Africa Odyssey Reviews 

We had quite the epic safari arranged by Sam Hankss from African Odyssey. Whilst we were based outside the UK (Australia) I found Sam to be professional and prompt via WhatsApp and emails.

The place Sam arranged was called Chitwa Chitwa and it was outstanding and very happy he recommended it. The staff and safari guides were amazing and made our safari quite memorable. Special mention to Jay Jay who was our safari guide. He did a great job. The accommodation was second to none and the two-bedroom lodge Sam booked was amazing. We cannot thank him enough for booking Chitwa Chtiwa. It was beautiful and the staff were amazing with our 12-year-old boy.

We managed to see all the animals including large male lions, a lion pride with 3-month-old cubs and some younger male and female lions. We saw all the big 5 as well as baby rhinos and hyenas, giraffes, and hippos etc. Elephants came right up to our private swimming pool. The highlight though were the many leopards we encounter, almost daily.

Everything went smoothly and there were no issues at all. From the time we arrive to the time we left we were looked after, felt safe, and the amount of food was abundant.

Highly recommend African Odyssey and Sam Hanks

We had a great overall trip with Africa Odyssey! The experience felt truly luxurious — everything was thoughtfully arranged and seamless from start to finish. The package was complete and very convenient, and the team was always responsive to our questions. They customized our itinerary perfectly, tailoring it to our needs and requests. Sam, our agent, was very knowledgeable and gave excellent recommendations — not the usual ones, but well thought out choices that made the trip unforgettable. We were able to see everything we wanted and even more. Highly recommended for anyone planning a safari or adventure in Tanzania or South Africa!

My lifelong dream was going to Africa on safari. This year for our 30th Anniversary we lived that dream!
Thank you Sam Hankss and Africa Odyssey- our trip was absolutely seamless. Everything was so well thought through and planned all we had to do was show up. Brilliant camps in Kenya & Tanzania, with truly amazing guides & drivers who ensured we had fun & saw so many animals; a hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti that was beyond breathtaking. All this magic was followed with a few days in Zanzibar on the beach (paradise).
Sam was there every step of the way with ideas, encouragement and support. I knew when we arrived in Africa all would be pretty perfect and it was.
The memories (& photos) we brought home with us are more than we could ever have hoped for.
We decided on day 2 at the first camp, we will be back and planning again with Sam and Africa Odyssey. You have our trust and high recommendation.

What an amazing experience. We had 5-star accommodations in the wild! Sam Hankss worked with us to create a safari that met our needs and gave us adventure. We were handed off from one team of helpers to the next, assured we would get to each destination safely.

Ted put together an amazing African itinerary for us. After we provided an approximate idea of what we were looking to do, Ted put together various proposals for our trip. Since he has personally visited all of the locations he recommended, he was able to accurately describe each place accurately. All details of the trip; accommodations, transfers, flights, getting through customs and security, were arranged in advance and made it so convenient. We're very happy we chose to African Odyssey to help us plan our trip.

Africa Odyssey personalized our adventure with our goals for the trip, our wishes for activities, and our preferences for types of accommodations. Close attention was given to every detail and we were supported throughout the duration of the trip. We asked for a more private experience where we could be present in planning our day. We were paired with amazing guides who did just that. We saw all types of wildlife undisturbed in their environment. The accommodations were all well appointed with lovely staff who greeted us and made us feel welcome and at "home". The most helpful piece was the thoroughness of the itinerary detailing packing lists, transfer information, helpful hints (such as mosquito treated clothes), tipping guides, videos of what to see, etc. I highly recommend using Africa Odyssey to plan your adventure!

Africa Odyssey made our trip to Tanzania seamless. They listened to what we wanted and helped us create a trip that was perfect for us. Everyone we met was friendly and professional. We saw abundant animals but the people and service were the highlight.

We worked with Sam who had excellent first hand knowledge of the areas and lodges we were considering and was able to provide guidance and reassurance as we moved through the booking process. On arrival, everything worked like clockwork. All of the ground arrangements were exactly as planned and the safari experience itself was fantastic. No hesitation to recommend Africa Odyssey and Sam in particular. We are already working on another trip with Sam.

