide and driver for the next three days. At Sarara, we were greeted by Kim, Philip and Shchandra (sp?). We built our itinerary with Resin and enjoyed sunrise and sunset private game-drives, a visit to the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, a drive to a river bed where we ate breakfast and saw the Samburu men dig wells and sing, and a visit to a Samburu village. On our last day, we were the only guests at the camp and enjoyed getting full attention from the staff. The next day, at a breakfast next to the pool, Kim informed us that were being transported by private plane to our next stop. We enjoyed a low altitude flight so we could see the beautiful landscape and animals.
Upon landing, we were greeted by Alex, our guide, and Dennis, our spotter from the Masai tribe. At Mara Bushtops, we were greeted by Thomas and his staff. The Mara Bushtops is a very luxurious camp. It is situated near a salt lick that attracts zebras, buffalos, giraffes, gazelles, impalas, baboons, and elephants throughout the day. We enjoyed meals with the animals!
We built a unique itinerary with Alex and Dennis. We learned that the best game-drives are early mornings. So, for three days, we woke up before sunrise, and enjoyed private game-drives. Alex and Dennis were extremely knowledgeable about the animals and their behavior, and the Masai Mara landscape. We saw the Big-5, Ugly-5, and everything in between. Alex and Dennis arranged a visit to a Masai village, where we were greeted by Masai men and women singing and dancing, and a family opened their home to us. On the final day of our adventure, we went to the House of Waine, a lovely boutique hotel in the upscale Karen suburb of Nairobi, so we could relax before our flight back to the US. By then, we were exhausted!
The selected safari camps were excellent!!! We were educated and pampered throughout our stay and got to know great people.
This trip exceeded our already high expectations. We never worried about anything. If one flight was slightly delayed, the staff on the ground was informed. We never had to wait for anyone, nor did we worry about being left “alone”. The food was incredible. Never once did we feel hungry because food was always available. Daily, hot coffee and cookies were delivered to our tent! Laundry was washed daily and delivered later in the day like magic! We felt like royalty!

Asante Sana, Dan.

We wanted this trip to be special as it was our 70th Birthdays. We wanted it to be “a trip of a lifetime”. Nina and Dan far exceeded our expectations in South Africa.

Nina and Dan planned our trip after discussing what we would like to see and do. We wanted to go to Cape Town and a safari to see Leopards and hopefully the Big Five.

It’s difficult to put into words how fantastic our trip was. We had asked for a special room at The Silo hotel and they made sure we got it! The two Safari camps also exceeded our expectations.

The people at all of the places we went were so fabulous. We were hugged and fussed over and made to feel so at home at all three accommodations. We did see all of the animals and witnessed a lion kill which was extremely rare. The guides and trackers that we spent 6 hours a day with are now friends. They were amazing as well. We will have these wonderful memories for our lifetime and yes, it was “a trip of a lifetime ” thanks to Nina and Dan and Wendy Perrin’s Wow list.

I traveled to South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana with my twin 18-year old daughters this August. I had taken a similar trip 30 years prior, and I wanted to give my girls the combined experience of being on safari, seeing Victoria falls and day-tripping in / out of Cape Town, while not having them feel that it was also bonding with dad time. Dan executed seamlessly on all fronts. All flights, meet and greets, transfers, etc… went smoothly. The camps delivered in both South Africa (Tanda Tula) and Botswana (Duba Explorers)… we had tremendous guides and spotters and saw the big 5 at both camps, walked, drove, boated, and “mokoroed,” as circumstances permitted… and it only got better from there. Did I mention that the tents, food and drink were consistently great! I already miss the bush breakfasts. Victoria Falls delivered as well… so impressive even in the “dry” season, and a throw back to Colonial Times at the Victoria Falls Hotel. Unfortunately, due to several unfortunate tourist run-ins with elephants, the path from the hotel to the falls is no longer available as an option for guests to view the falls. The sunset cruise on the Zambezi was also a good diversion. Ending our trip in Cape Town was icing, as we explored, shopped, toured cape point, the penguin sanctuary, botanic gardens, aquarium, and of course the wine lands, where we had separate wine and cheese, wine and wine, and wine and chocolate tastings. Dan also arranged for our lunch at the “Little Farm” in Stellenbosch. We elected not to go up Table Mountain, as the potential for fast moving clouds and high winds, is always a factor. In total, the trip provided a great experience for me and my daughters beyond just the sights and sounds of Africa. We had the luxury of unplugging (almost) and reconnecting in a setting that we will always remember.

