African Big Cats Safaris
- Offices In:
-
United States
Australia
Canada
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2013)
- Member Of:
- TATO & TTB
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $200 to $1,100 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
LT
Email Arnas | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable Kilimanjaro climb and safari with an amazing team and seamless experience!
We climbed Kilimanjaro and then did a week of Safari!
First of all, the African Big Cats Safaris team has very big hearts. Its always customers first, and only then money, so we never felt like it was a commercial service. Any changes or unforeseen situations were handled perfectly, always putting our needs and comfort as the priority. This is very rare to find (and we travel a lot!).
From the very beginning, communication was fast and clear. Naomi from customer service answered all our questions in detail and gave us full confidence before we even arrived in Tanzania. We were given clear guidance on what to bring and how to prepare which made everything stress free and easy.
Its a local company, skipping any international middlemen, which makes the overall price lower. These guys go the extra mile to make the experience even better and really stand out. Emanuel, the main coordinator, was there at every step to make sure everything went smoothly and that we were fully taken care of by his team. The logistics were perfect - we didnt have to worry about a thing. Everything was seamless and someone was always there waiting for us and guiding us every step of the way!
The Kilimanjaro team, led by Imran, was exceptionally good. We immediately felt like it wasnt just our challenge to climb but a shared goal among the whole team. Imran, Elias, Samson, Daniel, and others are also friends outside of work so it really feels like a well polished team with warm relationships and trust in each other. This is very important because in the mountains you need to rely on everyone during the hardest times.
We believe that without Imran and the rest of the team, we might not have reached Uhuru Peak, as they helped us the most during the toughest hours. Apart from the great atmosphere, the food was really good, the equipment was well selected and the team was highly experienced in every topic related to the climb. English was no problem, Imran as the lead guide speaks it very well! To sum up, if someone plans to climb Kilimanjaro, Imran and his team are the way to go. At the end we were sad to say goodbye as we had truly become friends.
Even though the first half of our journey was so great, the second part - the safari was just as good. We chose the luxury safari option and it was truly special. The lodges were so luxurious that after the game drives, the accommodations felt like a separate attraction themselves!
We went to all the major national parks and Serengeti was by far the best. Thanks to Khalid, we managed to witness a huge Mara River Crossing from the front lines! His experience helped us get the perfect position for the view, far better than the other cars around us.
We spent the week with our guide Khalid who has a huge love for nature. This is so important because he didnt just give us dry facts but shared true emotions and passion for the wildlife. Young, knowledgeable, with perfect English, caring, flexible, and great at handling various situations for us - Khalid was an amazing companion during lunches and throughout the whole trip. He tirelessly worked the entire time which is rare to find. We have heard so many bad stories from other travelers about guides who were more like drivers than actual guides, but Khalid was top tier and made our experience exceptional.
It was such a great decision to go with African Big Cats Safaris! We compared our costs and experience with friends who did a similar journey through other companies and we realized we got a very good value for our money. Going directly with a local operator really saves a decent amount while giving you a more personal and authentic adventure.
CA
Email Léa | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Attentive, responsive, caring
A truly beautiful trip and a once-in-a-lifetime experience! 🐆✨
Africa Big Cats Safari offered us so much more than just a safari – it was a genuine human experience, full of unforgettable moments. Our guides, Saidi and Gift, were highly knowledgeable, attentive, and passionate, which made every day special. Communication before and during the trip was smooth, fast, and easy, giving us peace of mind from start to finish.
We highly recommend Africa Big Cats Safari to anyone looking for an authentic and unforgettable adventure in Tanzania!
US
Email Ryan | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Lovoi was an AMAZING guide!!
Highly Recommend African Big Cats Safari! From the start of searching for a Safari tour guide African Big Cats set themselves apart. Working with Emmanuel and Naomi to tailor a customized experience was so easy. Once we arrived in Tanzania the service was amazing. We were picked up at the airport at 2am, and taken to Mntoi River Lodge which was like a resort you didn't know you needed. From there we meet Lovoi our personal tour guide. He drove us for 5 days from Arusha --Tarangeire- Serengeti - Ngorogoro Crater - Manyara Lake! Lovoi was amazing and we saw absolutely everything, we even saw a lepord mating while a lion watched- something some guides have never seen! Every place we stayed at was great, but Embalaki Camp in Serengeti was unforgettable! African Big Cats really know what they are doing and are clearly experts when it comes to all things Safari!
Email Debbie Hall | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
A wonderful Tanzanian Safari experience with African Big Cats Safaris
We flew into Tanzania and were met by our Driver/Guide (Khalid) on the first evening. On the way to our Hotel that night he fully briefed us on details for the next day, as he did every day.
The next morning, we were met by the company's managing director who answered any questions we had as well as reviewing our itinerary.
The safari commenced after breakfast each day, driving to and around one of the four safari parks; Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire and Serengeti National Park, Manyara Lake Reserve. The experience was amazing we saw and photographed many animals in their natural environment each location was very different with stunning scenery, plant and bird life as well. Khaled kept us well informed about each area, animals etc, and ensured that we were positioned well to photograph each animal we encountered, including a cheetah cub that decided to investigate the cab of our vehicle by leaping onto our vehicle's bonnet.
