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 Susan | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Highly Recommend Helena P & Emmanuel Macha
We met Helena P. at the NY Times travel show at the Javits Center in January 2019. All I knew is that I wanted to see the great migration and I had no idea how to plan the trip. Helena made everything so easy - we just had to pick a level for the safari (exclusive) and we added on Zanzibar and she took care of everything. Helena also took care of the changes we made due to COVID - eliminating our visit to Kenya and adding on to our safari in Tanzania.
Emmanuel Macha is an amazing guide. We saw everything you could want to see on safari - the big 5, pride of 20+ lions, 2 lioness & 6 cubs tracking & killing a warthog, and the wildebeest crossing. On safari you spend a lot of time in the jeep and Emmanuel was great company.
The hot lunches with wine were also a nice touch and I can't say enough good things about Helena & Emmanuel Macha.
Email Mike P | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding from Start to Finish
We booked a week long safari in and around the Serengeti, followed by a week relaxing in Zanzibar and I have to say, that from our initial contact with our planner, Luis, to returning home, nothing could have run more smoothly.
SoT do not organise international flights, but once the trip was finalised and flights booked independantly, SoT acted like a high class tour operator, meeting us at the airport and transporting us to our first accommodation.
Our trip included visits to Ngorangoro, Ndutu, Serengeti and Lake Manyara, followed by a relaxing week in Zanzibar.
In terms of wildlife, we saw all we dreamed of and more. Our guide Felix, who I thought of as a friend by the end of the safari, was so knowledgable, not just about the wildlife and where to find it, but the history and politics of his country, he made the whole trip far more enriching than I thought it could be. His driving was pretty good too, seeing us through some "interesting" situations in the unusually wet period. Picnic lunches were cooked affairs with wine, not sandwiches, plenty of water was available throughout the trip, the vehicles even had 3 pin 240v plug sockets on board to charge batteries.
I don't know what else to add, SoT are outstanding, I will visit the area again and will only consider SoT to travel with.
Thank you for making this trip so special
BR
Email Melissa Merheb | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing!!!
There are not enough words to describe how incredible our trip was, and Soul of Tanzania played a major part in this. Everything was organized perfectly and there was not even 1 minute of delay or a shadow of problem.
Although our international flights issues (due to SAA strike), Soul of Tanzania staff was always available and kind to reacommodate our pick up and hotel reservation in Arusha.
Since the pick up at Kilimanjaro airport, when Hassan (super nice boy!!) took us to Arusha, to the meeting with Beatus giving us a very detailed itinerary explanation, everything was great!
Ally is the most incredible person we met in Tanzania, the best guide we could ask for to share this experience, such a nice and intelligent guy, always with a smile on his face. We loved everything! The game drives were all amazing, the hotels were superb, kuddos to &Beyond Manyara Lake staff, the best we have ever met! Serengeti and Manyara were the best for the animal sights, but Ngorongoro is just the most beautiful and incredible place!
At one point, during the game drives, my friend looked at me and said she was with her jaw hurting from smiling so much LOL. We did have an one of a kind experience with some many animal sights (all the big five and more!). The food was always on point and I am a vegetarian, so they had to go an extra mile here, but everything was always delicious.
Then we had the Zanzibar extension, what a place! We were received by Sully and he was our driver to the last day, always letting us know interesting facts and making us feel so comfortable. Rashid, another amazing guy! He came to the hotel to meet us, helped us choose the best tours and booked everything from the pick up to taking us back to the hotel. In all the tours we made, Rashid was always calling the driver/guide to make sure everything was well and to talk to me to ask how it was, it really made us feel cared and safe all the time. He is so professional, polite and kind!
We were all really impressed with the organization, the kindness and attention, there was literally nothing for us to worry about, besides wake up in time... It did exceed our expectations. I am an Africa lover, I have been in SA, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, but this was the best trip, no doubt!
And it all started with Luis, from Soul of Tanzania giving us all the attention, help and support, as you did. When we were looking for an agency, we chose 2 to get in touch with, and at that point we decided to go with Soul of Tanzania solely because of how Luis attended us.
I really hope to come back and will for sure book Soul of Tanzania again as well as be the strongest advocate here in Brazil, to get my friends and family to do so as well.
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Email Fabrinne | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
unforgettable experience
We had a wonderful time in Tanzania. We are thankful for the great care and attention to detail in planning this vacation. The superior quality of service provided by Soul of Tanzania made our vacation most memorable. We loved our guide, Mr. Nixon. He was a pleasure to be with. He was very knowledgeable and professional. He made our trip worth while. Overall, we were very satisfied with our African safari vacation, thanks to Soul of Tanzania. We will surely recommend Soul of Tanzania to others for the outstanding service.
