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Bekki Lasell, Riverside, California Second, the trip itself was exactly what I needed and wanted. I loved the accommodations in Brazzaville. I loved the trip on the Sangha via pirogue. I loved getting stuck in the mud in the vehicles, and being delayed because trees had fallen in the road and needed to be hacked away before we could continue. I loved hiking through waist deep water in the swamp and going to and from the elephant bai. One of my favorite days hiking was when we went to the elephant bai and it was pouring. I think I will treasure it always. Lisa and I loved the torrential downpour we experienced in the pirogue; how the motor broke down and we had to tie up on Cameroon until it was repaired. I loved the oar pirogue trips -- it was so beautiful, we whispered when we spoke. And one of these trips, we spooked a baby python, who then joined us in the water. I loved the fast hikes, how my body ached at the end of the day, and I'd fall asleep writing in the journal. I loved being charged by Kingo, the silverback. We saw gorillas, mangabeys, black and white colobus, and putty nosed monkeys -- all that we wanted to see and more. I loved taking the scientists on our pirogue to CAR. I liked the student who was doing her thesis on tourism touring with us when we net hunted and experienced the pgymy dances. My favorite camp was Mondika. It was great having the mangabeys wake us in the morning, being so close to the gorillas, the food was great (we were made Chicago style deep dish spam pizza at our request!), we drank boxed wine and smoked the Ba’aka cigarettes. One night the camp manager played us Frank Zappa and we could hear the pgymies playing a Kung Fu movie in the background. Now THAT is surreal. We met such wonderful people at all of the places we stayed. Now with the good comes the bad. Despite unhealthy levels of insecticide, I was eaten alive by every bug, ant, mosquito, and tick imaginable. I was even bit by a spider. I was spooked by an extremely large spider while showering in the cold water that CAR's Doli Lodge boasts. Max saved the day and requested buckets of hot water be sent to our room daily. The food was not that good at Doli Lodge, although the salami added to cheese and bread for breakfast was welcomed. My hotel room at Ouesso had ants, leaked when it rained, had cold water, and when I flushed the toilet water came out from under the sink. We also paid 60,000 CFA for a bottle of South African wine there. Shocking. Here in the States the South African wine is the least expensive. We also seemed to be targets for additional tax, even with Max, and this discouraged Max, who obviously is trying to do well by his country through tourism. I also had lessons learned. I didn't realize how many butterflies there were. I think if I were to do it all again, I would have spent more time in Mondika, to spend an afternoon photographing butterflies. There isn't a need to take solar powered battery packs -- all of the camps now accommodate charging Thank you. I hope my comments were worth the wait.
Gary and Annette Hilton, Whiterock, Canada
Donald McKenzie, South Africa
Tiffani Chen, George Mason University, Washington, DC
Riel du Toit, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Martin Osborne and Carolyn Pitchik, University of Toronto, Canada
Alexandra Flatt, Jason Billard and family, North Vancouver, Canada
Thomas Marent, Photographer, www.thomasmarent.com
Kelly Sweet, National Geographic Television, Washington, DC
Cory McCaig, Vancouver, Canada Thanks to all your great organizing I was able to call our guide the night before we were to leave with him. He came and met us at the hotel, chatted for awhile and arranged a pick up time for the next day. And the next adventure began. Our time at the Menengai Crater was wonderful. We went to the Nakuru National Park while we were there. From then we moved on to the Maja Moto Group Ranch and the cultural center there. We visited the rescue school and the widows' village that the center helps support. We were met with an official Maasai welcome, were taken to the hot springs, and were treated like royalty throughout. Vern and I were included in a Maasai cleansing ceremony at the widows' village after dark. That was something special. James, the cook, did a marvelous job with the meals considering he has no modern conveniences. With just two charcoal burners, and a propane tank with a burner on the top he put the most wonderful tasty meals on the table. I figured he was a miracle worker. After that we moved on to the Maasai Mara Game reserve and the animals we saw took our breath away. Of course we saw the big 5 – cape buffalo, lion, leopard, rhino, elephant - but many more animals besides. Our guide was excellent as was our driver. I can't tell you all the adventures we had, it would take all day, but of all the holidays that Vern and I have taken, this was the first time I felt the need to keep a journal. That's how good it was. I want to thank you for all the hard work and organizing you put into this trip. It was truly a Great Adventure!
