Easy Travel & Tours
- Located In:
- Size:
- 50-100 employees (Founded in 1987)
- Member Of:
- ASTA, TATO & TTB
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $200 to $320 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
US
Email Francis | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Easy Travel made this the trip of a lifetime!
My wife and I wanted to send our heartfelt thanks to Easy Travel for making our past safari the journey of a lifetime. The outstanding level of care we received from our safari consultant, Chislon and our driver/guide, Benedict, exemplify the remarkable company Easy Travel is. Chislon’s and Benedict’s hospitality showed us a different kind of Tanzanian warmth that we would return for in a heartbeat. We came back with so many stories and experiences that we will always treasure for the rest of our lives.
From the very start, Chislon’s prompt communication and flexibility in helping us plan our itinerary gave us the assurance we needed to book our trip. There are literally HUNDREDS of tour companies to choose from so we did our due diligence by researching them and compared each across an Excel spreadsheet (It’s my inner nerd, I work as an analyst). Our careful research paid off because we found that the value Easy Travel offers and their commitment to customer service is unparalleled.
Our adventure first brought us to Tarangire National Park, where a curious baby elephant playfully danced in front of our jeep as her family grazed all around us. Since it was wet season, the grass was high and we thought it would be impossible to spot any animals. To our amazement, Benedict still managed to spot a lion’s tail wagging through the tall grasses off in the distance, and that’s when we knew we had one of the best in the business. Benedict continued to amaze us throughout our trip with his eagle eyes, especially when he spotted a black rhino that was camouflaged by dried mud and when he stopped the jeep while driving up Ngorongoro Crater to point out a vervet monkey observing us from a tree. He was simply amazing.
As we traveled to the Serengeti, Chislon was able to upgrade us to the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel for our honeymoon. At the Four Seasons, we were amazed see a baby leopard, a dozen elephants walking to a watering hole, as well as dozens of zebras and gazelles grazing on the plains, all from the balcony of our room! We even got to experience a close encounter with 3 baboons who managed to break into our room in an attempt to steal our chocolate covered granola bars. (I managed to chase them away with a pillow before the Maasai warriors showed up :)
In Serengeti National Park, Benedict delighted us by finding the following: lions mating (repeatedly!); 9 lionesses sleeping in a single tree; lions fighting off hyenas after killing a water buffalo; a cheetah on the prowl at sunset (along with a family of warthogs scurrying off just a few meters away); a hundred hippos conversing in a river; black backed jackals on the prowl; a tower of giraffes on the move and herds of elephants grazing on the plains and drinking at watering holes. Throughout it all, we appreciated the fact that Benedict shared his knowledge and observations to help us understand life on the Serengeti. For example, when he spotted an elephant amongst the herd with a short truck, he explained that it was most likely bitten off by a crocodile. Those observations would have been easy for us to miss without the help of Benedict.
In Ngorongoro, we were greeted by thousands of zebras, wildebeests and gazelles, and thanks to Benedict and his knowledge of animal behavior, we even got to witness a live kill. While driving, Benedict noticed that some of the zebras were all facing the same direction so he pulled over and grabbed his binoculars. Off in the distance, he spotted four lionesses with their cubs. He encouraged us to be patient and while we waited, he explained the relationship zebras and wildebeests have. As we watched through our binoculars, he explained that the two travel together because zebras have good eyesight, but a poor sense of smell whereas wildebeests have bad eyesight, but a good sense of smell. By traveling together, both herds are less vulnerable to predators. We then continued to watch as a wildebeest unwittingly galloped straight into the pack of lions and was killed within seconds, affirming that wildebeests really do have bad eyesight.
By the end of our trip, Benedict became more than just a driver and guide; he was a caring friend who even helped us mail postcards to Australia, Hong Kong, New York and California. Everyone received them even before they knew we returned home! The stories of his life, and his knowledge and appreciation of wildlife really helped give us insight into Tanzania that we could never get from reading a book. There is no way this experience would have been as rich without his guidance and care.
Even after our safari was over, Easy Travel’s staff continued to amaze us. After we became stranded at Kilimanjaro Airport, Chislon went above and beyond by sending a driver to pick us up and communicated with Kenya Airlines to get us a refund. He even called Cape Town, South Africa to help us reschedule our hotel and car rental. That commitment to service, even after our trip had officially ended, showed us how much Easy Travel truly cares about their customers, and that’s something that makes them stand out amongst the pack. :)
With a heart full of gratitude
F&T
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgetable Safari Experience!!
