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
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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!
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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!
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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!!).
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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!
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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.
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Email Kathy | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The Very Best
I just returned from a safari trip of a life time. Safari Infinity was outstanding in seeing to our every needs from making arrangements to the time of landing at JRO until departure. Kelly was the best safari guide. He answered all of our questions, was exceptional in his knowledge of wildlife behavior, and went above and beyond to ensure we had the best safari ever.
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Email Adrienne and Jonathan | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Safari Honeymoon Dream: Jan 22-Feb 5, 2016
As we set out to plan our safari honeymoon, we realized quickly that it would be a daunting task. With so many tour operators, here and abroad, small and large, how do you know who is trustworthy and who will go that extra mile to ensure your trip is positively unforgettable?
After a lot of research, we were about to settle on a different safari operator, however I came across Safari Infinity and thought I'd send them a quick email before settling on a tour company. The overnight response was enough to start second guessing ourselves, and the more we corresponded with Augustine, the more we knew that Safari Infinity was the right company to take us on our honeymoon. Our trip was 8 days on Safari and just under a week in Zanzibar.
During the initial correspondence, Augustine was everything you could wish for with helping us pick out the best possible itinerary for our honeymoon vacation. He was always thoughtful and quick to reply to our questions - it honestly felt like a friend (who understood our travel objectives and budget constraints) was helping us plan our trip for us! He was even flexible with the form of payment because we had hesitations with using a wire transfer and allowed us to use email transfers instead. We felt much more comfortable dealing with Augustine and Safari Infinity because they were based out of Vancouver. He helped us make the most of our budget and plan our route, providing us with all the details about our options and giving his recommendation on what would be the best use of our time.
Our safari guide was Tumaini. He was kind, knowledgeable, friendly, and went those extra miles to tailor our plans for us. Towards the end of the safari, we mentioned that we wanted to go on a walking safari. He reshuffled our itinerary and began asking around. Despite the rain, Tumaini held out hopes for our revised plans and made it happen! In the end, we had a beautiful hike up a mountainside with a park ranger and were greeted by an amazing panaroma view of the land below.
Tumaini had such a good read on the animals (not to mention us)! For wildlife, he could tell when the lions and leopards looked to be on the move. For us, he knew when we were trying to snap photos and would slow down and stop at a spot that would give us the right lighting. He knew when we'd want to rest and was up for anything we were up for. He was just one of those people you wanted to be around. He was positive, always smiling, and best of all he still got excited about seeing the animals.
We visited Tarangire, Ndutu, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro during the safari portion staying in Tarangire Safari Lodge, Ngorongoro Farmhouse, Pioneer Camp, Chaka Camp, Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge, and African Tulip. All accommodations were wonderful with the exception of Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge which was a little lacklustre.
But overall, the trip was a dream. Everything was taken care of for us - all we had to do was sit back and smile. It truly felt like Safari Infinity had our best interests at heart, checking in with us at the right times and injecting personal touches along the way to make the trip oh-so-special! Asante Sana Tumaini, Augustine, and the rest of the Safari Infinity team.
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Email Amy | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An Experience to Remember
Safari Infinity customized our trip and gave us impeccable service. The locals are all very warm and friendly and every lodge / tent we stayed at was a treat. Our guide/driver Eddie is the best! He went out of his way to arrange for the acquisition of additional anti Malaria pills needed. He is very knowledgable about the whole tour, about the different species of animals and he takes marvelous pics using your mobile phones! I would highly recommend Safari Infinity to all who wish to experience the beauty of a Safari tour!
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Email Lynne | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Believe what you read in the reviews
What all the reviewers have said matches our experience exactly. Knowledgeable and committed driver/guide. Clear and responsive communications throughout. And "above and beyond" when issues arose (missed flight connection, delayed luggage, communication from home). Every aspect of planning and execution was superlative, and built around our interests and budget.
Recommend without reservation
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Email Jann | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Safari Infinity 9 Day Safari
Safari Infinity is excellent for so many reasons. I began with 10 companies, narrowed it down to 3 and chose Safari Infinity. The company is based in Tanzania and created by a guide, Simon Kombe, and is wife, Lucia who met him as her guide when she went on safari! They travel the camps and know each of their upsides and downsides. They treat their guides well which makes for happy guides. Lucia answered every question and went on to give me additional information and suggestions to look into. Out of all the companies I started with, Lucia remained polite, patient, and without judgment and I could “hear” the excitement in her responses. She was quick to respond to emails, and there were many! The trip was truly privately customized!
We were met by our visa specialist right off the plane and whisked through the process then met our driver who took us straight to our hotel. We gave ourselves a day in Arusha just in case there were any flight issues. Our guide met us that day and we visited The Tanzanite Experience and The Cultural Heritage Museum, then we went to a local restaurant for lunch. Lucia and Simon, along with their toddler, Emma, met us there; they are a wonderful family!
The next day Kelly picked us up an we began our safari. The vehicle was amazing – spacious, clean, comfortable with extra pillows on the seat and back/neck pillows. My husband has neck issues and I have back issues and Lucia also included 2 extra pillows which was a great help as well. Additionally, I noticed that the first two windows behind the driver were panoramic and open top to bottom, rather than to the side-to-side which is a smaller opening. The larger opening made taking photos easier as well as allowing the breeze of fresh air in. There was a cooler filled with drinks, binoculars for each of us, a charging station, pockets to put everyday items in, and bean bags for camera support. The top opened so that we could stand up for excellent views and picture taking while shading us from the sun.
We specifically asked for Kelly Matemu as our guide. Wow – an exceptional human being; committed, enthusiastic, patient, persistent, warm, friendly, funny and brilliant in his knowledge of wildlife behavior! I believe a guide and make your safari exceptional and Kelly went above an beyond. It takes cooperation though – listen to your guide, wait for those special moments and stick around to absorb the animal behavior. Kelly knew each of the parks well; where to go to see specific animals – many off the well-traveled path. His ability to predict animal behavior was spot on which allowed us to see the animals in action. And, he also found the perfect picnic spots.
We visited Tarangire National Park, The Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and Central and Northern Serengeti. We stayed at Oliver’s Camp, Lemala Ngorongoro, Kiota Camp, and Lemala Kuria Hills. If you have specific questions – email me: [email protected]
This was a trip of a lifetime. From booking the tour to our safari with Kelly, the experience with Safari Infinity was clean, clear, smooth and exceptional.