Nina and Daniel planned the most unforgettable trip to East Africa for my family. Our logistics were complicated as my daughter and I would already be in Kenya on a mission trip. My husband and son joined us later in Tanzania. Nina flawlessly created and executed an itinerary that allowed us to connect in Kilimanjaro and continue on our luxury safari after our mission work. The lodges that she selected for us were unique and luxurious with the highest level of customer service and attention I have ever experienced. We collectively gasped as we took in the view for the first time at Lemala Mpingo Ridge in the Tarangire National Park. Our pictures did not do it justice. Our “tented” rooms were quite unique and more luxurious than many 5 star hotel rooms we have enjoyed elsewhere. The game drives were everything I had hoped for and more. Our guides were wonderful and accommodating. We hated to leave them. The hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti was quite a special moment for us. It was so peaceful and exciting to see the animals from that vantage point. The champagne bush breakfast that followed was lovely and a great opportunity to talk to our fellow travelers. The grand finale of our trip was the private sundowner and bush dinner that Nina arranged for us as a WOW moment. How majestic! We will not soon forget our African safari. My expectations were high but they were exceeded at every turn. I highly recommend Nina and Daniel to anyone planning a safari. I am already dreaming of my next trip to Africa and getting to work with them again.

Marguerite, with Dan and Nina’s team, did a fantastic job helping us plan our trip to South Africa. Our family of 4 (kids are 12 & 10) couldn’t have had a better time! We spent the first half of our trip in Cape Town & Franschhoek doing lots of sightseeing & she did a great job of finding activities that we all enjoyed. The highlight was a guided kayak tour by Simonstown with African Penguins & even a humpback whale swimming right underneath us! It was thrilling! Then we flew to Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge for 5 days of incredible Safari. The lodge is breathtaking & the staff is kind and thoughtful. The Safari drives were so much fun for everyone – we saw more animals than we could have dreamed of. Marguerite planned all of our transfers too, which made things so easy. She even planned a birthday celebration for our daughter’s 10th birthday! She thought of everything.
Thank you for making this trip so special!

When planning a family trip of a lifetime to Africa (to include my 5 year old grandson, his parents and my travel companion), your first recommendation was to contact Nina Wennersten. True to your advice, Nina proved the perfect travel expert to craft an itinerary with special attention to my grandson. Having made several safaris over the last 40 years, I was unsure about what would be the best choice for this one which included 3 generations.

Nina’s recommendation of Kenya, with its colorful and fascinating cultural aspects in addition to the wealth of wildlife, proved spot on. She thoughtfully listened to my interests as well as always keeping in mind the most appropriate activities for the little one. Finally, our conversations led to a superb itinerary which was exciting for each and every one of us.

Our trip began with Nina and her son/partner, Dan, arranging for a warm welcome as soon as the airplane door opened. We were whisked through customs, setting the stage for a seamless continuum of travel logistics with all plane and ground transfers. The camps Nina recommended were all welcoming and without exception went out of their way to entertain my grandson. At Sirikoi in the Lewa Conservancy, my grandson was as entertained by the camp’s chickens and vegetable garden as the the game drives in search of African wildlife! At our final stop, Mara Bushtops, my grandson joined the Maasai while they performed their ‘adumu’ or jumping dance. I will forever carry the memory of him jumping with the Maasai beside the campfire with the African sunset on the horizon.

