Chabo Africa Safari
- Located In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 1997)
- Member Of:
- TTB & TANAPA
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $95 to $1,050 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
NL
Email Sylvia Sassen | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Perfect!
Thank you Alfonce for being our guide, very professional and kind. I could not think of a better start for the new year!
We were so lucky to see lions ands leopards. The bandas were nice, the food excellent, the views magnificent.
Email Gabriela | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY
1 hour after leaving, the 4x4 broke down.. no front brakes! The driver tried to fix it just enough to keep going which meant driving in second gear for the entire journey. A 2 hour trip turned into a 5 hours trip which was just to the park entrance. The driver took the car to a mechanic after our game drive, which was limited to just 1.5 hrs due to our late arrival, but had no luck so we continued with no front brakes. On the way back, one of the doors almost fell off and the driver had to secure it using rubber strap. We had to stop every 40 minutes as something else went wrong (low oil pressure, refill leaking radiator). Eventually the car died and we continued our return in a taxi. We wasted another 5 hours getting back to our hotel. Ann from the agency agreed to compensate each customer USD 50 each, which amounted to USD 200 as we were 4. But as it was a Saturday and she had no cash and we were leaving Iringa, she agreed with the Mama Pizza Iringa Hotel, where we were staying, to deliver the $200 first thing Monday morning which would go towards our accommodation bill. This never happened, the hotel manager (Richard) called her and went to see her in the office but no money.. always offering another excuse. We tried to contact her but she refused to answer. Eventually we gave up and transferred the money to Richard so at least the hotel was not out of pocket. This company cannot be trusted and their service was absolutely terrible as was their unsafe vehicles. As for Ann and the way she managed this situations, she should be ashamed of herself. You can confirm this info with Richard at Mama Iringa Pizza Hotel.
NL
Email Hans Wiltink | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent and thrilling
The program, service, communication and the guide Godfried were good. We've had an excellent trip of 5 days in the parc.
DE
Email Tobias Kirschbaum | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic Safari- & Tanzania-Family-Experience: Couldn't be any better!
As a family of six (2 adults, 4 children aged 7 to 16), we have spent three weeks in Tanzania in July/August 2019, two of these we have been on safari with Cahbo Africa. Our tour got us from Selous via Mikumi to Ruaha National Park and was followed by a trekking tour in the Udzungwa mountains. In the parks we stayed in tents on the so-called "public" campingsites. We were accompanied by Sam, our guide and driver, and Salim who took charge of the cooking as our "doctor of the stomach" (as Sam put it - I'd have preferred "magician" though). In Chabo office Hilda was in charge of all organisation details.
The trip was in all aspects optimal and surplussed our expectations by far. From the first email contact and the first programme draft to the final version everything went just fine and on a high professional level. Any question arising before or during the trip were answered at once by Hilda.
Sam was simply perfect and awesome as a guide - being a very charismatic and empathic person, he looked very carefully after every member of our family group. He managed to meet all expectations and needs (and they were quite different with regard to the wide range of age!) and was able to answer all our questions concerning animals, plants and wildlife. Sam turned out to know all the locations we visited thoroughly by heart and led us along many paths way beyond the "standard routes". Meeting all kind of different animals (sometimes as close as elephants actually touching the Landcruiser with their trunks) was fascinating but never terrifying.
Samil was also amazing. We had expected some simple meals but were met in the mornings, at lunchtime and in the evening with meals that consisted of several courses every time. He even took up our special requests as for cooking bananas or the traditional Tanazian ugali which we had asked to try: He took us to the local market and at times even prepared the meals together with us - both adults and children! Samil even baked a birthday cake for our daughter on the open campfire! Amazing.
The tents were in excellent condition and very spacious. Chabo Africa provided matrasses and sheets, we had brought our own sleeping bags as nights can get quite chilly in Ruaha during July/August. Folding chairs and tables were stored in the Landrcuiser in big boxes, the "public" campsites were also well-equipped and very clean. - At nights we were as close to the wildlife as to hear the sounds of hippos and hyanae.
To finish off these crammed two safari weeks and to come up to all our experiences we spent some final days in Zanzibar's northern tip. This also was organized by Chabo Africa: the resort booked was just perfect for our family - quite quite, very friendly. And again all organisation was terrific.
Should we ever come back to Tanzania, we for sure will book again with Chabo Africa - and ask for Sam and Samil!
FR
Email Marie | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
mixed feeling
We booked a 11 days Safari with Chabo including Selous, Mikumi, Ruaha and Udzungwa. We had very good time with our guide (who was not the supposed this one at first) and lodging and food were great. However the relationship with Chabo has not been really friendship. After 3 days our guide was still not there (fortunately the woman at our lodge in Selous was a wonderful person and guide) and they lied to us several time on the reason why. We finally understand that they had problems with the car. Chabo then rented a cheap open car (without seat belts) to take us from Selous to Mikumi that was not really adapted for the long drive to Mikumi. We finally met our guide at Mikumi rather than at Selous as first programmed. Later, without explanation either, they replaced a correct car, which we only kept for two days, with another car in quite poor condition. We realized also that our planing was not quite logical since it would have been less waste of time to go first to Udzungwa after Mikumu and not after Ruaha. Nevertheless we had a really great time because the parks in the South are all fantastic with not too many people, all the guides we had were great, professional, kind and helpful and because tanzanian people are really welcoming in general. Most of Chabo's good reviews are certainly deserved, but it would be a pity if the reputation they have built up over the years were to begin to fall apart through a certain lack of respect and consideration for customers.
IT
Email Franco Rigotti and Agostino Cordano | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
"A wonderful experience : Katavi,Ruaha,Mafia NP "
We (a group of 5 adults) did a 16 days tour in Katavi , Ruaha NP with Mafia island at the end to see whale sharks with Chabo Africa of Iringa . We had carried out already safari in Botswana, Zimbawe, Zambia; Uganda ,then we had chosen the wild west,and south parks of Tanzania
The scenic and animal views ( 25 lions in a day) were well over the expectations and it also thanks to Sam ,a very skilled guide He was also a safe driver and always available .The tour was a success
The planning was well done by Hilda and also the contacts were easy and immediate .
Hilda was very efficient when Air Tanzania cancelled an internal flight . She solved the problem (effecting the program ) by an immediate alternative solution.
We were assisted also in Dar and their representative Anna also help us for the small needs (i.e. local sim purchase etc) .
Then we have experienced Chabo Africa as a fully reliable and advisable travel agency.and
we strongly recommend Sam as guide .
CH
Email Remi | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Great experience and very helpful people
We went for 5 days tour in Katavi National Park. Basic accomodation was good enough with private like service. We had the luck to see a lot of animals, the park offers very different scenery, always beautiful. We particularly appreciate to be almost alone in the park.
Organisation of the safari was very smooth, we have to thank Elen for her kindness and her effort to help in the organisation, not only for the safari but also for the transfort to and from the park, it was very helpful!