Best Leading Adventures in Tanzania
Focus in Africa
- Located In:
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2004)
- Member Of:
- IATA & TATO
- Tour Types:
- Customizable private tours and fixed group tours
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $130 to $350 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
RO
Email Cristian | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Don't ruin your vacation
1. They told me that I would be staying at a guesthouse and when I arrived I was staying in a tent. 2. the safari was very short, everything was at speed. we left in the morning at 8 and at 2 pm we were already at the accommodation. 3. our guide (KARIM) didn't speak English, he was driving fast, I had to tell him to stop so I could see the animals. unfortunately my safari was a disaster
FR
Email William | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Choose an another one
Do not book this company! Avoid Focus in Africa!
Before starting with the bad things, I would like to thank the driver (Stanley) and the cook (Matthias), they were simply great, Stanley was able to share all his knowledge with us whenever he could! Matthias also knew how to make us travel through his cuisine!
Regarding the safari, we did a 5-day tour, the first 3 days were great but when we got to the 4th day, our camp was 20 minutes from Ngorongoro, but the driver was forced to pick up two other passengers more than 1 hour from our camp, we missed 2.5 hours (out of 6 hours of visiting) of our day at the crater, it is simply unacceptable, we pay a certain amount to have a quality service to end up missing animals and making journeys for nothing at all, our alarm was still at 5:30 am to leave the camp at 6 am and finally arrive at 8:30 am at the crater!
But it's not over, the next day, we leave our camp at 7:30 am to go to Lake Manyara and guess what? We stay more than an hour in front of the park because their organization is pitiful, we had to wait for another person from another camp to join us! But you should know that the driver, who was only visiting the lake, wanted us all to go together to get the one who was missing and return to the lake but we contested because we did not take the safari to do the taxi tours but to fully enjoy our vacation! It is not the fault of the driver but simply of the organization of this company, Focus in Africa. But it is not always over! After the visit to the lake, we had our flight to Kilimanjaro, and of course the head of the company Focus in Africa, Nelson, told us that a driver would pick us up after the lake to take us to the airport and make a journey of more than 3 hours and in the end, the driver was not at all aware that he had to drop us off at the airport. Another pitiful organization.
I absolutely do not recommend this company if you want to be at peace during your vacation!
DE
Email Regina and Tobias | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
False promises, Bad communication, Wasted time
Do not book with this Operator!
From home we booked a 5 days Safari with 2 Nights in Serengeti. We were told that the tour is almost sold out and we will get the last two seats.
When we got there, the tour with two nights in Serengeti was not available and they just put us on another tour which we did not want. It was only with half a day in the Serengeti instead of two. Instead we went to much smaller and cheaper park on our last day with less Animales.
Furthermore, it was a joined tour. We did not know that. It means that you have to wait all the time for other travellers joining the tour on different days and therefore, always leave late to got to the parks. Hence, you have less time to find Animals.
Our driver always had to ask for money and the permits which should have been in order before the tour. So even more time was wasted.
So, nothing that was promised in our quote was met. Every day there und was a new problem we had to face.
At least we got a small discount, but it was nothing compared to all the trouble. After the tour we talked to our hotel Manager and he said that they already know the operator is a cutthroat.
10/10 Recommendation
Me and my friend did a private Safari to Tarangiere. It was so amazing! Our Driver Bryson was so patient with us and showed us all good spots. He did an amazing job!
We saw so many animals like Elephants, Giraffes and also a Leopard.
The trip itself was awesome and was made even more unforgettable by our tour guide Bryson. Thank you so much again.
Take a different tour operator.
I would not recommend Focus in Africa and neither the tour we did.
We did the budget safari and as one can immagine, the accomodation was budget (mostly tents), the food was basic, and the car was not of high quality (the door kept on opening and our cook had to hold it the whole drive). Sometimes our lunch boxes had no cutlery. But this is okay. The sleeping bags were of low quality and outdated for which reason sleeping in the Ngorongoro crater camp was extremely cold. The agency only seemed in the mood to answer when they needed something but completely ignored us when we had requests.
But what we found really not nice was our guide Brisont. He really did not put any effort in making this more that a basic experience for my fellow 5 travellers and I. He did not tell us anything about Tanzania or himself and left us always as soon as we arrived at the camps. In the national parks he did not search for animals or explain anything to us but just drove from A to B. Also we were always the first ones to arrive at the camps in the afternoon and the last ones to leave in the morning. But what we found was most annoying is that we had less time than we should have had in Serengeti Np. Briston himself explained that the permit was 12 hours long- but we entered at 15:00pm and left it at 12:30pm the next day, only to arrive way to early at our next destination again, where he left us as soon as he had dropped us.
Do yourself the favour and spend more money on a tour agency that knows what professionalism means.
IT
Email Luca | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very good price basic service
I booked with them the Kilimanjaro and 4 days safari.
