Asseri the founder with clients at Ngorongoro
Orongai Africa Safari
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2013)
- Member Of:
- Tanzania Tourist Board
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $145 to $750 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
PL
Email Mariusz | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Africa is not Europe, you will love it or hate it:)
1. We had our 3 weeks trip to Kenya organised by Orongai in cooperation with Bonfire. We visited Samburu, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, Masai Mara, Amboseli, Tsavo West, and Diani Beach.
2. Our first an owerwhelming experience: Africa is not Europe or US. Things work differently, and you must accept it or your trip will be ruined.
So for the things we were surprised with, and which could ruin our trip if we did pay too much attention to it:
- changes in the itinary which were not consulted with us. This was the major annoyment, but since we were 3 weeks in Kenya after a week we were used to it. To be fair: we had a hotel for each night, the hotels were between 3-5 stars, we had our Full Board meals, water and our guide to help us. The itinary kept changing from the first day till the last one, but we did not inquire why. Since everything was going rather more than less according to plan we were happy. However, for 80% this will be unacceptable, and Orongai must change its approach if it wants its customers to be satisfied.
- the car: at first we felt that the car is a mistake - a very old Toyota. We have seen a number of newer and better cars on the road and for the first few days we were a bit upset. However and it is a big however, the car was very comfortable. When you are on a safari you will get dirt, you will be tired of the road, you will want to just throw you things wherever you want to: this car was very good for this, and quite frankly, we think that for this trip it was much better to have it than a brand new Toyota Land Cruiser.
- hotels on the Diani Beach - don't expect that a 4 star hotel in Kenya is really a 4 star hotel. But it's not Orongai fault.
- Terms and Conditions, Agreement, Invoices..... well this is Africa, don't expect any of this, we had seen and signed none. However, the trip cost almost exactly the same amount as indicated when we booked it. No hidden costs or tarrifs. Find me a European tour operator which does that:)
- One more set back - for 22 out of 23 days our car was always on spot when we needed it. It is a pity, on the last day somebody forgot to arrange our transport to the airport (sic!):) It cost us 30 USD, but we made it:)
3. What was amazing and why we loved it:
- The driver: a real game-chaser + Formula 1 master. I could never have expected that a car may go to and through places and things ours did. We would only hope he spoke better English. But except this, he did an amazing job.
- Communication: Martha was always there to help us. Sometimes the issues needed time to be resolved, but all of them were and that's what counts.
- The trip: well planned. Animals amazing, parks even better, weather - Kenian:)
- Safety: from time to time, we noticed that safety is an issue in Kenya. All of our drivers/guides were very vigilant for any suspicious behaviour and did not allow anything bad to happen to us.
- All the things we described in point 2, for as constituted a specific "African flavour" - and this is a part of the experience. It was our first time in Africa, and it exceeded our expectations. We are happy that this was a case and not the other way around.
4. Conclusions
- first timers in Africa, we have no comparison.
- Africa is not Europe. This is why we gave Orongai 4 stars. If the trip was done the same way in Europe by a European tour operator we would rate it 3.
- our best advice: when things don't go the way you planned, try to relax and go with the flow:)
5. Tips and tricks
- Safari: buy yourself a good pair of binoculars 40x40 or 50x50. Its much more important than a photo camera. In other case, don't go at all.
- If the sacurity in your camp say you are forbidden to go out of the tent at night - they are right. You're lucky if it's only a Zebra feeding grass next to you tent and not a Hyena or 10 of them.
BR
M&M
ES
Email Alba Juberi | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Safari in Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro
We booked the Safari for 5 days to visit Tarangire Park, Serengeti Park and Ngorongoro Park. It was a great experience and we are so happy with the company.
We booked a private safari that included a private car, chef and guide. That was a good decision. Both were very attentive to our needs and preferences.
The day before to start the safari, when we arrived to Arusha Airport, a car from the company brought us to the hotel. Afterthat, they came with us to the hotel, where we could ask the last questions before depart the following day.
We chose to sleep in Public Campsites. The Public Campsites are located inside the parks, for this reason you can listen the animals during the night. There the chefs cook and you sleep in tends and sleeping bags. In the Campsites there are toilets and showers, but without hot water. This is the price that you have to pay for sleep in the middle of the park.
During our Safari we could see the Big Five and all kind of animals! Moreover we demanded to our guide to see the sunrise and the sunset and he took us to special sites.
