Safari Infinity
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2011)
- Member Of:
- Tanzania Association of Tour Operators
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $500 to $1,400 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
US
Email Dora Zhang | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best tour we've ever experienced, speechless!
A group of 6 of us just came home from 9 day Safari trip. we are so glad we chose Safari Infinity. This trip was by far the best experience we have had. Every detail of our trip was well thought out and executed. The lodges we stayed are small luxury boutique hotels with character. The food, camps, and tour are all exceed our expectation. Our tour guide Raphiele is very knowledgeable and friendly. We are lucky to see all big 5 animals. All in all, a fantastic trip which we would recommend to anyone.
Thank you Augustine, Simon and Lucia for all your great planning. The last night dinner you specially arrange at Four Season Lodge was perfect to wrap up our trip. 6 of us are sitting in private wine cellar room and enjoying Africa wine and gourmet local food, it was just amazing. We can not be happier.
US
Email Barbara | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
This was my first time on the African continent, and I chose the BEST Safari company and country!
Lucia planned the Perfect! safari for me with the most knowledgeable Ranger, Robert! His love for the animals and his country was contagious!
US
Email Jim and Marcia | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a Lifetime
The itinerary planned with Augustine was wonderful. Our 12 day safari included stops in Tarangire, Lake Manyara, the Crater, and the Serengeti. We had the opportunity of seeing unbelievable numbers of animals and birds and were truly able to enter their world. Our guide, Raphael, was extremely knowledgeable in identifying everything we saw. He was very concerned that the trip be as safe and comfortable as possible.
Tarangire should not be missed. The accommodations were all very nice, the food was good, and we stayed healthy throughout our safari.
Augustine and his team were terrific at making sure that we maximized our experiences.
All in all, it was the trip of a lifetime (until we go back!!).
US
Email Kwai | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing, out of the ordinary safari for a multigenerational family!
We just returned from an indescribable safari with Safari Infinity. Our group was a multigenerational group of 6, so it was a tall order to meet the needs of an 11 year old and 75 year old grandparents. From start to finish, Safari Infinity was just spectacular. I researched quite a few safari companies, and Lucia at Safari Infinity was so great with communication and I never felt pressured to book. It really sealed the deal early on that we would choose them as a company.
Lucia did a great job of guiding us towards an itinerary that worked for all of us and was also within our families budget. No question was too silly for her to answer, and it was so great to have such good communication because, while our family has traveled a lot, we had never planned out a safari.
Once we got to Tanzania, we were met by Kelly, who made us feel at ease at once. I don't know how to describe Kelly other than he's really a special human being. His excitement about being a guide is intoxicating, and we never felt like he was just going through the motions like some tour guides. My parents, who have done extensive traveling in India and Asia said that Kelly was by far the best tour guide they'd ever had. Kelly is very bright and an expert in wildlife, and was able to navigate questions and conversations from my political science professor dad about Tanzanian history and also do a foot race with my kids. He went above and beyond to show us his country, help us understand the people and also taught us so much about wildlife. Kelly did not take us on a standard tour, but really went beyond what we expected. Many days, we were the only jeep that we saw for miles. He would get his binoculars out and find animals for us. His tenacity allowed us to see the unexpected…a lion eating his kill, 2 wildebeest crossings, a dung beetle, rhino, leopard..the list goes on an on. Kelly really made the safari a real trip of a lifetime. We all felt like it was so much more than a safari, but really an educational experience, an adventure (the day our truck got stuck in the Northern Serengeti), and a bonding experience for our family. By the end of the trip, he was truly a friend of our families.
The safari itself was fabulous. Lucia chose accommodations that met our budget, and to be honest, they were much nicer than I expected given that our family did more of a "low budget" safari. The accommodations were really nice and the food, especially at Kati Kati Camp and Mara Under Canvas was fabulous. I had no idea that we would eat so well while on the trip. We loved the tented camps, and the service was incredible, especially at the tented camps. We loved the sundowners and the popcorn (who knew Tanzanian's loved popcorn so much!).
