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
US
Email Dasi and Paul | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
accommodating , helpful
we just returned from our 7 day safari and it was magnificent, and far exceeded our expectations. The accommodations were perfect, the people both of the tour and the locals were warm and inviting. But I would be remiss if I didn't give the biggest shout out to our guide, Emanuel. He made the trip the absolute best. After one day he felt like a good friend whose only goal was to give us the best experience and he succeeded . with humor and enthusiasm , patience and an eagle eye, we made so many sightings and educated us on information about the wildlife, the rich culture and natural beauty of the natural parks.
Email Laura | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Magnificent safari
We’ve just completed an 8 day safari and it has been the trip of a lifetime. Throughout the booking process we dealt with Sandy who was always quick to respond and put together a fantastic itinerary for us - thank you Sandy.
We arrived at Kilimanjaro Int’l airport and were met by our transfer driver who took us to Planet Lodge Arusha for a one night stay before starting our Safari. We were met the next morning at 8am by the wonderful Cleopa - our guide for then next 8 days, and started the drive to Tarangire NP.
Tarangire was brilliant and was teeming with wildlife. We saw 4 out of the big 5 within 4 hours of being inside the NP and we loved every minute of our 2 game drives. We stayed overnight inside the park at Acacia Tarangire Luxury Camp which was so comfortable and we were felt most welcome by all of the staff.
On to Lake Manyara the next day, which again was brilliant and we got to see one of the famous tree climbing lions on a hunt for baboons! We then had a short trip to Escarpment Luxury Lodge for a great evening of fantastic food and rest.
Next day Cleopa drove us to the Serengeti NP which took about 5 hours. The roads aren’t great but he’s a skilled 4x4 driver who made it as comfortable as possible and made sure we had the opportunity to stop along the way for comfort breaks. The Serengeti NP is truly incredible and Cleopa made sure we saw as much as possible. We had 3 nights at Melia Serengeti, which I believe is a 5 star hotel and it very much lived up to expectations.
Day 6 saw us head to Lemala Ngorongoro which is a tented camp. All hotels we stayed at had brilliant staff but the team at Lemala Ngorongoro really go above and beyond. The morning after we headed into the crater which was unbelievable.
Soul of Tanzania upgraded our accommodation on day 7 and we stayed at Ziwani Lodge at Lake Eyasi. Again, an extremely welcoming atmosphere and the staff go out of their way to make you feel comfortable.
Finally on to day 8 and an early start to visit the Hadzabe tribe and Datoga people. The Hadzabe tribe were very friendly and showed us their hunting techniques and we were given the opportunity to attempt to speak their language! Very informative. Similarly with the Datoga people we were given a demonstration on how they make jewellery and make arrowheads from scrap metal, before a lesson into their culture and how they prepare polenta. A farewell ceremony followed and we started the long trip back to the airport.
Cleopa made the trip for us. He knew exactly where to go in each of the parks and is a master at positioning the 4x4 in the best locations for photos. He gave us all the time we wanted to take photos, videos and enjoy all the special moments. He was flexible with the start time of each day - happily going with our preferences. His lessons in basic Swahili along with the wildlife we saw will never be forgotten too. Thank you brother, for making this a holiday to remember.
Tips for travellers - the roads are pretty bad in places, so this isn’t the trip for you if you suffer from travel sickness. Also they are incredibly dusty so you will end up dirty after each day. Nights can get a bit cold, as can the mornings. Take plenty of US dollars and keep plenty of smaller denominations for purchases along the way and for tips. If you can get the local currency then certain purchases may be cheaper with this.
US
Email Peter | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fantastic Safari with expert guide and outstanding accommodations
We just completed an incredible journey in Tanzania. From the very start, Jose helped us put our 7 day safari and 4 night stay in Zanzibar together, and then helped us change our dates when something came up on our end. All of our accommodations, from the Acacia Tarangire Luxury Camp to the Serena Lodge at Ngorongoro Crater were excellent, capped off by the beautiful and relaxing stay at the Pongwe Beach Hotel in Zanzibar. Our guide, Hope, was marvelous. Having not seen a single lion during our safari in South Africa 18 years ago, we told him that spotting them was at the top of our list. He did not disappoint. By our count, we had at least 45 separate sightings, including several recent kills and a lion treeing a leopard. Hope also leaned on his fifteen years of experience to help us meet our dream of witnessing the massive wildebeest crossing of the Mara River from the perfect spot. He also navigated the challenges of driving through the Serengeti like a pro. All transports from the airports took place without a glitch.
US
Email JackZ | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
They are so kind and so experience to find anamials in the area!
