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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:
-
TZ
- Price Range:
- $400 to $1,700 ppper person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Gisela toledo | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Email Lyn & Don | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Make the BEST choice for your Tanzanian safari
We recently returned from a magical trip to Africa. I apologize for reusing the term “magical” too often in this review, but that is the best way to describe this trip. Months ago, my wife who had previously lived in Africa for several years and had taken numerous safaris, began researching tour operators for our trip. After receiving a recommendation from a friend of a friend at the American Embassy in Tanzania, we decided on Tanzania Choice Safaris. Arriving at this decision was no small feat since we later learned that there are more than 1,000 tour operators in Arusha. My wife began discussions online with Brenda Kimoro, co-owner of the company who is a US citizen married to a Tanzanian and living in Arusha. After listening to our choices of animals to see and the comfort level of the accommodations we desired, Brenda developed a plan that fit our timeline and our budget. We also wisely arranged for a full day of rest before and after our safari at a beautiful lodge in Arusha. This review is not of Tumbili Lodge in Arusha but in our opinion, it is nothing short of paradise and should not be missed if you can extend your stay. Brenda put together an itinerary of visits to Lake Manyara, Tarangire National Park, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. Each of these places is well known for animals like leopards, elephants, plains animals and rhinos. Each place is spectacular in its own way. The lodging accommodation at all stops was extremely comfortable, the staff gracious and the food really good. There was a mix of menu items and buffets, but the food was varied and ample. Our terrific guide, Leslie, was superb in all areas of his job. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of the animals we spotted, knew all parks visited very well and helped us see wonderful animals consistently. We saw so many types of animals that we began seeking out the more elusive creatures. A real highlight of the trip was lunch on the Serengeti plains surrounded by wildebeest during the migration at the western edge of the park. Leslie surprised us with a stop under a shade tree, table and chairs (with a tablecloth!), a delicious meal and an amazing sight of so many plains animals in full view. Truly magical! We saw the Big 5 and even joked that we saw the “Little 5” including a dung beetle hard at work! What sets Tanzania Choice Safaris apart from the other hundreds of tour operators? Experience, knowledge, professionalism? Yes, those three but add attention to detail. We met other travelers who had experienced many problems—breakdowns, lack of proper equipment, guides showing up late, etc. Stuff happens, we know, as this is Africa. But you always need a professional tour operator who thinks of and prepares for the unexpected. For instance, Leslie provided cow tail fly swatters to brush away the pesky flies and insects who sometimes invade the vehicle. A small benefit but one that was much envied by other travelers when they saw ours! Our game viewing vehicle had been outfitted with large rolldown windows in the front row of seats which was a real benefit to observing animals versus the sliding glass windows we saw in most other vehicles. The one BIG takeaway from this trip is that you MUST put your faith in Brenda and the team at Tanzania Choice Safaris to plan and execute a memorable, magical trip for you to a faraway land filled with memorable and magical people and animals!
Email Aeric | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic experience!!
Brenda, Kakasii, and Leslie were all incredible to work with from the planning stage through the safari itself. Their knowledge of the parks, the animals, and even other guides was all first rate. Can’t recommend them enough!! We went as a family of four and everyone was well taken care of throughout and had an absolute blast.
Email Cheri | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent tour to Ngorongoro crater and Serengeti
This will be remembered a a trip of a lifetime. Leslie, our tour guide, was fantastic!! With 5 women taking the tour, Leslie was very patient and answers all of our questions. He went out of his way to made sure we saw the big 5. When I was unable to go on the safari on day, he made sure I saw the animals the next day that my other friends saw the pervious day. The accommodations were excellent. We stayed at the Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge which was well worth the money. Excellent accommodations with a great view of the crater, yummy food and friendly staff. In Serengeti, we stayed at the Kubu Kubu Tented Camp. I was hesitant to stay in a tent however once I arrived at the Camp I changed my mind. The staff are very friendly and the accommodations are 5 stars. Loved the lunches they packed for our safari. I was expecting a sandwich and they provide a hot meal. We ended our trip with a stay at the Royal Zanzibar Resort which was a great way to end the trip. An all inclusive resort that is on the beach.
