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
Email Cecelialee | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Other Outstanding Safari
We flew into Nairobi in March this year for a safari in Tanzania. We stayed at the Fairview Hotel, a lovely setting where you feel like you are in the country, not in a large city.
We had a private transfer organised by EASTCO to Namanga. One of my travelling companions wanted to buy Kenyan cricket jumpers for his sons, so Amina, who travelled with us to the border with her driver, organised to take us to a Nairobi shopping centre. When we finally set off for Namanga we were caught in Nairobi’s traffic jams! Our driver set out to avoid this by driving down the back streets of Nairobi. It was amazing, busy colourful markets , small tin shop fronts, lunch being cooked up by side of the road for passersby. A great start to our day.
We were met at Namanga by EASTCO and after quick customs formalities we were on our way to Arusha. The first thing I noticed this time was how green the country side was. I have travelled to Tanzania several times before but this was the first time in March after some rain.
We spent the first two days around Arusha, shopping! I noticed how many more motor bikes there were now. A great sight: Masais in their traditional shukas zooming around on motor bikes.
Then we went to Arusha National Park looking for colobus monkeys. It was green and lush, a lovely way to start our safari. We ate lunch from our lunch boxes at a picnic spot at the top of the hill and watched the rain clouds moving across. We saw flamingos in the lakes, zebras, buffalo, giraffe ,bush buck, duiker and many baboons of course.
As we were heading out through the forest, our last chance to see the colobus monkeys, we were not disappointed. In a clump of trees beside the road we saw at least ten colobus monkeys moving amongst the branches.
Next day we headed to the Ngorongoro Crater. The countryside once again was so green, the young Masai goat herders stood out wearing their red and blue shukas, a special sight. On the way we stopped at Mto wa Mbu , where we wandered around, bought some bananas and some Masai shukas. They make great gifts and my daughters use them as picnic blankets.
We spent two nights at the Wildlife Lodge on the edge of the crater. I was looking forward to the lovely view of the crater from my bedroom window which I enjoyed so much last time. On our first night here, we had three buffalo munching on the grass right outside our bedroom windows.
We spent the whole of the next day in the crater. My travelling companions did not want to leave the crater till the gates closed. The crater was so picturesque, so green and there was much water around. We were looking for rhino and we saw five not too far from the road.
As we had asked for the full day in the crater we were able to enjoy the beauty of this remarkable place and its varied wildlife, on most occasions without any other vehicles around. Later in the afternoon many more vehicles arrived for an afternoon drive.
As we were heading to the gate of the crater, one of my companions, always on the look out for animals, spotted a serval cat . This was his ninth trip to Tanzania and this was the first time he had seen the serval cat - it just added to our fantastic day.
Next day we drove to Ndutu, we were advised by EASTCO this was the best place to see lots of animals as it is just after calving season. They were right!
Of all my safaris I have never seen so many animals as this time.
We stayed in a tented camp site for two nights . The first night we had zebras wandering through our campsite. In the morning as I was having my hot shower I looked over the canvas wall of my bathroom and saw a lone zebra checking out what I was doing. The next night we had many wildebeest wandering for several hours through our camp. Everyone should camp for at least one night to experience the animals in this kind setting.
On our first day driving through Ndutu I was amazed at seeing so many wildebeest with their young, as well as zebras also with their young. We stopped at Ndutu Lake for more than a hour watching a line of wildebeest with their young crossing the lake. They were grazing on the bank of the lake and when each ones turn came to cross the lake off they ran with their young behind to join the thousands of wildebeest on the other side of the lake. As we watched we wondered if some of the very young would make it across the lake. Some calves had difficulty so their mothers turned around and they returned safely back to the bank. An incredible sight, difficult to capture in a photo but a wonderful memory.
We also saw a herd of about 100 elephants making their way to a watering hole nearby.
Our guide Bernard parked at the side of the path the elephants were taking. Within minutes there was a group of at least 12 vehicles around the elephants. They parked in front of the elephants.
Maybe radios should be banned! What happened to the adventure of looking for animals yourself. One my travelling companions would yell out to Bernard our guide,” STOP”, checked with the binoculars,” NO, NOTHING, KEEP GOING”.
Then next day not far from our campsite we found a pride of 8 lions. As we were observing these lions we noticed we had a flat tyre, much to the distress of Bernard as he had to change the tyre within close proximity to the lions. We removed his bag from the front seat and opened the door for a quick jump in if necessary. So as we kept our eye on the lions for any movement Bernard nervously changed the tyre. Fortunately they were all well fed and were content to just laze in the morning sun.
