What people are saying about MTT...

Michellene & Todd, Singapore and Canada
The safari/honeymoon was amazing!!! It is definitely on top of our list of travels. Nothing compares to it. Lyimo was a great guide and really knew his stuff. The accommodations for Tanzania were great, especially the food and service. Wild Frontiers even welcomed us with a bottle of champagne as a honeymoon treat. Each camp had a different charm so it's hard to compare.

Ken & Ilka, London, UK
We were thinking the other day that if we’d do one trip again (and we do travel a lot!) it would be to the Central African Republic and Republic of Congo, especially Dzanga Sangha and Nouabale-Ndoki National Parks, with Mama Tembo. Originally, we’d wanted to see the Western Lowland Gorilla. That sparked the idea for the trip, but it would become a wonderful experience that exceeded expectations. No tourists and beautiful wildlife in pristine rainforest - what else could we ask for? We travelled in late August and throughout September 2012. Leslie had us well prepared and if there was any apprehension left it dissipated with our arrival at Bangui Airport. From day one, everything was extremely well organised and all eventualities had been considered... More >>>

Rojean Hatton, Calgary, Canada
I had intended to write you today, but got distracted by your website and dreaming of all the other Africa trips I might like to do...

I am home safe and sound and bug bites healed. Not looking forward to going back to work after doing my own thing every day for two months! It was literally the best two months of my life...

Spending time with the Maasai was definitely eye opening! I really enjoyed talking to all of the men that I met along the way. They all had an amazingly diverse interpretation of their own culture. I particularly enjoyed Maji Moto and the Loita Hills. Nicholas was great, as I was a little shy about asking the Maasai many questions, so he stepped in and led the conversation (even though I'm sure he already knew the answers to his own questions). Throughout the whole week, it seemed that he anticipated what I would want or need even before I knew it. I felt very well cared for... More >>>

Bekki Lasell, Riverside, California, USA
I read my journal for the first time after the trip Lisa and I took to the Congo and CAR. One year later it is still the most amazing trip, delightful in so many different ways. It was absolutely what I needed, and went beyond my dreams. Thank you again.

Jackie Morris and Family, North Vancouver, Canada
We had a fabulous time in Zambia and wanted to let you know! From the time we were met at the gate in Lusaka and whisked through a short line up to being dropped off at the airport for the long trip home, everything went smoothly! There was not one hitch along the way. Thanks again for all your planning and hard work. We could not be more pleased with our adventure and all we learned about Zambia and the people and wildlife and the Africa Cup football win.

Scott Perrins and Family, North Vancouver, BC
Our safari in Tanzania was great. Our guide, Paul, was top-notch. The accommodations were very nice too. It would have worked out better to have been in the tented camp the first couple of nights (as you intended), but I guess you never know when elephants are going to shut down a camp. Our visit to the Masaii village was a real highlight. We really enjoyed all the wildlife we saw as well - Paul is a great spotter. Thanks for all your organizing, and we'll be happy to recommend your services.

Patrick and Sheila Symonds, Deep Cove, BC
Wow. What an AWESOME trip to Zambia!!! We got back yesterday and are trying to hold onto some of that good Africa feeling for as long as we can as we return to every day life here.

Thanks again for setting up our second excellent adventure in Africa and troubleshooting the unforeseen problem we had along the way. Looking forward to seeing you and telling you all about it!

Andrea Batstone, Vancouver, Canada
Russ and I (Cheri and Rob too) want to thank you for the amazing job you did to organize our trip. David Anatory (Our Guide) was so fun, knowledgeable and excellent - he made our trip. All the accommodation were excellent. The food was nicely prepared and always plenty of it. All the staff were friendly, attentive and made us feel special. Everything was perfect. We saw the big five, the ugly five and most of the small five. We also made up a couple of our own five. We will be recommending you to our friends and family. Many are planning their own trips as we speak. We are planning another trip soon. Thanks Leslie.

Kim Morrison and Family, Seattle, Washington, USA
We got back from Tanzania last Sunday night after 44 hours of straight travel! What an adventure! We loved it and I can not say enough about our guide Amos. We consider him part of our family now. I think he kept us looking, laughing, and sane during the many long hours in the rig. Our parents are coming over tonight to see our pictures and watch the footage.

Vicki Gutgesell, Oakland, California, USA
I just wanted to let you know that the trip to the Congo Basin parks was a great adventure and a great success. Thank you again for so patiently answering my multitude of questions. I felt very well prepared and there were no unpleasant surprises.

