Our family welcomes you to Tanzania! Karibu sana!
Tanzania Choice Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2007)
- Member Of:
- Tanzania Association of Tour Operators
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $400 to $1,700 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
US
Email RK & KP | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent service and an unforgettable experience
It is not easy to plan a safari from half way around the world. There are a bewildering amount of safari outfitters offering their services online, but it is nearly impossible to distinguish the outstanding companies from the mediocre. Fortunately, we had a friend who was working in Dar es Salaam at the time who helped us navigate through the complexity. She said to check out Tanzania Choice Safaris. We did, and we could not be happier with the service we received. This is a family run business and they go out of their way to ensure you have an unforgettable trip.
After filling out the web-based request form, Brenda contacted us with some possible itineraries to consider. It was easy to deal with Brenda -- who is an expat from the USA -- and she was prompt and helpful throughout. After several email exchanges, we decided on a 12-day itinerary: 8 days traveling through Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater, and Seregenti, followed by four days in Zanzibar at Matemwe Beach and Stone Town.
Brenda's husband Kakasii was our guide and he met us at the airfield in Arusha to begin our safari. Kakasii was wonderful -- he was knowledgeable, personable, and fun. The safari vehicle was comfortable and we always had a bottomless supply of cold water available. The private vehicle is the way to go. We sometimes would see parties of six jammed inside other Land Rovers and the passengers did not look very happy. Tanzania Choice Safaris only does private trips, so this aspect should be considered favorably.
Kakasii did his best to show us the most amazing animals -- rhino, leopard, elephant, lion, giraffe, buffalo, wildebeest -- we saw them all. But he also knows all of the birds and other rare animals that are less identifiable to the untrained eye (Klipsringer or Lesser Kudu, anyone?) Kakasii knew all of the animals on sight and he freely shared his knowledge with us, along with teaching us a few Swahili phrases and words.
The lodging choices Brenda recommended were outstanding. We were the only guests for three nights at the Kichiguu Camp in Tarangire. My wife was a little apprehensive about staying in a wilderness camp (with lions roaming about), but this place was amazing. The food was great and plentiful. The boys running the camp were super attentive and the service was great -- from the welcome drink to the nightly bonfire -- this was a memorable experience. The Serena Lodge in Ngorongoro was solid, although after being the only guests in camp at Tarangire, it felt a little more crowded and traditional. The evening entertainment in the lodge was fun. The views from the lodge into Ngorongoro Crater are spectacular, particularly at sunrise. The Kubu Kubu Camp in Serengeti was the best of the bunch. The food was outstanding and the staff was super friendly and helpful. Swimming in the infinity edge pool while overlooking the plains with wild animals all around was pretty neat, particularly after some long dusty days in Kakasii's Land Rover. The all-inclusive drinks were a nice touch as well.
When Kakasii dropped us at the airfield in Serengeti for our flight to Zanzibar, it felt like we were saying goodbye to an old friend.
Upon arriving in Zanzibar, the Tanzania Choice Safari representative met us at the airport like clockwork. Our new guide Hamisi was a hoot and he showed us all kinds of sights and cultural points of interest on our ride to Matemwe Beach. Matemwe is a little off the beaten path, but the Jafferji Resort where we stayed was a perfect beachfront hideaway. We were able to scuba dive off of Mnemba Island without any difficulty. Our last night in Zanzibar we stayed in the Maru Maru hotel in the middle of Stone Town. Hamisi is a licensed tour guide and he walked us through all of the best sights in Stone Town. Maru Maru was quite nice, particularly the roof top bar/restaurant/pool area, which provided a peaceful oasis in the middle of a busy town at street level.
All said and done, we had a wonderful experience with Tanzania Choice Safaris. They made it easy for us to relax and enjoy our time in Tanzania. They pay attention and get the small details right, and as a result their product is demonstrably better than nearly all of the other outfitters we saw (for instance, we never had a picnic lunch without a table cloth!) Because of the excellent experience, we have already referred other friends to Brenda and Kakasii and more will likely follow behind them. You should too!
US
Email Lisa Reilly | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Thoughtfully planned trip, great places and itinerary, and wonderfully executed!
Brenda and the team at TCS planned a trip of a lifetime. The accommodation were great, and Leslie our guide was the best. Ending up in Zanzibar was ideal, and Brenda picked the best spot possible. We did not want large resorts, but instead experienced a great range of smaller accomodations - all very nice, comfortable and unique. We never felt like we were part of a huge tourist pack, and our guide was fantastic. This makes all the difference, as you spend a great deal of time with them. We thoroughly enjoyed the entire trip, and I recommend TCS without hesitation.