We have just finished our first safari trip in Africa with Soul of Tanzania with a total of 3 weeks. our group was 8 people. Our first stop was Kruger National Park in South Africa, then had tour in Kenya (Lake Nakuru and Masai Mara), and finally 12-day great migration in Tanzania. The trip was great and we definitely will recommend to our friends. Sandy B, a journey designer, was put together a great itinerary and coordinated our entire trip. Whenever we had a problem, she would be available for help and resolved just in a minute. Special mention to our guide in Tanzania, Mr. Enock John, for his super experience and kindness. We just cannot believe his vision and judgement in animals. He can see animals a few hundreds meters away, like leopard on the tree, he can find lions and cheetahs by flying birds, he can sense where the wildebeests cross the mara river. We were so fortunate to see several river crossing and the biggest one in the season. He is also very knowledgeable to the animals and culture and great passion for the safari tour. Trust me, you won't be disappointed if you have a tour with him. Go The Soul of Tanzania!
CA
Email Kevin Whelan | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A first class experience from start to finish
We just arrived in Arusha after a 9 day Safari in Kenya and Tanzania. We spent the first 4 days in Kenya. We started from Nairobi and visited Lake Nakuru and Maasai Mara in Kenya. Our guides Francis and James were amazing. They were able to find game viewing opportunities where we were the only vehicle. These were special moments. There were many of these moments but 2 that stood out were seeing a Cheetah with a fresh young Wlidebeest kill. It was so quiet that you could hear the Cheetah breathing. We arrived not long after the hunt had finished and the Cheetah had pulled the Wildebeest into a secluded area between some shrubs. 50 metres away there were 10 + Vultures in a tree waiting for the scraps.
The second moment was finding a Lioness with 3 cubs. Again we were the only vehicle there. The lioness could care less that we were there but the cubs were wide eyed. It was a beautiful scene. We were here during the Great Migration and were able to witness a river crossing. A once in a lifetime experience. Francis and James were amazing guides and their knowledge of the area and animals were impressive.
In Tanzania our guide was Suleiman Masaky. "Sele" was an amazing guide and was also able to find us equally unique experiences. We were able to see a Leopard in a tree that had just killed a Thompson Gazelle. Unforgettable! Sele also found 2 Cheetahs and we were the only vehicle there. The moments where you are alone with the animal are so special because it is so quiet and peaceful.
If you are going to book through Soul of Tanzania ask for Sele as guide in Tanzania and ask for Francis in Kenya. They will not disappoint. The accommodations were all very good. A highlight for us was arriving at Tangagire Sima Lodge on the last day and finding a herd of Elephants by the pool. Since the lodge backs onto the Tangagire Park and they have a small waterhole there were animals present throughout our stay. The other memory was at Pumzika Lodge in the Serengeti and hearing a Lion roar in the early morning very close to our tent!
The experience with Soul of Tanzania has been first rate from start to finish. We originally had planned this trip for 2020 and we had to postpone due to COVD. I worked with Sandy who was our Journey Designer. Sandy was amazing and communicated throughout the past 3 years. The company was so accommodating with allowing us to postpone until we felt comfortable to travel. As you may gather we highly recommend Soul of Tanzania for your Safari. Without question everything they promised they delivered.
Thanks for making all the amazing things happen!
We booked a customized private Safari tour with the Soul of Tanzania in August 2023. The trip was amazing and we had a wonderful time that beats every expectation!
Jose was our trip planner. We liaised with him from itinerary design to trip booking and he has been super helpful throughout the whole process. He has been responsive and patient helping us with accommodation recommendation and cost breakdowns so that we can decide where to best use our budget. He also gave us useful information regarding travel guidelines and general advice.
Our Tanzanian guide Enock is super experienced and knowledgeable. He always goes extra a hundred miles to bring us the best - we've seen lots of amazing things and learned a lot! He has more than 15 years of experience in this area and he shared with us lots of interesting facts about the wildlife and the culture. We can feel that he has genuine passion in what he is doing. He also has good eyes for finding the best photography opportunities - he knows the best spots and finds the perfect background for wildlife shooting. He is aware of the importance of lights in photography and was happy to take us out during sunrise and sunset hours. During the trip we didn't have to worry about what to do because we can trust him 100%.
The company really takes care of customers' special requirements - in our case, we have sent the team a note that we have a focus on photography and they found the right guide for us, we cannot be more grateful and would definitely book our next African trip with the Soul of Tanzania again!
Email NOVY | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
KENYA TANZANIA TRIP
I have great memory of this trip.
I saw BIG 5 ,but can't see the migration.
BUT still lucky to see the Cheetal eating and Lion hunting .
Hot air Ballon , i can see the animals from the sky, that was unforgettable moment in the rest of my life.
In Kenya, my guide Steve, he is very eye sharp to find the animals and passion on animal.
In Tanzania , my guide Abu , he is also very patient and explain all characteristics of animals.
Boths is very profressional and friendly.
The vehicle is clean and powderful .
Hotel is warm and clean , very special experience to stay in tent.
Meals is deliouis .
Overall is fantastic trip.
NL
Email Megan Olive | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Magnificent. From the excellent communication to the perfect experience.
Our safari was magnificent! We loved every minute of it and wished it would have been longer. Kennedy was the perfect guide for our family and did an excellent job educating us, especially my children along the way. He could answer any question thoroughly and expand with personal experience and anecdote. At the beginning of the trip he asked the children what they wanted to see most and then made sure that it all happened. He also made us feel very welcome and comfortable. We felt like family.
