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
BE
Email Sylvia Bex | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
E.X.T.R.A.O.R.D.I.N.A.R.Y ! Thank you Makasa!!!! But most of all asante sana David! It was magical!
Just perfect! Tutaonana !
Email Bodil Ashton | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A well prepared and well communicated safari with a knowledgable, pleasant and careful driver.
Makasa made a trip for us, two not so young ladies. We received good advise on where to go and stay and we discussed the itinerary via email and received quick response from the company. We stayed in a tented lodge, a bush camp and a traditional lodge, all were well functioning and the staff did all they could to make us feel comfortable. The food was such a delight in all three places and the rooms very cosy and pleasant.
The safari included long, unpleasant and dusty drives due to the condition of the roads between Ngorongoro and Serona but the driver did a good job. It is necessary on such a safari to drive long distance on the hunt for the interesting view and the driver made it interesting by sharing knowledge about the landscape and history of the places and people. Very good,
The trip was very interesting even if I have been there before and it was a great trip. I can recommend.
US
Email Cheryl & Tim | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great safari, great company, great guide!!
We thoroughly enjoyed our Tanzanian safari. We visited Tarangire National Park, Serengeti National Park including the northern part near the Mara river, and Ngorongoro crater. All of the accommodations were excellent. The Simba lodge had a watering hole right next to it where we saw elephants, zebras, warthogs, and storks. The tented camps in the Serengeti were very comfortable and close to the animals, including one night with a Hippo munching on grass right by our tent! Our guide, Jamal, was awesome! He knew where to find the animals and was also quite knowledgeable about birds. We saw 40 different animals and more than 90 kinds of birds. We saw the big 5 and much much more. Some of the highlights were:
the massing of many different kinds of animals at the Tarangire river
spotting the African Wild Dog (Cape Hunting Dog) an endangered and very rare species
viewing lots of animals at the watering hole next to the Simba Lodge
seeing a large pride of lions comprised of 2 males, 4 females, and 13 cubs
a mother lion nursing her 7 cubs (she also carried one around in her mouth)
3 wildebeest migrations across the Mara river
2 female lions stalking and killing a zebra right in front of our eyes
Spotting a rhino up close
AT
Email Carina | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Awesome experience
A friend of mine recommended Makasa Tanzanian Safaris to me and I am glad she did. We feel very lucky that we booked our safari with Selma and Ngomi who are very kind, friendly and knowledgeable people. Selma has always been very helpful and quick in replying to our inquires and I am very grateful for her patience.
After a warm welcome from Selma and Ngomi, a well-organized itinerary in our hand and a lot of excitement we were looking forward to some adventures in Lake Manyara National Park, Serengeti Nationalpark and the Ngorongoro Crater.
Our stay at each accommodation was great although I personally think that the Kenzan Tented Camp was the best. The views from the camp were just breath-taking and you are able to see animals just walking by from a short distance. Also the staff was very friendly and made you feel home.
During the safari our driver and guide Kaleby has always been very charming and made sure that we enjoy our trip to the fullest. In this regard, I would like to thank Kaleby for his professionalism and for showing and teaching us the wildlife and for giving us such a great opportunity to discover and see the beauty of Tanzania.
We just can't say enough about how first-rate everything was done by Selma and Kaleby. We know that we had the best possible safari. This was truly the trip of a lifetime and due in large part to the professionalism of Makasa Tanzanian Safari. Thank you guys for the unforgettable experience and the care and attention provided!
NL
Email Milou | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Safari/Zanzibar with Makasa
We met Selma at a Holiday Event in Utrecht (Holland). We already decided to go on Safari and after our conversation with Selma we felt immediately comfortable booking with Makasa. From day one in Moshi everything was perfectly arranged. If we had questions/tips or when we were in need for help, Selma and Ngomi were always there for us. By email or telephone and even on whatsapp they were always reachable. The tented camps on safari were amazing; unique, local, charity based and an good mix between luxury/connected with your environment, nature. Especially the camp based in the center of Serengeti was extraordinary. Hearing the sounds of nature and hyenas being so close is thrilling. Our guide was an expert, he is already 20 years in the business so he could tell us everything. We felt really safe and comfortable with him, which is very important since you’re in the car with your guide for one week. Zanzibar was beautiful, Selma helped us out finding a nice quite guesthouse on the eastside of Zanzibar. White beaches, turquoise water and no massa tourism. After one week safari, one week Kilimanjaro this was the best please to relax! Many thanks to Makasa making this trip so beautiful and special.
Email Jim Clarke | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
utterly sublime
Simply the best. Almost a biblical encounter. Victor, our safari guide, is a legend. I've travelled through Serengeti ecosystem many times but nothing could surpass this experience.
US
Email Moira Matthys | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Makasa made our trip an unforgettable experience , special shoutout to guide King , simply the best!
