Ecological Wilderness Adventures
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2005)
- Member Of:
- TATO & TALA
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $200 to $2,500 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
US
Email Carolyn & Jim McIntosh | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Our Last and Best Safari
Over the years we have been on 13 safaris with Brian and his Ecological Wilderness Adventures team. Age and health issues are keeping us at home, but if we could make another safari it would be with Brian. We have been on numerous other safaris in eastern and southern Africa, however, Tanzania and Brian are by far the best experiences. The guide's knowledge of the area, the animals, the birds and the people is outstanding. The flexible routes, accommodations and areas of emphasis for our interests always made the planning a success. The equipment used on the safaris, the campsites and the meals were always excellent. Go on safari with Ecological Wilderness Adventures for a wonderful experience and a great adventure!
ID
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Guide, Great Trip!
My friend and I had an excellent trip with Ecological Wilderness Adventures! Our guide, Gerald, was easy-going, hilarious and very knowledgeable. All the details of the trip were well planned: Brian and his team worked to ensure that all our needs were met. All of the rooms at the lodges had excellent views and the mobile camp was fantastic.
We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and highly recommend other people use this safari company. There are many tour company choices, and we are glad we chose Ecological Wilderness Adventures.
US
Email Karen and Roman | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Asante sana Ecological Wilderness Adventures! Your service was top notch! Highly recommended!
This safari review for Ecological Wilderness Adventures (EWA) is long overdue. My husband and I went on our first African safari last September with EWA. We found EWA through Trip Advisor. Originally, we requested to have Brian, EWA’s owner, as our guide because of his wonderful reviews. Unfortunately, a medical emergency arose and Gerard was assigned to be our guide...and what an awesome guide he was! He was energetic, easy going, had a great sense of humor and was full of knowledge about the wildlife. In addition to wildlife information, he also taught us about everyday life in Tanzania, how he became a guide, family life, and even taught us some Swahili. Gerard was always outgoing and willing to answer our endless questions! We chose to do a private safari and weren't disappointed! We highly recommend a private tour for the full attention and focus of your guide.
We absolutely loved how our safari was totally customized to our interests. We wanted game drives as well as cultural experiences mixed in with our safari so we could experience and learn about Tanzania as much as we could. The Land Cruiser truck was well maintained and equipped with bean bags for our cameras, inverters for our camera batteries, guide books, water, & other proper supplies. The pictures and videos we took of the wildlife were amazing! We took over 5,000 pictures! Gerard had a keen eye for even the smallest of wildlife and he would always strive to position the vehicle so we could get the perfect shot. We saw the Big 5 and more! We were happy that we saw the black rhino in the Ngorongoro crater & multiple cheetah & lion sightings in the Serengeti. At no point during our safari did we ever feel rushed and were able to see and do so much in 8 days.
The food provided throughout the safari was delicious and plentiful! We even had the opportunity to taste bbq’d squirrel during our hunting outing with a local tribe. All accommodations we stayed at were exceptional and we loved all of them. Our favorite lodging point was the Serengeti Savannah Camp located right in the Serengeti bush. We could hear the hyenas at night just outside our tent! The tents were roomy, amenities were perfect and the hospitality was excellent! The water for the bucket shower was always warm and the beds were super comfortable. Enjoying sundowners around the fire was also a nice way to end the day.
Our only regret is that we should’ve booked a longer safari. The 8 day safari went by so fast! If we travel back to Tanzania again (and we hope we do), we would definitely book with EWA again. We always felt safe and secure and their professionalism was superb. Even though we booked our trip from the other side of the world (Seattle, Washington), communication was easy, both by phone and e-mail. Our numerous questions were answered quickly and thoroughly by either Brian or Baraka (EWA's booking agent). Both Brian and Baraka kindly met with us in person during our stay in Tanzania. Even though Brian wasn’t our guide, we had the opportunity to speak with and meet with Brian for coffee at the end of our safari. He was genuinely interested in our safari experience and was happy to hear we had a wonderful time. We enjoyed our safari so much that we turned our memorial adventure into a Christmas card to share with friends and family. If you have a chance to go on a safari in Tanzania, we highly recommend Ecological Wilderness Adventures. They will not disappoint!
