DK
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Yet another great tour with Hidaya
This is my third trip with Hidaya and I will for sure be booking with them again next time. For me it is important to have an operator that you trust and make you feel safe on the roads. This is exactly what I get from Hidaya. So my best recommendations for this operator.
FI
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Enthusiastic travel expert & entrepreneur with good connections
I'm a solo traveler and were looking for a reasonable priced trip on a short notice to some Tanzania national park from Zanzibar. I got an offer within an our of the request (monday at 9.30 pm) for the two days trip to Mikumi national park on Wednesday morning. The trip was amazing! We had a ferry from Zanzibar to Dar Es Salaam and continued from there with a nice clean minivan. It was nice to see some hustle of the city and local life, but also see the nature and smaller villages on our way to Mikumi. Tour Guide Fessal was very nice and gave me plenty of information about Zanzibar and Tanzania on our way.
We had a Game Drive in Mikumi at the late afternoon. We were lucky to see plenty of animals there. Lions, giraffes, elephants.. Even a small crocodile! Accomondation in Mikumi Park cottage was nice and a buffet dinner was tasty. We had another game drive early next morning.
I highly recommend Imara Tours for similar trips. Fessal was a true professional and I really enjoyed the experience. If you are looking for a bit different and less expensive trip to Mikumi, choose Imara Tours! The trip involves some sitting in a car, so if you have a busy schedule, you might want to consider flying e.g. another side.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
4 day Tanzania Safari: Local operator raised in a Masai tribe.
This being our 3rd trip to Safari in Africa we didn't think it could possibly get any better, we were pleasantly surprised because we were even more spoiled by the terrific timing of unique animal sighting experiences, wonderful weather, and our magnificent driver/guide Mahlisa who was very personable and spoke English clearly. Realizing the weather and animals are not in our control keeps us humble in how fortunate we were to have the best of both, and getting assigned to a guide with 16 years experience certainly helped get us to the right place at the right time on many occasions. Our decision to choose the mid range package of accommodations was perfect for us. Our lodging experience went from the least luxurious to the most, however; the itinerary wasn't originally set up that way as it was changed due to a group that cancelled their trip. No complaint on our end for that! Upon arrival we stayed one night at Karibu Heritage before starting our Safari, and one night after finishing our Safari - Not impressed with their lack of adherence to time commitments. When you tell them you are getting picked up at 6:30 a.m. and are assured you can have breakfast at 6 a.m. don't expect the cook to arrive until 6:30 and you eat while your jeep waits! Happened twice at that hotel, but the accommodations were fine. Shuhudia Adventure Tented Lodge was nice as far as luxury tent camping goes. Clean and comfortable bed, bathroom in your tent with a shower, hot water and enough pressure to get the water through the pipes, but don't expect a massaging shower head. Ngorongoro Rhino Lodge had good food in a nice lodge and the room had a nice view of the jungle and a back deck to relax on. Be forwarned, if it rains, the metal roof makes it sound a lot worse than it is. We were worried about the tent campers traveling with us because of what we thought was a torrential downpour at night and they hardly new it rained! Our last night was the best at Marera Valley Lodge for comfort and a pool. Staff was accommodating and the lodge was very well kept and clean. Bookending our trip was the tour operator Nole. After picking us up at the airport upon our arrival, informing us of itinerary changes he left us in the hands of our Driver/guide Mahlissa. At the conclusion of our tour Nole helped us arrange a day trip to the Materuni Falls and Coffee plantation where we ground and roasted our own beans for coffee and had lunch, then dropped us back at the airport. He was in contact with us before our arrival and kept us informed about any changes, as well as helped with any info we needed along the way. His love for his job shows through his actions and his desire to educate about the Masai culture and history was an added bonus for us. What we paid for the trip was well worth it for us.
LU
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Reliable operator with good 4X4 vehicles & excellent driver/guide
Going on a safari in Africa has been our dream for a long time. We approached several travel agencies in Kenya and Nairobi to request a few offers. After comparing the different options, choosing Morning Star for our safari was easy. Thank you, Dennis, for organizing our safari. We visited Amboseli, Aberdare, Lake Nakuru, and Masai Mara and experienced Kenya's diverse and beautiful nature and animals.
