20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Disappointing attitude
I wouldn't recommend TSS to anybody considering a safari in Tanzania - we didn't find them to be very professional at all and overall they handled our trip poorly. Firstly, their representative was late for our pre-safari briefing, and when we tried to call them their number was disconnected. As our hotel receptionist said she had never heard of them we found this a little worrying. When they did arrive we were told that due to reports back from Lake Manyara (where we were supposed to go on our first day) that there wasn't much wildlife being spotted, we would be going to Tarangire instead with a different group. This wasn't really a problem, but it would have been better to be told in advance rather than just before departure as we would have had more time to consider our options.
On the safari itself, our second day took us to Serengeti. As we were driving into the Serengeti the car had a fault, causing us to then be stuck at the gate there for 3 hours while it was looked at. This meant we missed a lot of game drive time, and arrived at camp having to set up our tents in the dark without any assistance after eventually being picked up by a different vehicle just before sunset. While we understand that faults like this happen, the way the situation dealt with was really not good enough - we repeatedly asked what was going on and were not given any information or any sense that there was a proper procedure to follow in incidents such as this.
After returning to Arusha at the end of our safari, two members of our group went to the operator's office in person to request a partial refund due to the time missed on safari, which they were given ($100 each). As we were leaving that day we didn't have chance to do so ourselves, so decided to email Elvice at TSS afterwards. The attitude we received when telling him what had happened and requesting the same refund as the others was appalling and completely unprofessional. He implied heavily that we were lying, and that the others had no such refund (they did, I maintained contact with them and checked this several times), then this changed to him telling us that the others had a refund because of problems in Kenya beforehand (they hadn't even been to Kenya).
The final straw was his attempt at emotional manipulation in telling us that they only offer group safaris to help people and they don't make a profit on them, so this refund would have to come out of his own pocket and would destroy years of hard work and that they'd have to consider stopping group safaris, that he'd have to beg to borrow it from a friend etc etc. At this point I gave up - I am not interesting in bankrupting anybody, and frankly found the whole thing ridiculously unprofessional.
There are plenty of other safari operators available and I would advise avoiding Tanzania Safari Supremacy if possible.
NNP urgemtly need quick revamp....boring place
I visited NNP december 2015 after more than 5yrs.
1.Surely this place need revamp.Animal orphnage looks du from entrance all way to cages looks same and old.seats , cages,dustbins are old.elephants skelotons shud be replaced and mounted or hanged in attractive housing.this place is lion den and full of smell.
2~There are no animals in safari walk or any kws work to do something to attract them from hidding place to the watching spots.
3-Why shud one pay twice ...orphanage and safari walk....it shud be once.cashier at safariwalk on 27th december asked my kids age thinking i was lyjng that are under 18.....he sounded rude.
All in all this place cannot compete with even orphanges and nations with imported animals.
At one point the lioned roared and kids were afraid but noticed they wanted to be freed from cages since was already 11am.
Kws shud use monies to change this place....it is boring to see animals without someone explaning.....can staff be tasked to take group of 10 -20 around....this will have desired results...know heritage kr animals
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Overpriced and overrated
absolutely, the great migration is a spectacle you must see at least once. But other than that, I found Tanzania to be mostly disappointing. Not so much what we all saw, but more the overall experience. If you keep in mind that you are visiting the most expensive national parks in the world, you expect something in return. In the Serengeti, for example, I think the roads were extremely bad. We did 10 days of full day safaris, which at the end I almost couldn't last because of the back pain. The rest camps are completely worthless and unpleasant. Again, for the most expensive national parks in the world you can really expect more. The distances between our sightings were often enormous. Everyone drives through the Serengeti at unprecedented speed to make sure you don't miss a lion that is then sitting 200 meters off the road... And which you are watching with 70 other cars... Guides do not behave professionally, push the animals too much and the tourists are also 'once in a lifetime safari poop', which you can see from their behavior. It is often noisy during sightings and I found it difficult to enjoy it. All in all disappointing, not value for money and the safaris were not romantic and relaxing as I often feel in private parks.
