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 $600 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
That was amazing!
This was our first experience on safari. Everything was great. We met at the airport, placed in the hotel. In the evening came, Hillari, we paid main amount for safari. He asked our preferences in food, when my wife learned that cook can cook separately for her food without gluten, she was very happy! Was one confusion with paying, in the contract not mentioned on the amount of a tip for guide, they were fixed, 10$ with person per day. I think you need it to write in the contract! In our country tips are not mandatory and fixed. But guide the Mandela and cook Salim, great fulfilled his work and very tried, so we were pleased to pay a tip! We really liked it, we will recommend to our friends! The price is very good.
US
Email Heather | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very smooth and fantastic experience, once we got the kinks worked out
Suricata Safaris is a shining new company in a competitive field, and you should absolutely book them. I recently did a 6 day/5night camping safari with them, and they handled everything so nicely, from the itinerary to choosing the best campsites. They have (as of right now) three drivers—Frederick was our guide, but we also met Mandela, who was super charming and enthusiastic.
You could not ask for a smarter, more informed, funny, patient person to show you the wilderness than Frederick. He knows his field incredibly well, from who/what/how every predator hunts, to understanding where to find the action. (We saw a cheetah take down a zebra, and a lion miss one in the same day.) He’ll answer all your questions and include information you never knew to ask, all with a great sense of humor. He's patient, and it pays off in the best sightings.
Dioniz was our chef, and I guarantee you’ve never eaten better while camping. Breakfast, lunch and dinner were all multi-course affairs with a million choices. You’ll be spoiled by him for sure. He’s up at the crack of dawn to set a table with a tablecloth for your breakfast and the food is *chefkiss* He’s got skills.
We had some communication difficulties with Hilary, but all were sorted quickly. Most stemmed from him getting emails from two different people, so I recommend having one point person as the organizer. Be prepared to pay the receiving end Tanzanian bank fees for a wire transfer as well as your own bank’s. BUT, he personally drove us to the airport, which was lovely.
Suricata can’t guarantee a specific driver, although we were told we were confirmed with our request. It wasn't a big deal, just another communication issue. You won’t go wrong with any of the guides, though, so it’s ultimately nbd. We also requested separate accommodations but were in shared tents (just my friend and me together) the whole time. Again, re-confirm all the details of your trip a few days before to make sure Suricata is on the same page.
I would have preferred a more detailed itinerary, like an easy to print pdf including drive times between sites (some are 6 hours) and a recommended packing list, but that’s nitpicking (which, I learned from Frederick, is a term that comes from baboon grooming habits). You will need this for your visa, so be sure to ask Hilary for a list of each day.
Don’t go crazy with safari gear—you’ll rarely be out of the car, and then only at picnic sites/washrooms. Pack comfortable shoes you can take off quickly so you can hop up onto the seat fast enough to get that once-in-a-lifetime photo. Basically dress like you’re going on a road trip. I never even considered wearing the safari hat I brought, and hiking boots were definite overkill.
Don’t forget binoculars, a towel, bug spray, itch cream, soap/shampoo, tissues/tp, and a few warm layers. There is a charger for all your devices in the safari vehicle! I don't think I was below 80% charged the entire week.
Suricata did well by us. You can feel confident you’re getting an amazing trip with super smart people you’ll be happy to spend a week with. I had an unforgettable time and made some new friends along the way!
RU
Email Ilyas Kalimullin | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was very good organized, easy going 6 days safari
Company met us in Arusha airport. After night in a hotel we started our 6 days safari.
First day was Manayara, actually we didn't see flamingo there, but we saw hippo very close. After a night in good camping we went to Serengeti NP for 2 days. It was awesome there - many gnus and zebras. We also saw different cats - lions, cheetahs, leopards.
Every day we had excellent dinner and breakfast with hot meal made by our cook. And also we had lunchboxes in the car, but the lunchboxes were not so good.
The only problem, which upset us was that
the program of Suricata said "Day 5 : Ngorongoro Crater tour .
