US
Email Gordon Magee | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Absolutely Fantastic
LV
Email Eva Narovska | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Magnificent!!!!!!!
Our trip with kids was amazing - Safari was very interesting and Tanzania itself was amazing! Hope to go back one day!
DE
Email Marcello Passaro And Stephanie Uhlenbrock | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An amazing first-time experience!
The first thing to say to be as honest as possible is that this was our first Safari experience, so we have no comparison other that what we have heard from other people. The second thing to say is that, although our Safari was booked from "Suricata Safari", our trip was organised by a company called "Mount Meru Safari", who apparently works together with "Suricata".
Maybe it would have been nice to have some clarification about that, in the beginning. Anyway, we must say that the communication with the Suricata company was easy, they answer quickly to the emails and quite precise, compared to other companies we had been writing.
Driver/Guide: we had Frederick, a young and friendly guy. Frederick is a very good driver, he never goes too fast and he takes care that everything in the car is working. It is not easy at all to drive for so many days and so many hours and being a good guide at the same time. Freddie managed to keep the mood happy during most of the times. He has never denied an answer when we asked something. I have never seen him tired or sleepy while he was driving, which is quite amazing. I have got the impression that he knows what he is doing in terms of wildlife, but as I said I have no comparison for that. Sometimes I wished we had waited longer in a place, sometimes the opposite, but Freddie had to deal with 4 of us and he did very well. Surely we had an amazing experience, being our first time. One hears of course of people that have managed to see more or less, but this is probably also a matter of luck.
Food: our cook was Dionise. Not much to say: the food was good and we were never left hungry. The dinners in particular were always different, which is very nice, since breakfast and lunch are always very similar (of course, after all this was a camping safari, not a luxus trip). So a positive mark for Dionise as well.
Wildlife/Scenery: In a 6-day camping safari, one typically visits four national parks. That's really nice, because the sceneries are notably different. Many people are not so impressed by Tarangire, but we loved it, given that you don't get to see Baobab trees and a big river in the other days. Also we did not have problems with tsetse flies, but we saw other people struggling. Maybe also just a matter of luck. We were really surprised to see that it is relatively easy to spot the animals. But we saw some of them only at a distance (cheetah, rhinos).
Accommodation: we slept in tented lodges near Lake Manyara and in the public campings in Serengeti and Ngoro-Ngoro. Our tent was good, but essentially all the tents of any company we saw look the same. In Ngoro-ngoro it can rain, so my suggestion is that the tents should have also a waterproof cover (ours had not, some others had). Finally, it would have been nice to had better chairs to sit for dinner: ours were more like stools. It seems stupid, but it does make the difference after a long day.
Others: I do not recommend stopping to see a Masai village. The experience is very fake and it is all based on money and commerce. We had a quote per person and we were told that we would have been not more than 6 in the car. We were 4 at the end and we think this is really the best number to spare some money and still enjoy. A group of 6 might be a little bit too much, considering the space in the jeep.
Final word: we were really satisfied with our experience with Suricata Safari. We have the impression that the quote we got was ok, compared to what we have heard from other tourists. If you are a first-timer like us in a safari, you will be amazed and you will have no regrets by choosing them and by having Frederick and Dionis as guide/cook.
BR
Email Leandro Godinho | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Better than I could imagine
We went to the safari with medium expectations. We thought it is important not to think that you WILL witness all the exciting things you see in videos and the companies say you'll probably see. Because you may not be that lucky and get very frustrated, even more when you think how much you paid for it.
That said, I must say our experience was beyond we were expecting. We saw many many different animals, including the big five (thanks to a last minute black rhino at Ngorongoro), a herd of more than 200 elephants crossing our road, leopards on trees, lions calling others and finding them a kilometer away (and then, hummm, having sex, ahahaha), animals eating their victims. We don't have to complain. :-)
The scenery is incredible, the beautiful trees, the infinite flat lands in Serengeti, the amazing views from the rim of Ngorongoro crater, all of it can blow your mind. We had very good to excellent accommodations, some good and some memorable meals.
About the company, all the contact before, during and after the safari were perfect. Good people taking care of your needs, special thanks to Caudence! And, finally, about our guide, Jeff, we don't have how to express how good he was. Funny, smart, experienced, knowledgeable, polyglot, you name it. Thanks for all and wait you to know Brazil, Jeff! :-)
US
Email Elizabeth Dahlen | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Tanzania camping and lodge stay safari
This was an amazing trip and Tanzania is a wonderful country to visit. The breadth and diversity of the people and animals is awesome.
The trip was extremely well coordinated.
NL
Email Ana Belen Gallegos | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
National geographic around me
After check in internet where will be the best place to do a safari we decided to book it in Tanzania and still we think that we’ve chosen the best place, doesn’t matter if the price is a little bit higher than in Kenia, this deserves it
SA
Email Juan Bolado | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing experience in an unreal country
Tanzania has been a great experience and Shemeji Safari and Tours were very good to us, specially our driver and cook. The Safari in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro has been one of the best experiences we have ever had. Congrats on an amazing place for adventure!
Email Russell Kennedy | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing wildlife experiences, great accommodation and an awesome Serengeti balloon ride.
The wildlife and scenery where beyond our expectations. Weather hot, but not uncomfortabley so; accommodation was both superb and varied, making the trip more interesting. Food was both plentiful and of a high standard, with service to match.
Transportation was very good, as was our guide.
Highlight of our trip was an awesome morning balloon ride over the Serengeti, which though it was expensive, was worth every penny. Incredible sights and sounds, and even for someone like me who really doesn’t enjoy heights, was a breeze. If you can afford it and get the chance - do it!
CA
Email L Fitzpatrick | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was a once in a life time opportunity for me and I was not disappointed!
The wildlife was great, got the opportunity to see all that I was expecting to see. Our guide was terrific, don't think we could have had anyone better, thanks, Gilli! The weather was wonderful. The accommodations were great, food was very good, although accommodating my daughters food restrictions were not as well attended to as I would have hoped. Overall our safari experience was wonderful.
NL
Email Patrick Eveleens | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The safaris and the landscape are very beautiful but the organisation is most of the time very bad
The safari's in Tanzania are really beautiful. And there is enough wildlife to spot. I had three joined safaris in every safari i met new and interesting people. The gids are well informed. Even through not every gids is a good chauffeur.
My only warning is the organisation. A lot of so told organisations are really just one guy with a computer and a telephone. And the drop you bij friends of them to fill up a car. That's not a big problem but there is no structure and organisation. So you have to ask every day multiple times with car you have to get and where you're going. Sometimes you find yourself getting in three day in three divergent cars and in every car other people.