Fantastic!
We went to Tanzania for 2 weeks in February 2011 with Ecological Wilderness Adventures and that was fantastic! Brian was very helpful and responsive in preparing the itinerary. We are so happy we decided to go with them! Everything was perfect, Brian was our guide for most of the safari except the last park in Tarangire where we were with Dixon and both of them are so nice and know so much! Everything was so well organized; we didn’t have to worry about anything. We arrived in Kilimanjaro airport in the evening, and the next morning Brian picked us up at the hotel. We first went to Lake Manyara National Park, and then 4 days in the Ndutu area, south of Serengeti, and that was the highlight of the trip: this was recommended by Brian and I am so glad we went there! This is just amazing; we saw the great migration, elephants, cheetahs, lions, and 2 different groups with lions cubs!!! I so wanted to jump out of the car and take one... We slept in the Serengeti Savannah Luxury mobile camp which was amazing, a huge tent with a real double bed, a shower and chemical toilets, and they warm water for you on the fire when you want to shower! Food is fresh and very good, all inclusive, and at night you hear the animals, so great.
Then we went to the Ngorongoro crater where we saw some rhinos, and ended at the Tarangire where we saw a leopard!! She even killed a monkey in front of us in a tree.
And to finish we went to Zanzibar for a few days at the Ras Nungwi, very nice too.
This was really an amazing trip and I didn’t expect seeing so much animals and so close.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Highly individualized, personal safari with great guide in exclusive tented camps and lodges
Brian and his company had been recommended to us by friends, who had already been on safari twice with Ecological Wilderness Adventures before. Thus, we felt comfortable right from the start. Although our inquiry for a safari was at short notice before the desired time of travel (only 3 months in advance), Brian made this holiday dream come true and organized a highly individualized safari tour tailored perfectly to our ideas. Within hours he came back with answers and solutions to our questions regarding the planning.
During the trip, our guide Kappia took great care of us. His deep understanding of Africa's wild animals, his extensive explanations during animal observations as well as his humorous spirit contributed to an unforgettable experience.
In addition, we would like to emphasize the high standard of Brian's tented camps in Serengeti NP. The nights spent there were the greatest of our trip. The staff are very, very friendly, always have a warm welcome for you and make your stay an amazing experience. Plus, the meals served by the camp's team are awesome - always a soup as an entrée. Compliments to the cooks!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
EXCELLENT OPERATOR: differentiated from the "Big" operators, please read this review
You have read the other GREAT reviews of Ecological Wilderness Adventures and I would agree with them. So I will focus on what differentiates Ecological from the other operators that we came across on our safari. Also, I encourage you to reach out to me if you would like to discuss in detail. Brian and the staff at Ecological Wilderness have my contact email. As a side note, my sister and her husband have PhDs in Biology and have extensive travel experience all over the world. They selected Ecological Wilderness Adventures over many other choices they had!
So Why are they different??
- A smaller operator allows you to have flexibility that you don’t get with the BIG tours
o Ability to adjust start times in the morning, meal times, or stop times
o Ability to tailor your trip to your specific tastes and desires for wildlife or plant life, etc
o Ability to select/ adjust accommodations that match your budget and tastes
o Ability to alter vehicle arrangements for your group as needed
- We interfaced with several other people on safari with BIG operators and commonly heard:
o Most common complaint was being tied to large group and “herded like cattle”
o Other complaint was not having a voice to adjust anything
o Few complained the tours were primarily in a language they didn’t understand if they were a
small party dominated by a larger group
o All we talked to quickly understood the benefit of a smaller operator as soon as we explained it,
often in a “AH HA” moment like a light bulb went off!!
o If you have a small group (aka your family) then you want a great small operator= Ecological
Wilderness Adventures
- Brian and his staff at Ecological are extremely knowledgeable about all types of wildlife and plant
life. This includes big animals to small birds and all type of vegetation.
o Personally, I was stunned at the depth of knowledge but they go to school for years to be such
informed guides
o Even the two Biology PhDs on the trip were extremely impressed
- Brian and staff are wonderful people and great to spend time with
o They were extremely helpful before the trip (how to prepare, what to bring) and answered every
question we had
o During the trip, they were a pleasure to be with and learn from
o They even dealt with our more difficult group members in great fashion
- The accommodations and food were wonderful. The soups were amazing.