After breakfast, proceed directly to the Crater floor for a full day crater tour with picnic lunches. Later proceed back to tarangire in the evening"
But actually we had only half day safari in Ngorongoro, we were upset of this fact.
But it total everything is very good. We recommend this company!
IE
Email Sarah | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Mixed experience but kept asking for 5 star review
We had a mixed experience on our 4 day safari. Our first three days were very good, but our final day they changed our group and car which led to a lot of sitting on side of road or on curb waiting. We were never communicated with about what was happening. If you have the same group/guide I say you'll have a better experience but we were not told till 10pm before our 6am tour start that we were to have two different groups. We found the communication poor - at the end when they meet you they kept pushing for us to give 5 star review rather than listening to our experience and feedback. The food on the tour was excellent and our jeep was very good.
Email Jeremy | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Good safari, but poor camping equipment and forced to leave 5 star review
Good safari, knowledgeable guides. Overall decent experience. 3 different parks, 3 nights in tents and 4 days of safari.
But - camping and sleeping gear was old and smelt mouldy. It was not hygienic.
Also at the end of the trip we were left with sour taste in our mouths as the company essentially held us in a location until we submitted a 5 star review.
So please take any 5 star reviews with a grain of salt.
It’s a good safari for the cost, but be prepared for some mouldy camping gear
RO
Email Monica | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Mixed
Overall, the adventure went well. In detail, we saw wild animals - that's why we went to Tanzania in the first place - and sometimes they were so close... right next to the jeep's front wheel OMG. We had Mister T, Lewis, Silas as our guides and Piu as a chef in Ngorongoro. On the first day of the safari, the jeep had issues when it exceeded 35 km/h, and we lost a few hours trying to fix it at a Mad Max-style service center :). The response was that it could be repaired if taken elsewhere for a part, and all of us in the group chose to continue using it as it was. On the second day, a different jeep, a different guide, and a different group: this time, the gearbox broke down right before entering the park, before the ticket gate. After a few phone calls done by Silas, we were told that it would be fixed in an hour. After an hour, we were told it would take another 2 hours. After the first hour of the two, we were informed that we would receive a replacement vehicle around 3 - 4:30 pm. After a while, Silas managed to persuade another driver (just entering the park) from a different company to take each of us to our respective accommodations - we drove for 6 hours with only a few stops because it was already getting dark, and the driver didn't have time to return back safely. The vehicles were not properly checked, which posed risks (what if we were already near the group of relaxed lions we photographed next to the front wheel? What if the vehicle didn't start? I'm sure Silas would have found solutions, but I would have preferred not to have these worries :). The first night of accommodation was at Boma Lodge - excellent lodging and food. The second night was at An'gata Lodge - MASH-style tents, a dedicated team - we were escorted to and from the tents by a team member using walkie-talkies; good food. The third night was at a camping tent, and the toilet/shower area needs improvements. Good food cooked by Piu. During the night we were visited by zebras OMG :) I'm glad that, overall, the safari was a success. We took memorable photos/videos and returned safely, with no unpleasant incidents regarding food. I can recommend improvements in communication between guides and tourists AND regular technical checks of the vehicles. Regarding tips, I agree with it up to the point where there is so much pressure that it can be believed that salaries are not paid from the money tourists pay for the safari (and it's not a small amount), and guides rely solely on tips. I hope that is not the case.
NO
Email Dilan | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great wildlife, but disappointing tour operator
We did a small safari tour over 3 days, where we slept in tents. Our experience was very two sided.
Pros:
1-The animals and nature we got to see was incredible. We saw almost all the animals we were hoping for.
2-The cook was amazing, considering his working conditions in public camping sites. Every single meal was really tasty, and had a good variety. He was always polite and explained in detail which food he served.
3-The tents were as expected for two adults in terms of size and weather resistance, but the campsite toilets and showers were dirty and lacking toilet paper. There were also too many tourists per toilet.
4-We have beverages in the jeep (water and soda) every day.
5-Two person per row in the jeep allowed everyone to have their own window.