Everything was fine there, I only would have preferred to feel more reassured during the reservation and during the whole process. Nelson is nice but makes everything easy, while you're 5000 km away and have no idea of what will happen.
The price is very good compared to other companies but for this reason every service is ok but not amazing.
Still a good deal for me.
The guides, the drivers, the cooks and everyone else there have to chill about tips. It's not mandatory and they become aggressive and annoying if you don't tip.
Very bad, this thing have to change, not just for them but for the hole country.
BE
Email Bailey | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Verry bad experience
This was my first time booking a safari from Focus In Africa but I didn't realize it would disappoint me so much. I have booked from many places before and they provided me very good service, their staff was very good. But the staff of Focus In Africa treated us very badly. When asked anything from them, they do not say anything, and behave excessively. I booked a 3 day safari. The first day was fine but the next two days made me even worse. Those who don't want to be scammed like me should not book Focus In Africa Safaris.
Best safari!! The craziest amazing experience ever!
Solo traveller, booked from the UK, I did not what to expect. Nelson organised the best safari that I could ever imagine!!!! They picked me up at the hotel, met the rest of the travellers (initially two of us, two days later 4 more joined. Super friendly group) and the greatest adventure started!!! Lake Manyara with it's salty waters, Tarangire land of the elephants (so many of then bathing, playing with each other... stunning!), meeting the Masai people and their culture, the incredible Serengeti (hyenas, buffalo, giraffes, lions, zebras, wildebeest, hipos, birds, cheetahs), and Ngorongoro (spectacular!). We saw lions hunting buffalos, hyenas eaten zebras, cheetah eating impalas, zebras kissing each other, the start on the great migration... Everything and more!! Staying in tents was terrifying, but worthwhile every minute, surrounded by buffalos all night, you could hear them eating grass, massive sound steps on the ground next to you, and hyenas the night before, walking around the tents. But Nelson's team was there for us all the way, to make us safe. The driver Ricardo wes amazing, he knew where the action happens, where are the best places to see the animals, his knowledge about them, the land, the history of the place, the nature. He was funny, friendly, someone you will always remember. And the chefs, with super tasty food cooked for us for breakfasts and dinners and also the lunch boxes for the road. We eat amazingly. Finally, two of us extended the safari one more day to see the coffee plantations in Kilimamjaro, with superb walks to beautiful waterfalls. On the way back, a website failed to reserve our hotel and that night, with the Kilimanjaro marathon the next day, everything was fully booked. But our driver, Elia, went beyond help. He needed to be home in Arusha that night, but stayed that extra night, drove us everywhere pitch black, making sure we were safe and have a room to stay. Next day he even took us to the airport. It's typical to tip everyone in Tanzania. You can stop in some ATMs along the roads to get cash, and they really deserve great tipping for they work and hospitality, specially since once the season finished, jobs are scattered. Everyone involved in the safari and coffee experience were super friendly and made this the best ever time I had in Africa! Tanzania, what a great country, such amazing people. I hope to go back for more!
NL
Email Laila | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A woman was screamed at by the chef and wouldn't let her leave because he wanted money
We went on a 5 day safari with Focus on africa. The tour guide, Wilson, was amazing. He really went out of his way to make our trip unforgettable. I am very sad to give a one star because he is worth 5!
During the trip I noticed a couple of things which could have been done differently but I considered not to be worth writing a review but I will state them now anyway; we were leaving quite late a couple of times and when spotting animals you have to be there at first light! We were with 6 people in the car including luggage and camping equipment, making so that for a few drives the people in the back seats were uncomfortable. The one star I give for something that happend to a travel companion and makes me feel the need to write; the chef that was with us for 3 days(who cooked nicely but was only acting nice on the last night, all of the group immediately felt it was because he expected a tip) became angry because they gave too little tip. And with angry I mean yelling in their faces for over 15 minutes and not letting them leave the last campsite. They were so scared (2 woman alone) and not one of the 15 local men surrounding the vehicle said anything and let it happen (they work on the campsite and thus are also reprectatives of focus in africa). They felt attacked and it ruined their trip. This was a super scary situation and I would advise you to make sure who your guide will be as this will definitely make or brake it(their last day was spend with another "guide" who didn't know any English).
Moreover, the owner wanted to pay the woman to remove the reviews and out of his messages it appears that he actually agrees the tip is too little and so was accepting towards the behaviour of the chef. Look elsewhere for your safari trip!
JP
Email Itsuki | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The creator of the best experience.
From the moment I arrived at Kilimanjaro Airport until the end of my journey, I was completely taken care of, including transfers and hotel arrangements. There's nothing to worry about if you join this tour. And of course, the safari experience will be a memory for a lifetime. The guide is a genius at spotting the BIG 5. The accompanying chef is fun and, of course, a great cook. Please consider consulting them about anything. I highly recommend it.
