Team Shemeji Safari Tanzania
Shemeji Safari Tanzania
- Office In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2015)
- Tour Types:
- Customizable private tours and fixed group tours
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $180 to $800 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
LU
Email Valentina & Luca | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Above and beyond our expectations!
We booked with Shemeji a 9-day private tour with game drives and hiking. We spent most nights in a tent in public campsites and we visited Tarangire, lake Manyara, Ngorongoro, Empakai, Central and North Serengeti and lake Natron.
Emma promptly answered to our enquiry and arranged a tailor-made private tour according to our needs. She replied to all our questions and doubts (even the most obvious ones, since it was our first safari!) and she was ready to make several changes to the program in response to our requests.
We were so lucky to have Ben as a safari guide! His long experience with this job means that he will spot all animals present in the parks and will see them even where you would only notice grass! Thanks to him we saw all the Big Five (and not just once!) and we even managed to witness the wildbeest crossing the Mara River. He always gave us plenty of time to watch the animals and take pictures, always trying to give us the best angle. He is also very flexible and in some occasions suggested changes to the program in response to the circumstances (for example bad weather) so that we could make the most of our experience without missing anything or wasting time. He is an excellent and attentive driver, and we never had any issue despite the bad conditions of some roads. 9 days may seem a long time, but thanks to Ben every day was different. We learnt a lot about wildlife and we had many exciting experiences!
Another special thanks goes to Isaack, our chef at the campsites. Before leaving for a camping safari, we thought that we would mostly eat rice and canned food. We were totally wrong! You can't imagine what Isaack can prepare with the limited kitchen equipment and facilities available at campsites! He prepared a different 3-course meal every evening, which was carefully presented and always delicious. It was better than eating in restaurants (and indeed the 2 nights we ate at the hotel we missed a lot his cuisine!!). He even baked fresh bread and buns! He was always attentive to our preferences, asking what we would prefer for breakfast or to be included in the packed lunch.
Besides being great professionals, Ben and Isaack were also a very nice company throughout our trip. We will remember the nice talks in the car and the funny stories after dinner!
We had a great time in Tanzania. Everything exceeded by far our expectations!
We totally recommend Shemeji.
Asante sana!!
US
Email Hayley | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Exceeded our wildest expectations!
My husband, my parents and I booked a 4 day mid-luxury safari with Shemeji. We went to Tarangire, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro. We couldn’t be happier with the experience!
The company is highly organized and tended to respond to my emails within 24 hours. They were very flexible in accommodating all of our requests. The vehicle was in great shape, with working power outlets, comfortable seats, great pop open roofs, and lots of space. We were never in short supply of water or food. The lodges Shemeji arranged for us were all beautiful and unique in their own right, a great variety for the three nights we had. Timing was well planned among the three parks. We never ran into any issues either planning or experiencing the safari, everything went as smoothly as it could possibly go! Shemeji was a great price for the quality safari we received!
As for the animals, we were thrilled to see the big 5! But each and every animal was exciting in its own right. However, it was the unexpected encounters that stood out the most for us, such as an exciting lunch we had in Tarangire: We were overlooking a river bed full of multiple elephant families, zebras and wildebeests racing up and down a ravine, and water buffalo in the distance. It was spectacular! And all credit is due to our guide who taught us to be patient and in return nature would reward us with its magnificence.
Our guide, Joseph, was exceptional, and we could feel that from the very first interaction we had with him. He gave us an introduction to what we would be doing for the next four days, that we would come to know each other well after spending so much time together, and that he wanted us to let him know anytime we had preferences or requests. We told him that we wanted to avoid the areas that were littered with other safari vehicles and figuratively go “off the beaten path.” He delivered on that and more. His knowledge of the roads was impressive in every park. Only to be matched by his knowledge of the wildlife and vegetation we saw. He rarely used the vehicle radio (which many guides use to communicate with each other regarding animal sightings) and instead showed us the natural, original beauty of the safari experience, rather than the car chase that it can become. He never rushed us, never stressed out and yet always managed to get us where we needed to be in time. We were completely charmed by him because he was so wise and gave insightful life lessons to accompany information about the animals or the park history. He had a great sense of humor and we could tell he took a genuine interest in us, as we had with him. We formed a really nice connection over the four day trip. He was our ideal safari guide and then some! After the trip, we couldn’t stop talking about Joseph. It was Joseph who made the safari exceptional and exceed our wildest expectations!