6-The cars used for transport to and from the airport were in good condition
Cons:
1-The lodge where we stayed before and after the safari was very low-budget. The shower had only cold or burning hot water, and the water pressure was way too low. No hand towels were provided, and we had to ask for a second shower towel both stays. The breakfast was decent and the staff was polite. The room had poor sound isolation, so we were kept awake by other guests.
2-Our guide/driver (James or Jimmy) was often driving very erratically, so that it was often difficult for us to take good videos or photos of the animals. Sometimes he wouldn't stop when all of us saw animals we wanted to photograph.He was often giving information while we took pictures, but he kept demanding our response whenever we were busy with experiencing the wildlife. The way he approached different tourist in the jeep seemed unprofessional to us. When the tour was over, he didn't even bother helping with our bags, or even say goodbye. This was after we had paid the tip that was suggested by Hillary.
3-The driver should have a microphone, because it is almost impossible to hear his voice while the engine is running, especially if you are sitting in the back of the jeep.
4-Our contact at the lodge (Mr. Ally or Ali) gave us a very unenthusiastic introduction to our tour, where he said that we "must" pay a tip of 15 USD per day per person, even though Hillary's email said it was a recommendation. Only after we said this, he changed his choice of words. After the safari was over we met him again. Then he asked "give us a 5-star review on Tripadvisor, both of you today". We told him we would review the experience from home, but he kept asking to do it immediately. The only purpose was to keep Surikata Safari on top of the list at Tripadvisor, rather than honest feedback. Future tourists should keep this in mind when you read all the 5-star reviews. We had some extra time on our last day in Arusha where we said we wanted to relax. Instead he kept pushing for us to pay for more tours. The transport to the airport was 45 - 60 minutes delayed.
Overall what we suggest especially to couples is that to choose a mid-range (more luxurious) option compared to the one with tents. Then you might not be annoyed by some of the things we have listed.
Reply from Suricata Safaris
Posted on Aug 23, 2022Dear Dilan,
we are glad to receive your feedback and especially the positive points. We are very sorry for some experiences you had and we will work on improving. We are a young and growing company and feedback like you did is very important for us to revise internal conducts and miscommunications. We are very aware that improving our and our associate accommodations (campsites, lodges, hotels) service quality will reflect on the way our actual and future guests live their Suricata Safaris experience and experience Tanzania. Our focus in to make this really a memorable moment.
Let me go through on all the points you mentioned and give you some explanations:
1-We are in close contact with our partner accommodations and are working on checking the points you mentioned. We will create a checklist to revise ourselves the sites to improve. Some of the points are a bit tricky as we are bound to the infrastructure we have in Africa and that is sometimes a bit different from what our guests from other regions of the world are used to. Rooms insulation/noise sometimes is due to the location of the rooms inside the lodges; we are working on choosing the best solution taking into account budget restrictions that come with the packages that are booked by our guests. It is important to notice that these problems don’t happen in medium/higher budget safaris, where the lodges’ structure, architecture, atmosphere and staff conduct are designed to provide a more exclusive/calm experience.
2-Our guides/drivers conducts are on a constant process of improvement. We will reinforce with all of them the importance of the photo/video’s moment to all our guests. For sure calm/silence is needed to enjoy it fully. We have a steady flow of people and have actually very good feedback on our guides. We apologize if your experience was below expectation. The experience is until the last “goodbye”. We are aware and will make sure that such an experience does not happen again.
3-We are aware of the acoustical limitations in the safari cars. We have chosen not to put microphones because we think that silence is an important feature when observing wildlife. While very close to animals the best conduct is to turn off the engines, because silence is needed. On the other hand some guests want to experience safari almost in silence, so we will think about how to improve this point, including the distribution of people closer or not to the driver/guide.
4-Our guests’ recommendations are for sure very, very important to the company, as it is the way people can understand better the coming experience. The tips are a recommendation only, and is important to say that the tips are a very important income to all the people that work in safari business in Tanzania. We will solve the internal miscommunications about the tips and the approach to new experiences.
We are working to improve every day, we are sorry for the inconveniences you mentioned. Thank you for your time, you feedback is valuable to us.
