SA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great trip with Nano Africa Safaris
Great trip with Nano Africa Safaris.
My wife and I planned the Tanzanian Safari including some R&R in Zanzibar with very short notice. We are expats and travel a lot and I am not accustomed to using a tour operator but for this trip I thought it made sense to use a company with local knowledge. I communicated with one or two other tour operators which had many, many more positive reviews – Nano had only five reviews (all 5*). On one hand I felt I wanted to go with one of the large tour operators with hundreds of reviews but something told me I would not be disappointed with a smaller, more personal operator. Communication with the larger operator become inefficient as the representative I was dealing with was in France while all Nano Staff are located in Tanzania. The larger operator suggested I book the Zanzibar add-on myself while Nano offered a seamless safari experience including Zanzibar and dometic flights etc.
I decided to book a “9 Days Luxury wildlife Safari & Zanzibar” with Nano. Everything was included with the exception of international flights.
• All activities, unless indicated as optional, Meals (As specified in the day-by-day section), Taxes / VAT, All accommodations, Park fees, Professional guide, Soft drinks and mineral water, Taxes/Vat, Use binocular, 24/7 Service, All transport by road, Domestic flights, Drinking water (On all days), All transportation (Unless labeled as optional), Safari Vehicle, Safari Guide
My wife and I flew from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to Kilimanjaro International Airport where Loserian and Ezekeil from Nano were ready and waiting to pick us up and drive us to our 5* hotel in Arusha.
Early the next morning we met our guide Haruna who was standing by with our 4x4 Toyota Safari Vehicle complete with pop-up top. Over the course of 2000 km traveled with Haruna I found him to be a friendly, knowledgeable and excellent guide. Importantly, he is a mature and skilled driver – no crazy stuff on the roads and he managed the rough terrain very well. It appears that all of the Safai Vehicles are the same converted Toyota Landcruiser pickup trucks. Standard seating is for 6 guests cramped (very little leg room) in the back and the Driver and Passenger in the front. Our tour was considered luxury, so my wife and I had the vehicle to ourselves along with Haruna but I warn you – traveling the distance we did over the very, very rough roads in a vehicle with 6 passengers would have been torture and I strongly recommend you arrange a private vehicle as we did. Frankly, those vehicles should carry max 4 passengers to allow for minimal comfort.
All wildlife sites we visited were fantastic – Serengeti, Ndudtu and Ngorongoro Crater. I can confirm that we exceeded all of our wildlife sighting goals during the Safari, including the Big 5! Of course some of this is luck, but there is no question that Haruna was fully on duty using his experience and knowledge as to where animals might be and the radio to contact park Rangers for reports.
The tented camp and lodge type accommodation we had during the safari portion of the trip varied but were all good – staff at each venue were all very friendly and accommodating. I think each of us will have our opinion of what luxury is, but in my view the accommodations were very nice given the remote locations. The food at each of the accommodations varied widely – some better than others.
Following 4 days of Safari, Haruna took us to visit a Massai village (I recommend this) on the way back to Arusha to board our flight for Zanzibar.
The flight to Zanzibar was “free seating” and as we were the last to board, my wife and I split up to different areas of the plane and had the pleasure of chatting with our Tanzanian seat mates !
To continue the seamless experience, Nano had indeed arranged a driver to pick us up at Zanzibar Airport and take us the one and a half hours drive to hour hotel. Upon our arrival at the hotel there was confusion as to room type (initial room assigned was far from luxury) and meal plan etc. Nano communicated directly with the Hotel Manager and sorted everything out immediately to our satisfaction. We stayed in the northeast of the island and loved the peaceful setting directly on the beach. Following a day drip to the northwest side of the island we realized how happy we were to be away from the noise and crowds we experience there.
The driver took us back to the Zanzibar Airport at the end of our stay to fly back to Arusha where Loserian and Ezekeil from Nano were again ready and waiting to pick us up and tour us around the rest of the day before delivering us to Kilimanjaro International Airport for our trip home.
I’ve written this long review to support the Nano Team. I took a chance on a small company with 5 reviews and in my view they went beyond expectations to deliver on promises and make us happy. I apricated the immediate communications via WhatsApp and the attention to our needs. I think we suited each other – my wife and I as very experienced travelers who are able to “roll with things” in an undemanding way and the Nano Team who are young and eager to work hard to please the guests.
All in all this was a very positive experience for my wife and I and I can recommend Nano Africa Safaris to anyone interested! I hope this review helps to generate more business for the Team !
ES
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very easy and helpful
I had no idea about Namibia and they helped me to find the perfect route, the right times to stay in each place, gave the correct advice. I am very satisfied with the overall holidays. Will contact them again if we plan a trip to South Africa.
