Visit Tanzania - Eastern Sun Tours
Eastern Sun Tours & Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2010)
- Member Of:
- TATO, TTB & TAWTO
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $240 to $1,100 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Summiting with Eastern Sun
When looking for a company to arrange a Kilimanjaro climb, I must admit I was overwhelmed with the number of operators out there and found it difficult to know which operator could be trusted. After getting a few quotes from various operators, I found Eastern Sun on Safaribookings.com and was impressed with the speed of their responses to my initial emails. I was also impressed with how cheap they came up when compared to other operators. I was a bit nervous that they were so cheap that it was too good to be true, but any concerns I had were soon resolved on the morning of our trek.
Our pick up turned up at our hotel in Arusha at the arranged time and took us on the long drive to the start of the rongai route. The drive took us most of our first day. We were a little put out that we were only told at Marangu gate to kili that plastic bottles are not allowed on the mountain as we had planned to use these. In the end we had to arrange to borrow our guides' bottles. In future I believe this should be made clear in the booking emails. We were also a little annoyed that we had to pay $10pp to hire leccy poles when we thought they were included in the price.
Once we had resolved these issues we continued with our drive north. Once we got out of the jeeps, there was a lot of sitting around, but were soon on our way with the trek. On our first night we were pleastantly surprised with the quality and quantity of food provided by our chef Stephen. Throughout the trek we were well fed and never went hungry once. In terms of water, although I had water treatment pills I was told the water was treated, but later found out it was not. Fortunately we didn't get ill following this mix up (I think its pretty low risk anyway), but had to treat our water for the rest of our trip. For anyone looking to go on a trip, I'd advise taking water treatment pills just in case.
In terms of our guide (Arnold) and assistant guide (godfrey) we were very impressed. Not only did they make great company, but were also informative and made it clear that safety was put first. Our guide measured our heart rate and blood oxygen levels at least once a day and gave excellent advice based on years of experience on the mountain. If you go on a trip and use one of these devices (it takes a reading from your finger) ladies make sure you are not wearing nail varnish as this skews the results. Unfortunately I got bad altitude sickness symptoms at kibo (basically the worst headache i've ever experienced) but arnold's advice to take ibuprofen (I was already taking diamox)worked perfectly and I was able to summit feeling great!It was reassuring to know that Arnold would not have allowed us to summit unless he thought it was safe to do so.
All in all we were impressed with Eastern Sun and despite the minor issues we had, we were impressed with the service we received making it a trip we'll never forget.
Email Tony Mitchell | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Eastern Sun - A fantastic team to summit Uhuru Peak with
I still can't believe I made it to Uhuru Peak, but two mates and I did the trek with the best bunch of guides and porters on the Mountain. Mercy and Simon couldn't be more helpful with our booking, payment and provision of information, amid our changing requirements. Two expert guides, a cook and several porters spoiled us with their friendly and service-focused attention from pick-up to drop-off in Arusha. Our memories of fatigue and cold air have faded while the social times with this fantastic team remain vivid recollections. The tents and equipment, food, briefings and safety were second to none. I want to go again with the guys from Eastern Sun Tours & Safaris.
MT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
The experience of a lifetime
Setting plans with eastern sun tours was as easy as a,b,c. when planning a tour of this sort one starts to build up heaps of concerns ,i was one of them .I started to browse the web to find tour operators that meet our needs and also affordable .Send tons of inquires to various operators ,all showing same itinerary but prices varies a lot .Eastern sun was our choice .Started to communicate via e mails ,i was a real pain in the butt but Mercy was always patient and helpful,no communication barriers or whatsoever .No problems when it comes to bank swifts ,Africa is a non-sepa country and so you cannot make ibans ,for me it was a great concern sending a lump sum to this alien account ,but believe me i would have never had this negative thought if i knew Mercy et al before .....they are wonderful people . The safari journey was mind-blowing ,the driver/guide did a great job, he showed us all of it ,always on time and helpful.Lodges and camps that eastern sun recommended were tops .Great scenery ,.good food and excellent service .During our 7 day safari we had only one issue with one resort for small portions of food ,they served us a double portion after complaining .Having said that Eastern sun tours showed us Tanzania with a very affordable price and made a group of 4 adventurers from Malta very very happy .
Email Willard De Alwis | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An amazing experience
I feel so lucky have our seven day safari tour organised by Easternsun Tour and Safaris. Our itinerary was very well planned by Mercy who has immense experience organising safaris. She also went out of the way to help finding our delayed luggage after arriving in Kilimanjaro. Our tour covered tarangere, Serengeti, Ngorongoro crater and lake manyara. Our guide was Hassan and he was very intelligent and knowledgeable. We saw many lions , elephants , giraffes , Zebras , a few Leopards and just one Rhino ( thanks to poachers) Wildebeest migration was an extraordinary experience. I have no hesitation in recommending Eastern Sun safaris to anyone who wishes to tour Tanzania for a safari tour.
AE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fabulous Safari Experience
My family had a fantastic safari experience, visited Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater. Game viewing was outstanding in both locations. Managed to see all the big five and large herds of animals, with some very close encounters with the lions, leopard and cheetah.
Stayed in Mount Meru hotel, Mbuzi Mawe luxury tent lodge and Sopo Lodge - All very good accommodations.
Merci did a great job of organizing the trip, was quick to respond to my queries, tailored the itinerary to my liking and budget, made good recommendations.
Our Guide Bonyface, was a thorough professional, very articulate and knowledgeable, with a good sense of humor and above all a careful driver.
US
Email Natasha | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing. Unforgettable. Can't wait to do it again.
We went on a 5 day safari with eastern sun last month and it was an incredible experience. From start to finish, I can't speak highly enough of this company and their employees. Mercy made the booking process so easy for me and was always quick to reply to emails. She gave me different options for our safari and allowed me to pick the one that best suited our budget. Their rates were also very reasonable compared to other operators I contacted. From the moment we arrived in Tanzania, Mercy was in contact with us and gave us a thorough briefing of our safari. Our guide Eddie was AMAZING and incredibly knowledgeable of the parks and their animals. He was very patient with all of our questions (and we asked him a lot!). Eastern sun made the journey so easy and pleasant for us and of course the safari itself was unbelievable. I highly recommend eastern sun to anyone that may be interested in experiencing the greatness of Tanzania's parks. Asante Sana Mercy and Eddie!
Email Nigel Saunders | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A very special tour for my family on my wife's 50th birthday.
Excellent communication with great tour guide in Eliabu. Very memorable and educational trip.