After our safari, our family went to Tanzania for a week. We planned this separately, but Safari Infinity picked us up to transport us to our flight back home. Our guide/driver en route back (can't remember name), was also fabulous. My daughter developed a rash in Zanzibar, so the Safari Infinity driver went out of his way to find us a chemist so we could get some medications. It really was great because being sick in a foreign country is the worst.
All in all, I cannot recommend Safari Infinity more highly. We have only been back a week and have given their name to numerous friends of ours after they saw our photos. We truly hope that our safari experience isn't the trip of a lifetime, and that we'll be able to go back with our kids again and hopefully our grandkids. If so, we will certainly use Safari Infinity again!
US
Email Sandy | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
First Safari: Safari Infinity--An Amazing Experience!
Tanzania: The Great Migration, Tarangire National Park, Central and Northern Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater.
We just returned from an 8 night, 9 day safari with Safari Infinity as our Tour Operator. This was our first time in Africa, fulfilling a long awaited dream of seeing the beautiful Serengeti and even the Great Migration. This “trip report” is best done by an open letter to the people in Tanzania who made this possible, the people at Safari Infinity, including and especially to our guide, Robert.
Dear Lucia and Simon, Co-Owners of Safari Infinity, and Robert, our driver/guide for our time in Tanzania,
Our trip of a lifetime, our safari in Tanzania, including Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Crater, and the Central and Northern Serengeti, was a never to be forgotten adventure tailored to us, exactly, thanks to all of you.
From the moment we stepped off the plane we felt we were in good hands, met by your representative who immediately whisked us through the visa process, then helped us navigate through the paperwork when our luggage was, unfortunately, delayed.
Our arrival at the African Tulip Hotel was met with a warm welcome, one of many we were to discover, in your beautiful country. We have traveled to many different countries, but never to Africa, and we were overwhelmed by the joyous welcome we received everywhere we stayed. We had planned an extra couple of nights at the African Tulip in case of flight delays, and to rest from the long flight. That planning proved to be a very good thing, as our luggage (minus our hats and other articles of clothing!) arrived 2 nights later. The hospitality at the African Tulip Hotel was exceptional. The manager is very “hands on,” concerned with all the guests well-being. We felt as if we were, indeed, Very Important People!
From the moment we met you, our guide, Robert, we liked you instantly. Your quiet, laid back demeanor, coupled with your astute sense of humor was a perfect match for us. You infused your knowledge of the local culture with sightseeing, injecting your unique brand of humor, keeping us entertained and wanting to know more. There were few questions (and we had many!) that you could not answer in depth, often pulling the vehicle over so you could more fully explain that in which we had expressed an interest. Later, and especially after our safari had ended, we realized that we saw much more than animals to be checked off a list, which we never really kept.
With you, we were able to fully immerse ourselves in the experience of observing wildlife. While others took photos, then left, we sat and had a leisurely boxed lunch while we watched a pride of 17 lions, and the drama that unfolded as a huge dazzle of zebras encroached on the lions' territory, then alerted one another to the lions' presence. We were in no hurry, no schedule to keep, just to enjoy the animals. On another occasion we were part of the magical experience to witness a herd of elephants as the matriarch communicated with sound we, as humans did not hear. The entire herd froze in place for several seconds, listening, then instantly and in perfect synchronization, resumed their activities, reassured that we were not a threat. If we did not have the luxury of time and your encouragement and guidance, we would never have noticed such an amazing event.
You seemed to know when to arrive at the Mara River, just in time to wait discreetly until the crossing began, then positioned us in a spot to watch the crossing of at least 6,000 wildebeest in a spectacular sight that we will never forget. You were as excited as we were to witness such a thrilling event, adding to the pleasure even more. Then, on the same day as the crossing, as if that was not enough, you seemed to find, in the midst of nowhere, 2 cheetah brothers who had just killed a young wildebeest. We all agreed to watch the “whole story,” and stayed to see the cheetahs keep out a watch for each other as the other ate, then once done, to wash each other's faces! Once again, those who stayed to take a few photos, then left, missed the most precious and memorable part of this sighting. Even then, we didn't leave. We waited for the gathering vultures to descend, watching as one of the cheetahs chased the approaching birds, making it very clear that they were not welcome. It was fascinating that the birds were fearful of moving in, even long after the cheetahs had left! When they finally did, it was a sight to see. We saw the whole event, the cycle was complete.
