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
CH
Email Federico | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful safari!
This was our first experience in a safari and we chose It Started in Africa based on the reviews that we read on safaribookings.com and tripadvisor. We had a 5 days safari in the North of Tanzania (Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater) + 1 day base climb to the Kilimanjaro and 1 day to the hotsprings. We think that the support that It Started in Africa gave us was excellent from the very first day when we ask a quote via email. All of them have always been very helpful. Since day 1, when we landed at Kilimanjaro Airport, we realised that our guide (Emmanuel) was a great person. During our 5 days safari Emmanuel was amazing: good driver, excellent (and very patient) in spotting animals, very knowledgeable about nature/animals, an incredibly nice person and always ready to help us in case we needed. Last but not least, we had a lot of fun together. Summarizing, we definitely recommend It Started in Africa for your safari in Tanzania.
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Email Alex | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A Truly Amazing Safari with It Started In Africa
My friend and I just finished sorting through the multitude of photos we took, but we both had an amazing time! On the first day, our driver, Joel, picked us up in Arusha at our hostel and drove us to Lake Manyara for a day and night game drive. Both game drives were great, and we even got lucky by seeing lions in the trees! On the second day, Joel took us past Ngorongoro Crater and into the Serengeti. The view from above the Crater was breathtaking, and Serengeti plains were awe-inspiring. We saw so many animals, including lions, elephants, zebras, and giraffes. On the third day, Joel took us through the Serengeti early in the morning, and he was eagerly listening to the game radio to ensure we had the best safari experience possible. And we sure did! On this very special day (and my friend's birthday), we saw a leopard in a tree, a male lion bedded down in the tall grass, a whole lion family with 3 cubs, 2 cheetahs, and a live cheetah hunt! Oh, and then we walked around Ngorongoro crater and came within yards of a zebra herd. Needless to say, Joel's ability to spot wildlife and eagerly listen to the game radio made the third day of our safari very, very special. And the cook we had with us even made my friend a birthday cake! On the last day of our safari, Joel drove us into Ngorongoro Crater, and we completed our goal of seeing the Big Five with both a buffalo and rhino in the Crater. At the end of the day, he dropped us back off at our hostel in Arusha. As you can see, It Started in Africa did a fantastic job with providing us the best possible safari experience. Our driver, Joel, and the cook were great! We even used them to drive us to JRO airport the next day, and Joel picked us up on time and we made our flight. Based on things we heard from other tourists who booked safaris last minute, I'm sure glad we did our research ahead of time and chose It Started in Africa to be our safari company. We would highly recommend a safari with It Started in Africa to any of our friends. Thanks It Started in Africa for making our safari a very memorable experience!
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Email Rob C | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A Terrific 10-Day Safari
Overall
- The entire safari experience was terrific. This was my third safari and certainly no letdown from the others
- Dickson was friendly, knowledgeable and did a wonderful job. We loved having him as our guide
Camps
- African Tulip is gorgeous and a wonderful boutique hotel
- Maramboi and Simba Lodges were great
- Lake Manyara Wildlife was very nice
- Kati Kati and Ngati were good
- The camp in Lake Eyashi was poor although the staff was wonderful
- The staff at every camp was friendly, helpful and always made us feel welcome
Game Drives
- We saw the big five plus Cheetah and hippo so could not have asked for more
- I would recommend all of the parks- Tarangire, Manyara, Crater and Serengeti with no reservations
Tribes
- Loved the trip to the Hadzabe and to the Datoga
- Hated the stop at the Masai as they were pushy and it was a total tourist trap
All 6 of us heartily recommend It Started in Africa and would use them again in a minute
QA
Email Ken & Cathy Park | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It's A Jungle Out There! Don't Go With Anyone Else!!
This was to be the holiday of a lifetime and, thanks to the efforts and expertise of "It Started in Africa" and our guide, Barraka, it most certainly was!
We wanted to do a little voluntary work, so the company built in a 3-day visit to Buloma Orphanage, near Dar es Salaam, at the beginning. To meet these children and the wonderful people who look after them was both an honour and a delight. While the gifts we brought from our school in Doha (Sherborne Qatar) made a great impact on the kids, the impact they made upon my children (and their parents) will last a lifetime!
From Dar es Salaam, we then flew to Arusha to begin our safari. The flight, with Precision Air, was a pleasure and, about 10 minutes after touching down at Kilimanjaro Airport, we were in the Land Cruiser with Barraka and off on the most interesting and exciting trip of our lives.
