Active Tanzania Adventures
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2003)
- Member Of:
- TATO & TTB
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $180 to $900 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
GR
Email Elpis Trelokomos | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unique Safari Experience :)
Being on a really budget 6 month trip, we had decided not to visit any of the parks for a safari..
Until we met Mary and Thomas, a wonderful couple that run the Active Tanzania Tours..
We explained them our story and they were extremely keen to find a budget solution for us cause it is a such pity to be in Tanzania and not visit at least one of the famous parks..
Mary made a unique price that included : camping in Ngorongoro National Park (since this was the one we wanted to visit), and of course safari in the crater the following day!! The price was more than $50 from any other agency we found around.. We were super happy!
But the most important is not that, I mean ok, the price is a very important factor when deciding, but since this is a once in a lifetime experience, it has to be nice and planned well for you to enjoy it! So, that's exactly what I mean.. driver and cook were sooooo friendly, we still communicate with them via email, our night inside the park was amazing (sleeping next to cute zebras), and the safari the following day was the highlight (we saw soooo many animals and made some amazing pictures)!
For more details, you can have a look in our travel blog, http://www.dreamtravelive.com/2014/08/safari-in-ngorongoro-crater.html
We really really recommend Active Tanzania for your safari.. These two young and passionate people, Thomas and Mary, made our experience unforgettable! Hope to see you again guys :)
Email Joerg N | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A truly great experience
Thank you to our guide Joseph and the Management Team with Mary, Thomas and Ismail for a truly great Tanzania Safari experience. Our Group of six enjoyed the two weeks with Joseph very much. He was helpful and friendly all the time, knew everything we wanted to know and was flexible enough to change the itinerary according to our (or the time's) needs. We saw almost everything there is to see and slept in the nicest spots. It could not have been much better! Thanks
HU
Email Tamas | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great experience!
We had a private safari with Active Tanzania. We visited Arusha NP, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Lake Natron ( don't miss it!) Serengeti , Ngorongoro, and took part some activities ( walking, canoeing, cycling etc). The accomodation and the programme organisation were good and the guides were friendly and helpful. I recommend this Tour Operator.
DE
Email Anke | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfectly organised and highly individual and enjoyable safari tour that exceeded our dreams
We booked a private 14 day Safari and were amazed by the professional, 100% reliable and smart planning, the warm hospitality and the knowledgability of our driver-guide. The itinerary perfectly mixing basic and luxurious accommodation, long journeys and own physical activity, ensured intensive impressions and learning as well as relaxation and well-being. Our wishes and needs were always taken up, the atmosphere was familial, trustful and highly positive. Discussions during meals and journeys provided valuable insight into the Tansanian history and culture as well as an exchangee on more global topics. We will not forget these holidays!
DE
Email Thomas | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
all you would expect
We, a family of 4 (kids 13+16) travelled for 4 weeks thru tanzania with Active Tanz. Adv. We had a schedule in mind for which I asked some german and tanzanian tour operators to give an offer, basically for the first 2 weeks in the famous northern parks. Because of already existing reviews and the friendlyness, knowledgeability, professionality and flexibility in their mails and we decided to go with ATA, finally arranged the whole trip with them and can highly recommend to do so.
After some recommendations of Mary and Thomas to change the route here and there, do this, leave that, they offered a taylormade safari with most of it booked and arranged by them but some accommodations booked by me, because I got them cheaper than they.
So from being picked up at the airport by our guide Mzangi, a very friendly, perfectly english (and spanish!) speaking guy, who seems to know everything about his country and finds all the wildlife, you could ask for, is a safe driver and an interesting guy to talk to about all the traditions and cultures of Tanzania until leaving our last hotel in stone town, zanzibar, everything ATA arranged was perfect!
So: take ATA as your tour operator and ask for Mzangi as your guide!!!