Your attention to detail seemed to be second nature. And, as we have already mentioned, your sense of humor had us laughing more than we have laughed in some time. Who could ask for more?
Lucia, I also liked you from the first time we communicated. You were always very patient with my many questions, and seemed, through your emails to be sincerely eager to provide a wonderful trip. When we finally met you and your husband, Simon at our hotel in Arusha, we felt even more confident that we had made the right choice, with your warm and caring personality shining through, and Simon's quiet assurance and knowledge of the business as a former guide, himself. We know you both were the foundation behind our experience, quietly making everything work as it should. You even arranged for extra touches along the way, as we were celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary. What a nice touch! As if that were not enough, you wanted to know all about our safari afterwards, the good and the bad.
We were hard pressed to find any criticism. Hmmm....more variety in the box lunches? That was about all, as I recall.
We saw so many kinds of animals, in such beautiful settings that it would be impossible to detail each event. Flamboyant ostriches doing their “flash dances,” a den of hyenas with their youngsters, a “teen-age” male elephant, trying to scare us with his trumpet and charge (it worked!) and an army of baboons marching down the dirt road to a different location.
One of my concerns in coming to Tanzania in peak season was, of course, the number of other vehicles and people we might encounter. I had expressed this concern to you, Lucia, but you assured me that your guides knew how to get away to areas where other vehicles do not frequent, thus often avoiding the crowds. My desire to experience the Serengeti and to see the migration won out, and we decided, crowds or not, to go to Tanzania. In reality, Robert, you disliked crowds of vehicles as much as we did. Much of the time I forgot we were there in peak season, as we were the only vehicle around, or one of 2 or 3. . The exception was the pride of 17 lions, but after a while, most of those vehicles left to have lunch somewhere else, as you knew they would, leaving us with a front and center, unobstructed view. Even at the crossing of the Mara River we were situated so we felt as if we were only one of just a few vehicles. I still don't know how many were there, as we were right up front. You made sure we always got an early start, so we were witness to many sightings while others were just getting started. After all, we were in Africa, so why waste time sleeping late!
The best decision we made for our safari, besides booking with you, was to take a private safari with our own guide and vehicle. We had a freedom we would never have had with any other type of safari. When we wanted to be quiet, we were quiet (probably not very often, right, Robert?) When we wanted to stay put, we stayed put. We left early and stayed late, or not. It was all up to us.
Staying in tented camps for most of our safari was an excellent choice, and once we got used to the “talking shower” with buckets of just right warm water, we loved them. The sounds of the bush at night were almost hypnotic. On our last night it was appropriate that we were surrounded by what seemed like the entire herd of almost 2 million wildebeest, voicing their trademark, hmmmm, hawwww, sounds all night long. We loved it! And, I suppose it was appropriate that during our flight back to Arusha on one of the take-offs after a stop to pick up passengers the pilot had to brake and start over due to zebra and wildebeest on the air strip. Only in Africa!
One final word about our vehicle. We knew we'd be driven in a Land Cruiser type of vehicle, but when you, Robert, escorted us from our hotel out to the Land Cruiser for the first time and we climbed in, we felt as if you had picked us up in a limo, only better! It was incredibly spacious, and although there were just 2 of us, there were 4 seats altogether. The huge windows were panoramic, creating a feeling of being open when needed, and closed nicely to help keep out the dust of the long drives. You had a cooler generously filled with water, soft drinks and even beer, and we had the use of great binoculars as well bean bag supports for our cameras. The top opened up so we could stand, and see out easily, yet we were protected from the midday sun. One of the best things about this Land Cruiser was a bank of electrical plugs for charging our batteries right behind the driver's seat. I could not have imagined how convenient this turned out to be. This was a late model vehicle in pristine condition, so we felt right away that we were traveling in style. Lucia and Simon, you definitely don't skimp on anything, and you especially pay attention to the things that matter!
