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
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Oustanding Safari experience
We have recently returned from an 18 day Safari & Zanzibar vacation with ISIA. From my first contacts with many of the leading Safari companies, Joao stood out. He provided exceptional customer service, suggestions, prompt replies to my numerous emails & ultimately organised the most outstanding experience for our family. We travelled the northern circuit: 2days Arusha, 2 days Tarangire, 1 Lake Manyara, 3 Serengeti, 1 Ngorongoro, 1 Lake Eyasi & 9 Zanzibar.
Everything was perfect. We enjoyed the skills & knowledge of our guide Dickson who could spot a lion amongst the tall yellow grasses with ease. Dickson was always happy to stop whenever & wherever we wanted to and had a wealth of knowledge which added to our experience. The bushnell binoculars in the vechile were excellent & really essential to maximising viewing opportunities. We stayed in lodges & tented camp sites which were all fabulous, each with its own uniqueness & personality. Joao organised several internal flights which all ran to time & ensured continuity in the vacation.
The wildlife on the northern circuit exceeded our expectations & at every turn there was a wow moment. Zanzibar was also amazing & i would highly recommend enjoying some time in Stone town & on the fabulous beaches if time permits.
Joao monitored our Safari while on route, contacting the lodge owners to ensure everything was fine. Several times on route in Zanzibar we changed our pick up times & Joao quickly organised the new schedule to meet our requests. The ISIA representative was always front & centre for airport pick ups in lovely, clean air- con vechiles & happy to stop off for one last souvenir. Mathias- the office manager in Arusha met with us at the end of the Safari & escorted us to the Arusha airport for the next leg.
Overall, I would not hesitate to recommend ISIA as an outstanding Safari Tour Operator, with all of the team working hard to ensure the best experience for their guests. Joao & Dickson both deserve special mentions as their hard work and commitment delivered an extraordinary experience for our family.
If you would like to read more of our adventure all organised by Joao, I have attached my blog URL. Skip the first two entries & go straight to the safari.
http://www.travelpod.com/members/johanna.drake
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Email Margaret | Experience level: first safari
This was a great safari experience from beginning to end!
I was very happy with our experience with It Started in Africa from beginning to end. The office contact person was prompt and helpful in answering questions and expediting booking the tour. We chose to be met at the airport and the young men who met us were personable and helpful. The office manager came to our hotel to meet with us and go over the details of the safari. We chose the 4 days/3 nights safari to Lake Manyara/Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater and found it a great experience. We chose the camping safari and found it suited our budget and yet was comfortable. It was fun meeting some of the other people doing the same type of safari. Our driver/guide Martin was excellent and very knowledgeable both about the animals and how to get the best views of them. He also timed where we went for our game viewing to be able to see as many animals as we could. We were fortunate to be there for the start of the wildebeest migration and even saw a cheetah attacking one for dinner! Martin was good company, always looked out for us and graciously accommodated a few spontaneous requests on the last day returning to Arusha. Our cook Samwell made us delicious food and there was always plenty of it. We were happy to have box lunches as it allowed more time for game viewing. He was flexible and made us a box breakfast at our request on the morning we went to Ngrongoro Crater so we ate it in the beautiful surroundings of the crater. We saw a wide variety of animals including elephants, lions, cheetahs, leopards, wildebeests and a black rhino. Altogether we had a great time and appreciate the work that this safari company put into making it so enjoyable!
DE
Email Michael Brooks | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect!
I would like to thank all the team of It Started in Africa for such a wonderful experience with my family in the Serengeti. I will never forget the sounds, the smells, the breakfast with wildebeests, the great guide (Mathias) and the warmth with which we were always received and taken care of.
RU
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Safari in Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro
I would like to thank It Started in Africa for a really great safari. It was awesome experience. I should also mention my guide - Isaac, he is a real professional. Without him I would not be able to notice most interesting but hardest to see animals - like leopard hiding on the tree or cheetah with small cubs in high grass :) He knows a lot about animals and his explanations were very valuable.
