Jordan and Iris D' Souza manages and owns TSA
Tanzania Serengeti Adventure
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 1990)
- Member Of:
- TATO & TTB
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $250 to $300 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent expereince again!
This was the second year we used Tanzania Serengeti Adventure to plan our trip in Tanzania for our university. This year we had 3 drivers total; Philemon, James and Bryson. All of the drivers are excellent! First, they are all very friendly and are very willing to share their vast knowledge about Tanzania culture, landscape, history and wildlife. Second, they are very safety oriented and want to make certain that you have a very safe and enjoyable trip. Depending on the weather, road conditions can quickly change and they were always able to handle everything without problems. Third, they know where to find the wildlife!!
We had safari tours in the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara. We were able to see the Big Five through our travels as well as the zebra migration in the Serengeti. We saw so many animals it is impossible to list them all here. It is safe to say that there was not one animal that I wanted to see that I didn't have the opportunity to see.
While in Tanzania, we also were able to stay at the TSA owned Coffee Farm. The accommodations there are good and it is very nice to stay at a site that is completely solar powered and eco-friendly. In addition, the staff at the Coffee Farm was AMAZING! Rosie is the best cook you could ever encounter and you will be delighted to try the great food that she cooks for you. In addition, all of the staff was very helpful. The director of the Coffee Farm Blaise made certain everything was perfect for our time there and was even able to take us on a tour of the Coffee Farm and show us how coffee was made. It was amazing.
If you are looking for a great tour company to work with, this is your best bet!
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Email Andrew | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Adventure!
We had an excellent experience with Tanzania Serengeti Adventures. Our driver-guide, Philimon, was an excellent guide with a vast knowledge of the landscape and wildlife. Our safari would not have been the same without him! His 20+ years of experience really shows; we highly recommend him to anyone looking to do safari. For comparison, we had the opportunity to chat with other guests at the lodge who utilized different safari companies; they were continually astounded at the amount of wildlife we were seeing. When we described what we saw (Big 5 + tons more) they were astonished. We attributed this to Philimon’s knack to seek out all the right spots; something gained after 20 years on the job! In addition to his excellent skills as a driver/guide, Philimon is a very respectful and fun person. Our group really enjoyed chatting with him and learning more about the local culture as the miles flew by. If you’re searching for a safari, you can’t go wrong with Tanzania Serengeti Adventures – and make sure to request Philimon as your guide!
Additionally, Iris & Jordan (management) were great & custom tailored our safari to our needs. Pricing was very reasonable and payment was secure and seamless. The vehicles are top notch and all seats have safety belts. Additionally, binoculars were supplied, which was a nice touch. Go with TSA – you won’t regret it!
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Email George N. from New Jersey | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
What a Fantastic Experience!
I just returned to the US about a week ago from a two week trip to Tanzania that was arranged by Tanzania Serengeti Adventure. Our trip included a 7 day hike of the Machame Route of Mt. Kilimanjaro and a three day safari with a day each in Tarangire, Lake Manyara, and Ngorongoro Crater National Parks. I can say without hesitation that this trip, especially the climb, was the best experience of my life. As this is a safari website, I won't elaborate on the Kilimanjaro trek TOO much, but it was fantastic. If you choose to take the trek during your trip to Tanzania, make sure to do your research and to train. I highly recommend the Machame route as it offered GORGEOUS views and allowed for ample acclimatization to the high altitude - all 20 trekkers in my group made it to the summit (some with considerable altitude sickness, but they still made it!).