I read many complaints about vehicles and flat tyres. My husband recently travelled in outback Australia up the Birdsville Track, five flat tyres later! All part of the adventure.
We then headed to the Serengeti plains. The wildebeest were just heading to the edge of the Serengeti and as far as I could see in every direction there were thousands of wildebeest. The grass was quite long so it was a little more difficult to spot animals. As we had seen many more animals than we imagined we would we were able to relax and appreciate the vastness of this amazing place. We did see many eland in the distance .
We were on a mission to find leopards and cheetahs. We found two leopards in trees, the tails hanging down from the branches a dead give away!
Then we came across a cheetah with five young sucking as she lay in the sun. As we were enjoying this unique experience along came the vehicles, the radios were calling! Many drove and sat far too close to the cheetah, once again a great photo opportunity and happy tourist but not enough respect for the cheetah family or other tourists.
We were staying at Seronera Wildlife Lodge, another favourite. On our way to the lodge we passed a hippo pool with many hippos giving a great photo opportunity.
As we headed out of the Serengeti the next day , Bernard never stopped looking for lions ,cheetahs and leopards around the many kopjes while keeping an eye on the clock as we had to be back at the gate on time.
We came across two very shy African wild cats, a very rare sight.
Just as we thought we had seen it all, on a nearby kopje we saw a group of lions, a mother and five cubs relaxing in the sun . Below by the road there was a male lion keeping a very careful watch over his lioness. A great way to leave the Serengeti and yes we made it to the gate with 5 minutes to spare!
On our drive we stopped at Mt Wa Mbu, we bought bananas and sat in a local cafe and soaked up the atmosphere.
We spent the next two nights at Boundary Hill Lodge, a very unique lodge. We drove through Tarangerie National Park and saw many giraffes ,a male lion virtually straight away and many, many other animals. On our second day at Boundary Hill Lodge we had a most relaxing time enjoying the privacy and wonderful views from our rooms.
As we drove back to Arusha we stopped at the Kisongo market . So many people, so colourful, so many food products to buy. We asked Bernard if we could stop at local restaurant to try a local lunch, so we stopped at Makuyuni and tried the local lunch nyama choma, roast goat and banana.
Just outside Arusha we called into the snake farm and also visited the Masai museum, both well worth a visit.
We had a most amazing and memorable safari.
EASTCO were extremely good, were very flexible and were happy to accommodate all of our requests.
I was impressed with Bernard our guide with his fantastic knowledge and his genuine concern and interest for his environment.
US
Email Robert Barta | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A customized itinerary, pleasant and knowledgeable driver and overall fantastic experience.
The communication before the trip was excellent and all my questions were answered promptly. The tour was customized to allow me 2 days with the gorillas at Bwindi and primates at Kibale in Uganda and continued to many parks and reserves in Tanzania. My driver Ezekial was very nice and knowledgeable. The tour and locations were fantastic and gave me a wide variety of African ecosystems. Accommodations varied from large tented camps to lodges and hotels.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Amazing wildlife, beautiful places and wonderful people - an excellent safari!
We are very happy that we chose to book our safari with East African Safari! In 13 days, we visited Ngorongoro, the Serengeti, Tarangire and Zanzibar and the trip more than met our expectations.
We found communication to be very good. During the planning process, Simon King kindly took our desires and expectations into account while also giving us very good advice. Later, when we ran into a snag on Zanzibar (concerning transport from Stone Town to Fumba Beach), Simon promptly solved the problem and also kept checking to make sure that all was well.
All of the staff, whether employees of the lodges or of East African Safari, were friendly, kind, and attentive. Our guide/driver, Ezekiel, was fantastic! We appreciated his expertise, his willingness to try to find the last of the wildebeest/zebra migration for my husband, and his sense of humor. Having visited game parks before on our own, we now understand how important an expert guide is. I cannot praise Ezekiel too highly! It is easy to measure a safari by the number of animals seen, but I felt that it was really all the wonderful staff who made our trip so memorable.