RO
Email Adrian V | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best experience ever
We started our planning 6-8 months prior to our holiday. Since the beginning, the "trip planner" from Soul of Tanzania helped us with recommendations and guided us on how to create our safari. We gave some input and insisted to stay to some accommodations but also the planner suggested to spend 1 more day in Serengeti and to we give other location; It was perfect.
We were a group of 4 people and we stayed for 5 days in Safari. The guide, Patson, was very professional with us and during our entire safari, he explained to us a lot of information. Also during the entire safari, he gave everything to see all the animals on safari, even he had to drive 2 hours in the opposite direction of accommodation.
It was amazing and we definitely recommend Soul of Tanzania to all our friends.
P.S. The food was very good, we had also wine and different types of juices during our entire safari.
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!
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.
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.
Email Jim | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing adventure
Our party of four adults recently took our first African safari with “Soul of Tanzania”.
We were a little sceptical when reading that other travellers had given the company 5 stars. We couldn’t fault our tour operator and we have also given them 5 stars. From our first email to Helena, until we departed the safari in Arusha, our experience was exceptionally good. Helena answered our questions promptly and altered the original itinerary to custom suit us. We were given a choice of three levels of accommodation at each camp. Not necessarily choosing the top level, we were more than satisfied with the comfort, food and friendliness of the staff at each camp and lodge.
What makes a memorable safari…? The tour guides of course.
Firstly there was Jackson in Kenya and then Erasto met us at the border crossing into Tanzania and stayed with us for another 7 days. Both our guides were extremely knowledgable, flexible, friendly and funny. They knew where to find rhinos, hippos, lions, leopards, cheetahs, giraffes and just about every other animal in East Africa. Our party of four became a family of five during our safari.
Our vehicle was spacious with a pop-up roof. This enable us to take some amazing photos.
We cannot recommend “Soul of Tanzania” highly enough.
A special thanks to Helena, Jackson and Erasto.
Asante sana
US
Email Karl | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
As Good As It Gets!
From start to finish, working with Soul of Tanzania was a pleasure. Once you contact them, you are assigned a personal operator that works with you to design your desired itinerary. I worked with Sandy and she was the best! Always friendly, polite, and responsive, Sandy helped me design a nine day itinerary through Kenya and Tanzania. Sandy offered good recommendations for how long we should stay at each location and provided a number of lodging options based on various budgets. We were also offered options like visiting a Masai tribe and the Olduvai Gorge. During the weeks leading up to our departure, Sandy politely answered a number of last minute questions. I felt comfortable and at ease starting my safari.
Soul of Tanzania gives you a questionnaire to fill out that asks about your likes and dislikes, you favorite and least favorite animals, and the type of traveler you are so they can better customize your safari and, more importantly, match you with the best guide/driver. Sandy recommended Ally (Ali) for us in Tanzania and he made all the difference! Ally was funny, knowledgeable, prompt, and flexible. If we wanted to stop, we stopped. But Ally would always stop so we had good light on the animals for photography. If we wanted to modify the itinerary, we did. But Ally would always talk about the pros and cons of doing so. If we wanted to start early or end late, no problem. Normally, there is a good deal of luck regarding what animals you see on our safari. But Ally maximized our luck by always communicating with the other drivers in the park and taking us to the rarest animal sightings. We saw The Big Five multiple times. We saw 2 rhinos, 4 leopards, 4 cheetahs, and about 42 lions. We saw a cheetah hunt a gazelle. We saw lion cubs play on a rock. We saw endless giraffes, hippos, hyenas, elephants, ostriches, water buffalo, crocodiles and wildebeests. However, the best thing we saw was The Great Migration cross the Mara river in the North Serengeti. And we saw it twice! We even saw crocodiles attack and kill a wildebeest - twice! We saw it because of Ally. As soon as he heard from a friend about the crossing he immediately got our vehicle moving and got us there quicker than everyone else. We had a front row seat! Later, as all the other vehicles searched different sections of the river for a crossing, Ally took us back to the first crossing spot on a hunch that the herd was separated and would cross again. We were the only vehicle there. And they crossed! And that's when the two wildebeests were attacked by crocs! So, there is certainly luck involved in seeing the animals, but there is also skill. And Ally provided that skill.
We had an amazing safari. It was fun from start to finish. More importantly, we didn't need to worry about anything because we knew we were in good hands. If you want a great custom safari experience, Soul of Tanzania is the way to go.