I loved the camps. The accommodations were much nicer than I had expected, and the food lived down to its reputation. But I didn't go hungry and the fresh baked bread every day was a very pleasant surprise. The bus trip to Ouesso was a gruelling but fascinating journey. I am glad to have done it but would probably not want to do it again. Likewise, the two day drive from Bayanga to Bangui was fascinating. The roads were not as bad as I had expected, although we did have one breakdown and repair along the way. Mbeli Bai was a bit disappointing since there was very little wildlife there. Our three gorilla treks were all great. We had especially good views of Makumba and his family. We also had a nice trek with the mangabeys. Dzanga Bai was very good although unfortunately we never saw hogs or bongo. Our morning with the Ba' Aka was also very informative.

James Gillerman, Oakland, California, USA
Bus ride between Brazzaville and Ouesso, Republic of Congo
Transport hubs are chaotic by their very nature, uprooting people from their places of familiarity to destinations unknown. The bus terminal in Brazzaville was such a chaos, a dense confluence of seething humanity: sturdy women scurrying about in their brightly multi-colored Dutch wax cloth garments with matching hats, some with babies swaddled on their backs; sweating men hauling heavy bundles, bursting at the seams; vendors hawking baguettes, fruit, crushed peanuts, yogurt and cooked meats... More >>>

Bekki Lasell, Riverside, California, USA
First of all, I would like to say you made this trip possible, and Max saw our vision through to completeness. You rapidly answered emails and alleviated worries. You also took care of the special details that made the trip...

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... 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. More >>>

Gary and Annette Hilton, Whiterock, Canada
Annette had promised to send you a couple of pictures that were the highlights of our trip. A bit of a tall order in that there were highlights everyday. However the wildebeest migration was the main purpose of our trip so we thought we should include those at least. We took well over 2000 pictures between all of us so it will leave us with many, many fond memories. Thanks again for doing such a good job in organizing this for us.

Donald McKenzie, South Africa
I highly recommend Mamma Tembo Tours as an operator of the highest quality for Gorilla Safari Tours to ROC and CAR. The staff was highly informed, effective, and helpful in making this remote part of Africa accessible and enjoyable. I would not have wanted to make this journey on my own without MTT assistance and advice. A once in a lifetime experience... I will never forget this vacation!

Tiffani Chen, George Mason University, Washington DC, USA
We had a fantastic time in both Tanzania and Rwanda and just returned home this morning. Thanks again for organizing such a wonderful trip for us! Julius took almost 2000 pictures so as soon as he narrows them down and cleans them up I'll send you a link!

Riel du Toit, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
I am off on a hike in Kruger tomorrow and then Swaziland. I will write to you when back. In the meantime, the Congo trip was a truly amazing experience. I had a wonderful time. Thanks.

Martin Osborne and Carolyn Pitchik, University of Toronto, Canada
Our [Congo Basin] trip was really wonderful! I include most of the hiccups as part of the color of the trip. For the first time, after three trips to sub-Saharan Africa, we really felt like we were in Africa! (We got a taste when we traveled independently in Malawi a couple of years ago. Following a safari in the South Luangwa, we hiked the Mulanji Massif. But that was a very gentle introduction! ) The Congo itinerary is excellent, Max is a superb (and extremely tolerant!) guide, Olivier (at the Hippocampe) and Mike Stucker (at Mondika) are wonderful hosts, spending time with the gorillas was amazing, the elephants were fascinating, and the food and accommodation were perfectly acceptable. I don't know if Max told you about the extortion attempt at the Ouesso airport. That was the best one of all. It was definitely one of the best trips I've taken, and I think [daughters] Helen and Vivian will say the same.

Alexandra Flatt, Jason Billard and family, North Vancouver, Canada
Hi Leslie,
We just arrived home last night from Tanzania after a very long journey. The trip lived up to all of our expectations and more.  It is an experience that has touched our lives - now and forever.  Thank you so very much for putting so much thought and planning into our trip.  The trip went off without any problems at all - which is really quite amazing given all that we did.  We look forward to sharing our memories with you. All the best.

Thomas Marent, Photographer, www.thomasmarent.com
Hi Leslie,
Yes, the trip to Northern Congo was great. We stayed five nights at Mondika camp and we had five gorilla Permits, which was fantastic. But compared to Mountain gorilla photography, the low land gorilla photography is much more difficult because of low light conditions under the thick canopy. However, we were lucky and saw one group crossing the swamp/creek which was wonderful. Food at Mondika is VERY basic, and the park should invest in better/harder mattresses! Whatever, the most important was the gorilla experience. Mike, the new camp and research chief is fair and generous with visitors. Max is a great guy and VERY helpful. Thanks a lot for all your coordination and organisation. Best wishes.