I highly recommend Shemeji and Joseph!
IT
Email Giovanni | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A fantastic honeymoon! We arrived in Tanzania exhausted, we came home totally enthusiastic!
A fantastic experience with an exceptional and extremely friendly team.
All above our expectations.
IE
Email Laura | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience - couldn’t fault it
We, a group of six Irish girls based in Abu Dhabi went on a five day safari with Shemeji this June/July. We contacted the company and Emma, one of the owners began to plan our trip. Emma answered all our questions and queries with a prompt and friendly reply. She tailored a package to suit our group and ensured we had everything planned that we wished to do and see.
Bene was our guide for the safari. He was a complete professional and such a friendly lovely man. He knew the answers to all our ridiculous questions and made sure we got the most out of our safari experience.
All of the accommodation we stayed in was superb, with each place offering a more friendly welcome than the last.
We were incredibly lucky to see the Big Five by day four. Along with this we saw over thirty other animals species. The landscapes and terrains of the four parks we visited were varied and enthralling.
I will have no hesitation in recommending Shemeji’s safaris to any and all of my friends.
KR
Email Seonrim | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Warm-hearted and leisurely safari
My husband and I went to a private safari tour(lodge) for six days in between June 27 to July 4 with Shemeji Safari. It was a satisfied trip that fits to our expectations to see the wild nature of Tanzania. I recommend Shemeji Safari.
- Communications and services
Froukje kindly consulted and reflected our requirements to the itinerary, which had changed a lot. We exchanged more than 10 mails for about a month. Froukje even struggled to get a room in one lodge that we choose where there was no room for agencies left.
When we had to send the balance, Emma came back from maternity leave to deal with us. She even offered us the transportation to Seronera Airstrip in our final day in Serengeti, saying that the drop service of the lodge was too expensive. I felt very warm consideration. At the end, they gave us a Masai souvenir.
- Safari car and stuff
We rode in a pop-up roof car that can holds six persons. The car had a small fridge and a charging station that we requested. It was very useful. There were cushions and blankets in the car, so I could feel their thoughtfulness. The car looked a little old, but there was no big problem throughout the safari. A binocular was available in the car, but we had our own thing that performs better. There was a animal dictionary with pictures, so it's very helpful to refer to them.
- Guide
Our driver and guide, Edward, had 14 years of experience as a guide and was very friendly and professional. Every day after the safari, he asked us how was the safari and checked that he meets our expectations. He communicated with his guide friends face-to-face or via radio to show us the animals we want to see. And he knows where the animals would move, so we could stop at the best place and see the animals very close. There was even a magic that showed up the animal that I told to want to see that day! We saw Big 5 except the rhinos.
He tried to find rhinos for 2 days, but that's just my luck.
During the six day safari, we became friends.
On the last day, he saw us off to the airstrip and helped to check-in. Thank you so much, Edward. I already miss his smile.
CH
Email Sandrine &xan | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beautyful experience
Everything was perfect, good organisation, good accomodations and a very nice guide (Alan)
We endjoyed this trip
Email Kathrin | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect organiced Tour to the Big 5
It was Perfect!we did a 5 days Camping Safari. The E-Mail conversation was fast and everything was in Time on the Tour. The Tour Guide was really good, he Knies the places to see the animals, we had a lot of Perfect Moments on the tourband Could See the big 5. The Dinner was reall good, our cook did a really good job!
I can not say anything Bad about this Company and Would Book again.
