Serengeti Smile Team
Serengeti Smile
- Office In:
- Size:
- 50-100 employees (Founded in 2020)
- Member Of:
- Tanzania Tourist Board & AMREY Flying Doctors Insurance
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $90 to $300 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
CA
Email Steve | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A Memory of a Lifetime
My wife and I booked a three-day safari with Serengeti Smile in August 2024, covering Tarangire and Ngorongoro, and it was nothing short of amazing—a memory we will cherish for a lifetime. From the moment we contacted them, the customer service was exceptional. The most impressive part was their flexibility. Due to some flight issues, I had to make last-minute changes, and they accommodated everything smoothly. They were also extremely helpful when I requested changes to the initially booked lodges.
Our guide, Zack, was a true highlight of the trip. His deep knowledge of the best spots for wildlife viewing and his attentive care made the experience even more special. He ensured that we had the best possible opportunities to see the incredible wildlife, all while providing excellent customer service.
If you're looking for a top-tier safari operator, Serengeti Smile is the one. They exceeded our expectations in every way!
US
Email Ami | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
I would recommend Serengeti Smile to anyone and everyone.
I would recommend Serengeti Smile to all my friends and family. We had the most wonderful time in Tanzania. Our experience started with them before our trip even begun, as they worked with us to create the best possible experience. Every detail was specific to our desires - from where specially we'd like to explore (they also gave us suggestions), the amount of time we would like at each place to specific activities we'd like to engage in. Our trip was split into three parts: Started with the safari at the Serengeti National Park (6 days) , 5 mile hike and stay on Kilimanjaro (2 days), and finally ended with Zanzibar (3 days).
We had the most amazing experience at the Safari. We explored southern, central, and northern parts - as well as one day in Ngorngoro Crater. Our guide Lebay was THE BEST - I highly recommend requesting him. He gave us an experience beyond our expectations and drove us in a very clean anc comfortable Landcruiser. Lebay showed us The Big Five and also many animals we've never even heard of - we saw a total of 52 lions, hundreds of elephants, thousands of zebras and wildebeest, he even showed us a couple leopards and cheetahs VERY close up which is apparently super rare. He did everything to make sure we had the best views close up and personal with the animals. I was impressed with his vast knowledge of all the animals. Lebay was also extremely patient with us and also glad to say we gained another friend. We had many laughs during the game drives and also around the campfire at night. I will say I've never seen so many stars (and the milkyway) in my life before visiting Tanzania. I also want to comment on the campsites we stayed at - each one were VERY nice, comfortable, and clean - all of the workers were very welcoming and the food was great.
The second leg of our trip was a 5mile hike up in Kilimanjaro to the Mandara Huts - it took about 3-4 hours, once we arrived up there they prepared a meal for us and we hiked back down the next day. If you decide to stay over night in the huts - be prepared for a less luxurious experience compared to the Safari campsights. The huts were more similar to real camping with small mattresses and sleeping bags. The hike was very beautiful as it was through the rainforest. We had about 9 porters who helped carry some of our stuff, the food, and sleeping bags up to the hut. Overall we had a good experience there. If you love to hike and camp - this is for you.
Lastly we ended out trip at Zanzibar. Our driver came to pick us up at the airport in a very clean car. We stayed at the all inclusive Nungwi Beach Resort. The worker's there were very hospitable, the resort was beautiful, the food was great! The perfect way to relax after our adventure packed trip. We will definitely be booking with Serengeti Smile Again in the future!
CA
Email Victor | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a lifetime!
Emmanuel and Dominique were amazing drivers/tour guides. They went above and beyond to find the big 5 animals and had the patience to wait for all our pictures. His driving was really good, we always felt safe and we didn’t have any hiccups.
We did 5 nights and all the hotels were very comfortable and the food was always good. Our favorite was Kontiki Lodge - we were quite impressed with the quality and privacy of the big tents (it even had a living room). Would highly recommend this trip to all my friends.
CA
Email Wei | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Must Do Bucket List
Emmanuel and Dominique were great tour guides. They communicated schedule times and were flexible of our adjustments. We were able to just sit back and relax the whole trip as they took care of all logistics.
During the game drives, Emmanuel was an expert driver. He maneuvered the terrain safely and we had no incidents. He knew where all the animal spottings were each day, and we were able to see each of the Big 5 (and more)! Both were very patient as we took multiple photos/videos, and helped to accommodate many close-ups of the wildlife while still being considerate of other safari viewers. Both were also very knowledgeable in answering our wildlife questions.
They made our safari trip easy, safe, and would strongly recommend them!
KR
Email Deog | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Driving and finding spetialist.
Tour office assistsnt manager answered quickly and in detail. He did his best to communicate with me about sapari.
Sapari guide and driver have perfect ability for long time and hard driving.
A little weak point is not perfect in speaking English.
TW
Email Sherry | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fantastic experience with Serengeti Smile
I found Serengeti Smile through this page, and after my experience, I can confidently recommend this company to others.
We embarked on a five-day safari in early September, and it was an unforgettable adventure.
First, a huge shout-out to my amazing consultant, Erick, who promptly and kindly addressed all my tricky questions and special requests regarding accommodations. After hiking Kilimanjaro, my father and I were completely exhausted and had to postpone one day of our safari. Despite it being a Sunday, Erick took my call and went the extra mile to negotiate with his director and the accommodations on our behalf. Thanks to his help and Serengeti Smile’s flexibility, we were able to reschedule and fully enjoy our safari.
Secondly, our driver-guide, Jackson, was outstanding. Not only was he an experienced guide, but he was also incredibly responsible and respectful. He catered to our preferences, including adjusting the timing of our daily game drives, and shared extensive knowledge about the wildlife throughout the journey. One of the most impressive parts of the trip was when we ventured to Northern Serengeti to witness the Great Migration. Despite the long drive and limited time, Jackson managed to get us there on time and found the perfect spots to watch the incredible wildebeest river crossings.
Overall, I highly recommend Serengeti Smile for anyone planning a safari. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, with excellent wildlife sightings, comfortable accommodations, and seamless logistics. The only thing I would suggest for both the company and future clients is that, beyond the payment link they provide, Serengeti Smile doesn’t have a credit card machine at their office for on-site payments. This was a bit inconvenient for us, as we had to receive a payment confirmation PIN via SMS, and our phones were already switched to local lines. We nearly got stuck at the office due to this payment issue.
That aside, I hope anyone reading this review has an equally fantastic safari experience!
US
Email wendy | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
good
very good, reliable.
office responsive.
guide champion is the best.
US
Email Bo | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Champion is the best!! Love it! Saw all the animals we want
6 days trip seeing 50+ animals and saw the Mara river cross! Our driver champion always know how to find the best spot and did great job on explaining and he is also very joyful and brought a lot of fun. Driving is also smooth
CN
Email Becky | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent experience
The 6 day safari with Serengeti Smile was excellent. My guide Champion has made my dream come true. We've seen all the Big Five, wildebeest crossing the river and many other animals. The accommodation was also fine.
US
Email Bruce | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The tour operator is awesome
We saw big 5 and herds of wildebeest crossing river