- Ecological was great with the children on our trip who ranged in age from my 5 year old daughter
to a 15 year old teenager. All the kids loved the safari and the guides.
Closing comments from me…
First off, GO TO AFRICA!! Tanzania is WONDERFUL!! It is a spectacular experience that should not be missed while it is still unexploited. This was not on my list to do but was the best trip of my life. My family organized the trip and I took my family simply to be part of the group. Now, I can’t wait to return.
Second, as you can read above, I strongly encourage you to use Ecological Wilderness Adventures with Brian and his wonderful staff. They truly are outstanding!!
Finally, as I mentioned before, feel free to contact me if you wish to discuss further. I have already referred many interested parties to Brian with confidence. Enjoy your trip!!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Excellent safari, highly recommend
We traveled with Ecological Wilderness Adventures in July 2014. We had an excellent time and would highly recommend Ecological to others. Leading up to the trip, Brian was very helpful - always fully answering our questions and responding to emails very quickly. We knew we did not have to worry about organising any aspect of the trip as Brian had it all covered. He planned well for special food needs - with good vegetarian options - and organised a nice birthday cake and celebration for one member of the party - a great surprise!
On the trip, Sammy was our guide and we had a wonderful time from the very beginning. Some of our group had been on many safaris before, and we were impressed with Sammy's guide abilities relative to other trips. He was very adept at finding what we were looking for, and was very patient in seeking out the best animal sightings. He was also a lot of fun and our group enjoyed the trip quite a bit!
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great safari company with local roots
We booked a 6 day lodge safari with Ecological Wilderness Adventures in June.
Brian was very quick to react to all our questions and requests. He is a man with great knowledge about the country, the national parks and the Tanzanian wildlife.
The safari was perfectly planned and we practically didn't need any adaptions. All accommodations had a very high standard. Especially Serengeti Savannah Camp, which is also operated by Brian was a real treat. A camp in the middle of nowhere that made you feel very close to nature, yet offering all the comforts a european traveller can hope for.
Kappia our very knowledgable and friendly safari guide is a great guy. He gave us lots of explanations about wildlife and birds and was also a perfect ambassador for his country. After the 6 days we felt like we had learned a lot about Tanzanian culture, politics and various questions that he never got tired to answer. He also showed us interesting places in Arusha and helped us rearranging the trip spontaneously when I got sick for one day.
With Ecological Wilderness we felt in very good hands and at the same time had the feeling to support a company with local roots, rather than an international corporation.
Thanks again for this wonderful experience!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Safari of our dreams
This experience was just what we wanted. We learned lots of new information, saw more animals than we could possibly imagine, stayed in comfortable and beautiful locations, ate delicious food, and were so sad to leave our guide at the end. I would highly recommend this company for their incredible professionalism and well tailored itineraries.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Mt Meru-Tarangire-Ngorongoro Safari
I only have great things to say about the personalized service, efforts to adjust to changing itineraries and wildlife movements, and overall content and experience while going on safari with Brian and his Ecological Wilderness Adventuress. He did an amazing job of making our trip incredibly enjoyable, satisfying, comfortable, and worth repeating. His natural history expertise including local culture, environments, and wildlife species were always evident and appreciated by each in our party. Hiking, birds and mammals, and tasting the diversity of local communities were important facets of my trip and he was great at trying to accommodate those needs. Highlights included close encounters with elephants at Tarangire, rhinos and lions in the Ngorongoro, sharing a lunch with Masai children, hiking on Meru, and just relaxing after each incredible day. I will not forget this great adventure and hope that we can enlist his excellent services again and for a much longer time. I highly recommend them. Asante sana, Brian and company!