Snowcap Tanzania Tours
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 1991)
- Member Of:
- KIATO & KPAP
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $150 to $800 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
US
Email Donna | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
I have worked in Tanzania for over 30 years and could not recommend a better company
I have known Kenneth Salakana, the Director of SnowCap Ltd most of his life and have worked with him and his father who founded the company for the past 35 years. They are tour operators I chose to provide all arrangements for my annual field-based college course in Northern Tanzania and I have sent many friends and students to them for mountain climbing. They originated the Rongai route that had been closed for many years and have a lovely lodge (The SnowCap Cottages) at its base. It is a great place to stay for a couple of days before climbing to acclimatize to the altitude with day hikes, great food, and comfortable accommodations. Everyone who I recommended to climb with them has reached their goals and have nothing but praise for their professional and friendly guides. I personally work with many of these guides in conjunction with my field course and they are highly trained to protect the safety of visitors and to provide them with an enjoyable experience. Climbers also praise the food by the way! Finally, SnowCap Ltd. is the only local Tanzanian company that is certified by the international non-profit that insures the ethical reimbursement and training of mountain guides and porters. They adhere to international standards and while you can sometimes find cheaper tour operators, you cannot guarantee that they will have your best interests at heart. Traveling with SnowCap Ltd. will enable you to truly experience the warmth and hospitality for which Tanzania is famous. ~Donna Kerner, William Isaac Cole Professor of Anthropology, Wheaton College, Norton, MA (USA)
Reply from Snowcap Tanzania Tours
Posted on Mar 1, 2019Thank you so much Professor for sharing your comments and your experience for working with us. We shall always give better services to you and the whole program
BE
Email Geert | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very professional organisation, taking good care of tourists, porters and guides. Pole pole
Snowcap gives value for money. They responded quickly by mail to any request. Payment was possible though bank transfer. The team took the time to meet us before the start of the hiking, explaining well what we could expect and checking our materials. What is missing could be rented. Punctual pick up at the hostal. We felt safe and well supptorted. The director met us again after our return the day after to check if everything was up to expectations. The guides were very professional and really helped us to reach the summit. The guide also helped us in taking the appropriate decision to go done with one of our kids who suffered altitude illness.nFood was abundant and very good.
Reply from Snowcap Tanzania Tours
Posted on Mar 1, 2019Thank you Geert for comments...We were very much glad to serve you. You shall always remain in our hearts...regards from Snowcap team
DK
Email Gitte | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Reliable budget operator on Mt Kilimanjaro
We experienced Snowcap as a reliable Kilimanjaro operator eager to ensure a good experience for us even for a very good price.
Email communication upfront was a little challenging, but worked out. We would recommend calling them as an alternative.
Arriving in Moshi and during the trek we experienced Snowcap as very reliable and responsible. We trekked with two of their regular guides, and experienced both as very keen to make it to the top with us, but also very aware of ours and the staffs' safety along the way as well as following park rules etc.
We received good and plenty food, and where supported by extremely happy, helpful, and reliable staff.
We found Snowcap to offer cheaper tours than other companies, but to us this did not seem to be reflected in quality of guides, staff, or gear. The gear was older than average on the mountain, but fully functional.
We trekked the Lemosho route in July/August 2018, 4 people. 3 made it to the top, the 4th was send down with suspected altitude sickness before the summit attempt.
We would at all times recommend Snowcap as a reliable and safe budget alternative to more expensive Kilimanjaro operators.
If you want more of an impression feel free to read our blogpost about our trek here: https://shoestringnature.dk/2018/08/04/climbing-mount-kilimanjaro/
Reply from Snowcap Tanzania Tours
Posted on Mar 1, 2019Thanks a lot Gitte for your comments. It was really great serving you. We shall always keep on providing better services.
Stay blessed !
CA
Email Steve | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Snowcap Delivered as promised
Snowcap was exactly as I expected. A mid-priced private tour for my adult daughter and I to the top of Africa. My reason for using Snowcap was because they allowed us to do the Rongai route in 5 days instead of the 6 day minimum. Snowcap is a tour company but they do not have their own dedicated staff of guides and porters. They outsource from a pool of approved and licensed porters, cooks, guides etc. Our group of 2 climbers required(?) a staggering staff of 10. This later proved to be a good thing because 3 of them needed to be evacuated due to altitude sickness from base camp (Kibo) before the (successful) summit attempt. The guide (Makashi) was very professional and capable. Snowcap ran the tour as promised with a few exceptions. We wanted to stay at Snowcap’s lodge in Rongai in order to get an early start to the climb, however on departure morning, we did not have our permit which needed to be procured from the park gate at the other side of the mountain......5 hours drive by public transport from Rongai. This reduced our ‘already’ tight schedule. This avoidable delay and poor discipline of the team to stay together as a team while in the trail (resulting in a lost porter) were the low points of the tour. The high point (quite literally) being the successful summit. Thanks Snowcap!
