Makasa is owned & managed by Selma and Ngomi Kamm
Makasa Tanzania Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2009)
- Member Of:
- Tanzania Association of Tour Operators
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $300 to $2,000 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic Trip
We recently returned from our 14 day Safari/Zanzibar holiday and had an absolute wonderful time. We really appreciated the fact that Makasa customized our itinerary and always promptly answered any questions regarding our trip ahead of time. Thank you again, Selma!
We always felt very comfortable and well taken care of. The accommodations and meals exceeded our expectations. It's amazing what these places can offer you in the middle of the African bush!
Our driver, Ben, was a super friendly guy with knowledge and patience, and always put us in position for the best pictures. Ben always made sure we had everything we needed and kept us up to speed on when and where we were meeting. The staff at every accommodation was so friendly and helpful.
We saw every animal we had hoped to see and better yet, a lot of action among the animals. Watching lions hunt, antelope fighting, baby elephants nursing, it all felt a bit like we were a part of National Geographic! Such an unforgettable experience.
Thank you Selma and Ngomi.
King regards,
Kyle & Nicole Carr
NL
Email Ida Evert Thijs Anja Erwin en Celine | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Makasa fantastic
We had a fantastic safari including visits to the locals and Masai tribe. Everything was perfectly arranged. We had some beautiful domestic flights over the Serengeti and we saw the Big 5 in just the first 2 days. Everything was very well taken care of. Thank you Makasa for a journey that was very beautiful to us. It was one BIG adventure.
BE
Email Wim and Nicole | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Makasa organised an unforgettable private safari for us
After searching for safari companies at the internet, we have chosen Makasa for the following reasons : 1. After a first contact via mail, we got immediately a 'good feeling' - 2. The owner (Selma) understood what we wanted and after some iterations, we got the ideal itinerary for us - 3. We could communicate in our language (dutch) - 4. The price was ok
The contract and related info was very clear.
We arrived in Zanzibar and via a domectic flight we flew to Kilimanjaro where our safari started. We did a coffee tour in Moshi, stayed a night in a masaai village and visited folowing parks : Tarangire (2d), Lake Manyara (1d) , Ngorongoro (1d) and Serengeti (3d). When our safari started, Selma and her husband came to our lodge in Moshi and presented our guide : Francis. He knew a lot about the animals and made us see the big 5 (rinos in Ngorongoro but far away). In fact he made sure that we had an unforgettable safari. He even asked another lodge/tent with better view for us in Maramboi tented camp where we stayed 2 nights.
The jeep was ok and we were provided water during the game drives. When we used lunch boxes, Francis made sure he got coffee for us.
After the safari we had a beach holiday in Zanzibar.
All the lodges and hotels we stayed in, were ok.
To resume, Makasa arranged all in a professional way : excellent guide, lodges, hotels and domestic flights. They know the country and understand how a safari should be.
We would certainly chose Makasa again.
NZ
Email Mary and Graeme Fogelberg | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
A+++ Tour and Tour Operator - you won't do better!!!
This was an extraordinary trip and my husband and I are seasoned world travellers from NZ - our retirement lifestyle while we can! Selma and Ngomi, who own and operate Makasa Tanzanian Safaris, were instrumental in making this such an amazing trip - they provide excellent drivers/tour guides - ask for Kalibi, he was exceptional, nothing was too much trouble and a wealth of knowledge with excellent English language skills (tho talking to other Makasa-ites we ran into at various lodges, they were equally delighted with their guides).
We certainly made the right decision spending that little extra to have our own car and guide all to ourselves - we were able to rearrange some of our time schedules to suit our needs, eg, late starts and also an early sunrise start out of the Serengeti which provided us with much active wildlife observation - during the heat of the day, some animals such as lions, like to nap for lengthy sessions
The lodges and tented camps we stayed in on the mainland advised by Makasa were perfect for us - we would have loved an extra night at the Rhotia Valley Lodge and Orphanage - an amazing setting high up in the hills overlooking spectacular valleys - 1 night here not enough as the perfect place to enjoy a day off, maybe go on a village walking activity, visit the nearby Orphanage the Lodge supports or simply wile away the day with a good book, swimming in their beautifully landscaped pool or just looking at the scenery - great food, luxury large tents and excellent Dutch hosts.