The transfers by car from one Park to another Park were long, but you have another options, like do it by plane.
That was the first Safari and for this reason we had many questions, but the company answered us every questions and the emails.
When the Safari was over, people from the company came to the hotel to do the last feedback and checked that everything was okey. Also they offered to took us to the airport the next day.
That’s a great experience and we are very happy. We could meet other tourists that they had bad luck with their chefs and guides from other companies.
Thanks Orongai for this experience. We will repeat for sure.
Nice holidays with Orongai Africa company
Tanzania was a fantasy location for me quite a while. The wild beasts are so impressively astounding to pull in me.
Our visit guide Asseri was exceptionally proficient and knowledgeable about all that we encountered. Likewise, He also takes us deliberately, treat us like a genuine family. We sensed that this trip was amazing and had a great experience in viewing passionate Africa. On the whole, it was an unforgettable trip with Orongai Africa Tours.
CA
Email Michele | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
16 Day Kenya-Tanzania Solo Safari - Exciting to Say the Least
16 days with 8 different accommodation spots and a border crossing, there are bound to be a few things that might go off the rails. I would suggest anyone undertaking such a challenge have an open mind and be able to roll with the punches. I did a lot of research prior to booking my Safari with Orongai and in the end, they offered the best value for what I was looking for; a mix of luxury and tented accommodation with a full itinerary. First what needs to be noted is Orongai is relatively new to the Safari tour industry, but the Founder, Asseri is not. As such, they are continuing to learn and grow. If you are looking for that PERFECT nothing better go WRONG experience, then I recommend you pay the $10 to $15k US per person and book with a company that has been around for 30 years. If you are looking for value and won't get absolutely rattled if things don't go 100% according to plan, then you will have the trip of a lifetime like many others have indicated in their reviews.
Like a few others, I had changes presented to me upon arrival in Nairobi that had not been communicated prior to leaving Canada. I addressed the lack of communication with them in this regard and we came to a mutual agreement. Like some others, I too had accommodation changes that I was not expecting. Again, I stressed the importance in communicating changes to their clients prior to them arriving for their Safari - no one likes surprises, especially if they are going to be perceived as negative.
So here's my adventure:
- I arrived in Nairobi to learn my luggage did not. Martha and Asseri delayed departure for my Safari while they tried to figure out how they could retrieve my luggage once it arrived and get it to me while I was on the road. They helped make arrangements with the hotel, etc. They didn't have to - they didn't lose my luggage, the airline did. I was 5 days without my luggage!
- As a single female, they were concerned with pairing me with a young, male guide. They hired a new guide/driver that was supposed to be more experienced. James turned out to be friendly enough and very aggressive when it came to maneuvering the safari vehicle into position for the best wildlife shot. I got the best photos and did not have a professional camera with a 2 foot long lense. The downside was James' english was not very strong and he was not as outgoing and personable and I would have liked. An outgoing, personable driver with a good sense of humour was part of the criteria I requested for my Safari. As I was travelling solo, I needed to have a driver that was willing to engage. He also ended up taking more risks then he should have with the vehicle; taking short cuts that were not authorized by Orongai.
- Due to 'confusion' with regards to my itinerary my driver chose to skip taking me to the Nakuru Rhino reserve/drive and I missed out on seeing any Rhino's on this trip; a big disappointment for me. To make up for this, Asseri had my driver take me to Naivasha where I was treated to a private boat tour on the lake at Orongai's cost.
- Asseri met me at the Kenya/Tanzania border to take me to the Serengeti for 2 days. Crossing the border, and getting another Visa is quite an undertaking and to have the assistance and support to be guided through that process by him was very helpful and appreciated. I was hosted by Steve at the Kati Kati Tented Camp right in the park - it was amazing.
- Most of the lodges and tents that I stayed at, although there were some changes were quite nice.
- The biggest concern with accommodation was in Nakuru where I was placed at The Legacy Hotel; a hotel, not a lodge or a tented camp. In the middle of the night a man entered my room with a key. I suspect with the intention of stealing from me; as he had a key, he must have been an employee, but I will never know as he took off before anything could be done. I addressed this with Martha who addressed it with the hotel. The result is Orongai will not be placing any clients in that hotel in future.
