Exceptional Safari Experiences
Mawe African Ventures
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2021)
- Member Of:
- Tanzania Tourist Board
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $200 to $1,800 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Mark | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Probably the Best safari Guide in the World.
Rafa,
How can I ever thank this man for giving my family and I the best ever Safari experience.
Nothing was ever too much trouble, his knowledge and experience was so vast , interesting and enjoyable.
We were taken to places that no other guides would bother to go to , giving us unique and outstanding insight to the area . It also gave us some fantastic discoveries of all the wildlife in the area alongside the Big 5 .
Rafa , went way beyond his duties and made sure we were well and truly looked after in all our accommodation.
If you are looking for a 10 star experience, this guide will deliver and most probably excel above this rating.
I cannot thank him enough and cannot wait to return one day .
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Email Teresa | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Raphael is the best Guide, so knowledgeable and took care of us like family…super professional A+++
Our experience was excellent, services were great and our Tour Guide.,Raphael, was the best, never let us down always protective, courteous and respectful made sure that everything went smoothly. We would come back anytime…Teresa, from San Diego Ca.
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Email Mariel | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fun, brilliant, professional, respectful of animals and nature
Having Raphael as our safari guide was a true blessing! I felt completely safe in his hands throughout our trip —he is so experienced and knowledgeable that other safari guides would stop to ask him for advice on our drives. Not only that, he was funny, engaged with everyone in our group and looked out for each one of us with the utmost care.
As a vegan, I was concerned about food options, but Raphael provided me with amazing vegan picnic options to eat while out on safari. I was also concerned about disturbing the animals while we observed them in their habitat, but Raphael made me feel at ease because he was respectful of the animal’s space and we never disturbed their peace. I got amazing pictures and an unforgettable experience. You must book your safari with Mawe African Adventures.
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Email Carl | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Simple the BEST.
Rafa, owner/operator, of Mawe African Adventures is simple the best. His attention to details, whether it’s the safari drive, the best photo opportunities or lunch in the bush, puts Rafa on top. His experience of the Serengeti and the Maasai is a history lesson you will won’t soon forget leaving you with a thirst for more.
When you tour with Rafa you become part of a team. “Team Rafa” doesn’t follow the crowds but ventures out exploring and seeing the unusual activities of game movement and predators. Many times we were able to get close to lions and cheetah when staying put and letting the game move naturally rather than chase all the other vehicles for a look and photo.
I look forward to returning to the Serengeti in 2025 to experience the calving season with Team Rafa.
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Email Sanya Bari | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Rafa provides a spiritual experience of centered excitement, you feel the spirit of the Serengeti
If you are coming to Africa there is no one who can give you a better experience that Rafa.
He was pivotal in creating an unforgettable experience. I have never seen anyone love what they do more than Rafa.
I can never come back to Africa and take a tour with anyone else.
His energy is infectious, his love for the animals fuels the tour. His knowledge of the flora and fauna in unparalleled. Don’t even think twice. You WILL NOT regret it.
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Email Oria R. | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The most experienced, knowledgable and friendly tour operator in Tanzania
The service was incredible. Truly beyond anything we expected. Rafa, our tour guide was always timely, flexible, reliable, friendly, polite, happy and fun. We couldn’t have asked for a better tour guide. He has 18 years of experience and we could tell because he always knew where to go and what to do at the exact moment needed. He is also very knowledgable about the region and the animals. As a bonus, he is an expert birder and helped me identify 90 unique species in a manner of days.
Our tour started in Arusha. From there we went to Lake Manyara National Park, then Ngorongoro Crater and then on to Serengeti National Park. Every park was its own amazing experience with Rafa as our guide. I truly will never forget this amazing experience.
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Email F . Bari MD | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
If you want the best experience possible THIS is your man!
From the moment we landed (5 of us) Raffa's desire to maximize our experience was palpable. He is not only extremely knowledgeable about the Serengeti but also has the perfect balance of calmness with excitability about what he does and where he lives. This is a man who takes pride in providing the best experience possible and he does it with an elegance and grace that left us with a vacation of a lifetime. He became a friend of the family and my kids still talk about his much he added to our trip. Our joy was his joy.
His English is excellent (also speaks multiple other languages) and his concern for everyone's welfare and maximize our experience was always front and center.
Email Andy & Sandy | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Raffael is a passionate expert in safaris, uncovering hidden wildlife on unique off-track adventures
We wanted to share a few words about our safari guide, Raffael Loisolo, from our trip to Tanzania. We were one of his first customers when he was starting to build up MAWE as his own company. He's truly a gem! His knowledge of the local wildlife, plants, and African culture is remarkable, and his knack for taking you off the typical tourist trails offers a unique and authentic experience. Every day with him was an eye-opener, and his openness to our endless questions made it a great learning experience. We felt really connected to Tanzania, and the personalized service, like the visit to a local hairdresser, added such a unique local touch. Raffael provided excellent value for money, with his incredible insights and experiences making every penny spent worthwhile. Plus, his reliability was spot on, with everything perfectly planned and our trip completely worry-free. We're already looking forward to our next trip and wouldn't dream of going without Raffael as our guide. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a memorable safari experience.
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Email David | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
If you’re looking to do a proper Tanzanian safari, honestly, look no further – Rafa is the best!
If you’ve read any of the other reviews for Mawe on this site, you know that Rafa (Raphael) comes VERY highly recommended. I can tell you from my personal experience that these gushing reviews are not hyperbole at all – Rafa is the real deal.
First and foremost: he knows, loves, and respects nature. Want to know how to spot the difference between, say, a Grant’s Gazelle and a Thomson’s Gazelle? Rafa has you covered, in a way that’s aligned with a good guidebook but goes above and beyond. He’s passionate about helping the group determine what they want to see and then doing everything possible to make that happen, all the while ensuring that everyone is safe and the wildlife is unbothered by your presence. His knowledge of eastern Serengeti and Ngorongoro is elaborate, and I’m sure it extends much further than that. We were amazed at how many species of incredible animals we were able to see throughout the tour, many of them from quite close.
Beyond that very important requirement for a great Safari, Rafa is simply a great person to spend time with. You get the sense that he could navigate any difficult situation you might find yourself in (fortunately none for us), but at the same time he’s extremely friendly and fun. It’s difficult to adequately describe, but for my group he created a true team atmosphere where we were all working together to spot amazing wildlife, have a good look with our binos, and document it in photos/videos to help keep the memories alive for a lifetime. We all felt like we were a part of something special. And of course while wildlife is the main draw, Tanzania also offers many windows into its vibrant culture, and Rafa gave us great insights and answered all our questions about that aspect too.
In summary, we felt extremely fortunate to have Rafa as our guide. If you’re looking to do a proper Tanzanian safari, honestly, look no further – Rafa is the best!
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Email Melissa | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Rafa is a Safari-GEM ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
We went on our very first Safari trip with Rafa. From the moment we met, I could feel this would be a special experience. Rafa promised we would be going against the tourist crowds and see the big 5 still. We had a unique experience of admiring the animals closely without being surrounded by other tourists and felt safe at all times. It’s like the jungle was ours ✨ Rafa is very passionate and informative. You will learn lots about the animals and the fascinating biodiversity of the jungle. Never have I met someone with such great eye vision, Rafa never misses any of the hidden animals while you need to look 3 times before even noticing. We had a lot of fun, such a great human experience in addition to the fulfilling Safari experience. A once in a lifetime experience ✨
Let’s be explorers and not tourists