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
SK
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A perfect safari
Me and my best friend did safari with Safari Infinity last year....I have some beautiful pictures printed and clipped on my wall in the office….every time I look at them….I go back to Serengeti or Ngoro Ngoro and dream of going back.
Our 7 day safari was fantastic. We opted for an unlimited mileage safari and only the 2 of us (plus a fantastic guide Fasal).
The places we stayed, the food, people….everything was just fantastic. We have seen all the animals. And some of them from really close. What I really liked was a respect this agency has for animals.
Fasal was a professional guide, fluent in English and very well prepared, giving us information about the animals, nature and facts and sometimes explaining even some scientifical issues that we were not aware of. I had to say, we had a great fun.
A beautiful memory goes to our meeting with Maasai boys. Just a spontaneous meeting under the tree….and as Fasal knew we were keen on some pictures of Maasai….without being pushy or annoying…in form of a play….we took some fantastic pictures. We also showed to Maasai boys our pictures and explain few things from our lives.
The agency was very helpful. Lucia always kind and polite answering our never-ending questions….organizing for us every little step. We felt like 2 queens. Very well looked after and spoiled.
If I ever go back to Africa, I know who to contact to organize my perfect safari.
Monika
US
Email Maureen Miller | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
A truly memorable experience for a family of five ranging in age from 14 to 70!
Starting with Lucia who patiently responded to all our questions and constructed a safari that exactly met the needs of grandparents and grandkids alike, and ending with an amazing excursion into the bush, this was certainly the trip of a lifetime. What I especially liked about working with Lucia is that she suggested accommodations that she thought would best meet our criteria and then offered some alternate choices. She made it easy to compare prices all while working with one tour operator.
Our guide Erik was so good with those kids and good with us old people too! He has eagle eyes for spotting game and knows where within the parks to find the best game viewing. Game movements are often unpredictable, but Eric drove us over 100KM to get us smack in the middle of the great migration which had moved farther east than normal. We tried not to gloat back at the lodge at the end of the day when other guests voiced their frustration at missing the migration and getting stuck in the mud instead.
We are not blessed with perfect children, so Simon got a chance to demonstrate his tour operator skills by locating and forwarding a lost camera charger and keeping us in "the chips" (memory chips). Erik cheerfully made two round trips to the airstrip to hand deliver the essential equipment back to camp.
Our much anticipated "local cultural experience" was the chart topping event for the younger crowd. Erik and a local guide arranged for us to visit the Hadzabe Tribe of hunter gatherers and participate in the morning hunt for small game. There are several good stories, some quite graphic!
We stayed 13 days/12 nights and think the time was just about right to really enjoy the top parks and attractions. We were busy, but not rushed. I could not recommend SI and our guide more highly.
CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A Dream Honeymoon
We had a wonderful time on safari with Safari Infinity. After months of research and countless emails between other tour operators, my husband and I decided to go on a Tanzanian 9 day safari with Safari Infinity because of their fantastic reviews and very personalized customer service.
I've listed below some of the most positive aspects of Safari Infinity:
-Lucia is fantastic to work with. She was always very quick at returning our emails and also gave us a call to discuss trip details. She made many alterations to our itinerary all without one complaint. She knows the parks well and knows how to plan the perfect itinerary to suit your needs. While we were in Arusha both Lucia and Simon came to meet us. They are both wonderful people and are so passionate about their jobs.
-Our guide Eric was also great. He was always on time and was very patient with us when we were running late. Eric was extremely knowledgeable about all of the wildlife and made an effort to show us all of the animals we wanted to see. You could tell that Eric has been a guide for many years as he knew his way around the parks well and knew how to maneuver the bumpy roads so our backs didn't hurt and our vehicle didn't break down or get stuck in mud.
-One tip we have would be to talk to your driver at the beginning of the trip, and even each day about the plan for the day. That way, if they were planning on taking you to see something that isn't as interesting, you'd have the opportunity to discuss. ie. If you're not as interested in birds as you are in mammals, it's good to mention that so you don't spend as much time with the various birds.
-We loved the safari vehicle. It had really good suspension which was great as we both have bad backs. We found that standing up with our heads out the pop up roof while on the bumpy roads helped keep our backs healthy.
-We left a few things at the lodges along the way and Lucia was kind enough to ensure that these things were flown to Zanzibar for us to pick up when we went back to the airport. Talk about going above and beyond!
There were a few hiccups in the trip, but they weren't major and didn't really affect our overall impression of the company:
-The seat belts of the passenger seats right behind the driver were not working. Eric is a very safe driver, but because we have to always wear seat belts in Canada, we just felt bare without them.
