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
Email Corinne and Barrie Winwood | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
The perfect safari which ticked all our boxes
We decided to book our holiday independently after seeing how much the tour companies were charging. Not wanting to go to SA for personal reasons, we looked at Kenya and then fell in love with the idea of Tanzania. Shemeji certainly came up with the 'goods' according to our brief and we couldn't fault them.
We visited Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro, and the Serengheti, each very different and each fabulous in its own right. We saw the Big Five, and the choice of accommodation was perfect as it allowed us to experience lodges and tented lodges, all really great places to stay. The people were very friendly, and the Masai fascinating. Our guide Edward did everything to try to make our visit perfect, and he promised us cheetah, and cheetah we got.....7 of them. we would dearly love to return.
DE
Email Sadaf A | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Avoid in any cost, dangerous car, changed itinerary and rude guide.
Unfortunately, we had a very bad experience in Tanzania that was dangerous, wasted our money and spoiled our holiday. They misled and mistreated us and canceled one game drive. Inappropriate way of transporting cooked chicken and food. Please send me a message to show you all the pictures, videos and emails.
Driver, so called guide:
He drove dangerously to get us out of the park. Though we were supposed to do a game drive that morning, then transfer in the afternoon. he drove almost 70km (all recorded with our app, see below) because he had no permit after 12! He took us to our lodge at 2 and left us there, no apology and nothing.He said speak to the office blankly. The office just told us that he had explained to us on arrival. Bunch of lies and shambles! We paid for the game drive, why did we get a day of just horrible transfer that wrecked our bodies. Trust me, you can’t and shouldn’t drive more than 35! All poor animals in front of us getting so scared and shocked! I felt like a burden not a valuable client.
On another day we had the game drive for all afternoon, coming to the lodge in the evening. Our driver who had lost all his interest and hope of getting tipped, wanted to go back after 2 hours! We told him it is still 14 and he is supposed to go back in the evening. He said it is too hot, and there is nothing to see, there only one road full of Tsetse flies. We said he can take another route and take us to the game drive we paid.
I asked him to stop for the toilet break, he said there is no toilet for almost two hours and he can’t stop anywhere for a bush toilet, so we have to go to the lodge which is 30 minutes away. I showed him the sign for the picnic area which was according to our map 10 minuets away. He said no, it is too far. This was unbelievably unprofessional and inhuman! As we were staying in the park, I gave him an option to take us to the lodge, then we should come back for 1 more hour game drive. That means we should be in our lodge by 17 which means evening. To our surprise he stopped in another picnic area which was less than 10 minuets away. I was shocked how he lied to us, because he had no more interest in being around us!
We saw a lion getting ready to hunt, he said no he is just going to sleep. Though, we met the other tourists in the other car was staying in our lodge and they told us why did we leave? The lion hunted the zebra after we left. He intentionally didn’t want us to see anything! Good luck with the guide/ driver. I would say ask to see their certificate, but you can’t see their attitude until you actually go with them .
We had unfortunately no luck with ours. First he came with a car that was falling into pieces. Then, he got angry when I told him that all our luggage is wet and my clothes, books and electronics are also wet, because the back door is broken.And also after we told him how dangerously he transports the lunch, he didn’t apologiz or offered help. He only stopped and eating and talking with us. Trust me, it was a very difficult time for us. He stopped eating with us, as I mentioned above. Therefore for our lunch break, he stayed in the car, asked my partner to come out and check the bush before eating in the middle of Serengeti. He said there can be lions, leopards or snakes there. Either he was not aware or he just wanted us out of his sight. My partner asked him furiously if he has actually studied wild animals! We felt quite vulnerable and I have never seen anyone with this massive lack of conscience and professionalism.
Itinerary:
They sent an itinerary first and then they said they made a minor change only to the order of the days because one lodge was fully booked which was fair enough. We paid the money as you can see in the picture for 5 game drives, they cheated and only bought the permit for four days.
Getting the money for a game drive and not delivering it, it is not a small change. We didn’t get a new itinerary or any brief that they want to save the money and wake us up at 5 am to kick us out in our lodge at 2 and call it a day! when we complained, he just follows the orders. After 3 days apart from good morning and good night, and get out for lunch, check the bush, that is what he said. Absolute disgrace!
Food:
Our fridge was not working and the door was broken and kept on flying away all the time. We can't believe that transporting food set under the sun, next to the driver, from 6 in the morning to 13, at 37 degree can be healty. How many people have touched that box, juice and banana? He had to eat it by hand, as there is no cutlery or plate! Great job, I had antibacterial gel and soap, because the place he stopped had neither toilet paper nor soap in the toilet!
We had the same story almost every day, until he gave up as well, and requested only vegetarian food. You pay as full board, you get a cooked chicken or chicken sandwich, not hot food and although I told them I am vegetarian when I booked, no one was aware, and every one looked at me with a shock on arrival . So be careful that they never communicated our special dietary requirements.