Our accommodations were excellent. We especially enjoyed Burunge Tented Lodge for the views, the pool, and the spacious family rooms. Pumzika and Pakulala Camp were also excellent. The staff at Pumzika were outstanding. Pakulala camp staff were also very accommodating. The location of Pakulala was incredible and we loved the view of the caldera. Highlight there was a giraffe walking by at breakfast. Everyone that we met who worked for any accomodation, we loved. Amos and Tekla at Pumzika stand out, especially.
The whole safari was a highlight in and of itself. Seeing cheetahs eating a gazelle was a particularly cool moment. We loved getting so close to the lions in Serengeti and Ngorogoro, and seeing a hyena run away with a zebra leg. The kids especially loved the families of elephants at Tarangire, the many giraffes with babies, the flamingos, and the hippos at Ngorogoro. I could list all of the animals though, because they were all magnificent.
Furthermore, stopping to meet the Maasai family was very special. It is very kind of them to allow visitors to come in for a moment to visit their home.
We will remember this trip forever, it was life changing and simply wonderful. We will definitely come again and recommend Soul of Tanzania to everyone that we know
PL
Email Anton | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent tour!!!
The trip left us with extremely positive impressions. Organization of the tour was at the highest level, despite the fact that everything was organized in an extremely short time (actually 2 days before departure). I am very grateful to Marta for paying her thorough attention to my request, without her insistence in booking accommodation, this trip would not have taken place.
All the hotels were wonderful, the view from every room in the exclusive program was worth every dollar spent, the food was good.
We booked a rather condensed 3 day program which I do not recommend for those who want to browse all the places in peace. To do this, you should choose at least 4 day tours.
Our main goal was to see the African Big Five, so we drove to the Serengeti Park and the Ngorongoro Carter. We really enjoyed visiting both parks, we saw all the big five animals, but it took us a long time to find the rhinoceros, which blends in perfectly with the grass in the crater park. In addition, we saw all the animals from the big five performing various daily tasks, such as hunting, visiting a watering hole, etc.
I would like to express special thanks to our driver-guide named Ezekiel, who showed the highest professionalism in working with clients - answered in great detail any of our questions regarding animals, nature or life in Tanzania; always chose the best route; knew the park very well, which was our key to spotting all of the big five animals and many at arm's length. I never thought that I could see a giraffe at a distance of 2 meters, I could almost stroke the elephant and we even had to run away from him a little :) we did not dare to get too close to the rhinos and hippos :)
I recommend this tour to all people and especially to those who want to completely break all their stereotypes about wildlife from films and zoos.
Many thanks to the company and especially Marta and Ezekiel and hope to see you soon!)
It felt like an ad hoc freelance organization, thrown together from far away, without care.
The up front communication was relatively professional, but as soon as the trip started so did the problems. We sat in our hotel lobby in Moshi at 7am waiting for the pick up. We were the only guests in the lobby, but the driver was sitting in his van outside, instead of looking for us. The van had no markings to indicate it was from Soul of Tanzania. After about a half hour, he finally came inside and found us, and we were transferred to a safari truck in Arusha, again with no company markings. It seemed to be freelance, arranged ad hoc, and the results felt the same. Our contact at SoT, Jose, when he finally replied later that morning about our pickup issues, wasn't even apologetic. "I was informed by my operations team about the misunderstanding and I am glad that everything was sorted out."
In the truck, when we started seeing animals and asked for the binoculars that were included in our tour, we were told they were broken. Luckily we had brought one not very good pair from home, and had those to share between us. The driver found a pair at the camp that night.
Our driver drove slow on the public roads, when other trucks were all passing us (not a great feeling after a late start thanks to the pickup "misunderstanding"). On the other hand, he flew on the park roads, shaking the truck apart, with thick layers of dust coming in his open windows. We had to ask him to stop when we saw animals. On the first day we noticed that each time we asked him to stop, he would take out his phone and be playing on it until we said "ok, we can go". After asking him to be more involved, thankfully he stopped doing that and told us a bit about the animals.
At the end of a particularly long day, with a morning game drive in Manyare and then drive to the Serengeti, he couldn't find our camp. The sun set, we were exhausted, and we were still in the truck. I was trying to use google maps to help find a tented camp. Eventually we found a park staff camp, and got directions from them to find our camp. We checked in after dark, ate, and slept asap, to get up at 4am for the hot air balloon. Imagine our dismay when, the next night going to a different camp, we were lost again. We stopped at 2 very nice camps, and the 2nd camp let us use their toilet and sent one of their staff with us to show him the way. It seemed like a tiny amount of preparation could have avoided both issues, and especially after it happened the 1st time.
We saw the big 5, and a lot of of animals and beautiful sights, but we couldn't help but feel that we were an afterthought, just thrown into any car with any driver, and when the inevitable issues arose, we didn't find they had any interest in admitting mistakes or making them right. I thoroughly recommend doing a safari in Tanzania, just not with Soul of Tanzania.