African Chitah
- Office In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2017)
- Member Of:
- IATA & TALA
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $300 to $1,500 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
TH
Email Nongyao | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unprofessional and thoughtless safari operator.
For anyone thinking about using African Chitah for their Tanzanian dream Safari I would think twice. Below are some of the highlights, or I should say "lowlights" from our recent safari in Tanzania.
1) When we arrived at Kilimanjaro Airport there was no one there to meet us. After a half day of flying, to emerge from the airport with luggage in hand and no one there to meet us was most disconcerting. The driver did finally arrive 20 minutes later, but this was 20 minutes of un-necessary anxiety. The driver apologized with the excuse that there was "traffic." While that may have been true, there were literally hundreds of other tour operators at the airport holding placards with their guest's names. Why did these hundreds of other operators manage to arrive on time but not our driver?
2) On the first day or our tour, the driver arrived at our hotel very early. He asked us to finish our breakfast quickly as there were three other groups to pick up. When we arrived at the first pickup the driver asked us to sit in the car while he retrieved the guests. After 20 minutes no one returned. I found the driver waiting in the lobby and asked him what was going on. He told me that these other guests were still eating breakfast. I explained to him that this was not a private tour and we were sitting in a hot car waiting while someone else was casually eating their breakfast. He told us he would go and get the other guests and I returned to the car. Another 10 minutes passed and still no one had returned. I returned to the lobby and found the driver still sitting in the lobby. I then insisted that he come with me and get the other guests which he finally did. If I hadn't been so insistent, who knows how long I would have been sitting in the hot car while the other members of the group tour casually enjoyed breakfast and coffee. And he didn't even apologize for this at all.
3) Twice we were given hotels of noticeably lower quality than what we were promised on our itinerary. If we had been equivalent quality hotels it would not have been an issue. However, when we complained to the company about this they utterly dismissed our complaints. They did not offer to change the hotel to one of similar quality nor did they offer us a refund. While it may not have been the operator's intention, the outcome left us with the feeling that we had been hoodwinked in a "bait and switch" scheme.
4) The vehicle appeared to be noticeably older than those of other companies. We spent 20 minutes having to repair the door as it would not open properly.
Given the above I would normally give "1" star. I have generously given "2" stars due to the quality of our driver Steven. He was knowledgeable and helpful and went above and beyond to make sure that all the guests had an enjoyable safari experience. And perhaps most importantly, he was a skillful driver which cannot be discounted given the challenging and punishing terrain and roads.
NL
Email Wim | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Very accommodating, just beware of potential downsides to group safaris
African Chitah came out as the best option for joining a two day group safari to Tarangire and Ngorongoro: they were the cheapest option and willing to accommodate a request for a specific lodge at the edge of Ngorongoro. They were very helpful and communicative in arranging a rented camera and dealing with issues that came up (e.g. the road to my lodge was so muddy that our car got stuck). The “group safari” setup (or join safari as they call it) is quite intriguing: clients from different companies seem to be put together in an intricate logistical puzzle that involves separate drivers for transfers from town (in normal cars) and safari guides. I liked that it makes efficient use of resources, but it also has its downsides. The focus on efficiency gave me the impression that the guides chose routes through the parks that were more fuel-economic, like when we spotted an elephant in Ngorongoro and the driver didn’t want to make the detour despite everyone in the car asking for it. The safari cars were also clearly older and for some reason didn’t have the radio to hear from other drivers where wildlife was spotted. On my way from Arusha I was taken by two different drivers and then handed over to the guides at the central gathering point (Panorama), who were not informed about the specifics of my itinerary and initially wanted to change my specifically requested hotel - which had been the primary reason I booked with Chitah. When I protested they quickly accepted this and accommodated the schedule as planned - but it does mean you need to stand up for yourself and be a bit vigilant that things go as planned and everybody knows where you’re supposed to go. Another downside is that there’s more waiting time involved. In the morning there’s a breakfast as clients gather (even though I had breakfast already), and after tarangire I had to wait at a gas station for over an hour for some other clients who also needed to go to Arusha, because their safari - in the same park! - was still ongoing, which felt a bit like I had drawn the short straw in terms of how much safari time I got.
All in all the experience was pretty good, we got to see some great animals, but it is good to be mindful of how the group safaris are organized.
TT
Email Nicole | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Papa was an excellent tour operator
I had a great time in Tanzania with this company.
They were always on time, very accommodating, “Papa” - the tour guide - gave us a lot of information about the country and the parks.
The mid-range lodges they recommended were very good and the customer service, the food, the tents and rooms in those places were also good.
The only place I didn’t quite like was the first hotel. The rooms were small and uncomfortable.
Apart from that I will totally recommend this company to do the safari tours.
SG
Email Wee | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
A trusted company that provides fantastic experiences as promised
Guides cum drivers are very professionals and knowledgeable. We have a good time and enjoy the safari including the hot air balloon. Highly recommended
DE
Email Thomas | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great organization of the Safari tour
We have been booking a 4-day safari, covering the National Parks Tarangerie, Serengeti and Ngorongoro. The entire organization worked perfectly, including picking up and delivery to the airport. Our group with 6 people has been very international and we had lots of fun. The tour guide (Malitta) was very experienced and took us to the best places where the animals could be expected and we certainly saw the all.
CA
Email Ariane | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience and amazing people!
Everything was perfect, my friend even joined me on the trip last minute and African Chitah was able to book everything according to our needs. They sent a driver to our Airbnb in the morning before the safari, they sent us Adrey, which was a sweetheart, he likes to tell stories, he was also very funny. We even requested him on our last day before our flight back home to go sight seeing, it was perfect!
Our guide on the Safari, Manuel, was amazing and made everyone feel safe, even saved our lives, he’s a good driver. He answered all of our questions and was patient with us. He was very knowledgeable too.
I would book with African Chitah again! We made friends for life!! Hope to be back soon!
DE
Email Lisa | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best experience of our lives - thank you for everything!
Everything about this experience was perfect. We will never forget our trip. Thanks for everything and for letting us see all of the Big 5! The accommodation including food was also great. We received an immediate response to all concerns. Even when we left a small case in the safari car and drove for more than an hour in another car, it was brought back to us in a very short time - that was more than remarkable. A great organization with very good drivers. 10/10 experience!
PL
Email Adam | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Proffesional, trustworthy people, who helped us to have unforgettable safari in our honeymoon.
Midian is very caring and helpful person, from first meeting before safari we trusted him. Everything was well planned and prepared. We reccomend African Cheetah to everyone!
ES
Email Fina | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great experience
Everything well organised!
Transfer, hotels and the best the people how work there.
We have lived a great experience thanks to the guide and the team.
Email Michele | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Communication was excellent both before and during safari and nothing was too much trouble
Our whole safari experience was wonderful and Midian’s communication throughout the process was excellent. We did a 10 day trip which included 5 nights in Zanzibar at the exceptional Lux Marijani at the end. Our safari guide Ndalu (Papaa) was superb. We had a day in Tarangire national park then two days in the Serengeti including driving up to the Mara River to follow the wildebeest migration and then finished up in the Ngorongoro Crater. Throughout the safari we were amazed by the range and abundance of the wildlife we saw. We also did the optional balloon trip at the Mara river which was possibly one of the best experiences of my life. If you have the opportunity I would highly recommend it.