- My driver made another unauthorized deviation near the end of my trip on the way to Mombasa. Because of this, Asseri again paid to have me taken on a private 5 hour tour through Mombasa to make up for it.
- The end result is 'James' will not be hired for any future safari work with Orongai
Communication, communication, communication. It is key, especially with a trip that was as complicated as mine was. And remember, you aren't always going to have internet or wifi access when you are out on Safari - be prepared for that.
Orongai is new, they are continuing to learn as they continue to grow; this is to be expected. They did their best to make right the things that went wrong; that is all you can ask of any company. Even with the few bumps in the road along the way, I had a fantastic experience - something I will never forget, and I now have friends in Arusha; Martha and Asseri.
If you are planning a 5-7 day Safari, you will not be disappointed like the many others that have posted reviews. If you are planning a Safari that is longer and has you moving every day or two to another location, be prepared for some hiccups along the way.
I definitely recommend them. Just confirm your itinerary prior to leaving your country of residence.
GH
Email mi | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent safari tour in safri
As for total safari tour, it is very nice. Tour schedule is good and the driver is very good.I appriciate his hospitality.He acted according to the circumstances and our expectation. As for hotel,lodge and tent, they are great! It was beyond our expectation. But I want to say only one thing to the tour company. The accomodation was changed from Web booking.We saw the accomodation on the Web site and we booked.If you change the accomodation, in this case you changed lodge to the luxually tent, please let me know before we leave our country.We have to prepare against cold.It turned out to be a nice day.We could see so many stars at the luxually tent. But I ask you tell your customers any changes in advance.Finally Thank you for good arrangement.
AT
Email Andreas | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Orongai Africa Safari gave us an awesome experience
I booked our 5 day Safari via Internet with Orongai Africa Safari. From the first time I was corresponding with Martha I had a good feeling that I can trust the company. Everything with the payment worked. On the airport we were warmly welcomed. Then we had a meeting were she told us what will happen the next days. Our guide Frank was very very nice and friendly. We could ask him everything and he had to nearly all questions an answer. Frank has a very good knowledge from Serengeti. So we were lucky to see a lot of animals without other cars around. And we saw the big five!
From Orongai Africa Safari everything was organized very well and we have nothing to complain about! We can recommend this company to everyone who is interested in a Safari in Tansania.
Email Desmond | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The amazing tour guide defines the tour. Overall, great tour and nearly perfect.
My girlfriend and I went on a 4 day tour covering Lake Manyara, The Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti NP. Overall, the trip was amazing and the company left an extremely positive impression on me and my girlfriend, although it wasn't perfect. To get the negatives out of the way, there is room for improvement in areas of communication during the planning stages of the trip. When we arrived in Tanzania, we were informed of floodings in our booked accommodation in the past week, where we had to relocate and some pricing adjustments were made. Given that this was not previously communicated to us, we were caught off guard. Given that we were able to confirm the unusual severity of the floods this year in Tanzania from extra research and other local sources, we believe there was no malice involved but it was genuine miscommunication. I suggest that if you do book a tour with Orongai, it is very important that you regularly reach out to the tour company about itinerary changes and pricing. It should also be noted that even after the pricing adjustment, we found the price to be extremely competitive for the level of hospitality offered.
With that out of the way, the tour itself blew our minds. The guide, Charles, was extremely friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. He went out of his way to accommodate some special requests we had (we needed medical attention at some point due to a previous incident unrelated to the tour) and the connections he had with other guides meant that we were always able to spot the right animals at the right time. Although we only went for four days and it was during low season (May), we spotted all the big 5, including a whole tree of lions in the Serengeti and a rhino at a far distance (admittedly, we got very lucky in general as the weather was great for the season). He also had an impressive knowledge of local animals and gave the right amount of context to the beasts we were spotting. The level of accommodation and food offered were at and exceeded our level of expectations and definitely worth the price we were paying for. The company representative also met with us after the tour and was genuinely interested in our feedback regarding our experience, which we felt was a great touch. As with all tours, understandably, there were times when we were gently suggested to shop in some areas, but this was not done in an aggressive or forceful way.
In general, I am very glad to have Orgonai to be the guide to my first Safari and my third time to Africa. I would not hesitate to recommend them to my friends and family should they want to do a Safari in Tzn one day (with the emphasis on the communication part).