Some of the highlights of our trip included an afternoon walk with a ranger on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater, the spectacular views from the rooms at Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge, the beautiful camp in the Serengeti (complete with a leopard for a neighbor), all the wildlife we saw of course, and Boundary Hill Lodge. There is no word for Boundary Hill Lodge, but magical. I loved every minute of our time there. The beauty, the quiet, the remoteness made me want to just stay. On Zanzibar, we wish we had spent less time in Stone Town (our choice, not on Simon’s advice) and more time at Fumba Beach Lodge, another wonderful place where you can sit by an infinity pool and watch the white sails of the dhows passing on the blue water of the Indian Ocean.
I am already thinking of another trip to East Africa and will certainly arrange my safari through East African Safari Co.
US
Email Kim | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Southern Tanzania parks with EASTCO
We went on safari with EASTCO for 14 days traveling mid-July-early August 2014. We traveled to Ruaha, Iringa, Udzungwa and Selous. This was the second safari for us, both times we have used EASTCO as our TO.
The safari was an absolute delight. It was all that we had hoped for and more! Our first safari was to the Northern circuit in February 2013. This trip we wanted to go somewhere different and Simon suggested right away that we go to the southern parks of Tanzania. That was a great decision. The southern parks have such a wild and untamed feel to them. Perfect for those who might want to do a varied safari that could include walks, boat safaris, cultural visits, and history in addition to the usual game drives by vehicle, all of this without being surrounded by lots of other tourists. The animal life was wonderful albeit in lesser numbers than the north but oh, so, special and the landscapes were just breath taking. The many different Elephant encounters we had on this trip were so special and memorable. Something we will never forget.
Our trip started in Dar es Salaam where we overnighted after flying from the U.S. The next morning we flew from DAR to Ruaha National Park where we met our fantastic guide, James. We spent 5 nights in Ruaha tent camping. Each day on safari was an adventure. The birding was great, so were the Lions and their cubs that we saw as well as the many Ellies that the park has. One night we even had an Ellie going through our camp. We also did a fantastic 3 hour walk with a Ranger and an armed guard. We learned a lot and it is such a different experience than a game drive in a vehicle. All of the little things that can be discovered on a walk add a different dimension to the safari.
Next we drove to Iringa where we spent 2 nights at the Neema Crafts Guesthouse. Our main focus in Iringa was the Isimila Stone Age site. It was a fantastic place and so interesting to actually walk out among the Stone Age tools that were left in the valley by river erosion. There are not many places left where one can actually see and hold Stone Age tools just lying around on the ground. The stone pillars at Ismiila were really cool looking too. They were left standing after the river eroded the area around them. Neema Crafts Guesthouse was a great place to stay. We also enjoyed the liveliness of the town of Iringa.
Udzungwa National Park was our next stop for 2 nights. It was a mountainous area with great hiking. The area is known for its primates and it didn’t disappoint. We saw: Angola Pied Colobus, Iringa Red Colobus, Yellow Baboons and Blue Monkeys. The Butterflies at Udzungwa were numerous and beautiful too.
After our stay at Udzungwa we left for 4 nights in the Selous. We stayed 1 night at Sable Mountain Lodge-absolutely beautiful! We then moved on to Hippo Camp where we tent camped for 2 nights right along the Rufiji River and spent our final night in one of Hippo Camp’s tented huts. The Rufiji River is the lifeblood of the area. We did a river boat cruise that was just fabulous. The bird-life was plentiful and diverse and the sunsets were to die for. Our wonderful safari guide, James, also arranged a village tour and a walk with a bushman that were both unique and educational. We even saw 2 Elephant Shrews on our walk with the bushman.
Simon, at EASTCO, does a wonderful job of planning off-the-beaten-track trips if wanted and has a vast knowledge of Tanzania and its people, culture and animals. EASTCO has great guides too! We had Ezekiel on our first safari to the Northern Circuit and James for our second safari to the Southern Circuit and couldn’t have asked for any better! The guide can make or break your safari.
EASTCO safaris can be as diverse and unique as one wants. Simon is patient and knowledgeable in helping with the planning of a trip. Going on our second safari we knew right off the bat that we would use EASTCO. Simon did a great job with both trips and we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend EASTCO for those who want something a little different than the typical safari that many companies punch out with regularity.
This is a link to our photos:
https://plus.google.com/photos/106816041713365180641/albums/6055379437698967089?authkey=CP6doaLU-9rVuQE
PH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great safari adventure. It was worry-free, exciting at the same time relaxing !
