History
Kibo Guides was founded and is directed by Willy Chambulo, an inspirational Tanzanian who, from humble beginnings, had the vision and spirit to pursue his dreams and create a thriving safari business with the power to change lives. Willy grew up in a small village in northern Tanzania with German heritage from his father’s side, Irish from his mother’s and Maasai from both. He is a keen naturalist and conservationist and lives in Arusha. Currently Willy is Chairman of the Tanzania Association of Tour Operator.
Nuria Panizo is Director and partner in Kibo Guides and Tanganyika Wilderness Camps. She is Spanish, specialized in Tourism and Business Management and currently lives part time in Spain and Tanzania.
There is a solid team which includes sales, with Josiah Mkengwa as Sales- and Operations Manager. Kibo operates out of an efficient office in the heart of Arusha town and employs more than 200 staffs including management / admin, drivers and guides.
Guides
Friendly, knowledgeable and resourceful, our 74 Tanzanian guides will ensure that you have an unforgettable safari experience. All Kibo guides are certified by the Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association, a rigorous examining body that ensures the highest guiding standards, and as such they are well informed about a wide range of animal and plant characteristics (including behavior, taxonomy, reproduction etc.) as well as Codes of Conduct.
All the guides have excellent communication skills and can speak perfect English. We also have guides with additional languages (e.g. German, French, Italian, Japanese and Spanish).
Our guides are passionate about Tanzania’s history, culture and the natural environment and will always go the extra mile to make your safari the absolute best. Typically our clients are the first into the Ngorongoro Crater and the last to leave! No mileage limits are imposed on our guides, so they have the liberty to follow interesting wildlife or to visit a distant tribe.
Vehicles
We own a fleet of more than one hundred safari vehicles including 4WD Toyota Land Cruisers (5-seaters and 7-seaters) specially designed to provide maximum comfort on safari, together with comfortable buses for transfers.
All of the 4WD vehicles are equipped with seat belts, pop up roofs, radio systems, battery chargers and sliding windows. Each vehicle also has a small comprehensive library with guide books of mammals and birds. The vehicles are safe and reliable and are always serviced before they depart on safari.
We believe that the journey is an experience in itself, and therefore we utilize outstanding coaches and airlines, to enable our clients to travel in comfort and style.
Our commitment
Kibo focuses its activities in places of unique and fragile beauty where the few inhabitants of the area generally live in small settlements (bomas). In order to support neighboring communities and the local economy, Kibo has an employment policy of giving preference to people from the local neighborhood. Not only do they benefit directly but the ripple effect to extended families can have a profound impact both economically and socially. However, while Kibo is proud to promote local economies, we are also highly sensitive to indigenous traditions and cultures. Cultural trips are only arranged at the invitation of the relevant community and conducted with delicacy, thought and grace.
Kibo is also involved in longer-term projects, including education and health. With a client bed night contribution as well as through private donors, Kibo has been able to support local schools in both Karatu and Kilimanjaro to build much-needed new classrooms. We have also helped in the supply of clean fresh water by introducing water pumps in several other villages including Elerai and Njia Panda.
We believe our success lies in our professionalism, our devotion to the African bush and the people who share it, as well as our passion for nature and the environment. We look forward to giving you an unforgettable Tanzanian experience!
Our Mission and Vision
To provide each and every client with impeccable service, ensuring an exceptional travel experience
To demonstrate our creativity, innovation and commitment in a manner which sets us apart from others in the business
To build knowledgeable, responsible and accountable teams who are proud to be associated with a company that recognizes them as a vital part of it: “Our people are our success”
To improve the welfare of Tanzanians through tourism
To target and carefully identify the markets which we want to develop
To build sustainable relationships with our clients and with service-providers in the industry
