Roberto and Greyson - Savannah Explorers Directors
Savannah Explorers
- Office In:
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2012)
- Member Of:
- Tanzania Tourist Board
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $220 to $1,000 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
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Email Emily W. | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Nothing short of amazing!
After just returning from 2 weeks in Tanzania, I wanted to share my experience with Savannah Explorers for prospective travelers considering a safari. I apologize for the lengthy review, however my intent is to provide a review with some substance and specificity, since I personally find these kinds of reviews most helpful when planning my trips and adventures.
For perspective, I am a 38 year old female who has lived in 3 continents (including Africa) and has traveled to over 50 countries across 6 continents. I have been on Safari at least a dozen times in Kruger, Maasai Mara, Chobe, Okavango Delta and now the Serengeti. Prior to booking our trip, I spent countless hours researching the internet, reading reviews on multiple sites, networking with locals and reaching out to 20+ tour operators in East Africa before ultimately deciding to move forward booking with Savannah Explorers. Now that our trip has ended and I’ve had a week to marinate on how things went, I am so beyond pleased with my decision for many reasons. To highlight a few:
1. Office staff and Administrative logistics: Albert was exceptional in executing our plans down to every last detail. He didn’t try to encourage me to do an expensive Safari, and even when I asked about a particular group of camps, he was frank that they were very expensive and suggested a few alternatives if we wanted to keep costs down. I got quotes for the exact same itinerary and camps from about 10 other tour operators, and from the start his was lowest, beating some by close to $2000pp! For the brief amount of time Albert was out of the office, Brighton jumped in and didn’t skip a beat. I didn’t have to re-explain my plans, he wasn’t confused about what had/hadn’t been coordinated, and frankly if he hadn’t told me I was talking to him and not Albert, I probably never would have known! Particular room requests, timing and scheduling of a very busy itinerary, matching the perfect guide for our 2 person private tour, arranging internal flights then confirming and re-arranging as needed, every single detail was perfectly planned, and happened exactly as planned and as I hoped. They even helped make local calls during business hours while I was asleep in California to coordinate other parts of our vacation that had nothing to do with Savannah Explorers. Every question I had, every correspondence I sent them, they got back to me within an hour with all of the information I needed, plus some. All of their advice was completely spot on, and since we used all of their advice to guide our packing, planning and timing of the entire vacation, we can honestly say there is nothing we wished we had/hadn’t packed or had done differently in terms of the overall itinerary. Everything was ABSOLUTELY PERFECT.
2. The Guide: I have not met any of the other guides at Savannah Explorers, but we had Abia and I’m not sure we could have had a better one. He was timely, friendly, knowledgeable, attentive, personable, funny and made our entire experience absolutely amazing. We started our Safari with a stranger, and ended it feeling he was like family. Literally we have not a single complaint nor even constructive feedback about his guiding, driving or general presence/demeanor. In my experience, the quality of a guide can either make or break a safari, no matter the location. Abia educated us throughout about the animals and the landscape, spotted animals we never would have seen, listened astutely on the radio for what was going on in the area, and persevered everyday to make sure the day ended with some unique sighting or experience. I told Abia my goal was to be able to spot a leopard during the day, and for the other female traveling with me to see the Big 5 on her first Safari, and he executed by Day 3! He picked perfect locations and set up bush breakfasts and lunches with presentations that would challenge 5 star hotels. When departing from the Kogatende airstrip there were issues with our flight and we were delayed about an hour and a half, and he waited with us the entire time even though I’m sure he would have preferred to start his 8ish hour drive back home. He also let us use his cell phone to coordinate airport transfers in Zanzibar, and when our flight was delayed then re-routed via another airline, he remained in contact with the driver in Zanzibar to keep him in the loop about our arrival time. We love Abia!!