-We could not make calls with the cell phone we were provided with. This made it difficult to make last minute changes to plans with Eric.
Like I said, these were not major issues and did not affect our overall impression of this highly professional company. They went out of their way to ensure we were happy on our trip and I would definitely go back on safari with them.
CA
Email soda_jo | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable honeymoon!!
My husband and I went on a 10-day semi-luxury safari with Safari Infinity for our honeymoon over Christmastime in 2013. From the start of planning to the day we returned home, our experience with Lucia and Simon at Safari Infinity was amazing. Everything reached far beyond our expectations!!!
We got married in September 2013 and of course had no time to plan our honeymoon until after our wedding. We knew we wanted to do something really unique and experience something that was "once in a lifetime." Tanzania was one of the top places on our list. We went to a local travel agent to do our initial research and had conversations with an agent there that was connected to many other safari operators. He offered some options and prices. Honestly, we weren't fully satisfied with the information, only because we couldn't sense the safari experience through glossy brochures. Then I remembered that a friend of mine travelled on a safari just a few months before. I learned of Lucia and her team and there began our real planning.
We really loved the direct contact that we had with Lucia. She operates directly out of Arusha and we knew she had contact and details about all her drivers and all the lodges. We loved how there was no "middle man" or agent between us and the safari operator throughout our planning. Lucia was ALWAYS so prompt with her replies with all our questions regarding pricing and accommodations, down to the smaller details like the shape of the truck in which we would be travelling. Whenever we emailed her, we would literally wake up to an informative email from Lucia the next morning. Not only was this important in easing any worries, but also because we only had three and a half months to book and plan our safari. The matter of time was crucial for us.
We began to be impressed with their service even before we departed Toronto. Lucia had offered to help us plan the Zanzibar portion of our trip for us, which was a lifesaver during our busy schedules. She knows tons of lodges in all price ranges on the island. We let her know our budget and she suggested several that were available in the very busy Christmas high season. During this planning, she hit a snafu with the final lodge that we had to book. After a delay in their response, they had informed her know that we couldn't stay with them because there was a minimum 6-night stay during this high season. Of course, because of their delayed response, we had lost some chances to book with other lodges. Lucia amazingly took the initiative to contact the hotel management and complained about their inconsiderate services. The result, we were able to book for our two-night stay and our honeymoon planning was complete!
Regarding our flights, Lucia connected us to a Canadian travel agent who specialized in trips to Africa. Their services were also top-notch and they were very dedicated to finding the BEST price for us. Be sure to ask Lucia for her preferred travel agent. Payment was the only thing that made us hesitant in the planning process. We were to wire money to Africa and this would be our first time having to do that. Lucia made sure to let us know when she had received the money. There was absolutely no glitches with the multiple payments we had to make and Lucia made sure to send us professional payment receipts after each one.
Our trip began with a shaky start but not to any fault of Safari Infinity. Departing in the middle of December in Toronto of course becomes risky business in terms of snowstorms. Of course, to our bad luck, we departed during the evening of the first big snowfall of the season. We were delayed for four hours on the tarmac. This caused us to miss our connecting flight in Amsterdam, which then resulted in a detour to Nairobi before landing in Arusha. Instead of landing in the evening before Day 1 of our safari, we landed the morning of Day 1 and began our safari right after arriving! We were on very little sleep after being enroute for 26 hours. But once we landed, we were full of adrenalin and were ready to go see some wildlife! Oh, also add into the mix of the shaky start - our luggage was delayed in Europe. We were out of clean clothes for an indefinite time.
Lucia was always in contact with us while we were enroute to Arusha. We let her know through email that our flights were delayed and she made sure to revise our schedule to suit. Our driver, Fazal was met us at the airport at the revised time. Fazal was so patient with us while we were getting the paperwork done for our delayed luggage.
I have only heard good things about Safari Infinity's drivers and I can only say very good things about our driver, Fazal. He speaks very good English, always had a smile on his face from Day 1, and he exudes passion for his job, Tanzania, and its wildlife. He even brought us a great surprise when we first met him at the airport! Because we were out of clean clothes for an indefinite time, the first place he brought us was in the middle of town in Arusha where we had our first local market experience! We were successful in finding some underwear and fresh shirts. This is where Simon Kombe, Lucia's life and business partner met us! He also had a smile on his face all the time. He asked us to give him the airline's paperwork for our luggage and told us that he would do his best in tracking it down for us. This was great news, as the language barrier that we experienced while trying to do this at the airport left us feeling very discouraged.