LK
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Wonderful
We visited four very different parks, each with its own character, rhythm, and challenges. What made the experience seamless and deeply rewarding was Joseph. He was not just a driver, but a calm, intuitive presence throughout the journey. He reads the land, the animals, and the moment with a sensitivity that cannot be taught.
Joseph has an unhurried way about him. He doesn’t chase sightings or force excitement. Instead, he allows the wild to reveal itself in its own time. Because of that, many of our most powerful moments were not about dramatic encounters, but about silence, patience, and observation — elephants moving with dignity, predators resting between hunts, light changing over vast landscapes.
Across all four parks, Joseph adapted effortlessly — terrain, weather, animal behaviour, and our own energy levels. He knew when to wait, when to move, when to position the vehicle perfectly, and when to simply let a moment be. For anyone who values photography, learning, or simply being present, this makes a profound difference.
Tukutane Safaris clearly values depth over spectacle. There was professionalism without stiffness, warmth without intrusion, and genuine care throughout the trip. Logistics were smooth, communication clear, and everything felt thoughtfully handled.
RO
Well organized!
Tazama African Holidays really made our holiday! Andrew and Anthony were both very professional, organized, responded fast to all our inquires during the whole process, friendly and lots of info to tell. We visited great places, encountering amazing animals. We were comfortable while enjoying the wildlife, eager to come back one day on another safari.
SA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Bienvenido Kenya Tours and Safaries - they are very professional
My wife and me selected this company to arrange the pakage for us to tour Nairobi, Masai Mara and Ambasoli, they arranged it very well. The staff memebers are very good and very supportive. Our guide Mr. James was very good, his driving and knowledge about the fourest is great, we had the luck to see the BIG 5. It was a memmorable trip for us. Thanks to all staff members involved.
EG
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very helpful and have me good guidance
I traveled with my wife and 4 kids. They had an amazing time spotting the animals during the safari. The guide was an amazing knowledgeable guy, he was really nice to us all especially with kids. The lodges were very basic but I will search next time for other options. I don't know if there is a better accommodation options or this is just the quality there. But to be honest in pamoja villas people were an amazing staff, very cheerful, helpful and welcoming although there are limited resources. In terms of budget I think I had a good deal for such a big group.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent tour
We booked very last minute but Ruth and the team were very accommodating. Excellent value for money, we packed in everything we wanted to and more.
The accommodation was always brilliant and our guide Frank was excellent and very knowledgeable.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Personal touch, professional service for a memorable experience
Talya from Ranger Buck Safaris helped us curate and plan our trip to the Timbavati and Klaserie Nature Reserves.
Her choice of lodges - Misava and Amaya - were spectacular.
We thoroughly enjoyed the intimacy of each place and the sense of personal touch we gained from the staff at each. Both had different aspects of magic and complemented each other well.
We also had trouble with Google Maps on our journey to our first lodge which left us horribly lost but Tayla was available to help us as best she could until we reached our lodge.
Can highly recommend Tayla, Ranger Buck Safaris and Misava and Amaya for a truly special stay in the best of the bush!
RO
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Kenya with Tazama
We had an amazing experience in this safari. It was a dream come true made possible by Antony and Andrew from Tazama and the lovely people at the Zebra Plains Mara Camp.
We got to see the diverse and magical wildlife in the Maasai Mara and 4 of the big five (sadly rhino is so hard to find being so scarce). A big thank you to our driver Andrew for being so proactive and managed to show us so many mesmerizing things and being so understanding with us. He is such a fun guy and an encyclopedia of wild life facts. The accommodation was really nice with zebra, giraffe, warthog, gazelle, etc. right over the fence, during dinner. And they have the best staff - always polite, always with a good word and willing to help make our stay unforgettable.
I would like to thank Antony again for his trustworthiness allowing us to postpone the trip (first because of the pandemic and then some family problems) - forever grateful.
SE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great safari in East and West Tsavo
The Safari was lovely. We were lucky enough to go with a very experienced freelance guide, Omi, he was fun and cool to be with, always chill. Really good. We had two exciting overnight stays, one in Salt Lick which was really nice where all the animals came at night and the rooms (the hotel is built on stilts) all had a nice view and a pleasant buffet.
We also had a wonderful stay at the very lovely Zivani tent camp, where we did a walking safari and a night game drive where we saw the hippos on land and a few lions. Apart from that we saw plenty of lions, buffalos, giraffes, elephants, antelopes, crocodiles, zebras and many other animals.
Overall a fantastic experience that I would recommend to anyone!