African Big Cats Safaris
- Offices In:
-
United States
Australia
Canada
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2013)
- Member Of:
- Tanzania Tourist Board
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $380 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
US
Email Andrew Krauska | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Trip of a Lifetime with African Big Cats Safari, Tanzania
My wife Jane and I chose African Big Cats Safari (ABCS) for our 20th Anniversary trip to Tanzania after reading the over 300 reviews of other travelers who had loved their experience. We made the right choice. From start to finish it was a first-class, luxury vacation. In my working career, I was a Quality Management advisor so I know what a quality experience looks and feels like. In every way, ABCS "exceeded our expectations."
We spent the first two nights at the Gran Melia Hotel in Arusha to recuperate from jet lag. What a beautiful hotel experience that was. You will love it.
ABCS tailored their 7-day, 6-night luxury tour to my requests, including an incredible Serengeti Balloon Safari which took us directly over the Great Migration and set us down right next to it, alongside eight lions walking parallel to the migrating animals. From the balloon, we could see the great migration from horizon to horizon. It goes on year-round and in February the migration is in the southern Serengeti in the Ngutu region where 8000 baby wildebeest are born daily. It is well worth the added cost to do the Balloon Trip; you won't regret it.
Our safari guide, Obedi (Obe), had been guiding for 14 years and he knew every road, turn, tree, and bush like it was the back of his hand. Without a GPS or map he guided the entire trip from memory. Other guides would flash their lights at him, to have him stop and they'd asked him how to get to their camp, as they were lost. This happened twice on this trip. My wife and I love Obe so much we adopted him and plan to keep in touch with him and use him as our guide when we do our next trip to the Northern Serengeti. He calls us Bebe Jane and Babu Andy now.
Obe always asked me daily what we wanted to see and always delivered.
I wanted to see lions in trees, he knew just the tree that they often climbed and we got great photos of 3 lions sleeping in trees. He did the same for finding lion cubs, newborn wildebeest, warthogs, hyenas, giraffes, elephants, rhino's, Cape buffalo, hippos, leopards, cheetahs on a kill, male lions, and even mating lions. We saw them all. We are avid birders as well and he knew them all and pointed out many that I had missed.
We had previously been to Krueger Park in South Africa and it was a great experience, but in terms of the number of big cats we saw in Tanzania I can honestly say, we saw more each day in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater than we saw in a week In South Africa.
The vehicle was a Toyota Land Cruiser with pop-top roof with seating for six passengers. Most all the other safari vehicles were the same make/model. I am so glad we paid extra for a private safari guide and vehicle as we could move from front to back of the vehicle easily with just my wife and me. The roads are bumpy from Ngorongoro Crater to the Serengeti but I was impressed with the great shocks on the Toyota. I might also add that after every safari trip, ABCS has the entire vehicle inspected to proactively make any repairs that may be needed.
Besides Obe's experience as a guide and knowledge of the terrain, he was also a skilled driver, both on-road and off-road, and you spend a lot of time going off-road in the Serengeti. He knew when to slow down and take it slow, he knew how to deal with mud and streams of muddy water, and he knew when to turn around and take another route.
ABCS goes far and above most companies would do. We received a free upgrade to a private Bungalo on Lake Manyara at the Maramboi Luxury Lodge which had our own private infinity pool right at the edge of the lake. The second day, after the morning safari I had an upset stomach and Obe took me to a local pharmacy to get some nausea medicine which corrected the problem. On the third day, I wanted an early start for the Ngorongoro crater and we ended up with a great view of the crater, even getting photos of rhinos far down in the crater. On our last night in the Serengeti, I wanted to try some Tanzanian food, specifically Ugali but was unable to get it made at the lodge we were at. Obe, calls back to the office and talks to Emanuel, the owner and when we return to Arusha, takes me to their office and surprises me with a full-course Tanzania dinner with Ugali! Now that's what I call "5 Star service."
There are hundreds of safari companies offering similar trips. They all use the same type of vehicles, stay at the same lodges, go to the same parks, and have comparable prices. I like supporting ABCS because they are a locally owned, small business and not owned by a foreign/European owner. Emanuel, the owner of ABCS started as a safari guide himself, and just as we in America pursue the American Dream, Emanuel is living his Tanzanian Dream, starting his own business, and employing local talent. I'm impressed with him, his Office Operations Manager, Naomi, and the entire team at African Big Cats Safari, and hope other Americans will choose them for their own once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Two pieces of advice:
1. After 25-30 hours of travel, take a two-night stay at the Gran Melia to start the trip.
Emanuel will come over the next day and give you a brief of your booked safari and answer all questions.
2. Pay the deposit and/or balance via a wire transfer as credit cards have an added 5% charge in Tanzania and they don't take international Bank Drafts.
I am a retired Naval Aviator, and a retired Senior Network Engineer, living in the Villages, FL (If you're a Villager, look us up in the Villages Directory if you want to talk). Anyone who wishes to contact me about my trip may do so. I will be posting a trip review, photos, and video within a couple of weeks on Youtube, just search Youtube for African Big Cats Safari and you should be able to find it
Here is Emanuel's YouTube intro to ABCS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm9pGWMd8wY
Andy and Jane Krauska
RO
Email Marius | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great and safe Safari
We had a 6 days Safari in February 2024, including Tarangire, Lake Eyasi, South Serengeti, Ngorongoro. We are a family with two 7 years old children. Everything went smoothly during planning. They were flexible, with quick responses and adapted very well to our plans.
Our guide was Lovoi, an experienced guide and a very good driver (this is very important in a safari). He seems to know every single path in Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Tarangire. Lovoi has "eagle eyes" as he can spot and identify animals where you cannot imagine. He knows a lot about animals, birds and plants. Being a family with relatively small children, safety was very important. Thanks to Lovoi this criteria was completely fulfilled.