We also spent a night at the Maasai Village, Olpopongi, recommended by Makasa - this is definitely NOT a tourist trap as some of the villages are surrounding the Ngorongoro conservation area - here, not far from Mt Kilimanjaro, you get to experience actual Maasai village life in a real hut, made by the women, with a cowhide bed (no worries, they do provide proper toilets and showers)- the actual Maasai people tend to your needs, cook for you, dance/sing and demonstrate their traditional ways, also take you out on a bushwalk to show you how and where they gather their herbs for medicines, tea making and hut-building materials...the incredible 96-year-old 'grandma' will prepare their special herbal tea for you - delicious! At night sit round a central fire eating BBQ food and sharing stories.
Also we stayed our 1st night at the beautiful rustic, but simple, Kilimanjaro Lodge - Kilimanjaro Lodge is part of Mama Clementina Foundation: A secondary school for young girls in Tanzania. It is a nice friendly hotel with good service and a nice environment. The hotel is located a bit out of the centre of Moshi and therefore very quiet and peaceful. With your stay you will help the school - we had the pleasure of meeting Maria, the Chairperson of the school board, who won Tanzania's Woman of the year, 2013...a special genuine lady who has done much to enhance the empowerment of women in her country.
Have to say tho, with the accommodation, the Kenzan tented lodge located at the Ikoma (North-Western) gate (the Ikoma tribe the smallest of all 150 Tanzanian tribes) was the highlight, even tho, ironically, the most basic - but no better way to experience the Serengeti with wild animal sounds to send you to sleep or as alarm clocks to wake you early - rest assured, they have ensuites so no need to visit outside loos during night-time hours...and local guards to ward off any 'wild' night-time guest who may visit the campsite unexpectedly - the 5 guys looking after us and cooking for us, were delightful, what they cooked in the make-shift kitchen was jolly good fare! You're amongst it all here in the Serengeti - a Ikoma village walk is a treat as well, but if you want to go inside an actual village and take photos of the people and their huts, including interiors, which we did, it is appropriate to give a few US dollars or Tanzanian shillings to the oldest female member to buy some food for her village or treats for the children. While on the Serengeti, this Savannah is amazing, we saw a couple of migrations, wildebeest and zebras, which was beyond our imagination fantastic!! Just the whole area and the animals we saw was quite an overwhelming experience - ask any of the guides and they will tell you, the Serengeti is their favourite Safari to visit in Tanzania.
We also had a couple of weeks visiting Zanzibar, which we organised thru Makasa as well - 2 or 3 nights in Stone Town is a must (we loved Kisiwa House, but a few others are worth staying at as well) and 12 nights at beach resorts - Next Paradise, stunning, ask for a beach cottage - the waters in Zanzibar are turquoise blue and the white sand powdery soft - great for snorkelling, diving and kiting
There were a couple of small issues, one with a car to the Maasai Village and the other with accommodation on Zanzibar that didn't suit us, but both of these issues were rectified immediately - Selma was on to these without hesitation and sorted it all out for us on the spot, so really not issues!
A couple of changes we would make if we were to repeat our trip - 1: forget the Manyara Lake tour, waste of time and boring, for one, the climbing tree lions have not been seen for years and 2, the salt lake with pink flamingoes too far away to see properly even with binoculars - you will see this much more up close and personal at Ngorongoro Crater, plus loads more that you won't at Lake Manyara - request to visit Tarangire National Park instead - the comments we heard from others, a must visit as within the same area location as Serengeti and Ngorongoro.
