Tanzania Safari Specialists
Bobby Tours Tanzania Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 1976)
- Member Of:
- TATO & TTB
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $150 to $400 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
TR
Email Deniz | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
I wish I had the chance to go back and change my choice of tour company.
Very poor guide, very old car. We did not feel welcome at all. Unsatisfaction from the beginning to the end. Tanzania is a heavenly country and deserves to be explored with a better company in professional hands.
Reply from Bobby Tours Tanzania Safaris
Posted on Nov 27, 2023We sincerely apologize for your unsatisfactory experience with us, Denis . Your feedback is crucial, and we deeply regret any disappointment. We appreciate your insights and will use them to enhance our services. If given the chance, we'd love the opportunity to make amends and provide a more positive safari experience.
IN
Email arif | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
nice experience .. but not without glitches
we went 3 nights 4 days trip .. tarangire serengetti and ngorongoro..
first the company was very quick to respond to the queries .. owner was very polite
the glitch .. we had booked luxury tented camps but by mistake they booked lodges and the owner said in confirmation email he had mentioned lodges .. when they changed luxury tents into lodges in their email i never knew and hence had no option but to go forward with them ( though it turned into a blessing as lodges were very nice and with 2 small kids tented camps would be too wild an experience)
we had booked lake manyara also but as i tweaked itinery as per my convenience they dropped lake manyara entrance fees and when i reached my lodge near lake manyara and we had enough time to go inside the park driver said the fees hasnt been paid so we cant go inside so we just saw lake manyara from our lodge which had a great view
all the lodges were great .. service was superb .. food great .. rooms clean and spacious with a bath tub.. and with great views over lake manyara and ngorongoro crater .. the lodge in serengetti (lobo) was very far inside the park but it was a great game drive deep into serengetti while reaching the lodge
the chefs and managers were very welcoming and polite .. food was awesome
driver abu salim was fantastic in spotting animals .. we spotted around 40 lions ( a pride of 15 lions together) in serengetti and ngorongoro .. we saw a cheetah hunt .. leopards on trees .. all big 5 were spotted ( though rhino was seen from a distance in ngorongoro).. only issue with driver was he looked to cut short the game drive hours and reach lodges early though he was unbeatable on spotting animals..
the vehicle provided was 1st class .. a long vehicle 8 seater land cruiser was provided for us 2 adults 2 kids and as kids had their space the journey was very comfortable
over all the experience was great .. the safari was one of the most undorgettable experience of my life ..
i am taking 2 stars away from bobby tours for 2 reasons .. 1 for booking lodges without informing me and 2 for not paying entry fees of lake manyara otherwise their service was alright.
so you can book with them but reconfirm what you are getting before doing any payments
Reply from Bobby Tours Tanzania Safaris
Posted on Nov 27, 2023Thank you Arif for sharing your safari experience with us. We're delighted you enjoyed the trip and appreciated our team's efforts. We apologize for the glitches and appreciate your feedback, which helps us improve. We hope to welcome you again for another unforgettable adventure.
IN
Email BadriNarayanan | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent tour at an amazingly affordable price
We had a great experience with Bobby tours. All the stays we're arranged as per itinerary and the hotel stay we're amazing. Our tour guide Moses was knowledgeable and helped us spot wildlife throughout the Safari.