3. The vehicle: Another aspect that can either make or break a Safari in my opinion. Everything was as promised, exceptionally clean and exceeded our expectations. Electric outlets were available and in working condition throughout, which was clutch when needing to recharge camera and phone batteries after 8 hours of pictures. There was more than enough bottled water to last all 6 days, and remained cold in the fully functioning fridge in the jeep. Binoculars were provided and in working condition, and all the door locks worked properly (also clutch when stopping at park entrances for QUICK permits/restroom breaks, and being able to leave all of our luggage and camera equipment safely locked in the car). We got a flat tire, and the jeep had all of the necessary and functioning tools available so that Abia was able to change it out on a slatted dirt road within 20 mins and we were back on our way.
All in all, I cannot say enough about the overwhelmingly amazing and positive experience we had with Savannah Explorers. I don’t consider myself to be a picky person perse, just particular when I know what I want and what I am looking for when planning an (expensive) trip such as this. When booking a lengthy trip to Africa, one has to expect that something is bound to fall through, not deliver as promised, not work, not be available as it should, details and communication get lost in the shuffle, or some other unforeseen random act of nature create some irritating roadblock. With each day that passed on our Safari, I wondered when the bomb would drop…….and it never did. Savannah Explorers delivered on everything they promised, and frankly exceeded my expectations. I would HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend them for anyone planning a Safari, whether you’re a first timer or whether you’re an experienced Safari enthusiast. Feel free to reach out to me privately if you would like any additional info or details! Thank you Albert, Brighton, Abia and Savannah Explorers for making our dream vacation everything we hoped it would be and more!
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Email Meira RC | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fantastic
The company was fantastic . Everything that was promised was done and even more. Our guide Gerald was super in any way ! Albert the office guy who plans your Safari is kind, helpful and always ready to help and answer . They own a dream Hotel that you should ask to stay there it’s not far from Lake Manyara . The price was also reasonable .
DE
Email Alexandra | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very organized and friendly tour operator!
We had an amazing time! Our guide was very friendly, reliable and competently! We had our private guide and big luck with the animals. The tented camps are amazing! All in all it’s an wonderful adventure.
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Email Bhavik V | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exemplary service by Savannah Explorers
Savannah Explorers surpassed our expectations!!
Albert [sales agent], Abia [safari tour guide], and Abraham [Zanzibar tour guide] are extremely passionate about providing the best experience for their customers and go above + beyond to ensure utmost experience for them.
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Email Melina | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing and Unique Experience
Our overall safari tour was incredible, amazing and unique experience. Loved the parks, how clean the facilities, beautiful hotels and great tour guide.
DE
Email Stefanie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Agency, well organized, really nice accomodations and exceptional food
Great Agency. Everything worked out easy and well organized from the booking to the tour itself and the drop off. Definitely recommended! Our tour guide Isaac had a lot of knowledge about the different national parks, the animals and the plants. It was a really unforgettable week for us, thanks to Isaac and Savannah Tours. We loved the Landrover and the Safari feeling!
JO
Email Susan Lawrence Helke | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Simply the best
The team at Savannah Explorers made my safari an unforgettable experience. Albert, who did the booking, was extremely responsive to my needs and requests, and very prompt in his replies. James Zakaria, our driver and safari expert, went above and beyond in making sure we experienced the best there was, from the animals we saw in the parks (Arusha, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti). However, the best part for me was that they were able to put together a safari that accommodated my needs for gluten-free foods. People with gluten intolerance or celiac disease are reluctant to travel fearing there will be no "safe" foods. However, the chefs at Marera View Lodge and Bush Camp went out of their way to make sure my food choices were gluten-free, including box lunches every day. Without everyone's help in this need, I would have missed out on what was an experience I'll never forget.
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Email Rachel | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a lifetime!
My partner and I, along with a friend did a 5-day private mid-range safari with Savannah Explorers this past November. We visited the following parks: Tarangire, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro Crater. We stayed at Marera View Lodge (2 nights) and a bush camp in the Serengeti (2 nights). I've broken down my review into sections.
Accommodations & Food:
I cannot begin to express how blown away we were with the entire experience. The service, food and accommodations were exceptional...especially considering we paid for a mid-range package. The Marera View Lodge was stunning and felt brand new. It was sparkling clean, well appointed, had comfy beds, spacious rooms and great showers. The staff were so friendly and helpful. And the food was absolutely delicious!
