Frank Mella - Kilele Savane Director and family
Kilele Savane
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2005)
- Member Of:
- TATO & TTB
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $140 to $1,500 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
BE
Email Katelijne Vandeputte | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Supercalifragilisticexpealygoshious!!!!
.fantastic experience.We choose the budget version,great to be IN nature ,uor guide shared the beautifull paradise of Tanzania with us.well organised,Frank Mella picked up in our wishes and concocted the best formula for us.excellent coock.We felt priviliged to see the beauty and pure nature and were lucky to see more than can be expected.I saw a lot of amazinge and beautifull things in my life,but our safari was an absolute highlight.
To be recommended!!!!
FR
Email Bruno | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent
We met Kilele through a friend of friends (her job is to organize upscale safari – so not for us), so it was relaxing not to be afraid of being cheated, as we had read on the internet from other travellers.
Frank successively offered several options until we find the most suitable for our desires, our budget, our planning, with good advice on the relevance of the course, the length of the steps, where to sleep, etc. ... (for example, an unforgettable walk with a Maasai guide close to the Lake Natron flamingos and through maasai villages).
We were able to talk both in French in English with Frank (but only in english with the driver and the cook).
So we visited (in 8 days) Tarangire > Natron > Serengeti > Ngorongoro parcs while camping (except one night in a lodge in Ngorongoro because of the cold), in a nice atmosphere (good vibrations with the driver and the cook, a good opportunity to learn more about Tanzania, learn some Swahili, ...).
Despite our initial reservations (for economic reasons), a safari with a qualified driver-guide really is a good bet: he knows where to find the animals while you only see a bunch of savannah, he can identify and explain the wildlife, and, most important, communicate (in Swahili) with other drivers in the park to find the best spots at a given time.
All equipments were in good condition (4x4, tents, sleeping bags, lamps, tables, chairs, ...)
Food was good and quite elaborate, given the material conditions, with a strong Tanzanian touch (we saw other tourists eat super standard stuff not appetizing).
Nous avons connu Kilele par une amie d’amis, qui organise elle-même des safaris haut de gamme (donc pas pour nous). Ça nous a mis en confiance (je pense à tous les récits d’escroquerie trouvés sur internet).
Frank nous a successivement proposé plusieurs formules, jusqu’à ce que nous trouvions la plus adaptée à nos envies, notre budget, notre planning, avec de bons conseils sur la pertinence du parcours, la longueur des étapes, l’endroit où dormir, etc… (par exemple, une journée de marche inoubliable avec un guide massaï à l’approche des flamants roses du lac Natron et à travers les villages).
Les échanges se sont faits en anglais et en français avec Frank, et en anglais avec le chauffeur et le cuisinier.
Nous avons donc visité (en 8 jours) les parcs Tarangire > Natron > Serengeti > Ngorongoro, tout en camping (sauf une nuit en lodge au Ngorongoro en raison du froid), dans une ambiance sympa (très bon contacts, en anglais, avec le chauffeur et le cuisinier, l’occasion d’en apprendre plus sur la Tanzanie, d’apprendre un peu de swahili,…).
Malgré nos réticences initiales (pour des raisons d’économie), faire un safari avec un chauffeur-guide qualifié est vraiment un bon plan : il sait trouver des animaux là où nous ne voyons que de la savane, les identifier, expliquer leur mode de vie, et communiquer par radio en swahili avec les autres chauffeurs dans le parc pour trouver les meilleurs spots à un instant donné.
Tout le matériel était en bon état (4x4, tentes, duvets, lampes, tables, chaises,...)
Les repas étaient bons, souvent assez élaborés pour des plats cuisinés sur place au camping, plutôt couleur locale (on a vu d'autres touristes manger des trucs ultra standard pas appétissants).
US
amazingly organized, professional, friendly and flexible--superb!
I worked with Frank Mella for about 18 months in preparation and production of the Global Kilimanjaro Bowl where we brought, and he handled, 194 travelers from the US and Mexico. This 17-day tour/event involved many facets which provided monumental challenges for him and his crew, and they handled them all with a casual professionalism rarely seen anywhere, in any business. They took care of every element from safaris, to Kili summit with 134 persons, American football game, training sessions, community service work, transport, meals, and on and on. Whatever I conceived, they handled, offering throughout some insightful suggestions on how to best make things work in Tanzania. It was simply amazing what they did!
US
Email Tim Brockman | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
the best tour guide in the world
From all the professional guides I've used from helicopter skiing in Canada to scuba diving 200 feet depth in Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands, Kilele Savane Guides in Tanzania is the only professional tour guide I would recommend around the world. My time with them in a five park safari has changed my live, in a way you won't believe. If you go to Tanzania, from a professional traveler, go to Kiele Savane!!!
US
Email John from Pella, Iowa | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Awesome! My experince was better than I had expected by 10 times. It exceeded my wildest dreams.
I had heard extreme stories about these kinds of trips, both good and bad. My experience on this adventure was first class. From the minute we met, it exceeded my expectations. Awesome!
Email ThuyHa | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
safari in north of Tanzania
Very good safari packages and service, Frank and David have been really good with our family and all our visitors: speaking english or french language it is always a pleasure to travel with Kilele savane and we still have a sweet memory of our safari with them.
BE
Email patrick vandeputte | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
a marvelous safari
We did a classic safari with Kilele (tanager, serengeti, ngrongoro and lake Manyara). and still it felt as special as of day one. The difference is made by the contact with Frank, listening carefully to all our requirements and acting upon it, same for our guide David, the good material throughout (landrover, tents), the excellent cooking... Simply one word, flawless. David is really knowledgeable of where to go and what to see, so we ended up seeing all the beasts in the book, plus the wildebeest trek over the mara river. Communication was open, and on top the price for all this was correct.
IT
Email Stéphanie | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kilele savane organized a fabulous round trip with Safari, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar steps
Frank, working as the responsible, is really organized and precise. He organized and gave us a lot of detailed of our successful trip. He provided us good communications and works with beautiful employees (like cooker, driver and guide). Frank is really experienced!He also speaks French and English, that it was perfect for us. We felt safe and we enjoyed each minutes of a fantastic discovering trip.
the family goes to Tanzania with Franks help
My husband died in January 2010 and we had been planning a family vacation to Africa .He insisted that we go upon his death so in August 13 of us from age 3 to 70 went to Tanzania. Frank Kilele Savane planned the trip knowing our grief and the specialness of this trip in honor of my late husband . It was thoughtful ,adventurous,comfortable safe and extraordinary. We are an academic family and were so impressed with the quality of nature explanations we heard and with the love of and information about the areas and animals and flora of our guides. The housing was comfortable and the food wonderful.We felt well taken care of.It still is an adventure our family talks about.
US
Email Zamira | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
This tour changed my life!
This was my first time in Africa and although I have traveled to many countries I have no idea how beautiful and amazing my tour in Tanzania was going to be. I'm so glad I booked with Kilele Savane. The tour was very organized and professional. The price was extremely reasonable for everything that I got to see and do.
The tour started with a 6 day hike up Kilimanjaro. Our guides were terrific, the food that was prepared for us was delicious and healthy. It was magnificent to reach the roof of Africa!
After a day of rest we spent 3 days on safari and saw every possible animal sighting that you could see in this part of Africa, including 3 lions killing a couple of buffalo right before our eyes. It felt like we were on national geographic!
The owner of the company Frank, allowed us to customize the trip as much as we wanted. He was great to work with and so was everyone else who worked for him. I highly recommend using this tour company in Tanzania, don't even bother looking anywhere else!