Safari Stories
FROM OUR AFRICA EXCLUSIVE CLIENTS.
The one thing we love more than crafting your Safari’s, is hearing the stories you bring back. Our clients often comment on their return that they are sure we have heard it so many times before, so they won’t go on about what they saw and experienced. Our response every time — of course we want to hear! We are passionate about creating unforgettable safaris for our clients and we love hearing how you got on. We are also keen to hear anything that you felt we could improve on; this information is invaluable in our quest for perfection every time.
— George M., African Safari 2024
“A SAFARI TO REMEMBER!”
Thank you to you and the Wildscapes team for all that you did to make this the trip of a lifetime. Your thoughtful planning, attention to detail, and knowledgeable and enthusiastic personal guiding during the trip all made the trip one to remember. Whenever anyone asks me about our safari or for a recommendation for African Travel, my first and only recommendation will be Wildscapes Travel!
—Jason from Texas, Safari to Kenya in June 2022
“THE TRIP WITH WILDSCAPES TRAVEL WAS TRULY THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME.”
“Our family had never been Africa, and there was certainly some trepidation amongst the children about being up close with the animals and what the accommodations would be like. Mostly just fear of the unknown. My 11 year old daughter described it the best with this quote as we landed back in the US, “Dad, you know that I really didn’t want to go, but now I can’t wait to go back.” As a father, that’s all you want to hear! Everything was truly amazing, from the time we landed in Africa, everything was very well planned, the food and accommodations were excellent, and the people of Africa (guides, camp stewards, Masai) were incredible!”
— Darren from Seattle Washington, Safari to Kenya in June 2022
“YOU WILL NEVER BE THE SAME IF YOU GO ON THIS TRIP.”
Having a leader like John who is so smart and knowledgeable as has experienced Africa more than almost any American is spectacular. The fact that he loves the animals, the people and the land and has built his livelihood around expressing the beauty of Africa makes him beyond spectacular to put the ultimate Safari together.
— Mike Meldman, Founder and CEO, Discovery Land Co., 2013
“HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE LAND AND WILDLIFE WITH MY FAMILY BY SOMEONE SO PASSIONATE WAS A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME EXPERIENCE THAT I PLAN ON DOING EVERY YEAR.”
"John has the special ability to capture and share his passion and love for Africa through wildlife painting. The connection to each piece, along with his dedication to the protection and preservation of the wildlife and environment is truly spectacular. He is a true advocate for the protection and preservation of African wildlife and land, John Banovich, brings the beauty of Africa to enthusiasts worldwide through his exceptional pieces of wildlife art. I wouldn’t have wanted to be shown Africa by anyone besides John. To have a painting of the experience makes the memory even more unforgettable.”
Rhonda Vetere, Safari with the Wildscapes Team to Kenya and Rwanda 2022
— Peter from Montana, Safari to Zimbabwe & Tanzania in August 2022
“THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THE MOST AMAZINGLY INCREDIBLE UNFORGETTABLE OUT OF THE BALL PARK TRIP. SO GRATEFUL."
“John, you are a one and only type of person and I feel so fortunate to call you a friend. Your talents are immense but your humbleness is part of your talent. You know Africa so well and the privilege of being there with your knowledge and contacts made the experiences we had “over the top”.
- Berg Family from Texas
“WE WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR MAKING OUR TRIP SO FABULOUS & PERFECT!”
“Every detail was just so well thought out and the lodges, food and staff were amazing, not to mention the wildlife! Everyone in our group had a wonderful time, it was truly a trip of a lifetime.”
— Heim Family, Safari to Rwanda and Kenya 2022
“WOW, WHAT A FANTASTIC SAFARI!”
It all started in January of '22 with a casual conversation at the Dallas Safari Club Convention which morphed into a John Banovich and Wildscapes Travel designed trip. Unlike most people that need to "think through" what they want to do on a safari, my crew wanted to do it now, not 2023 or later. We talked about Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda. The great motivator was the idea of "walking with the gorillas". That cemented Rwanda, and it was just a choice of adding Kenya or Tanzania. The tiebreaker was that Kenya seemed more of a controlled environment versus Tanzania's wide open spaces and much longer charter flights. The details were worked out over a month or so, and Wildscapes got everything booked.
After airline reservations were made, with lots of Wildscapes help, and inoculations were had, we set out for Africa with great anticipation and a little trepidation. Some of our crew were eager travelers, and others were not.
We flew through Doha, Qatar, and were met very late one night by Stuart Levine, Wildscape's guide, interpreter, and our new friend! What we thought was going to be a long safari moved at lightning speed. Shopping and some sightseeing in Nairobi quickly turned into a charter to Samburu on the Ewaso Ng'iro River. Three days in Samburu vaporized before our eyes. We had long successful game drives and we got to see the local village up close and personal, something I wasn't too sure of, but, oh, how glad we are that we did it. The rooms were great and a totally different experience, and the service and food were awesome. We had dinners outside along the river with gentle breezes and roaring wood fires. These are once in a lifetime experiences.
We had a hop, skip, and a jump several hundred miles to the south to Serian's Nkorombo Camp, which lays above the Mara River, in the Masai Mara Reserve. This is probably much like what it was in East Africa in Hemmingway and Ruark's days. A river teeming with hippos and crocs, night sounds, and smells. It was a wonderful experience. Then we drove to Mara Plains Jahazi Suite. What a place! You first cross a suspension bridge, then you enter the most phenomenal tented camp you will ever see, an entry to remember, library, outdoor dining areas, and the most memorable rooms you've ever seen: a huge living area, two bedrooms and baths with copper sinks and huge copper bathtubs, and a plunge pool that was just "one zipper away". We saw every animal in The Big Five and Dangerous Seven except the rhino in their natural settings. Talk about wide open spaces, one morning, from an elevated spot near where we ate our breakfast, I know we could see ten thousand animals, including wildebeest, zebra, eland, Thompson's Gazelle, elephant, Topi, warthogs, hyenas, Cape Buffalo, lions, and more, part of the Great Migration. After wonderful accommodations, too much food, and a great staff, we headed to Rwanda.
I've been in seven African nations and thought I had my favorites picked out. I've got to move Rwanda up near the top. It is the cleanest and most serene country I've been in. Its government is probably one of the best in the world. After the deadly chaos in the '90's, Rwanda today is unbelievable. Everyone works, people are kind, the economy is moving, and it's a wonderful place to visit. We drove from Kigali into the mountains to Musanze near Volcanoes National Park. We had the great privilege to climb the mountain and trek with the gorillas two days in a row. We had the best luck since it didn't rain either day, and we were led to the gorillas within about an hour and a half each morning. Each day, we got to spend an hour with a different gorilla troop. What an eye opener. We were within inches of huge Silverbacks all the way to newborn infants, the most peaceful and playful band of animals in the world.
Safaris are dynamic things with lots of moving parts. Everytime it looked like there might be a bump in the road, Stuart smoothed it over. We can't thank John Banovich, Wildscapes Travel, and Stuart Levine for a wonderful, safe and unforgettable trip of a lifetime.