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
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A Safari...and Then Some
From sunrise to sunset, I had a terrific time with Breakdown. They recommended a one-day excursion because we stayed in a town pretty close to the park. And on my budget, it was the perfect fit.
We started out before sunrise. They have a comfortable SUV with a open top more than adequate for the four of us to stand up and see out the top in all directions.
Money was convenient. They took a lump sum for the whole day and then took care of park admission and food. They also pleasantly surprised me throughout the day with stops for tea and fruit that they brought along.
The park was beautiful--and of course so were the animals. We had some breathtaking shots of elephants in the river and giraffes right next to the road.
I found the team effort of Fanuel and Kathy to be a great mix. Fanuel is an an experienced Tanzanian lookout and guide who provided plenty of interesting info about the animals we saw and their behavior. He also communicated with the couple other guides we saw in passing in search for animals we hadn't yet seen. Meanwhile, Kathy is a fellow Westerner so knew how to make us extra comfortable with the great touches such as drinks and fruit.
My only minor criticism is that the day ended without warning and with some disappointment because we never saw lions. I know not seeing lions has nothing to do with Breakdown, but I wished they would have communicated their attempts to find lions rather than just have the day end abruptly. Also, the driving was a little jerky sometimes.
We got back to our guesthouse at sundown with plenty of great pictures and memories. I can't speak for multiple day experiences. But for this one day outing, I don't think I could have done any better.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Front Row Seats to a Lion Family's Dinner
Breakdown Safaris exceeded every expectation I had for my first safari experience. The safari was customized perfectly to meet my small group's needs. Prior to the safari, I was unsure how I would appreciate Breakdown Safaris' staff. Fanuel proved to be an excellent guide. He worked perfectly in tune with his clientele. He knew exactly when to add educational commentary, but he also knew when the diverse flora and fauna spoke for themselves. I will never forget when Fanuel explained the at-times symbiotic relationship between the yellow baboons and the impala. Immediately after he explained the darker side of this relationship (when the baboons steal the baby impalas and eat them), we watched a baboon start chasing a young impala across the dry riverbed. With Kathy's expert driving, we followed the chase closely and witnessed the baboon lose his future meal to a lion who finished the kill. We then had front row seats to a family dinner as a cub and two lionesses shared the meat. This was only one of the wonderful moments on our safari in Rouha National Park. We saw more animals than I knew lived in the park and shared many laughable, delicious and impossible to recreate moments. The only complaint I can honestly think of is that time went too fast; I wish the safari never had to end. Contrary to the name, Breakdown Safaris did not breakdown but instead was executed without a hitch. If you're looking to take a ride on the wild side with a crew it feels like you have known for years, Breakdown Safaris is for you.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Whats not to love!
There were so many choices for safari tour operators in Tanzania but we ended up choosing Breakdown Safaris because of their promptness to answering all of our questions with details. Kathy and Fanuel make an excellent duo making sure me and my group were always comfortable. We were impressed with them the moment we got to Iringa. The two met us at the bus station and took us to the "Red Elephant Guesthouse" which had amazing views of the beautiful city of Iringa. Our first day there, we were given a tour of the city's main market area where we were able to stock up on items. Our itinerary was very detailed with daily activities so we never had a dull moment. We were extremely happy with our lodging especially the accommodation we stayed at in Ruaha National Park which had a male lion roaring throughout the night right next to our cabin, which to us, added to the amazing safari experience (as long as you kept the door shut)! We had Fanuel as our guide with Kathy taking control of the drivers seat. We saw so many animals on our trip along with so many "Oh WOW!!" moments. Fanuel had amazing connections with a lot of the other tour operators which aided in seeing all the animals Ruaha Park has to offer, when his friends saw a rare animal, like the elusive leopard, he was promptly called on his cell phone and Kathy's tactful maneuvering helped us get to each of the sites with the "Best of Fleetwood Mac" album blasting in the car (amazing.) Overall, VERY satisfied with Breakdown Safaris and staff.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a Lifetime!