CA
Email Idel R | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible Experience - Tour Operator Goes Above and Beyond
I had an incredible experience with Shemeji Safari. I was interested in a two-person camping safari as it fit better with my budget, and Shemeji had the most cost effective option right off the bat. I corresponded with Emma, who always responded to my emails and questions in a timely manner. We only had time for a 5-day safari, so Emma helped us customize the itinerary based on our timeline. She also helped us arrange transfers, hotel before and after the safari, and even arranged towels for us when we mentioned we would prefer not to bring them ourselves (we only had carry-on backpacks).
When we were on our way to Tanzania, we ended up taking an earlier flight to Kilimanjaro. Emma was able to help coordinate an earlier transfer to the hotel, and the driver was waiting for us at the airport. We were picked up promptly the next morning by Benny (guide) and Charles (cook). What I really appreciated was that Benny would always explain where we were going, what we were doing, and share his knowledge of Tanzania. I found this to be much better than other tour operators we encountered on our trip, as usually we wouldn't know what was going on until we arrived at the destination. Benny also made it clear up-front which animals were common and rare - we're not guaranteed to see everything, but he'll do his best.
Benny definitely did his best! Throughout the safari, he would allow us ample time to see the animals when we found them. He also quickly learned what animals we wanted to spend more time looking at, and which he can just drive by (but still point out). He seemed to have very good rapport with other drivers (he's been doing safari's for 18 years!) and would frequently communicate with them to learn where rare animals would be seen. He also wouldn't hesitate to drive across the park if he heard a rare animal sighting, just so we could see it! When not on game drives, he'd help set up the campsite for us, give us tips regarding when to shower to get warm water, how to deal with going to the bathroom in the night, and he was one of the only guides I saw who would actually have dinner with us and share his culture. It definitely made the experience much better.
Charles was an amazing cook. We joked that we ate better on safari than we did at home! When at the campsite for breakfast and dinner, we'd get an appetizer, main course, and dessert, and everything was delicious. His lunch boxes were also amazing - they always filled us up, and were different everyday. He'd also adjust meal times so that we wouldn't deal with the bugs that come out at night or so we'd miss the crowds after dinner. He also picked up a bottle of local wine for us on the last night to celebrate the fact that it was our honeymoon.
At the end of it all, we were exhausted, but we saw the Big 5, multiple cats, and many other animals. We actually ended up tipping double what we originally intended to just because Benny and Charles exceeded our expectations that much. To top it all off, Emma also personally followed up after the safari to make sure we had had a great experience. Because of all this, I recommend Shemeji Safari without hesitation! Thanks for the great experience!
NL
Email Anika en Ricardo | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
amazing honeymoon trip!
we booked a 5 day honeymoon tour via Shemeji. The communication via email was good and fast. Our guide was really nice and tried to spot all the animals we wanted to see. Also we really felt like being on a honeymoon!:) we also booked a citytour and a daytour to Arusha and both tours were really nice as well!
BE
Email Tatiana | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Good price-quality
In general, i-m very happy about the safari. The communication by mail and whatsapp was easy and they were very responsive. They were extremely flexible, maybe even too much. I will explain better this. I had some suggestions to the itinerary and maybe they should have advise me more on the dates, number of days in each park... at the end was great but we could have done the same in less days. they were super kind mixing the type of lodging and for sure it was the best offer I had with relation to the price. Indeed we have realized most of the safari depends on the driver and cooker, beyond that there are not many differences between tour operators. Our driver Edward and the cooker Sento were excellent, very well organised and kind. The car and binoculars were a little bit old, but all the rest was perfectly fine.
Reply from Shemeji Safari Tanzania
Posted on Jul 7, 2018Dear Tatiana. I'm happy to hear you enjoyed the safari. I understand you were a bit disappointed in the itinerary. We have done our best to create a custom made itinerary for you with all your wishes and requests. A mix of camping and lodge so it would fit your budget. Not sure if you could have done the same in less days. It would have been a rush (The last day you requested to go to the bank in Arusha and therefore the game drive was shorter that day).
Welcome back to Tanzania next time!
Shemeji Team