While I can't credit the company on the wildlife, I must say that Barraka's knowledge and experience helped fill each day with amazing sights. To be up-close (really close!) with lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, hippos, rhinos, wildebeest, cheetahs, leopards, buffalo, gazelles and warthogs was truly amazing. Also, the birdlife and plants of the Serengeti and Ngorongoro were a joy to behold.
While the food was not exactly cordon bleu, it was wholesome, plentiful and much appreciated. We didn't go to Africa to eat out!
The company ensured that we were well-equipped and comfortable while also experiencing sufficient inconvenience to feel we were 'roughing it'! The campsites of the Serengeti and Ngorongoro were basic. Once again, if we wanted pools, bars and Wifi, we would have gone to France...
For a trip to Kilimanjaro, we were delivered into the hands of Lyimo, a friendly, wise and enthusiastic guide whose great-grandfather was a guide on the first recorded ascent in 1896! He guided us to 9000ft, where we spent the night in beautiful wooden cabins. Lyimo's knowledge and expertise made the whole trip memorable and enjoyable (despite the aches and pains that followed!)
One thing that delighted us was the choice of guest house at the start and end of our stay. 'Christina's House' is a quirky, beautiful two-storey guesthouse, with seperate restaurant near Arusha. The food is first class, cooked to order by Rosie and the rooms are a model of sophisticated simplicity.
By bringing guests to such places, "It Started in Africa" is working to stimulate and nurture local enterprise.
I could go on and on... This was an excellent trip which left us with many great memories and an abiding love for Tanzania. This could not have happened without the excellent work of "It Started in Africa" and I cannot recommend them highly enough.
GT
Email Rodrigo | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing trip, Tanzania really surprised us
This is one of a lifetime trip and we wanted to make sure we had the best advise on what to do and visit. We were really impressed with the organization (all done via email), and the quick response to all our pre-travel inquiries. The guide was very friendly, and took good care of us, and the lodges were all very good. And the recommendation to visit Zanzibar after the safari was great. Tanzania is a beautiful country with very nice people, and the good service from It Started in Africa just enhanced our experience. Thanks!
QA
Email Andres | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Super Experience, fantastic
arrived to Kilimanjaro airport. guide picked us up. My wife and two kids (2 and 15) got into Arusha and stayed at the African tulip hotel, which was better than I thought, the buffet was good. picked up by the guide who took us to Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro on a four day safari. The guide was very knowledgeable from the areas and was patient enough to let us stay longer in different spots until we see anything we wanted. saw plenty of wildlife only missing on the cheetahs. was quite an experience, highly recommended. the lodges were quite scenic and of good standard, Serena lodges in general. we visited also one of the Masai tribes, which was quite interesting. No problems for my small daughter at all, as they provided a car seat that was perfect for her age and size. Maybe the only thing they need to improve is on the 4WD interior comfort, as guests will spend 90% of the time inside the vehicle. overall I give them a 10.
DE
Email Jaron Schilling | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
couldnt have hoped for better
From Berlin to Arusha for the trip of our lifetime. This honeymoon was executed with a level of perfection without making it dull or boring that Ive never seen before. Everyone was cheerful, funny but extremelly professional and elegant. The safari was amazing and the zanzibar hotel was oput of this world. Strongly recommended
The Trip of a Lifetime - On Safari with It Started in Africa
From the initial planning, through to the final adventure, our tour operators of “It Started in Africa” were extremely helpful and made sure that our ten day Safari was absolutely wonderful! I had to make some major last minute changes to our itinerary, but with the expert suggestions and prompt help we received from our Happiness Manager, Joao Oliveira, everything was quickly taken care of, to perfection!
We (4 adult family members) had booked a private tour and Sylvia, our tour coordinator, called us every day, to ensure all our needs and desires were taken care of. So the four of us were very comfortable in our vehicle, during the game drives and transportation from place to place and having a vehicle with a pop-up roof was perfect for watching the animals all around us, from every angle and made the warm temperatures much more pleasant!
Our tour started with just an overnight stay in Arusha, and early the next morning, the adventure truly started. We drove to Lake Burundi in Tarangire National Park, just a 2 hour drive from Arusha and were in a different world! It was just amazing to see all the animals that we have only seen in zoos or pictures, right besides our vehicle!
