Hilary and Martin - owners of Suricata Safaris
Suricata Safaris
- Office In:
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2016)
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $190 to $600 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
TR
Email Nihal | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
so happy to be a part of an environment where wild life is still respected
When you are choosing a safari company, in fact you are choosing a service to build up probably the most unforgetable trip of your life. I am happy that ours was a smart decision.
I should start with our guide Fredy: A very professional, knowledgable, cool and kind person! He spoke English very well, always gave lots of information about the animals, even showed their close-up pictures from his book, answered all our questions patiently, made sure to locate the car at the best angle for taking photos (and showing respect to people at the other cars and animals - which is so important to us), waited patiently while we took tons of pictures. Most importantly, he was more than a guide, a friend with nice character that we would like to have with us on a long holiday.
Our talented chef Chaz was a master. He always cooked very delicious food and made sure we had enough. He surprised us by serving tasty and special things very quickly even early in the morning. We will miss the excellent food we had during the safari. Also we will miss his joyful chats with Fredy.
We had a difficult time in choosing the safari company as there are about 1000 alternatives. When I decided on one and was about to pay, there had been a couple of things I did not like. I checked for an alternative and met Suricata. I thought it was a young company but experienced enough. Hilary answered my e-mails very promptly. He was flexible and did his best to tailor the programme according to our wishes. I noticed he is one of the founders and that made me feel more comfortable knowing that he will be there to solve any possible problem. I was right; there had been a small misunderstanding during the trip and was solved through a phone call between Fredy and Hilary. Paying the deposit was easy and safe and we did the rest of payment on arrival.
We were a family of 3 people and had an 8 days private safari including Arusha National Park, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Lake Eyasi (tribe visits), Serengeti and Ngorongoro. These 8 days were full of magic. Surprisingly, visiting the tribes was the highlight of our trip. We met Maasai, Datoga, Hadzabe, Makonde and Gidangodic people and had a wonderful time with them. We learned the way they live. We went to hunting with Hadzabe, jumped with Maasai, sang with Datogas who asked many questions about ourselves and our country and we were warmly welcome by all tribes. We keep the souvenirs mostly done and sold by women for ourselves as they are so precious to us and all are a great memory.
During those visits local guides Deo and Yusuf (sorry if I mispronounce) accompanied and helped us to communicate as the tribes' languages are different. Also there was an armed ranger (Ali) and his intern who accompanied us in Arusha National Park for a walking safari.
While deciding about how to use our budget before the safari, we preferred budget camping. Doing so, we could take a longer trip rather than paying more for lodge-stays. We are happy we did. But you might prefer lodges if you do not feel cool and adventurous enough. In Serengeti and Ngorongoro you hear voices of wild animals just around your tent. In our case, something rare occurred and lions tried to hunt two buffalos very close to our tents and one animal hit the tent. We were lucky as nobody was hurt (buffalos also survived) and now we have a story to tell all through our life. Also we heard steps of many zebras feeding around our tents in Ngorongoro Simba Campsite.
Choosing November for safari also has been a wise decision. Although it is short-rains season, luckily there was no rain. Also the parks and public camp-sites were not over-crowded. The herds had already arrived Seronera region so we were lucky to experience the great migration.
And yes, we saw all of the "big 5" but a safari should be regarded not as an experience of seeing; but as feeling. It is hard to describe how happy we felt during all these 8 days. In most of the world, people have built up plazas and cities full of unhappiness. With a human-centric point of view, they left no space for wild life. We are lucky people who experienced to spend 8 days at a place on earth where things are different. We were able to be a part of an environment where wild life is still respected and preserved. And we would like to thank Fredy, Chaz, Hilary and the rest of the Suricata team who helped this dream to come true. Asante sana!
Email Ellie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing 3 day safari
An absolutely incredible 3 day safari! We went to the stunning Serengeti and Ngorongoro, and saw so many amazing animals in such a short time, including all of the Big Five. Our guide Lewis was knowledgable and friendly, and our chef Hilda was an excellent cook and excellent company. Loved it!
AR
Email Verónica Parache | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beautiful experience, have wonderful moments, the atmosphere, the place and the service were excelen
Seeing giraffes and elephants was an unforgerttable experience.
SK
Email Maria | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Lifetime experience
We booked 5 day safari with Suricata and it could not be better! It was one of the best experience we have ever had. Hilary and his team are doing a great job!
Night before and night after safari they booked us a lovely hotel with the most friendly staff.
From the first day we felt really comfortable and safe. Our guide Lewis and cook Hilda - they were amazing and we had so much fun. Lewis has a great knowledge and he answered every question. You can see that he loves his job. We were lucky and saw the big five, camped in the most beautiful places and ate delicious food cooked by Hilda. Everything was absolutely amazing.
After safari Hilary came to our hotel to make sure everything was fine and he organized a taxi drive for us for the next day to the airport.
Thank you very much for the amazing days we spent with you and we hope to see you again! We wish you all the best.
We recommend Suricata safari to everyone!
CH
Email Gabriella | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great experience with Suricata!
We’ve booked the 8 days, 7 night private tour with camping option.
Our driver, Fredi learned wildlife and could tell about / spot every animal.
He also had books in the car where he could show more information.
Our cook, Ben - we miss ever since. 3 meals a day, delicious, even too much.
The campsites are basic - but much better than I expected. Serengeti no warm water but that can be survived.
Hilary greeted us and organized airport shuttle also at the end of our tour.
He was flexible when we experienced difficulties with payments.
I’d recommend to anyone to book with Suricata Safari. Friendly, competent stuff and no negative remarks.
