In front of our office
Northern Circuit Adventure
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2010)
- Member Of:
- TATO & TTB
- Tour Types:
- Small & medium group tours (Budget & mid-range)
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $195 to $580 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
FR
Email Caroline | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Bad experience in October 2022
We booked a week's safari with this agency. The stay included 4 parks. The director of the agency, Michael, announced a small change to us when we arrived. We did not understand at the time that he removed the Ngorongoro crater from the program: a must in Tanzania! In order to go there we had to pay for the park ourselves. So we paid for this park when booking with the agency and once there (we are talking about more than $430).
I would add that when we arrived, no driver came to pick us up. The agency was unreachable for an hour … I strongly advise against booking such a beautiful and expensive trip with this agency.
Nous avons réservé une semaine de safari avec cette agence. Le séjour comprenait 4 parcs. Le directeur de l’agence, Michael, nous a annoncé un petit changement lors de notre arrivée. Nous avons pas compris sur le coup qu’il a supprimé du programme le cratère Ngorongoro : un incontournable de la Tanzanie! Afin d’y aller nous avons dû payer le parc nous meme. Donc nous avons payé ce parc lors de la réservation avec l’agence et une fois sur place ( on parle de plus de 430$).
Je rajoute que lors de notre arrivée, aucun chauffeur n’est venu nous chercher. L’agence a été injoignable pendant une heure … je déconseille vivement de réserver un voyage aussi beau et cher avec cette agence.
DK
Email Philip Brainin | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A good safari (but with disappointments!)
Prior to our safari we spent much time studying the northern wildlife parks to make our perfect safari itinerary. Michael Ndallo from Northern Circuit Adventure could offer us the perfect safari trip according to our plans, 5 days and 4 nights camping. However, on departure day when on our way to begin the safari, Michael Ndallo informs us that he has changed the agreed itinerary without noticing us - to fit more people into the group. By doing this he left us no choice but to go on a safari which was not what we had planed.
Our driver and guide, Masha, did an excellent job through the entire trip, he is a bomb of information regarding wildlife and nature in Tanzania. We always felt very safe and comfortable in his company. He delivered game drives of highest quality. Our chef, Rodriguez, shared with us his good cooking skills, varying between traditional and European food.
Camping on the second night our equipment was wet from rain. The mattresses and sleeping bags were so dripping wet we were able to squeeze water out of them. Waking up the 3rd day with freezing cold bodies and wet underwear, this was not how we imagined camping. The day was spent sleeping and feeling ill in the safari car - a ruined safari day. All other days camping facilities were fine, except the matresses kept being squeezingly wet and the sleepingbags humid.
Before reaching the first park on the 1st day the brakes of our safari vehicle broke down, why we had to spent time in the mechanics. During the five day trip we had a flat tire four times and in addition to this we had to spent time in a police check point, because the tires were in so bad condition the police would not allow us to continue. Finally when ascending the Ngorongo Crater the battery of the vehicle caused problems and we had to make another stop. Michael Ndallo is a great guy, we enjoyed his always happy attitude and eagerness to help us with flight tickets to Zanzibar after our safari. He came to pick us up upon arrival to Arusha and was awaiting us when returning from the safari.
In summary: If you want to support a local Arusha company Northern Circuit Adventure is a choice. If you have spent time making an itinerary and you have a signed contract, do not expect Michael Ndallo to respect it. Bring your own sleeping bag if you want to stay warm. For lost time in the safari, e.g. the day after our wet night, Michael Ndallo refunded us 30USD, to be spent on a night in his partnership hotel, equal to less than 2% of the total amount paid. Additionally we spent very much unnecessary time with a broken car and learned how to change tires. In contrast to this our guide did the best game drive we could ever imagine, the food was above average and the atmosphere good. Safari is about seeing animals and so we did to a maximum.
Reply from Northern Circuit Adventure
Posted on Sep 24, 2014Hello Philip,
Greetings from Northern Circuit Adventure Arusha Tanzania and also thanks for the safari review you have submitted into our page to the Safari Bookings.
First of all we would like to say sorry again and apologize for what happen to your safari regarding the program changes as we had a discussion into my office the day of your arrival because of the other joiners who miss they are luggage’s in Nairobi and they didn’t make it to join you as the safari planed that’s why we have to reverse the itinerary.