From the start of the trip, it felt like we knew Kathy and Fanuel. Kathy communicated with us frequently throughout the planning process, providing detailed information and promptly responding to questions. A package was customized to fit our budget and schedules. Accommodations were comfortable and safe. Everything was taken care of, including transportation to and from each destination, which allowed for a stress-free travel experience. Our itinerary was well organized to maximize time. In just 7 days, we visited Dar Es Salaam, Rufiji, and Zanzibar!
Kathy and Fanuel led a safari in the Selous Game Reserve. While Kathy navigated the diverse terrain, Fanuel shared his extensive knowledge about the animals and environment. We saw countless wild animals in their natural habitat, including a rare siting of endangered African wild dogs! We also got a taste of island life in Zanzibar. On our Safari Blue adventure, we swam with a variety of brightly colored fish in beautiful clear water! This trip was one of a lifetime, packed with adventure and unforgettable experiences!
FI
Email Hanna | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Recommended to small and big people!
Relaxed and nice atmosphere! Our trip was very successfull - even the smallest in our company were very well taught off and well taken cared off. Can recommend to you all!!
Email Magan (American Expat) | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An Amazing Experience
Kathy & Fanuel were great guides. They provided an awesome cake for our daughter's birthday while on Safari in Ruaha. The vehicle with a pop-up roof is the best way to view the animals in the park. The car was nice. We have visited several parks in Tanzania while driving our own car, however, the experience they provided was so much better!! This was the closest experience we have had in Tanzania with the animals. Kathy & Fanuel were very friendly and knew a lot about the animals. Definitely will be recommending them to everyone.
NO
Email Marianne Nilsen | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
3day Iringa/Selous safari
We travelled off season with a 5y old, and Kathy was great in adapting the trip to our need. It all worked out very well, and the safari camp was lovely. Great service and great people, can easily recommend Breakdown Safaris.
AE
Email Sara | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
the highlight of our trip
Joseph and Fanuel proved to be wonderful guides. They were as excited about seeing the animals as we were and they were filled with knowledge about the animals. The pop-up top on the vehicle really enhanced the experience. We could stand up and view the animals as we pleased. The food at the accommodations was wonderful including the packed lunches. Truly a wonderfully educational and fun experience.
US
Email Richard O'Malley | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was a spectacular experience!
When my wife asked me to go to Africa I immediately said no. I was a very reluctant traveler to Africa because I worried about safety and health issues.
I have just returned and I have to admit how wrong I was and what a great trip I had. Understand that we went to Tanzania & Zanzibar. At no time did we venture near the problematic areas that have been in the news these past few years. The people in both countries were friendly and outgoing and extended every courtesy to us as well as all the other travelers we saw.
Over 90% of the success of our 3 week trip can be directly attributed to the folks at Breakdown Safari. They took care of us from the time we landed at the airport in Dar Es Salem to returning us to the airport 3 weeks later.
Right from the start Breakdown Safaris communicated with my wife about suggestions for where to go, what to do, what not to do etc. In the middle of our planning we had to do a major shift in plans. They accommodated us and re arranged everything so that our schedule would work out. They let us know who and how much we needed to tip. We ate dinner with them and had some great conversations with them about their business, about Africa
We went on two different safaris with them. They picked us up in a clean modern truck rigged for safari. The different “camps” we stayed in were neat, clean and superior to some of the hotels I have stayed in for business travel within the US. Any little problem that came up they immediately rectified the situation.
At each camp site the respective owners or managers were the first to welcome us and made every effort to take care of our needs. This was a reflection on the Breakdown Safari staff who had done their homework in selecting camps that were up to their own standards.
Breakdown Safaris is the way to go if you are going to go on safari in Africa. They can and will give you suggestions based on your input, plan and execute your safari vacation flawlessly.
If anyone has any questions about them please send me an email and I would be happy to answer any and all questions.
Richard O’Malley
[email protected]
Absolutely wonderful
Breakdown do a fabulous job. Fan, the guide and driver, has more than average knowledge on many aspects of African wildlife. I am a biologist myself, and I really enjoyed discussing with him about the animals and the different strategies they have to exploit their environment. His wife, Kathy, is an enormously warm and interesting preson too. They organised our trip excellently. We saw all the must see things, and on top of that had a great time, with some little extra's, like a lunch on the shore of Lake Katavi sided by hundreds of hippo's. Just incredible.