East African Safari & Touring Company
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 1992)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $230 to $2,000 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
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Email jennifer pinson | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Awesome Once in A Lifetime Experience
My husband and I recently did a 7day camping and lodge safari with East African Safari and Touring Company. The experience of camping with the sounds of wildlife close by and waking up in a tent under an acacia tree in the Serengeti was an amazing experience. This trip was far too short but it did give us a taste of Tanzania and its wildlife we will definitely be returning in the future for another safari with friends and will again travel with Eastco, they were the best. Boundary Hill Lodge with is view had one of the nicest views from a hotel we have seen or stayed in, sitting on the veranda for evening drinks around the fire created a great atmosphere, with the night sounds in the distance and hearing the occasional roar of a lion.
The camp we stayed at in the Serengeti called pure Tanzania luxury was also great, the area for tents was very large and our cook was able to place us in a private space. The toilets and showers can be busy at times and we were glad we stayed in a lodge at Ngorongoro. The Toyota couldn't have done the job better well driven over really rough roads and room to move around in. I would really recommend this type of trip to anybody who wants adventure and a bit of comfort, camping and lodges provide excellent variety on safari you can really experience the African bush. Our cook and guide were wonderful and did everything to make this trip amazing, thanks to Eastco and the team we will surely be back.
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Email Gail SB | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
7 day safari at 4 parks: more than just seeing animals, a once in a lifetime experience.
The trip was tailored for our family's specific needs by the owners who worked directly with our son. They recommended a 7 day trip and they were right! They assigned an amazing team of Wilson, our driver and guide, and Paolo, our cook to make sure that our family of 3 had an amazing experience starting with a fresh breakfast every morning beginning with the Boundary Hills Lodge to Ngorongoro Crater area. Words can’t express the beauty of each of these and what we saw every day because of EASTCO. I am grateful.
Email jeff | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Better than the First
This was our second safari with Eastco we had our first safari with this company in May 2014.
That trip was excellent but this, our second safari was better.
After only one safari you love everything, wildlife, guide, lodges and camps. I guess seeing your first lion in the wild will make any trip seem perfect.
My wife and I again stayed at Boundary Hill Lodge in Tarangire, and the view was perfect, this stay was better than last time, some of the little things you look for were perfect. hot water, a new camp manager, food superb.
After Tarangire we went to Ngorongoro and stayed at the wildlife lodge, we liked the view from a previous visit, so decided to stay again. We were not disappointed. One night here was enough as we were keen to get to the Serengeti again. Our first Serengeti camp was at Ndutu, we spend three nights here and followed the wildebeest. They were everywhere, calves and lions, jackals and vultures. Hyenas of course. The tented camp was clean well set up with really decent food. It is nice to sit around the campfire at night and talk about the days events.
After Ndutu we went to Seronera Valley and stayed 2 nights there in another tented camp. It was quiet except for the lions at night. Both these camps are perfect for a safari.
We flew back to Arusha from Seronera and it then spent a night there on our own.
The next day we met David the new manager of Eastco before we went to Kilimanjaro airport. Meeting David was one of the best parts of the trip, he was born in Tanzania but had only been managing Eastco since Janurary this year. I guess it was because of him that we noticed the little things were better than last time. Communications between him and us before the trip and even after we arrived home could not have been better.
All in all it was a perfect safari and I would recommend Eastco to any potential safari goer.
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Email Audra | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
One of the best experience in Safari!
I have just finished a 8 day safari organised with David at Eastco, from the planning stage, payment and eventual safari it could not have gone better.
With all the Tour Operators in Arusha choosing a company is probably the most difficult. We could not have been happier with Eastco.
This was our first safari and this is my first trip report, I read a few others to get a type of format so here goes.
Dates: 8 Days from February 5th to the 12th 2018
I travelled with my partner both in our late 20’s.
Parks Visited: Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, Ndutu and Central Serengeti. We didn’t want to splurge but wanted decent clean accommodation. Our first night was spent at AruMeru River lodge, good food, clean and comfortable. We met David from Eastco in the morning and discussed our trip, before setting off to Tarangire.
Boundary Hill Lodge exceeded our expectations, the views of the valley below were the best you could imagine. Elephants could be seen from the verandah of the room it was a pretty good way to enjoy a sundowner. The Park itself offered lion, elephants, baobab trees everywhere. The highlight was the drive along the Tarangire River here it was easy to see elephants drinking, Zebra and Impala all over the place. We spent two nights here before going to Ngorongoro Crater.
At the Crater we stayed at the Wildlife Lodge again a lodge with a fantastic view. We did an early morning game drive and again saw animals everywhere. Elephants, buffalo, gazelles, lions sleeping, hyena as well as jackal.
Our 5th night was a highlight of the trip, we camped somewhere in the Serengeti Ndutu I believe and there were wildebeest with babies everywhere, as far as the eye could see. The main predators were hyena and jackal, lions which we expected to see where few and far between. We weren’t interested in birds but the superb starlings and vultures changed our minds, the Serengeti is all you imagined, open plains as far as the eye can see.
On one of our days here we went looking for cheetah, found one lone animal sleeping in the shade of a large tree. While this day was relaxing driving amongst the wildebeest was more fun.
We spent the last night at Seronera before flying back to Arusha in what was the smallest plane we have flown in not only was it scary but rough. The views of the areas we had visited showed us a different perspective.
Vehicle: We had a flat tyre but considering the condition of some of the roads I am surprised the 4 x 4 survived.
Highlight:
Boundary Hill Lodge: the view was awesome, food great more than enough and a good variety.
Serengeti : Wildebeest everywhere.
