The Safari Soles Team
Safari Soles
- Offices In:
-
United Kingdom
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2018)
- Member Of:
- Tanzania Tourist Board
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $300 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
DE
Email Nicolai (Hannover) | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A great 6-days safari experience for a reasonable price
My son and I had got safari offers from different providers and decided finally for choosing a 6-days safari with Safari Soles Tours. Bryson, the manager convinced us by good and precise communication via email and WhatsApp. He always answered all my questions quickly and accurately. That made a very good impression. Bryson is also an interesting person to talk to and can tell you a lot about his country.
The safari itself also turned out to be a good choice: everything was very well organized and thought out. We visited the four most beautiful national parks in northern Tanzania and saw a lot of wild animals, birds and beautiful nature.
Lucas, our tour guide / driver did his best to give us lots of information about every animal we saw. He had three encyclopedic reference works in his jeep (animals, birds, plants with pictures and English names) and was able to tell us about anything that interested us.
We loved Abdullah the chef. The meals were excellent. For lunch there was hot meals every day, no cold lunch boxes. That was the dinner that was a real highlight: Not only the food itself but also its presentation by Abdullah - he appeared in his chef's uniform and solemnly announced the dishes. This gave the whole safari tour a luxurious and exclusive character.
Maybe that was also our luck to go on safari at the end of March - beginning of April, at the start of the rainy season. It is also called "Green Season", as the savannah is particularly beautiful. There were few tourists, which was an advantage for us: normally it would be a budget safari with two nights in a lodge and three - in a tent (on a campsite), but it rained in Serengeti the night before, and Bryson organized an upgrade at short-notice: two overnight stays at the Serengeti Safari Lodge in Seronera. We were accommodated in cozy, small houses with private bathrooms (see the attached photo). And the first and last night we spent in the town of Mto wa Mbu, in the good and clean Fig Tree Lodge. With a swimming pool! We felt welcome in both lodges, and the staff was very kind to us.
However, we stayed for one single night (the penultimate one) in a tent, on the chic Simba campsite at the Ngorongoro crater, with a canteen, toilet and shower. When we got there, the tents were already ready, and there was a mattress under each sleeping bag. My son and I shared a tent, single travelers each had a tent to themselves (we were a group of four). And the water in the shower was really hot.
All in all, in my opinion, this was a luxury safari for a reasonable price. I can recommend Safari Soles Tours to every safari friend with a clear conscience. I would like to thank Bryson, Lucas and Abdullah warmly: Asante sana!
Another tip that might be useful: If you arrive at Kilimanjaro Airport a day before the safari or stay in Arusha a few days after the safari, Bryson can organize a day trip for you. We took the Materuni Waterfall, Coffee Tour & Kikuletwa Hot Springs trip and were satisfied. Justin and his friends in the Materuni Village are very funny guys, they performed a great "coffee-making-show" with nice singing. I enjoyed it (see photo)! Attention, waterfall: It's beautiful, but the hike there takes 45 minutes. In exchange, the Hot Springs were "pure relaxation", even if they are not really hot. The weather was already hot enough with 31 degrees, and a bath in the lukewarm water was good for us. And meanwhile our lunch, which was included in the trip, was ready. Thanks to our nice guide / driver Abouh, who took care of us that day and took us to the good Tulia Hotel & Spa in Arusha in the evening. Thanks also to Freddy for the smooth transfer to the airport at the very end of the trip. The transfer was also organized by Bryson.
DE
Email Ann-Kathrin | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic 4-day safari
What can I say? It was my first safari and it was awesome! Our group consisted of 6 people and we harmonized very well together. Our guide Freddy was in a great mood and responded to our wishes in the best possible way. The food was absolutely delicious and varied. The accommodations (two lodges, one camping) were well chosen. We saw an incredible number of animals and everything was there except for the leopard (we saw two cheetahs hunting). All in all a brilliant tour. Book with Solestours and you won't regret it. :)
(automatic translation from German)
UA
Email Iryna | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A wonderful experience
We were searching for a 7-days experience and chose the 6-day Tarangine-Serengeti-Ngorongoro-lake Manyara tour and an additional coffee-waterfall-hot spring day trip.
I made a lot of research myself before choosing Safari Soles, read reviews on different sites and asked lots of questions. I loved the balance of the company's good rating and reviews, budget-friendly price and the knowledge and support Bryson provided.