Following our trek, we spent a night at Pamoja Explorations Lodge just outside of the center of Arusha. Pamoja was comfortable and featured fairly reliable wifi. However, the food at the restaurant was extremely mediocre and the service was very slow. I didn't come to Tanzania for the food at the lodge, though, so I was only slightly perturbed by the experience. After our night in Arusha, we were picked up by our three fantastic safari drivers - Philemon, Bryson, and Justin - all of whom were TOP NOTCH. The drivers were enthusiastic, knowledgeable, reliable, spoke excellent English, and were just fun to be around. Our first day took us to Tarangire National Park which turned out to be a great starting point. In Tarangire, we saw zebras, impala, elephants, and much, much more, and were given a delicious boxed lunch containing chicken, a sandwich, mango juice, water, crackers and cheese spread, and a Mars bar. Very generous! The second day of our safari was to Lake Manyara National Park and we were fortunate to see to huge herds of buffalo, an amazing hot spring, thousands and thousands of flamingos, and even a rare leopard! Justin, our driver, said that in 17 years of driving in Lake Manyara National Park, he had only seen 4 or 5 leopards during the day. We were VERY lucky! The highlight of the safari, however, was yet to come! On the third morning, we woke up quite early to get to the Ngorongoro Crater as the park opened just after 6 am. We had to wait for an hour or so at the gate because, unfortunately, the payment attendant at the park didn't show up for work! Fortunately, it was only about 75 degrees and cloudy so the animals that usually hide during the midday heat were out in plain sight all day! We saw tons of ostriches, wildebeests, hyenas, zebras, hippos, and much much more. The highlights of the third day, though, were the two black rhinos (endangered) and the pride of lions. The rhinos were spotted by our driver's sharp vision and were quite a distance away. Justin had a few pairs of binoculars in the car, though, that allowed us to see the animals close up! The lions were lying in a pride of about fifteen right next to the road and we must have watched them for close to two hours. They were simply fascinating. I learned that lions only eat once every three to four days and our group must not have been hungry - the buffalo were literally chasing them around. We also observed a few moments between lions that...ahem...probably should have been private. At the end of the trip, we were presented with a certificate stating that we saw all of the big five - the elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, and rhino - and were told that we were very lucky to see all of them in such a short period of time. I disagree to an extent. We were definitely lucky, but the drivers' skill, vision, and knowledge of the park roads definitely played into our phenomenal experience and they deserve much of the credit!
Our accommodations were provided at Tanzania Ric Lodge, a small, eco-friendly lodge about a half hour off of the main highway. To get to the lodge, the safari vehicles were literally four-wheeling on dirt roads. It was incredibly fun. Tanzania Ric Lodge is located in the middle of a scenic coffee plantation and our host, Blaise, gave us a tour and explained how coffee is grown and produced during our stay. The lodge was VERY comfortable, quaint, had six large rooms (our group took up the entire lodge), and had the best food that I experienced in Tanzania. The chef, Rosie, is a culinary artist! The breakfasts were superb (homemade toast, homemade jam, honey from the farm's bees, coffee from the farm, fresh bacon from the farm, beef sausage, fresh fruit, cereal, and eggs cooked to order) as were the dinners. The best meal of our trip, in my opinion, was had on our final night at the lodge. Rosie and her staff cooked us a barbecue meal featuring beef and chicken skewers, lamb, garlic bread, and roasted potatoes. It was out of this world! Every night also included a bonfire and the alcohol available (wine and beer) was affordable and appropriate. One of the best parts of the lodge, though, was the fact that no wifi was available. The lack of internet allowed us to get to know each other better (much of our group didn't know each other prior to the trip despite the fact that 19 of our 20 travelers attend the same graduate school. I'm the one person who doesn't go to their school as one of the 19 is one of my best friends from home) and to focus on the experience. In this day and age of always being connected, it was incredible to simply get away from everything and focus on enjoying yourself and experiencing the moment. Emails can wait (Written by a 27 year old).
All in all, our experience with Tanzania Serengeti Adventure was amazing. I'm not sure if I'll ever return to Africa (my next conquest will most likely be Aconcagua, South America's tallest peak), but, if I do, I'll definitely be using TSA to plan my trip. HIGHLY recommended.
Email Mike Peckham | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Climbing Kili and Ngoro safari
TSA and Iris are just fabulous they organised or itinerary and looked after us superbly. This included helping our 9 year old disabled daughter and 12 year old son to climb Kili via the Western Breach. All staff were professional and cared for both the climb and the Safari. I have no hesitation in recommending Iris and team as the only company to travel to Tanzania with.
