CZ
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
we got exactly what was agreed
We experienced 11 days travelling with Katona Tours and Travel. Our guide was Richard. We can recommend their services. Our first plan was for 7 days and we were so satisfied, that we extended our trip by another 3 days. Richard was great guide, very helpful and kind. Jackie planned everything as we had required. Having a guided tour is reasonable solution in places like Uganda and Katona is definitely trustworthy choice. Ask for Richard as your guide:-)
Jiri Sana, CZE
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
10 day Northern Tanzania wildlife tour
We had a wonderful tour with East African Safari Co. Communication beforehand was prompt and clear. The trip was planned very well. Lodgings were progressively less rugged and more luxurious, as we made our way from a big pup tent in the Serengeti finally to a fabulous eco lodge near Tarangire. Our guide, William, was wonderful--thoughtful, very knowledgeable, and incredibly good at spotting animals. We had asked for a mix of hiking and driving, and there were several hikes built into the schedule, providing a nice break from time in the Land Rover. We wanted to change the itinerary slightly partway through, by adding Oldivie gorge, and were able to do so (though of course we had to pay the additional entrance fees ourselves).
JP
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An Outstanding Once in a Lifetime Experience
I am very pleased with the 3 nights safari I did with this company. We spent two nights in the Serengeti at a campsite and one night at the Ngorongoro Crater campsite. The weather was good and by lunch of the first day we had already seen the big 4 that one can see in Serengeti. We managed to see lions multiple times and the others at least twice up close. Our guide was the best as well as our cook. We really got along well and I was inspired by how they served us. Our guide was so so knowledgeable and took the time to answer all our questions in sufficient detail. He is also a great driver who got us from place to place safely and used his communication equipment effectively to link with other drivers so we could get to certain spots to see different animals - simply fabulous. Our cook outdid himself - even in the bush and made some pretty tasty meals that stood out more than many others I had had while travelling in the region. It was really great. Our group had good chemistry and we got along well as old friends would have.
Richard, the owner was very professional and friendly. I like how smoothly everything flowed and was so happy to be picked up at the bus stop after hrs getting to Arusha from Dar Es Salaam and getting settled in the hotel provided with a nice meal prepared to order for a good price. I also love the fact that I was taken around to get a bus ticket to Nairobi after the safari and shuttled to the bus pick up point the following day. I experienced outstanding customer service and would do another safari with these guys for sure. They did an outstanding job and everything just worked together well to make it an all round great experience. I did a group safari with people I had never met but awesome for me that we all got on well.
IL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
fantastic tour, amazing guide
thank you Jo for the enjoyable 4-day tour, overall your diligence and willing to go the extra-mile are exceptional. i will definitely recommend you to my friends.
thank you again !
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
5 day Tarangire/Serengeti/Ngorongoro camping safari
First of all, we did book a budget (camping) safari and this company offers a really good price-performance ratio. We have had an awesome time and it was defintely a once in a lifetime experience for us. Our guide Frank was great. He was really friendly and motivated to show us as much animals as possible. Moreover, he was really responsible and tried to fullfill our personal wishes (we spended as much time as we wanted at special locations, e.g. we watched baby lions for more than an hour).
The cook Safafour did a great job and suprised us with really tasty meals.
Although it was a budget safari, the camping equipment for the custumers and also for the staff could be better. The tent was good, but the sleeping bags were quite old and the zipper did not work anymore for 2 of our four sleeping bags, which is a little bit problematic especially at the crater as it gets really cold at night. Moreover, the 'mattress' was very thin and a bit uncomfy.
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
recommended tour operator
We did five days on safari in August and we had a great experience with this tour operator. The proposed solution is very comfortable and all the facilities are excellent. The hotel where they have the office is clean and comfortable, the guide was knowledgeable, good food and very friendly and helpful staff.
I recommend this tour operator because they are very attentive to the needs of customers and the prices excellent.
CZ
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
3 days safari tour - foot slopes
This safari tour was perfect. All begin with the online discussion on the web page, where you can gain all information you need before spending the money. The you are picked up from the airport by the owner (included) and taken to the hotel in the middle of the arusha where you sleep night before and night after the safari tour (both nights included). In the morning the guide takes you directly from the hotel. We have made 3 dayes safari with tarangire, ngorongoro crater and lake manyara. The guide in the jeep is communicative and educated to answer all questions.We had the budget version with the sleep in the tents in the camp between the parks (with swimming pool), which was very nice and we liked the "family" dinner with the other safari guests (like 10 people).
I would definitelly reccoment this company becouse of the very reasonable price and mainly the personal approach of all the staf, who really try to you enjoy the safari.