I am not going to do a day to day write-up on our entire safari experience. But I will highlight a couple of incidents that shows Fazal's and Safari Infinity's great organization, services, and genuine personalities involved. Fazal, for one, was amazing. Because of his passion for the land and the animals, he always knew where to go and how to have us enjoy it as he would. From the very beginning, he told us that he will take us off the beaten track whenever he could so that we could have our true private safari experience. He never let us down about this. More than once were we the only ones watching a pride of lions in the middle of the Serengeti, hours at a time. We spent two ours with a cheetah one afternoon. We were always a speck amongst 2 million migrating wildebeests and zebras. We saw a black rhino in the Ngorongoro Crater!! We went to visit some of his old friends at a Masai boma. We walked through a local market at the base of high mountains in the Great Rift Valley, where we met people whom have never seen tourists before. Fazal has eyes that are better than a hawk! He can spot a lion that looks like a rock from afar! He stopped the car one time and we thought it was for a large elephant or lion, but no. He had stopped it because he saw a tiny dung beetle rolling its eggs on the road! I have no idea how one could spot something like that in a large moving vehicle. He made sure to show us the big and the tiniest creatures of Africa. It was all amazing and intriguing. Fazal can tell you so much about the behaviour of elephants, lions, cheetahs, dung beetles, bees, rhinos, snakes. Everything. I was thinking that we should of brought a wildlife book for our trip but I'm glad I didn't bring the extra luggage. Learning from Fazal was much better than trying to find it in a book.
Another highlight during our trip related to our luggage. Simon was always in touch with Fazal during our trip. It is incredible how far cell phone reception reaches in the plains of Africa! On our third day Simon had great news! He had tracked down our luggage! Him and Fazal organized a pick-up spot. Had our bags arrived one day later, we would of have been too far along in our circuit that we would of had to pick up our bags at the very end of our safari. A Safari Infinity colleague had met us in a small village between Tarangire and Lake Manyara to hand us our bags. Seeing our bags waiting for us amongst the mud huts and dusty roadside stalls in the middle of Africa was one of the best feelings during the trip! I don't know what other safari operators would of done if this luggage debacle happened to one of their clients. We were so glad that our priorities were also Safari Infinity's. Never had a fresh t-shirt felt so good!
Leaving mainland Tanzania was actually one of the saddest moments of the trip. We had an emotional goodbye to Fazal, who dropped us off at the tiny local Arusha airport. He made sure our bags went through the right people and that everything was good to go before he drove away. We were sad to say goodbye but happy to have made a new friend! Fazal was not only a driver for us. Ten days in the bush with a person whom you first met in a foreign land can be intense. For us it was an opportunity to make a new friend, talk about life in Africa, life in Canada, compare our lifestyles, and just be educated in the most fun way possible.
Our trip to Zanzibar was blissful. It was a great way to end our trip. This was the time when we reminisced about what we saw on the safari and also enjoyed the real African heat (way hotter in Zanzibar than mainland). The food was great and scene was amazing. Service was always went a bit 'pole pole' ('slow and easy' in Swahili) but we were on vacation so what was the rush?? We slept so well and had no plans except to enjoy eating fruits while sitting on the white powder sand.
Safari Infinity's their business is transparent, and their operators are VERY organized and dedicated. I can't say enough great things about them. We would go back to Africa in a heartbeat. We miss it already and we would for sure book with Safari Infinity again if and when we have the chance! It was great to directly support a local business and we would have done it no other way. I highly recommend them! Thank you so much, Safari Infinity!
CN
Email Monica | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Good service, Experienced guide, Great tour, Nice arrangement
we total 6 people had wonderful time with this tour operator. 1) very knowledgeable in tour planning and itinerary arrangement. Lucia knows pretty well where to visit at when. I would suggest client listen to her suggestions on itinerary planning and lodge recommendation. 2) this operator take care of client very well. i wasnt aware that i overpaid lodge bill until we left almost 30 minutes. Lucia help me to get refund at next lodge - Perfect !! 3) She kept eye on my flight status, help me out when Precision Airway cancelled flight to Nairobi. 4) the guide, named Eric is very very good, magic eye in searching animals. He is also very good to provide suggestion. we all love him. 5) this tour operator quotes reasonable rate. i compared at least 10 vendors, this is not the lowest, but the best in performance - price ratio!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing safari, fantastic tour operator
My partner and I went on a 10 day safari in Tanzania with Safari Infinity in November 2013 incorporating several activities like a hike of empakaai crater, mountain bike ride, ngorogoro crater rim walk, the beautiful serengeti etc.
