Ecological Wilderness Adventures
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2005)
- Member Of:
- TATO & TALA
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $200 to $2,500 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
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Email Teresa Barger | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Best safari, best guide, most responsive Tanzania safari operators.
It starts with the amazing responsiveness of the proprietor, Brian. He answers emails day and night. He can give you outlines of suggested safaris and you can customize from there. He made paying easy as I sent a check to a U.S. address. (No money transfers which are usually painful.) On the ground, we had Amir as our driver and guide. He is so intelligent plus hugely reliable, cheerful, fun, and, of course, knowledgable. He knows the statistics on everything if you ask. He knows 11 languages ( 8 he taught himself), can identify 3,200 bird species, and of course all the animals and their habits. He also understands that we want to take 100s of photos of zebra hoping that a couple are worth keeping. He is very patient. He cleans the car everyday, is always early for pick up, and also great fun. It is so much better using Ecological Adventures than one of the big operators with so-so guides, and who don't treat their employees as well.
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Email Frank Maxwell | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
A top drawer adventure! There are no negatives associated with this safari-only accolades.
We arrived a few days ahead of our group and asked Brian for some ideas on how to spend them. He offered several options and we chose an overnight hike part way up Mt. Kilimanjaro. Brian made the arrangements and we wound up with an excellent guide and crew. The hike and stay were very rewarding. Returning to Arusha, we settled into a comfortable cottage nestled with other cottages in tropical trees, brilliant flowers and darting exotic birds that tantalizingly showed themselves before furtively melting into the thick tree crowns.
This was the auspicious start to a string of accommodations that ranged from beautiful lodges to tent camps. All facilities were very comfortable, clean and well equipped from beds and hot showers to the charging stations for camera, computer and other electronic equipment batteries.
Over the three week trip, we visited a number of Rift Valley parks and ended up at the Serengeti. Along the way we saw sights ranging of age from the very young to the very ancient. The young included baby baboons clutched tightly to their mothers and others chasing around like kids at recess. Elephants, zebras, gazelles, wart hogs, jackals, wildebeests, cape buffalo, lions, cheetahs and even a fuzzy yellow grey crowned crane chick (colt?) rounded out the young set. On the other end of the time spectrum, we stopped at Oldupai Gorge where the Leakeys discovered the early hominid, Lucy. Along the way there were visits to settlements and villages and the opportunity to share in the culture of Tanzania and to pick up African mementos. Our guides were always eager to answer questions about the cultural practices, economic activities, history and other aspects of East African society. They are particularly proud of the success Tanzania has had in integrating the numerous religions, ethnicities, and tribes.
Our group included individuals whose interests tended toward ecology and plants, others in birds, and still others in mammals. EWA masterfully satisfied these divergent interests. Our guides were so experienced, and knowledgeable about all the species that they found them, anticipated their movements and positioned us to best observe and photograph them. I was very impressed by their willingness and skill in positioning us for the best photographs. They have an uncanny ability to spot birds and animals in cryptic situations.
The food, service, and staff friendliness were outstanding. Sitting in the dining tent one evening and listening to the lions roaring a moderate distance away and having a herd of elephants cross in front of the vehicles as we left the camp for a game drive constituted icing on the cake.
Riding to the airport for the long flight home, I looked back from the vehicle to see that the clouds had retreated from the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro and the snowy peak was bathed in rosy alpenglow, providing a perfect metaphor for what I was feeling.
Brian and crew provide an unparalleled experience and I'm giving it the most cogent recommendation that I can-we're returning for another EWA safari this summer.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent Safari With Extremely Knowledgeable Guide
We booked an 8 Day Wilderness Tour with Brian. It was an excellent experience and we can highly recommend him. Our itinerary consisted of:
Northern Serengeti: Migration
Central Serengeti: Resident wildlife
Ngorongoro crater: The unique crater & its wildlife
Lake Manyara: Flamingos, lots of scenery
Tarangire national park: lots and lots of elephants
We managed to pack in quite a bit. Brian recommended that we fly in to Northern Serengeti from Arusha to start our tour and save time. This was a wise choice as the drives can be very long and boring. The scenery was absolutely astounding with amazing views of Kilimanjaro as we flew through the clouds. As we landed on the dirt airstrip we could see herds and herds of wildebeest. We got stuck in to the action and on the very first day, we saw wildebeest, giraffe, antelope, zebra and had a beautiful sunset on the way home. We finished the day with a Tanzanian shower, campfire and some great food.
The next two days were also spent in the north and we experienced the migration in full force, with a massive herd of wildebeest stampeding towards the river. It was a rush! Brian sped to the riverbank and we had an excellent vantage point to witness the massive herd crossing. You really have to experience this in person to get an idea of the scale of the migration!