Mr. Simon King,the tour company owner communicates directly and fast regarding queries and concerns since we travelled as a family with teens and a senior vegan. We loved our driver-tour guide and friend rolled into one-Mr. James Sichilima. He took care of most if not all our 8days' seamless transfer from one hotel to the other, from city to the wildlife, from rest stops to fun drives. We loved the tented accommodation the most since it offered an eye opening reality of how humans can live harmoniously with the animals without harming them.Thanks EastCo for memories worth remembering!!
Email Cynthia | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
All our dreams come true.
After 2 years of researching where to visit in Tanzania , I had a dream itinerary for a 30 day trip for my husband and I. I sent it off to several safari companies for quotes. Some didn't reply, some ignored some parts of the itinerary, and some were way too expensive. East African Safari Company included everything and had a vey reasonable quote. And, Simon was enthused about some of the "different" things we wanted to do. Beforehand, there were lots of emails back and forth to fine -tune the itinerary, to debate the merits of one place over another, and for Simon to make excellent suggestions based on his 20 years experience organising safaris. When we found out 8 months beforehand that our accommodation in Mahale National Park was ceasing operation, I panicked, but Simon went about working out the logistics for us to stay in the TANAPA bandas with our own cook. So much cheaper and so much better! Transferring money was simple as we could just transfer direct to the company's Australian account.
On the ground, everything worked seamlessly- our private transfer from Nairobi airport, a handover to our wonderful guide James and excellent cook Michael , and then our 20 days with them, in a mixture of lodges, tent camping at special campsites in Arusha and Serengeti parks, a banda in Manyara, donkey-portaged tent in the NCAA, and a hotel in Mwanza. The internal flights on Auric Air from Mwanza to Mahale and then Safari Link from Mahale to Mafia were also a great way to see a little more of the country.
Our safari was a mixture of interaction with locals ( former street-kids, Maasai, the villagers of MtoWa Mbu, Sukuma) wildlife viewing, and physical exertion( walking and canoeing in Arusha National Park, a 3 day trek from Nainokanoka to Lake Natron, 4 days chimp tracking in Mahale National Park and snorkelling and deep sea fishing off Mafia Island) All of it was terrific, but I especially enjoyed having the time to walk/tour with people and hear their stories. The wildlife viewing was wonderful, with James able to find many things on his own, and with judicious use of the radio to hear about special sightings. We happened across both a zebra and wildebeest migration in different parts of the Serengeti- animals as far as you could see. The chimp tracking in Mahale with our TANAPA guide, Peter, was hard work- hot, humid, steep hills, but so worth it to have the chimps walk right past you, less than 30cm away. After all the sweating , it was great to snorkel in Lake Tanganyika watching the cichlid fish. Our final 4 days on Mafia Island was great as a wind-down with more snorkelling and successful fishing.
Every single day was wonderful, with new things to see and do, but enough time to relax and just "be" in the landscape. Guides, cooks, camp crew, lodge staff were universally terrific at their jobs, and James, especially, surpassed our expectations. He was versatile, adapted to things as they happened, funny, enthusiastic, warm and had our very best interests at heart.
We cannot recommend Eastco highly enough. We'll be going with them again- in February 2016 hopefully.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A really good guide and efficient pre-tour organisatiion enabled a fantastic trip.
Simon was extremely efficient with his email correspondence and help with our itinerary prior to departure. He really made organising things easy. Our guide, James, was a bonus to have and helped make our trip trouble free and very welcoming. Whilst we understand the vehicles do take a battering we felt that it was slightly under our expectations. Overcoming a hitch with an accommodation booking and an unexpected early departure on our final day didn't dampen our experiences. Very memorable trip.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
My driver/guide was excellent. Many opportunities to see wildlife
Sometimes there were short delays in communication but Simon always returned emails
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Email Dennis Hanson | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
We did a two-week, diversified safari with East Africa Safari, and it was extraordinary!
My wife and I sought a quality African wildlife experience and we shopped two-dozen+ operators. It's always anxiety-producing when you're not sure if you've made the right decision. But, with East African Safari, we made just the right decision. The company was spot on with all pre-trip communications and concerns, and in the field, our safari guide was knowledgeable (he became our friend), the vehicle was reliable, the logistics were predictably dependable, and our African trip was magnificent. Were we to do it again, and we might!, we'd do it again with Simon and East African Safari.
AE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic experience and beyond thrilling!
A well-planned and organized safari that extended for three amazing days across the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti. Everything from the stay, food, transportation and the safari itself was beyond perfect. I highly recommend East African Safari for an African safari.