ES
50-65 years of age
Dream come true
It has been incredible to enjoy seeing wild animals leaving free, as if time had stopped there (for europeans as me).
The scenery, Serengeti, Ngorongoro, etc... it's something I will remember forever, and that must be protected.
People in Tanzania are very kind, and always smile, showing that are not neccesary lots of things to be happy.
The journey, safari and extension to Zanzibar has been perfect. Soul of Tanzania taylored it according our indications and with our amazing guide Ayoub we enjoyed every moment and minute of it.
The experience in the safari watching animals in their natural environment it's unforgetable.
I will recommend everybody, if can afford, to enjoy this authentic travel in space and time, now that it is still possible, and assuring that you won't regret.
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Stephen is the best guide one can ask for!
On my first trip to Uganda, now almost 8 years ago, i met Stephen who was at that time an employee at Matoke Tours. Stephen had been a driver in Uganda for a while but this was his first trip for an international (dutch in fact) group. Right from the start my friend and i was suprised by his eagerness to learn: he was soaking up all kind of information he could in order to provide the tourist with information in the future. He was interested in our culture, how we saw the world, studied all folders in hotels and parks, learned quickly about different bird species, etc. His willingness to learn was astonishing and soon enough we found out Stephen was a very intelligent person. Not only that, he also has a fantastic personality: he is very honoust, social and fun to be with! One feels comfortable being around him. He is always happy to help, answer questions, tell about his country but also knows instinctly when it is the right time to be quite and just enjoy what we see around us.
With his intelligence, eagerness to learn and pleasant and trustworthy caracter it was obvious that Stephen had great potential in the tourist industry!
He took several courses on tourism and wildlife and by the time i returned to Uganda almost one year later he had grown from not only being driver to also guiding private tours.
A few years later i was happy to meet Stephen again in Belgium where he was promoting tourism in Uganda. I was so proud of him being there. I knew he had the potential to make it in the tourism industry but apart from the potential one needs the right attitude to get where you want to be.
Stephen has the right attitude: he is a hard worker, will do everything to make his clients happy, he is flexible and listens well to his clients wishes. By now he is very experienced in tourism, knows what clients want and probably one of the most important things: you can trust him! If Stephen makes a promise to you, you can be sure he will make it happen.
I am very happy that Stephen has started his own travel agency Cul Tours! It is without any doubt that i recommend anyway to go and travel with him! Cul Tours will make your holiday in Uganda an unforgettable one where you will see and encounter more than "just" the highlight. You will get the chance to taste the real Uganda, like i did.
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Excellent experience--look forward to doing it again !
Everything was absolutely superb, most enjoyable and faultless.
Had taken 5 grand children ages 16 to 19. Each and everyone of them came back with precious memories.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Adventure of a lifetime! Arusha - Lake Manyara - Ngorongoro - Serengeti - Mara River - Zanzibar! :D
I booked this trip from the UK through Regional Tours; Maturaf was my contact in Tanzania. The planning process was not entirely smooth as communication is difficult at times. Maturaf is very busy and is sometimes difficult to reach via WhatsApp but does eventually get back to you. We managed to put together out itinerary via email. Matura was very helpful and I found him to be the most flexible safari tour operator. Our driver was Hassan who is a young 29 year old gentleman with 6 years of game driving experience.
The itinerary above thankfully worked out very well for us. This was an anniversary trip which started from the UK. We flew to Dubai and stayed there for a few days to break up the journey and give us a chance to relax whilst knowing that there was a stark difference to our holiday setting on the horizon which added a further element of excitement.
We flew in to Mt Kilimanjaro airport from Dubai, the flight landed at 4am and we were met promptly by our driver Hassan. We were then taken by road to The African Tulip Hotel in Arusha. We took a full day of rest before starting our safari the following day. I would highly recommend this as it gives you the chance to gear up for safari without feeling drained from the outset.
Arusha is a small town with a few hotels, I felt the main attraction for Arusha was its location as a respite following a long flight. Arusha is around 1 hour drive from Mt Kilimanjaro airport. We did go out during the day towards the clock tower but we felt the locals were a little overbearing, one local walked with us the whole way, although he was friendly it was difficult to enjoy the walk as a couple.
African Tulip hotel is a perfect place to stop and wind down, it has more than enough facilities including great staff, Anthony was great as well as Anoop the hotel manager, he was kind enough to upgrade our room to a larger suite with balcony.
