35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The Gold Standard of Safari – A Life-Changing 40th Birthday
If I could give Suricata Safari ten stars, I would. As a solo female traveler with high standards and a very 'picky' palate for adventure, I was nervous about my first solo trip. From the moment the airport transfer picked me up at Kilimanjaro to the final goodbye, every second was perfection.
The Legend: Damien Damien is far more than a driver; he is the ultimate ambassador for Tanzania. He navigated the Serengeti like he was driving in a 'Formula One: Safari Edition'—smooth, expert, and incredibly safe. His knowledge is encyclopedic. In just three days, I learned more from him than I would have in two weeks on my own.
What I cherished most was his honesty. He was realistic about the 'Big Five,' which allowed us to stay present and truly engage with the magic of the park. Through luck, prayer, and Damien’s determination, we saw 4 out of the 5!
The 'Family' Experience Damien curated a team that made every penny worth it. The chef deserves a standing ovation—the seasoned meats, rice, and fried vegetables were the tastiest meals I’ve had in a long time. We ate like royalty. Despite being a solo traveler, I never felt alone. Damien joined our group of six for breakfast and kept us entertained throughout the day. For those three days, we weren't just tourists; we felt like a family. That sense of belonging is something I will never forget.
Professionalism & High Standards My 'OCD' regarding cleanliness was instantly put to rest. Damien takes immense pride in his appearance and the condition of his luxury jeep—it was spotless (until we hit the mud and dust, which was half the fun!). He was incredibly patient when I was a few minutes late in the mornings and even went out of his way to help me get airtime/data for my phone. His thoughtfulness knows no bounds.
The Itinerary The transition from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti was seamless. Damien selected the finest spots with the most breathtaking views of the shifting landscapes. This trip could have felt long-winded with the wrong company, but with Suricata, I didn't want it to end.
Thank you, Damien, and the entire Suricata team, including after care team Twaha, for making my 40th birthday a masterpiece. You have my highest possible recommendation.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The tour operator offered us excellent services
I Would like to travel again with Bushlion classic adventures for their services are the best, good customer service, welcoming, made our journey enjoyable and gave us the best support throughout our travel. Again thank you very much.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Customization and excellent customer service, our guides were like family
Shanjoy took us on the family vacation of a lifetime. I reached out to Shanjoy with a custom itenerary. I had visited Kenya before and wanted to show my family some of my favorite spots. Not only was Shanjoy quick to respond, but they also were the most reasonably priced. Merten and Patrick were able to do everything on my list including places they had not been before. Our itenerary included Mt Longenot, Lake Naivaisha, Lake Nakuru, a Hells gate walk and bike ride, Iten, Lake Bogoria, Lake Baringo, the Kakamega rainforest, and Masai Mara. We visited a snake sanctuary, did boat and land safaris, did multiple hikes, and had plenty of relaxing time. As soon as we were picked up by Steve and Merten we didn't have to worry about a thing all trip. They took care of all of the details and were with us every step of the way (including Merten joining us to hike Mt Longenot and the rain forest). Steve was our driver and guide to all of the animals. He was able to show us the Big 5 multiple times over. We also learned about each animal when we saw it and learned how to say the names in Swahili. Our hotels were excellent and Shanjoy even managed to get us an upgrade on our Masai Mara hotel. Overall my whole family loved our trip and our Shanjoy guides. Next time we come to Kenya we will definitely we traveling with them.
HR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Truly unforgettable. They fully live up to their name.
So the experience was great. Our guide was wonderful. He knows a lot about animals and showed us everything. He explained the movements of the animals, their behavior. We also saw a lioness catch a small pig... oh my, we were like in a documentary.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best Guides in Africa
We spent two weeks with Steve and Merten traveling around the popular and secret parts of Kenya and loved every minute of it.
From desert to rainforest to safari they went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable. They were skillful, organized, and fun to be around.
Would 100% recommend to anyone.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Professional, friendly and provided smooth booking experience
Great fast communication throughout. I went on a four day safari. Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro. This was a solo adventure, so I was a little nervous before. Wonderful friendly welcome at the airport. I then joined others in a vehicle and headed off on safari. The driver/guide was professional, friendly and very knowledgeable. We were lucky enough to see the Big Five. The food was tasty. This was amazing adventure. The only thing I would change if I was to it again would be to upgrade to Bush Tents. The budget accommodation was ok but the the Bush Tents looked fabulous.
Tip. If you are staying on campsites. Bring a towel, toilet paper, head torch and maybe extra blanket or similar as Ngorongoro can get cold during the night.
SE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Easy to contact.
High quality of the guide and we felt secure on the whole trip. We could relax and enjoyed the trip because everything was perfectly arranged.
DK
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great tour with good distribution and MANY animals
The tour where planned nicely, we were picked up by a town car at 5am from Arusha, so we could meet up with the other and the car outside the city. We drove to Serengeti and got to see all the animals we dreamed about! The driver gave time to see each animal, but also decided when he had to drive because another great sight were spottet and communicated over the radio.
GR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Merice is so kind and helpful, she came with us in the train station and gave us lot of advices
Camp Lilac was a great experience! Everyone was friendly and we feel comfortable from the beginning. The room was clean and beautiful,it was a wooden cabin.All the stuff are amazing people and very helpful. Also we were very lucky with our safari guide William, he has full knowledge about nature and animals with a lot of respect and love for them. We had connection and he has a very good sense of humor.
The best safari operator in Tanzania!
We came to Tanzania for our first ever safari and we were blown away by the efficiency and organisation from mountain warriors.
Special shout out to John de guide! He is the best of the best. Made our safari the best possible and made sure we saw all of the big 5 in our two days!
We love John!