Hillary and Suricata Safaris team.
Email Tiia | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Hillary swapped customers to cheaper tour operator without disclosing this
I spent a good while researching safari options prior to my trip to Tanzania. I chose to book with Suricata Safaris based on their great reviews (#6 of 1,294 Outdoor Activities in Arusha) and accepted the cost as a part of the great experience I was in for. Weeks in advance, I had emailed the company to confirm this tour was going ahead on that day. Hillary from Suricata Safaris confirmed this.
When the tour started, I quickly realised it was not the 5-star treat I had paid for. Another day in, I realised that we had ended up with Arunga Expeditions & Safaris (#674 of 1,294 Outdoor Activities in Arusha) and their rude personnel. When I asked about this, our driver told me to "stop complaining". When I confronted the Suricata representative, Hillary, he said that they moved me to a cheaper operator to save costs.
My experience with Arunga was very poor. There was no toilet paper, no hot water and no WiFi in the camps, and I shared a small tent with two people (I was told differently when I made my online enquiry with Suricata Safaris). When one of our crew fell ill and needed transportation out of the nature reserve, our guide suggested that we need to sort that ourselves.
I ended up getting dinner and 10% of my money back from Suricata Safaris after the tour. This really does not make up for the difference in quality for the two tour operators.
RO
Email Victor | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing tour guide, great tour overall, but the attitude of the management was absolutely terrible
Everything started when we first met their contact person, Daniel, who came to brief us and take the rest of the payment for the tour, which we chose to pay in cash. We paid 60 USD more, as, of course, he did not have change. He promised he will give us the change back when the tour ends.
We started the tour everything was ok until the second day when we ate the lunch prepared by their hotel, Suricata Boma Lodge, where we stayed the first night. The food was bad and we had got food poisoning, exactly what you need in a safari.
Considering this, when we arrived at the next accommodation we asked them to prepare a lunch with rice and more solid stuff so we avoid getting sick again. Guess what, they did not care about what we asked, we ate only part of the food and we got sick again.
We were promised by Daniel, who we believe lied to us, that we will have our own chef which will prepare exactly what we want, considering some limited options. We never seen such a guy.
Besides this, the tour guide was kind and helpful and he did his best to make us comfortable. He planned the days in a very smart way and we were most of the time almost alone with a lot of animals. Thank you again Paul!!
Now, let's move to the nasty part. On the last day, got back to Arusha and we were supposed to meet with Daniel, for a feedback session and of course, as promised to return us the money he owed us.
Guess what?
He kept saying that he is coming soon, and at some point he called saying that we should do the debriefing via the phone, because he is stuck in traffic and during the discussion he asked us to not mention anything about the food poisoning as he wouldn't want us to generate a bad image for the company. And then he promised again that in 30 minutes he will come with the money. It was already past 9 pm. At around 10:30 PM he said that we will get the money from the driver who is going to drive us to the airport. Of course the driver did not have the money and did not know anything about this.
I discussed with Daniel again and he said the money were left at another hotel reception, then that the money were in the company's office and then that the driver actually had the money and forgot to give them to us. He was clearly lying. These different versions are from a Whatsapp conversation with him.
He clearly wanted to keep the money.
Now, it is not about the money, it is about their attitude in regards to this.
I told them that I want to get the money back via a bank transfer. They said they only do western union, which was not an option for me at all. I am not going to waste time to open accounts and run arround in my holiday at different western union places to get back the money I was owed. After multiple different conversations and pressure, I was told I will receive the refund via Revolut, and that the money were already sent. They lied again. This is the moment when I started to threaten them with a bank claim (I did pay the deposit via a bank payment). After threatening them, I got the money back the day after, from another Revolut account, which is an instant bank transfer (so they cannot say anything about the transfer taking longer than a day).
I would never recommend them and I feel lucky that nothing really bad happened during the trip. Considering their attitude, I am pretty sure they would have not done anything.
