We recently returned from an eight-day safari organized for us by Grace Evans and led by David Mshana and wish to thank them both for an unforgettable experience. Each place we visited had its own unique charm, as did each accommodation. We spent three nights in the Serengeti at an excellent tented camp (hot showers, exceptional food, comfortable beds) being serenaded by the lions and hyenas while we slept. On the way out of the Serengeti we visited several kopjes to see the Maasai painting on the entrance to a cave in one them, and then stopped at the Olduvai Gorge of Mary Leakey fame. We then spent two nights of luxury on the rim of Ngorongoro, spending one day inside the crater and the other hiking down into the extraordinary Empakaai, and then a night at an equally luxurious resort near Lake Manyara that was staffed by local Maasai, two of whom accompanied us on a terrific two hour hike to a large waterfall. Night seven was in Tarangire in another comfortable tent with an incredible view of the river and the families of elephants passing to and fro, and finally we spent our last night at a beautiful lodge on a hilltop in Arusha that has possibly the finest French restaurant in all of Africa.

Having a safari as good as this one depends crucially on the organizer (thank you Grace) and your guide, and we cannot say enough about the extraordinary abilities of Mr. David Mshana. His ability to spot cats in particular seems nothing short of extrasensory. We wouldn't have believed it possible for someone to spot animals as he did, time and time again, had we not witnessed it ourselves. He also has a keen insight into animal behavior. We watched a cheetah for half an hour before it finally leaped out of the grass and chased down a gazelle. We were ready to give up on it twenty minutes earlier, but David kept assuring us that it really was going to hunt. He also knows the names of all the birds, and will see them before you do. We might also add that David is an intelligent and thoughtful man. If we return to Tanzania, he will be our choice to guide us again.

Susan and Vits Vitums

Our safari in Tanzania was the trip of a lifetime, exceeding all expectations. David Mshana was an extraordinary guide, with vast knowledge of the national parks and the animals and birds living there.

In addition, he was extremely personable, which made it difficult to say goodbye at the end of the trip. We feel so very fortunate to have had him as our guide! There are not enough superlatives to describe our experience with him.

Jan-Georg Hoffmann

David Mshana made our trip in 2000 through Tanzania a wonderful experience! His good humour and extensive knowledge of the animals and nature was the key to a successful vacation and terrific safari. Personally I have been on many safaris in Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa. David Mshana is amongst the best.

Patsy and I met David Mshana in November 2005. He was our driver and guide on a 10 day safari around Tanzania. He did such an excellent job for us; it was our best trip ever. With his eagle eyes we didn't miss a thing, seeing the Big Five several times. His understanding of the country and animals made for a great holiday.

I can heartily recommend any tour David is the guide on as there is absolutely no one better. He approached his work as a professional, and communicated well and with enthusiasm. It is more than a job for him, it is in his heart.

I have told lots of people about how beautiful Tanzania is and to try to get David as their guide. When I return to Tanzania I want David as my guide.

I took my first trip to Africa in 2005 on a tour with Boyd Norton. On our first day in the Ngorongoro Crater, I quickly realized how important a good guide is to the success of a photo expedition.

David Mshana was my guide and his knowledge of the region and wildlife and his ability to spot creatures hidden from the rest of us was key to capturing great photos and learning about life in Tanzania's natural world.

DesRochers Photography.Com

It has been over a year since we returned from our first Tanzanian safari. But the memory of David Mshana and his contribution to our adventure remain vivid. In reviewing daily journals, I recorded the sighting and photography of MORE ANIMALS AND MORE BIRDS when David "led" the group vehicle. (On one of our last "treks", I pleaded with 2 vehicle occupants to let us ride with David… to log and photograph "just one more new bird"-fortunately, it worked!!)

Of course, no birds are "new" to David…this is his expertise…Information about the sighting of lions, elephants, leopards and cheetahs is communicated "real time" via radio amongst safari guides (so that all tourists can share in the experience)…but sightings of particular birds are not…this is where David excels-in finding and identifying the more gentle and subtle species.

We experienced Africa through the eyes of a kind, quietly humorous, sensitive, caring and knowledgeable Tanzanian native…and cannot wait to go again!

One of the best things about our safari was being with guides like David who understood all of the animal's behaviors-as a seriously obsessed amateur photographer this was invaluable to me and was the only reason my husband and I were able to take great shots like these.

It's one thing to understand our equipment and know how to use it (every amateur photographer does that). It's quite another thing to have an experienced guide who can put us in the situations like David did to capture these types of photos. Since I was 7 years old I've looked at photos from Africa in National Geographic and dreamed of someday going there. The problem is-National Geographic photographers spend months and years getting familiar with the continent and the animals. I only had a couple of weeks, so having an experienced guide like David who could explain the behaviors we were seeing and position us for great photos made all the difference.

My dream of taking photos in Africa that I could be proud to frame and give as gifts to friends and family came true because of it!