David Quammen, science, nature and travel writer, author of Flight of the Iguana: A Sidelong View of Science and Nature; The Song of the Dodo: Island Biogeography in an Age of Extinctions; The Reluctant Mr. Darwin: An Intimate Portrait of Charles Darwin and the Making of His Theory of Evolution. Anyway, I can highly recommend Max if any of your other contacts
should want to know.
Christine, North Vancouver, Canada There is not one thing we would change. For our family it was the right amount of time spent at each park, lodging and village. The food and our guides were given top ratings by our children, and I couldn't agree more. It just doesn't get any better! Leslie offered us a great itinerary after she listened to what our needs were. I also appreciated Leslie dealing with all the bookings and if there needed to be a change, she kept our families' needs in mind. I loved not having to make decisions--How freeing is that as a mother?!
Cherri Bell, Juneau, Alaska
Dana Butler, Seattle (Safari talk attendee)
Bill Gowling, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada There is not a month that I don't think back to my trip with Cathy in Africa on the safari you organized. This was a dream of a life time. It was beyond my expectations. It was an adventure like no other. Of course when a person has such high expectations a trip can become a big disappointment. I have taking other trips where there were a lot of problems. Not this one. Your planning made this trip a perfect experience. From the time we arrived until our departure every detail was looked after. We arrived late at night in Arusha in a tiny little airport with hardly anyone around and tired from jet lag. Then we saw a big sign with our name on it. It was held by our driver, a wonderful person who made us feel right at home. The whole trip was like this. Our accommodations were wonderful and our guides and drivers incredible. We have developed a lasting friendship with both of them and communicate often. We went primarily to see Africa's wildlife, the greatest experience of my life, but the unexpected bonus was the people. So friendly and we had a chance to visit them in their homes and tour their schools. They taught us what hope and determination can do for a person and country. One thrill was to meet the people who live in remote places in thatched mud huts. Again they welcomed us and introduced us to their family and we saw their homes and school. If I was a younger person I would go back and spend more time. A part of my heart will always be in Africa. This all resulted from your planning and careful attention to detail. Anyone that you are talking to that needs convincing about the trips you organize, do not hesitate to have them contact me.
Jan Sampson, Vancouver, Canada
Trish Peck, Vancouver, Canada Leslie went to work planning us the most unforgettable adventure. We started off in Arusha, Tanzania for a 12-day safari through the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. It was our honeymoon, so we did the safari alone with our driver, Abdul. The rest of the crew, which comprised of three others went ahead each day and set up camp for us. The staff Leslie chose for our trip was fantastic! Abdul had eagle eyes and spotted tons of the animals for our photo ops, including: prides of lions with cubs, elephants, giraffes, zebras, rhinos, hippos, wildebeest, gazelle, elands, and on the very last day with lots of hard work found a leopard with two cubs. Absolutely amazing! Leslie knew that we wanted a little culture in our adventure as well so she planned a day for us to spend hunting with the Hazda people, Tanzania's last hunter/gatherers who live in and around Lake Eyasi. This was a day that left such an imprint on me. The second half of our journey took us to Congo and Central African Republic with Leslie herself. This is not a trip for the faint of heart. I have to say that Leslie was great at preparing us and making sure we were the right people for this type of adventure. We did meet another tour along the way and I could tell these people had been strung along to believe that it was not as rough as it actually was. Congo is a place that you really have to roll with it and not be surprised if things don’t fall into place perfectly. It’s all part of the adventure that makes the story even better when you return home. Our trip to Congo was planned first and foremost to see Western lowland gorillas; and believe me the hours in dugout pirogues and trudging through swamps were all worth it when we were sitting only metres away and sharing the forest with silverback Kingo and Makumba and their families. For our day of culture in Congo, we went net hunting with the Ba’Aka pygmies, another unforgettable experience. Leslie at Mama Tembo Tours planned an adventure for us that covered exactly what we were looking to experience and more, while staying within our budget. I highly recommend Mama Tembo Tours for anyone who is looking to experience the real Africa.