Lucia, Simon and Robert, we have traveled to many countries over our 70+ years. We've been to Europe, the UK, the South Pacific, and New Zealand, as well as the continental United States and Canada, including Alaska. We can easily say this trip has topped them all. It was one we will never forget. Thank you to all of you for that. Our wonderful safari was enhanced by knowing the people we entrusted were so kind, caring and capable. You represented Tanzania well. Asante. Asantesana!
US
Email Rita | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Fantastic family safari - with Safari Infinity
Booking a safari in Tanzania is quite a challenge since there are so many safari companies to choose from - so having said that, we had requested quotes from many places and the reason we chose Safari Infinity was their prompt replies and turn around times to answer our questions, and they were able to get us reservations at the camps and lodges that we wanted (even though we were booking all this at the last minute). We definitely made the right choice! They stayed in touch through out the entire week ensuring we were enjoying the trip and even tried to acommodate changes that we wanted to make at the last minute.
To summarize, there were 7 of us on safari - 2 Grandparents, 2 parents and 3 children (ages 9, 5, 5). We had the option of either booking 2 vehicles or to squeeze in to 1. We opted to travel together in 1 vehicle - mostly because we thought it would be more fun that way, although, on the days we had luggage (going from camp to camp) it felt a little cramped.
Our driver/guide - Tumaini was excellent. He went the extra mile to get us to see animals that were on our priority list (he knew just where to go and when to go - we just had to trust him!). He was very knowledgeable- especially when he was grilled with hundreds of questions by our 9 year old! He did his best to ensure our comfort during the safari - and with 3 kids in the car, we always had a clean vehicle every morning. His driving skills were excellent - not only at getting us out of a muddy river bed for example, but also maneuvering so that we had the best view of the pride of lions enjoying a kill, when there were at least 15 other cars all trying to get to the front!
We started our tour in Arusha for one night, then on to Tarangire for half day, and then to Ngorongoro (& Beyond Ngorongoro Crater lodge) for 2 nights, Pioneer camp for 2 nights (central Serengeti) and then Bushtops (northern Serengeti) for 2 nights. The only thing we would have changed is to either skip Tarangire or to spend a night in Tarangire. With young kids, we started off on the 1st day with about 6 -7 hours in the car which was just a little too much and we were not able to enjoy the fabulous facilities at the & Beyond Ngorongoro crater lodge.
All in all, a very enjoyable safari and would definitely recommend Safari Infinity to anyone looking for something out of the ordinary!
Honeymoon w Safari Infinity
My wife and I decided to do our honeymoon in Tanzania and went with Safari Infinity after interviewing a number of Tanzania-based tour operators. They weren't the cheapest option, but they provided by far the best customer service. Lucia is the main person you will communicate with and she is very organized and responsive. If you have a question about your itinerary (and I had dozens and dozens) she will usually reply within a few hours, regardless of the time of day. Because it was our first safari, I was really clueless about the itinerary, lodging options, etc. and Lucia walked me through all of the details over the course of a few weeks. If you care about the details but don't know much about Safaris, you won't have a better partner to help you out than Lucia.
The safari itself was amazing, although I'm sure most people do have amazing safaris, regardless of the company they travel with. Our guide Kelly was a local guide who knew a ton about all the animals. He often took us off the beaten path so we weren't stuck with too many other cars. He was very friendly and we had a great time with him over the course of 8 days. The only thing we could complain about is that we didn't get to see a cheetah, but apparently it was the wrong season to see those cats. Honestly, the trip was amazing and I was sad on the last day to be flying out. We hope to be back on safari again in the near future.
US
Email JNWDVM | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Highly recommend Safari Infinity!!
