Restoration Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2009)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $180 to $650 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
A well organised safari with personalized service by the owner at a highly competitive rate - GREAT!
Restoration Safari has "environmental conservation" as its mission and helps connect customers to the local community, its culture, customs and nature. Bariki, our trusted, polite and courteous guide cum driver is truly passionate about the environment and could identify every plant and animal species seen at all the National parks across Tanzania!!! Pre- and post safari communications via email and telephone are extremely prompt and super efficient. The hotels were well selected and as per our requirements. I would personally recommend Restoration Safaris for a safe and secure adventure in Tanzania - perfect for families and women travelling alone.
IN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great trip
My girl friend and I took a private safari with restoration safaris for Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire & Lake Manyara. Our guide (the owner) Mr Bariki was extremely helpful and well versed with the flora and fauna of the region. The team as Restoration Safaris was extremely proactive and helpful towards delivering on our requirements. Would definitely recommend them to friends.
CA
Email Janet & Fraser | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An amazing Honeymoon with an INCREDIBLE company!
I researched over 30 companies and finally settled with Restoration Safaris for our pre-wedding honeymoon. Are we glad we did!
Bariki and the team at Restoration Safari are incredibly knowledgeable, professional and take great pride in delivering a quality safari experience. My fiancee and I were to lucky to spend 8 days touring Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro, and the Serengeti of course. We stayed at the most amazing accommodations that Bariki organized for us. With 20 years of experience under his belt, Bariki knows what people want from Safari and is thoughtful, considerate and conscious in his approach.
Bariki went above and beyond our safari needs. My fiancee briefly mentioned a beer that he would like to taste that he couldn't find. The next day, Bariki took us to a local shop that he had sourced out that had the beer.
We loved that we were supporting a local Tanzania company. With so much competition in and around Arusha, its so hard to make a decision, but I promise you that booking with Restoration Safaris is the best thing you can do.
Bariki, Mourine and the amazing team at Restoration Safaris - thank you so much for making this the best trip ever for us and we will be SURE to recommend you to every one we know!
US
Email Justin | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The perfect safari – I wouldn’t change a thing!
Our family of 5 (2 parents and 3 sons ages 19, 12 and 10) spent Christmas on safari in Tanzania with Restoration Safaris. The owner and our guide, Mr. Bariki, met us at Kilimanjaro airport and took us on an amazing 10 day trip.
For our itinerary, Mr. Bariki came up with a great balance of animal watching (which was unbelievable), more active events including a safari walk, kayaking and a hike, and some cultural activities including visiting local villages and joining a hunter-gatherer tribe for a hunt. I was worried that some of these might be cheesy – but they all felt completely genuine and we discovered that Tanzanians are truly wonderful people.
The bottom line: I would not change one thing from this trip. Everything was perfectly arranged and Mr. Bariki felt like a member of our family after just a few days. He is incredibly easy-going, friendly and knowledgeable about all the wildlife. He is clearly very experienced and seemed to be held in extremely high regard by the other safari guides.
One final thought: Safaris cost a lot of money. So we were happy that the money we spent will mainly stay in Tanzania - Mr. Bariki is Tanzanian and most of the amazing lodges and campsites we stayed at are also run by local people.
US
Email Barbara | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Total immersion with animals with a local company that cares
The total experience was excellent. It is a family-owned company that will be flexible to what you want to see and allow you time to photograph the animals. They improved the schedule according to migration patterns and rain patterns day by day. the accomodations were excellent. We especially enjoyed the tents in the wilderness areas. The food preparation in the wilderness tents was outstanding. Service was exceptional.
The guides were extremely gifted in spotting animals and in their knowledge of animal behavior. The tour exceeded our expectations. We would highly recommend this company and its tours.
US
Email Ken | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing company with great knowledge, attention to detail, and personal attention
Restoration Safaris exceeded my expectations on my October 2015 trip. The rains were unpredictable this year, wildlife moved in unpredictable ways. The Restoration crew rerouted our safari several times....with flawless execution....you wouldn't have known anything changed from the original plan at any of the venues. The food an accomaditations were excellent, our guides checked on meals and accomidations at every site.
The game drives were excellent at all parks, again the guides were both knowable and personable. In addition to the excellent park visits, restoration insured we had the chance to visit a school, town, and a Masi village and interact with the people of this amazing country.
For knowledge, personal service, flexibility, and overall trip experience, I would highly recommend Restoration Safaris.
US
Email Sue | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable safari
Prior to booking with Restoration Safaris, we asked for and received some excellent references, all of which we verified and a number of whom responded to our questions. We researched various options and asked for a variety of accommodations, ranging from luxury to fairly simple mobile tent camp. This year the rains were unpredictable and, as a result, wildlife migration patterns were not what anybody expected. Owner Bariki and his wife (this is a family-owned company) scheduled our trip so we could enjoy as much wildlife as possible. We had plenty of time to not merely see but observe animals. Our two drivers (we were a group of 8, 4 in each Toyota Land Cruiser) worked together to provide us with a truly wonderful experience. Our trip included visits to a number of national parks as well as a Maasai village, a school serving Maasai children, a somewhat larger village and the Olduvai Gorge (where the Leakys did research). The trip was tailored to our interests. We are delighted to recommend Restoration Safaris.