Each day Khaled ensured that we arrived at an area set aside for safari vehicles where he unpacked our delicious picnic lunch and served it to us outdoors in a lovely location in the park in.
By late afternoon early evening we would arrive at the luxury Game Lodge for the evening. The accommodation was in beautiful locations, luxurious and the meals were of a very high standard.
Our experience was relived again with the company's owner immediately prior to being returned safely to the airport. It was an opportunity to to review and comment on any issue we felt raising directly with a person who was able to do something about it and most importantly with someone who really cared.
From our first contact, communications with the staff during the process, payment, issue of our itinerary was handled well by the staff. The safari was well thought out and we would thoroughly recommend this company and its guide. In short, a great value for money experience with African Big Cats Safari.
AE
Email Will S | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very-organised and knowledgeable.
My wife and I did a fantastic 4 full day Safari Tour with African Big Cats Safari for our honeymoon through Tarangire National Park, the Ngorongoro Crater and The Serengeti. Our guide Venance was great, showing us all the animals and offering great insight and knowledge about each animal and Tanzania. Emanuel and Naomi were also great in organising the tour and accommodation including accounting for my wife's food allergies. Each Safari Lodge selected was super comfortable. I'd 100% recommend African Big Cats Safaris to any traveller considering a Safari in Tanzania and I have already recommended the company to a number of friends who are interested in this trip.
FR
Email Emma | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fabulous Stay
We've just returned from a 10-day family holiday.
Thanks to Big Cats Safari and our guide Frank, we had a magical and unforgettable time. Between the animals, the landscapes, the lodges and Zanzibar, everything was well organised.
We've come back with stars in our eyes and hope to return.
Thank you to Big Cats for this wonderful organisation.
IT
Email Gianfranco | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Tailored service with outstanding quality
Family of four with two teenager boys – 11 days in Tanzania.
Our trip was planned and customized in advance based on our requests, despite a rather late booking. The assistance we received during the booking and personalization process was excellent.
In Tanzania, everything ran smoothly: the driver/guide (knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful), the vehicle (very practical), the overall organization, the accommodations (especially the tented camps), and the food (good, though a bit repetitive and not exceptional).
Everything agreed before the start of the trip was fully respected: no changes in location, confirmed agenda and no unexpected surprises. A very reliable organization with great flexibility to adapt to our needs.
We were able to fully enjoy the experience, feeling truly immersed in the beauty and authenticity of Tanzania, without any major issues or inconveniences.
A well-deserved 5 stars and a tour operator we highly recommend!
US
Email Kasin | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Thoughtful and personalized safari!
African Big Cats customized our safari to everything we wanted! With it being our first safari they were able to guide us to what parks to visit, where to stay and how long to do the safari! It was for our 5th Wedding Anniversary and they had Embalaki Camps surprise us with an anniversary dinner! Lastly they included a special stop to the Gorge! They genuinely care about your experience and are amazing to work with on planning the perfect safari!
Email Julie | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent tour, pleasant, helpful and efficient.
African Big Cats delivered everything that was promised and then some. Guides Claus and Lovoi were great and provided every opportunity for us to see and experience all that a Tanzanian safari has to offer. Seeing the Mara river crossing was a highlight.
US
Email Al, Rachael, and Jack | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Experience
African Big Cats was an excellent experience - from planning our custom itinerary to booking the trip from the US, communication was fantastic. ABCS was thorough, friendly, and responsive. From the moment we were picked up at the airport, our guide Festo was amazing. He was super friendly and humble, extremely accommodating, very very knowledgeable about all of the wildlife and cultural experiences we saw and had, and shared a lot of his personal story with us which allowed us to learn a great deal about what life in Tanzania must be like. The safari itself was top notch. Every day, every park, every experience, exceeded our expectations. We saw multiples of all the big five - Festo always seemed to know where to go to find the animals. We even saw a couple animals that he had never seen in his 10 years as a guide. We saw mamas and babies, mating pairs, tons of birds, and had some close encounters with lions, leopards, and lots of elephants. All in all we encountered more than 90 species in 10 days.
Festo cleaned the Land Cruiser every day and kept it well stocked with water, soda, and beer. Throughout our itinerary, Festo was a great communicator and let us set the agenda and make decisions, but gave excellent guidance and recommendations as well. We were out early all but one day and because of this saw some things that others might not have seen who started their days later. The number one highlight for us was to witness a crossing of the Great Migration at the Mara River. A couple thousand wildebeest swimming across the dangerous river and mounting the bank right in front of us and stampeding past the line of Landcruisers - truly a spectacle to behold. And we only got to see it because of the recommendation, expertise, and patience of our guide.
The accommodations were all top tier- clean comfortable friendly and great foods - our favorites were the remote camps which we spent 5 nights in 3 camps. Intimate Camp Zebra was a truly great experience. Kanbi Yo Tembo was another great lodging with unbelievable friendly hosts, great food, and unreal views.
We travel alot as a family and thanks to the team at African Big Cats this was absolutely one of the best experiences of our lives. Highly recommended.