Kelly Sweet, National Geographic Television, Washington DC, USA
Thanks for all your hard work in helping make "Mystery Gorilla" a reality.

Cory McCaig, Vancouver, Canada
This trip was the best adventure I have ever been on... 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.
I'm back from Congo and Cameroon, two weeks now, back in the groove. I had a wonderfully fruitful trip (productive of information, not always very comfortable) and I owe you thanks for both the leads you gave me: the wonderful, hardworking, linguistically adept, and sweet-spirited Max of Congo, and the guides of the Cameroon network. It all worked out well... although Max and I did not get to make that last, long, barge-trip from Ouesso to Brazzaville, as hoped...because it would have required waiting a week in Pokola while they loaded lumber on the barge, and virtually eliminated any space on said barge where we could have slept. So we continued by, ugh, bus. Which was interesting in
its own ways.

Anyway, I can highly recommend Max if any of your other contacts should want to know.

All the best to you, Mama Tembo!

Christine, North Vancouver, Canada
Our animal and cultural safari lived up to all of our expectations (husband and two kids, aged 11 and 13). It was the right balance of awe inspiring moments and reflective moments on the Tanzanian people and their life.

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, USA
I must confess, all the safari sites out there show lions and zebras right next to the cars and having worked on the whale watch boats, I was sceptical, figuring we wouldn't see animals quite that close. Imagine my surprise to find out its normal!  Thanks again so much for helping to make this trip happen. Tanzania was so good. Every bit of it.  We had a grand time.  Saying "thanks" doesn't really do it justice.

Dana Butler, Seattle, USA (Safari talk attendee)
I very much enjoyred the lecture. It was VERY informative. I rushed to work the next day and typed up ten pages or so of notes I took. It was such useful information that I can't imagine going on the trip without having learned it first. Yes please include me on your email list. I look forward to receiving more information.

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.

Your planning made this trip a perfect experience... From the time we arrived until our departure every detail was looked after...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.

A part of my heart will always be in Africa...More >>>

Jan Sampson, Vancouver, Canada
Africa … the trip of a lifetime!!! And Mama Tembo Tours made it a trip that exceeded our every expectation. Our expectations were not easy – my daughter has traveled to over 70 countries and I love capturing experiences through photography. With a plan to visit Africa, we worked with Leslie Nevison to plan our dream trip. Leslie organized private safaris that took us through four fabulous national parks in Tanzania. Words are not enough to describe our wonderful experiences. We hoped to see lions and hippos and giraffes, and maybe leopards and cheetah. What did we see? Lion cubs, lionesses, a pride of 16 lions, and a lion taking a leopard’s lunch!!! Cheetahs hunting! We saw giraffes... as a family, defending their territory against an intruding giraffe. We saw a mama hippo with a babe, taking on a challenger. We saw Africa… so much more than we hoped. We saw the Africa of wonderful people… our guide and friend who helped us understand what we were seeing… the Maasai we visited… we saw the Africa of real animals, lions, hippos, gazelle, baboons, giraffe, and so many more. And after a most amazing trip through Tanzania, we spent another few days in Rwanda. Trekking to see the mountain gorillas that Dian Fossey gave her life to protect was a life experience… and even more was seeing the people, especially the children of Rwanda! If you, as we, want to experience Africa, we highly recommend you work with Leslie Nevison who will help you define the trip of your dreams… and then will arrange a trip so much more. Happy to provide a personal reference… I asked and got wonderful references… and will happily provide one for Leslie Nevison of Mama Tembo Tours.

Trish Peck, Vancouver, Canada
As many of you know, just thinking about planning a trip to Africa can be daunting. I first heard about Leslie of Mama Tembo Tours through a friend. Leslie got back to our email right away and we met in person and started planning our adventure a year in advance. We laid out for her the things that were important for us to see and experience while in Africa, and of course what we were looking to spend.

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
My wife and I have always yearned to go to Africa! After our first meeting with Leslie we were confident that Mama Tembo was certainly the person to get us there. At one of our pre-trip meetings Leslie asked what it was that we thought would interest us the most about going to Africa. My answer was the seeing the "Big Five". Well, I was told that we would certainly experience much more than that. No truer words were ever spoken!

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.

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...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.

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. More >>>

Patrick and Sheila Symonds, Vancouver, Canada
We had wanted to take an African safari for a number of years. We were disappointed with some of the travel agencies and what they had to offer. One day while scanning the newspaper, we came across an ad for a slideshow by Leslie (of Mamba Tembo Tours). By the end of the two hour talk/slideshow we knew we wanted to go with Leslie.