We just had the most wonderful safari experience in Tarangire NP, Manyara NP, Serengeti and Ngorongoro. We saw so many amazing things that will be in our minds forever. All of this was possible because of this organisation. We would also like to mention our driver/guide Edwin Mboya. He told us so many amazing facts and stories, both animal, experience and country related. His knowledge and driving skills made the adventure even better than it already was. We have made a new friend for life. So: Asante sana, yangu mpendwa.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An amazing safari
We had an amazing safari in Tanzania. Our driver Edwin was and is a fantastic driver/guide. We learned a lot from him and because of him we have seen a lot of different and special things. We will never forget this experience and would recommend it to all. If you read this: thanks a lot, Edwin Battazary Mboya!
BE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Best Safari ever!
Our safari dream started at home by the booking of our lodges & tented camps + planning our trip as we had everything in our minds. Luckily we had the help of Iris & Lilian, to assist us by giving us the best guide lines. Our ranger Cornel picked us up at our hotel & provided us with an introduction to Tanzania, which gave us a warm feeling of being welcome. After a detailed briefing in the offices of Easy Travel, we were more than ready to start our adventure. The amazing 4x4-vehicle which we had for the two of us + the enthusiasm of our ranger Cornel, resulted in a very comfortable adventurous safari trip. Cornel did his best to fulfill our expectations as we listed everything at the briefing: the big 5, very large herds of migrating animals, a killing of an impala by a cheetah, a catch of a buffalo by a troop of lions, a birth of a gazelle and so much more than we ever had expected to see. We had the feeling that we experienced these highlights together with Cornel, as he was so excited & so passionate about everything. The proposed accommodations were a perfect mix of luxurious lodges & comfortable tented camps, all in typical African style. Top of the bill: Tortilis Camp in the Serengeti! At the end of the trip we appreciated very much the debriefing with the whole team & Mr.Musaddiq: thank you very much for giving us our best safari ever! Easy travel rules ;-) Davy & Bart - Antwerp / Belgium
CH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
More than perfect safari with Jackson and EasyTravel
As I decided to organize myself a 3-day safari in North Tanzania in February 2015 (Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Manyara), I contacted 10 companies per mail. All of them responded quite fast, but EasyTravel offered me the best program and price. The correspondance with them was always very friendly, personal, clear and fast. Although I was a bit anxious after having made the full payment in advance, I was relieved that everything went perfectly well, the minute we went out of the airport on arrival in Tanzania (our first time in this country). We spent 3 nights in very nice lodges, which were recommanded by EasyTravel. Now the most important thing : our driver-guide Jackson! Travelling with him was just perfect : safe driving, sometimes not too fast to enjoy the landscape, sometimes fast to spot impressive animals. He gave us many informations about the animals and the country (I didn't expect to learn so many things!!), but he didn't talk all the time neither, that was perfect for us. Thanks to his patience and very acute and trained eyesight, we saw all the animals we wanted to see and many more... He was very adaptive and agreed to pick us up very early in the morning. All in all, I couldn't recommand more EasyTravel and Jackson for a perfect safari!
NL
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Unforgettable
We had booked a safari from 16 days to South Tanzania with Matoke Tours from the Netherlands. We have been there from January 21 to February 4, 2015.
In Dar es Salaam airport, we were spontaneously met by Emanuel, a driver / guide of Easy Travel. Communication was very good. With the jeep you do many miles and you can tell so much. The knowledge of Emanuel about the country of Tanzania, the animals and birds is enormous. During the safari he gave information about the birds, which he knows by name. How quickly he is able to spot animals is phenomenal. What we enjoyed this trip. We have seen lions eating a wildebeest. After the stomach was full, three little ones were called by the mother. The hunting of 16 wild dogs in convoy on a prey was beautiful to see. Emanuel saw a sleeping elephant under a tree. He also saw a couple in love lions on 100 meters, which made for posterity.
The many groups of elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, baboons, wildebeest, zebras and other animals and birds we will never forget. Thanks to the flair of Emanuel. Our heartfelt thanks.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
What a Trip -- Thanks to Easy Travel!
Going on safari in Northern Tanzania was part of a retirement celebration for my husband and me. We carefully planned the itinerary, (deciding which parks, number of days, route and accommodations) in order to make a very special and customized trip. Also included was a stay in Zanzibar at the end of our safari. Our Canadian travel specialist worked closely with Easy Travel to realize our dreams and we ended up with an unforgettable experience!
We were impressed by Easy Travel’s professionalism as displayed on its website and through personal contact with staff. We appreciated their attention to detail -- booking our 3 Tanzania flights, organizing transfers with prompt and cheerful drivers, recommendations for accommodations and much more. They were quick to ensure that we were happy with everything and to resolve anything that needed attention. Caudence even phoned us in the middle of the Serengeti to see how things were going and to give us a better option for our flight from there to Zanzibar. The Land Cruiser we had on safari was well maintained and comfortable.
Our accommodations ranged from tented camps to lodges and we enjoyed every one of them. Staff were extremely friendly and attentive and wanted to please. The food was excellent with more than ample portions. And the animals -- amazingly up close! Even though all these detailed arrangements were made to order, spending 7 days in close proximity with a complete stranger could have been awkward or uncomfortable. Not so with Jackson! From the moment he met us at the airport, we knew he was the driver-guide for us!