Our next hotel was Ngorongoro wildlife lodge. The view from each and every room and the main hotel balcony is phenomenal. You see the whole of the crater beneath you and I would recommend one night here which is enough to enjoy the dinner and views with early morning for sunrise watching the clouds roll over the hills into the crater. Everyone is on safari mode and there is a real sense of adventure.
The bathrooms in the lodge are a little small and basic but they are sufficient. The power goes out between 11pm and 5am but this wasn’t a problem for most people as safari timing is usually: sleep at 10-11pm and wake up at 6-7am throughout your whole safari.
It got very cold at night but the hotel was kind enough to supply us with a fan heater which we used to really warm the room up before power went out.
The next hotel was Serengeti Tortillis camp. This was our first time in tented accommodation and it was a great experience. The tent is spacious and has all the amenities you need. The staff were very friendly and attentive. A hot shower has to be requested and is ready in 5 minutes. I felt this type of accomodation was the best way to experience the Serengeti.
Our next hotel was Mara Kati Kati tented camps. This is a mobile camp which follows the great migration. This was very similar to Tortillis. The staff were friendly and food was well prepared by an on site chef. The only negative was that during the shower there is a member of staff stood outside the tent topping up the water when you ask for it, each top up doesn’t last long so that didn’t give the best privacy.
Sunset by the dining area is a great way to experience the natural beauty of the Serengeti.
Our final stop was Warere beach hotel in Zanzibar. I truly felt this was the best hotel in Zanzibar. This was purely because it felt like a safe, relaxing haven. We did venture into Nungwi where the majority of hotels are but it was far too busy, there were too many locals trying to sell their tours or goods and too much of a party vibe.
Zanzibar is the perfect location for a wind down post safari and warere is the place to do this. They looked after us really well, they even set up a private honeymoon dinner by the pool and gave us another room for a late checkout.
Good luck and safe travels!
RU
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful places, beautiful nature, rich wildlife, nice people
My journey lasted almost two weeks, including Zanzibar, safari in several National parks in mainland and trekking in Usambara. To organize the trip, I turned to several companies and guides, all of them left the best impressions, which I've already shared in special reviews. This journey was one of my most memorable. Among all those who helped me in organizing it, I express my gratitude to the site safaribookings.com, which was very useful in establishing contacts and negotiating.
SG
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A great tour and an excellant guide
We joined the 4-Day Safari to Kruger National Park via Panorama Route. Our guide, Hoppy, is friendly, courteous and very knowledgeable. We were lucky to see the BIG 5 on this trip. The air-conditioned van was clean and exceptionally comfortable especially in the cold mornings. The whole tour including the drives, accommodations and meals was well-arranged and good. We highly recommend Wildlife Safaris (Pty) Ltd and Hoppy.
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
great experience at Entabeni
We drove to Entabeni reserve, about three hours from Johannesburg and we slept for two nights at Wildside Camp. The Camp is not that easy to find but the personnel is very kind, so if you contact them, they are available to guide you by phone. The scenario is incredibly nice, with a characteristic landscape dominated by Hanglip Mountain. There is one game drive in the morning and one in the afternoon, lating three hours each. The guides are nice and experienced. We spotted a pack of lions from very close, cheetahs hunting, elephants crossing the road and rhinos from the distance. The reserve is not so much populated (often the guide drove even for one hour without seeing any animal) but there's a good chance to see the animals from a very short distance. The food at Wilside is very good and the rooms are clean and spacious.
Trip to Botswana
Robert was a great help with our last minute trip planning.
Everything went smoothly. Accom was great.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Truly unique and once in a lifetime experience
My husband and I joined two of our close friends in Tanzania for a 10 day wildlife + Zanzibar beach tour, run by Magufwa Safaris. It was such an amazing holiday. We saw incredible wildlife on our Safari: Wildebeasts, zebra, lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, giraffe and more! The environment itself was stunning and made you really take a moment to appreciate our fragile planet. Our guide, Leonce, was terrific - very knowledgeable and great company. The highlight of the trip was definitely staying at the Hippo Trails Camp in the Seregeti were you sleep amongst the wildlife with superb hospitality. The team running the camp were so welcoming and warm and made our stay there such a delight.
We spent the last few days relaxing on Zanzibar at Blue Bay Hotel. The ocean views were stunning and napping under the sun listening to the waves was the perfect way to end our tour.
Overall our experience was amazing and very special -- I cannot recommend Tanzania enough!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
amazing
Tanzania i a beautiful country with amazing people. Safari was amazing we will never forget it. it was the most welcoming country ever.
thank you Tanzania for a most beautiful experience.