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, USA
We four friends, all currently living in New Jersey in the USA, recently joined our mutual friend, Leslie Nevison, AKA “ Mama Tembo”, on a safari of her design and device in the land with which she is so familiar and of which she is so knowledgeable and fond—Tanzania.

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. More >>>

Richard Melville, Mary Jo Brown, Vancouver, Canada
We did a safari trip with Mama Tembo Tours in Tanzania in the spring of 2008 with Leslie Nevison. We started with a five day hike along the ridge of the Ngorongoro Crater. This was a great adventure and included a day of animal viewing in the crater. We then spent a few safari days on the Serengeti again viewing the wonderful animals of that area.

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
I first met Leslie at an evening talk at a local bookstore... I was so impressed with Leslie's vast knowledge of Tanzania that I right then knew that this was the person I wanted organizing this major trip. From my very first dealings with Leslie I was so impressed with her connections to local suppliers. She gave me three different options of safari trips to choose from.

Leslie's organizational skills are impeccable and every last detail was looked after... I must say that our entire trip went completely smoothly - not one thing went wrong!

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. More >>>

Teri Gaff, North Vancouver, Canada
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...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... 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.. More >>>

Sally Allen, Vancouver Island, Canada
Mama Tembo Tours provided me with a travel experience incomparable to any trip I've been on. The guides were very knowledgeable about the wildlife and culture and I came home very much more educated about Africa than when I left. I look forward to my next trip with Mama Tembo Tours.

Sharon and Guy Genin, New Jersey, USA
My husband and I travelled for nearly 3 weeks with MTT, on a made-to-measure trip shared with another couple. Fabulous - Leslie's in-depth knowledge of Northern Tanzania allowed us to get off the beaten track and away from tons of tourists. Her well-paced itinerary gave lots of time for animal sights while also permitting private "down time". A need to reschedule a few days (unforeseen volcano eruption) was made seamlessly, although it must have been a real pain to do. Top marks for Leslie Nevison and MTT, from a very experienced traveller.

Arden Comber, Surrey, Canada
Leslie was the perfect guide! Can't tell you how much we enjoyed our African adventure. Everything was exciting, new and adventurous. Would do it again in a heartbeat! Too many stories to write about... so I will leave you with one thing! FANTASTIC!

Kim Motut, Vancouver, Canada
My friend and I traveled with Leslie in Tanzania in January 2008. My friend is extremely fit and loves the outdoors. I was less fit and little less enthusiastic about the outdoors, not knowing quite what to expect. Leslie provided the right amount of hand-holding for me and made sure my friend had 3-hour hikes, which she craved. Up at Lake Natron (which felt so isolated I didn't think I was still on Earth) Leslie and my friend went hiking to the waterfall and I stayed back at camp. She made sure to provide a Massai guide to walk me up to Baboon Hill for "sun-downer". Leslie seems to know everybody and because of this I felt quite safe. One day we were driving along a typical bumpy, dusty road and came to a checkpoint where we were told one of our tires was completely shredded. I never realized how important the quality of the vehicles was... good planning ensured it was dealt with efficiently and easily... my friend and I enjoyed a cup of tea beside the vehicle as the wheel was changed... I felt no need to panic. As we traveled through one of the parks, we experienced the best moment of the trip...a herd of about 12 elephants appeared out of the forest immediately beside our vehicle; one by one they passed in front of us. Our mouths fell open as the matriarch passed so close to us that all I could see was her huge eye. I was busy taking pictures till Leslie told us to stand down from the seats and hold very still. The old elephant paused, appeared to assess the situation, then slowly moved on. Every time I turned my camera on it emitted a little "brrinnng" sound. With the elephants so close I wanted to change this camera setting so as not to annoy them, but didn't know how... know your camera before you go! After our trip, I was so pleased to receive a memento CD loaded with fantastic pictures of our time in Africa... Leslie is a wonderful photographer. I also love her Mama Tembo Times newsletter, as it re-creates the sights and sounds of when I was in there. She also does wonderful travel presentations when back in Vancouver. I was so impressed with her knowledge and her respect for the environment and the people... no irritating or chasing the animals, as I observed with other tour operators. I would highly recommend Leslie as a tour organizer or a personal guide. Thanks Leslie for the trip of a lifetime!

Leslie Palleson, Bruce Mcleod, Skyler and Annika, North Vancouver, Canada
Leslie Nevison organized our family safari as an artist paints a picture. Attuned to our particular needs, each detail was carefully thought out to ensure that our experience was adventurous, safe, and spectacular. Her recommendations were excellent and we experienced an authentic side of Africa that few tourists find.

Also see Mama Tembo Tours reviews at www.adventure.travel