Jackson not only patiently answered ALL my questions, he encouraged more! He taught us so much about the flora and fauna, the habits and habitats of the animals, and the people, customs and politics of Tanzania. Jackson went out of his way to ensure we had a comfortable trip and were seeing the animals we were most interested in. He was a skillful driver with remarkable knowledge about the terrain, and was able to spot animals far off and take us to watch and photograph them (for as long as we wanted). We felt safe and very fortunate to be under his care.
Jackson’s sense of humour and happy personality made him a great companion during the whole tour. He was fun and interesting to talk with and his passion for the people of Tanzania showed through. Jackson’s warmth, experience, and enthusiasm made our safari all that we had wished for.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Knowledgeable Company, Wonderful Staff = Magnificent Safari
In July 2014 my husband, two very good friends and myself left Milwaukee WI for an adventure of a lifetime in Tanzania/Zanzibar Africa. We began our planning process in January 2014 developing our itinerary and sketching out the places that we wanted to stay. We then submitted our itinerary to approximately 20 tour companies. During the process of elimination we considered a number of important factors, responsiveness to our endless questions and changes, suggestions for improvement to our itinerary, our confidence regarding the tour operator to deliver on its promises, the quality of their equipment, the experience of their personnel and price.
Easy Travel & Tours won our business by meeting or exceeding these criteria. After our decision to engage Easy Travel as our TO our relationship continued to grow and develop through ongoing communication via email and Skype. We met personally with Musaddiq Gulamhussein, Director of Sales and Marketing on our first day in Tanzania. He reviewed our itinerary with us again and took care of any last minute changes or concerns that we had, assuring us that he would look into a couple of issues and communicate with our tour guide, Emmilian Matay during our safari. We were soon to learn that Emmilian, a seventeen-year veteran, was one of the best guides in the business. Musaddiq told us to trust Emmilian, advice that would prove to be monumentally valuable throughout our trip. Musaddiq also told us to have patience, which also proved to be good advice.
Our itinerary was as follows:
July 25, Arrive Kilimanjaro International Airport
July 26, Arusha National Park
July 27, Tarangire National Park
July 28, Tarangire National Park
July 29, Depart to Mto wa Mbu visit and Masai Village visit
July 30, Lake Manyara National Park
July 31, Lake Manyara National Park - travel to Ngorongoro Crater
August 1, Ngorongoro Crater
August 2, Travel to Serengeti stopping in Olduvai Gorge and shifting sands in transit
August 3, Southern Serengeti
August 4, Southern Serengeti
August 5, Travel to Northern Serengeti
August 6, Northern Serengeti
August 7, Northern Serengeti
August 8, Fly to Zanzibar
August 9, Zanzibar
August 10, Zanzibar
August 11, Travel home
We would not have changed any of the itinerary as planned. We thought the time at each location was just right and that our travel plans from one park to another was well timed with one exception, the travel day from Ngorongoro Crater to the Serengeti. We had to leave the Crater before the time we checked in 48 hours earlier or Easy Travel would be charged another whole day park fee. That meant we were in a hurry until we checked into Serengeti National Park. It was the most difficult travel day, with roads being what they are in Tanzania. It also meant that we did not have enough time in the Olduvai Gorge. However we did briefly stop at the Shifting Sands, which were mystical! If we were to do it again we would have adjusted our starting time with Emmilian.
The key to a superior African Safari is your guide and Emmilian gave us a magnificent experience. He was able to position us to see tens of thousands of wildebeests, many elephants, zebras, giraffes, cape buffalos, hippos, baboons, lions, crocodiles and hyenas, ten cheetahs, six rhinos and three leopards. In addition we saw hundreds of bird species and other small mammals. We were able to see a cheetah killing a Thompson gazelle and witnessed other kills such as lions eating wildebeest, zebras and impalas, a leopard eating his prey in a tree, cheetah and her cub eating an impala and a pack of hyenas eating a cape buffalo. We also saw zebra, hippos and wildebeest mothers nursing their young and a hyena carrying a hyena cub.
Two highlights, for us, were seeing not one but six rhinos and to see the great migration of the wildebeest over the Maru River. We could not believe our luck in seeing a black rhino in the Ngorongoro crater. Our guide knew the park rangers in the crater and asked them if there had been any rare sightings of the rhinos in the area (there are only 35 rhinos left in the crater due to poaching). The rangers were able to point us in the right direction and were lucky enough to have a rhino come very close to our vehicle. We also saw a mother and baby white rhino in the northern Serengeti and finally we saw another mother, baby and male rhino in the Northern Serengeti. These last two sightings we were totally alone with no other vehicles around. We were often the only one witnessing an event because, I believe, of the experience and patience of our guide Emmilian.