The accomodations that were arranged for us were great in all locations.
We also appreciated the meeting we had with Emanuel (manager of the company), that took place both before and at the end of the safari. We had the opportunity to ask questions and also to provide a feed back at the end of the journey.
In conclusion, thanks again Lovoi and African Big Cats Safaris!
Email Chris Horne | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
African Big Cats were fantastic and could not have done more to make our holiday the best ever.
African Big Cats Safaris were excellent from start to finish. The booking process went smoothly and they made some adjustments to our trip without any issue.
Our guide, Lordlugard, was just brilliant. He was knowledgeable and passionate about the wildlife and environment, and a mine of information about the local tribes and cultures. He had knack of knowing when something was about to happen, be it waiting for a little longer than all of the other jeeps and being rewarded with a lion hunt, or finding the exact place to park when a herd of elephants was about to cross a road. He's also a really nice guy :-)
We had a 2 week trip and every day was a highlight. Not just the stunning nature reserves, but also the cultural experiences like making arrows with the Hadzabe tribe or spear throwing and dancing (not at the same time) with the Maasai. We saw all of the big 5 and many more. Listening to a leopard prowling around our tent was something that we won't forget.
We had very high expectations of this holiday and these were exceeded by African Big Cats. Truly the experience of a lifetime.
US
Email Philip | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Simply the best.
My wife and I could not have had a better experience with African Big Cats Safaris. Our honeymoon was unforgettable, and I am so grateful that we ended up choosing this tour operator.
Planning: Justice and Naomi helped me customize the itinerary, provided helpful suggestions to accommodate our needs, and communicated clearly throughout the process.
Arrival and Pre-Safari: Upon arrival, we were greeted by our guide, Obed, outside the airport and taken to Arusha. The next morning, Emanuel gave us a briefing on what to expect and answered all of our questions.
Safari: Obed was an incredible guide--I cannot speak highly enough of him. Despite some less than ideal road conditions in the parks, we trusted him completely to get us where we needed to go safely. We really appreciated his fun and insightful comments between destinations, as well as the information he provided to us about the animals. I truly could not have imagined a better guide. We visited Tarangire, Ngorongoro, and the Serengeti. Each was great, but Ngorongoro was a can't miss.
Lodgings: Our lodgings (Melia Arusha, Maramboi Tented Lodge, and Lion's Paw) were each unique and amazing, truly world-class.
Zanzibar: We chose the Zanzibar add-on as part of our honeymoon, and we stayed at the Melia Zanzibar. Getting to Zanzibar from the Serengeti had only one slight delay at the airport but otherwise went very smoothly. Upon arrival, we did the Stone Town tour, which I would highly recommend. The hotel itself was fantastic and relaxing--exactly what we wanted after the game drives.
Notes: I was slightly nervous about transferring out money to a Tanzanian bank account, but it ended up being no problem at all. I also was slightly nervous about not receiving hotel or travel confirmations, but everything went smoothly.
US
Email Cherie | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Very professional organized company that provides a spectacular experience.
We chose African Big Cats Safaris by researching local Tanzanian company reviews, and we had a fantastic private safari experience. We booked everything on line with email communication and paid via wire transfers from our bank to theirs. It was all very easy and straightforward. We told them which parks we’d like to see and they arranged the whole package for us. They picked us up at the Arusha airport and we were taken for an in person briefing with Emmanuel, who also personally debriefed us at the end. From the time we arrived to the time we left, African Big Cats Safari took care of everything—all transportation, meals, lodging and fees. We just had to show up every morning and enjoy the beauty of Tanzania. Our Maasai guide Levoi was amazing—he was so knowledgeable about so much—animals, flora, fauna and birds. He even saw a sleeping bat in the shade of the tree! He took great care of us during our week with him. Levoi also taught us so much about the culture and history of the area. We would not hesitate a moment to book again with this company. It’s a tremendous value (we chose “comfort” level and stayed in great tented camps and lodges). There are so many safari companies in Tanzania, it’s daunting to chose one, but African Big Cats Safari is definitely a fantastic and safe choice.
CA
Email James | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very professional and courteous
The tour was fantastic!! Very professional and courteous. Excellent guide who did everything possible for us to see the big five and much more. Would definitely use them again!
Email Michael | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Adventure of a lifetime
We had a great time on our Tanzanian safari with African Big Cats. Everything went so smoothly - all we had to do was sit back and enjoy the amazing sights. Lavoi was a superb guide. Funny, knowledgeable, a great driver and unbelievable animal spotter. When other guides were lost, they would be asking Lavoi how to get back to the lodge! We had so many unbelievable animal encounters and Lavoi made sure we found everything we wanted to see!
From initial enquiry, the team were quick, flexible and helpful. We chose African Big Cats due to a recommendation from a friend and we will now strongly recommend anyone to go with African Big Cats.
Email Amanda Locke | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible experience
From our initial enquiry we experienced prompt communication. All questions were answered fully and the booking process was simple and straightforward. We felt secure and valued at all times. No question was too much bother and all information received was fully explained.
We were collected from the airport and met by Emmanuel at breakfast who talked us through what to expect from our trip. Endeni was our safari guide and he was excellent from start to finish. He was knowledgeable, and communicated with us in detail at all times. He had a great sense of humour too. We felt valued and safe throughout.
Accommodation and food was great and complimented our safari.
We were lucky enough to see all of the BIG 5 and the UGLY 5 and so much more.
Our experience was incredible and we cannot recommend Big Cats Safari highly enough. Very reputable company.
CA
Email Emelie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing
Very good company, well organized, experienced guide
All necessary equipment provided
We had an amazing week
(automatic translation from French)
Professional
Professional guide, amazing views, unforgettable experience.