My boyfriend and I took a 12 day trip with Safari Infinity and could not be happier with our Tanzania safari experience. I have dreamed of going to Africa since I was a very young girl, and I am pleasantly surprised to report that the trip exceeded my (very high) expectations! We landed in Arusha and visited Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro, and the Serengeti. I could go on and on about the amazing animal sightings and unbelievable experiences we had, but I will try to keep things short and sweet and highlight a few key points . . . First of all, our tour guide Kelly was beyond amazing. He always went the extra mile with regards to making sure we had the most exclusive animal sightings. We also got to know him on a very personal level and enjoyed our hours of conversation with him comparing our culture with his and our views on the world. A huge bonus of Safari Infinity is there is no limit to milage driven each day. Kelly explained to us that many companies cap each day at 80 km of driving, whereas on many days we surpassed 200 km in order to reach more exclusive regions of the Serengeti for superior animal sightings. Also, many guides rely on radio calls to find animals and stick to the main roads. Kelly was very skilled and proactive - he would get just as excited to spot an animal as we were to see it. We had a special interest in bird watching and Kelly was extremely patient and helped us ID each species we saw. All of our accommodations were great, but Tarangire Treetops and Mara Under Canvass cannot be missed! I would recommend booking hotels that are comprised of individual tents/huts/treehouses, etc., versus hotels that are set up more traditionally (long hallway with rooms adjacent to one another). Each national park was special in its own way, but if one had to be missed due to time constraints I would say Lake Manyara was least special and the northern Serengeti (where we ended the trip) was the best! Again, I could go on forever gushing about how amazing our trip was, but suffice it to say that I strongly feel Safari Infinity and our guide Kelly were what made our trip as exceptional as it was. Lucia was wonderful to work with as far as booking our adventure, and she even met with us in person at our final hotel to garner feedback in person and ensure we were happy with everything.
IN
Email Jim from USA | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Spectacular climbs of Mt Kilimanjaro and Mt Meru
My daughter, my niece, and I spent 11 days with Safari Infinity on treks to the summit of these two great mountains. It was by-far the best holiday we have ever had. I can say unequivocally that we were the best treated trekkers on either mountain and by a large margin. Our guides were experienced, knowledgeable, prepared for anything, and focused on us as clients meeting our objective and having a great time. The food was terrific, our support team was unmatched and each day was a new, exciting, and enjoyable discovery. I can give my highest recommendations to the entire Safari Infinity team. If you want to have a remarkable climbing experience, have a great chance of success, and enjoy each day as the best you've ever had, then use Safari Infinity for your Tanzanian trekking experience.
TH
Email Five Busbys | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Beyond expectations !
We, a family of two adults and three teenage kids, recently took an two week safari and beach holiday that we booked through Safari Infinity. Short summary: We could not have made a better choice.
From the initial website enquiry (less than two months before departure) through many ‘could we just change’ emails all pre-holiday planning ran extremely smoothly. There seemed to be nothing Lucia could not arrange or rearrange. All emails were answered quickly, sometimes within minutes, which was exceptional given the time differences between Tanzania and Bangkok. From landing at Kilimanjaro to getting on the plane at the end of the holiday in Zanzibar there was not one, even slight, hitch. Lucia and Simon even took the time to come to our hotel in Arusha to see us off on safari, a nice personal touch.
The accommodation on safari was very well selected, the variety of lodges, permanent camps and tents was ideal; waking to the sounds of lions roaring in the night, sitting around the bush ‘television’ and gazing at the vast number of stars were experiences we won’t forget. Stone Town was an extremely interesting cultural delight with the restful few days at the beach on Zanzibar proving to be a wonderful change of pace and an excellent ending to the holiday.
The safari itself (Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater, Central and North Serengeti) was superb. We saw everything we could have asked for; the ‘big five’, multiple cheetahs, many families of elephants, huge herds of zebra, gazelle and wildebeest. Though everyone agreed that the two prides of lions with cubs were the highlight. Osbert was a fantastic guide and driver -- even stopping to help someone else who was stuck in the mud, something he swears would never happen to him ! He was very knowledgeable on both the wildlife, the flora and the history of Tanzania – I don’t think we had one question he could not answer. He had an excellent sense of humour, was great with the kids (15, 16,19) and adults alike and consistently got us into fantastic positions to view and photograph the game. It’s one thing spotting the wildlife it’s something else to have the knowledge to predict where the prowling cheetah or lion will move to so that we can be in the best place to watch it pass within a few metres of our jeep. Osbert also chose some fantastic places for breakfast and lunch picnics – one that ended up being in the middle of the great migration! He was happy to vary the plan for the day so we got the most out of the safari and even volunteered to get up early on our final day for “one last game drive”.
We would happily recommend Safari Infinity to our family and friends.