If you want details about our trip and reviews about parks, lodges and activities, keep on reading:
We arrived at Kilimanjaro airport, spend a night in Arusha and left the next morning for Tarangire Safari lodge (2nights). Great park, great camp!!! Gorgious view, antelopes in the camp, a giraffe passing on the path in front of our tent early morning! Skip the walking safari, if you did it before elsewhere.
We continued to Lake Natron (4hours dirt road = african massage...) passing ol doinyo lengai (great views!!!) and stayed in lake natron tented camp. nice people, good food, accommodation ok. we had a highly enjoyable walk/hike to Ngare sero waterfall with river crossings and swimming underneath the falls. Great! Do it!! the lake itself is impressive, though we didn't have many flamingos there.
Another 4hours dirt road brought us to the northeastern part of Serengeti NP, where we had 2 nights in Lobo lodge: nice spot, spectacular view with a terrace and pool overlooking a plain with waterholes, good food, nice people a little crowded, but not too bad. from there we had safari drives up to mara river, where we witnessed 3 spectacular gnu crossings!
2 more nights in a mobile safari camp closer to seronera (very nice people and food, the night sky!!! but bedbugs...). Seronera is great for the big cats and hippos, but can be nasty for the TseTse flies.
Next stop: Oldupai gorge and the museum (interesting if this is your topic, but not a must) on the way to ngorongoro crater. we had to nights in rhino lodge, which is not looking into the crater but has a nice setting and view. the crater was misty all the time anyway... we liked rhino lodge very much for the good food, and the spot itself. they have fireplaces in the room which they light for you which you appreciate in the evening, because it gets quite cold (also in the crater!!! be prepared). We had one hiking day in the crater highlands (do it!!!) hiking down into empakai crater (soda lake) and hiking up to olmoti crater with nice waterfall (no swimming). next morning ngorongoro crater itself. After having done and seen what we had done before, we found it too crowded with people for really being so excited. but you can come quite close to wildlife.
next day to lake eyasi, 1 night in tintiga tented camp. the camp is ok, but we should have booked 2 nights in Endoro lodge, where we spent the next night. it is only a 1hour drive from there and would have the better decision. We didn't know if we should go and visit the hadzabe (bushmen) and datoga (pastoralists) people or this would feel too much like a zoo for humans, but Mary recommended it very much and we are glad to have followed her advise. It is very interesting and the way Mzangi and the local guide arranged it was absolutely ok for everyone!
Next day we drove to lake manyara (not a must after all else) and then to arusha to change from a 4drive to a cheaper aircon 7seater. The Usamabara mountains were the next 2night stop (Avocado lodge, good food, friendly people, very nice walks and hikes in the area, horned chameleons!!).
We continued to the eastern coast (Emayani beach lodge - veeery nice, dive center with german diving trainer, went snorkeling with here close-by, nice!) just south of Pangani, then passing Saadani NP to Dar es Salaam , where Mzangi left us at Tanazite executive suites (good choice) for the night before flying to Mafia island next morning, having all the tickets and coupons for the rest of the journay.
Next to Mafia lies Chole island with the Chole Mjini lodge (see website), where we had 3 nights in our treehouse. we went snorkeling everyday, saw turtles hatch in a close-by island. Great!
2 nights in Mafia beach bungalows - rather a budget accommodation, but ok. Still, we shouldn't have done that, rather fly to Zanzibar earlier, where we spent our final 4 days, two in Pongwe beach Hotel (really beautiful hotel!!!! go there for accommodation, food and people, but don't snorkel there, it's a graveyard, rather go north 1hour). the other two in Dhow palace hotel in stone town (good choice!). We had a rented car on Zanzibar, organized by ATA, would have liked to spend 2 more days there, because there is lots to see and the touristic infrastructure is quite good, which one appreciates after 3,5 bumpy weeks.
So we left after 4 weeks, having seen so much (kids counted 77 lions, 3 leopards, 7 cheetahs...) but so few of Tanzania and enjoyed the trip very much. Thank you very much Mzangi, Mary and Thomas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BE
Email Nathalie | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Absolutely magnificent!