Communication was perfect, prompt, clear and straightforward! Service was outstanding , Makasa understood our expectations. We are so glad we chose them, they were professional and perfect! When we return to beautiful Tanzania we won't hesitate to ask for their help again!
NL
Email Ton en Helga | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect!
The communication with Selma was excellent: she answered quickly, she organised a cooler in the jeep ( to keep medication cool), she booked perfect locations for us. We had a 7 day trip to Northern Tanzania and 6 days on Zanzibar ( Hakuna Majiwe, Paje: sun, sea and beach)
Our favorite place is the Kisura Tented Camp in the Serengeti: so many animals in our backyard, the lions passing by in the evening (pointed out by the Masai guard), the fireplace, the best meals we had during our holidays and the personnel was very friendly.
Victor, our driver was very friendly too with a big knowledge of the animals and the culture (we will never forget The Masai Jeep :)) . He arranged the best spots for us to make pictures, we saw the big 5! And we felt safe in his Jeep.
Hakuna Majiwe is a perfect place to relax. When you want something else for dinner as a buffet, you can perfectly well eat by the neighbours of the Kilima Kidogo Lodge.
We highly recommend Makasa due to the perfect organisation of our Dream Holiday!
CA
Email Chris | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well organized, great guide, honest advice, and unforgettable experiences.
Selma was very prompt and clear in her communications. She provided lots of variations that fit our limited budget. The guide (Humphry) was amazing. His service, ability to see animals, driving, knowledge, and personally was top-notch. We couldn't have asked for a better guide. We visited three parks. Each was distinct and the time allotment for each was perfect. The safari surpassed our high expectations.
I would recommend Makasa to anyone without hesitation.
US
Email Jennifer | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Above our expectations!
I would absolutely choose Makasa again and recommend them to my friends and family! Choosing a company can be very overwhelming. I chose Mikasa because they were located in Tanzania, I liked their family pictures and easy website, they had strong reviews, and there budget was affordable! From the beginning the communication was very easy. Selma quickly e-mailed me with a potential detailed itinerary including lodging links so I could see where we would stay. I had many questions and she answered every one with a personal e-mail within 24 hours. Mikasa gave me options and adjusted the itinerary based on my needs for timing of travel and desires for destinations. We booked rather late and she worked very hard to find us excellent options for family accommodations. We were met at the airport in Kilimanjaro by their company driver and transported to our first accomodation. We felt reassured and safe with this arrangement as we arrived at night. The next morning we met our guide, Tom, before breakfast. He was very friendly and happy to meet us. He told us "You come as friends but you will leave as family." We had no idea what to expect and did not realize that your guide is your ticket to a successful, happy and safe safari! Tom was amazing! He talked to us easily in excellent English and made us comfortable. He anticipated our needs and arranged everything for us at our lodges and camps. He was respectful of our privacy but was always there ready to answer questions. He was enjoyable to be around and was great with our kids (8 and 13 years) and worked very hard. And he was very excited to show us the amazing animals. He went out of his way to search for treasures and communicated with other drivers to discover locations of lions and leapards and cheetahs, etc. He was very knowledgable and new every bird by name that we pointed out. We saw everything with him including the ellusive nocturnal caracal cats and African wild dogs and serval cats! My kids counted over 70 lions up close in the Serengetti alone! We almost broke 100 overall. Tom used to drive for another company but he said now he only drives for Makasa "because they take care of their people." And this shows. He was happy with his job, engaged and invested to make it the most amazing experience we could have. He even took us by a Maasai village, with a pre-school where the kids sang to us, on the way to the Serengetti. He was familiar with this particular village and knew we would enjoy the school. This stop was a bonus for us since we had opted out of the Maasai tour day to go to Lake Manyara (a must see by the way!). You could tell the other Makasa drivers were happy as well. We saw several as we toured around. I was impressed that each of the other drivers for Makasa came up to us and introduced themselves, and asked us how we were doing and wished us a great safari experience. The Makasa vehicles were in good condition as well. VERY important on the bumpy safari roads. We saw several vehicles from other companies broken down on the side of the road waiting for parts to repair them (including broken axels and burnt out clutches). Our vehicle held up well under extreme off roading conditions. Tom says the Makasa vehicles are sent in after every safari tour to be examined and tuned up for the next trip by excellent mechanics. The lodges and tent camps chosen by Makasa were superb. They were more than we had expected! Excellent facilities, friendly staff, amazing food. Two of our lodges had humanitarian interest. One was connected to and supported a girls boarding school (Mama Clementine) that we were able to tour, and another supported an orphanage (Rhotia Valley) that we also toured with the founder. This added to our family cultural experience and was a high light for us and our children. We were very impressed and would highly recommend Makasa for your safari experience. We really felt we got high value for the money we paid and that they worked hard to keep our costs reasonable without sacrificing quality or experience. There were no hidden expenses either. We know we could have paid much more and gotten much less through other safari companies. They really provided us with a quality Tanzanian safari experience far and above our expectations. Thank you Makasa!