Tanganyika Ancient Routes
- Located In:
-
United States
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2005)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $200 to $1,050 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
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Email koen vantomme | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
amazing, best operator in the arusha area
Charles is an amazing guy and he knows how to make a good program for everybody based on their needs. He knows how to make good combinations depending on your budget. If you are looking for a full option safari of multiple days without taking care of logistics then Charles his company is the place to be.
We slept in the safari park in the lions area and that was amazing, the staff ther was amazing too. We also slept in a more luxury place and that was nice too. The driver of Charles are also very entertaining and very proffessional. I’m very sure without these drivers and the good jeep we would have not spotted all the animals we saw.
Gorongoro and Serengeti are defintely the best safari parcs of Africa and Charles his company is a good option for an excellent journey. Be aware that good safaris in Africa are expensive but they are worth doing it. I did a low budget one once and the experiznce is not the same.
Keep going Charles!
MY
Email Mishka | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Safari & Zanzibar Adventure In Tanzania!
Our group (15 adults and a precocious 4-year-old) spent roughly 10 days on the northern safari circuit (North and South Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire) followed by 4 days in Zanzibar organized by Tanganyika Ancient Routes Ltd.
True to their company’s motto (Travel… Learn… Serve), CEO Charles Mpanda and his team provided exceptional service and genuine, warm hospitality in taking care of the safety, well being and comfort of our group throughout our trip. Every aspect of our trip (travel logistics, accommodation, meals etc.) was carefully planned to ensure that we have the best opportunities to experience the beauty and wonders of the Serengeti and Zanzibar and to learn the local and Maasai culture.
Charles and his team know the Serengeti very well and they are highly skilled in tracking and spotting the wildlife. They would patiently drive us around, making sure to stop where we have the best vantage points and optimal light to take photographs of the animals and whichever scenes that appealed to our eyes. We were able to witness the most spectacular wildebeest crossings at Mara River and got to meet the Big 5 and more within the first couple of days of the trip and managed to take plenty of the famous sunrise and sunset scenes of the Serengeti.
Meal times were always fun as the group caught up with each other on the highlights of their day and shared photos. Food was always good and there were plenty to eat. Dinners were usually followed by drinks and honest conversations around the campfires under the starry African sky.
Zanzibar was a refreshing change of scenery after 10 days of safari. We spent a delightful day walking around the quaint and historic Stone Town, go on the spice tour, eat with the locals at the night food bazaar and local restaurants (I love the grilled octopus and king fish with piri piri sauce!) and relaxing by the captivating azure blue sea and sandy white beach of northern Zanzibar.
We are grateful to Charles and his team for working tirelessly to help us create such wonderful lifetime memories of our trip, and for sharing with us the beauty of their country and the warmth of their people.
BE
Email koen vantomme | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
delivers excellent value for safari trips
Ancient routes know very well how to organise safaris. They look at your budget and can then decide which package fits you best. Charles is a very friendly person and a good tour guide. We had the chance to do the safari with a nice jeep and a very experienced tour guide who helped us spotting alm the best animals of the parcs.
The overnight sleeping in the terrirtory of the lions was also a very nice experience. Serengeti and Gorongora are two amazing parcs to visit. Ancient tours is a good organisation.
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Email Peggy | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A Trip of a Lifetime
Charles was extremely accommodating and knowledgeable. We were referred to him by a friend who just went on tour with him as their guide. As per them and the other reviews Charles is an excellent tour guide. We did not get to have Charles as a tour guide as he was already booked but our other guide was good too. I would say this company is great because they will go above and beyond to work with you and your budget and give you a lot of personalized attention. I would be able to message at any time and get a personalized response. Also Charles made sure our contact in Zanzibar was great as well! Overall it was a very smooth trip without any logistical issues, and my husband and I can't wait to go back!
I would recommend going with this company as it is a native Tanzanian group so you're support the locals and their economy!
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Email Mimi | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Natural wonders galore!
I can't say enough good things about our safari experience with Charles. We had to book very last minute due to other safari booking plans falling through and he was still able to accommodate us. The price was super reasonable and our hotel/tented lodgings were fantastic. Charles's years of experiences shows through his knowledge about the animals and the parks. His company is relatively new and smaller but it also meant that our safari did not feel like a generic safari but rather one that was personal and individualized to our needs. I highly recommend booking with Tanganyika Ancient Routes safari.