Secondly also we would like to say sorry for the camping equipment gets wet and this is because we didn’t predict the weather in Serengeti National Park what will be as your safari here was in the dry season (September) and our staff put the gears on top of the car and we have already been learning about that and we promised to our features clients this will never happen again including to put the new tires as you can see all of our reviews are positive.
Thanks and we love to hear positive and negative reviews so we can improve ourselves!
Best regards,
Northern Circuit Adventure
ES
Email Jordi | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Normal company.
In general, we loved the experience; however, we didn't like that the program changed 5 minutes before getting on the car. Visiting Lake Manyara after the Ngorongoro was a failure, and I wouldn't recomend to any
Body a 5 days safari. We paid the same amount for the last day and we didn't do much. And we were told that we will pay less if the group was bigger and when two more people came, there wasn't any difference.
The company is serious and I would recommend it, but only for 4 days. Please clean the pillows and the sleepbags.
Reply from Northern Circuit Adventure
Posted on Sep 2, 2016Dear Jordi,
Thanks for the updates regarding your safari and it was nice to hear that you love the experience, but i think there was miss understanding between you and your agent from Moshi because the maximum number of people in a car is 6 and by the way you were the luckiest person who paid less than others.
Thanks and we will love to take you again on safari in a future!
Northern Circuit Adventure Team,
US
Email Mollie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was okay...
My partner and I are budget travellers, but decided to spend a little extra money to make a safari with Northern Adventure Circuit because of their glowing reviews, unfortunately, we did not get what we expected for the money.
Let's start with the positives:
1. Our guide Dennis was lovely and did all in his powers of a guide to give us the experience we wanted. We told him we were very interested in seeing the big-cats, and he absolutely delivered. We saw countless lions, 3 separate leopards, and even 3 cheetahs (one within 2 meters from our car!)
2. Moussa our chef, did a great job... Some of the time.
Now for the things I'm not so happy with...
1. Moussa our chef seemed to preform worse and worse as the safari went on. There was less food, the food was obviously not as well prepared, and some of it so salty that it was hard to eat.
2. Though I had made a point of asking multiple times about our tents ability to withstand the rain and was assured that it was a good tent and that the rain would not plague us - this was rainy season - when we got a little bit of rain one night the inside of our tent was wet, including our matresses and the bottoms of our sleeping bags. The rain soaked right through the seams.
3. Though I had asked multiple times about binoculars - pretty important on a safari - though we did have a pair... They were broken and only one eye worked. They were pretty terrible and made viewing difficult, especially in Ngorongoro. And not very high quality to begin with.
4. We met up with another couple halfway through our safari, which we of course did not mind, but we were assured that meeting up with them would not cause us to miss anything... Well... We did miss something. Because of how this was planned we were only able to have 4 hours in the crater not the full 6, and we didn't make it to the crater until almost 10, because the other couple was driven up that morning instead of the night before.
5. I also asked about the outlets in the car, and was promised that they would be there and working... They weren't and never did the entire trip.
6. We were constantly waiting at the gates for extended periods of time, and the excuses we were given for this were quite lame. We waited almost an hour to get through the gate to the crater, another hour to get to lake Manyara... And other groups were passing us going in, it was only our group waiting.
So, while we did have a pretty good wildlife viewing experience, I can't say that I would recommend northern adventure circuit over a cheaper budget option that also has favourable reviews online.
Well done safari but quite poor camping equipment
We went in a groop of fife persons in the most popular northern cirquit national parks (lake manyara, tarangire, serengeti and ngorogoro). We travelled in a jeep with a very experienced guide who spotted so many wild animals even far away!!! Also we saw lions and other predators as close as can be in ngorogoro, and also in serengeti the wildlife to watch was amazing.
Our cook was quite young and not so experienced - the food was ok but could be improved in future. Also the camping equipment could be hold in better conditions - The tents and matresses were old and stank ugly - not really enjoyable for sleeping - should be changed soon! Nevertheless an unforgetable trip into the wild!
