Imani Excursions
Imani Excursions
- Office In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2019)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $180 to $950 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
Email Lorna and Charlie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect honeymoon safari
From start to finish our safari experience was amazing.
We booked our safari a few months in advance and that’s when we were in communications with Mike, he put together a tailor made plan for safari based on what we wanted to do and our budget. He answered all of our questions leading up to the Safari and was a life saver when we turned up in Kilimanjaro with no luggage, as it had been lost in transit.
We arrived at 1:30 in the morning and were met by our guide, Mohammed. We drove to Arusha for a couple of hours downtime before we started our Safari. During our safari we covered Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, The Serengeti and lake Manyara. Over the 4 days of safari we were lucky enough to see the most amazing scenery, ranging from large plains to rainforests to beautiful lakes. Even more luckily we saw the most outstanding wildlife even two of the harder to find - black rhino and leopard.
Our luck however was more down to Mohammed who went out of his way to make sure that we saw it all, he’d make sure that we were always in the best spot to watch what was going on, he’d go the extra mile, sometimes leaving the parks later than planned to make sure we’d had the best day. His knowledge of not only the animals was amazing but also the birds, the landscape, the Masai Mara tribe and everything else safari. We’re so unbelievably grateful to Mohammed who made our honeymoon so memorable.
The hotels on our safari were outstanding. We stayed in Kitela Lodge and Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge in The Serengeti. Kitela lodge is so peaceful, surrounded by its own coffee plantation. The staff here are so hospitable, you instantly feel comfortable here. Mike arranged for our lost luggage to arrive at Kitela - we didn’t have to worry about any of it at all, he arranged it made all the calls to get all of our stuff back. Kubu Kubu lodge is perched on a hill overlooking the Serengeti and is an unforgettable spot. We arrived here, instantly handed a glass of champagne and shown to a spot to enjoy the sun go down over the Serengeti. The staff a Kubu Kubu were also amazing, setting up a private candle lit dinner with champagne for us, with the help Mike and Mohammed.
Finally, on the last day before leaving Kilimanjaro, Mike arranged our early morning transfer to the airport, free of charge! Imani excursions looked after us from the moment we landed until the moment we took off again, creating an amazing honeymoon experience for us. Thank you
KW
Email Redha Mohammad | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Professional and exdceeded my epections
I have been to many safari' s before in Kenya and Tanzania and even Imani Excursions are new to the business, they delivered. They took care of us ( me, my wife, and two children) from 1st day of arrival. The manager ( Mike) met with us and went through every detail of our trip and made sure all of our questions and demands are met . Our driver ( Barack ) was knowledgeable about wild life and culture. He answered all our questions as we toured the wilderness and towns. Accommodations selected and provided for our tours were excellent . i will not hesitate to go on another safari with Imani Excursions when I'm in Tanzania .
Email Philippa | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic
We had an incredible experience with Imani excursions in Tanzania and would highly recommend. Our guides were genuine, friendly, funny and caring. They provided a high quality safari experience that was everything we had hoped for from our African Adventure. The animals were amazing and we learnt a lot from our guides.
FR
Email Frédérique | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A wonderful experience
We have wonderful memories of our safari with Imani.
Not only is Imani an excellent guide, who showed us a lot of animals, but he speaks very good French, which makes it much easier to understand the wildlife but also the life of Tanzanians!
Imani is a very subtle person, who understands well what tourists expect, and who adapts as much as possible to their desires and their pace.
We recommend him without hesitation.
Imani is the absolute best tour guide who gives families an affordable and memorable Safari experien
My family and I are repeat customers because we have gone on a few Safaris with Imani. Imani's knowledge, personality, reliability and affordability are SECOND TO NONE!!! Imani has my family's HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION. Our experience in the Serengeti has given my family a lifetime of memories that are priceless.
US
Email Troy Gaskin | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The best tour guide in Tanzania
From the time Imani picked us up from the airport me and my son had the most amazing experience.
Everything was well planned and executed. We mad fast friends with Imani and remain good friends with him to this day. The safaris we went on by day, with so many animals and such beautiful scenery will stay with us for the rest of my life.
But even better was spending time in the evenings meeting the local people, eating the native foods and learning about the culture.
If you are going to Tanzania for safari then Imani is your guy. Facts
CN
Email Yuan | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A DISAPPOINTING Safari Experience with a DISRESPECTFUL guide!
My friend and I chose Imani for a 7-day trip in July, hoping for a memorable experience. Unfortunately, we encountered a series of disorganized and disappointing events that left us questioning the agency’s professionalism.
The issues included accommodation and itinerary errors, lack of communication, a rush itinerary, and the disrespectful guide, Fred.
