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
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Email Ian | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible wildlife, in-depth knowledge, delicious food, safe driving and all around unforgettable
So, how do you choose a safari company? I'm sure you've read tons of reviews, looked over dozens of itineraries and read page after page of tips and recommendations. Let me help you out: pick Suricata!
I took a 7-day camping safari with Suricata to Lake Manyara, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater. Of course the wildlife and landscapes were breathtaking, but what really made the experience unforgettable was the professionalism, hospitality and humor of Hilary (the owner), Mandela (the guide/driver) and Dionis (the chef).
A few highlights:
- Hilary picked us up from the bus stop with a huge smile even though the bus was 2 hours late.
- The safari vehicle is one of the best we saw in the bush. Tons of room inside, very comfortable and very safe.
- Mandela, the driver and guide, has super human abilities to find animals. He makes it a point to take his own path instead of following dozens of other vehicles. This means that you'll often get to watch animals without any other cars around. And you'll be able to look out into breathtaking landscapes and actually hear the wildlife versus sitting in the middle of 20 cars revving and idling the entire time.
- Mandela was also a great storyteller and knew information about wildlife, trees, plants, food, history, culture, etc etc.
- Dionis, the chef, will make the best soup you've ever eaten. He even made pizza... in the bush, without an oven. Make this man an Iron Chef!
- Mandela and Dionis also listen to what you want out of a safari and go out of their way to make sure your trip is comfortable, stress free and safe.
I could go on, but you get the idea. Can't wait to go back!
SE
Email Peter | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent team that took us to Uhuru Peak
If you ever consider climbing Kilimanjaro I cannot recommend a better team than Suricata Safari to help you to the top!
We did a 6 day treck (5 days to reach Uhuru Peak and 1 day to get down). It was certainly a challenge and everyone in the group really had to fight to get to the top but thanx to the guides professionalism and extremely good mood we all made it!
It was a great team effort with porters, cook and guides. All of them fantastic people supporting and pushing us all the way. A special thanx to the guides ( Luki, Albert and Freddy)!
ES
Email Prince | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderful Mount Kilimanjaro experience with Suricata Safaris.
It was an amazing experience climbing Kilimanjaro with suricata Safaris. We were welcomed by Hilary at the airport, and driven to our accommodations for the night. On the day we began our climbing, we were met by a team of 21 people to help us with our 6 days Machame route. These men would eventually become more than just our care takers. They are a group of people with pioneering spirits and adventurous outlook on life. We all made it because of these guys, they catered to every need, they hauled our bags up and down the mountain, they were at our beckon calls when needed and most importantly, they were never without smiles on their faces. Kilimanjaro is tough, but these group of guys made us believe we could do it and we did. They never left our sides and they were there on the day we departed after completing the Uhuru Peak. There is a difference between the Suricata Safari team and others on the mountain, but that is something you have to see for yourself. I absolutely recommend you go with Suricata Safaris for you Kilimanjaro adventure.
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Email Tom | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Majestic Vastness of Serengetti---I'll always remember.
I've Traveled in Latin Am, Asia, Europe and Africa & I appreciated Hilary and the Suricata Guide-Driver and cook! Hilary, the owner was so hospitable, on-time, and thoughtful to us. His price was reasonable and yet he helped us in extra ways, like taking us to the shuttle bus to Nairobi, even though we had already paid him and he did not have to do this big favor for us! I enjoyed the safari---especially the majestic vastness of the Serengetti. Emmanuel, the driver/guide has amazing eyes for spotting animals and is kind and thoughtful towards his guests in the safari. Dionnis, the cook prepares really good food and it comes on time---a big contrast to the lackadasical service we experienced at even a supposed 5 star hotel in Arusha. If I could do it over again, I would arrange to spend 2 days and 2 nights in the Serengetti, and sacrifice Tanguire or Manyara during a 5 day safari.
IT
Email Delphine | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beautiful safari of northern Tanzania!
The owner of Suricata safari, Hilary is very friendly and helpful, he will make you feel super comfortable no time! We did a 5 days private tour safari in the norther parks: Tarangire, Serengeti e Ngorongoro. Hilary came to pick us up at Arusha airport and took care of our overnight accommodation in Arusha. The safari was beautiful! Our guide Floris, and our chef Mister Delicious were the best and really took care of us for all 5 days. I truly recommend Suricata Safari! Write to Hilary and he will organize your itinerary base on how many days you have and who you would like to see. The price is good, the jeeps are good and well maintained and the camp gear is also new and clean!
Email haj | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
very friendly and knowledgeable about the animals the choice of the lodges were excellent
It was delightful to meet Hillary and Izikio at the Kilimanjaro airport. our safari started the next day in four days we visited Ngorongoro and Serengeti parks, very we had breaks for lunch and the packed lunches were OK. but the dinners at the lodges were very good the lodges were comfortable with hot and cold water .the roads are mainly bumpy if anyone has back problem this ride going to be really painful.
the night stay in Serengeti national park was unforgettable you can hear lions roar all night ,and sunrise and sunset are amassing it is a life experience not to be missed
BE
Email Carla | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great experience!
We just finished a 5 day safari in serengeti, ngorongoro crater and tarangire national park and it was amazing! I was with my partner and we shared a jeep with 4 other persons (1 couple and 2 solo travellers). We arranged everything via Hillary, he was super helpful and did not mind answering all our questions several times. It was very easy to communicate with him via whatsapp before, during and after the trip.
Our driver/guide Mandela was a great spotter, we got to see all the big 5 (and the ugly 5!) several times during our time there. We slept in public campings which offered basic sanitary infrastructure, ideal for young travellers. Dionis was our chef, and every meal we were surprised about how good it was. The good dinner after a full day safari was really appreciated.
The overall organization was great, since our arrival at the airport everything was smooth and taken care of for us which allowed us to enjoy every day without worrying about any detail.
Thanks again Hilary, Mandela and Dionis for an unforgettable experience!
IT
Email G Sap | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best esperience with Suricata Safari
Our experience (couple private tour) with suricata Safari was excellent. We enjoyed a 5days safari, thanks to our guide Floris we were able to see the big five from few meters! The boss of the company Hilary, is very nice and care a lot about the customers. Very suggested!
FR
Email Laurene | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very appreciable safari!
We really appreciated this experience with Suricata safaris. Hilary is very accomodating and the guide Ezekiel is good advertiser. And with a young child, everything was guaranteed. Thank you very much!
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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!