RU
Email Tatiana | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Reliable and fun company.
We booked a tour in advance from Russia. Choose between two companies. But the Meerkats turned out to be more sociable and efficient.
Partial prepayment will be required, but all tour operators need it, this is normal.
Hilary always answered extra. questions and nice chatted.
We took a tour for 2 nights and three days. Before and after the tour we were accommodated in a hotel, and also met, which was nice.
About the company:
1. A wonderful driver - Onesmo guide. Experienced, fast and fun. He talked about animals and the park in English, if you do not know English, this is not a problem, since there is enough to see. Thanks to our guide, we saw a lot of impressive moments.
2. Super cook Salim pleased with hot dinners. Everything is very tasty, there is a lot of food, we were satisfied!
3. The car is clean, sturdy and comfortable. We are even very used to it.
In general, I can recommend Surikata, feel free to take their tour.
The company is reliable, we were satisfied.
P.S: At night it is very very cold, you need to take warm clothes, preferably thermal underwear. Sleeping bags may not be very clean if you are squeamish, buy a sleeping bag liner or take your own. Ngorongoro Campsite has wifi and hot water. Take a towel and toilet paper (may run out).
RU
Email Roman | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Everything was great!
Booked from St. Petersburg. Went for 3 days and 4 nights. Seregneti + NgoroNgoro. Arrived, met at the airport with a sign. Taken to the hotel. The hotel is simple, but you can sleep, there is warm water. The Internet at the hotel did not work, there was a lack of ip addresses. Maybe it was necessary to go down and that the thread was adjusted, but we did not. Cheerful Hilary took the main amount of money in the evening before the safari :)
In the morning we were met, some of the luggage was left for storage in hotels. We were taken to the first camp, there was a delicious breakfast! We went in a jeep in the Serengeti. The jeep is excellent, it didn’t break, it was comfortable and passable, apparently not all jeep companies had normal four-wheel drive, someone got stuck, we didn’t. We changed seats with others, there were 6 of us, the rear seats were the most uncomfortable, we immediately agreed to change. Onesmo driver - knows how to drive well and an excellent guide, knows everything, apparently experienced.
At the first halt in a campsite (with wifi!) On the way we gave a super tasty lunch, the cook Salim cooks just super !!! Here was our mistake, and that we were undernourished, for example, eggs and cookies, we left and we did not see them anymore. Take with you what you didn’t eat! Further safari and camp in Serengeti (no wifi). Great super dinner with wine! Sleep normally, at night I think about +10. The bedrooms are not very clean, Hilary, you can change and wash more often :) In the morning without breakfast at all, coffee and cookies (here you will need the leftover lunch) and a super cool tour of the Serengeti! A bunch of animals, super-super-super impressions !!! Already without a load, therefore, in a jeep - freer. Then a great lunch in the same camp, and return to Ngoro-Ngoro. There, as always, a super dinner + wine! Wi-Fi is. Sleep in the same tents, a little colder. I slept in thermal underwear, a flizk and a bag. It was approx. The bag itself is a summer-fall type, not very warm. Great breakfast in the morning! NgoroNgoro after the Serengeti didn’t really fit us. Worse, but ride normally. Then a great lunch in the same camp and back to Arusha. They gave the room already on the 3rd floor, more clean and with kondeem. IP addresses were not enough :) Dinner is not included! But the hotel has a restik, now let's go eat it :) Tomorrow they should arrange a transfer to the airport.
Take enough power banks, the car has 6 charges of 220 volts, but the sockets are loose, charging is very bad! Take toilet paper, towel, gel. Do not take water - water is unlimited. General impressions of the tour - 10/10. One of the best tours in the life of a spoiled tourist. I recommend Surikata and the program itself!
HR
Email Marijana S | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The best experience we ever had !!!
Me and my husband went to Tanzania for our honeymoon and we had wonderful time with Suricata Safaris.
We did 4 day lodge type safari. From the beginning we had great communication with Hilary ( the owner) who answered all our questions. Everything was perfectly organized – the driver picked us up at the airport and took us to a hotel in Arusha where we met Hilary. Our safari driver was Onesmo who has great knowledge about animals and Tanzanitan wilderness. We spent 4 beautiful days in 3 different parks (Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro) and had seen lots of animals including the „Big Five“.
After safari Hilary even took us to have lunch in local restaurant in Arusha which was a great experience. Everything was just perfect and I definitely recommend Surica Safaris!
DE
Email Andreas | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic Safari with Suricata!
My girlfriend and I did a five day lodge safari with Suricata. Hilary took care of the planning and answered all our questions very patiently. Our guide/driver Freddy did an extraordinary job. He was always on time, in a good mood and knew everything about the local flora and fauna. The lodges booked by Suricata met all our expectations.
Overall, I highly recommend Suricata Safaris as a very reliable and trustworthy company who offers very high quality services.
Thank you very much!
US
Email Marta Pahino | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The best safari experience, bar none
We had the most amazing time with Suricata Safaris! We just arrived from our 6-day safari and only have positive things to say. They took us to through all the important parks and made sure we didn’t miss a thing at each one.
But the best part of it was the team who took us on safari. Charles, our cook, who made sure we had everything we needed at all times and cooked delicious meals everyday, making sure we always had good cup of coffee and tea available. And of course, our driver and guide, Floridi. He was absolutely the best and took care of us as if we were family. We learned so much from him, had a lot of laughs and fun during the long game drives, and saw many more animals than we thought possible thanks to his help and planning.
What more could we ask for? We know that without them, our entire experience wouldn’t have been as enjoyable.
We would, without a doubt, repeat with them 100%!