Musaddiq Gulamhussein, Director of Sales and Operations warned us that we had probably missed the Great Migration at our meeting with him in Arusha. While we had planned our trip around the "typical" migration season nobody notified the wildebeest of our desire to see them migrate. We were told that the migration had started in late June so there was probably no chance we were going to see this epic event. Emmilian thought this too but we waited by the Mara River one morning for three hours and by gosh we witnessed a crossing! What a thrill. Then after a lunch and potty break we returned to the river and saw another crossing. We couldn't believe it!
As most Americans, we thought we knew best when we arrived in Africa, when we left we knew that you should listen to your guide's advice, be patient and remain flexible. Emmilian used every resource he had available to him, his intelligence, knowledge of the terrain and animals, his relationships and communication skills, to provide us with the best trip we could have ever imagined.
We found, especially, in the Serengeti that one early morning game drive, starting at dawn to about a two pm was better than two game drives, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Through this arrangement we were able to cut down on travel times and increase safari time. An added bonus, the animals were more active in the mornings.
While I won't list all of the accommodations we chose here, we were either very satisfied or generally satisfied with them all. There were restrictions on electricity, hot water and heat in most places, but you adjusted. Some accommodations were pretty remote to our daily game drive destination, however, we would not have seen the mother and baby rhinos and a leopard close up if we had stayed at other places.
We were sad to say goodbye to Emmilian at the end of our safari. We were glad that we had made arrangements to fly to Zanzibar from the Kogatende airstrip through Arusha. Some of our fellow travelers faced a difficult two-day trip by vehicle back to Arusha. After taking the roads to our final destination in the Serengeti in bits and pieces it was not at all appealing to think about experiencing those roads again in a two-day marathon.
Easy Travel arranged for our tour guide, Zamir, to pick us up at the airport and transport us to our accommodations in Stone Town. During our planning some, in our party, wanted to skip Zanzibar and Stone Town, we were glad we didn't. It is so culturally different than Tanzania it is hard to believe that they are the same country. While you can arrange to stay in a resort type hotel we were happy that we decided to stay at the Kisiwa House in Stone Town. We took advantage of eating in some great diverse restaurants for the two nights we were in Stone Town. On the first day in Zanzibar we arranged for a day of sailing and snorkeling in the Indian Ocean! What a contrast to our safari. The second day, we had an extensive tour of a spice farm and Stone Town. Learned a lot about the tragic slave trade that sold the African people to eastern countries. We visited a local market and walked many miles through Stone town.
To wrap up, we would highly recommend Easy Travel for your African Safari for the excellent staff, knowledge guides, reliable and comfortable equipment, superior coordination of all aspects of our safari, exceptional communication and reasonable pricing.
P.S. In the middle of our trip i was notified that my brother had suddenly died. Emmilian did everything he could to help me get in touch with my family and was personally very supportive. Musaddiq was ready to help us make arrangements to get us back to the States. We felt a real genuine out pouring of sympathy from the people of this company. One more reason to engage Easy Travel for your Tanzania safari.
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Trip of a lifetime!
From the moment we got in touch with Easy travel, they gave us the feeling of a warm welcome. The contact with the company was very good and adequate. On all of our questions they gave us answers. When we were on the trip they called to check if we were content with everything and if not, they tried to make it right, and they did.
Easy travel is a great company which for a next trip I would definetely approach again!!
Email Ben Potter | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
12 day private safari
I can't speak more highly of Chislon, Mussadiq and our guide Emmanuel from Easy Travel & Tours. I spent close to 6 months researching whom to travel with in Tanzania and eventually settled on Easy Travel. You can do what I did or simply just book with Easy Travel........trust me, you won't be disappointed.
From an extraordinarily demanding professional photographer, I cannot recommend Easy Travel more highly. You must ask for Emmanuel as your guide.........he is incredible in every way and bends over backwards to make sure he is doing everything possible to ensure your trip of a lifetime. His knowledge and passion for his country and wildlife were incredible, highlighted by when he stopped the truck in the middle of nowhere to pick up a water bottle that had been carelessly dropped by a tourist.........'that would kill an animal', he said. This action spoke volumes about the person he is and the company he works for.
We spent 1 night at Kirurumu tented camp at Lake Manyara, 3 nights at Roika Lodge in Tarangire, 2 nights at Kati Kati tented camp in central Serengeti, 4 night at Serengeti North Wilderness Camp and 2 nights at Rhotia Valley at Ngorogoro crater.
Everything was amazing, with the highlights being Kati Kati, the wilderness camp in the north and Rhotia Valley. I will post seperate reviews of the accommodation.
Save yourself the time and just book with Easy Travel! There's a reason they have 442 very good or excellent reviews.
Please contact me for further information should you need it, especially if you are a photographer needing advice.