Eastco: David provided a perfect well planned trip.
Wouldn’t do again: Take the flight.
Email Kathryn | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
I had an amazing solo safari in Tanzania with EastCo!
As a female travelling to Tanzania alone, I was quite anxious about this trip. I sent emails to around 80 different companies stating what I was looking for, along with some questions addressing my main concerns. I was really impressed by the detailed and personalized response that I received from EastCo, and after a brief correspondence with Simon, I decided to book with them. And I'm so glad I did.
I did a private safari for 10 days, starting in Arusha and visiting Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater, Ndutu, Seronera Valley, Tarangire and Shira Plateau at the foot of Kilimanjaro. EastCo arranged for nature hikes at Ngorongoro and Tarangire, as well as a night drive, also at Tarangire. I was also able to visit a remote school. All great experiences. The itinerary was perfect and the accommodation was all fabulous. The safari itself was amazing. Thanks to my wonderful guide (Bernard) and awesome driver (Wilson), I felt safe and comfortable the whole time, which as a solo female traveller was very important for me. As it was my first safari, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I saw so many animals at close range and had a number of special experiences.
There were a few hiccups, but nothing that would stop me from booking with EastCo again. There were a few problems with the vehicle, but Wilson was able to fix them and get us back on the "road" in no time. I was supposed to camp one night on Shira Plateau, but there was an issue with permits, so we were unable to camp. That was a bit disappointing, but the lodge they arranged at short notice was beautiful. There was also a problem at the gate at Kilimajaro NP, but again, it was sorted out with relative efficiency.
All in all, I had a fantastic experience with East African Safari and Touring Company, and I can't wait to do another safari with them!
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Email Kate | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Simon of EastCo still owes us more than $9,000 after three years. DO NOT BOOK.
It is absolutely criminal that Simon and EastCo are still taking bookings. I should have written this review earlier, but every time I think about it I get a terrible pit in my stomach. My husband and I organized a 30 day safari with Simon in July 2015. The reviews were all good, so we felt okay about it. But then the first day, no one came to pick us up at our hotel, which should have been the first sign of trouble. The next week and a half was probably some of the most stressful travel I've ever experienced. I won't get into the nitty gritty, but I will give one detail: our safari vehicle got repossessed in the middle of the night when we were at a remote safari camp, because Simon hadn't paid the bills. At every turn we were asked to pay out of pocket or held behind, because Simon and Eastco hadn't paid. Finally, we cut our trip short. We ended with a copy of Simon's passport and a statement, in writing, and signed, that he would repay us for services not rendered. He's paid us back only $900 of over $10,000 owed. We're still waiting. DO NOT BOOK WITH EASTCO. You will have your money stolen. I would be happy to discuss more with anyone who has questions, and to share the written document of Simon's promising us our money back (you can email me using the link above this review). This company should be flagged as fraudulent on all safari sites. Terrible. Just terrible.
Reply from East African Safari & Touring Company
Posted on May 1, 2018Hi Kate, let me start by introducing myself, my name is David from Eastco.
As of the 1/01/18 I was appointed by the Directors of Eastco (East African Safari and Touring Company) as the Managing Director.
Are you able to email me at [email protected] regarding the circumstances of your safari.
Email Mackenzie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing safari experience!
This was my second trip with EastCo and it exceeded my expectations in every way yet again! We started out in Uganda staying at Queen Elizabeth National Park before going on to trek with the chimps and then the gorillas. This was definitely one of the best experiences of my life and a definite highlight of the trip.
The staff were extremely helpful, organised, friendly and knowledgeable.
We continued on to Tanzania and the Serengeti and it was yet another amazing safari! Our drivers and guides, Izakyo and Wilson were very well educated on the animals and the environment.
I can’t thank EastCo enough for the amazing experience for the second time!!
Email Isaac Ellis | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Staff are fantastic, really made the experience a memorable one.
I've only been on safari once, but I have to say East Co did a fantastic job of making sure our trip was both enjoyable and was according to plan. Each night the driver's would give us a full run down of what the following day's itinerary entailed - they even let us have input in regard to the timing and length of game drives that we'd do. We really felt like they'd bend over backwards for us if we asked them to!
Overall, I was ecstatic with my experience in dealing with East Co.
Email Joshua Antonelli | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was amazing and very friendly staff
The staff could all speak english, friendly and reliable. The guide's where amazing finding the big 5 and had good banter along the way. The cooks made fests every night. Some the meals deserved michelin star. The safari was well run and seemed to follow nicely and i wouldn't change a thing
Email Dom | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
The Trip of a Lifetime!
Absolutely amazing safari from Entebbe, Uganda through to Arusha in Tanzania. In 20 days we visited 9 National Parks, with the absolute highlights being the Chimpanzees in Kibale, the tree climbing lions in Ishasha (Queen Elizabeth II N.P), the famous gorillas in Bwindi, 5 days in the Serengeti (lions, leopards, cheetahs!), the wildebeest migration, the beauty of Ngorongoro Crater and the elephants in Tarangire N.P. 18 of these nights were camping in tents with the last 2 being lodge accommodation. With such a big safari to organise and cater for I was amazed at how smooth and easy everything was for us all. Absolutely everything was taken care from setting-up/taking-down camps, cooked meals, transport, park entries, safety and of course once in a lifetime experiences.
Personally, this was something I've been wanting to do for many years now and I couldn't be happier with how everything went. Cannot recommend the East African Safari & Touring Company highly enough for anyone looking to do a proper safari anywhere in East Africa. They are your best contact, hands down. Anything you want they can sort it for you. Thanks again guys :)