I can't praise this company enough for a once in a lifetime, amazing holiday. If you are thinking of using them, I wouldn't hesitate. We've already recommended them to a few friends who want to do a similar trip this year.
They were highly professional, their local knowledge and advice on what works / doesn't on your itinerary makes them a standout. They are a growing safari specialist and really do put their customers first. There are many reasons why I would choose them again and recommend to others, here's the top reasons:
Firstly, they were super responsive and patient with any questions I had and my numerous itinerary changes. I dealt with Augustine in the canadian office but whether you get Augustine or Lucia, both are just as responsive and knowledgeable. We also met Simon when we arrived who was there if we had any questions. I think this is a very nice personal touch, shows the operators really care about their customers!
Second, our guide Eric was amazing! He really knew his stuff and was fantastic as being to spot all the wildlife. Having a guide who knows where to go for the best views, having a great eye for spotting the animals and of course friendly is a must. Having met 3 of Safari Ininity's guides over the course of our trip (bumped into one guide several times who was with another group, and another guide picked us up from Arusha on our last day), I would say the key advantage they have over larger companies perhaps and what comes through, is that the guides are all very PASSIONATE about their jobs, Tanzania and the protecting the wildlife.
Third, they were simply excellent value. They offered me a competitive quote compared to the 4 other operators I asked, and after delving into the details it was obvious they were including much more in the price than the others. You also pay into a canadian bank account, which made me feel safer about the company (even though it shouldn't make a difference!). I would say, book with them before they need to put up their prices due to high demand!
Lastly, they treat their staff well. It was important to us that the guides etc all enjoyed working for the company. They said Simon and Lucia were on call should they need anything, they don't just leave the guides to deal with any issues alone. I think that sort of support is very important as Tanzania can be quite unpredictable at times, even though our tour was perfectly smooth.
Don't hesitate to book with Safari Infinity!
CM
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Absolute client oriented service!
We live in Africa and we know how logistics can be here. We know the quality of infrastructure. We know the surprises that may arise. We try to anticipate, sometimes in vain, the challenges.
But with Lucia and Simon, you do need to know and do all of that. You enjoy the ride because you know that you can trust them. They master last minute logistics related changes. They anticipate your needs. They taylor their approaches. They know the local challenges and constraints. They make you enjoy your trip.
I highly recommend them. I have travelled extensively and they are among the best TO staff I have met, including the drivers and staff
CA
Email Marina Madden | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Most Amazing Holiday Of Our Lives!
A day doesn't go by when I don't think about my trip to Africa... Being someone who has travelled the world, I can safely say that after my trip to Africa, I feel content and that no trip will EVER top this one.
My husband and I decided 2 months before our trip to go to Africa. When we started researching, we were overwhelmed by all of the options and tour companies to choose from. I emailed countless places and for the most part, the pricing was relatively similar. What made us choose to go with Safari Infinity was the staff who work there.
From first contact to last, with the million changes I made to the itinerary, Lucia was extremely patient, kind and informative. She gave me options with different price ranges and explained the differences between all the options. She answered all of my questions, replied in a prompt manner to all of my emails and I just cannot say enough good things about her. I felt at ease and comfortable with her and I trusted her. There was a couple places we stayed that didn't have reviews on Trip Advisor yet, which I like to research before booking anything, but her word that they were great places to stay, was good enough for me.
The great service didn't stop there. Being a little nervous about having never been to Africa before, we were immediately greeted by our tour guide, Kelly when we got out of the baggage claim. He had such a friendly, welcoming, comforting smile. He gave us an itinerary and little package of what the plans were for our trip, along with bottled water and chauffered us to our first stop: The House of West Kili for a couple nights. He made sure we were checked in and settled before leaving us for our two nights...
When Kelly returned to pick us up, it was time to start the safari portion of the trip. We were driven to Arush to meet Lucia and her hubby, Simon at a hotel in town. They were warm and friendly and made sure we were good to go. Already so impressed with the personalized service. We really felt special and I knew we were in great hands with Kelly.