Finally, thank you for a very special WOW moment! I’d arranged a drive especially for birding, and was thrilled to suddenly come upon a beautifully set table and full staff on hand to provide us with a fabulous bush breakfast. A wonderful keepsake presented to me was a personalized East African bird book.

Thanks to Nina, Dan, and you, Wendy, the trip exceeded our dreams. Asante sana!

For my first visit to sub-Saharan Africa I chose Nina & Marguerite. They crafted an exquisite three week trip encompassing Cape Town, three safari lodges, a couple of hotels in the Winelands, and a hotel right on the beach on the Indian Ocean. All their arrangements were impeccable. In Cape Town: a wonderful art guide one day, restaurant reservations, a coveted theatre ticket. Each safari lodge was unique with diverse landscapes and an abundance of animals. The Winelands and beach experiences afterwards were such a relaxing way to gently wind down from those wonderful safari drives. While planning the trip, my questions were always answered promptly and their advice was very helpful. I am looking forward to planning another trip to southern Africa next year and cannot think of any better company to work with!

Great choices of lodgings for us. Seamless internal transfers. 5 star

Nina and Dan assisted my wife and me in organizing an almost 3 week trip to South Africa in September. The trip was terrific and Nina’s and Dan’s guidance was spot-on and invaluable. The hotels in Capetown, Hermanus and Franschhoek were exactly to our liking…..smallish boutique well-appointed properties, well located for easy walking to town/sights, with exceptional service by the respective staffs. We could not have identified these perfect fit accommodations without Ninas and Dan’s knowledge and help. Their experience was also invaluable in choosing our 2 safari camp locations. Nina and Dan fit put us into 2 camps that fit our budget yet were luxurious and provided us with 2 different experiences in Timbavati and Sabi Sabi. Again, we would never have been able to make such an excellent choice by ourselves. Our in-country logistics were flawless and Ninas and Dan’s recommendation for a South Cape tour was perfect…it cost a bit more than the standard offering, but the guide was excellent and the experience superb. The guide had even arranged for us to have a penguin expert from the local association to accompany us on our visit to the penguins which added tremendous value to that segment of the trip. Lastly, we were concerned over baggage restrictions when flying out of safari back to Joburg on Federal Air. This concern was quickly dispelled by switching that flight to SAAirkink which had no such restrictions. This required a short transfer from our camp to a local airport but was well worth the small inconvenience so that we could pack what we desired for a 3-week multi-faceted trip. I would certainly recommend Nina and Dan to anyone wanting to plan a trip to South Africa.

Wendy:
I wanted to write you about an absolutely amazing trip to Africa that we experienced through you and Nina Wennersten. Nina was great to work with through the many versions of the trip that we imagined. From start to finish everything went smoothly; we were met at each juncture and spirited to each of our destinations and accommodations fairly seamlessly.

First of all, we are very grateful that we had the opportunity to experience Mara Bushtops Luxury Camp. From the time we were met at the small airport by our Maasai guide, Jacob, and Maasai tracker, Albert, until they saw us off when we flew away a few days later we could not believe how special Bushtops and their staff made us feel. We loved the tented suites and even my husband, who was not at all interested in staying in tents, was very content the entire stay, & even wants another similar type of experience when we return! I am very pleased that we opted to visit Kenya and the Masai Mara because the ecosystem is so very different than what we had experienced 20 years before on our first and only safari which was to South Africa. We had the rare opportunity to see a lioness kill a wildebeest near the Sand River where the migration was occurring and two opportunities to see cheetahs, including a mother with her 2 older children right on the Bushtops conservancy grounds! Jacob was so very engaging and helped us to understand the Maasai culture. I was so taken by the beadwork done by the Maasai local women that I made certain to load up on bracelets for myself and my nieces.