We began our journey at Amboseli National Park and stayed two nights at the cosy Kibo Lodge. The tents were spacious and clean, the food was delicious, and there were gluten-free options. The staff was friendly, and the views of Mount Kilimanjaro were epic. Kibo Lodge is close to the amazing Amboseli National Park.
From Amboseli to Aberdare, we sat in the car for several hours. Before our safari, we debated whether to skip the Ark Hotel and the mountain area due to the long distance. Luckily, we didn't, as the area was beautiful and different from other National Parks we visited. However, it's worth noting that the bus trip from Country Club to The Ark Hotel was more of a transportation than a game drive. Despite the need to update the rooms, The Ark is an old and charming hotel where we felt a sense of community.
The third stop was Lake Nakuru's National Park and the luxury Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge. The lodge staff was friendly and helpful throughout our stay. The kitchen staff was exceptionally great and advised on gluten-free options. The buffet food selection was extensive and diverse. The garden was well-kept and large, and the pool area looked lovely. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to enjoy it. The lodge is inside the National Park, and our guide, James, spotted two female lions only a few hundred meters after the lodge gate.
Our last leg was the breathtaking Masai-Mara National Park. We stayed in Zebra Plains Mara Camp, a mid-range tent accommodation with friendly and caring staff. The food, also gluten-free, was very good, but the menu itself could have had some more options. Common areas are comfortable. The walk from the common areas to our tents was long but good exercise after sitting in a car most of the day. We liked listening to the sounds of the night: birds, hyenas, lions. The park was just in front of our eyes and ears.
Our guide and driver, James, made the experience incredible and unforgettable. He was always communicative and willing to answer our questions. He is an excellent and speedy driver who prioritizes safety on the road. He is also a good photographer and took many good photos for us. Thank you James!
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing Safari Experience with Mixden Tours and Travel
My safari experience with Mixden Tours and Travel was amazing and unforgettable! All was handled with professionalism and genuine care
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
It was an adventure!
Raymond was amazing. He was our tour guide and driver and we had an amazing time because of him. The hotel was also really nice, I was shocked on how beautiful it was for the price. The food was also great. We got to see 4 out of the big 5 and I would highly recommend this tour.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Safari
From the moment we contacted Viva Safaris everything went smoothly. All information was provided for us to make our choice as to what type of accommodation we wanted and the length of safari.
We were picked up at our hotel and transported to the lodge just in time for our sunset safari and bbq.
The accommodations were lovely, all the staff were fantastic, and the meals were amazing.
All our safaris and bush walks were very informative. The guides were very insightful and knew just where to find the animals.
All in all, this was a fantastic experience!
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An Amazing lifetime travel experience, thanks to Swala Safaris and ChaCha (our tour guide) !
We did our Safari in February 2024, visiting all the major national parks in Northern Tanzania: the Tarangire, lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti.
I will not go in day by day details, also because every travel or safari experience is unique! But what we alived was truly amazing.
Amazing, not only because we saw animals of all kinds: all the big five (Rhinos, Elephants, Buffaloes, a Leopard and many Lions), Hyenas, thousands and thousands of Zebras and Wildbeasts, Crocodiles, Cheetahs, Thompson gazelles, many species of birds. But, also, because we had the privilege of experiencing unique situations such as: lions hunting, lions meeting, we spent a day with Hadzabe tribes and Maasai, even the experience of having a lion passing close to our tent overnight!
I'm an amateur potographer, I have been to many countries in Africa doing safari (Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa, Madagascar....), but this was really a lifetime experience.
And now let me thank who made all this possible. Thanks to Stephen and Jasper from Swala Safaris for their patience in fullfilling all my wishes, taking care of any single detail (from car's equipments to room types in lodge/accommodations) without surprises......from paper to reality! And, thanks to ChaCha our super, amazing guide/driver, full of skills, knowledge and full of a contagious enthusiasm......simply number 1! TOP !
Thanks! Alex, Enzo and Paolo.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fun and entertaining
Happy chappy was very informative, funny and enthusiastic guide at the Kruger park
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent service from start to finish Fan
Fantastic tour guide nothing was too much trouble. Day went like clockwork. Superb customer service from Moafrika Tours cannot fault them highly recommended them.