Email Rocco | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
When you research from online reviews and they all just go flying out the window! Must read
Like all modern travels, TripAdvisor, forums and peer reviews become the essentials when researching and planning for a trip to make sure you have everything planned to precise details. Upon going through all the online tips and advices from the so called "travel experts" and those who have been to Tanzania, it is often mentioned that one should stay away from budget tour operators and those below $1800 for a kilimanjaro trek would be highly risky and one should simply not risk his/her life for. Alongside with mixed reviews we have seen for pretty much every single tour major tour operators in Tanzania (including bobby tours), we were skeptical but decided to take upon the "risk" of using bobby tours as their price offerings were simply unrivaled, at times costing less than half of other tour operators for the same services. We exchanged many emails with the supportive assistance of Kassim and proceeded with the booking just a few weeks before our trip. There we are, three of us lads touching down at Tanzania and we were greeted with a driver from bobby tours to take us from the airport to bobby tours' office in Arusha and finalised our payment for the trip (6 days machame kilimanjaro climb + 4 days safari camping). Out with the old cliches of having a trip of the lifetime and how the hospitality was great etc etc like all other reviews (which it certainly was)... The whole mountain experience and services by all the tour operators we have come across with were very similar and does not warrant the premium prices charged by many other tour operators (we talked to a lot of other people using diff tour operators at each campsite, because you would finish the day by evening everyday and have nothing to do after dinner). Our tour guides Honest and Tila made us felt welcome at all times (very very banterful all the way through, possibly the most vocal and engaging guides we have seen on kili as other guides and porters would always come over and banter with them in Swahili, at times teaching us the essential one liners that would put a smile on everyone’s face) and they were very aware of potential signs of altitude sickness, helping us to adjust our pace to ensure we were all able to reach the summit on the fifth day. In hindsight, we chose bobby tours due to its attractive pricing offer at first but if we were to come back to tazania again and had to pay for a premium/ luxury trip we would happily do so with Bobby tours. It was the immense hospitality and friendliness of the guides and porters that made this trip so special. When facilities (camping equipment, food) are all similar on the mountains, services are what you would value most. We would see other tour guides rarely interacting with their clients and some are very limited in their English fluency, inevitably taking some of the joy and positive vibes away along the journey. At the end of the trip, our guide invited us to have a home cooked dinner with his family in Arusha prior taking us to a local club which we have been talking about day in day out during the climb. As for the Safari trip, our guide Shafiq was professional and drove us to some hidden places to see swamps of hippos, groups of lions chilling under a tree and we were able to catch all the big five within 24 hours at the Serengeti. A lot of online reviews mentioned vehicle break downs and petrol shortage for the trip which we did not encounter, everything was smooth whilst we witnessed multiple breakdowns from other vehicles which were simply unfortunate and would happen to anyone in the safari. Overall, having first-hand experience with bobby tours, it is a struggle to understand and come to consensus with some of the lesser positive reviews given that common problems such as vehicle break downs, dirty campsite toilets, limited food range and quality which are all part and parcel of the experience on the mountains and in the safari. Taking into account of all the controllable factors, bobby tours have more than exceeded our expectations and even bettered than many of the so called premium/ luxury tour operators. Highly recommend for all!
NL
Email Abdessamad | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing safari trip
My partner and I decided to book a trip after arriving in Arusha. Bobby Tours managed to arrange our 4 day Safari trip within one day. The managers Kassim and his father were most welcoming and transparent.
On top of that, their services, packages and prices are clear and competitive compared to other agencies we visited.
During our private trip, we were in the company of a guide Philemon and a chef Musa. Philemon was very knowledgeable and answered all our questions on Tanzanian culture, the animals, traditions and Swahili language. We really enjoyed the 4 days with him as a guide. Moussa the chef managed to prepare very tasty breakfasts, lunches and dinners.
On our way back we had some issues with the car tires. As we had a flight booked directly at the end of our trip schedule, we missed our flight. Kassim immediately provided the best service after notice to ensure the continuation of our journey, by arranging a taxi, a beautiful hotel and new flight tickets for the morning after. We could not have been assisted better at that moment.
As we had an amazing safari experience, we would highly recommend booking via Bobby Tours if you are looking for a reliable and transparent agency.
And for the Dutch people: every year Kassim and his father are at the Vakantiebeurs in Utrecht .. If you have the opportunity to visit, it is definitely worth it!
US
Email Supratim Sanyal | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Absolutely awesome tour, will do it again!