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Email CFMM | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
I cannot imagine anything more beautiful than seeing these amazing creatures in this natural habitat
Charles Mpanda was an amazing tour guide. He came highly recommended by one our our friends, and I see why. He was very responsive with all communications, responded back to emails quickly. He worked with us to plan the perfect honeymoon safari in Tanzania that also fit in our budget. The accommodations were fantastic. He gave us many options from which we could choose. The people at all of the accommodation sites were warm, friendly, and very welcoming. The food at each site was delicious, and during the full day safaris in the Serengeti, Charles brought lunch boxes full of hearty and delicious food. It was enough to satisfy even a huge appetite.
Charles seemed to know all of the great places to find animals, and had the most amazing eye for spotting animals super far away that I would have never seen. We were able to see the Big 5 plus many many more. He spent adequate time stopping for us to see the animals. He was very knowledgable about the animals, the migration patterns, the people of the area, and had many stories about the area since it was an area in which he grew up. He arranged for a hot air balloon ride across the Serengeti. We were always on schedule for the things that needed to be scheduled, and he was flexible when flexibility was needed. He even arranged for me to have coffee from Kitamu coffee shipped to Dar-Es-Salaam after the safari was over!
I highly highly highly recommend Charles for your safari tour. Everything will be taken care of, and you will have an amazing time. It is completely worth the cost of the safari. I can't imagine having a better honeymoon trip. :)
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Email Shanti | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Tanzanian Safari
My family and I went on a safari with Charles (the owner of Tanganyika Ancient Routes) at the end of February to the southern Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Tarangire. We did not know what to expect but we were blown away. Charles was very welcoming when he got us from the airport, and even made two trips as our family landed at different times. Every accommodation was above and beyond. The lodges and campsites we stayed at were beautiful. We were surrounded by wildlife the entire time and it was breathtaking. The food was great, and we had packed lunches during the days that we would stay in the parks. Charles was very flexible and willing to change our plans for the day based on what we felt like doing. If we could, we would do this trip over and over! I highly recommend traveling with Charles and his company.
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Email drew | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Once in a lifetime trip; VERY well planned 5 day safari
We had a friend of ours recommend Charles at Tanganyika for our Tanzania honeymoon adventure. Charles worked hard to make sure everything I wanted to do was incorporated and fit into the budget. So much coordinating must have gone on behind the scenes because everything went very smoothly. Charles has a trained eye for spotting wildlife, and a fun personality to spend 5 days with. He communicated very well, and was extremely professional in every way. Glad to call him a new friend after this trip.
Nature did not disappoint either. Charles is very well connected and can get on the radio to find out the best spots, so we were never far away from something exciting. March in the southern Seregeti seems to be a good time to go to this part of the world with the Great Migration. With newborns beside their mamas, there's some exciting hunts to catch. Unlike Central Serengeti, you can drive off-path to get up close and personal with the wildlife in Southern Serengeti, where the Great Migration is at this time of year.
My only feedback would be to accept some sort of electronic payment (ie PayPal, Venmo, Google Wallet, etc.) instead of needing to wire most of the money ahead of time.
Expensive trip, but a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Thanks Charles!
MY
Email John W. Ishii | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
"Shock and Awe"
After 2 years of looking at hundreds of African safaris on the internet and getting lost with so many operators I was recommend Tanganyika Ancient Routes by a friend. The price was good and the destination was great so we booked.
The only wild animales such as a giraffe or and wildlife I've ever seen was at a zoo. So when we entered Serengiti it was just like the movie Jurassic Park when they saw the dinosaurs. I was floored, it was my dream come true and Charles of Tanganyika Ancient Routes made my dream come true. Well organized great accommodations and the food was over the top. Every day was more exciting then the next I didn't want it to stop. Since I"m a professional photographer I have certain demands and Charles and his crew met each and every demand. He was amazing and his crew top notch. Thank you Charles for making my dream come true!
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Email jo | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
10 days in natures splendour
An African safari wandering the plains of Serengeti and areas around Ngorongoro crater in the company of friends under the care of the warm and hospitable crew led by CEO of Tanganyika Ancient Routes Ltd.mr Charles himself was a wonderful experience.Excellent arrangements.Highly recommended.The big 5 and more were spotted time and again by the uncanny skills of guides.Lovely photos are precious momentos of a great holiday.