All said, I highly recommend Tanzania Choice Safaris to book your Tanzania safari. They are highly professional and friendly and will accommodate your travel needs.
Thanks Brenda and Leslie for making this a trip of a lifetime!
Email Bourke | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Kakashi, is the bomb.
From the beginning to the end Kokasii and Brenda handled everything. If you need some help or want a full service travel experience look no further. Kokasii is a true pro. He knows the parks and he knows the animals. He is the highly respected by his peers. They call him Ba Ba..
Email Madeline Longstreet | Experience level: first safari
Brenda with Choice Safari had the most comprehensive and thorough itenerary matching our interest.
Brenda with Choice Safari not only sent an itenerary but a video to go with it in a timely matter. She was patient in answering our questions with detailed answers and altered the trip plan to suit our needs. She had links to the camps so we could easily find reviews. And Our guide Leslie was the best! He was a great hunter knowing exactly where to find the leopards or cheetahs or lions and more. And he could spot them miles away. Great eyes! You could tell he loved his job and was full of info on all the living things and the workings of the eco system we were surrounded by. What a great experience. Choose Choice!!!
Email Wanda Bryant | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
ATTENTION TO DETAILS, EXCELLENT!!
Brenda did an excellent job planning a personalized Safari vacation for our group of 5 women. Our guide, Leslie was wonderful! He knew the territory and the animals. He was able to answer all of our questions. It was obvious he loves his job, and studies the wildlife and their habitat. He was an excellent driver and at no time did we feel unsafe. Tanzania and the people are quite simply, BEAUTIFUL!! Worth every cent!!
Email Chandler Bryant | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Top-notch!
If I could give 10 stars, I would. From the planning, to the travel accommodations, to the professionalism of the tour guides and drivers, my entire experience with Tanzania Choice Safaris was A++. This was truly a trip of a lifetime, and I can honestly say I loved every minute of it. Without a doubt, the days we spent in the van on the safari were the highlight of the trip for me. We saw every every animal we wanted to see and we were able to get some really great views of the animals (especially the big cats!) In short, the safari was everything a safari should be—adventurous, exciting, thrilling, and just plain fun. Lastly, I cannot say enough good things about our tour guide, Leslie. He is a true professional, and was so much fun to be around! He was kind, patient, attentive, detail-oriented and extremely knowledgeable about all of the animals and Tanzanian culture. He is clearly passionate about what he does, and that passion shines through in his delivery of the information and how he lead the safari. Thank you to Brenda and Leslie and the entire Tanzania Choice Safaris team!
Email Kari | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent, fun, informative, safe, entertaining, educational, wonderful tour!
Right from the start, this company was top notch! We knew what we were doing every step of the way. Kokasii took such good care of us the whole way. We saw absolutely everything we wanted to see because he was bound and determined to make it happen. Brenda was so great with the communication side of things. Everything went very smooth! We loved this safari and I highly recommend this tour company!
Extraordinary!!
From start to finish communication was on point! Brenda was quick to respond to all emails/questions and sent our proposals to us timely. The booking info was not confusing or difficult to work through and was seamless securing our itinerary. Safari with Kakasii was above and beyond!! His super fun energy, knowledge, and experience FAR surpassed all of our expectations, and dare I say far surpassed any other Safari driver out there!! We saw the big 5 and so much more!! He was engaged with us, he answered our questions to the fullest, he knows sooo much about the animals, he was educational explaining animal behavior, and his birding knowledge is unbelievable! My husband is a "bird nerd" so having Kakasii as our guide was an extra treat as he knew many of the birds my husband had never seen before. He put our safety first and made sure to caution us about amy potential danger. Our accommodations at Tarangire, Eileen's Trees, and the bush camp were amazing, very clean, great food, and super friendly staff; customer service is on point at all! I would say our entire experience was EPIC!!! The best and most unbelievable part is the cost for our experience was not outrageous and far below what we first thought we'd have to spend for the experience we wanted. We highly recommend Tanzania Choice Safaris to anyone looking to have a once in a lifetime trip! They truly are the one and only choice!!
Disclaimer
- All corporate and/or tour info is provided by Tanzania Choice Safaris, not SafariBookings
- The tours offered by Tanzania Choice Safaris are subject to their terms & conditions