DE
Email Fernandi Victor | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best honeymoon we could ever have imagined
Orongai nafrica safaris helped us organise a personalised safari for our honeymoon which included the great migration and the big five. As it was our first safari and a special ocasion, we had many uncertaininties and questions when we started the booking. From the very beginning Orongai nafrica safaris´s sales team (Annas) were very attentive, informative and provided their best recommendations to make our honeymoon special. All the process went smoothly.
During the safari days we were lucky to have the best possible person to be our guide/driver. Azaria is a kind person, patient and with a strong passion to make the experience enjoyable for the guests. He is not just a very knowledgable guide, but also a fantastic driver and a great person. Azaria has a great eye to spot the animals, but also would always ask us how we were feeling in order to adapt the journey to our needs. It was great to see that so many other guides as well as park researchers would come to Azaria for tips and advice too. It really made us think he is "the man" hahaha. Also was nice to see how he stopped his journey to get down in the mud to help another driver whose car got stuck.
The trip organised by Orongai nafrica safaris was amazing. Our itinerary was very well planned with enough time to see the animals, the 3 main parks, amazing sun rise and sun sets and always staying in very comfortable and clean accomodations with surprisingly good food.
All in all we could not recommend more Orongai nafrica safaris and especially would also want to thank to our great guide Azaria for making our honeymoon really special.
ES
Email Bernod George | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Orongai africa safari and Wilson = amazing wildlife encounters!
I just completed a 7-day safari in Tanzania with Orongai Africa safari - I highly recommend this company! This was my seventh trip to Africa and was definitely one of the most memorable.
Our guide, Wilson, was extremely knowledgeable, and taught us a great deal about not only the wildlife, but also Tanzanian culture.
All staff at our lodges/campsites were very kind and helpful; they would go out of their way to accommodate our requests.
I especially enjoyed the Acacia camps, as they were situated within the parks, and made us feel at one with the wild! The manager of the Acacia Migration camp, Hassan, was very funny, and his positive energy flowed throughout the camp.
The beds and pillows each night were super comfy, and the showers were great.
The food each day was delicious - we preferred to pack our lunches in lunchboxes and eat them on the go, as opposed to having a longer sit-down hot lunch (we were eager for more time on the game drive searching for animals!).
We had the most fantastic animal sightings, including numerous leopards, heaps of lions, four cheetah families (cubs!), hyena (including a stripped male) and a pack of wild dogs, which are extremely rare!
We spent a whole day in Arusha, which I highly recommend; we strolled around the non-touristic markets, attended a local church service which we happened to walk past, and just absorbed the atmosphere.
Highly recommend Wilson and Orongai Africa safari!
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Email Scan Infoto | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable emotions with Orongai Safaris
Simply wonderful!
We are two female travelers who love traveling and exploring different places in the world. For a long time, we were hesitating to go for African safari as we knew that it would require organised trip, which is not our way of traveling. Yet, as a last-minute decision for my birthday, we have decided to visit Tanzania.
I have contacted several companies organising Safaris in Arusha; Anna form Orongai Africa safaris, unlike others, immediately responded with a great itinerary at a reasonable price.
When we arrived at Kilimanjaro International Airport, our charming guide Fredy was waiting for us. As a welcome surprise, Fredy prepared a table with Champaign, snacks, and water.
It is impossible to express the experience we had over next 7 days. Everything was perfect and luxurious. Fredy was all in one, great driver, professional guide, and a fantastic companion. As mentioned in other reviews, Fredy has truly an Eagle Eye, and we were able to see probably everything that Tarangire, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro crater has to offer.
We loved Acacia Luxury Camps; it was like Shangri-La in the middle of National Parks. The food was terrific, cleanliness of the hotels was spotless, and the staff hospitality beyond all imaginations.
Where else in the world you can see walking family of Giraffes against sunset from your terrace, or hear Lions roars during the night?
Orongai Africa safaris car was in great shape, and with Fredys exceptional driving skills, we were able to pass any road obstacle the nature prepared for us, and it felt so safe to watch lions from proximity.
Tanzania is an incredible place, and I have learned so much about its nature. All these days spent in safari, we felt relaxed, safe, and happy. It did not feel like we are traveling with a guide, rather more like with a dear friend.
I genuinely recommend Orongai Africa Safari group and Fredy as a Guide to everyone who wishes to have a perfect holiday.
We will be back! Thank you for everything.