It was my old dream to visit Tanzania and see Serengeti, Ngorongoro, etc and It Started in Africa finally helped me to fulfill it.
PT
Email Joao | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A great safari experience
I did a safari with It Started in Africa a few years back, I was lucky to be one of the first people they took on a trip. It was an amazing and memorable experience, I went during the wildebeest migration and it was great! It's something that everyone should be able to see, and I'm sure it's also amazing during the rest of the year.
We visited Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro and Serengeti and were able to see all the big animals we would want to see. The driver was very knowledgeable and helpful, as was the cook. The food was very good. We were sleeping in tents but everything was always prepared by the time we arrived so it was very comfortable. I got mostly impressed by their organisation, so it was very easy for us to book the safari back home and then we worked out the details, meeting point, etc. when we arrived. The safari was not rushed and the driver listened to us to decide where to go next or what to look for.
Even though the operation was at the very beginning, it all was very smooth and everything was made easy by the very friendly people in charge (Baraja, Joao). The lodging, food, everything was great and they were very flexible to accommodate our needs. All in all a great experience.
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Email Luciano Saucedo | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Big5, Culture and Human History
This was our third trip to East Africa with It Started in Africa and it was the most remarkable. The Guide Johnson gave us a terrific experience. We managed to get fantastic close up views of birds and amazing wildlife including the famous "big five". We experienced the Masai way of life by visiting a local village, we went to Olduvai Gorge for a true open air museum of the early men. We brought home memories we will remember and cherish for our lifetimes.
Luciano Saucedo
DE
Email Eike Wiegand | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Most beautiful country in the world - with the best team
Tanzania has everything, the tallest free standing mountain, the most incredible national parks and some of the best beaches. The people are fantastic and the food is great :) And if you visit this amazing country with the right people to show you the natural beauty, then it is something you will never forget.
We came back home and we would like to thank you very much for such a nice safari. Our driver James was fantastic. Your staff are very kind people. The food was great (specially breakfast and dinner that were delicious). Camp sites were perfectly ok. We were on a budget tour so the camps were exactly what we needed. The experience was so much worth it and we can't believe it was over so quickly.
FR
Email Vijay Ck | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
life changing experiences in the Great Plains!
ISiA provides quick and timely replies and advise pertaining to your needs. I chose to go with this young upstart because of that and i wasn’t disappointed. I had an excellent adventure and ISiA provided for the best safari experience complete with a knowledgeable guide. The local staff went out of their way to be of assistance, especially when i had to find an ATM in Arusha town. This company also gives back to the local community in terms of supporting various charitable causes. I will definitely engage ISiA again as i plan to return to beautiful Tanzania, very soon
Suitable for Solo, couples, Friends and Family (Teens), but i’m sure things can be worked out for business and family (young children) travellers, as i have complete trust in the Management.
CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Thanks for this inspiring tour
It Started in Africa made our friends last minute tour to the Serengeti perfect. We were able to book the tour with them departing in just 2 days. We saw the big5, had great binoculars, the vehicle was really nice, the staff (Simon and Zaire) were always laughing with us and teaching us stories about africa and the wildlife. It was really hard to say goodbye and after visiting so many countries, this was the most special tour I've had the pleasure to make.
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Email Kevin Howard | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
They always go the extra mile.
I was quite worried on the difficulty of planing our trip from the United States with a tour operator from Tanzania. Mr. Joao Oliveira from It Started in Africa immediately made our worries disappear. He always answered our questions within hours if not minutes (I have one request answered in 30 seconds). We also speak on the phone for more specific clarifications I needed. From the first contact until leaving Tanzania, this tour operator always went the extra mile to make sure they could accommodate all our needs. Pretty much everything exceeded our expectations from the quality of the guide, accommodation, wildlife seen, the beauty of the national parks, etc.
Would definitely recommend and will use again in a future opportunity that I hope comes soon.