I can’t even begin to tell you about the experience that we had. I’ll start with telling you that Dave from Africa Odyssey planned the most amazing trip for us and it went off without a hitch. Every single place that we were supposed to have a transfer, the person was there to meet us and take us to our next location. Dave was so patient with all of the changes that I made along the way and never made me feel like he was frustrated with me.

The places that we came up with together to stay, the first being Swandu (or Laba Laba) in Selous National Park was amazing and first class all the way. Our accommodations were beautiful, the food was delicious, and the people were so very friendly and helpful. I would recommend it to anybody.
Our second safari camp was Ikuka in Ruaha National Park. Again, the accommodations were absolutely incredible. My husband and I, for some reason, got the family hut, which had a huge living room, a massive bedroom, and a super large bathroom. Plus, it had an upstairs with another bedroom and our own swimming pool and deck. One night the elephants even came and drank right out of our pool while we were watching. Just incredible! The food again was delicious as was the staff. We did not meet one single person at either camp that did not treat us like we were the only ones there. Again, I would recommend this camp to anybody.
At both camps, we had delightful and knowledgeable guides that taught us a lot about the animals and their behaviors.

We by spending three days on the island of Zanzibar. Two nights at the Zuri Zanzibar, which has beautiful beaches and amazing accommodations. They even have a spa to follow up with Massage after your Safari.

Africa Odyssey gave me the experience of a lifetime and I will never forget it. I am hoping that I will be able to do it again someday.

Amelia made the whole planning process easy, she made great recommendations for the parks we visited and the camps we stayed it. We couldn't have done this without her expertise and patience. Great job!

Our travel advisor Sam Hankss was so very helpful in planning a truly superb trip encompassing such delightful diverse experiences.
He was so prompt and patient in his correspondence.
We would very much recommend Sam.

My family and I began planning our East Africa safari nearly two years in advance, and as a business professional I approached it like a project—defining our requirements and soliciting proposals from a wide variety of outfitters. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have found Sam Hankss at Africa Odyssey. Unlike many planners who simply “took my order” and returned a price, Sam took the time to go through my wish list in detail, explain options, and guide me with real expertise. He is a guide himself, and that credibility came through immediately.

For example, I initially thought we needed to see both the Masai Mara and the Serengeti. Sam explained that they share the same microclimate and recommended focusing on just one to gain more variety in our experience. That type of thoughtful advice—based on deep knowledge and practical guidance—set Sam apart. He quickly became less of a vendor and more of a trusted partner in the planning process.

Safety was a major concern for my wife and daughter, and Sam fully understood and addressed those concerns throughout planning and execution. Ultimately, we embarked on a three-week East African journey covering Amboseli, Arusha, Lake Manyara, Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, and the Serengeti. Every camp Sam selected was spot-on in terms of both accommodation and location. Two standouts were Tortillis Camp in Amboseli and Laba Laba Migration Camp in the Serengeti—both truly 5-star experiences that I cannot recommend highly enough.

Sam also recommended special touches like a night drive, which turned out to be unforgettable. His insistence on the right Ngorongoro Crater camp location proved invaluable. Because we stayed only minutes from the gate, we were on the crater floor in under 10 minutes—while others faced hours-long delays just trying to enter. That kind of foresight made all the difference.

During our safari, we were able to see the Big Five along with an extraordinary variety of animals and birds, and every day brought something new and remarkable. Thanks to Sam’s expertise, planning, and attention to detail, we felt safe, well cared for, and treated to the trip of a lifetime.

I cannot recommend Africa Odyssey and Sam Hankss highly enough. If you are considering a safari, do yourself a favor and work with them—you will not just get a trip, you will get an expertly designed experience that exceeds expectations in every way.

Africa Odyssey is amazing, this is the 3rd trip I've booked with them. I've been to Tanzania, Uganda and South Africa. Sam Hankss was fantastic in planning our last trip to South Africa...highly recommend!

I have planned several safari adventures with Sam Hankss of Africa Odyssey. Sam is extremely knowledgeable and personable and has planned incredible trips on my behalf. He has in depth experience with the countries and affiliations with the best camps and can organize a brilliant trip. Sam has planned brilliant safaris personally tailored to my dreams. The whole organization is incredibly well run with unbelievable ground operations. All of my trips have run seamlessly without a single delay or mishap. I can't recommend the company highly enough. I wouldn't think of traveling with any other organization.

