65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderfully communicative safari tour company for Tanzania
We have just returned from our first safari in Tanzania, and used Tanzania Songbirds Safaris for 2 tours from our Arusha base. We did both the Arusha National Park Tour and a full day tour to the Materuni Village for a Chagga cultural coffee experience. From the first communication, Isra explained fully what would be included, the time of pickup and approximate delivery back to our Arusha Inn, who our guide and driver would be, and the total cost. Because we booked two tours with Tanzania Songbirds, we were given a discount, and we felt the value for what we received was excellent. I have reviewed The Arusha National Park Tour separately, and both tours were excellent, but the hike to the Materuni Waterfalls, the coffee making experience, learning about the Chagga culture, and the delicious lunch were highlights of an amazing 3 week trip to Africa. The Chemka Hot Springs was also included in our tour, but we took a big longer to do the waterfall hike (due to my husband's recent knee surgery), and then we took our time enjoying the coffee making process and the lunch, so we opted not to do the hot springs. The whole day was so enjoyable and educational. Our guide that walked us to the falls was excellent, the Chagga people who helped us with the coffee making experience were excellent (and fun!), but the standout was our Songbirds' guide, Daudi. He did an amazing job of giving us details about Tanzania in general, the history, the people, the culture, etc., that the drive flew by. We were so impressed with his knowledge that we would recommend you specifically ask for him if you book a tour with Songbirds. We would definitely recommend this tour to anyone in the Kilimanjaro/Arusha area. We had such a great day, and wonderful Chagga coffee to bring home as a souvenir! Don't hesitate to book a tour with Tanzania Songbirds. It's a. wonderful company with equally great guides; you'll be happy you used them!
IE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazingly brilliant adventure
Peter was simply the best guide we could have dreamed of. We had such an amazing tour with him for our 7 day honeymoon safari. Peter was absolutely dedicated to giving us the best experience possible, tailored to how we wanted to do it. We often wanted to spend time observing wildlife behaviour and Peter was more than happy to wait while we watched. At other times we were able to take advantage of Peter’s skilful driving to race off to a sighting that had come in over the radio; we very quickly knew we were in safe hands. Peter’s knowledge of the wildlife and Tanzania’s geography, history, and music was second to none. The afrobeat vibes, Peter’s friendly personality, the tasty lunches (veggie friendly options always available, I hope you like dhal & rice..), and the absolutely the unbelievable wildlife sightings made this a truly unforgettable experience for us both.
Namayani arranged the whole booking for us and made the whole experience from start to finish so smooth. The three places we stayed in/near the parks were fantastic, most notably the Land of Nature Tented Camp which was really brilliant! 🦁
FYI, if you’re staying at Arusha Farm House, you can ask at reception for an escorted walk off the premises, we went down to Lake Duluti.
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The best! Did his very best to give us a first class experience and enjoyment of the safari and trip
Upon arriving in Tanzania Vincent gave us a very warm welcome. We spent almost 2 weeks together traveling through different sceneries and loges for an incredible stay. All animals passed by multiple times. Vincent provided unique views and places that made it the best and most memorable holiday experience. From hunting with the Hadzabe to Tanzanian nightlife and seeiing all animals and places incl jumping with the Masai tribe. It was amazing.
When my kids are a bit older and able to enjoy as much as i did, i will return to my friend for sure!
The best thing is years later Vincent visited my family and i in Amsterdam and we spent good times together.
Still the best holiday experience by far and a great safari experience in Tanzania. If you are looking for the expertise of a local guide and ranger and personal touch, mr. Vincent Mwaimu is your man! Many thanks Kaka!
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Raymond was the best tour guide that we could we have wished for!
We planed our tour with Tausi. After choosing a safari option, she contacted us via WhatsApp to complete the booking. Communication was very good, she answered almost immediately. Pick up from and to the airport and the accommodation before the safari was included in the price. The Tour war unbelievable and we would recommend to everyone!