Email Paige | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
No detail goes untouched with TCS--they think of everything to ensure your trip is amazing.
Tanzania Choice Safaris provided a wonderful experience for our family that includes two small children. Tailoring the accommodations and itinerary to suit our family's needs, they went out of their way to ensure our trip was memorable. Thank you Brenda and Kakasii!
US
Email Josh & Kate | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable experiences provided by a company that made us feel like family.
For the honeymoon of our dreams in Tanzania, my wife and I set our expectations incredibly high. I'm so grateful that I can say those expectations were exceeded in droves. A month later, we're still re-living hundreds of unique and special moments from our trip, and we will be for a long time. Without a doubt, choosing Tanzania Choice Safaris (TCS) was the best decision we could have possibly made.
My wife was incredibly lucky that she knew Brenda through a mutual colleague at work, and we sought her out for an initial conversation about our honeymoon. Over a series of Skype calls, we got hours of one-on-one guidance on choosing a customized itinerary that met our preferences perfectly. Brenda carefully provided us with highly detailed proposals for each element of the trip, and after a few rounds of adjustment (we're a bit picky), our itinerary was set: an 8-day climb of Kilimanjaro via the Lemosho Route, seven days of safari through Tarangire, Ngorongoro (including the crater and the Ndutu Plains, and Central Serengeti, and four days in Zanzibar. More important than our itinerary was the realization that TCS was a family company that had made us feel like family, even before we had gotten to Tanzania.
When we arrived, exhausted but excited, at the Kilimanjaro International Airport, we were greeted by Brenda and Festo, our lead guide for Kilimanjaro. Almost immediately, they made us feel welcome and comfortable, and we knew we were in good hands. We took the drive to the Weru Weru River Lodge in Moshi, where we did a quick gear check with Festo and then got some rest. We slept well that night knowing that we were going to spend the next eight days with someone so personable, so knowledgeable, and so thoughtful. The next day, at Lemosho Gate, we got to know our 10 porters, cook, and assistant guide, all of whom were cut from the same cloth as Festo: upbeat, positive, attentive, and supportive. And that service orientation means everything when you're on the mountain. Each day of the hike was beautiful and different, and some days were truly challenging. When your appetite goes, or your head starts hurting, or you start having trouble sleeping (or all of the above), it makes a huge difference when you have people that are genuinely invested in your well-being. That was most apparent during some our toughest days, including a long and slow ascent from Barafu Camp to the summit, when we needed that support the most. I'm convinced that Festo and Augustine (our assistant guide) provided the key ingredients that enabled us to reach the top.
With much anticipation for both rest and wildlife, we transitioned to the safari portion of the trip. Our guide (and driver and navigator and wildlife expert and storyteller) Leslie, met us at the base of the mountain at Mneka Gate. Once again, we knew we were in great hands right from the start. We spent a night at the Weru Weru River Lodge that evening, and found a congratulatory bottle of wine and cold chocolate bars waiting for us in our room. What an awesome surprise from Brenda! The next day, we set out northeast to Tarangire National Park, and the week that followed, we'd make our way through Ngorongoro Crater, Ndutu Plains, and finally Serengeti National Park. To go into detail on each of these days wouldn't do them justice. Suffice it to say that each day was a unique and thrilling adventure. Leslie didn't just know each of these parks intimately from memory (no map, no GPS), he could identify the dozens mammals and hundreds of birds we encountered--from the rare bat-eared fox to the European roller--without hesitation. Leslie is also incredibly warm and has a great sense of humor. We spent hours with him during our days and ate nearly every meal with him at our table, and we loved every minute. I should also say that the accommodations selected by TCS were absolutely perfect. We were in bush camps every night, but far from roughing it. In-tent bathrooms and showers and comfortable beds made each night's stay a joy.