JP
Email Yoshi | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Please confirm your itinerary carefully
We booked a 3 day tour exchanging mails with Suricata Safaris. We selected their tour from many options because they offered a tour with a luxury tented camp by a reasonable price in Safari booking.com. We carefully confirmed their offer many times before the booking, since a safari tour was our main purpose to go to Tanzania.
However, we realized they had prepared just a budget tent for us on arriving at a camp site in the evening on the first day. Here, what I want to say is that there might be difference between their offer shown in Safari booking.com and their actual tour. I recommend you to ask them to make precise itinerary for your tour in order to avoid any misunderstanding. I hope no one have such a disappointing experience anymore.
Finally, though I think it was quite expensive as a safari tour with the budget tent compared with other offers, the only salvation was quality of a driver and a cook.
Reply from Suricata Safaris
Posted on Nov 14, 2019We are very sorry to hear that you had a disappointing experience. our company offers safaris of certain quality standard and we are also very disappointed that you didn't enjoy it. we are briefly replying to your comments,
1. you booked this trip via safari bookings we received a quote for the private budget camping safari, we sent you an offer with all details day by day with the camping accommodation listed on each day you accepted it and confirmed as you can see below
On this 3-day camping safari you will be well looked after and see some of the best that Tanzania has to offer. You will experience breathtaking wildlife in the midst of some of the most diverse landscapes; monkeys in the forest, lions in trees, elephants among acacias and a huge variety of animals inside a collapsed volcano. Not only visit Serengeti and ngorongoro Parks but also drive into the world-famous rift valley.
DAY 1: ARUSHA-SRERENGETI
After the breakfast early in the morning our drive guide will drive you
from Arusha to Serengeti National Park Set out for the endless open
plains and stunning skies of the Serengeti. A good-looking four hour
drive, day game drive together with late evening game drive. Dinner
and overnight at Seronera Campsite.
DAY 2: SERENGETI-NGORORNGORO
Serengeti to Ngorongoro, after a relaxing morning and an early lunch,
proceed to Ngorongoro, our well proffessional and experienced driver will
drive you all through Serengeti way to Ngorongoro crater explain enroute
wildlife and natural beauty of Tanzania. We will spent the night on the
crater rim, dinner and overnight will be at Ngorongoro simba campsite.
DAY 3: NGORONGORO-ARUSHA
Ngorongoro Crater tour - back to Arusha. Early breakfast, proceed directly
to the Crater floor for a day crater tour with picnic lunches. Later
proceed back to Arusha.
Included in the tour package are:
• Camping Accommodations
• Meals: Full Board - Breakfast, Hot Lunch or Picnic Lunch and Dinner while on Safari
• All Transfers and Transport, Park Fees
• Game viewing activities as stated in the above tour/safari description
• Services of a Safari Driver/ Guide
• Safari tent, Safari cook and camping supplies
Not included in tour:
• International air fares
• Any required Visas
• Travel Insurance
• Items of a Personal Nature
• Tips to Staffs
What to bring:
• Appropriate clothing for Safari: A warm sweater as the nights can be chilly at high altitudes
• Sun Glasses
• Binoculars for better sightings
Send us your arrival time and date so that we can arrange pick up for you.
Looking forward for your positive reply.
2. As you can see the above itinerary is also published on safari bookings the same, after we sent you the above itinerary and a reasonable price that is on the site till now you confirmed right away and asked for our bank details so you could make the deposit in order to confirm your spot with us,
3. When you arrived on the 5th of September I came to your accommodation in Arusha and briefed you all about the tour and again I explained about the accommodations you were fine and never doubted,
4. when you arrived to Serengeti at 5.pm I received a call from our guide Lewis that we took you to a wrong accommodation I tried my best to explain you and resent you the itinerary we confirmed initial but unfortunately we could not understand each other because you had a language problem,
5. when you arrived to Arusha I asked you to have a talk about the situation but you said it happened and there is no way we could change anything and you promised when you get back hone you would review the emails and let me know if you find out anything but unfortunately you never replied to our emails that were following up the situation you ended up giving us a negative review,
6. our itinerary are well confirmed and well shown on safari bookings we hope that you would find out that we never intended to provide you a wrong service.