The vacation was wonderful and we were really impressed by all the lodges and tented camps Active Tanzania booked for us. The staff was super friendly and the accomodation wonderful, clean, spacious, .... It truly exceeded our expections.
But it was really Msangi, our guide/driver from Active Tanzania, who made our trip one to never forget. He is a very knowledgable guide, calm, sticking to the rules, always good mooded and his English was good. He spotted a lot of animals and gave very clear information. He was able to answer to all questions we had.
For all for us this was an amazing vacation and there is nothing I could say that would need to be improved on what concerns the trip itself, everything was truly perfect for us. The kids had the time of there lives and this was absolutely what we wanted to achieve, and we did, thanks to Active Tanzania.
Also the communication and the booking etc went very smoothly, Mary is very responsive and kind.
I very much recommend them!!!
DE
Email Gabi and Paulus | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Totally unforgettable experience on Mount Meru!
We had heard of Active Tanzania from some friends who had booked a tour with them several years ago when they were much smaller in size. We found the information, service, helpfulness and general friendliness during the inquiry and booking process totally amazing and 120% satisfactory. They even helped us find a certain hotel in Zanzibar and managed the booking for us and their recommendation of a hotel in Arusha was super as well. Payment was easy as well and when we got there they picked us up from the Arusha bus station, checked our gear and briefed us and then made the four-day trip up and down Mt. Meru a totally unforgettable experience. We were so impressed with the way the tables were set for meals, the high standard of the food considering the guys had to carry every single thing up the mountain... Our guide Stanley was outstanding in his knowledge about the area, his friendliness and easy-going personality made the whole trip such a joy and even when physical fatigue and pain wanted me to quit he encouraged me and was patient enough to climb up the summit with me very slowly.
We would do a tour with Active Tanzania again any time and can only recommend them highly! Well done, guys!
CH
Email Nathan & Sophie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing safari with Active Tanzania Adventures!
We saw a lot of beautiful animals, the cook (Muli?) was amazing (we had some delicious and varied food!) and the driver was always looking after our security and our comfort!
GR
Email Tassos | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A great experience – Many thanks to Active Tanzania Adventures
We are a family of four (2 adults and 2 kids, 10 and 9 years old). We just returned from a fantastic trip to Tanzania, a lifetime experience that none of us will never forget!!
We would like to express our greatest appreciation for our tour operator, Active Tanzania Adventures, who organized this trip for us in the most professional manner, combining their significant experience with our wishes and of course taking into consideration our budget boundaries. We had been given excellent recommendations from some friends that had organized their own trip with Active Tanzania Adventures the year before and we were also left with the greatest impressions. Definitely recommended!!!
Many thanks also to our fantastic guide, Joseph, who guided us through a 5 days safari in Tarangire, Ngorongoro and Serengete Parks. Joseph was not only an excellent company to travel with, he was also a valuable source of information around the wild life and the habits of local people, keeping our own and the kids’ interest very high. Thanks to his excellent schedule and driving skills, we managed to see a great range of animals and birds, hippopotamus, elephants, lions, giraffes, even snakes. The two days tour to the tribes was also a treasured experience with amazing new images and many topics to discuss with the kids.
Luckily enough our trip also included a 7 days tour to Zanzibar. The tranquil atmosphere of the island, the long white sandy beaches, and the unexpected walks at the mangrove forest, all provided great reasons to return to the island. The diving with the dolphins though, was a totally unforgettable experience. Whatever you do, do not miss the opportunity to swim so close to these great animals!!
Mary and Thomas, we wish to see you again soon. Asante !!!
GR
Email Evangelia | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
They helped us to make our dream come true!!!
They made the program and accommodation according to our possibilities !!!
The places we stayed were amazing.
Our Gide in safari Silvester was excellent.
He has knowledge about animals. Master of driving !!! We were able to see many animals because of him.
We had a tour in Machame village with a sweet girl Elizabeth, very pleasant with knowledge of the natural landscape and life in the area.
Thanks to Thomas about his hospitality and Mary for the good cooperation and communication !!!