The tour exceeded our expectations. We saw lots of animals including the cats we wanted to see so much - many lions, a leopard, 2 serval cats and even a mother cheetah teaching her cubs to hunt! We also were lucky to catch endless herds of migrating wildebeest in Serengeti (were there on February 8-10) and saw how a baby zebra was born! We ever visited the Ndutu region where there were lots of animals and where budget safaris usually don't go.
Our dreadlocked guide Simba (David) was amazing - pleasant and cheerful, knowing all the animals and trained to spot them, telling stories when you want to hear them and just driving when you're tired. He had a cool playlist, drove well and made us feel welcome. Besides getting to know the nature and the animals, he made us a bit more familiar with the life and the people of Tanzania - so, we felt more like guests then like tourists, which we appreciated.
Our cook Shydia (not sure about the spelling) could do magic - he made restaurant food using a gas stove, some pans and the food we were carrying in the jeep. The cool food we had included pizza, lasagna, a fabulous banana-chocolate cake, and also nice curries and avocado salad! I've put on quite a lot of weight during the trip because the food was very delicious and there was a lot of it.
Although we booked the budget tour, the accommodation was cool. The basic but nice Arusha Tourist Inn, the Fig Tree lodge with a garden and a swimming pool, the Simba campsite at Ngorongoro with a beautiful huge tree in the middle and the lodge at Seronera with a campfire - all was cool. We expected to spend the two nights in Seronera at a campsite, but the upgrade to a lodge was a nice surprise.
The price for all this was quite low. Hard to imagine how many tour companies take several times more money, however, don't let you see more animals because you will see all the animals on a budget safari with a good guide. In case you're choosing the lowest price - consider that the 2-way airport transfer for the Arusha or Kili airport, accommodation for the nights before and after the safari, and all drinks including beer and wine are already included in the price.
As for those who are thinking about the length of the trip - for me the safari experience would be incomplete without the 2 nights in Serengeti and one night on the crater rim of Ngorongoro. The night in Mto Wa Mbu is necessary for the logistics and the Tarangine park is pleasant as well, with many elephants and baobab trees. So, 5 full days of safari seem minimum to me to get some knowledge of the region. If you have 6 days, I suggest adding the waterfall-coffee-hot spring tour - you will wee the beautiful nature of a different climate zone, see how many planks grow, have a chance to swim under a waterfall and soak in a nice hot spring, like the cenotes in Mexico. If you have 7 days - add lake Manyara, it was nice too, but the waterfall and hot spring were nicer.
Thank you, Simba, Bryson, Shydia and all Safari Soles stuff for our great holiday!
RO
Email Ruxandra | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Above expectations, smooth process, top hospitality!
I loved the entire experience from the booking process with Bryson, to pick-up, to arriving in Arusha (the accommodation was good) and the Safari itself. This is a budget safari so you can’t expect to have luxury in a tent, but the facilities and especially the services were much above expectations. I loved how smooth everything went. We were always expected, never had to wait. The parks were great and we were lucky to see many species of animals including rhinos, cheetas, lions, but the trip would have not been complete without our guide, Freddy. He is a walking google or nat geo :)). Had an answer to any question, our entire group was super impressed! And the food, yummy, it was like a fine dining experience in a safari!! Well done, Tito!!! If i had to recommend something to future travellers, is to have thick clothes cause in Ngorongoro it gets really cold at night in a tent. And to put their fears aside as buffalos roam around the camp at night. I personally could not sleep for 4 hours in Ngorongoro cause of that but now i laugh about it. Next, get wet tissues with you, bug spray, sunscreen and a hat. Don’t pack many clothes cause they r not needed, travel as light as possible. This tour is great if you are on a lower budget but want to see as much as possible in a short time.
JP
Email Tsubasa | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Thanks for everything
Three days private safari in Serengeti and Ngorongoro. It was the best experience ever. I saw many kinds of many animals. It was dreamlike days.
Three days was not enough for me. I wanted to stay in Serengeti for another day. I'm glad I chose Safari soles. Staff was very kind. Driver/guide always looked for animals seriously and respected our pace. And all the dishes cooked by the chef were good. I strongly recommend them.
No one concerned about covid in Tanzania. You can forget it altogether. I needed that kind of time.
