Our Head Guide Nico and our Signature Hot Lunches
Unlimited Expeditions: The Soul of Tanzania
- Office In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2015)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $150 to $400 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
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Email Shirley | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Most unforgettable experience! Worth every penny!
This is a company that will make your safari trip an extraordinary experience. I would like to give every one in this team a huge shoutout because they made my first African Safari trip a truly pleasant and unforgettable one.
I started to plan this trip 7 months prior to the travel dates. Luis was my point of contact and working with him was a delightful and easy experience. He always replies to my email within 24 hours and gave me all the support I needed. He handled all our booking issues professionally and fast. At one point in the planning process we need to change our travel dates due to our work schedule and he made it possible. I can’t be more satisfied to work with Luis.
We had a five-night safari. We stayed at Sanctuary Swala, the Four Season Serengeti, and Lemala camp Ngorogoro, all of them recommended by SoT. Thanks to their amazing recommendations we enjoyed our stays in all of them.
I know everyone who chose this company said they had the best guide, but I still want to say that our guide/driver, Denis, is the best guide we can ever asked for! This trip cannot be as memorable if we did not have him. He is a guide who has 20 years of industry experience. Not only does he have great personality, but also knows every single road in ALL national parks by heart and can spot animals from far away. I almost thought he had a super power when he noticed a lion hiding in tall grass from 1mile away. He always waited us at the front door of the lodges with his car ready 20 mins earlier than the time we told him to meet, no exception. During the trip I was curious not only about wild animals but also the culture of Tanzania so I bothered him with a gazillion questions every single day. He answered all of them with patience, and told me so many fascinating wild animal stories from his previous safari experience. While we were doing a game drive in Serengeti we had a flat tire. Denis handled it so professionally all by himself. To be honest I was a little worried when it happened but he made us feel we were in safe hands. He is just like a big brother and a good friend that you can rely on. He is truly an amazing guide in so many ways and my word doesn’t do justice. Asante Sana Denis you are the man!
We ran into some other SoT cars during our stays and I talked with another guide called Philip. He is a super nice and knowledgeable guide and speaks perfect English. Beatus, the manager in the Arusha office answered my call at 7:30am and solved an urgent problem we encountered. It is fair to say this is a team with the best professionals in the industry and they know what they are doing. The only thing I was not “happy” about was they made me feel I did not get enough of Tanzania in just five days and I have to come back again! If you are looking for a team to handle your safari in Tanzania, no need to search further because Soul of Tanzania can meet all your expectations if not exceeding them.
You will see me back very soon:)
Email Kristina | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An EPIC safari adventure!
My mother and I recently returned from a 2 week safari tour organised through Soul of Tanzania, beginning in Kenya and then continuing on through Tanzania, and ending with a 3 day trip to Zanzibar.
I contacted numerous safari operators while planning this trip and chose Soul of Tanzania as they were the most prompt and detailed in their replies and also as they were more than happy to assist with personalising a private safari experience for 2, as I already had a rough itinerary worked out of places I wished to visit.
I dealt with Sandy over the 4-5 months prior to the trip, and through over 60+ emails, she was absolutely wonderful - replies were very prompt, no question went unanswered and the level of detail and flexibility in the planning process was second to none.
Planning a safari experience, particularly if it is a first-time one, can be daunting, especially if you have never visited Africa and are not entirely sure of what to expect, but the level of assistance I received from Sandy ensured the trip was the most memorable I have ever had.
Additionally, even though it was a private safari, costs were relatively similar if not lower than numerous other companies I contacted who were not able to cater for my specific itinerary.
Our only hiccup was that the bank transfer for the balance of our trip bounced back while we were already in Africa, and it was a bit of a hassle and also more expensive to have to pay via credit card, particularly as a lot of the more remote accomodation has very limited internet access.
The only advice I have here is that Soul of Tanzania need to make clear in their contract that the balance of the payment MUST be made one month prior to commencing the trip if making via bank transfer. This was not made clear in the contract and therefore we were charged a fee.
We visited the Maasai Mara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara and Tarangire National Parks.
In the Maasai Mara in Kenya we were looked after by our wonderful guide Solomon, from Spirit of Kenya. From the first game drive, where Solomon took us to a lone male lion, who stood right next to my window and looked me straight in the eyes before walking slowly away, to the last drive in Tarangire where we were the only car to witness a leopard feeding in a tree next to us, we not only saw the Big 5, but such a variety of wildlife and birds that I never even knew existed!