Reply from Northern Circuit Adventure
Posted on Jul 1, 2015Hello Sylvia,
Thanks for your kind support and it was nice to have your safari feedback on our pages and gave your experience with our company and the staff!
Just for your information we have improved by having a new camping equipment’s and we want to assure our future clients including you once you will come back again and do the safari with us you won’t be disappointed again!
All the best,
Northern Circuit Adventure,
RU
Email Тatiana | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Organization was good.
Mike spoke in detail about the possible safari options, and two, and three, and a greater number of days. We have chosen the best possible option - 6 days. But in this case we had to wait two days. We paid per night at the hotel in anticipation of the first day of the waiting vyezda.V day drove to the waterfall, the evening was able to see Kilimanjaro. The second day we alone walk on the city of Arusha.
And the guide-driver, and povar- great guys. During the trip, they were attentive, took care of us.
We received from the Safari a lot of positive emotions! Adrenaline sometimes rolls over! Camp in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro no fence in the open nature! And at night sometimes lions, hyenas and elephants go !!! People remember it! Stock up on "nocturnal vyzami".
Breakfasts and dinners were tasty, depleted rations. We did not go hungry. 1.5 liter of water for each given day.
Mike helped us in buying tickets to Zanzibar.
Thank you very much for such a great trip!
FR
Email Gael | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very good safari
Thanks Michael for this great time. We had the chance to view many animals. Maybe we would have like to see a bite more of the local life in villages (massai, etc) but it was great anyway! I definitely advise Nothern circuit for your safari.
FR
Email Alain | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Safari was performed as expected.
Good car, good driver/guide, good food.
Accomodation was public camp with tent, I don't like too much but was no bad surprise !
DE
Email Caroline | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very good 4 day group safari with Northern circuit adventure
Thanks to Denis - our Safari guide - we were able to enjoy 4 days of very excellent safari at 4 different national parks including a wonderful walking safari at Arusha National park. Denis really was a very good guide which made us a perfect safari. During our safari we stayed at Sunbright tented camps which was a good basis for the different parks we visited and our cook served us there with delicious meals. We really had the chance to experience a wonderful safari - although we only had a little budget available for our safari.
It was also very positive that we were picked-up at the airport the evening before the safari and had a shuttle service to our hotel in Arusha.
Besides the communication via e-mail with Michael from Northern Circuit Adventure was always good and all email inquiries were answered very fast. So I would recommend northern circuit adventure for safari.
US
Email Martin R | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful experience. Good and gracious people who cared about our experience, highly recommended!
Tarangire. Lake Manyara. Ngorongoro. The Serengeti. We saw so much in just the first two days at Tarangire and Manyara it could have been enough, but YOU must see the rest with Northern Circuit. They were well organized. The first day our driver was at the hotel early to pick us up on time. Before setting out we met briefly with the director who explained the entire 6 days so we knew what to expect. The vehicle was clean and equipped with 110 outlets so no worries about camera batteries running out, or cell phones :) Our driver and chef were very courteous and accommodating which makes these types of adventures so much better. Our driver was very knowledgeable and was able to answer our questions about the various species of birds and other animals, plants, etc. Also, he had a keen eye and was able to spot or find wild life to assure we got our fill of great nature and wild life. The campsites were well-kept and cozy, whether we were in a covered tent at the camping grounds, or in a bush tent in the Serengeti. They set everything up for us, and the food was remarkable. Fresh fruit, coffee, tea every morning along with a different meal every day. Hats off to our chef for a job well done. While there are many operators in and around Arusha and Moshi, Northern Circuit provided all the comforts we expected with very personal care, we didn't feel like a number or as if we were being rushed through. Because I'm very meticulous about making plans for such a big trip, I had been communicating with the director, Michael, up to a month before our trip. He was very responsive to my many email and text message inquiries, usually responding within 8-10 hours with a 9 hour time difference! I do admit, we contacted a few other operators, but Michael's responsiveness and level of details with our arrival in Nairobi, and advice guiding us through the process of getting to Arusha, convinced me that Northern Circuit was the right operator and we do not regret it one bit. I have members of my family wanting to safari now, so for sure we will use Northern Circuit in the future! Thank you guys for the wonderful time that will stay with us for ever. Best wishes, Martin and Ella.