US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Mkomazi National Park by StoufferLSU
This is another park that's great but not where you want to start. There are some really special mammals here, but not tons of them. Birding is really good in the Northern Hemisphere winter, less so when the migrants are gone. Almost no tourists go here, so the staff are particularly friendly and the camping area is really comfortable. I don't think there are any active lodges nearby, but we only camped, so I'm not sure.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Diverse habitats but not the fantastic spectacle of some of the other Tanzanian parks
Arusha is a great place if you already have experience at the major parts. On the positive side, it isn't crowded with tourists. It has diverse habitats from forests to lakes to savannah to mountains. There are quite a few large mammals, but no predators or elephants. The flamingos around Momella lakes will blow your mind (and are so much closer and easier to enjoy than at Lake Natron, the other famous flamingo destination). It has a lot to offer for serious birders, but doesn't have too many of the spectacular birds that interest casual birders. We only went there self-guided, so I can't comment on going with a guide. There are a couple of great lodges just outside the park, Hatari by the north entrance, and another I can't remember by the south entrance. The park is small enough that you can see most of it in two days (excluding hiking in the forest, which I can't comment about; supposedly climbing Meru is fantastic, and a much different experience than the crowded slog up Kili).... Read more The small size makes it manageable, but is probably also the biggest negative and why I said it is good to visit after a major park- Arusha just doesn't have the vast open spaces and throngs of animals of Tarangire, Ngorongoro, or Serengeti.
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
I had a great moment while in uganda with my guide and driver godfrey.
The services were excellent starting with the vehicle they used during this tour,it happened to have been raining and the road to biwndi was slippery but due to the fact that the car was a four wheel drive we didn't get any difficult.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
My Wilde Beast Experience
Good services at the best rates in the region. Experienced the first lot of the Wilde beast migration across Mara River. Good communication and excellent game drive. Wouldn't have gotten such a spectacular adventure at that rate elsewhere. Looking forward to next year's adventure same place.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Highlight of Trip
We went on safari with Tanzania Expeditions and visited the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara. This was part of a lengthy around-the-world trip and the safari was easily one of the trip’s highlights. There was an event at the end that cost one point from the overall experience/score though.
From the beginning, communication with Justin was excellent. He outlined what we would do and where we'd be staying. The prompt email replies were one of the reasons we chose the company. We were a little wary of wiring the money, but the process was smooth.
When we arrived in Nairobi, our airport pickup changed from the previous plans, and our guide actually came to get us. We crossed the Tanzania/Kenya border without issue. (However, I would highly recommend flying into Arusha or Kilimanjaro to avoid 6 hours of driving each way.) Once we arrived at our hotel in Arusha, we met with Justin briefly. We were then told our accommodations had changed. We were pretty surprised... Read more because everything was so clearly outlined before the trip. We booked the safari about six months out, so this last minute switch was quite odd. But our new accommodations turned out to be great. More on those below.
The safari itself was amazing. Our guide was informative, insightful and extremely skilled at driving the vehicle over the rough roads. We were out from the early morning, pre-sunrise, to sunset. We saw the big 5 plus so much more. It's hard to describe how incredible it is to see elephants walking just meters away or lions stalking prey. Our safari vehicle was one of the older ones we saw and was a bit rough around the edges, but that didn't bother us.
We first stayed at Kati Kati Camp. I originally said I wanted lodges to stay in, not tents. When accommodations changed on us, there wasn't much we could do, so we embraced the opportunity to sleep in the Serengeti. Each tent had a shower and toilet, so you really weren't roughing it. The wind/animal noises at night kept us up at times, but it was a truly an authentic experience. Would I do it again? Probably not but I'm glad I did it once. Our next night at the Ngorongoro Farm House was easily our favorite accommodation the entire trip. It was beautiful and spacious and we wish we could've spent longer there.
The final day of the safari was very long. We had a short morning game drive and then we had to get back all the way to Nairobi. Along the roadways in Tanzania, there are constant police checkpoints where they are checking for correct documentation. It seems that all vehicles get pulled over at some point. Apparently these police are also corrupt and look for ways to fine you. We were pulled over many times without incident. When we were flagged to stop again, we kept driving. All of a sudden, we had police cars following us. At the next checkpoint, we were forced to stop and a policeman jumped into the vehicle with us and we had to drive to the police station. At this point, we were wondering what is going on? We waited at the police station for nearly 90 minutes and then we finally got some answers after Justin arrived. As it was explained to us, they were illegally trying to pull us over and our guide wanted to file a complaint with the police chief and that's why we ended up at the station. We eventually got on the road and arrived in Nairobi at night. If our guide had been in the wrong, they would've held him at the station, so we took that as a promising sign. (If you search for articles about police corruption in Tanzania, you do find it's a large problem.) Justin assured us this had never happened before. He apologized and promised that our safety is the top priority of the company.
Would we recommend Tanzania expeditions? Yes! Having a guide who was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic is not something you get from every safari company. Even considering the last day's incident, we have very positive things to say about our guide and the company overall. But do yourself a favor and limit the driving on the roads; fly into Arusha or surrounding areas. With Tanzania Expeditions, you are guaranteed to have an once-in-a-lifetime experience. All of our memories, both pleasant and even not so, will be vividly told through stories for years to come.
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
wonderful experience to the summit of Kilimanjaro and 4 day safari-tour
Our family (2 adults 50+ and 4 students 18-26) did a 6 day Kilimanjaro expedition and a 4 day safari tour with Ilmaasai. Both experiences were very positive. The safari guide knew a lot about the national parks and wildlife. The cook served fine and large meals. Reliable, medium sized local tour operator.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Sabi Sand Game Reserve by Caroline
This was more of a canned experience with the rangers knowing exactly where to take you. For that type of experience however, it was exceptional.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Ithala Game Reserve by Caroline
Been a while since I visited but the birding is exceptional. The game viewing less so but the accommodation was pretty good.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about South Africa by StevePeacock-Photography
Been to SA 8 times mainly Gauteng and Kruger always plenty to see loads of wildlife people really friendly. Love the country really enjoyed the coastal walks this visit and Cape St Francis so relaxing, again plenty of wildlife and birds
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very nice Safari-Trip with nice driver and a lot of African charme
It was an undorgettable and unique experience to go on safari! I especially liked the fact doing it with a Lokal agency and a very local driver. A highlight was the private cook who accompanied us some days During the Safari. Cook and Driver were very professional and a very humourous Company! All in all I would book with Kikwetu Cultural Adventures again!!