CH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Highly recommend
We went on a 3-day private safari (Tarangire, the Crater, Lake Manyara). It was very well organised; we were really pleasantly surprised at how smoothly everything went from start to finish. We travelled from Zanzibar and back again. They booked all our taxi journeys, flights and so on for us, and everything went smoothly; we were even able to leave our large luggage with them – which we didn’t need for the safari – and collected it again in Zanzibar. Brilliantly organised, and the safari itself with our guide Julius was really great! The mid-range Kudu Lodge in Karatu was also nice.The food was absolutely delicious everywhere we went. We were also interested in the Maasai, so our guide took us to visit a Maasai village as well, which was a fascinating experience.
Highly recommended!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
10/10 experience
I loved my time at Kenya with Topma tours. The whole experience was amazing. Our tour guide Reuben was so lovely and made sure we saw so many beautiful animals and took us on a complete adventure. We went to Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha. All of these places were definitely worth going to! My highlight of the trip was in Maasai Mara where we saw a lioness carry her cub. Later that day we saw a family of lions relaxing laying down, it was so surreal. Overall it was a 10/10 experience and I would definitely use this company again as it was all so smooth sailing and they made sure we were happy every step of the way :)
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Attentive
Burton and Pascal, the chef, have definitely been the best part of this experience. If I ever come back, I truly hope it’s with them again!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing trip
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An unforgettable safari experience with Ernest Magic Tours!
We had the most amazing experience with Ernest Magic Tours, and I honestly couldn’t recommend them enough! From start to finish, our safari was absolutely incredible. We were lucky enough to see the Big Five, along with so many other beautiful animals, and our guide always went above and beyond to make sure we had the best possible experience and saw as much wildlife as possible.
Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable, friendly and professional. His hospitality was exceptional, and it was all the little details that made such a difference. There were always cold drinks available in the vehicle, charging points for our phones, and he made sure we were comfortable throughout the entire trip. He even went out of his way to help us with checking into each of our accommodations, making everything so seamless and stress-free.
One of the highlights was getting the opportunity to visit a local village and experience the culture and way of life. It was such a special and humbling experience that made the trip even more meaningful.
It’s clear how passionate he is about what he does, and he truly made our trip unforgettable. The level of care, attention to detail and hospitality was above and beyond anything we could have asked for.
If you’re looking for an incredible safari experience, I would 100% recommend Ernest Magic Tours. Thank you for giving us memories that will last a lifetime! 🐘🦁❤️
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
An Outstanding Kenyan Safari: Exceptional Service, Genuine Passion and an Unforgettable Guide: Evans
Our experience with Antonio Safaris was truly outstanding, both in terms of the service we received before our trip and the care and attention throughout the safari itself.
I must admit that this was my first time booking a safari directly with a locally based African company. However, I certainly wasn't new to travelling. With this trip to Kenya, I have now visited 99 countries around the world, many of them more than once, while my 15-year-old son has already travelled to 60 countries across six continents.
Why mention this? Because we know what we are looking for when we travel, and we have quite a bit of experience when it comes to assessing the quality of a service. From our very first contact, Antonio and his team quickly understood exactly what kind of experience we were after and how best to make the most of our limited eight days in Kenya. After just two iterations, we had an itinerary that perfectly matched our expectations.
The same efficiency applied to the payment process and all the questions that came up before departure. Throughout the entire process, we were impressed by their friendliness, responsiveness and professionalism. They gave us confidence from the very beginning.
Once we arrived in Nairobi, everything went exactly as agreed. On Sunday, during our visits to Nairobi National Park and the elephant sanctuary, we had an excellent guide, Anthony, who was knowledgeable and highly professional.
But the best was yet to come.
And this is where I would particularly like to talk about Evans, our safari guide. Given our personalities and travelling experience, neither my wife, my son nor I particularly enjoy overly flattering or artificial guides. We appreciate natural, down-to-earth people who are professional, discreet and, above all, genuinely passionate about what they do.
Well, Evans has earned himself a place among our top three guides worldwide, alongside Chela in Malaysia and Quin Vient in Vietnam.