On day four we made the journey to central Serengeti. It was long but unavoidable. If there is an opportunity to fly here it may be worthwhile. We finally arrived in central Serengeti late afternoon and did a short game drive. We saw Ostrich some bird life, zebra and antelope and had a relaxing evening by the campfire.
On day five we did a morning and afternoon game drive. We saw male and female lions and a leopard finishing off a kill. We also saw Baboons, Giraffe and Hippos. We had a bit of bad luck with weather in central Serengeti but we still managed to see quite a bit. Wildlife was much more sparse than in northern Serengeti due to the migration so it took a little more effort to spot interesting wildlife.
On Day 6 we travelled to the Crater. The scenery along the way is absolutely spectacular, and the scenery from the crater rim is even better. On the crater floor we saw flamingo, buffalo, hippos, rhinos (from a distance) and lots of other wildlife. You definitely should not miss the crater.
We finished up our trip on day 7 and 8 with a stay in a nice lodge which was flanked by some beautiful scenery and a drive through beautiful lake manyara and the tangier national park. We saw lots and lots of flamingos, baboons and many elephants. We also saw elephant bath time in the mud which was quite interesting, especially with Brian explaining why the baby elephants bath in mud. We also saw some female lions up close and got some great snaps.
Overall Brians hospitality was excellent, his camps were clean & well maintained, the food was great and the staff were very friendly. The vehicles were very well maintained, immaculate Toyota land cruisers with panoramic roof, bean bags for camera equipment and chargers. We had plenty of water too. This was definitely a major plus as we did see a lot of other vehicles in very poor condition with lots of tourists jammed in fighting amongst each other to get the best vantage point for pictures in their cramped rusty 4x4s. We had no such issues, we had the whole land cruiser to our selves and could take our time.
We can definitely recommend Brian and his team. Brian is incredibly knowledgeable and will explain specific animal behavior and habits as you encounter different types of wildlife. You won’t just be looking at the wildlife but you will learn about them in detail, their habitat, behavior, predators and prey. Thanks EWA and Brian for a great Safari!
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65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Ecological Wilderness Adventures - All the elements of a fabulous trip
Ecological Wilderness Adventures: It is hard to find enough of the right words for Ecological Wilderness Adventures. Well organized, bottomless knowledge of the areas and animals, smoothly operating camps with outstanding staff and a dependable ability to find animals when other guide operations seemed to be anxiously searching.
Tourists face a blizzard of safari-related services. Most of which often require the traveler to somehow combine them into a comprehensive package. EWA met us at the Kilimanjaro airport on our arrival and helped unload and check us in on our departing flight. Between those times, they were terrific hosts and guides.
Brian, Gerald, Chaffie and others on the EWA team offer a seamless one-stop solution to the swarm of options thrown at visitors. EWA has the guides, camps (shower and toilet in each 2-person tent), in-country relationships (Brian was born and raised in the Ngorongoro Crater) and knowledge to get it all done properly.
I am a seasoned adventure traveler, founder of an Alaska guiding service and a picky photographer. EWA is a quality outfit by any measure - all at a very reasonable price.
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50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Spectacular, comfortable, and fun!
Ecological Wilderness Adventures is an extremely well run business that provides a fantastic trip to amazing places supported by very knowledgable and friendly guides. Everything about the trip was high quality and great fun. From amazing wildlife to awesome food and comfortable accommodations, the safari was great. My thanks to Brian and his crew for one of the very best experiences I can imagine.
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65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Guides, wildlife, food=ALL GOOD
I have been in southern/eastern Africa before, but this 3+ week safari exceeded my expectations. Brian and Jerry were excellent people-persons, great 'eyes' for wildlife and thoroughly enhanced the entire safari. The food was excellent, varied and plentiful. Brian's camps and staff were superlative throughout. The Parks selected offered a wonderful variety of animals/birds/terrain and it was a great time of the year to be in Tanzania.
As much as I'd like to complain about some aspect of the safari - I can't!! If you have any doubts - sign up and GO!
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Email Colleen & Mike Keyes | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best adventure ever!