Rob and Angie Pollitt, Vancouver, Canada Our arrival at Arusha airport in Tanzania was the start of an adventurous 17 days. By arriving several days early we planned to get over jet lag and acclimatize before setting out on safari. But there was no time to waste. Mama Tembo had planned a game drive in Arusha National Park, as well as a walk to visit children in a local school where the children sang to welcome us. Another day we were invited to partake in a cookout where we prepared our own food African-style! Our first day of safari took us to Lake Natron. As we approached Lake Natron, Mount Lengai spewed volcanic ash high into the sky. This was so impressive! Lengai put on another big show for us the following afternoon. An electrical/ lightning display could be seen just over the top of the cone. Earlier that day we walked from our camp to the lake where there were hundreds and hundreds of flamingos and pelicans. Later we hiked to a nearby waterfall for a very refreshing shower, a welcome treat in the afternoon heat. We ended the day with sundowners on "Baboon Hill" overlooking where we stayed, the beautiful Lake Natron Tented Camp. The next day we traveled to the Gol Mountains in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Even though we were in the vehicle for most of the day, we stopped often for explanations of the flora and fauna as well as for a "bush picnic". As we got closer to the Gols, we saw more wildlife: ostrich, giraffe, Bat-eared fox, vultures and eland. Even though the eland was far away we could see what a big antelope he is. A beautiful creature! Zebra and wildebeest by the hundreds were all over the Gol Mountains. Leslie had planned our trip with the hope that the wildebeest migration would have arrived in the southern plains of the Serengeti on its border with the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The weather had cooperated and the migration was on schedule. The migration attracts many predators. Wild dogs are rarely seen in the Gols but we knew they were there somewhere because we came across a young wildebeest carcass that the pack had killed early one morning. We stayed at Suyan Camp in the Gol Mountains. This was the most luxurious form of camping that any of us had ever experienced. This camp has to be seen to be appreciated. Lovebirds perched in trees just outside our tent. We had so many excellent photo opportunities around camp of birds and other animals. In the Gol Mountains, while on a morning hike, we climbed a small hill to a cliff face where there were rock paintings. It isn't known who painted them or how old they are. After the walk, we visited a Maasai village where a "fertility" celebration was being held. The men were doing the cooking and the women were celebrating. This village didn't expect us. It was therefore up to the elders and the Laibon (traditional seer and healer) to decide whether we should be invited to the festival. Finally, it was agreed that we could observe the ceremony but we couldn't take photos. There were so many highlights – one night, Leslie planned a dinner under the stars in Lake Manyara National Park, followed by a night safari. Lake Eyasi was definitely one of my favourite highlights. We stayed at Kisima Ndege Tented Camp. This camp consists of tents on wooden platforms with queen bed and self-contained bathroom. Camping is never this comfy or homey when we go camping at home! The first thing we did at Lake Eyasi was to visit the market. Leslie had planned it so that we arrived in Mang'ola on market day. People come from miles around to buy every day needs such as clothing, food, and shoes, which are made from old tires. It was amazing to see these rubber shoes lined up in orderly rows according to size and stretching for several hundred feet. The most memorable day of our Lake Eyasi stay was when we woke up before dawn and traveled out into the bush to meet the Hadza, hunter-gatherers whose survival in a changing Tanzania is threatened. In the early morning light, we were welcomed into their camp and shown how they make their bows and arrows. The young Hadza were heading out to hunt and we were invited along. Ten tourists trying to keep up to young sure-footed boys did not prove to be a very effective hunting party. What the boys did manage to find though was a bee hive high up in a large baobab tree. They lit some dried grasses and pacified the bees with the smoke. Then one of the older boys plunged his hand into the hive and extracted the cone. The bees attacked him and he used more smoke. We all tried the honeycomb. Delicious! The Hadza boys devoured the honey as though it was candy but still brought lots of it back to camp for the others. It was so interesting to meet the Hadza and learn about how they live day to day. I have learned that Africa is special. From our first meeting with Leslie, she created a very enjoyable experience for us all. She did not leave a stone unturned. Because of her passion for Tanzania, for its wildlife as well as for its people, we feel that we realized our dream of going to Africa.
