Fanuel Mateja (President) & Kathy Phinney (CEO)
Breakdown Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2013)
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $25 to $375 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Kova | under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
I had fun.
My name is Kova and I am 5½ years old. My Grandma is helping me type this about Tanzania and Breakdown Safaris because I had such a great time on Safari with Kathy ad Fan.
The very best thing that I liked was when I saw the two male lions. One was lying beside the Alpha truck when we were looking for animals on a riverbank and we didn’t know he was there in the first place. It was only when we were about to leave that we saw him lying there. He was very tired and he stayed asleep the whole time we were watching him. The next male lion we saw was lying with his head up, under a tree right beside the track. He was big and had a big mane.
Another good thing that I did one time when we stopped to have breakfast that came in a box, was climb big slippery rocks with Fan. It was fun. We saw lots of baboons climbing and jumping all over rocks and the young baboons were tumbling on top of each other. It was very funny to watch. The other thing that made me laugh was the hippos making a noise like they were laughing, and their ears would go round and round and splash water everywhere. We saw some baby hippos with their mothers.
One time in the Alpha truck some elephants came right up close to us. We had to be very quiet so that we didn’t scare them away. There was a baby one. Other animals that we saw were hundreds of zebras, hundreds and hundreds of impala, they are the ones with the MacDonalds M on their bottoms, and giraffes. My uncle says you have to see a giraffe drinking and to see one running, because they look so funny. And we did.
When we got home, I took some photos to school for “Show and Tell” for my friends to see.
Email Cascel | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Brilliant - I'd love to turn around and do it all again!
Breakdown Safaris arranged a private tour of three different National Parks and game reserves in Tanzania, plus a relaxing chill out on Zanzibar, over a three week period. The private tour was for my husband, five year old daughter, my parents who are in there early 70's and myself. Breakdown Safaris ticked everything off our 'to do and see' list, including personalized dietary requirements. They arranged everything from transfers, internal flights, accommodation, meals, ferries an activities. We saw all the wild animals (and more) that we hoped to see, in a safe (for us and the animals) manner. We were exposed to various cultural and charitable experiences, history and wildlife information because of our wonderful guide Fan. Our daughter has experienced a lifetime of memories because of Kathy and Fan's attention to detail and personalized service. Our expectations of adventure have now been given a whole new level.
Email Steve Paine | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A whole new experience
We have been a lucky couple, who have in our later years, travelled widely and thought we had experienced most there is to see and do. Breakdown Safaris proved us wrong. Firstly, we had never been to any part of Africa apart from the Mediterranean coast and secondly, we had not been on a safari (to speak of) outside of South East Asia. We thought we knew what to expect, but got more than we ever hoped.
Kathy (one of the two partners) was a pleasure to deal with, whilst booking and getting things together leading up to our adventure. As we lived in Australia, Africa was not an easy place to get to, so we decided to visit on our way back from my daughters wedding in the United Kingdom.
Once we had agreed a time and places to visit with the help of Kathy, things came together and a plan was formed.
When we arrived at Dar Es Salaam, Kathy was there to meet us and greeted us like long lost friends, which I believe we had become over the weeks of pre safari contact by email. Fan, Kathy's husband was also there to meet us, with a broad and welcoming smile. We felt we knew these people already, although we had never formally met.
We were taken on our way, to change some money and we were soon in the truck and our way to a nice hotel called the Upepo Gardens, down by the coast for a couple of nights relaxation.
We visited Selous Game Reserve and Ruaha National Park. We stayed at the most marvellous river camp. We visited Iringa in the Tanzanian Highlands, we visited Zanzibar and Stone Town. We had flights in 12 seater Cessna Aircraft from remote dirt runways, we had ferry rides across to Zanzibar and we slept in a mud hut. We had luxury hotels on Zanzibar and we had a more basic type in Ruaha.
We watched animals from such close quarters, we had breakfast by a lake in the open air. We witnessed the scene of the hunt, the feast and natures clean up. We watched animals that I would never have guessed I could see in one vista. As the sun came up, we watched Baboons, Elephants, Impala, Mongooses and Giraffe whist sitting and eating a bowl of Musli with a hot cup of tea.
We experienced something we had never before, sometimes raw, sometimes moving, but never boring. We had Fan, a Tanzanian guide and husband of Kathy, so knowledgeable in all things Africa and animal behaviour. He took us so close to everything, his enthusiasm was so infectious his genuiness so sincere.
Sometimes, we were up at 6am and on the road by 6.30 watching the sunrise over the savannah or the lake. Sometimes we were out at sunset witnessing the bush as the sun went down to start cooling another hot day in Africa.
All of our days, all of our visits, all of our arranged hotels and pick ups were organised without incident by Kathy. When she said somebody would meet us at a certain place, they were there. We at know time had a anxious moment.
