35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Out of this world
If you’re looking for a well organized and high value safari trip look no further. I can’t recommend Travel Africa enough, if I could give 6 stars I would (and I’m pretty stingy with my 5 star ratings). Our safari was an 8 day, mid range, private wildlife safari and cultural excursion. We were traveling with an 11 year old and 13 year old. We came in January which we loved because it was green, cool and not as crowded as the summer months. Mohamed, from my first email, was very responsive and answered all my questions (I had so many questions!). He talked us through all the options and truly made a customized experience for us. He arranged our pick up and drop off (we had a very early departure) and greeted us the first day for a briefing of our trip and made sure to come by the hotel on our last day to send us off.
The quality of your safari has everything to do with your guide and I’m convinced we had the best. You should absolutely request to have Omari as your guide (we took to calling him by his Tanzanian name of Mtanagi). He’s been guiding for 15 years and is really passionate about the animals, birds and history of the land, so he has so much information to offer. Because of his experience he knows so many of the other guides which is really helpful in finding animals. He had a real knack for putting us in the perfect viewing position for all the animals and he has an amazing eye for spotting animals. I actually challenged myself to find a big cat before he did, I did it once and felt pretty proud of myself. Beyond all this, we always felt safe with Mtanagi. He’s a skilled driver, he got us out of tricky spots in mud and was well prepared with all the safety tools and it’s clear he knows how to fix and deal with a safari rig. He’s a dad of 10 so he understood how it is traveling with an 11 and 13 year old. I think what made us really love him was he was present with us, he shared about his life and asked about ours, he ate most of our meals with us (at the hotel it was rare to see guides eating dinner and breakfast with their clients). He treats all people with such kindness and care that it’s impossible not to love him. He took such amazing care of us, it felt really sad to say goodbye.
Our accommodations were top notch. The organization and schedule was seamless but was never so ridged that we couldn’t adjust a little bit along the way. Things ran promptly which I appreciate. The rig was comfortable and roomy and well stocked with water, beer and wine which was a nice perk.
There are so many tour companies and can be daunting in trying to figure out which one to go with. We felt like the value was high for the price and the experience was absolutely unforgettable. Travel Africa comes highly recommended!!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent service
Mary of Award Tours and Safaris did an excellent job organizing our safari in the magical Masai Mara of Kenya. Her task was not easy given our rather last-minute booking request (made just several weeks before New Year's), but her hard work and contacts led to excellent bookings and activities. We could not have been happier with the entire trip, both in the Mara and Nairobi. It was a delight meeting Mary in person upon our arrival and departure at Wilson Airport and having the opportunity to review the itinerary together and recap at the end. All internal transfers (airport, hotels, restaurants, museums, etc.) were seamless and Mary checked in with us every so often on WhatsApp to make sure all was well, which we appreciated. Our charming driver, Edward, kept us not only safe on the road but made for a wonderful private tour guide at the Nairobi National Museum. We will definitely work with Award Tour and Safaris for our next trip to East Africa!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Awesome
Tubale Safaris picked us up on time, got us a nice hotel, good food, we enjoyed the safari with a very patient guide that enabled us to see most of the animals and took nice photos. I would highly recommend them
FR
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Nature in Spirit is very professional and at thé same Time Very close to what people want
We had a 4 days trip going to Tarengire, massai village, lake manyara, ngorongoro, visit tribes (hadzabe and datogas) and spend à day in à coffee farm.
It was a Marvellous trip. Everything was Very well organised. We had a guide Very intéresting and taking care of what we want and how we feel.
What I really apreciate is that we had a personalized trip. We could talk and choose before coming what we would do and visit.
I recommand for sure Nature In Spirit for your next travel to Tanzânia.
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Search no further! Hands down the best safari operator out there-experience, professionalism, value!
After contacting over 20 safari companies, comparing their offers, Frank blew me away with his communication and service and put together an absolutely phenomenal package at a great price. From the beginning he listened to what we were looking for and gave us loads of great advice and suggestions, then built the perfect trip for us. We were concerned about doing a safari with our 3 year old daughter and he helped make it not just manageable but an unforgettable experience for the whole family. Serengeti Smile are a young company but the owner and staff have been in the safari business for years. Whereas many companies we contacted were quite pushy with their sales tactics and email communication Frank was polite and answered our queries professionally and in a timely manner. His WhatsApp response time is excellent! Once we agreed on a 5 day package to visit Tarangire, Ndutu, Serengeti and Ngorongoro, we received a contract and an invoice. Unlike many companies, Serengeti Smile are very flexible with their payment options: bank transfers, card payments and cash in 3 currencies (EUR for us).
They also found us the best accommodation options within our budget (Kon Tiki Serengeti Camp blew us away!)
Our driver and safari guide-Ayubu, was incredible! He met us with a huge smile and despite Tanzanian custom (pole, pole), he was punctual each day. He went the extra mile to make sure every day was perfect and went smoothly with our daughter who adored him from day one. It probably helped that he gave her all the chocolate from his lunchboxes ;-) Even now, back home several weeks later, she keeps asking about Ayubu and whether he will show us some more animals today. He is the perfect choice for a safari with children as he is a father himself and loves children. He is a skilled safari guide and is passionate about the wildlife and environment. He has definitely found his vocation. Throughout the trip he told us loads of interesting facts and information about the animals and landscape. This really added value for us as we learnt so much in addition to seeing so many beautiful animals in their natural habitat. Another thing, as well as being an excellent, safe and considerate driver, Ayubu was the first to stop and offer help to another stricken driver in a remote location.
We cannot thank SERENGETI SMILE enough for making our Christmas safari so magical, it was an experience that we will never forget!
CY
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Dive in without hesitation!
Image travel helped us with booking the trip from point A to point Z. We had the most magical safari experience! Saw the big 5! And much more… Probably the most exciting were the lions we saw up close. The guides are super experienced and understood the animal behavior well, so we knew we were in good hands : )
EG
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding Remarkable Safari Experience, Highly recommended!
Communication with Mbombela from getting the offer to making us feel comfortable during our stay was very smooth. We were lucky to be the only ones on the camp during our stay and hence we were spoiled. Cozy dinner under the stars and delicious food. The experience indeed had value for money. we highly recommend staying in the tents, they were lovely and clean. It made our experience complete. Lastly, our guide, mylord manzini, was an expert! our game drives would not have been the same without him. Thank you so much, we will definitely be back :)
RO
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent driving safety!
Thank you very much for making the most memorable vacation to my family, the five days tour was well planned and executed. The importance given to the driving safety is much appreciated, the vehicle equipped with speed recorder and speed limit monitor, and the driver (Julius) demonstrated a good driving behavior. The trip was memorable largely because of Julius, he is very knowledgeable, friendly, and always try to give us the best experience. We couldn't ask for a better experience. Please free to quote this comment in your website and a BIG thank you again to Julius.
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Bernard Njing was amazing, super knowledgeable of the park and it’s animals!
Bernard aka Gino was truly amazing. I have some mobility issues and he was sure to help when needed. Very respectful person. His knowledge of the animals and the park, was incredible which gave us access quickly when certain animals were spotted! After this trip I would personally search out Gino. Having many years of experience as a guide gives you some advantages in locating animals. Plus, I never felt unsafe or that I was take an unnecessary risk.
BR
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing experience
The trip was wonderful.
The lodge, The animals, food!
Thanks a lot to Ken, our guide.
He's The best!!!!
We saw The big 5.