Patrick and Sheila Symonds, Vancouver, Canada Leslie has knowledge, experience and a passion for Africa. She had us tell her what we hoped to experience from our visit and with her guidance we (along with 3 other couples) came up with our own personal safari. We customized our safari to include healthy doses of both culture and wildlife. Leslie will only take a few clients at a time on safari so the experience is much more intimate. Mama Tembo and her drivers will take you on roads less traveled so you will experience the true Africa. If Leslie hears that there is a pack of wild dogs, a leopard, or a lion that have been spotted off the beaten track, you will go and try to find them. Once we had a wonderful opportunity to go on an early morning hunt with a group of Hadzabe hunters and then later we spent hours at a BBQ with the Datoga people. On another day we had an outdoor cooking class to learn how to make plantain stew while in the background young Maasai men danced to entertain us. Or how about standing in the truck with your head stuck through the open roof, eyes glued to your binoculars while you watch a mile long procession of Cape buffalo lazily wandering through the high grass unaware that just ahead of them a crouching pride of lions awaits patiently?? Priceless! Leslie takes care of all the details from meeting you at the airport, to hiring experienced drivers and guides, to speaking with the local people in their own language, to telling you which lens to use to get the best shot. She is a professional in all aspects. You will have an adventure of a life time. Our safari was two years ago and there’s not a day that we still don’t think about the experience. We will be calling her again.
Dr Jane Hochman, Princeton, New Jersey We four “tourists” are adventuresome, but not as adventuresome as some ( and generally not as adventuresome as Leslie!). We had decided that we wanted our two-week safari to concentrate primarily on the wildlife and secondarily on the cultural life of the local people. We wanted to stay in reasonably comfortable quarters and wanted to hike, but not too much. The itinerary that Leslie planned for us was perfect. When we had to make some last minute changes due to unexpected natural conditions - such as an erupting volcano - Leslie shifted gears on our behalf very successfully. We had great confidence in our Land Cruiser and our driver. We spent many hours in the vehicle, both between camp or lodge locations and on safari drives. The topography and terrain were often bumpy, but it was always fun! And, we are an especially well-organized little group: we came equipped with inflatable cushions to protect our tail bones, head nets to protect us from tsetse flies, antibacterial hand wash, etc, etc…you get the picture. The pace and the timing of our drives maximized our opportunities to see the most amazing beasts and birds “close up and personal” while respecting that we were visitors on their turf. If we were the “checking-it-off-on-a list” types, we would have had a very impressive list! When we encountered local people in their own milieu (Maasai, Datoga, and Hadza for example), the experiences were comfortable, natural, and informative. We even enjoyed the chances, here and there, to buy some local crafts and local products, especially from the women. All in all, I cannot express in superlative enough language, the impression this Mama Tembo Tanzania Safari made on all four of us. We are left with our wonderful memories and, having pooled all of our photographic efforts, nearly 600 wonderful photos! And of course, the friendship we share has only been reinforced.
Richard Melville, Mary Jo Brown, Vancouver, Canada We were impressed with the organization of the trip. All the aspects of the trip were as advertised and more. We also appreciated Leslie’s contacts and ability to assemble an excellent support crew. We were very happy with our African experiences and remember them fondly.
Catherine Sully, Vancouver, Canada Leslie's organizational skills are impeccable and every last detail was looked after - from the driver who picked us up at the airport in Nairobi to the excellent driver (Godwin) who drove us around Arusha for three days. I must say that our entire trip went completely smoothly - not one thing went wrong! Of course both my dad and I had gone with the open mind that some things might go wrong. One very memorable time was the day after we arrived when Godwin drove us 90km out of the city to Longido to see the cattle market. We also had the opportunity to visit with the local Maasai there: We were welcomed into their bomas and school. What we loved about this experience was the lack of other tourists and the "realness" of our experience. I cannot say enough good words about our driver Joseph for the nine day wildlife safari. He was so knowledgeable about the animals and sights that we were seeing and very interesting to talk to about so many other things. Often at the end of the day my dad would sit around the lounge where we were staying and have long conversations with Joseph. It was fulfilling my dad's lifelong dream to see the animals and also have a personal experience with the local people. To this day Godwin and Joseph have become life long friends--both my dad and I keep in touch regularly with them both by email. We have also taken a personal interest in their lives. We sponsor one of Joseph's and one of Godwin's children in school. The impact that Africa has had on our own lives is immense and we hope by sponsoring these children to get an education we can make a difference in their lives and then they can make a difference in their communities. I now hope to return one day to Africa and as Leslie continues to explore new countries in Africa she is definitely my number one choice when it comes to booking another trip.