Most of all, over the 13 days we became friends and had many discussions about things important to us. We met others along the way who we will always remember dearly. We finished with a nice dinner at the Upepo, where we had started, but this time with the owners. It was a perfect end.
We had been on an adventure, we had been on a steep learning curve, we had laughed, we had cried, we had been on a safari, it was more than we dare expected.
I cannot speak more highly of Kathy and Fan, I hope they continue to get clients and the reviews they truly deserve. Thank you both.
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Email Duane Duggan | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Bucket List, African Safari. Check.
It had been on my bucket list to go on Safari! Thanks to Kathy Phinney, one of the owners, that desire to check it off my bucket list, came to reality. Kathy and her husband Fan have a Safari company and I had a group of 8 people that have traveled together in various places on cycling adventures. This wasn't a cycling trip, but it was done with 4 couples that travel together very well. Kathy and Fan customized a trip for a group of 8. Breakdown Safaris coordinated all the details. A task that i could not imagine doing my self.
The variety of activities was incredible. We had beach time, safari vehicle game drives, a walking safari, boat safari, chimp tracking and even snorkeling in Zanzabar. While not like staying at the Regency hotel in an American city, the lodging was an incredible experience. In the Selous Game Reserve we stayed in a mud hut, romantically lit with paraffin lamps, and a four poster bed. The water was kept hot for us "westerners" via a wood fire underneath a water tank. Meanwhile, on the deck, you could hear the hippos in the river below. In Selous game reserve, we also did a boat safari. seeing a huge variety of animals you don't see on land. In Ruaha, we stayed in a stone cottage. During the night a lion and an elephant were having a little"tiff" just a few hundred yards away. Not quite like any experience we have ever had!
Breakdown Safaris did some amazing coordination to get us across the country and over to Gombe Stream National Park where Jane Goodall did her research on the chimps. We stayed in "tents" there, with bathrooms, hot showers, lights, and again a beautiful 4 poster bed. Through the work of the awesome guides we hung out with about 30 chimps for about an hour. It was a pretty strenuous hike to get to were the chimps were that day.
Overall, we saw a huge collection of animals, largely due to the knowledge of our guides, Fan, Rashid, and Kathy. They work hard to understand where the animals might be that day for an incredible viewing experience.
After several days of on land Safari, we ventured over to Zanzabar and Stonetown. The Safari continued with "Safari Blue" where we got to snorkel and see a different variety of animal life and sample a wide variety of foods.
The food through out the trip was amazing. Sometimes, like in Selous Game Reserve, it was all prepared with wood fire. We never had a had a "bad" meal through out the trip.
I would sincerely recommend Breakdown Safaris to coordinate your Safari trip
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Email Debbie | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A Wonderful Adventure without the Planning Hassles!
Breakdown Safaris did an Amazing job of creating a customized trip for our group of 8 friends, a task that I could not imagine doing ourselves! Breakdown Safaris coordinated all the details of transportation, pickups, lodging, etc. In addition, they provided a wealth of information to help us plan what we needed to bring or not bring and what to expect during our trip. The variety of locations we went to – including Selous Game Reserve, Ruaha National Park, Gombe National Park, Iringa, Zanzibar and more was just what we wanted. We enjoyed multiple safari vehicle game drives, river safaris, walking safaris, chimpanzee tracking and even snorkeling . During all of these activities our guides, Fanuel and Kathy and Rashid, were always a Wealth of knowledge and understanding about the flora and fauna, as well as about the culture and traditions of the Tanzanian people. We always seemed to find the animals up close and the most exciting adventures! I would Highly recommend Breakdown Safaris and hope to do another adventure with them in the future. Thank you Fanuel and Kathy,
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Email Denise | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Tanzanian trip and more!
Kathy Phinney and Fanuel Mateja of Breakdown Safaris did a wonderful job of arranging our trip to Tanzania and providing us with the trip of a lifetime. Kathy got to know us ahead of time and set up a custom trip for our group of 8 including our international flights and all of the travel during the time spent in Tanzania. She made sure we knew what to expect including a detailed itinerary. They took care of all of the details and made sure that everything worked as planned. The trip was set up to experience a large variety of animals in parks without the crowds of some of the larger parks. We had a great experience at Selous Game Reserve and Ruaha National Park where Kathy, Fan and Rashid did a great job of finding the animals and sharing their extensive knowledge with us. We enjoyed a river safari, walking safari and many game drives. We traveled to Kigoma and took a boat to Gombe National Park where we tracked chimps where Jane Goodall studied them. This was an experience of a lifetime and one of the many highlights of our trip. We also spent time in Dar Es Salaam, Irringa and drove through many other villages and experienced what life is like in Tanzania before heading to Zanzibar where we went snorkeling, explored Stone Town and spent time at the beach. Kathy and Fan made sure every detail was covered, that we had great food and exceptional lodging and service at every place we stayed. Breakdown Safaris is a top notch safari company that I would highly recommend.
