Could not have asked for more out of Deeper Africa for making our Africa adventure a trip of a lifetime!! Karen and her staff went out of their way to make our trip worry free and making sure our accommodations were second to none. Most importantly, the guides, David and Bosco were outstanding in their knowledge and tracking abilities and our interpersonal actions made it as much fun as well as the over abundance of wildlife viewing. Anyone looking to book their next Africa adventure should look no further than Deeper Africa!!
BB
Beth B.
An Insider's Africa
Our second trip with Deeper Africa, and we would never consider visiting this amazing continent without them! It's hard to summarize all the reasons we picked Deeper Africa, so let me share the highlights:
Quality of Guides - your safari experience starts with the quality of your guide, and Deeper Africa's are phenomenal. Many were rangers in their respective countries, and Karen and team do an exceptional job matching guides with guests. Having the same guide throughout makes a huge difference as they get to know you, your interests, what you already know and have seen, etc. Not to mention, with your own guide a "morning game drive" might get back to camp at 2:00 p.m. - quite special. Additionally, you can tell how much Deeper Africa loves and respects their guides and vice versa - it really is a family.
Itinerary - there is nothing generic about a Deeper Africa trip. Every piece was customized and personalized with great care to our stated interests - and great interpretation of even the desires we hadn't articulated. Karen and Kristy shared detailed information on zoom calls and follow ups to help us select which conservancies and parks to go to, the best lodges for our budgets and personalities, the order of stops, and so much more.
Details, Details, Details - I can't stress enough how detail-oriented Deeper Africa is from the first call through a post-safari de-brief. In addition to coordinating all aspects of our trip, they helped manage and oversee visas, QR codes for Covid vaccines, shared binders with information, held extensive briefings, and so much more. On the ground, they seamlessly communicate with each other on your behalf, making everything go smoothly, yet adapting and staying flexible as needed. We met many others on our journey who were amazed at how much better prepared we were because of our briefings and background information.
A few other things we love about traveling with Deeper Africa:
Community Involvement - Deeper Africa is very immersed in communities across Africa. They give back in many big and small ways, and look for camps lodges and guides who share their philosophy. Their itineraries also include options to visit villages, join in community projects, and learn more about culture.
Perfect Size - Deeper Africa is a big safari outfitter that seems able to arrange any itinerary for any size party and that has terrific access to the best camps, parks, guides and more... but they are also small enough to be personal. We again noticed the phone is always answered, everyone on their team knows who you are and about your planned adventure, they remember special occasions like travel for a big birthday (and make them even more special), and really tailor to personalities and preferences.
Some friends thought we were crazy to go as far as Africa for our first post-Covid trip -- we knew by working with Deeper Africa it would be the easiest, safest, most amazing adventure we could take - and we were right!
CL
Claudia
Intergenerational safari to Tanzania…
Intergenerational safari to Tanzania for 11 people ranging in age from 11 to 75!!!
Karen Zulauf and her Deeper Africa team brought to life my vision of sharing the wildlife and people of Tanzania with our children and grandchildren. Karen had helped my husband and me and another couple experience Tanzania in 2014. It was a memorable trip that we wanted to recreate for our family. So ... we starting planning in 2020, delayed a year for COVID, and finally traveled in July 2022.
Karen knew that our focus was wildlife and nature and culture; we wanted to stay in tented camps, close to wildlife and spend most of our days in safari vehicles, not resting in camp. Always conscious of our budget and looking for good value, Karen identified economical, remote, but comfortable camps with close access to wildlife. During our 2 weeks, we visited Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, Oldupai Gorge, Central and Northern Serengeti, and then flew on a charter plane south to Nyerere National Park (formerly the Selous Conservation Area) and finally on to Dar es Salaam where we had time to visit a restaurant overlooking the Indian Ocean before our international flight home.
Albert and Francis (Chaba), our Deeper Africa guides, were extremely knowledgeable about wildlife and birds and in-tune with our vision. Not only were they excellent “spotters” of wildlife, but they also understood wildlife behaviors. They helped us watch 2 lionesses try 3 times to make a kill; one lioness was finally successful on the third try in taking down a young wildebeest. Albert and Francis were willing to have us wait for several hours to watch this drama unfold. The same was true for the wildebeest migration and Mara River crossing in northern Serengeti. We spent almost a whole day tracking the herd, scoping out crossing locations, and finally were rewarded with a crossing. They worked hard to avoid other vehicles so that we could have our own personal experience. At all times were the guides sensitive to the priority of the wildlife; WE were the visitors to their home and the wildlife was treated with respect and care. In addition, the guides were in-tune with our well-being, getting to know us and taking excellent care of us, both young and old. They helped coordinate a surprise marriage proposal by one of us! We considered them part of the family and were sorry to say good-bye.
Karen and her team provided us with helpful pre-trip guidance including arranging flights from 2 home countries, a packing list, a tip calculator, suggestions about laundry and insect repellent, how to get our Tanzanian visas on-line. She ensured that our dietary concerns (gluten-free due to Celiac disease and a sensitivity to onions and garlic) were handled efficiently by the bush camps. Food was amazing; I am still in awe of what culinary delights can be created in the bush! Bucket showers were a challenge, but we became quite adept at them! Karen and her team were always available for questions and advice. No question was stupid or unimportant.
It was so exciting to have our extended family together for the safari, to see the excitement of our grandchildren as they photographed wildlife and experienced the wonders of Tanzania. Those memories will stay with us for a lifetime. I am so thankful that we planned and executed this trip!!! It was worth every penny spent!!!
DW
David W.
I’d go again
They paid attention to EVERY detail and request that we had which were numerous as we had a multi-generational trip. All the planning paid off as the trip ended up what I would call “flawless.” Even the small details of food preferences were ironed out before the trip began. Kudos to this group for putting together a great trip.
CY
customer Y.
Botswana safari
Africa exceeded my expectations! I would definitely consider another trip now that I did it once. Knowledgeable local guides and amazing up close encounters with the wildlife. Would stay again at Shinde and Okuti camps in the Okavango Delta, and Camp Kalahari in the salt pans. The two areas offer a good contrast for the country. Found out bush flights are fun too!
CU
customer
Was a great trip
Was a great trip. All the logistics worked perfectly
PH
Phil
Deeper Africa made our trip of a…
Deeper Africa made our trip of a lifetime a smooth experience as well as rewarding.
BH
Bill H.
Our Tanzania Safari with Deeper Africa
Our family recently returned from our African Safari adventure in Tanzania with Deeper Africa as our tour provider. It was truly an amazing experience. Karen and her team could not have been better to work with. She worked with us to create an itinerary based upon what we wanted to see and the level of camps and lodges we stayed at. All exceeded our expectations. It was our guide, John, who made our visit special in so many ways. He was able to answer our many questions about the wildlife (the many species we encountered). But he was also an expert in the geography, plants, trees, geology, biology, as well as African culture and history. He even helped us take amazing pictures. He could not have been a nicer or more friendly host and guide. By the time we left we considered him a close friend. Our family would highly recommend Deeper Africa for you safari adventure.