Teri Gaff, North Vancouver, Canada Shortly after I turned down the invitation I had a chance to meet Leslie Nevison, the owner/operator of Mama Tembo Tours. I shared with her my reasons for not going and she immediately made be feel at ease and explained how the camping worked (someone puts up your tent and cooks for you and there is a bathroom and shower) and she told me I didn't have to do the trek and she could set me up in a Maasai-run hotel with my own butler. She was talking my language and seemed to know exactly what to say to make me feel better. Needless to say, I decided to go but was still somewhat anxious about the camping part. Over the next seven months of planning I saw Leslie many times, not only with the group but one on one as well. I was free to call or email her anytime I had a question. I went on my trip with nine other people who had connections to each other, some going back to grade school. I only knew my one friend, though I soon made many more friends (one of whom became my boyfriend) that I will now have for life. Since I was the last person to sign up, the others had already planned our private trip. They had tailored it with Leslie to include diverse accommodations including camping, trekking with camping, tented camps and lodges. It was a two-week safari through Tanzania, the highlights of which were the Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Natron, Olduvai Gorge, the Serengeti and Tarangire National Parks. We also went to some remote areas that tourists rarely get to. Leslie's knowledge of Tanzania is vast from having lived over there herself. When I booked my trip, I didn't even know where Tanzania was. The only thing I had to worry about was my two days in Nairobi and three days in Zanzibar at the end of my safari. But Leslie even helped with that, recommending accommodations and "things to do" in both Nairobi and Zanzibar. I was now in "get ready" mode. Leslie sent us a detailed itinerary, so I could read up on the places I was visiting, as well as the details about what to bring and how to prepare. She has a great website full of useful information, fabulous pictures, newsletters, articles, recommended reading and links. The trip was a once in a lifetime trip and I had an absolutely amazing time. I kept having to pinch myself that I was really there driving down a road with giraffes in the distance. But I can't imagine going without Leslie. In Africa many things don't really go according to plan. For example on our first night camping, someone else stole our site and Leslie had to take care of that. She also chose some amazing drivers for us, two very experienced men who were very well respected by their peers. And boy did we need them! Even though we were there for the short rains, we had more rain than Tanzania had seen in decades. It was an El Nino year. The roads were extremely muddy and many other vehicles got stuck and tourists had to sleep in their vehicles overnight. Our drivers made it every time. There was one place where we couldn't make it to because the road was washed out and Leslie found us alternative accommodation. Another time Leslie decided we had to evacuate our campsite as we got rained out. With no where to go, Leslie not only arranged a stop in the middle of evacuation at a gorgeous lodge with rooms to shower and an amazing lunch but managed to get us in a night early at our next lodge. Oh yeah and all this happened on Christmas Day!! I should also mention that Leslie took care of all of this without us even knowing, speaking Swahili came in handy. We just went along with the smooth flow. The accommodations themselves were great, comfortable, picturesque, great food, our own rooms and bathrooms. The food prepared by our cooks in camp was amazingly good and I am a bit of a picky eater. Would I go camping again? Definitely! The experience of sleeping outdoors with wild animals all around is not to be missed. While on safari, Leslie's knowledge was invaluable. She is a great "spotter" of animals as was our driver. And she amazed me with her knowledge of all the birds. On the Serengeti she arranged for us to go out on a drive on a road where most tourists are not allowed. It made me speechless to see the great migration with no other vehicles around. We had a picnic lunch atop a hill with a spectacular view. I saw all the animals I'd only dreamt about (OK, she still owes me a leopard sighting!). Oh, and about the Maasai Lodge with our own butler? It was one of the most gorgeous places I'd ever been to with "take your breath away" views from the lanai of our own Boma, amazing food, infinity pool, nightly shows, personal tours and of course the butler. I kept saying I wouldn't be surprised if Brad and Angelina showed up. Unfortunately, I don't have anything to say that wasn't so great. It was perfect, beyond my wildest dreams. If you go to Africa, you MUST check out Mama Tembo Tours before you go and seriously consider one of Leslie's safaris. Oh yeah, now that I made it to my #1 destination and crossed that off my list, what is my #2? Actually I never had a #2 since I never quite believed I'd get to #1. I have one now, I WILL BE going back to Africa and I WILL DEFINITELY be using Leslie's services again. Thank you Leslie, more that I can say. I am proud to know you and consider you my friend.
Sally Allen, Vancouver Island, Canada
Sharon and Guy Genin, New Jersey, USA
Arden Comber, Surrey, Canada
Kim Motut, Vancouver, Canada
Leslie Palleson, Bruce Mcleod, Skyler and Annika, North Vancouver, Canada Also see Mama Tembo Tours reviews at www.adventure.travel
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