Grassroots Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2013)
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $160 to $400 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
NZ
Email Scott and Deirdre johnson | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Southern Tanzania adventure excellent 100% recommended
Trip was well researched and facilitated by the company and especially by our awesome guide and our sensational chef, not a cook people a proper chef who fully exceeded our expectations.
The vehicle was comfortable , well maintained and fit for purpose.
Fikirini our guide and driver was sensational, well versed in all aspects pertaining to the tour and made the overall experience fantastic.
I can not recommend grassroots safaris enough our expectations were exceeded on all levels and I look forward to using this company again in the future.
Thanks again guys we had an absolute blast.
US
Email Scout | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Can't beat it for the price
My friend and I went on the budget 6 day safari tour with game drives in Ruaha and Mikumi, a hike in Udzungwa (with a really nice swim at the bottom of Sanje falls) and a walking safari in Ruaha. We're both very active people and the idea of sitting in a car for 6 days did not sound appealing - so we were happy to find an inexpensive tour that included some physical activity. Fikiri, our guide, was incredibly knowledgable about the flora and fauna of the region. His English was very, very good (my travel companion is American but lives in Tanzania, and she was "shocked" with his command of the language.) and he was professional and helpful. Considering the price (this was literally the cheapest safari I could find for the number of days we wanted), we thought we would be roughing it, but the accommodations were actually much nicer than we were imagining. We camped 1 night which was perfectly comfy for tent camping and stayed in bandas or other indoor lodgings for the rest of the trip. Particularly nice was Hondohondo, were we spent our last night. We were created with cold avocado smoothies, the garden and grounds were beautiful, the shower was nice and hot and the staff were very nice and friendly.
Of course, the animals were amazing. Lions, giraffes, impalas, wildebeests, jackals, elephants, hippos, hyraxes, baboons, skyes monkeys, vervet monkeys, warthogs, hyenas, kudu, and about a million bird species (including the very beautiful lilac breasted roller, superb starling and paradise wydah bird). I saw more variety that I thought I would and took home some truly incredible photographs.
I would highly recommend Grassroots for young, active people looking to do a budget safari with an active component.
ES
Email Martí | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing expirience in a 9 day southern safari
We chose the southern safari because we were told the nortern circuit was more crowded. We talk to many agencies and finally we decided to go with Grassroots because of the easy communication with Micky and the profesionalism he showed during our mailing.
We are really glad of our choice. The southern circuit is amazing and we didn't find many tourists. The parks are spectacular, the whole landscape is amazing and, of course, the wildlife. We were really lucky with the guide and the cook. The guide speak excelent english and has a huge knowladge of wildlife and the cook is absolutly an amazing cheff. Both have good sense of humor and a lot of patience. We really got along and we hope we will travel with them again in the future.
CH
Email Friederike | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Phacochère
We wanted to do the southern parks to be away from mass tourism and a tour that is affordable for a family. And with Grassroots we did a very good choice. Micky arranged our 9 day trip as we wanted it, he is well experienced and mailed us without delay. We had a very safe driver with an outstanding knowledge of wildlife, good English and a perfect "picture hunter". We saw the big five (besides the rhinos, they are only in the north), lots of birds and lots of other animals. Our accommodations were all comfortable, even the one night in a tent. We loved Hippo Camp; sleeping by the sound of hippos snorting in the river is something unforgettable. Our cook was the best. He prepared the most delicious meals.
AT
Email Thomas (Vienna) | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Comfortable Individual Tour with both cultural and natural insights
Very well organized tour, only employing locals and high awareness referring to environment. The driver guide was very professionell (and tough!, given the long ways travelled). Accomodations were comfortable and food was always good. High recommendation particularly for travellers attempting to avoid tourist mainstream hotspots!
US
Email Parker | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A wonderful, customized safari experience!
My husband and I had a fabulous experience with Grassroots Safaris. We did a three day trip to Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. Many other safari companies would not do that combo in just three days because of the long drive, but Grassroots gladly accommodated our wishes. They were very helpful during the planning process and always quick to respond to my emails. The safari itself was incredible! We saw the Big 5 in just two short days in the parks. We lucked out and ended up with two guides, which was awesome. Both were very knowledgeable, personable, and professional. They somehow avoided most of the crowds and still found some truly amazing sites. I would certainly recommend Grassroots Safaris and hope I have the opportunity to use them again in the future!
Everything we were hoping for!