We loved the Signature Wing room at the Victoria Falls Hotel and were very happy that we had opted to stay there instead of Tongabezi in Zambia, where Nina first suggested. Having days to ourselves in a totally unstructured atmosphere where we had the ability to walk to dinner in town or to see the falls on our own time was refreshing after the hustle bustle of days on safari in Kenya. Victoria Falls Hotel has a long storied history and we are glad that we were able to experience several aspects of just the hotel itself, its 5 star plus experience, and its lovely grounds. Nina arranged a memorable sunset Zambezi River cruise on the Ra-Ikane. What an intimate lovely wooden boat! And the drinks and appetizers were delicious and certainly plentiful! The sunset we saw was amazing as it was a crystal clear evening and the reflection in the river was magical.

As for Singita Boulders, what can one say other than mind blowing! It was even more than we had ever imagined and dreamt of for 20 years! We had the opportunity to have lunch at Ebony and were very happy that we had chosen Boulders over Ebony. Paul our guide and Golden our tracker were astonishing in how they tracked down a pack of rare wild dogs for us to see the 9 new pups! They persisted in looking and staying in the area they suspected the den of the dogs would be for over an hour and we were rewarded with bouncing puppies! On another occasion we were able to see 4 lion cubs of 3 months old who were suckling their mom and yet getting an occasional taste of a wildebeest kill!

As for Azura on Benguerra in Mozambique, it was a welcome relief after many early morning starts and late nights at Singita! Azura was really lovely and our Luxury Beach Villa was beautiful.

What a truly an amazing trip & we can’t wait for our next trip to Africa all because of Nina!

Nina was fabulous. We can’t say enough. Our trip was perfectly planned and executed. In planning, Nina got to know us and fully understood what we were looking for. As a result, she chose properties and experiences that were just what we were looking for. We celebrated our 30th anniversary on this trip and Nina made sure that every property did something special to help us celebrate. She also made sure we had the best rooms and on safari the best guides.
While we were in Africa, Nina checked up on us to make sure everything was going smoothly and that we were enjoying ourselves.

We could not have planned this trip without Nina’s help. We highly recommend Nina and her team.

From the minute I contacted Nina and Dan they were incredibly giving of their expertise and time. I had already spoken to several tour operators specializing in Africa and was completely confused about itineraries and accommodations in my target area of Tanzania. They helped me make sense of the choices and ultimately suggested Kenya as the best fit for my needs. It was an incredible trip!! They selected beautiful lodges in 3 different conservancies, each with its own unique animals, topography and cultural exchange opportunities. I believe they have great relationships with the properties they select such that we got what seemed like extra special treatment, great rooms, great guides and a few surprises like special birthday wishes Maasai style! I can’t recommend them highly enough!

Hi Wendy! Thank you to you and your team for suggesting Nina and Dan. Leslie and I had a beautiful trip and we are now in love with Kenya. Dan and Nina were very responsive to our needs and set up a seamless trip. The lodges were gorgeous and the staff and guides were both knowledgeable and accommodating. We are grateful for the expertise of everyone involved.

You really learn the value of a seasoned travel planner when there is a hiccup during your trip, in this case, weather-related.

We have been to Africa on safari a couple of times during the dry seasons, this time we opted to see Kenya in East Africa when it was Green.

This is our second trip arranged by Nina and Dan and they frankly nailed it – from the moment we landed – when the door of our Airbus 330 opened in Nairobi there was someone from the ground handler to meet us – not in the terminal but at the top of the airplane’s steps! Who does that!

The three lodges we stayed in were all excellent, each unique, each providing a different experience and matched our desires of comfort and activities perfectly. The hosts/managers in each were long in experience, provided excellent to over-the-top notch facilities, impossibly courteous and knowledgeable staff, seriously good and locally sourced food, fantastic views and plenty of game activities.

Highlights in each included: Three leopards in 3 days at Saruni Samburu; at Sirikoi, seeing dozens of Rhinos and sharing a few meals with the owner whose family goes back several generations in Kenya as safari leaders and conservationists; the staff, the Cheetahs and unreal views at Angama Mara

But there were weather-related hiccups and this is when Hippo shined.

The first occurred one month before we left when we learned from Nina that our final and top lodge was literally washed away in a flash flood. When she called she had already arranged for a replacement lodge, one that is now considered the best in the Mara, and for the same price! This one was above our budget and proved to be extraordinary.

