Amani Tours and Travel
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2013)
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $150 to $1,500 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
RO
Email Laura | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Terrible experience with Amani Tours - 3 day safari in Mikumi
Our biggest complain is that we've payed the Mikumi park entrance fee - $ 150 in total ($ 75 per day) in addition to the entire trip, which was $ 900 ($ 450 per person). The park fee supposed to be included and Daniel promised us that he will return the money, but of course that did not happen. And overall service was not as described. The trip was in a regular van, not a 4W Jeep as on photo. The accommodation was outside the park, not as described.
DE
Email Christine | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Don't use this agency!
I booked via internet a 3-day-safari with Amani Tours and Travel for me and my two daughters. One month before the trip starts I transfered 50% of the payment as deposit and the rest of the payment I payed cash when we arrived Tanzania.
On the evening before the trip should starts I got an email that the safari is cancelled... From this moment I couldn't reach Daniel/Donald??? and I'm still waiting for my money...
DE
Email Jennifer | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Rip off
Doing a safari was one of my biggest dreams. This operator defiantly ruined it. Everything went wrong, but I´ll try to keep it short. I had to pay a 50 % deposit by bank transfer so that a guy sometimes called Donald sometimes Daniel could make a reservation for a hotel. It cost me a fortune and as it turned out: nothing was reserved. I had to share not just a room, but also a bed with the other girl on the tour. Yes, two strangers in one bed! Daniel/Donald stayed in Daressalaam. The driver barely spoke english, but enough to tell us that his boss turned off his phone when we insisted on two rooms or on the pop up roof jeep we booked and payed for. We had to do the safari in a little Toyota. After the rain season the grass is so high that many times you can't see a thing. We never went too far away from the lodge since the car couldn't manage many of the bumpy roads without 4x4. Yes, sometimes we saw animals, but there was no real safari feeling. I am so disappointed. :(
do not book with amani tours!
We were supposed to do a 3 day Safari to Mikumi Nationalpark. We were picked up in DAR in the morning and arrived in Mikumi Nationalpark in the evening. When we were at the entrance of the Nationalpark, the driver did not have any money for the park entrance fee although we already paid the whole price for the trip that included park entry, accomodation, food, etc. So we needed to pay the entry by ourselves. Daniel, who we booked the trip with, did not answer his phone. The next day, we could not enter the park anymore since we only took a little amount of money with us because everything should be included in the price, that we already paid him and we drove back to DAR. So in the end, we had one afternoon safari (where we paid the extra entrance fee) and no safari on the other 2 days, that we had booked. He still does not answer his phone and we did not get any money back. Do not book with Amani tours, it's a trap.
ES
Email Experienced traveller | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Good Safari but improvable services
We were picked up at the hotel as agreed. However after cash payment we never received a receipt. Further they don´t accept dollar notes issued before 2006. This must be informed before.
The Safari itself went fine and we had luck and could see lots of animals in a short period of time. Actually the full day safari has been finished at 16:00, as there was nothing else to see. So we were left at the lodges until next day for the trip back.
The back journey was a bit stressed, as our schedule was very tight. They picked us 40 minutes too late in the morning. However the guide took time to do some shopping on the route (3 times, for fruits and even an alive chicken, for the chicken we had to wait in the car ca. 20 minutes). Then the car´s clutch was broken and we took lunch, while the other car was coming to pick us up. We were brought to a restaurant with the meals on a box. We were asked by the waiter to pay for a single juice 10.000 Shillings (10 USD) the guides instead of stop the cheating situation, just made fun of us and we had to complain by ourselves, so we got back 6 USD.
We changed the car and kept driving to Dar es Salaam. We were informed that the remained trip to Dar es Salaam was 1,5 hours, but it was 3 and really rushing (we almost crashed with another car in Dar). Finally and running we got the Ferry at the very last minute. I consider too much time has been wasted during the morning so we had this unneeded stress.
The lunch was both days the same, cold fried chips and chicken with a sausage and an boiled egg, all to the eaten with the hands.
NL
Email Auke | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Day trip to Zanzibar from Dar Es Salam
Last february we booked a last minute day trip to Zanzibar from dar es salam. Very nice trip, we had a tour around stone town and we visited the prison island. Beautiful sightings and the service was pretty good
GH
Email Augustine | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Good experience with Amani Tours
I booked a family tour with Amani for 3 days to Mikumi National park and our experience was positive. The kids had a great time. The tour Guide, Julius was very good and helpful. He seems quite experienced and he helped us to see most animals at the park including Elephants and a lion on the first day. we stayed at Mikumi Adventure Lodge which was also nice and comfortable. Our kids loved the fire place, they went there playing every evening. The staff were also nice. Even though the journey was tiring, we were happy we made it. Thank you Daniel.
NL
Email Hans & Anja | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
2 day safari Mikumi nat. park
Pick up from DAR ferry terminal by Daniel and Mohammed.
Fantastic experience, our first safari. We saw elephants, lions, hippos, impalas, giraffes, whartogs, zebras etc. and all in close range with park entrance and cottage.
Very helpfull guide Mohammed. We slept in a cottage at the park. Diner was a good beef stew with rice,
a nice open bar under a big tree beautiful night with lots of stars.
In the very early morning Elephants at "our back yard"
we had breakfast the second day at 0600, but unfortunately Mohammed forgot to tell us that restaurant was not serving at that time but breakfast was ready on table.
Electricity is cut of at cottage from 00:00 till 06:00 (no light, fan or airco) so do not forget to bring a flashlight (!) and take this in account when you charge your batteries (you will make many photos / films)
unfortunately trip was in a regular van - not a 4W Jeep as on photo at request.
We had not taken in account the duration of the trip, from Dar to Mikumi is a 6 hr drive (approx 280 km).
schedule in short;
Day 1 pick up at Zanzibar resort at 0600 - arrival at park 16:00 hrs - afternoon drive till 18:30 - many animals
Day 2 breakfast at 0600 - drive (incl. lions at public "high"way) - departure to Dar at 0830 - Dar 1400, Ferry - back at resort 1830.
Again a very tiring but again fantastic experience !!
SE
Email Viktor | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
3-day safari in Mikumi NP
We booked a 3-day budget safari to Mikumi NP. We are really satisfied about the Safari and our guide Juma. The only thing we didn't like was that it said that we were staying inside the park but we were not and the last day it was just a drive passing the park on the highway and we didnt have a safari car it was a normal car.
There are no cheetahs or rhinos in the park but we saw all the other cool animals.
Recommended!
SE
Email Peter | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Good
We was on 3 Days safari in Mikumi great guide and driver we have a very nice time with Amani tours staff Peter