Thanks to the organisation by Grassroots and our excellent guide and driver, Fikirin, the logistics and travel were all completely trouble free. This allowed us to relax and enjoy a very individual and personal safari experience. We had close encounters with an amazing range of wildlife: elephants (right outside our hut), lions, hunting dogs, hippos, giraffes, zebras, hyenas, many different types of antelope, bush babies in the bar, and we were lucky enough to see a leopard and a huge python. The walking safaris with local guides were fascinating and gave quite a different perspective on the environment. We loved the accommodation in bandas and guest houses and the food was very good. What a great way to experience the landscape and wildlife of Tanzania!
CA
Email Patrick and karine | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
South Safari Tanzania
We grew up with the lion king, so our expectations for a safari were very high. But they were met, thanks to Grassroots Safaris and its crew! Everything was well setup, we had a blast to every game reserve we visited. We slept well, the food was delicious and everyone was kind. We had the chance to see rare species and to learn about wildlife! Our guide Henry (the Eagle Eye) was very resourceful and well connected with rangers and other guides so that was very helpful to get lucky during the game drives. By far the best and most exciting trip of our life. Definitely worth it!
BE
Email Lander & Annelies from Brussels | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing 9 days Honeymoon Safari In Southern Tanzania
We would like to thank Grassroots Safaris for our amazing 9 days Honeymoon Safari in Southern Tanzania!
And especially to our contactperson Mickey and to our driver/guide Fikiri.
We visited the mountains/waterfalls/rainforest of Udzunga National Park, the Savannah of Ruaha National Park and the riverbanks of Selous Game Reserve.
We saw all the animals we wanted: elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeasts, baboons, monkeys, crocodiles, hyenas, hippos, eagles, vultures, pelicans, storks, warthhogs, buffalos, impalas, kudus, waterboks, elands, more than 30 lions and even a leopard!!
Special thanx:
-Convinced us to go down South instead of to the more expansive & much more visited north.
-Gave us a reduction when we asked for more days/nature/wildlife instead of fancy hotels/resorts.
Conclusion:
Thanx to Grassroots we could go on a 9 days Safari instead of 5 days without spending a fortune, we slept at awesome locations in the middle of 'nowhere', we hardly saw other tourists during the day and ... we saw more animals then we could have hoped for!!
Definitely the 'experience of a lifetime' we wanted!! :-)
CH
Email Lea | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
We (4 people) got much more than our expectancies, which were very high! Incredibly wonderful safari
Jambo,
Everything went so incredibly smoothly from the first minute of our arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport, till the last minute of our departure from Arusha Airport, and every hour, minute, second was worth it. For me it is completely incredible that such a place like Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro exists on the Earth. I can say my family had an unforgettable experience in Tanzania with Grassroots team.
Our guide used all his knowledge to find colourful birds and every possible animal, even leopards, male and female the next day. The dream became reality, of course we never expected to see them. Lions on their Honeymoon, cheetahs chasing and eating a Thompson gazelle: every time we were on the right place at the right moment, and always had a lot of time to photograph and observe. Unlike other guides, ours didn't use the radio, so he didn't annoy us with loud speaking in it. He answered all our questions and was very discerning about animal behaviour. Driving from sunrise till sunset and loving it. Just a word about the elephants: we overlooked 3 huge families at one glance, and I counted 102 adults through my binoculars, so I let you add the babies to this number !!!!
Our chef satisfied all our demands, for example he thoroughfully prepared our big lunchbox every day. In fact we almost never wanted breakfast, but better drive to see sunrise instead, and enjoy morning cool temperature.... We were fine all the time, without any stomach pain, always sleeping like babies after a plentiful evening meal. And his kindness made us very happy. He worked hard while we were enjoying ourselves all day, plus woke up very early, in such a good mood, so easy. Try Palau Masala, gently spiced rice and meat... Asante Sana !
I will recommend Grassroots to all my friends and colleagues, because I got much more than my expectancies. My three children look very happy about their first time in Africa.
I also noticed Tanzania is very peacefull and safe, and people are friendly everywhere. And we have so many pictures to look at and show our friends.
You should not forget binoculars for everybody, not that the animals are far away, sometimes you could rather think they are going to enter the Toyota through the window, but binoculars allow you to examine every beautiful detail.
Did I speak about the landcruiser car? Spaceful, comfortable, powerful, and protective with very good shadow under the open roof. Changing a flat tyre is a question of 30 minutes and may happen (2x in 8 days), for that reason there are 2 more fixed outside the back door. Hakuna Matata !
And the nights were so peaceful. We really slept well under the tents during the full moon nights, and even sometimes stand up to watch the stars, we had a lot of space under the roof.
The toilets and showers are rebuilt and very clean. You overlook the old ones, just to compare. Water supply is not limited, huge water tanks are delivered by trucks at every campsite.
Of course you think about how to begin, and how to buy a safari. My advice would be: write to Micky Shigela, his precise answers come within a day, his advise are helpful, and his experience makes everything so easy.
