Msafiri Travels
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2002)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $160 to $1,000 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Safari Njema in Selouz Game Reserve!
Msafiri Travels arranged 3 fascinating safari tours, a walking safari, a boat safari and a full day jeep safari. This safari-package provided a complete insight to explore the Savanna from three different perspectives.
We traveled from Zanzibar in the early morning to catch the first ferry going to Dar Es Salaam. Over there, our two tour guides from Msifiri Travels already waited for us to start the drive through Tanzania. After 5 hours drive, we arrived at our base, called the Hippo Camp, where we slept 2 nights in huge comfortable tents. We were provided with delicious full nutrition meals at breakfast and dinner and get abundant lunch packages on our tours during the days, to be ready to visit the home of lions, crocodiles, hippos, monkeys, elephants, giraffes, zebras, warthogs and more.
The boat safari went on the Rufiji River, which is full of hippos hailing with their ears towards our boat. The crocodiles were more shy and hided quiet under the surface. After two hours boat drive, we went on a sand bank to look for the sunset. Back in the camp, our first safari day ended right next to a warming campfire. The next day started with a walking safari in the early morning accompanied by loud shoutings of monkeys. A tour guide in traditional decor taught us a lot about how to survive in the Savanna by using its natural resources, which can be found in the bush. We also saw a massive nest of termites that clear up the area. During our walk we were protected by a local ranger. After this safari, we get an extensive full breakfast at our camp, until the jeep safari started.
We passed the old German Mtemere Gate to enter the Selous Game Reserve, one of the largest faunal reserves of the world and the largest in Tanzania. With an area about 50,000 square kilometers it covers 5% of the total area of Tanzania. All of the big fives are living in this area and many other animals as well. We spend this day together with lions, elephants, zebras, giraffes, gnus, and warthogs. While the lions were sleeping in the bush, we ate our lunch packages right next to the crocodile lake, watching elephants drinking water on the opposite shore, a really exciting experience for all of us.
After two full exciting and informative days of safari experiences, we were brought back to Dar Es Salaam and finally reached Zanzibar with a huge bunch of life-experience giving impressions.
Safari njema sana sana!
IL
Email Smadar | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
once in a lifetime experience, well organized, lovely and caring staff
since the first time i contacted Leina from Msafiri Travels, i received the best treatment i could ask for.
quick response to emails, kind answers, always trying to help, satisfy my desires, and helping us to make our honeymoon as perfect as possible.
from the moment of our arrival until our departure we have met a great team that did all of their best to make our experience perfect.
even when we had problems with our luggage that did nor arrive with the flight,
we received from Leina all the help in front of the local airport representatives until we got our luggage back.
we had the most lovely and experienced safari guide, Peter.
he was kind, had endless knowledge, and made our trip everything we wished for.
also the hotels that were organized by Msafiri Travels were great, and were exactly as promised.
i highly recommend Msafiri Travels!!!!!
we had wonderful time with msafiritravels especially the kids like the vacation
Everything was well coordinated from picking us from the airport to our hotel because we had to spend the night in Tanzania and the following morning we used the shirp to zanzibar we had wonderful time .looking forward for another trip during easter time
Email Marina | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great budget safari
We enjoyed our safari adventure with Msafiri Travels. It was a camping safari and rather simple set up, but the team made sure we were comfortable and had everything we needed. Leina, the owner, was always a phone call away and available to handle requests and questions, which gave me a great comfort. The guides were excellent and safe drivers, which is important on Tanzanian roads. I felt we got good value for our money.
DK
Email Erik Toft | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Excellent and flexible service
We requested a tailormade safari and Zanzibar holiday. After contacting also other companies, Msafiri was able to provide what we asked for at a competive price. Upon arrival we were taken well care of and when my daughter fell sick for a few days there was flexibility in adjusting some the hotel bookings. Charles the driver, and Leina the manager, were both very pleasant and trustworthy people that we would recommend to anybody to travel with. The only (minor) hich-up was the hotel in Dar Es Salaam that was not quite up to expectations.
HK
Email Jolie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A wonderful experience of a lifetime. My safari trip was professionally organized by Msafari
Thanks to Msafiri travels -Leina & Frank, I had a wonderful time in Tanzania.
I was a solo traveler for a 3 day’s safari trip to Selous Game Reserve. They offered me a competitive price (compare to a solo traveler’s price) since Leina helped me to get in touch and linked up with other travelers.
Frank – He is a seasoned & professional tour guide, also an excellent story teller. He is always able to make things very interesting during the walking & boat safari and the game drive. He also told us many things we often missed out and answered all questions we asked. The way he expresses stories is just delightful. I strongly recommend Frank for those travelers or families who are with kids – think they would love him.
Leina - She is very helpful and responsible manager. She responded as fast as possible and always offered me the detailed information. (since it is my first time to be in Africa). She also helped us whenever we needed.
For instance, I l forgot my camera in the lodge (in which I did not even recognize yet), Leina and the African safari camp’s staffs tried their very best to get it back from Selous to Dar es Salaam international airport before my flight back to my home country.