In Tanzania, we were looked after by Dominick “Schumacher”, our modern Maasai! Dominick is incredible - a wealth of knowledge about every animal and bird around, as well as the national parks and Tanzania in general. He is very passionate about conservation and about his work and it really shows. Not only did we learn so much about the wildlife, but about Tanzania and its rich history and culture, especially the Maasai.
Dominick’s driving skills were pretty awesome, and even the daily Tanzanian massage wasn’t an issue for either my mother or I, especially me, who normally suffers from motion sickness!
I am a very keen photographer, and every day Dominick ensured that I had the best vantage points for excellent photo opportunities, he was accomodating for all manner of requests and questions, emergency toilet breaks, he seemed to have Spiderman senses to see and know where every animal would be, or where they would end up if they disappeared and he ensured that our safety and comfort was top priority at all times.
We chose mid-range accomodation during our safari, which was all excellent and which I would actually rate as on the high end when compared to many other accomodations I have stayed at around the world over the years.
Our accomodation in the Maasai Mara was in Ilkeliani Lodge, a beautiful tented camp looked after by the Maasai, where on our first night we had an exciting visit not only by an elephant but by a lion nearby! Our Maasai guards made sure all was safe and I can’t recommend Erik, our Maasai guide at the camp highly enough. Erik took us to a nearby Maasai village, where we were welcomed and shown around and he also took us on a walking tour to teach us about the land and plant life in the Maasai Mara.
The Serengeti Sopa Lodge was a large and very accomodating lodge, made all the more special by the beautiful staff, especially in the restaurant, who on finding out that it was my mother’s birthday during our trip, planned a surprise cake and had all the staff in the restaurant perform a traditional African song and dance for her on our last night there!
At Ngorongoro, we stayed at the wonderful Serena Lodge, which has the most incredibly breathtaking views I have ever seen.
The Ngorongoro Crater is a wonder that nobody travelling to Tanzania should ever miss - a feast for the eyes and the soul.
The Escarpment Luxury Lodge at Lake Manyara was not only the cheapest of the accomodation we had, but it was definitely the most luxurious - it was quite incredible, with stunning sunset views over the lake. It’s only very minor drawback was that it was the only place where I actually needed to use insect repellant!
In Zanzibar, we stayed at Dream of Zanzibar, on the North East coast. Zanzibar was the perfect way to end this trip of a lifetime, with beaches and water to die for!
While the beach is supremely beautiful, you will encounter numerous Maasai trying to sell you their wares and offering trips, and though I became friendly with many of them and had quite a laugh with them, it was quite a full on experience for some of the other hotel guests!
Zanzibar was definitely the most commercial and most ‘’Western’’ part of our trip, with the accomodation, amenities and experiences on the island catered to tourists, but nevertheless we were extremely well looked after and had a wonderful and relaxing time.
Asante sana to Sandy at Soul of Tanzania, Solomon in Kenya and Dominick in Tanzania for making this trip of a lifetime an absolute 5-star experience!
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Email AaronS | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
5 nights from Arusha to Serengeti to Ngororgoro back to Arusha
My wife and I had a fantastic time on safari with our guide Eddy
The setup of the tour was amazing, the accommodations were fantastic and Eddy was the perfect guide!
We loved it and will recommend Soul of Tanzania to our friends and family
The accommodation was incredible and the photos of the setup don't do it justice.
Helena was a great liaison also
HK
Email June | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We will be back!
Once in a lifetime experience!
Our Journey designer Mei Ling was very helpful and efficient with trip planning and accommodation booking. She always replies our emails promptly!
Airport pickup and transfer was very smooth.
Our Tour guide Saidi was very friendly and knowledgeable. We learnt so much about the wildlife and local culture. Saidi made our trip very informative and fun. We were amazed by Saidi's super good eyesight to spot animals with a distance. Saidi was very patient to answer all our questions, and let us take as many photos as we want. I think Saidi maximized the game time for us, and he always stopped at a very good spot for photo taking.
We love all accommodations Soul of Tanzania suggested. All were very clean with nice deco, food, view and friendly staffs. Both accommodations and food exceeded our expectation.
Big thank you to Mei Ling, Saidi and Soul of Tanzania!
BE
Email Laura Hernalsteen | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing safari experience in Tanzania
7 days tailor-made safari in Tanzania
First of all, we had a great contact with Helena who was open to our requests and did everything to satisfy them.
Our guide Heaven was great, young and dynamic, open-minded, he really did everything to show us best things during the safari. He drove us to exceptional places in the park where we were alone to enjoy our time watching quietly the animals.
During the safari we had a little misunderstanding with the planning and Heaven dealt with it in 30 minutes directly with Helena who solved the problem. We were happy to see the reactivity of SOT to arrange everything.