The second weather-related hiccup occurred mid-trip when fog delayed our flight from taking off in time to get to the next lodge, forcing us to spend an unplanned night back in Nairobi. By the time we landed in Nairobi, The team, was not only aware but had already arranged with the local airline for ground handlers to meet us, provided an excellent hotel plus dinner, arranged for next day flight, all at no cost to us.

This fast and nearly seamless fix to the situation could not have happened unless you have a travel planner with dozens of years in East Africa, has relationships with the air transporters and one that has stayed at every lodge they recommend.

I highly recommend Nina and Dan.

An excellent trip. Nina and her team work closely with their ground operator, who doubled checked on transfers and sent emails to be sure I was doing ok. They knew I would be arriving late to the game ride and had the manager arrange for me to be driven out to meet the Land Rover already on its afternoon game ride.

Wendy, thank you for creating and maintaining The WOW List. We have used your recommended experts four times now, and I’m sure we never would have enjoyed the wonderful experiences that we have without these amazing professionals. Our latest trip, a safari in the Serengeti, was a bucket list trip for both myself and my husband. Now that it’s over, I’m not sure there will be one better — until, of course, we visit Africa again.

Dan Saperstein quickly reached out to discuss all aspects of our safari, guiding us, if you will, to the best possible itinerary. As my husband abhors small planes, Dan recommended a driving safari throughout different sections of the Serengeti region. Furthermore, based on our preliminary conversations, he also thought we’d really enjoy the tented camp experience. He was absolutely right on both counts.

Our driver/guide was nothing short of amazing. In addition to sharing his seemingly boundless knowledge of all things safari, we appreciated hearing him talk about what everyday life is like in Tanzania.

All in all, I wholeheartedly recommend Dan & his team.

Again, thank you—many of our travels have no doubt been elevated from good to extraordinary because of The WOW List. I know when we are ready to go on our next adventure we will turn to a WOW expert.

They gave us good advice about when to plan the safari part of the time in order to avoid the rainy season. Literally, the rains stopped in the safari area about one week before we arrived. During our time on safari, we had beautiful weather. Also, their recommendations about which safari reserves to use turned out to be top notch.

They created several very detailed itineraries for us until we settled on one; they provided very thorough pre-trip notes so we were fully prepared; all the people who were supposed to meet us did so; all the internal flights we were supposed to be on were there; before the trip the planners were available to answer any questions; they even prepared a special rundown for me of suggested tips. I really have nothing negative to say about them and would certainly use them again.

This is our second trip using Hippo Creek Safaris and again and again they are phenomenal in their execution of a perfect vacation. I took my entire family this time (6 people) and even with multiple people and with multiple needs every request was no problem and without a hitch. Their recommendations are first class and their experience is second to none. The most important thing to me is in the planning and execution, their communication level is outstanding. They are always available and always accessible to discuss a change or suggestion or concern. They respond almost immediately with a detailed and thoughtful email. The customized and detailed itineraries are beautifully done with pictures and timelines and detailed information or every step of the trip. I am an experienced traveler and have been to Africa several times and I would use them again and again and again. Whether it is your first trip or you have been there before, these people are first rate, first class and the first I would call. Highly, highly recommend.

We really didn’t know what to expect when we planned our safari trip this year. Our must haves were animal viewing, noteworthy accommodations, Victoria Falls, and Cape Town. The experience Dan of Hippo Creek Safaris planned for us surpassed any expectations we might have had.
Everything about Leopard Hills was remarkable. The guides made sure we saw as much as possible in our time there. When we left, after 3 days, it felt like we were leaving family. Dan listened to our needs and really took care of us with very little back and forth.
We have many photos of our cottage at Tongabezi because it was indescribably beautiful. Our deck was literally right above the river.

The service was exceptional everywhere and by everyone, from the lodging to the guides, to the transfers. Dan truly planned for us a trip that will be forever in our hearts and memories. Because of his efforts, we were able to experience the best of the best.
Wendy, we have used your recommended experts a couple of times now, and they have provided us with excellent service and spectacular experiences.

