Ultimate Africa Safaris — Local services in Sammamish

Ultimate Africa Delivered Beyond Our Wildest Expectations!

Planning a safari to Africa seemed daunting at first. Traveling with two teenage daughters and their 84-year-old grandmother, I had serious concerns about safety, logistics, accommodations, dining, and whether we'd actually see wildlife in their natural habitat. Ultimate Africa didn't just address these concerns—they exceeded every expectation.

Safety First: From the moment we landed in South Africa until our departure, I never once felt unsafe. Ultimate Africa selected secure destinations and provided seamless guidance at every transfer point. With the carefully curated itinerary and selected locations, we were able to relax and enjoy our entire adventure.

Stress-Free Logistics: The beauty of having someone meet us at every stop along the way made this trip completely stress-free. Ultimate Africa coordinated all our transfers—airplane, helicopter, and car—and even helped us navigate customs when driving between Botswana and Zimbabwe. We simply followed their easy-to-understand itinerary while they handled every detail behind the scenes.

Exceptional Accommodations: It was hard to believe we were in the middle of the African bush with flushing toilets, and hot water bottles (affectionately called "bush babies") placed in our beds each night—all while listening to hippos laughing outside! Ian from Ultimate Africa personally visited each property to select only the best accommodations for his clients.

Outstanding Cuisine: Our palates were absolutely spoiled at the safari lodges. The cuisine was scrumptious, wines were beautifully paired, and the desserts were decadent. They even catered to my vegetarian needs without hesitation. And while on safari…well, coffee never tasted better than when surrounded by elephants, giraffes, and hippos.

Unforgettable Safari Experience: Our guides were incredibly knowledgeable and skilled at tracking animals, providing us with the most amazing sightings. The attention to small details—from the bush babies on chilly mornings to the thoughtful snacks in the wild—made this trip truly spectacular.

The Bottom Line: Ultimate Africa was prompt in returning phone calls and emails, and their meticulous planning allowed us to simply enjoy ourselves. If there's only one thing I could change about this trip, I would have made it longer—I never wanted to come back home!

I wholeheartedly recommend traveling to Africa, and Ultimate Africa's attention to detail made this the trip of a lifetime. They turned what could have been a stressful multi-generational journey into a worry-free adventure we'll treasure forever.

Thank you,...

Thanks to Ultimate Africa Safaris we had a trip of a lifetime to Africa!! Ultimate Africa Safaris put together a smoothly connected wonderful African experience for us that was full of wildlife and will be so memorable.

We were greeted and assisted every step of the way beginning at the airport in Johannesburg and all our connections were smooth and guided from place to place on our trip. All the places we stayed were fancy but within our budget with outstanding service and food. We wanted to visit the Okavango Delta and Chobe area in Botswana and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. The highlight of our trip was visiting Khwai Tented Camp near the Okavango Delta suggested by Ultimate Africa Safaris' for our budget - and it was amazing advice! We felt like we were part of a National Geographic Expedition while we were there. We saw a male lion hauling a baby hippo carcass while a hyena and jackal lurked nearby, three other male lions, two female lions, a leopard, and many other typical sightings of giraffes, zebras, elephants, hippos, etc. all in one game drive. Another game drive we saw ten female lions including a 3-4 month old cub and a 1-year old cub swim across the river and then watched them roll and play for 45 minutes. Yet another game drive we watched a hyena nursing two 2-week old pups. We also saw two other leopards, genets, serval, honey badger, lots of birds, and so much more and all sightings were so close-up - our photos are outstanding!! Our guide (Mighty) was the best and we were treated like kings and queens at the camp - the service and food were impeccable.

We also had fun in the Linyante area and our experience at Victoria Falls was great! The guide who Ultimate Africa Safaris arranged for us to take us around in Victoria Falls was excellent - he resolved issues with us not being on the Ra-Ikane Sunset Cruise list of paid participants in short order so we could make the cruise in a tight timeframe; gave a great tour of Victoria Falls; and took us to a great open market for souvenir shopping and was patient and helpful while we shopped.

We highly recommend Ultimate Africa Safaris - their expertise and service ...

We just recently returned from our (July/August 2022) fabulous trip to South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe organized by Lorna and Ian. This trip was delayed twice due to Covid. The pre-trip planning and Lorna and Ian's patience with our constant questions were impeccable. What more can I say about the trip itself but IT WAS PERFECT. We asked for "white glove" service and that was exactly what we got. We were met at airports by greeters that guided us efficiently through customs etc. going and coming. Ultimate Africa Safaris doesn't just do safaris. In South Africa, we explored Cape Town, the Whale Coast/Grootbos Forest, and the Franschhoek/Stellenbosch wine country. There, our guide was Maarten, who was stellar in every way; knowledgable, personable, accommodating, on-time, helpful (above and beyond, e.g., returning coats that were left in the van) and an excellent driver. We learned so much from him. I didn't want to let him go when we went on to the safari part of the trip in Botswana. In Botswana, our safari camps were Selinda, Abu and Mombo. The accommodations were over the top beautiful. The food was excellent. I think we saw every possible animal except the rhino (that unfortunately is being poached for its horn). Our guides (Alex, Go and OB) at all of the camps were spectacular. They were excellent trackers and full of information. Again, we learned so much! They were willing to talk about their own background and the path they took to become guides. These conversations provided insight into lives of the indigenous people of Botswana and gave us a feel for the country as a whole. The safari experience that Lorna and Ian put together was and experience of a lifetime. And, I have to note in comparison, we saw a ton more animals than friends of ours that went last year with another "travel agency". Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe was beautiful. Our main guide was very helpful and informative. Lorna and Ian's suggestions for restaurants were perfect. Overall, our trip was seamless and beyond our greatest expectations. Thank you, thank you, thank you...