US
Email Angela J. | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An outstanding experience in beautiful Tanzania.
Our experience with Restoration Safari far exceeded my expectations. The staff were incredibly warm, knowledgeable, and well prepared. All details were seen to and there were many delightful surprises along the way. As you would expect, we saw a tremendous variety of beautiful animals. However, that was really only the beginning. We also had the opportunity to see a multitude of landscapes in several different regions and parks. We experienced local culture and toured several villages. The lodgings were varied and special; they added great interest to our journey. Truly, ours was the trip of a lifetime in the capable hands of Restoration Safari. I highly recommend this operation!
US
Email Norman | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Over-the-top outstanding, Restoration Safaris clearly disginguised itself for excellence.
Everyone I speak with has good things to say about their African safari. A closer look highlights differences, and Restoration Safaris distinguished itself for excellence and value.
* Unforgettable safari: Our guides Bariki and Alfaio masterfully managed the many game drives, going way beyond simply naming animals and plants and providing detailed descriptions of animal development, behavior, life-cycles and interactions within their own species and with others. We stopped hundreds of times to point out animals and birds near and far--many of which were difficult to notice, and with special attention to animal behavior with all the interest this brings. Our guides frequently taught other guides where to look for animals and answered questions their clients had asked. It was obvious that they were providing a highly enriched experience. We were constantly invited to observe and understand animal behavior that went way beyond just seeing the animals.
* Personal attention to all our needs: Meticulous attention to all throughout.
* Un-rushed atmosphere: no hurrying and ignoring things along the way to meet deadlines; nor was the pace slow. Our guides accomplished this by superb preparation always being organized, resulting in optimal use of time.
* Flexible planning: We communicated for months with Mourine to tailor the safari to our interests and needs. The result was a safari that met those needs and exceeded our expectations.
* Rich cultural experience: Our experiences included visiting and talking with local residents in neighborhoods, schools, Masai village, and 1:1 nature walks. The Tanzanian people are friendly and open, and we were able to understand and appreciate their values, history, customs, and challenges in adjusting, adapting and thriving in the modern world.
* Commitment to the human, animal & plant and physical environment: Restoration Safaris is committed to the health of the environment.
* Outstanding lodging and food: We had both the "lodges" and "tents" experience. Both were wonderful, interesting and safe experiences. Talk about being close to nature!
* Truth in advertising: When Restoration Safaris promotional material states "14-day safari" it is really a 14-day safari, not an 11-day safari plus 3 days travel to get there and back.
* Great value: Read the itineraries and compare costs. Restoration Safaris is highly competitive.
* Outstanding human experience.
* All in all, a remarkable, memorable and satisfying experience.
US
Email Susan Silberman | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
I came for the animals; but I'm returning for the people
Some trips are just wonderful memories. This was life-changing. Obviously, I loved seeing the animals in their natural habitat and was astounded by Bariki and Alphayo's detailed knowledge of the animals and their behavior. It became a challenge to see a bird in fight and test their ability to identify the bird (they almost always got it right.) And, because of their knowledge of their land, we saw it all -- lion prides eating kills, vultures fighting over their portions, young animals nursing and playing, cubs and chicks, and even flagrant animal sex while our cameras clicked. I'll never see a zoo -- even an open zoo - the same again. There is nothing like seeing free animals in their natural habitat.
But, more importantly, it was the passion about their country and their dreams for their country that ignited me and my fellow safariors. When we met people, Bariki could tell us about their lives and dreams. We met children who walk 2 miles barefoot to get to school, carrying the firewood that they need to cook their soup for lunch, so that they can sit in classes with 100 kids of different ages without adequate paper and pens and resources. We brought colored pencils but what the school needs is water and paper and workbooks. This was not a picture of poverty but courage and determination. The land is harsh and difficult (but beautiful and amazing) and they love their land and their country.
But they want their children to be educated. And the children want to learn.
I've been in many countries where people live an agrarian lifestyle and, personally, I believe the 5000 years of their lifestyle has much more likelihood of survival than our 200 years in rabbit warrens we call cities. That said, Tanzanians want it all -- they fervently want the education for their children as much as they love their community and their lifestyle. They want their children to have a future that is not entirely dependent on the rain. Everywhere we went there were schools pathetically equipped where kids and teachers were using whatever they had to learn English and writing.
And the most obvious concern was water. When we asked the head teacher what she needed most -- thinking the answer would be paper, books, pencils -- she said it was water. They pay to have a water truck come and, of course, there is no money for it. Water. It seems so basic to me.
A water catchment system is set up in some schools and, even towards the end of the dry season, there was water. Such an easy solution to such a dramatically frightening problem. Bariki and his family are passionately involved in helping their country and protecting the environment that they love. And their commitment is infectious.
We will be back to help be a part of the astounding dream of these amazing people. It is an exciting time in Africa with a generation of children who are eager to learn.
I highly recommend Restoration Safaris.