On our way back from a wonderful 2-week adventure in Peru with friends in October 2013, we started talking about our next trip. Going on safari in Africa was high on the list - someday. Three months later we got a call from our friends and the planning began in earnest. After perusing the websites of a few of the hundreds of safari tour operators in Tanzania, we selected Ecological Wilderness Adventures - and it was the best choice we could have made! From the first email to owner Brian Meng'oriki to the final farewell at Kilimanjaro airport, it was a travel dream come true. Not only were Brian and his staff prompt and professional in all of our communications, they were a real pleasure to work with - and as enthusiastic about our trip as we were! We sent them a wish list of the eight wildlife parks we wanted to visit (including the remote and off-the-beaten-path Lake Natron) and various cultural activities we'd like to experience. Brian and Baraka created a 2-week itinerary that fulfilled our wish list - and more. The pre-trip conversations with Ken (the US/Canada contact) were invaluable; he graciously answered our million questions and shared his own trip experiences with EWA.
From the moment we stepped off the airplane in Kilimanjaro and were met by the welcoming smiles of Brian and Sammy, our guide for the trip, until we were dropped off at the airport two weeks later with farewell gifts in hand, all we had to do was enjoy the incredible journey we had embarked upon. Every meal, every accomodation, every park entrance, and every cultural activity were taken care of by EWA, as well as some serendipitous side trips provided by Sammy. The delicious food, the comfortable tented camps, and the genuine hospitality we received at every venue - we couldn't have wished for better.
But the highlight of any safari is the wildlife! Lions and leopards, zebras and wildebeest (aka gnus!), baboons and monkeys, giraffes and antelopes, warthogs and hippos, cape buffalo and elephants, jackals and hyenas, and the birds! Flamingos, crowned cranes, ostriches, storks, vultures, eagles, francolins, bustards, plovers, bee-eaters, hornbills, weavers, and my favorite - the lilac-breasted roller. But the highlight of our many wildlife encounters was sharing the road with a black rhino in the Ngorongoro Crater. We had spied him in the distance most of the day (looking like a hump of rock in the grass) and had just about given up hope of a close-up view, when he stood and headed our way (Sammy had stopped the vehicle between the rhino and the stream). He casually sauntered across the road right in front of us! Cameras clicking like mad, we watched him until he disappeared in the grass.
I could go on and on, but the bottom line is - you will have the trip of a lifetime going on safari with Ecological Wilderness Adventures. Brian and his team have the experience, the expertise, and, most importantly, the enthusiam to ensure an unsurpassed travel adventure! Asante sana, EWA!
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35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Educational above expectations.
From the start till the end we learned so many things, and that wasn't unimportant. In any way. You can go to a safari and se animals, or you can go to safari and learn something, we did the later part. Most people don't, but if you want, to learn something, go with these guyes. If you dont, try any leapord-colored truck, it might serve you...
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50-65 years of age
An awesome once in a lifetime experience that greatly exceed expectations!!!
If I'm fortunate enough to go back for a second Safari, no question, I'm going with Brian and his team at Ecological Wilderness Adventures. He and his guides are all fabulous people who know how to find and identify all the animals and get you in the right spot for the photos while avoiding the crowds. The food and accommodations where fantastic. Great trail breakfasts and lunches, gourmet dinners, wonderful campfires. We slept in great lodges and tents in the wild.
Brian's very knowledgeable and experienced about all aspects of the safari. He enjoys working with you to prepare your custom safari. I always refer friends and they ALWAYS have a GREAT SAFARI.
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Email Lorraine and Craig | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our visit to Tanzania was the trip of a lifetime-it couldn't have been better!
We had the most wonderful experience with EWA, from start to finish. When we were planning our trip, Brian was extremely responsive, getting back to us promptly whenever we asked questions and always providing excellent suggestions. All aspects of our trip were handled flawlessly. The trip gave us the combination of wildlife viewing and cultural experiences that we wanted, the accommodations were all we could have hoped for, the food was wonderful, and best of all was our guide, Sammy Sikombe, who has an incredible store of knowledge, not only about wildlife but about the local culture. He answered our endless questions with detailed, thoughtful responses. He has a great sense of humor, quoting Forrest Gump with a perfect accent. He's also a talented musician and singer and entertained us with renditions of Hakuna Matata at the drop of a hat. He always seemed to be able to place us in the right place at the right time. When we were in Ngorogoro Crater, we were some of the few visitors who actually got a close up view of a black rhino, which passed right in front of us due to Sammy's careful positioning of our car (and EWA's selection of a beautiful hotel on the edge of the crater that was also in the park, allowing us to stay an hour longer than most). Sammy also gave us some personal glimpses into Tanzanian life by letting us meet his family and friends; he also took us to visit the Elephant Project in Tarangire National Park, where he worked for 8 years, which was wonderful experience and probably a bit out of the ordinary. Sammy also has a great eye for the best place to take photographs, and always managed to have us in the best possible position for the beautiful Tanzanian sunsets. All in all, we couldn't have asked for a better experience.