The Burunge Camp was our first tented camp and it was beautiful and had all the luxury and comfort we could wish for! We continued on to Manyara Wildlife Safari Camp, then on to Ang'ata Serengeti Camp in Central Seringeti, Ang'ata Migration Camp in Southern Seringeti and to Ngorongoro Crater. The last night we spent at Lake Eyasi and there, as part of our cultural program, we were able to have a snapshot of the life of the Hadze tribe and the Dacota people. We finished with the best cultural activity last, with a stop in a Maasai village before we had to return to Kilimanjaro International airport. The Maasai are among the best known local tribes due to living in and near the many game parks of the African great lakes and their distinctive customs and dress. They are the only tribe that can continue to live in the National Parks and Preserves because of their love and stewardship of their environment.
We stayed in a few lodges, but it was in the two Ang’ata camps that we could truly experience life in the bush and it came with the bonus of unexpected luxury and comfort, delicious food and the very attentive personnel that provided excellent care!
Nassari, our guide on Safari, was truly exceptional! He anticipated every request that we could make and made absolutely sure that all our wishes came true! If I had not seen the roads in the bush for myself, which were often quite rough, I would not have known that there were any bumps or deep potholes!
The game drives were fantastic - every day Nassari would ask us which animals, we really wanted to see that day and whether it was lions or cheetahs, leopards, hippos or rhinos he delivered them all! And once he found out that we were very enthusiastic birdwatchers he also made sure that we had plenty of time to see Africa’s wonderful birds in their spectacular colors, and helped us to identify many birds that were new to us.
On the game drives Nassari not only knew where the big 5 were “hanging out” but he also always drove to the best possible spot to see all the animals as close as possible - quite often right below our vehicle! He also made sure that at everyone of our lunch spots in the bush we were right next to the animals of choice.
I have traveled to some fabulous places, all over the world, but I cannot imagine that I will ever be in a better location to eat!
Tanzania is such a beautiful country and the office staff, Joao and Sylvia and our guide Nassari made sure that my trip was absolutely magical and a dream come true! I only wished that I could have spent a month on Safari, instead of the 10 days that we actually had!
I highly recommend a Safari with “It Started in Africa” especially with Nassari as your guide, to make it all possible!
I Visited in February 2016
Email Simon | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great agency, memorable safari
I would recommend It Started in Africa to anyone. Really efficient in helping us book it - Joao in the office was knowledgeable and very prompt. A well-chosen route - 4 days/3 nights, visiting Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorogoro Crater. We stayed at Lake Manyara Wildlife Lodge, then Ang'ata tented camps in both the Serengeti and the Crater rim - all were excellent. Great food and service, plus very comfortable rooms (or tents)
Our guide (David) was a legend, really enjoyed our time with him. Patiently answered all of my wife's sometimes quite bizarre questions - very impressive!
Overall, It Started in Africa were excellent. Will never forget our first safari, thank you for the memories!
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Email Willa | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Breathtaking, organized, informational, and extremely fun!
I visited Tanzania with two good friends. We had a wonderful safari with It Started in Africa. From checking in to getting the safari started, everything ran smooth. Our guide was Damien and we were so happy to spend 3 days with this wonderful man! He was friendly, liked to chat, a good driver, calm, and extremely knowledgeable about Tanzania and specifically its wildlife. We had a wonderful time seeing elephants, impalas, monkeys, zebras, lions, ostrich, wildebeest, etc. Damien had a great eye for finding animals - even rhino very far away. He would stop and give us plenty of time to take photos and just take in the beauty. The food was delicious, provided by Roman the cook. I appreciated that providing vegetarian meals for me was no problem. The campsites were great - Haven Nature and Lake Eyasi - and every single person we met there was so nice and informative. It was a treat to meet people who lived in the villages we visited and gain their perspective on their country and the beauty surrounding it.
I wanted to visit a coffee farm in the area and ISIA had no problem taking us there even though they had never been there before. We had a wonderful visit. The only thing I suggest is contacting the places you go that are not usually on their itinerary. They were not expecting us at the coffee farm and while it worked out fine, I was nervous that no one had contacted them to let them know we were coming. I made the assumption that ISIA would contact them but I see now that I could have just contacted them to let them know.
I highly recommend ISIA for a thorough and fun safari. My friends and I had a wonderful time and we miss being in Ngorongoro Crater with Damien looking at all of those gorgeous zebras!