1. Accommodation and Itinerary Discrepancies:
(1) Downgrade of accommodation: On July 24, our driver informed us that our originally booked hotel, Mara Kati Kati Camp, was destroyed by a wildfire. We were left with no choice but to accept an alternative hotel they had arranged. However, upon checking in at the Untamed Migration Camps, we discovered that this hotel was significantly inferior, holding merely 3 reviews on Tripadvisor, compared to the initial booking's 1724 reviews. We reached out to the manager, Mike, hoping for clarification and a refund of the price difference, but his response lacked any apology. He simply stated that it wasn't his fault and that Untamed Migration Camps is better than Mara Kati Kati Camp, and then ceased further communication. Later, we met another group from the same travel agency who were upgraded to a better hotel (Baobab Lodge & Camp) due to the Mara Kati Kati being fully booked, not destroyed by fire as we were told. This discrepancy in stories left us doubting the veracity of the wildfire claim and feeling deceived.
(2) Mistaking us for the wrong accommodation: On July 26, we were mistakenly taken to the wrong hotel, Manyara Secret, and endured a half-hour wait and more unapologetic responses from management. Our eventual accommodation at Escarpment Luxury Lodge proved inadequate with issues like malodorous rooms and a leaking air conditioner, which necessitated a midnight room change. The staff then moved us to a standard room type—larger, cleaner, and more organized. Only then did we realize that, even after the hotel mix-up, the agency had initially booked us into the most remote and least desirable room in the hotel. We ended up having to pack and move rooms in the early hours of the morning.
(3) Meals not covered during the first-day trip: Contrary to our itinerary, meals were not provided on the first day. We had to cover these costs out-of-pocket, with the agency only reimbursing us for lunch after a discussion with the manager.
1. Unreasonable Itinerary Planning:
We booked a 7-day safari trip through Imani but were not informed in advance about the overly rushed schedule. In practice, we only had 5 days of actual safari, with a significant portion of our time spent in transit. Our time in the Serengeti was rushed, limiting our encounters with wildlife. On the last day, with almost no activities scheduled by Imani, we had to independently arrange a village tour and a visit to a Maasai village. The agency failed to provide a clear and flexible itinerary that would have allowed us to adjust or reduce activities to enhance our experience.
2. Communication Shortfalls:
Although Imani uses communication apps such as WeChat, they did not provide these contact details in our email exchanges, hindering effective communication. Besides, during our initial email correspondence when we expressed enthusiasm about booking their tour, they did not supply a final itinerary, leading to numerous misunderstandings and errors during our trip.
3. The driver Fred is a very unprofessional and disrespectful guide. We did not feel that he prioritized the passengers' experience, and we even sensed his disdain. His unsatisfied behaviors include but are not limited to:
(1) UNAUTHORIZED USE OF PERSONAL BELONGINGS: The driver Fred, realized his camera was malfunctioning, and I told him that if he wanted to take photos, he could borrow the camera from mine when needed. However, on July 25, he took my camera without my consent, inserted his memory card, and used it to take photos. He even posted Instagram stories of him holding my camera. This was done without any apology and is the most incomprehensible and infuriating issue I encountered.
(2) POOR COMMUNICATION and Lack of Consideration During Safari: Throughout the safari, the driver dictated all movements without any discussion—driving when he decided and only stopping when he chose to. When I requested a brief stop to capture better photos of the lion family, he declined, claiming that we were not allowed to linger in that area (why? and why cannot we get the permission?). This made every wildlife sighting incredibly tense, as I was always worried about missing the opportunity to take photos. Such an experience was profoundly unsatisfactory.
(3) Neglect in Customer Experience: After exchanging Instagram accounts, I noticed that the photos he took after spotting a group of elephants closely were from a much better angle than ours, which was taken from a rear perspective. The prioritization of viewing angles seemed skewed to benefit Fred’s own photographic interests rather than providing guests with optimal wildlife viewing experiences, as evidenced by the superior angles of his photos compared to ours.
(4) Uncommunicated Personal Errands: The driver often had his own errands, such as delivering supplies to his friends or buying personal items. We understand that these tasks might be necessary, but he never informed us in advance nor did he communicate his plans to us.
After expressing our frustrations, the agency offered a paltry $250 refund and a complimentary airport transfer. It hardly compensated for the multitude of issues we experienced. The trip culminated in an apology from the manager, but it was too late. This trip has left such a negative impact that I am disinclined to visit Tanzania again. I have traveled to more than 30 countries and have lived in several countries, but had never had such a poor travel experience.
It is crucial to share our story to help others avoid similar negative experiences. The level of service provided by Imani was not only disappointing but unacceptable, and I caution potential travelers to carefully consider their options when booking a safari in Tanzania.
Reply from Imani Excursions
Posted on Aug 23, 2024Hi Yuan,
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. Your feedback is important and we rely on hearing from our guests to ensure we’re doing a great job.
As you shared in your review, this was not the case for you and for this, we do really apologize. Our customers are the heart of our business and . We understand you’re feeling disappointed about our guide and experience given .
Please know that we have worked to resolve all your concern to make sure nothing like that will ever happen again
Please know we’d like to make this right for you. We’ve sent you an email and if you’d like to chat further, we do hope you will give us another opportunity to earn your business.
Thank you, again, for taking the time to share a review with us and bring all this to our attention.”
Thanks
Imani G shoo