Car:
We asked them about the car, they said in a good working condition. Look at the pictures and judge yourself . Broken door, broken fridge, no window frame rubber was left, all destroyed and the window was rattling all the way. I will put the videos on YouTube soon! The luggage were stored inside the car, because it all got wet in the back. So, we had only two seats with seatbelts that were not working. Trust me it was a torture. Our driver came with this car that the back door lock was broken and he used a robber band to close it. The rain, dust and the noise drove us mental during our time there. Our luggage was stored in the car, as all our clothing, books and electronics got wet. Well, no apology, of course! Two window locks were broken, so we had only on choice, a seat with a broken window close to all the dust coming in, see the picture below, I swear it was after one hour driving 80 km in the national park, or seat with out working seat belt. Add 36 degree to the image, without window.And my partner had to get up every now and then and close the door! Everything is recorded! We got in the middle of Serengeti, where we have seen lions 10 minuets ago.Although that all other cars in front got passed, because of the rubbish tyres we got stuck more than an hour, until we got rescued. Then he drove dangerously to get us out and not pay the fine, because the permit was till 12.
Communication:
Unfortunately, we are left disappointed and the company hasn't even replied to us after we sent them the pictures and videos of our holiday, plus the emails providing the facts that we paid for one day game drive and got only a horrible transfer.
Before sending the videos and pictures we got this sarcastic reply from Froukje:
She wrote (I’ve spoken to both Emma and Andrew about this situation. I'm very sorry to hear you're unhappy about a few things. I hope to clear a few things. We are in Africa, where the roads are rough and the nature is dusty. We are sorry you were not aware of this. These rough roads also cause the car to to be a bit noisy.)
* This way of sarcastic customer service doesn’t work in this day and age. She added salt to the injury with making us feel stupid and peaky. Of course we know where you are, but we’re not aware of the broken door and the fact that a driver is allowed to drive 80km/h in the national parks. I have got all of it recorded and I have tons of pictures to prove it from the app I used to record the whole way speed and location.
We got an email after Emma saw our pictures on Facebook and our reviews. She admitted, I quote her here, email is available on request:
(I've had a look at the car and after a very busy high season this car should have been in the garage for big mantaintance. It is at the garage at the moment. Issues like the seatbelts should have been solved earlier.What I understood the door needs to be closed in two places which the driver didn't know (normally he drives another car) and because of this it seemed broken and there was extra dust in the car. )
About food transport this was the reply: We are sorry to hear you felt sick. I understand you think it might have been the chicken. We will contact The lodge and let them know what happend and see if they received more complaints about it. We hope you're feeling better now. )
* Lets not point fingers. See the picture of how the cooked chicken was transported in 7 hours in 36 degree, next to the motor, underneath the sun. Yes, the company is there, but you have been brought up and educated in Europe. I don’t want to lecture you for health , safety and hygiene. This is not the lodge fault, let me ask you a simple question, would you feed your children with that chicken?
Reply from Shemeji Safari Tanzania
Posted on Mar 29, 2018We are very sorry to hear you had a disappointing experience. Our company offers safaris of a certain quality standard and we are also very disappointed that your safari did not live up to this standard. We will briefly reply your comments:
1. We are sorry the way you have experienced the guide. We have had very good reviews about him. There has clearly been a lot of miscommunication with the guide. He did not mean to make you feel bad or unsafe in any way.
2. About the itinerary. Because you booked last minute and one of the lodges was fully booked we had to change the order of the parks and lodges. We have informed you about this before safari. The other option was to sleep in a different lodge in Ngorongoro which would be much more expensive. Also going to Lake Manyara on the last day (instead of day 2) was a good solution because you had a flight on your last safari day. We wanted to give you the best itinerary and price.
We have explained to you that you got the exact same itinerary as you booked, only in a different order. For 3 days Serengeti there is a 2x24 hour permit included. There has been no cheating and there was absolutely no game drive cancelled!
We are sorry to hear you were disappointed with this change of itinerary.
The itinerary you are showing in your review is not the one you booked. You received 3 itineraries per e-mail and you’ve booked the 6 days (tented) lodge. In the review you’re showing the 6 days lodge/camping itinerary.
3. On the transit road from Serengeti to Ngorongoro the cars normally drive 60-70 KM per hour. This is not a game drive area. Because the road is so bad drivers prefer to have this speed so you ‘slide’ over the road. When they drive slower the road will feel so much worse.
4. Unfortunately dust during a safari cannot be prevented. With an open pop up roof you get a lot of dust in the car. The parks are very dry and dusty. We also warn about the dust in our pre departure document. Regrettably there must have been some extra dust in the car because of the issue with the back door.
5. About the lunch box. Safari is quite an adventure and the lunch means having a lunch box at a picnic site. There are no cutlery or plates included. We have not heard this complaint before but we will take it into consideration. We have informed all lodges per e-mail about your diet (vegetarian).
6. Communication: on the last day of safari we have spoken on the phone and we have explained to you some of the issues per e-mail. When the driver asked if you want to talk again with our office you declined. After your review on Facebook we have started to communicate again and we were trying to find a solution with you.
7. We have apologized for the inconvenience with the car. After a busy high season we should have taken the car to the garage earlier. We always maintain our cars well, but in this case we were too late to take the car for big maintenance. We will make sure this won’t happen again. We have apologized for this and we have offered you a substantial refund.
