AT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
7 great days with our guide Charles in North Tanzania!
Be booked a 6 night/7 days safari (Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorogoro Lake Eyasi visiting Hadza Tribe) with ISIA. We choose them from Arusha based companies because of their quick and detailed communications upfront and their offer was good.
We loved our trip and Charles was a great guide. He knows a lot, sees a lot, clearly loves nature and wildlife and is a cheerful heartily guy and a very good driver. We felt very well and save the whole time with him. The safari travel plan was a very good choice for us and ISIA did a good job in organization, everything worked quite well. We were happy with the camps we chose from a list of options we got from ISIA, especially loved Kati Kati and Maramboi.
We couldn't do our booked walking tour due to weather conditions. So I asked ISIA to refunded the amount and they did after our return home promptly.
So overall we had a great experience and really loved it!
But we have to confirm what several other guests already reported here and on tripadvisor:
Our car was quite run down. In fact all the others we saw on our trip looked newer. Our guide managed problems with the car very well so we barely lost time while he had to fix things (except day one when we had to wait for almost 2 hours for a new car at the supermarket before even leaving Arusha). We are aware that car break downs are quite usual with this road conditions and its somehow even part of the adventure but we would really appreciate if ISIA get new ones to allow the guides to focus 100% on other things and give the guest a bit more comfort. Headrests and working safety belts should be mandatory.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Really Enjoyed Safari with Bush 2 City
Had a great experience with them. Ali, our guide, went above and beyond a number of times. The airline lost the luggage for multiple people in our group, and without our guide and Bush 2 City we would have had a tough time getting it back. They contacted the airline, and hand delivered all of their luggage while we were in the middle of our safari. We didn't miss a minute of our awesome safari because of it.
We also got to see some amazing animals throughout the week, and they accommodated our requests to search for specific animals. We got extremely close to many lions, and even saw a recent kill. Overall great experience and the lodges we stayed at were great as well.
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An eventful Safari
We enjoyed a wonderful Safari. The extraordinary service started with a small welcome-present at the airport. The service included many on time transports, everything was clearly arranged. If we had a problem, our coordinator helped us to clear and solve it.
We also had a lot of fun with our Safari driver. This guy had bride spread knowledge of wildlife in the natural parks and he told us a lot in well understanding English. It was amazing when he spotted animals when we even didn´t expect, that there could be anything. He really cared that we enjoyed the trip without worrying about any problems and that for he showed a remarkable ability of dealing with unwelcome problems.
Ever of this few unwelcome problems were caused of the safari-car. This was neither the fault of our guide nor of somebody else, but everything could be fixed usually quickly and creatively.
Except of the car everything was satisfactorily and we could enjoy a great time in the natural parks. The company convinced especially with unique care and service. We really can recommend them.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Memories for a lifetime
We stumbled across Chris and The Safari Partners during an internet search. We had been in contact with two US-based tour operators and had been disappointed in their proposals so we broadened our search. Reading the other reviews on this site prompted us to reach out to Chris and the rest is history. He listened very closely to our wish list and took the time to understand the type of experience we wanted. The result was pure magic.
Our trip consisted of 3 safari camps in Tanzania and mountain gorillas in Rwanda. The safari camps were Asilia properties and I cannot say enough about this wonderful company. Each property is totally different. The Highlands, with its futuristic domes, is high up and has amazing views. The accommodations were superb as were the food and staff. Ubuntu, a mobile camp, is homey and comfortable; it's incredible how they operate at such a high standard in the middle of the Serengeti. Finally, the all-women Dunia camp is charming and cozy. Leaving each camp was like leaving family and friends. Asilia must be commended for its high standards, excellent staff and community development.
Of course, our main purpose was to see wildlife and, in that regard, our expectations were met a thousand times over. The guides in each camp were wonderful, very knowledgeable, passionate about their work and eager to please. They know the territory like the back of their hands and are expert at spotting wildlife in the most obscure places. We were blessed to see a wildebeest giving birth, lions mating and countless other slice of life moments on our numerous game drives.
To top off an incredible safari experience, we took a sunrise hot air balloon ride. The Serengeti Balloon company is a top-notch professional outfit. The operation is run like clockwork and the result is a magnificent overview of an beautiful landscape filled with wildlife, and followed by a hearty champagne breakfast.