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Email Barbara | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The trip of a lifetime, customized for us, with all the work done by zomeone else!
Amazing experience, planned and executed by owners Kathy and Fanuel. Kathy helped the eight of us design our trip to cover what was important to us and Breakdown Safaris did all the planning and scheduling. All our pre trip questions were answered - gear, clothing, money... Fan guided us through the parks and watched over us when we weren’t in the parks. Every transfer was taken care of, every day was scheduled to do exactly what we wanted, and Fan was always on top of everything so we didn't need to stress about anything. He smoothed out all the bumps (like last minute flight cancellations) and made sure we always got where we needed to be with a minimum of work on our part. Three Parks - Selous, Ruaha and Gombe; several cities - Dar, Iringa, Stone Town; multiple vehicle rides, flights on bush places, transfers by dhow and ferry - and it all worked without a hitch. I can't imagine the work that went into that! All the lodges were great, the Parks were amazing and our guides were fabulous – Fan, Rashid, Sixtus and all the others guides booked by Breakdown. And we were lucky enough to see everything we could have hoped for, and a few things we never thought we would be lucky enough to witness!
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Email Denise | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Completely amazed at the quality and professionalism of this experience
My experience with Breakdown Safaris went beyond my expectations to say the least. Communications, service, the tours and all the planning were phenomenal. The safari tours including game drives, river safari, walking safari, and chimpanzee tracking were amazing. The guides were professional, knowledgeable and fun. Our needs were attended to as well as anticipated at every phase of our trip. The shopping trip, snorkeling and sailing and all other tours were well planned and valuable.
BR
Email Marcelo Gasparotto | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Why do you think all reviews are 5 stars?
Why do you think all reviews are 5 stars?
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These guys will make your safari experience be the best one ever.
When my wife and I decided to go to Tanzania for a safari trip we searched about it. A lot.
And everywhere i searched the name "Fanuel" (breakdown safari's main guide) showed up. So we got in touch with him and started doing questions/requests etc.
This guy will legit make your trip the best experience ever. He studied Geography/History/Economics before becoming a guide so he'll be able to tell you ANYTHING about the country.
As for the safari he just knows it all. Where to go, where to be, where to take pics, anything.
After the safari he took us to the ferry to Zanzibar and we said goodbye. But as if it wasn't enough, when we came back from Zanzibar he picked us up at the ferry and took us to the airport!!
I 100% recommend having Fanuel as your guide. This guy will make your trip AWESOME.
PA
Email Jerin | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fanuel made my life long dream a reality!
I must start saying that this was by far the best trip I have ever taken in my life. We found Fanuel on Safari Bookings. We did a lot of extensive research about safaris in Tanzania and the package that Fanuel offered us blew all of the others out of the water both with itinerary and price.
We started our trip with some driving to The Selous game reserve and we checked into a beautiful Lodge with great hosts, excellent food and staff. We did a boat safari in the Rufiji River, many animals even those you aren't expecting to see. Beautiful sunset, it was the perfect afternoon. Next day we went to the Selous and encountered an elephant outside the park that was very curious of us and came up close. Later during lunch we found a lion sleeping in the shelter that was supposed to be our picnic spot. We drove to Mikumi and then visited Udzunwa NP, during the drive we saw a lot of villages and parts of Tanzania we never imagined. The hike was nice to the tallest waterfall in a national park in Tanzania, the view was fantastic and we got to see some endemic species.
We drove then to Ruaha NP, which was by far our favorite. We spent the night in the Cottages inside the park and It has so magical and a lot has to do with Fanuel. He picks every place very thoughtfully and put a magic trip together. We requested the mid range option for our trip, yet we felt like VIPs the whole time. He is very knowledgeable, he is an excellent person not just polite but with a great heart. Everything we saw, and experienced was amazing and that couldn't been possible without Fanuel putting it together, you can trust him making the decisions for you.
Now, almost everybody wants to go to the northern circuit because it's more popular or its the first thing that shows when you look up Tanzania. But the southern circuit is what you are looking for if you want to feel like a VIP with a private Safari, we only encountered 2 or 3 other cars in each place we did game drives, it's like having the place to yourselves, something impossible in the other side.
From the beginning everything was friendly and personalized, he gave us his input regarding dates to have a better game viewing and it worked. A lot of emails since it was our first time having someone plan our whole trip ( accommodation, food, flights, transfers) so we had many questions and he answered them all very prompt.
Thank God everyone took the time to leave reviews about Fanuel on Safari Bookings, there is no other way we could have found him.