Nina Wennersten and the whole team at Hippo Creek Safaris were awesome! Extremely knowledgeable, responsive and friendly. I am a savvy, experienced traveler but was having trouble sorting through all the game lodge options in South Africa. Nina recommended and booked us at Lion Sands in the Sabi Sand private game reserve, and the whole experience was beyond spectacular.

Nina also helped recommend touring options in Johannesburg, as well as a great layover hotel there. And while we were looking for a luxury experience, and she totally delivered, she was super helpful in managing the cost. I would definitely recommend Nina and Hippo Creek Safaris (and Lion Sands) to anyone looking to book a South African Safari.

Our trip was the best we have ever taken. It was hard to top last year, but I believe that it did. I have used many of your WOW List travel experts but I believe one of the things that separates Dan and Hippo Creek from others is the premium level of communication they provide. Every question is met with a thoughtful, well-considered and prompt response. They really get to know the client and are incredibly attuned to their needs. They listen, which is a real skill, and they really came through. Big time. Their on-the-ground team has a real presence so there is always someone available in Africa to make sure that all of your needs are met. The service that we received was first class and reliable in every aspect. There were no glitches anywhere. Every guide at their disposal was knowledgeable and personable. The camps that were recommended were all outstanding. Dan and Nina also seem to have close relationships with the best camps and the red carpet was rolled out for us at all of these camps. It really makes the experience of being so far from home much more comforting.

All in all, I cannot recommend anyone higher than what we have experienced with Hippo Creek. I would use them again without hesitation and I would recommend them again with the highest possible praise.

A visit to Africa has been on our must-see list for many years and this past December my husband and I, with our 2 college-age sons, finally traveled to Tanzania. I contacted Hippo Creek Safaris based on Wendy’s recommendation and could not have been happier with the outcome. Everything was spot-on: the itinerary, the pre-trip instructions, the accommodations and our local driver/guide were beyond our expectations. Nina and her staff planned the most amazing trip for us. My husband and I are planning to return to Africa in a few years and will definitely use Hippo Creek Safari for this next trip.

I contacted Hippo Creek Safaris based on Wendy’s recommendation. Nina called me back within an hour of my email and from our first phone call, she felt like an old friend. I had not done any research prior to calling and simply knew that I wanted to go on safari to Kenya and Tanzania. Nina gave me all kinds of great ideas based on my interests and immediately put together a few possible itineraries, complete with beautiful pictures. She is infinitely patient and will talk through all of your decisions. Any time I called, she picked up the phone and always had time for me. Such personal service! The trip was beyond my wildest dreams. Nina and Dan took care of everything, from a detailed list of everything we needed to bring, to instructions and form letters to submit to the embassies to get our visas. Once we arrived in Africa, our every need was met by people on the ground with Nina and Dan’s partner agencies in Kenya and Tanzania. We even had people meet us in the airport to give us lunch boxes, find our luggage, get us checked in to the local flights to get from camp to camp. The lodges they use are intimate and mostly on private conservancies which allow you to go off road in Kenya. Our safari vehicles never had more than two couples (in Tanzania, we had our own driver and vehicle for five days) and our guides were the warmest, most knowledgeable people I have ever met. Everything I read about a safari planned by Nina and Dan was true–absolutely stress free (even for novices) yet filled with surprises such as private dinner on the porch of our tent cabin in Kenya or a suite in a hotel upon arrival in Nairobi complete with wine, cheese and fruit after a long flight. I thought that our trip to Africa would be a once in a lifetime trip, but after working with Nina and having such a fabulous trip, we immediately began thinking about when we could go again. Look no further than Hippo Creek Safaris–they are the best.

Dan and Hippo Creek Safaris provided an above-and-beyond experience! Aside from the stunning accommodations and unique game drives we enjoyed, Dan made our travel seamless! Their kindness is only matched by their attention to detail. We will definitely work with Hippo Creek Safaris again!