Our whole safari was AMAZING! Kelly is a graduate from a safari college, so he was very informative and taught us SO MUCH about all of the animals. He was very patient and let me watch my big cats for as long as I wanted to, with no pressure to keep going. He could spot lions a mile away! We had such a great adventure and we all got along so well. We were very fortunate to see over 100 big cats including a pride of lions hunt, kill and eat a buffalo. We had some adventures as well, got stuck in some mud, had some tse tse flies chasing our truck, saved a turtle who was crossing the highway! At the end of our safari, we met up with Simon and Lucia again, who were excited to hear all about how our safari was. We shared our photos and videos with them and some good bye hugs! Tears were shed when it was all over and Kelly dropped us back off at the airport afterward. I really feel like we left with a friend for life! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you request Kelly as your guide when you book with Safari Infinity. Our safari wouldn't have been the same without him. The itinerary that Lucia came up with for us was absolutely perfect and the only thing I would change is adding on one more night at the Ngorongoro Crater. If you are a first timer to Tanzania, this is a great itinerary to go by:
- 2 nights/1 day at The House of West Kili; do the day hike option to get some great views!
- 1 day/night at Tarangire National Park; you will get your fix of elephants here, so you can focus on other animals for the rest of your safari :)
- 2 days/nights in the Central Serengeti area; stay at the Ang'ata Serengeti Camp
- 2 days/night in the Ndutu area; here, you will find the chubbiest lions! You can tell these lions eat well. This is where we saw the lions kill the buffalo!; stay at the Ang'ata Ndutu Camp
- 2 days/nights at the Ngorongoro Crater; Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge is nice but they don't allow the guides to eat with the guests, which I didn't like. This has nothing to do with SAFI though...
- 1 day/night in Stonetown, Zanzibar; We stayed at the Zanzibar Coffee House but there were some nice places on the water that could be good options as well
- 4/5 nights in Nungwi Beach area; the Z-Hotel is perfect!
I promise you that you will not regret your decision to book with Safari Infinity. It was the best decision we made and the perfect start to our month long trip to Africa. I cannot wait to go back! Thank you to Lucia, Simon and Kelly for what truly was the most memorable and unique vacation of our lives.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Heaven on Earth!
It’s been 2 weeks since my husband and two sons (ages 24 and 20) and I returned from our 13 day safari and I miss Tanzania and our guide Kelly and everyone at Safari Infinity so much! I keep transporting my way back there -to the feel of it, the views, the animals, the incredible air on our faces, the almost constant joy and laughter in our vehicle as we took in everything that Kelly so generously offered to us and shared with us. I have never felt more alive in all my life!
From the first moment we were in touch with Lucia to begin planning our safari to the last moment when we checked our bags at the Kilimanjaro Airport to go back home to NY, we felt completely surrounded by the most caring, professional, knowledgeable people who are completely passionate about their calling- to share the beauty and wonder of the remarkable people, animals (we saw everything!) and country of Tanzania.
Not only do we feel we have gained another home in Tanzania, we feel we have gained another family in Kelly, Lucia and Simon, Godlisten and Qwarda. We know we will be back and we know we will be welcomed with open arms. Safari Infinity has helped us to remember that Life is Possible and filled with Infinite Possibilities!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Thinking of Tanzanian Safari.... go with Safari Infinity
My wife and I were planning an African Safari for quite some time and once our minds were set, we started looking for tour operators. We got in touch with Lucia @ Safari Infiniti through a friend of mine who did his safari with Lucia's company as well. Although my friend rated Safari Infiniti the best, I still contacted 2 other tour companies to ensure we get the best. Soon I realized how easy was it to work with Lucia. Her level of commitment, professionalism, flexibility, attitude towards getting things right, knowledge about Tanzanian Safari was hard to beat. I remember calling her or she calling us multiple times to go through our itineraries, questions, etc. and making multiple changes to them as per our request(s). Since it was our first time, we were pretty apprehensive about the trip as well (things such as food options, hotels, travel, etc. ) but Lucia made it all easy for us. We ended doing a completely private safari with lodging in one of the best camp sites in Serengeti area. It was spectacular. Our tour guide Vince was the best one can get in a foreign land. He is so polite, down to earth, humble, and again knows so about the land and the way animals react. It was 7 days - 6 night safari with Vince and I would say it was the best trip ever. My wife and I make a lot of international trip together but this one tops it all. Vince was like a family member to us and was considerate to all our needs / requests, etc.
Tanzania is a beautiful country with amazing wild life. We did a few national parks such as Ngorongoro, Terengire, Serengeti and were lucky enough to see every possible animal specie along with The Great Migration and the Crossing - thanks to all the planning with Lucia and the actual safari with Vince. A special shout to Lucia's husband Simon as well. It was awesome to meet them in person and share a meal together.
We would highly recommend Tanzania and Safari Infinity.
Jambo,
Abhi