I'm pleased to say I can say all the same about the bush camp. I didn't really know what to expect in that regard, but upon arrival we were shocked (in the best way possible). While the tents do have canvas sides, they are much more like cabins than tents. They have wrap around decks, wood floors, hot showers, and amazingly comfortable beds. It felt more like staying at an eco-hotel than staying in a tent and we were not mad about it. On top of that, the staff was outstanding and served some of the best meals of our entire trip.
Our boxed lunches everyday were basic but we never went hungry. They usually consisted of some fruit, chicken and/or pasta, a juice box, some savory baked goods and then some sweet baked goods. If you're watching your carbs, you may want to let them know before hand. We were in full blown vacation mode, so were happy with all the different types of baked goods we got to try.
Guide & Game Drive:
Our guide Isaack was the best! He was prompt, friendly, a deft driver and was always doing his best to find animals for us. He happily answered all our questions and helped educate on us on the animals and ecosystem. With his knowledge and keen eye, we were lucky enough to see all of the Big 5 during our trip. Considering how much time you spend with your guide, we were grateful to have such a professional. The vehicle itself was spacious, clean and well maintained. It was always stocked with cold waters and had outlets in case devises needed to charged throughout the day. Our vehicle had 6 seats and there were only 3 of us plus Isaack, so we were happy to not be packed in like sardines like other tours.
Communication & Value:
We had reached out to several other tour companies for quotes before deciding to go with Savannah Explorers. They were always so prompt with their responses and patient while waiting for us to make our decision. When it came to pricing, they were not the cheapest but were nowhere near the most expensive either. They had great reviews and were so on top of their communications, that we felt confident going with them. We paid roughly $1400 USD each for a 3 person 5-day private mid-range safari. Now having completed our safari, I can say that this was without a doubt an incredible value and we couldn't be happier we went them.
The only issue we had during our entire experience was with our final payment. We paid the 30% deposit via bank transfer when we booked the trip and thought we could pay the remaining balance with credit card or via bank transfer upon arrival. Unfortunately, there must have been a miscommunication because they expected it to be paid in cash. This caused us some stress because it's quite difficult to pull out that much cash (~$3k USD) in Tanzania. Ultimately we were able to get it sorted by paying a certain amount in cash and then scheduling another bank transfer for the remaining balance. My advice would be to double check with them on how the final payment will be made, so you don't run into the same problem we did.
Overall:
This was a trip of a lifetime! As three mid-30's adventurers who have done a fair share of globe trotting, we all concluded that this was the best trip we've ever had yet. Safari was a bucket list item for us, so we had high expectations and Savannah Explorers over delivered. I would recommend them to anyone looking to do safari in Tanzania and would happily book with them again if given the chance.
ML
Email Francesco | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Great experience and organization!
It wasn’t an easy choice since there are hundreds of tour operators providing similar itineraries. However, if you are still looking for one, you can stop your research because you found it!
Savannah Explorers is surely the best you can find! In preparation of the trip, Albert was very patient with us and managed to accommodate all our requests and solve all our doubts. But our guide Abi was just beyond any possible expectation!
Abi knows the Serengeti inside out and took us to places where we were totally isolated and able to enjoy cheetahs and lions without other vehicles disturbing.
If you chose to go with Savannah you need to know that they will not try to save fuel or drive for less kilometres (as some other operators do), they will really try their best to make you enjoy your experience to the maximum! Which we did! We are very happy and we would definitely chose Savannah again and again!
AT
Email Silvia | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Amazing experience in Tanzania with Savannah Explorer
We traveled to Tanzania on Christmas Holiday in December 2021 till beginning Jan 2022. Everything was super! The itinerary and the lodges were amazing . Our guide was kind and very well prepared , always ready to satisfied our wishes and needs. He really met our expectations and was able to let us spot so many animals trying to do his best always!
The lodges were super nice and with all the confort we were looking for.
I really reccomand Savannah Explorer to plan an amazing tour in Tanzania