Reply from Snowcap Tanzania Tours
Posted on Mar 1, 2019Thanks very much Steve for your comments regarding Kilimanjaro climb services. We were very happy to serve you as our dear guest. You are most wwelcome !
IE
Email Garret | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredibly well organised and safe trip and I hope to return again soon!
The whole team were dedicated to ensure safety and comfort in executing our goal of summiting and did an exceptional job
US
Email Jason | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An absolutely wonderful experience!
My wife and I booked our Machambe route Kilimanjaro climb through Snowcap and have nothing but great things to say. Our luggage was delayed by a day and we were thinking we may need to delay the start of our climb. Kenneth and his operations manager Khalid were able to get us started and had porters catch up to us with the rest of our gear on Day 2. Our guide and assistant guide were great and very knowledgeable about the routes and the mountains. From day one they paced us and put us in the best position to reach the summit. Our entire team, including the cook and porters were very friendly. The food was fantastic and we never went hungry!
I cannot rate these guys high enough and would strongly recommend.
US
Email Tom "the old guy" | 65+ years of age
Did the Lemosho route to Kilimanjaro with E. Makashi as guide and A. Kileo as assistant guide.
We set up the hike by Email, were picked up at the airport on arrival, and ultimately dropped off at the airport on completion.
The adventure by its nature is physically demanding, but I felt confident in the guides that they were looking out for our interests. They enhanced
the trip with the conversations we had, and the food and tent were excellent.
They can make arrangements for a toilet, which I strongly recommend.
NL
Email Nicolaas | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Better than excellent !!
Many thanks. I did enjoy this Kilimanjaro trip in such an extraordinairy
way. A wish that I made myself 31 years ago when I saw the Kilimanjaro
for the first time in my life has come true most intensely.
This wish to come true was only possible with the snowcap team of guide
Makashi and the porters Micheali, Antoni, Ramadhan, Yohanesi, Suley and
the ever smiling butler Herry.
I will recommend to all my friends and full network Snowcap for the
smooth organisation, the well skilled guide and porters team that
brought me to the top and to the end point of the Kilimanjaro trip
safely and with a life time memory.
To rate Snowcap on a 0-10 scale I would say that a 9,5 is deserved
through the feeling of responsibility within the great atmosphere that
your team has created to me.
Hope to come back to you at least once again in my life.
DE
Email Bernhard | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent Kilimanjaro Climb
Thanks a lot for an excellent climb on Mt Kilimanjaro! As a family with 6 persons we had planned to climb Mt Kilimanjaro. After comparing different offers we made the decission to go with Snowcap Tours. Kenneth made an comprehensive offer and gave us good advice. We had chosen the Rongai Route. The night before we stayed at Snowcap Cottages which was a good decission. It is a calm and friendly environment and close to the gate and already in 2000m altitude - good for aclimatisation. We had experienced and motivating guides and all of us made it to the summit. I can recomment Snowcap Tours.
US
Email Corby M. | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a Lifetime - THANK YOU SNOWCAP TEAM
Snowcap provided us with an experience that surpassed our best expectations on our journey to Uhuru Peak. Kenneth did an excellent job of communicating with me overseas from day one which gave us confidence that this would be a great experience all along. When we arrived in Tanzania, we were greated by our Sr. Guide Makashi & Kenneth and were able to ride with them to stay at Snowcap Cottages prior to our hike which was wonderful. The entire time on the mountain the team catered to us to make sure we had the best time possible. From the porters, to the cook, waiter, guides, etc. everyone we interacted with added to our enjoyment of the trip. Our guides in particular, Makashi & Saimon, did an absolutely outstanding job of giving us a feel for Tanzanian culture, wildlife, and had a deep knowledge of the Kilimanjaro itself which enhanced our trek each day. We made it to the summit without any issues and were sad to have to leave the team after 7 days with them. Could not recommend this team any more. 10/10