IE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Refunded for day 1 of trip
** UPDATE APRIL 2015
Thanks to peter for refunding us the cost of our first day's travel as promised
** ORIGINAL REVIEW
We booked transport from Nairobi airport to Masai Mara for 7.30am dept time so we could do an afternoon game drive. We left nairobi 8 hours late at 3:30 pm having waited all day and arrived at 9:30pm and missed entirely one of our two days of game drives. We were given continued excuses over and over again and several requests for money en route for expenses etc. We had paid upfront and in full. This company almost ruined the entire trip. Thankfully we had independently booked great accommodation who provided their own good driver and guide for our game drive the next day. This company is not anywhere near good enough and should be avoided at all costs. They have promised a refund but continuously have deferred about paying this.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great safari, average food, poor accommodation..
The driver who picked us up from Dar and stayed with us the whole trip was a good, safe driver who really did an effort to make sure we had a satisfying safari tour.
The accommodation where we stayed the first two nights, cottage in Mikumi, was very poor (shower didn't work, room wasn't really clean, some windows did not have curtains, AC only worked 10% of the time) but the view was amazing. The food they served was average, if there was any. After our morning drive we only got an egg for breakfast... So our driver took us somewhere else for lunch, which was great, the food was really good and we had a fantastic view over the wildlife park.
The accommodation in which we were supposed to stay in Udzungwa appeared to be fully booked (how is that possible when you book your tour two months in advance??), but luckily they were able to place us in Hondo Hondo instead of a downgrade hotel they offered us at first. Hondo Hondo is great place to stay!
The safari's we did during the first three days and the hike in Udzungwa on the fourth day were perfect! We saw all animals you hope to see on a safari and the view on the hike was amazing (good knowledgeable guide as well)!
Overall we feel like we have paid way too much for this tour and would not recommend to book your safari's with Gombe unless they give a 50% discount on their price or give you some sort of a guarantee to arrange proper accommodation.
Review about Lake Nakuru National Park by Ronn Spencer
Few Rhinos and the flamingos have gone.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Safari was fantastic but the road trip to and from was a disaster.
Helpful in booking and changing / amending booking at the last minute to an exceptionally good and exclusive safari. Picking up both times before the breakfast time at hotels and then stopping for long periods of time to pick up other passengers, once for an hour. Not stopping for food during 8-9 hours of road trip. Not friendly at all and not open to receiving feedback. Poor communication skills by the staff.
RU
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Overrated. Had no luck with a guide driver.
So the main complaint is about information. It seems that our guide driver Matu was a lier! Or a joker, but it was not good that information about animals he gave us and other guides gave was very different. As not an local we cannot prove anything so it was kind of unfair. Also, he was late every day. Talked a lot with somebody on the phone and with other drivers. It was very uncomfortable to travel with him. He never commented his actions. We were driving about 3 hours under the hot sun with no words where are we go and what a going to do. And he had very bad accent. He always said "glass" instead of "grass" and other words.
Also it is a complaint about hot drinks. It was highlighted in the contract that drinks like sodas and beers are not included. But they didn't say a word that hot drinks are not included into lunches and you should buy it!
But they gave us a better price for that time. But at the same time the hotels and camps they are providing are so poor and incomfortable. Other proc is that they didn't want a prepayment (you know that e-payment systems are not brillliant in Africa) and the water was included in price.
I want to say a big thanks for Vinsent.
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Not safe
Amboseli was good with a lot of Animals, but tswo East e west are not good. 2 days driving and we saw few or not Animals.
On the beach, beachboys are so boring and you can't live your Sea experience in peace. I cant suggest Kenya Just for this reason. Sea and beach are Maldive level for me
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing beauty of dunes and desert
Namib Naukluft National Park is a beautiful park, but not a your typical safari destination. You won't see much game, nor will you see many birds. You will see a lot of sand, but it's beautiful. The patterns in the sand, the variations in colors of the dunes (older dunes are darker then younger dunes).
Visit Sossusvlei, Dead vlei and climb the popular Dune 45, the most photographed dune. Dunes can be as high as 300 meters.
I flew with a small plane from Dessert Air over Namib Naukluft national park and saw the endless desert, the fairy circles en de red dunes from above. A day i won't forget, ever.