UA
Email Danil | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceptional service and attitude
Perhaps your are planning your safari trip and trying to choose between dozens of similar companies. I made requests to three different companies and eventually picked Safari Soles. Although their offering was a bit more expensive, I am so glad for my choice.
First of all, if you have never been to a safari, you should definitely go and try it. You will see endless fields full of different animals, living in peace and harmony. You will see elephants and lions just two meters near your jeep. And hyenas will be singing you lullabies at nights :) You'll also see stunning sunrises and sunsets. After this trip you will not want to go to Europe for a holiday, and definitely you'll never go to a zoo again :)
So how are Safari Soles different from other companies?
1. Bryson - the person is charge - was very quick. He provided me with the most detailed reply to my questions, and his reply was the very first. Other companies just sent me their standard replies ignoring my questions at all. Bryson also was very helpful and polite. He recommended us and drove to an exchange point with good rates, and even borrowed us money on our first day :) Upon our request he also recommended us a great guide on Zanzibar. He could address all our questions and queries.
2. Accommodation. One night at a hotel before our safari trip was included in the offering. I know that usually companies accommodate their clients at very budget hotels or even at hostels. In our case the hotel was quite good. The room was very comfortable and had all necessary facilities. There was a pool at the hotel, and the restaurant was very good too.
3. David, the guide. David was just amazing. He could easily spot lions and cheetahs in 5 kilometers. The "big five" was not a challenge for us, but a trivial task. We also saw dozens of elephants, giraffes, hippos, hyenas, buffalos, wild beasts, impalas, jackals, pumbaas, zebras, and many many other animals and birds. David is also a very positive person and has good vibes :) We also could stay as much as we wanted near animals we liked. There was no rush and we felt very freуlly and comfortable.
4. The trip. Usually a group consists of 6 persons. We were lucky and on the first day we were just alone with David. We spent the first night at a budget lodge with a pool, which I think is better than a tent (near Tarangire). On the second day two more people joined us, and we were four. We were very lucky to met those wonderful people and enjoyed their company. It was very comfortable to travel in a group of four, much better then in a group of 6.
5. Salamon, the cook. I saw that people in other groups would eat potato with sausages. We would eat spaghetti Bolognese, beef stew, Tanzanian pizza, national cuisine, etc. We went to Zanzibar after our safari troop and sometimes the food at restaurants there was worse then our dinners on the safari.
The trip was a real adventure, which I will never forget. I am very grateful to Bryson, David and Salamon, and miss my group very much :) That was one of the best days of my life.
RU
Email petr | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very good safari experience
The guide Simba is truly amazing - very knowledgeable and posesses great driving skills essential to do game drives. Bryson, the owner, is also amazing in communication and organization - he is also very kind and willing to do everything for you (i.e. organize extra activities, COVID tests, etc.). The car was fairly good, although a bit underequipped - we didn't have a shovel and the lift jack was not good - this created tension when we were stuck once. The food in lodges was amazing, but the field lunches sometimes were not fresh enough (especially fish and chicken).
DE
Email Marco | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
3 days safari Serengeti & Ngorongoro
My girlfriend and I went for a short safari in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater in November 2020. We went on a group safari and had a cook with us. We slept in a tent for two nights and it was a great adventure. At night the hyenas were at the campsite and you could also hear lions. I can 100% recommend Soles Tour. Everything went perfectly!
(automatic translation from German)
PL
Email Aneta | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The best company for safari!
Before I decided for Safari Soles I made a research among companys organizing tours. I think it was the best choice and our team: guide Isaack who has something like sixth sense of looking out for animals and our chef Abdullah Dullah who prepered for us many different meals for dinner, like in 5 stars hotel ( fish, pizza, meat, dessert) was the best team on safari. I can recommend you amazing experience - safari in tarangire, ngorongoro and serengeti with that amazing company:)
Email Inigo Kelsey | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Incredible experience!
This Safari was definitely the highlight of my two months travelling around Europe and Africa. I booked 2 nights before on a Sunday and Byson was extremely helpful in helping organising at such short notice. Lucas (the guide) was unreal. He saw animals that were impossible to see and was able to answer all the questions I was constantly firing at him about them. He was also a fantastic energy to have in the car. I would highly highly recommend this tour!