Grateful to Sam and the team for planning and organizing our wonderful trip to Kenya! Unfoorgettable experience, thank you team!

Amelia at Africa Odyssey organised a superb trip for us.
Everything went so smoothly. The transfers especially could not have been better. In my experience this is an area where things can go awry (e.g. transferring from the domestic terminal in Dar to the international one could have been problematic but this was handled superbly). Our drivers were terrific, informative and always there with a welcome sign. That's worth paying for after a long journey. Mohammed in Zanzibar was especially good.

Accommodation, service and food was also very good. We liked everywhere but especially the gradual improvement in quality from Lake Manze Camp to Chris Fox's Mwagusi Camp in Ruaha to the absolutely stunning Pongwe Beach. I can well see us returning to Pongwe after a trip to the Serengeti sometime in the future.

We saw most of the game that we wanted to see - wild dog, leopard as well as lions and jackals feeding on different kills. Sadly no cheetah or ostrich though. We did find there was a paucity of wildlife especially in Ruaha - on one day we bumped along for long hours with not a lot to see apart from impala and baobob trees. Our guide there - Joffrey - was first class and was able to root out some excellent sightings on our other days. The people we spoke to also mentioned how favourably the abundance of wildlife in the Serengeti compared to Ruaha and Manze.

For me Manze had the great advantages of the boat safari (did that twice), the vast amount animals wandering through camp (the biggest concentration we saw in 8 days) and our guide (Zak) and driver (Mgoma).

The hosts at both camps - Malcolm and Chris - were also so welcoming, kind and knowledgeable. They and their staff made the trip extra special. This was especially true of the birthday songs they both put on for me. I am so grateful for their efforts and for Africa Odyssey for informing the camps.

Zanzibar was brilliant too. We felt safe and unthreatened and confident to use the hotel bikes to explore the area and also to discover Stone Town on our own.

What would I change? Very little. I'd swop one night in Ruaha for a night in the Dhow Palace Hotel in Stone Town. We loved the Fish Market in particular especially as we were the only tourists there.

I would unhesitatingly recommend Amelia and Africa Odyssey and would use you again.

Sam at African Odyssey was extremely helpful in som many back and forth emails to develop an ideal itinerary suitable to me. The trip well exceeded our expectations which were high, specifically our goal of seeing lots of wildlife beyond the big 5; and we saw nearly 100 bird species and 35 mammals. Guides were excellent and insured we saw the big cats and more. Logistics, transitions were smooth and without difficulty. The camps were all top notch: food good, accomodations and staff great. Overall a super experience thanks to the planning and delivery by African Odyssey

Our Zimbabwe-South Africa experience with Africa Odyssey was incredible. Sam, Ted and the team organised everything for the seven of us with amazing detail and ensured we had the best time with the best tours and the best people at every meeting point. We would recommend them in a heartbeat to anyone who wanted to travel to these beautiful locations.

My wife and I planned a trip to South Africa, we decided to go to Simbambili Lodge in Sabi Sands game preserve for our first safari. We contacted Sam Hankss at Africa Odyssey and from the very start we were very impressed with his professionalism, knowledge and fast responses to our email inquiries. Sam booked the reservation for us and gave us very good advice on how to prepare. We highly recommend Sam and Africa Odyssey-they were amazing!

We had the trip of a lifetime with Africa Odyssey. Everything ran smoothly from start to finish. I worked closely with Sam Hankss to design the trip, pick the lodges, locations and activities. He was easy to work with, responsive, and gave great first hand advice. We booked very early (over a year out) so Sam was able to give us options for great lodges where we could get discounts and great rates (one place gave us 4th night free; another current year's rates for next year, free helicopter, etc).
The support we received on the trip was also great. At the last minute we had a change to our connecting arrival flight where we were scheduled to arrive 3-4 hours earlier than planned. I was able to text the emergency number provided while in transit and they quickly confirmed receipt of the message and change our pick up time with no issues.
All transfer services (including assistance with fast connections) and details worked out to make us all feel very comfortable that we were in good hands the whole time.
I also found the information like packing lists, maps, tip guide and local info. The goodie bag received before the trip was also a nice touch and the gator/hat etc came in handy on the trip.
This is the second time I have traveled with Africa Odyssey and can say they exceed expectations for both trips.