During the safari, thanks to Leslie, we saw each of the big five, we witnessed a lion kill a wildebeest, we saw lion cubs nursing, and we saw a handful of predators with fresh kills. And all of it was from a distance of no more than 50 feet, and usually much closer. We took more than 5,000 pictures on our little 25x zoom camera, and the images are breathtaking. The moment we confirmed that Leslie was truly special was during our lunch at Central Serengeti Visitors Center. Upon arrival, he was quickly surrounded by young guides-in-training at the Visitors Center like he was a living legend. We showed those aspiring guides some of the photos we'd taken, including leopard and rhinoceros, and they were blown away. Our drive back to Arusha from Serengeti was a bit bittersweet. We were excited to experience Zanzibar, but sad to leave our new friend. Leslie had taken such incredible care of us, and we had some amazing memories to carry forward.
After reaching the airport in Zanzibar, we were greeted by our guide, Khamis, who gave us a history lesson as we made the 1.5-hour drive to Nungwi. We checked in and said goodbye, and began our three-day "do-nothing" stretch along pristine beaches, at rooftop bars for sunset, and in gourmet restaurants. Our three-night stay at the Flame Tree Cottages was perfect. The hotel was small, close enough to the action but far enough to have some quiet. There was a pool, a beachside bar, and breakfast every morning on the patio of our suite. Though we stayed in touch with Khamis via WhatsApp, we asked for our space and that's what we got. He picked us up right on time on our second-to-last day so we could make the drive to Stone Town for a night in the city. We were lucky to have some friends visiting from Dar Es Salaam, so we spent the day with them and then ventured to the Old Stone Fort for Sauti Za Busara, the annual music festival. We hadn't timed the trip to be there, but the festival was a great bonus, and a perfect way to cap off nearly three weeks in Tanzania. The next day, Khamis met us in the lobby of the charming Seyyida Hotel, and we (reluctantly) made the drive to the airport for the 20 minute flight back to Dar, and from there, back home.
The beauty of this trip is that I can remember so much of it, so vividly. That's probably because we were genuinely happy with everything, from start to finish. That only happens when you have a company, and a group of guides, that is so highly invested in your happiness as TCS. I would strongly recommend them to anyone with even a remote desire to visit Tanzania at any point. You'll be so happy you did!
US
Email Martin Rathjen | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A 5 star operation with excellent hospitality
Tanzania Choice Safaris provided a truly fantastic and amazing climb of Kilimanjaro via the 8-day Lemosho Route! As a group leader of a larger group (22 people) it was very easy to work with Brenda, Kakasii and Festo (mountain guide) leading up to the trip. The pre-trip communication was professional, timely and very helpful. The in-country and on-mountain experience of TCS was awesome: abundant Tanzanian hospitality, with an amazing crew of assistant guides, porters and chefs. We were welcomed, encouraged, supported and enabled to the top of the mountain, and back down. Of our 22 climbers, 21 made it to Uhuru and one to Stella Point. Given the size of our group this was an overwhelming success, but even if we hadn't summited our group experience with Tanzania Choice was excellent! I highly recommend Tanzania Choice Safaris for your Kili climb (with a big or small group).
US
Email Kelly Kautz | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Caring, professional, and exceeded expectations!
Tanzania Choice Safaris organized and provided an exceptional Mount Kilimanjaro climbing experience for our group of 22, as well as organizing a tour of area hospitals, schools and health related services and a delightful safari tour for our group of 9. All staff hired by Tanzania Choice Safaris were gracious and thoughtful regarding our needs - we were provided with everything we needed and more! After spending almost three weeks with Kakasii and his staff, we felt as if we had made many new friends! I highly recommend Tanzania Choice Safaris!
Email Brad | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellently organised
No safari experience could have been better.
Highly highly recommended.
Cannot praise these guys enough.
US
Email Matt | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best way up the Mountain
TCS did such a great job equipping, feeding and staffing our 22 person trek up Kilimanjaro. Fresh pineapple at 15,000 feet!? Unheard of. All of our trek was under the watchful eye and and good nature of trail boss Festo Mtui. If you are so lucky to get Festo to lead your expedition, then you are REALLY lucky.
Well done Tanzania Choice Safaris!
US
Email Pat | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceptionally well organized, responsive send customer focused.
Exceptionally well organized, responsive send customer focused.
US
Email Jeff | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Absolutely everything promised exceeded my expectations and my guide, Leslie, was extraordinary.
Tanzania Choice Tours provided excellent service. I was updated frequently, received clear instructions and every communication was helpful resulting in no surprises upon arrival. I was able to witness firsthand every animal including the elusive Spotted Leopard on two occasions for an extended period of time. I highly recommend Tanzanian Choice Tours and , if available, as for guide Leslie who was very skilled and knowledgeable.