Accommodation - African safari camp – the meal was excellent and the lavatory was clean and tidy, with hot water for shower. No electricity during 23:00-04:00 but at night would be colder, I slept well without a fan. One minor thing was that we were not able to go for the boat safari during the first afternoon as we requested since the boat was full. Yet I am sure that a close communication among lodge and the agency can easily solve such issue.
US
Email Tyler and Claire | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A skilled, flexible, affordable, and experienced tour operator who cares about their clients.
My wife and I researched and shopped around a ton before finally deciding to use MSafiri for our 2-1/2 week trip to Tanzania. We choose them because they were responsive, competitively priced, and worked to meet some of the more unique requests we had for our trip.
From the time we arrived in Dar es Salaam to our flight back home they took amazing care of us. We were invited to meet Leina’s family our first night in town and sample Chef David’s traditional Tanzania food we’d be eating during our Safari. From there we headed out on a whirlwind tour of Southern and Northern Tanzania. In the first park (Selous) alone we saw crocodiles, hippos, hyenas, giraffes, lions, and a small troop of elephants. Each park offered a new collection of animals to spot, photograph, and enjoy.
- A troupe of Hippos sun bathing on the river bank
- Leopards eating a Gazelle they’d dragged up a tree
- A mother Cheetah feeding her two young cubs
- Hundreds of Buffalo and Zebra littering the countryside
- Lions camped out on a ledge overlooking the Serengeti
- Two Giraffe fighting by swinging their necks at each other
- Several hundred Wildebeest crossing the Mara river
- A lone Rhino trampling through Ngorongoro Crater
We owe all of that and more to our drivers/guides Yunis and Charles. I’m pretty competitive and tried to out spot them the entire trip, but didn’t get anywhere close. They were really flexible in when we left, how long we were out, and where we went within the parks. Meanwhile Chef David made sure we had plenty of great food to keep us going. If we wouldn’t make it back for lunch he’d prepare delicious pack lunches and have them ready for us in the morning, even when we left at 6 am.
I’ll just close with saying that we cannot recommend MSafiri enough if you’re planning a safari to Southeastern Africa. From hiring skilled guides/drivers/chefs, to their customer centric focus, they made our safari better than anything we thought we’d receive. Leina will take excellent care of you and make sure your safari is one you’ll never forget, I guarantee it.
IN
Email arif | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
not living upto the promise
we booked selous game reserve 3 days tour with them .. 7 adults 4 kids ..
first thing .. leina was very quick to respond to any queiries .. she collected the payments from me from my place and was swift with responses ..
but from the start of safari the service looked glitched.. first day one vehicle arrived and we had to wait one hour for the second vehicle
after reaching the camp we had booked 3 rooms 3rd tent wasnt ready even after 3 hours of arriving and when the tent was given it was clearly a makeshift arrangement as the camp looked overbooked.. a tent of 2 was turned into tent of 4 with extra beds cramped in it with no mosquito nets.. they gave us a better tent next day but out of 2 nights one night was wasted and our mood spoiled
on 3rd morning we didnt want a walking safari instead an extra game drive but drivers werent informed about it so we had to inform drivers on our own and then they rechecked with the company.. it was all messy
on whole 3 days or even after the safari the tour operator didnt call even once to ask how were we doing or were the arrangements fine..
on last day she called me and asked for an extra 40 usd .. she said my wife ( who is tanzanian) didnt present her ppt on the park gate so she had to pay her full fees .. i told her nobody asked me for any documents and my wife was carrying her passport with her all the time .. if asked to present the passports it was on hand .. it was a communication mistake between them and the drivers which she was trying to put on me and extract money ..
last day the drivers were told not to give us lunch .. i said the lunch is included in package .. so the drivers arranged a lunch in completely horrible place where none of us could manage to eat.. we had carried foodstuffs with us that came handy
so with msafiri travels the experience was horrible.. i wouldnt advise anyone to go with them .. i have been on safari before and some people provide much better service
on the positive side Butembo selous camp was very cosy .. it gives u a great feel of jungle .. and the walk from restaurant to tents is like walking in real jungle .. ameneties are nice .. tents are good .. exceptionally clean hygenic and in great shape .. its real luxurious..though in summers a fan would be handy in tents as it gets very hot during summers..
the staff was super polite and saw to every demands of us..
food was average .. but in a camp which has only 7 tents u cant expect a buffet .. they had limited menu in dinners but it was fine ..
the drivers peter and ramdani were fabulous .. specially peter was so fearless .. they werent at all tired of driving whole day to try and spot animals .. they really went out of the way and made this trip memorable .. were also very polite and friendly
over all we had great time due to the camp and drivers .. hence 2 stars to msafiri for providing us this camp and drivers .. or else there isnt much about msafiri to recommend
Great experience
We went to Selous GR with Msafiri Travels. All went well, we had a very nice safari! Butembo Lodge is a wonderful place, Peter is a very good, comitted, knowledgable and friendly guide and all travels went well and safe. Selous is definitely a place worth visiting.
Thanks again for your planning, we really enjoyed!
FI
Email Mahder | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent
We went to Ruaha national Park for 4 days road trip.Our experience as a family was great! The driver, he is also a guide he has excellent knowledge about the place and very fascinated to explain. We managed to saw a lot of animals.