Evans is an outstanding driver and a genuinely lovely person: calm, friendly and composed, without any unnecessary fuss or artificial enthusiasm. He is punctual, exceptionally professional and, above all, incredibly knowledgeable.
His explanations of Kenya's history were excellent and sparked a tremendous amount of interest in my son. His knowledge of the country's flora is simply remarkable. He knows the plants, their characteristics and all sorts of fascinating details that made every explanation an opportunity to learn something new.
And above all, Evans is a true wildlife enthusiast. Just watch him during an animal sighting and you will realise that, despite having led countless safaris, he still genuinely loves and enjoys every encounter. His passion is authentic, infectious and makes the whole experience even more rewarding.
We learned an enormous amount from him and enjoyed every minute of it.
There is another detail I would like to highlight, because I believe it says a great deal about both a company and, more importantly, the people behind it.
Not everything in life always goes according to plan. As we were leaving Lake Nakuru, a component of our 4x4's front suspension system failed completely (stabilizer). Rather than allowing this unexpected problem to spoil our day, Evans handled the situation in a way that made us admire him even more.
He quickly arranged for the vehicle to be repaired at a workshop in Nakuru. Even better, we were able to use the time spent waiting to discover more about the country and learn a few extra things along the way.
That is also what travelling is all about. And that is what excellent service really means: knowing how to react, solving unexpected problems efficiently and turning a potential inconvenience into a positive experience.
Finally, I would like to say that I have already recommended Antonio Safaris not only to my family but also to my closest friends around the world. And we are already starting to plan our next trip to discover more of Kenya, as well as Uganda and Tanzania in 2028. (all other travels all around the world are already booked to november 2027)
I am sure Antonio Safaris has many excellent guides. But one thing is certain: when we go on our next safari with them, I want to continue learning and exploring with Evans.
Thank you so much for everything, my friend.
Asante sana!
An experience we recommend without hesitation.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience, great guide: Mandela
For our first safari in Tanzania, we compared many operators. For us, it was important to have great service, an individually planned route with self-selected lodges, and especially a locally owned company with good working conditions and responsible tourism. Safari Soles ticked all those boxes, and we are very happy we chose them.
Janeth was extremely helpful and quick to respond during the planning.
We had a slightly bumpy start: my luggage was left behind in Zurich, and Janeth was very helpful in coordinating with the airports to get it to us.
Then we met Mandela as our safari driver.
He was exactly the kind of safari guide we could have wished for. He is incredibly knowledgeable, passionate about what he does and at the same time very relaxed. He always gave us exactly the right amount of information: enough to really understand what we were seeing, but never too much to still give time to enjoy the moments . Whenever we had questions, he answered them with so much passion that you could tell he genuinely loves his job.
What made him especially great for us was that we could also talk about everything else. You spend basically the entire day with your guide, from early morning until dinner, so having someone you genuinely enjoy spending time with makes such a difference. We talked about Tanzania, travel, life and so many other things, and he completely matched our vibe.
He also knows the parks extremely well. He would sometimes adjust the route spontaneously to avoid the crowds, and several times we had beautiful lunch spots completely to ourselves instead of being surrounded by dozens of safari cars. Those little decisions made the safari feel much more personal and special.
He took care of everything, so we could simply relax and enjoy the experience. And when my luggage was finally flown into the Serengeti, he went above and beyond again: he coordinated with Janeth and the airport staff and even came with us to collect it.
Thank you so much, Mandela! If you are booking a safari with Safari Soles, definitely ask for Mandela as your guide if he is available. We genuinely could not have wished for a better guide and I would book a safari with him again anytime!
All the lodges and stops on our itinerary were great. The only activity we would recommend skipping is the Maasai village. We felt uncomfortable with the strong pressure to buy and donate, and the school visit felt very staged. We respect the culture, but this experience simply did not feel right to us. We shared more details in our review of the village itself, but would recommend Safari Soles to let guests opt out of this activity.
Overall, a fantastic safari experience, especially thanks to Mandela. We would absolutely choose Safari Soles again!