CA
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fun experience with a very professional and caring tour
This is the review for the 5-day African Pangolin Safaris visiting Mikumi and Nyerere park.
We are a group of 12 travelers in the mid 50s to the 70s from Montreal, Canada, experiencing the first so called safari in Tanzania. We are fortunate to have signed up with this band of brothers (seriously two brothers Mansour and Yunus) who led us through the rugged terrain of Tanzania national parks for 5 days in two Toyota Land Cruiser with pop-up tops. There was apprehension in the group at the beginning of the quest when we were to give up the comfort of city life for the dusty trails.
It seemed that the brothers could read our mind, stopped at the right time for nature calls, picked the best lunch spots in the middle of nowhere that were accentuated by some memorable spots such as the humongous baobab tree that smugglers used the hollow trunk as a hideout from the law in recent pasts. They arranged the most convenient lunches midday at a stop when we were prearranged to bypass the long line of customers at a buffet that provided delicious local food. That's a privilege appreciated by the weary travelers who looked for a cool spot to rest the battered body.
It took awhile for the group to get in sync with the operation focusing on the big five animals of the territory, bouncing "aimlessly" through endless pathways at idle pace, ... and suddenly, here we were switching into what seemed like neck breaking pace on the not so smooth trails when, over the radio, there was a "point of interest" that turned out to be two full grown lions taking a nap by the roadside, oblivious to the presence of the uninvited guests.
Observing the majestic animals (giraffes, Wildebeest, hippos, .. ) along with birds in the wild made all the trip worth while. Now we have first hand view of the African Eagle to compared to our Canadian bald eagle. The brothers will not hesitate charging through narrow passages that made us cringe when tree branches gave the sides of the vehicles a brush jobs that will require serious detailing to remove the scars off the paint. The brothers provided ample of time to take in the scenery without feeling pressed for time, an undeniable quality felt and can hardly quantified.
It was a well paced program allowing the group to enjoy the ruggedness of nature, get the questions answered that revealed the in-depth knowledge of the professional guides. That was an educational experience that I personally appreciate. The brothers were patient, courteous, friendly throughout the long days searching for the best spots, the most unique scenes, answering multitudes of questions with facts and back story, contrasting the calmness when traversing the rugged terrain that required technical skills to overcome.
The food choice was excellent, blending local cooking with some traditional western dishes that help balance the adventure with home cooking. Banda bungalow Selous was top in the group's mind.
In all, I would be amiss not admitting the overload of sensation during the 5-day adventure. The recall is spotty at best but the memory etched deep in this memorable vacation.
There are not enough words to thank Yunus and big brother Mansour to make this safari a wonderful possibility. They are a big factor in making this vacation a success. Now, we have plenty of time to peruse the photo collection for a recall of the many details of past events and relive the adrenaline-packed five-day adventure.
The group is very happy to have chosen African Pangolin Safari and we were amply rewarded.
The big brother Mansour is discretely a bit stricter than Yunus on when to stand while the vehicle is moving, I later found out. Well, all is in the name of safety for all aboard and we appreciate it.
Thank you Mansour and Yunus. 'til the next time.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Simón was such a chill guy and excellent guide. We saw almost every anyone besides the leopard
We had such a good time with our guides simon and Joseph. We got shown everything we requested and when we needed to make changes to our trip Benson was able to accommodate us quickly. Make sure to double check all your details before you leave because sometimes things get lost in translation but that is to be expected. Overall 5 stars and will definitely be back to look for that leopard.
DE
We had great tours together with our guides (Eddy)
Everything was great, good value for money. The only thing that wasn’t perfect was the hotel (the staff didn’t seem properly trained / a bit chaotic, we stayed at the Raddistanz)
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Funny, knowledgeable and a very excellent tour guide
Eddy was the best tour guide. He always stopped for picture opportunities and got the best views. We saw the big 5 all in one day. It was truly amazing and worth every second.
GR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect
You are the best !!! We enjoy every second !!! Its all very clean !!! The guides was very kindly , friendly and happy !!! We are with the child and they are so helpful !!! And the food delicious !!!All organized perfect !!! Thank you for all guys !!!
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fexible, organised, experienced and well prepared tour Operator.
The experience of the safari was incredible. Everything went smoothly. We got picked up on time every day.
We would recommend to stay at the serengeti national park not only for one day but two. There we saw a lot of special animals and even their babys which is very rare. One highlight was the leopard with his baby. To see all the the animals that we saw wouldnt be possible without an experienced guide. We had a great one called „Mandarin“.
Also the food that was cooked for us was very delicious. Everyday there was something different to eat even for vegetarians. Our cooking chief was called „Pascal“. We also recommend going in a group because the long distances between the parks would be very boring if you’re alone with your partner.
All in all it was a great experience that we will never forget.
Besides the safari we would also recommend going on the coffee plantage tour. There we had a nice tour of an local that showed us the materuni waterfalls and explained us how the „chaga“ tribe lives. After that we had the best lunch we had on the entire trip wirh local foods. After lunch we got to experience how traditional coffee was made and could taste our selfmade coffee. Also here went everything smoothly.
With African Serengeti Tours (company) you could always talk about modifications of your tour and pick up locations or drop off locations. After the whole six days our guide dropped us of at moshi where we wanted to stay one night instead of arusha how it was originally planned.
Overall the price of 950€ per person is reasonable and we would do it again. Sleeping in tents wasnt that bad. Only negative about the trip were the toilets and showers in the nationalparks where you would stay overnight. But it was also possible so dont worry.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Passionate!
Ali was so knowledgeable! He is very passionate about the history! Great tour guide!!!!
CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent at locating animals
Our experience with Peter as our guide has been great! He's very knowledgeable and knows the best spots for viewing animals and finding the big 5.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Max was very welcoming, on time and awesome guide to be with. Best operator
It was an amazing adventurous tour. Love to do it again. The hospitality, the driver guide Max, the Chef Samson were amazing. The food was excellent and on time. The tours were also on time and very well organized. We were fortunate to be in this group and had lots of fun camping and seeing all the animals on our checklist. Great Work!!!
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
He was great!
Eddie was a perfect guide with great eyes! We saw so much animals!