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50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Professional operators and staff
I was fortunate to have discovered Safari tours for a trip to the Ngorongoro crater. Perfect experience and excellent driver and guide who had three decades of experience of the animals. The tour operators arranged excellent accommodation and it was impossible to to fault the entire experience in any way
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
We had excellent service, bookings and changes well done an experienced driver - A great Safari
TSA has been in the business for a long time and the reason is that they are well organized and provide an excellent service. This is my second trip with them. All other people I know that took trips with them were as pleased with the safari as I have been.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great outfit. Very pleased.
The Kilimanjaro climb was excellent. The guides and service were far beyond my expectations. Who would have thought we'd need so much support? I certainly didn't.
On Safari the guide was also first class. No complaints. Everything was safe and taken care of. No details overlooked.
Would recommend this group to everyone.
FI
Email Kimmo, work and life specialist | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Tailored trip to the best destinations in Serengeti
This was the second time I and my wife used TSA to arrange a photo trip to Serengeti. Again, it was a total success. They seem to have excellent guides that will find the most interesting action available to photograph in the bushes. They are not the cheapest or largest of the tour organisers, but they offer a good amount of experience and subjects to shoot for a photographer. I have been ten times in Africa on photogaphing trips but this is the place to find the best subjects. And for sure, I will use TSA to arrange my next trips as well.
IE
Email Malaika | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A trip of a life time and an experience I'll never forget
Our trip in Tanzania with TSA was for two weeks and it was the most incredible vacation I ever had. We climbed Kilimanjaro in the first week and the guides and porters that were with us were very nice and welcoming. The food was very good, especially the soups! We would come to the camp and the porters would be there helping you take of your shoes and rub your feet, while they have been doing all the heavy carrying and work. The guides were very motivating and helpful to get us up the mountain.
In the second week we went on a six day safari. Our driver had a lot of knowledge about the animals and was really good at spotting them. We got to see the big 5 and lot's of other animals. He was also really interested in getting great pictures and drove into different positions so that we could get the best shots of the animals! First we went to Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro and we stayed at the coffee farm the first two nights, which is an absolute amazing place and the staff was very friendly and food was good. After the second night we went to Serengeti and the third and fourth night we stayed in Savannah camps in the middle of the Serengeti, which was also very exciting as your in the middle of the wildlife. The staff here were friendly and the food was of very high standard. The tents are walk in tents with en suite bathrooms and actual beds. This was the most comfortable tent I've ever been in.
On the last night we had a lodge booked in Tarangire, again somewhere were you could wake up with wild animals just outside your window! This place was very relaxing with again such nice staff!
I'm very glad we booked our trip through Tanzania Serengeti Adventure as they were very considerate to plan a day of relaxing after out flight before our Kilimanjaro climb, a day of relaxing between Kili and the safari and again an extra day for relaxing and shopping after the safari and before our flight. You might want to do as much as possible when you are on holiday, however we were really happy with these days of relaxing in between. Our luggage also got lost on our flight coming into Tanzania and TSA did there best to keep in contact with the airport to make sure our bags would arrive on time for us to pack before the climb.
Everything of this trip has been absolutely amazing and I would recommend to travel with TSA to anyone, as they have been so great and they have a lot of experience in organizing the trip with/for you! I really hope to do this trip again in the future!
IE
Email Herman | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A Wonderful Safari Experience
First of all, we took the Safari trip after we had climbed the Kilimanjaro.
We were with the four of us and regarded the Safari as the icing on the cake.
And indeed it was; no disappointments whatsoever. Our main guide and Four wheel driver 'Philemon' (don't know if i wrote his name correct) was outstanding. He could spot Wildlife where we had no idea there was any. The man must have had eagle eyes ha ha. He was always willing to drive a little further or back just for that beautiful photo shot, and on the go told you all about the animals and landscape. The accomodation was various, meaning, one day we would sleep in tents in the middle of Serengeti, another day in a sort of 'holiday' resort. But wherever we went there was always good food to fuel yourself after another day of photoshooting and last but not least execellent sleeping accomodation. Even in the middle of Serengeti, surrounded by wildlife, I felt safe, in the knowledge that an excellent staff was safeguarding us. All in all I would do it straight again if my employer would give me more holidays :-) . The people of Tanzania Serengeti Adventure Ltd., where we booked this Safari, were very friendly, professional and helpful.