2 - as mentioned above, definitely 2 nights, not 1, at Rhotia Valley Lodge and Orphanage
We can't recommend Makasa highly enough - and to top it all off, extremely competitive prices for the quality of service, accommodation and touring we received compared to others we researched - also, Selma and Ngomi as a husband/wife team, with the extra personal touch come FREE! We would not hesitate to use Makasa again should we venture to this part of the world.
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
fantastic adventure
Together with Makasa we made plans for climbing the Kilimanjaro and after that 8 days of safari.
We told Makasa about our plans and they made for us a perfect custom vacation plan. We must have asked them a million questions about climbing the Kilimanjaro and every question was answered. Its been an experience we will not forget, and i'm very pleased we booked with Makasa. The safari was also wonderful with a very experienced guide. He knew so much facts about the animals and nature to tell us. We've visited 4 parks each with there own unique experience. Everything was very well arranged. It was the perfect vacation.
US
Email Carolyn H. | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderful Experience!
Having experienced a tour to South Africa 2 years ago (safari, Victoria Falls, Cape Town), we knew we wanted to return for the "safari only" experience. We also wanted a private tour. From our first email to Selma, we knew we were in good hands. She responded quickly to every question and helped put our minds at rest when it came to wire transferring a fairly large amount of money to a bank in Africa that we knew nothing about! She helped us refine the trip to reflect our exact wants and needs. We chose to travel exclusively in Tanzania, visiting 5 parks. The entire trip went without a hitch, from being picked up at the airport, to being dropped off 14 days later. Our guide, David, was excellent; able to answer any question, great sense of humor, and a spectacular driver! He knows the parks so well, and tried to take to spots where everyone else was not, making for a much more private feeling. We saw every animal possible, including the requested python! He was always on time with a plan in mind for the day, stopping a thousand times for photo taking. The jeep was always clean at the start of the day (no small feat in a very dusty area). Our accommodations ranged from 3+ star to 5 and we were happy with all, with only a few minor issues. I would suggest looking online to see what you will be getting and change any you don't want. We decided on a combination of tents and lodges which was a wonderful experience. The staff at every one of them were incredible. To sum up, Makasa did an excellent job providing us with the safari trip we'd hoped for......quite the trip of a lifetime!
NL
Email Douwe and Manchu | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful holiday, custom made and completely stress free
We had a perfect experience with Makasa tour operations. We had our own plans and views on the trip to Tanzania, but Selma's advice on lodges and activities made the trip much more memorable. Without exception, the lodges we stayed at had very kind personnel and the environment was absolutely stunning; both the expensive and the less expensive ones; she definitely knows what she is talking about!
The Safari guide Makasa had arranged for us was much more than just that; he was very good companion and became a friend we hope to show Holland sometimes. His knowledge of wildlife was overwhelming, not only about the big cats and those kind of animals, but also about the variety of birds and plant life. Whereas some tour guides are more like drivers, our guide was a real safari guide who was able to spot animals and happening (like the birth of an Impala) other guides drove past without spotting the happening.
During the whole safari tour as well as our trip to Zanzibar, everything had been thought out for us and had been pre-arranged, making this a completely stress free holiday.
We recommend Makasa tours to whoever reads this, as well as to any friend in Holland who thinks about going to Afrika.
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable experience, perfect organization!
From the beginning till the end, everything was perfect. Thanks to our guide Kalebi the safari was a once in a lifetime experience. We saw all the big animals and were surprised that there were so many small animals (birds, butterfly's). The accommodation was super, especially the stay in the Serengeti with Kenzan. In the middle of nature with the zebra grazing around our tent and the elephant nearby. We will never forget!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceeded every expectation!
From the minute I chose to book a safari for my husband and I with Makasa, I was not disappointed! In fact, I was truly blown away by the care and attention Selma took in planning our safari, and keeping in touch with me throughout the whole process, including matching us up with another traveller to share our safari experience with and reduce our overall cost.