The hot meals were also a plus punt that makes SOT stand out from other companies. In comparison to the Lunch Box, we felt like King and Queen heaving a nice dinner with wine. The food was always good and made less waste than the lunch box.
As promised we had unlimited water.
As for the trip, we visited the Lake Natron, we climbed the Lengai, did Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro and Tarangire.
Lake Natron, beautiful and nice walk with our Masai guide. The climb of the Lengai was an extraordinary but physical experience. We recommend to do it knowing the difficulty and the risks. You must be fit and trained. The parks were all great but the Tarangire was really beautiful and bears very well the name of « Home of elephants ».
Great thanks to the team of SOT !
PT
Email Catarina Horák | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The best experience of our lives
Luis from Soul of Tanzania organized our Honeymoon at Zanzibar for some relaxing in the beach and Safari in Ngorongoro, Tarangire and Serengeti. We couldn't be happier! He was amazing throughout all the booking and preparation of our travelling, always presenting options that would be less or more towards our budget. Everything was arranged and we had no worries at all during our trip. In the end we had the most amazing days, in the most amazing hotels and with the best Safari guide, Emanuel. We are very grateful for making our Honeymoon perfect and we will definitely return and book again with Soul of Tanzania.
Email Stefano Danelli | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
7-day Safari in Tanzania
We booked a 7-day private safari for our honey moon with Soul of Tanzania and we had the best time.
We visited Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro.
We received the best and personalised support from Helena while designing our trip - she's been very patient and supportive throughout the whole process.
We would also utterly recommend Sadat as guide as he was really knowledgeable, passionate, patient and professional. Every day he would be working hard to make sure we'd get the best experience and know exactly where to go to make the most of the wildlife experience. He also made sure we had the great food and amazing photography opportunities.
Recommended.
MX
Email Maria Fernanda correa | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Breathless and magic experience
The service with soul of Tanzania is amazing. Since the first contact they have made this dream come true. My husband and I had always wanted to do a safari but we were hesitant because we couldn’t find a reliable and easy way to book our dream vacation. Soul of Tanzania made this planning unbelievably easy. Their recommendations were superb. The service they provided once
in Tanzania exceeded our expectations. Every hotel they suggested was excellent, the service in the hotel and the cleanliness was extraordinary. Our driver became part of the family, Khalid made this trip a dream. Always with a great attitude , helping out and making sure we were having a great time while taking advantage of the beautiful surroundings. Our honeymoon was more special. We will definitely recommend and repeat another trip with soul of Tanzania. We love Tanzania and soul of Tanzania
Asante San
IN
Email Aditya | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The best safari experience ever!
We would like to say a Big Big Thank you to the Soul of Tanzania team.
We just completed a 7 day safari through Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti (Central & North)
Right from the start of our journey planning, Jose C from the team was the most helpful in planning our journey to perfection. With so much detail and customisation of a private Safari, we could plan it perfectly and he was the most patient through numerous changes, selecting routes and accommodation options and iterations till the start of our trip.
The welcome and the pickup car was also nice and efficient.
A real star of the trip for us was our Driver/Guide - Erasto. He was truly the best, very sweet, entertaining and knowledgeable. He always went the extra mile to ensure that we had the best Safari experience. He was very informative, followed all safety precautions and yet with his 9 years of experience was excellent at tracking game. We enjoyed our conversations with him immensely and he kept us entertained through long drives and ensured we moved ‘Pole Pole but forward’
We did the entire north safari circuit from Tarangire, Ngorongoro and Serengeti Central and North. Erasto made sure we got the best from every game drive, jockeying for the best spots, using the radio, his experience of where the predators are and was super flexible with timings and what to do.
We managed to spot game in several areas where we were the only vehicle. Be it a great Cheetah, 6 Leopard sightings, Tree Climbing lions, A rhino in Ngorongoro, The Great migration or Lions in the North (quite rare too) it was all thanks to Erasto.
The hot lunches are a nice touch, especially when most companies offer Lunch Boxes.
We’d wholeheartedly recommend Soul of Tanzania to all our friends and family.
Asante Sana Soul of Tanzania!
PT
Email Carlos Oliveira | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic experience
This tour operator was recommended by a friend and it lived up to the expectations. The guide (Shabani) was very nice, interested, spoke fluent english and went out of his way to show us different animals or stopped the car to explain the where we were, to give some information about the animals we were seeing, and tried his best to give us what the parks can offer.
The safari went smoothly, without any problem, and we felt that the communication by email in the months leading to the safari was well organized, everything was taken care of (the pickup times from the airport, every accomodation knew we were coming....).
We would easily recommend this tour operator and our guide.