SE
Email Jenny Salomonsson | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing - Fantastic - They give you the Best experience you can get
We are so extremely satisfied!
I can just say - If you like to go on safari, book with Shemeji.
From the beginning they have done everything to make the perfect safari for us. Quick replay and very good service.
They have listen to what we want to experience. They gave us suggestions and they arranged the best safari for us, we could not get any better.
We have been at safari in both Kenya and South Africa before, this safari in Tanzania was really really good.
We are 2 families traveling together, this time 11 adults, and Shemeji managed excellent to arrange safari even if we where a big group like this.
We had 2 big land cruiser jeep, good space for all of us, even to be standing up to see the animals.
My family had Ben as a guide and driver, the other family had Omari. They are both so nice and knowledgeable. I got the feeling that they really did everything to give us the best. They both have humor, a lot of knowledge and We enjoyed every minute together with them.
We give them, 5 stars of 5!!
We have been at safari before, but never seen a leopard, that was a big wish for us.
Ben & Omari did everything to give us that experience, and succeeded! A leopard mom with a baby. But even if they had not succeeded with the leopard, they had got the same rate - 5 stars of 5!
Emma, at Shemeji safari & tours, recommended us to stay at Tortilis camp, we were a bit worry to stay at a camp so close to the animals, but it was all over our expectations! So nice place and all staff there were excellent. Even the food was really good.
When we had left Tortilis, I found out that I had forgot my camera charger and battery at the camp, About 20 - 30 minutes drive I get on it.
I had just confused me with that feeling to be out of my camera the rest of our safari.
But Ben just told me that he will fix it, he tried to find a car coming with it, but didn't find any.
He went back to Tortilis and I got my charger and the battery!
We also stayed at Simba lodge Tarangire and Simba lodge Karatu, it was really nice lodges with a small pool area. Recommend that too.
Everything have been amazing!
Would you like to have a really good safari - Go with Shemeji Safari & Tours!
CZ
Email Marek | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
All was amazing. We have seen more than we expected. The attitude of guide and chef was the best!
We got more than expected. Services were great, guide always new how to get the best spot to see animals, chef was cooking greta meals dispite the conditions :-)
Email Philip & Cheryl | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent from start to finish
We had a fantastic 5 day safari with Shemeje
Everything was taken care of including airport transfers and hotel accommodation before and after our safari
Our driver/ guide Adam was great company on the tour with a great knowledge of all the animals and places we visited
The accommodation during the safari was great with lovely friendly staff who made our stay very enjoyable
If you’re thinking of going on safari just do it! And you won’t be disappointed if you choose Shemeje
JP
Email Yuka | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
3-day private safari (Serengeti&Ngorongoro)
We got sound advice from Emma at Shemeji, and the tour included everything we wanted. Her response was always prompt. Our guide, Elemes spotted many animals, even they were far away. We were able to see all big five! There are a lot of tour operators, but we were very glad to choose Shemeji.
DK
Email Martin | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well organised. Great guide and chef.
Good communications and great service. The Safari was fantastic. Our guide was Very good!
JP
Email Aya | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trustworthy, well trained, very cooperative and kind people
Their service was wonderful! The major reason that I chose this company was that their response was unbelievably quick and tried every possible way to arrange all tours that we wanted in limited time! They were very cooperative, trustworthy and wcould enjoy our first time experience in Africa! We really appreciate it! We contacted many other companies but trust me, this company is the best!!! All the tours were also incredible! They were on time to come pick us up, we were never forced to wait for another guests, we were the only ones and had a lot of privacy so we could use time to ourselves as much as possible. When it comes to emergency, they were willing to help us. They called manager to double confirm that everything was okay. We could see how well each agent were trained! We were impressed! We were so amazed by their service as well as tour itself. We would def. recommend this company to especially people who have never been to Africa for safari tour. They will do everything for you and make sure you enjoy every moment from before to after the tour! Perfect! We thank you so much for making our experience in Tanzania memorable! Thank you Emma, Froukje, Adam, Frank and other agents who helped us to enjoy tours!
US
Email Rodrigo | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
5 Days Tarangire, Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro
Overall a good Safari. Everything worked out well, but I would qualify the guide as just OK. Having been on other Safaris I can't overstate the difference that a great guide makes. Separating the rating by item, I would say:
Ease of Dealing with the Company: 5*
Accommodation: 5*
Vehicle: 5*
Guide: 3*
US
Email Allegra | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding!
Choosing a safari company as a first-time experience can be daunting, especially if on a budget. Shemeji was recommended by a friend of a friend in Arusha and we’ve just returned from a stunning 7-day safari. Emma proposed a great itinerary and was also flexible to accommodate some requests we had. What really makes Shemeji stand out was the tour itself. Our guide, Fred, was wonderful. Not only was he very knowledgeable of the four parks we visited and their wildlife, but very personable and fun to be around. Each night while we ate dinner prepared by our excellent cook, Bruce, Fred would go over the following day’s activities with us. The pace and variety of the tour was perfect.