I was very clear on the kind of safari my son and I wanted to do. We are used to back country camping and we were looking for tents as close to the raw Serengeti as possibles. I spent quite some time and effort researching tour companies and rates. When Bobby Tours responded, my mind was made. Their response was short, direct and to the point; a simple bulleted itinerary and a price that happened to be the lowest in the 20 or so responses. All the other responders sent back various kinds of silly long PDF files and Word Documents that looked like sales brochures and also at least $300 over Bobby's prices per head. Further communications with Bobby Tours only reinforced my impression of a no-nonsense straight-talking company. And after the tour, my son an I can happily say Bobby Tours delivered exactly what they promised and more, and we got the Serengeti safari that we were looking for. The driver was amazing with 24 years of experience, he knew exactly what wildlife to find where and among numerous lions and the big-five we got a classic Mufasa-style lion on the rock photo (the rocks are called Kopjes, or "Masai Rocks"). Our cook was fabulous and caring. Tanzanian public camp-grounds in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro are perfectly acceptable to back-packing back country campers like us.
DE
Email Friedrich Reimund | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
very very nice holiday in Tansania
after a very very nice holiday in Tansania and on the island of Zansibar we are back to Germany. We enjoy to remember the very wonderful safari days we spent together with Moses. Moses has been an excellent driver and it has been not least his merit that the safari became a great and un-forgetable experience for us. We would like to send you thousand thanks for the good organisation – everything has flown smoothly. We told you in your office that we have already been 6 times to Kenia for safari. But this time is has been the best safari we ever had and we would like to ensure you: Our next safari will be with Bobby Tours again !!! Some guests in the hotel on Zansibar asked us about our safari and we informed them about the contact details of your company. Once more thank you and best regards from Germany
CA
Email Mohsin Jessa | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Customer focused with excellent service
You know a tour company is customer focused when they can set up a safari within hours of contacting them - even for a single person like I was. The overnight accommodation between Ngorongoro and Manyara they booked was world class.
Very happy with the driver/guide (Philemon) and the start to finish service. Thanks Bobby Tours.
https://500px.com/p/mojeeza?view=photos
DE
Email Emma | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Came as a client and left as a friend!
Our journey with Bobby Tours, from the climb on the 6 day Machame route of Mount Kilimanjaro, following the camping safari was an absolute delight.
The stunning views of Serengeti and Ngorongoro were made memorable by Mandelas team's knowledge and enthusiasm. We were able to see all the big 5 even though we opted for the rather short 4 day safari.
Bobby Tours' organization and attention to detail were very reliable and allowed us to enjoy our trip absolutely carefree. We highly recommend Bobby Tours for an exceptional adventure in Tanzania. Thank you, and the entire team, for an incredible journey!
Emma & Finn
US
Email Supratim Sanyal | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Astounding Safari Delivered (Again!) by Bobby Tours
Our second safari with Bobby Tours was more magnificent than our first, beating our high expectations from our first tour pretty handily!
We are budget travellers and did the 4-Day Tanzania Budget Camping Safari this time (we had done the 5-day in December of 2021). The tents are large enough for my wife and I and pretty comfortable, the campgrounds well maintained, especially satisfactory to my wife who was okay with the bathrooms. We had requested John as our driver and Miko as our cook since we became friends from our last trip; Kassim, director, Bobby Tours managed to get them both for us. We like to rough out a bit on our safaris and avoid "luxury" options because we want to be as close to the Serengeti as possible. Bobby Tours make Serengeti unforgettable and keeps us wanting to come back. Thanks a ton Bobby Tours, much appreciated and we will be back as soon as we can!
Reply from Bobby Tours Tanzania Safaris
Posted on Nov 27, 2023Thank you Supratim for choosing Bobby Tours again! We're thrilled to hear your second safari surpassed expectations. Your appreciation for the budget camping experience and the dedication of our team, including John and Miko, means the world to us. We can't wait to welcome you back to the Serengeti for more unforgettable adventures!