Six day safari with Eastco
We spent many hours searching the internet and guide books for the right mixture of safari and culture experience. Eastco caught our attention because of their long service to community conservation and their mainly excellent reviews and guides. We got in touch with Simon and planned a short safari. This was late notice and we were glad to be able to experience what we did.
Myself, husband, teenage daughter and young son spent six days with Eastco this past August. We decided to fly out to the Serengeti because of the short time we had and after Simon's advice, spent our two days in the central area at the Acacia camp instead of rushing north for the chance of a river crossing. This was incredible for the many lions we saw, three leopards, one walking nearby the car along the road early morning, and a couple of mature cheetahs. A fantastic way to start the safari!
We then drove east to the Wildlife Lodge on the Ngorongoro crater rim. We were a bit skeptical at first as had fifty fifty reviews, but as Simon said, the views were incredible and that's what made our stay here. It was not as busy as we thought it would be at the lodge, but the game viewing in the crater met all our expectations, crowds of cars around any lion sighting and dust from the cars everywhere. Nice rhino in the distance and a few lazy lions. Bernard did warn us it was a bit touristy! But w still enjoyed the experienced, although I must admit I was ready to head out at lunch time.
The last two nights were at Boundary Hill Lodge in Tarangire. Simon forewarned us that this was partially his property, but also the Masai communities had a shareholding. When we arrived and saw the rooms and the dining terraces we could obviously see the WOW factor. The meals were by far the best we have had on a holiday anywhere. The young cook, Bryan, was exceptional. Apparently Simon took him in when he was only 12 years old and helped him with schooling and taught him the trade. He was very polite, friendly and talkative and really took the time to involve the children, even showing them how to make chapattis and fresh bread rolls. The staff at Boundary Hill were exceptional, we felt at home. The kids had Tinga Tinga art lessons and their efforts now adorn the study!
Tarangire is very much underrated for its game viewing, could not believe how many elephants we saw, as well as three lions and a leopard outlined at dusk on an acacia tree along the swamp. We were very lucky. Or maybe I think Bernard’s 20 odd years of experience was the “luck” we had. He obviously knew every back road and track in Tarangire and certainly was able to show us sights we would never have seen normally. He is also a great raconteur and has a very dry humour. Bernard made our trip exceptional.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great experience
Overall a great experience with Foot Slopes. They answered all my questions before the start of safari promptly and provided the service just as promised. Our driver Juma was amazing. He had great knowledge of all the animal and plant species. I went to Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Tarangire. Maybe all the safari operators can think of ways to imrove food as some people had stomach issues, but Foot Slopes was great in taking care of people who had any health issues. I totally recommend it.
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very bad experience with this company
Very unhappy with Richard Kilonzo and his Safari company:
We booked a 7- day Safari with Richard Kilonzo. To start with, we arranged that somebody from his company would pick us up at the bus station and take us to our hotel; nobody came. Someone from the bus station that didn' t work for him took us to his office. The entrance to the office is embarrasing, full of mud and puddles. He showed himself very friendly the very first day. Not like that the last day when we came back from Safari, that hardly had time to speak to us.
We were supposed to spend a full day driving in Ngoron- goro crater, from 06.00 a.m. until late in the afternoon, as it was written in the planing that he had sent to us when booking the Safari.
Our surprise was that the night before going into the crater he told us that it was not possible to spend the whole day. We could only be inside the crater for 4 hours (from 06.00 until 10.00 a.m.) and then we had to go out of the Park. The problem was that he should have paid one more day fees for us (we were four people in the jeep) in the crater, but he did not. He told us that "laws have changed lately" and he could not do anything, so if we wanted to stay more time in the crater, we should pay the extra- charge. If you look in the Official Website of the Parks, since so many years, the entrance- fee is paid for a 24- hour stay; if you want to stay longer, you have to pay another entrance. He lied to us. So after all, we could not be in Ngoron- goro crater for longer, which is one of the best Parks in Tanzania.
Moreover, the last two nights we were supposed to sleep in Tarangire campsite. He tried to convince us to sleep everywhere else, telling me that in that campsite there was no water (I do not know why), but finally, after my insistence, we slept there.. with hot- water showers. The last day or the Safari we were supposed to have a morning- drive game in Tarangire before coming back to Arusha, and what we really did was to have breakfast in the campsite and inmediately come back to the city; no game driving our last day of Safari, as it was written in our initial planning. He told us that we didn' t ask for the driving that morning... Why have I to ask about something I have already paid and it was included in the Safari plan??
Another german couple came with us for 4 days in the Safari. Richard changed their plans almost everyday, even every 2-3 hours sometimes the planning changed...
I would not recommend at all this company for a Safari in Tanzania. You cannot trust this man absolutely. He sold us a Safari that we haven´ t really done. I strongly recommend every tourist to look for another better and more reliable choice.