It Started in Africa
- Located In:
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2010)
- Member Of:
- IATA, TATO & TALA
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $150 to $550 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
IN
Email Gopika | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We had a perfect safari holiday!
It started with the communication over mail with Joao, who was always quick to respond and accurate in giving information. The safari was tailored to my requirements and Joao was very helpful in putting it together to fit my budget and time.
We spent 6 nights and went to Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Serengeti and Serengeti Mara . Our Safari was wonderful and everything went as planned without a hitch, so thank you for that. All the accommodations recommended and booked were very good and the service everywhere was beyond expectations. Our driver, Ileya, was well informed and had answers to all our questions. He had keen eyes and was a great spotter. I would definitely recommend him as a driver / guide. We got to see all the ‘Big 5’ - and it was all very exciting.
Only a few minor complaints: when we reached Arusha, the office was so small and cramped there was no opportunity to sit down and plan out or discuss details of the trip before setting out.
The Land Cruiser we had was a bit rattly and the interiors were shabby - in need of refurbishment. Considering the number of hours one spends in the car, it becomes an important point to have a comfortable and clean vehicle. My suggestion is to also have a cooler in the car so that water and drinks can be chilled.
But over all everything was just right and I thank It Started in Africa for making it a great holiday!
IE
Email Niall | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful week of Safari in Northern Tanzania
My wife and I took the 7-days/6-nights safari option with It Started In Africa, and we have a wonderful experience! The safari was great - we got to see so much wildlife - and our guide, driver and cook were excellent. We found everyone to be very friendly and helpful. The itinerary was very good, with lots of different things throughout the week. We really enjoyed the various game drives, but I think the visits with locals (banana plantation tour) and meeting the people near Lake Eyasi (especially hunting with the Hadzabe people) were real highlights!
Thank you for helping to make our trip special.
MX
Email Harish | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Kilimanjaro & Safari Experience
I got quotes from roughly 20 tour providers before my trip and It Started in Africa's prices were unbeatable. The level of attention that they provided and the professionalism of the drivers/porters/chefs/guides and support crew far exceeded our expectations. Our climb to Kilimanjaro was incredible, given the knowledgeable and supportive crew that led us. I definitely recommend them for the Kilimanjaro or Safari, they are a local company and provide a far better service than their international agency competitors.
US
Email Eduardo Valdes | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our Safari was a trip of a lifetime, greatly thanks to these guys
Just to add some context, my wife and I have been traveling the world for the last years and quite frankly we were overwhelmed at first with all the planning required for our first safari trip to Africa.
After sorting the top 10 user reviewed Safari companies in Tripadvisor and correlating with Tanzanian national rankings, we did a second filter based on cost and ended with top 3 based on our budget. Let me clarify that we were looking for private mid tier safari, so no over the top fancy shenanigans.
After emailing them with our desired itinerary, the company It Started in Africa quickly rose to the top in terms of responsiveness and flexibility to accommodate our needs and wishes. Joao Oliveira was simply fantastic, he made sure to understand our trip and location objectives and then provided suggestions to end up with an amazing customized itinerary with private guide for me and my wife, greatly diminishing the stress of safari planning and budgeting, adjusting to our every need, even to our changes throughout the journey itself.
They literally took care of everything, from picking us up from the airport, hotel suggestion according to budget needs as well as lodge/tented camp reservations, park entrances and internal flights. As soon as we got there, they sent a representative to review itinerary, we had some last minute changes which were 100% accommodated.
All I can say is that our Safari was a magical experience, exceeding every expectation. We ended up cruising through Tarangire, Manyara, Serengneti and Ngorongoro with our guide Allen, who was simply fantastic, friendly, knowledgable of the culture, flora and fauna, truly excited to show his country and culture, and also had an amazing eye for locating all the animals in the most obscure places. I am happy to say that we have remained in touch since then. Needless to say we were captivated by Africa, the sights, scenic landscapes, animals, food and most importantly the people and their happiness for life.
If/ When we go back to Tanzania to explore the corners that we missed, we will certainly use the same company and of course the same guide as they made sure our first venture into Africa was absolutely amazing and left us with the thirst to explore such a magical place.