The final leg of our trip was Rwanda to visit the mountain gorillas. We spent a night in Kigali and visited the Genocide Museum. Although a difficult series of exhibits, it is a must-see. Then on to the mountains. Our accommodations here were so-so but they were incidental to our reason for being there. The purpose was to trek up the mountain and spend an hour with the mountain gorillas. At times, the climb was tough as we were slogging through dense jungle but our guide and the porters were skilled and patient in getting us there in one piece. Our family was the Hirwa (or Lucky) group. The huge silverback sat calmly as we entered his domain and allowed us to enjoy his rambunctious family. A female with 7-month-old infant also let us observe her mothering skills while several juveniles played on the ground and in nearby trees. An hour passed by in a blink and then we had to leave this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
I would highly recommend Chris and The Safari Partners. This was a bucket list trip and the memories will last a lifetime.
KR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Mara Safari Experience
I enjoyed the Masai Village visit .
overall i can say my safari was excellent .
Maggie is super in her work .
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
great experience
We just had great experience with Hello Tanzania. We went 2 adults + 3 kids to Selous Park for 3 days.
Organization with perfect, before and during the trip. Mwajabu, the boss of Hello Tanzania is very flexible and worked hard to find us the best prices and availibilities in lodges. We slept at Butembo lodge : clean, beautiful, nice food, adorable staff. And Selous park is fantastic btw.
3 dream days out of Dar Es Salam. Thierry and Marie
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
a great tour-10 day safari Nairobi-Samburu-Lake Nakuru-Masai Mara-Lake Naivasha-Amboseli
We changed a bit from the original tour and that was no problem.We always got a quick answer,also the confirmation for the payment.During the Safari everything was great,pick up always on time,accommodations were very good,our driver a very nice and really experienced driver+guide,always friendly and made an effort to give us the best positions for taking great photos.The lodges and the food were very good as well.Only the car was very slow.You could safe time with a better car.All busses and lorries were overtaking us.So the ways from one to the other park took many hours.In the parks the car was perfect-we had no flat tyre in 10 days!!!The tour was amazing and we want to say thank you for a great time.
SK
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience
This was a great lifetime experience in beautiful nature. Seeing animals in ther native environment up-close is unforgettable, thanks to the accomplished personal guide.
IT
A special trip!
We would like to begin this review in saying that our safari with Christopher and Jaffet has been one of the most memorable experiences of our lives, mostly because of the passion and the professionalism of our guide, who planned out the best travel itinerary in the little time we had available.
It is impossible to fully describe the sight of lions strolling around the jeep and the limitless nature in which eyes get lost in trees, herds and across the horizon. It might sound like a cliche to talk about the elephants at sunset the hippos at sunrise, the gazzelles and the pelicans. We loved the nights spent in the savannah, where you can hear the calls of animals in the deep silence and the sky turns into a ceiling of stars.
The most important thing to describe is the magic that we experienced in those four days with the morning light surrounding our tent and the warm wind, carrying exotic fragrances.
The skills of the organizer Christopher was impressive. He created the perfect tour, varied and unconventional; you realize it when you have the luck to be among a pack of lions with no one else around.
Everything accompanied with delicious african cousine!
(italian)
Iniziamo questa recensione scrivendo che il Safari in Tanzania con Christopher e Jaffet è stata una delle esperienze più belle della nostra vita.
Non solo perchè il Safari è un viaggio meraviglioso, ma anche e soprattutto per la serietà, la passione e la professionalità della nostra guida, che ha studiato un itinerario per farci vivere al massimo i pochi giorni che avevamo a disposizione.
Forse è inutile descrivere i leoni che ti passeggiano di fianco alla geep oppure gli immensi spazi naturali in cui gli occhi si perdono tra le mandrie, gli alberi e l'orizzonte. Come forse è inutile raccontare degli elefanti al tramonto o le albe tra ippopotami, gazzelle e pellicani.
Forse la cosa importante da descrivere è la magia in cui abbiamo vissuto per quattro giorni, la luce del mattino che ti avvolge la tenda, il vento caldo che porta profumi sconosciuti. E soprattutto la bravura degli organizzatori che ci hanno fatto amare le notti passate in mezzo alla savana quando senti solo i versi degli animali nel silenzio e il cielo si trasforma in un tetto di stelle.
Christopher ha creato un tour perfetto, molto vario e poco convenzionale, te ne rendi conto quando hai la fortuna di osservare una famiglia di leoni da solo, senza altre jeep intorno.
Il tutto accompagnato da una squisita cucina africana!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great Selous trip
They did not excellent job arranging a Selous trip for us. A key requirement was that we can book with PayPal which they supported. That was a big help.