The night before our safari commenced, we stayed at MCF Kilimanjaro Lodge, and were lucky enough to meet Selma, her husband Ngomi and their beautiful children. It was obvious to see how passionate they are about Tanzania and the Safari industry. We were made to feel very welcome, like part of the family really! It was the perfect start to our week - beers on the deck amidst the picturesque gardens, complementary snacks, and delicious, home-cooked meals. All staff at K-Lodge were super friendly and made sure that our night there was a comfortable one!
Below is a copy of the email I sent Selma after our safari - I think it sums up our feelings about Makasa:
Hi Selma,
I am just writing to say thank you so much from Tom and I for the most wonderful experience with Makasa!
Firstly, Peter, our safari guide, was an absolute legend! We got along with him so well, and he worked overtime to make sure that we didn't miss out on anything. We felt like we had the best guide in the whole of Tanzania. He was very well-informed about the animals we saw and the places we visited, he had an answer to every one of our millions of questions, and he was a complete gentleman, and made sure that we didn't go without anything! He really must be commended for the outstanding job he did whilst on our safari - we couldn't possibly have asked for any more from our guide!
Esther was a blast - we're really glad we were able to share our experience with her. We shared the same interests and had a lot of laughs along the way. We are currently missing our safari family of Peter and Esther very much!
The parks were a spectacle within themselves. Our favourite day was a 5am start to drive to the northern entrance of the Serengeti. We felt like the only car in the whole place, and we really had a chance to get up close and personal with the animals.
The accommodation exceeded our expectations like you wouldn't believe. After a night at Olpopongi, the luxury of Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge was very much welcomed. Kenzan lodge was very comfortable, and the service was amazing, as with all of our accommodations.
By far, our favourite accommodation was Endoro Lodge. We felt very lucky to experience such luxury basically in the middle of nowhere. The staff there were absolutely outstanding, and made us feel like family. The rooms were spectacular and the food was scrumptious!
All in all, we had the week of a lifetime! The itinerary was perfect and we honestly wouldn't change a thing! We really appreciated having the first night at Olpopongi, as it allowed us or understand and appreciate the Maasai way of life, as we encountered many more Maasai along the way. The group at Olpopongi were exceptional, and we had a really meaningful experience there (along with amazing food).
I have already started recommending Makasa to people we have met in Arusha, because I don't think that the package you arranged for us could have been beaten!
Thank you again, Selma and Ngomi, it was really lovely to meet you and your family.
Kind regards,
Claire and Tom Green
NL
20-35 years of age
Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar
Together with a friend I climbed Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro and we went to Zanzibar. It was a great experience. We were picked up at our hotel (arranged by Makasa). Mount meru is in Arusha National park. When we arrived, we started walking with our guide. It is a very nice trail through this National park with wild animals. We slept in huts. We it is high season you will have to share them, but we had one for ourselves. The food was prepared by a cook of the team. You only have to carry your daypack, the crew will take care of the others equipment.
After one day of rest in Moshi we started our journey on the Kilimanjaro, Machame route in 7 days. We had 2 guides with the 2 of us (protocol of the park) It is a beutiful trail. The guides can tell you so much of the mountain and they know what to do with different kinds of weather and when there is altitude sickness. The mountains are their home. They adapt the pace to the physical condition of the clients, which is very noce. We slept in tents provided by Makasa. The food was prepared by the cook and also on the Kilimanjaro we only had to carry our daypack. The great team took care of the rest. The landscape is really beautiful and the sunset on Shira camp was stunning! The sunrise during the summit was amazing!
After climbing mountains we went to Zanzibar. The continental flight was arranged by Makasa, as were the transfers from the airport to the hotel and vice versa.
The communication was good and personal (and in Dutch). They came to the hotel in Moshi to see if everything is fine. When we sended an email we had quick respons and with our Tanzanian numbers we could easily reach them through phone. We could choose how we wanted everything, the hotels, the timetable of the continental flights, almost everything. It is no problem if you have requests for the food, it can be arranged.
Thanks to Makasa we had a sportive, relaxing and beautiful holiday!