Asante Sana
US
Email Sam Dutton | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great attention to details
We loved our whole customer experience from itinerary design, to the awesome welcome pack we received at home which put as all excited about this trip. The safari itself was flawless and I can only say great things about this company and also about Tanzania which is the most beautiful country I've ever been to.
CH
Email Kai | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Trip
We had an excellent trip in Tanzania and everything was very smooth during our safari tour. One of the main reason is that we had Cosma as our private guide. He was irreproachable from the first day to the last. He is very polite, neat and have really good skill for driving whereas the driver that took us to the Masai Village on the last day. That one was terrible and had an unsafe driving. Anyway, we were very glad to have Cosmas during our trip, he really knows his stuff and has really good eyesight to hunt ;). He is able to speak french and even some chinese after staying with us awhile ;). Your team should very cherish him because we really think that he can bring up a high value in your company and make the different !
PT
Email Rafael | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Honeymoon trip to Tanzania and Zanzibar
We went on our honeymoon to Tanzania and Zanzibar. We spent 6 days in a Safari and 6 days chilling in Zanzibar. We had an awesome time! All of the trip was organized by It Started in Africa. They made very good suggestions and organized everything to the detail. Everybody at the company is very nice and all (from the driver to the office people) were constantly making sure we were having a great time.
In Tanzania we did Serengetti, Ngorongoro (tribe Maasai), Lake Eyasi (tribe Hadzabe), Lake Manyara. In Zanzibar we did Nungwi beach, Pongwe beach and Stone Town.
PT
Email Tiago Santos | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
5 days safari in Tarangiri, Serengeti and Ngorongoro and 5 days in Zanzibar
Perfect, that's how everything was!
From the moment we got to Kilimanjaro's International Airport till the moment we left everything was arranged perfectly and we didn't have to worry about a thing!
There were people from It Started in Africa waiting for us at the airport to take us to our hotel, they picked us up the next morning and I could go on and on about this! The logistics was perfect and there was no moment that hasn't been perfectly planned! We felt like we had a VIP treatment.
About the Safari, the experience was amazing! Our guide spoke English perfectly and made sure we had an awesome experience! He told us everything about the parks, their wildlife, the people's culture. He was so patient when we were asking him to stay longer so we could see a hunt! He was fun and polite! And (well, I think luck plays a role here as well) he managed to show us the Big Five and lots of mating and eating.
A lifetime experience any of us will forget.
About Zanzibar, again, the same: everything was taken care of and we didn't have to worry about a thing!
And the island is damn beautiful! Loved it!
I couldn't recommend this company more! They were amazing and thanks to them we had the time of our lives! Thanks!
PT
Email Pedro Catalão | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best trip yet
I loved everything.
The safari was awesome, there's nothing like coming to the place where NatGeo and co. captures the amazing images we see on TV.
Our guide was very patient with us and stayed longer when we asked to try to see a lioness hunting, he explained lots of thing about the wildlife and Tanzanian culture.
Camping in the wild made the experience much more immersive as we got to see hienas at night in Serengueti and also elephants in Ngorongoro right next to the tents.
Zanzibar was a paradise, the place arranged by It Started In Africa was excellent, very clean and tidy and our balcony was right in front of the pool and sea.
I really can't think of anyway it could have been better, definitely recommend this company if you want to enjoy a great experience, or should I say, THE experience.
AE
Email Farah Al Amin | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great experience!
Me and my husband did a 3-day Safari with It Started in Africa. Our safari experience was amazing! Communication with the company was very efficient and the whole process was very organized.
Solomon was a great guide, very warm, friendly and knowledgeable. We saw almost all the animals we were hoping to see.
We spent the first night at Heaven Nature Camp which was nice and clean. The second night we stayed at Serengeti Heritage which was one of the best parts of the trip. Extremely beautiful nature, great service and food. Simba camp, where we stayed the third night, was nice but it was really cold. Also the toilets were really below standards. But the location was amazing. Christina's house was a great ending to our trip. It's a place that I would definitely love to stay at again.
The food that was served by Serengeti Heritage and Christina's house was great. the food prepared by the chef in Heaven Nature and Simba Camps was good, but the lunch boxes were not. One of the days I couldn't eat anything from the lunch box and I just had some snacks that I brought with me. the car was good, but there were no seat belts.
We had a wonderful time in Tanzania, and I would definitely recommend It Started in Africa