Hilary and Martin - owners of Suricata Safaris
Suricata Safaris
- Office In:
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2016)
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $190 to $600 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
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Email Julia Hedberg | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Professional yet familiar; Suricata provided us with a fantastic hiking and safari experience
After pick-up at the airport, we spent one night in the city centre of Arusha at a nice hotel before heading off the following day. Our guides Luki, Alex and Freddy introduced themselves and briefed us on the coming days and were happy to answer all of our questions. With us on the hike we had a team of 21 guys that helped carry our things, cooked us hot meals in the mornings and evenings and most importantly; brought us a huge portion of laughter, singing, dancing and motivation. The hike itself is quite a walk, but with its magic scenery and the many great stories told by our guides on the way, there was never a thought of turning back. Camping meant some chilly nights when reaching the higher altitudes, so warm clothes is a must of course, but the hot soup served before dinner also helps! Finally, the summit day arrives. While legs are getting tired, the excitement to finally reach the peak is what brought us all the way up. Starting off at the base camp under a sky full of stars, the moonlight shines bright enough to turn off your headlight. After some climbing, the sun begins to rise and the mountain comes to life right in front of you. Simply put, it cannot be described but must be experienced!
Safari is of course a must when visiting Tanzania, and once again Suricata made sure we got the most out of our days! We spent three days exploring Manyara, Tarangire and Ngorongoro National Park and saw herds of zebras, wildebeests and elephants as well as leopards and lions and many many more. Our guide Mandela knew tons about the animals and could easily spot them for us where there seemed to be nothing. The nights were spent in a lodged camping where every night a campfire was lit and locals would come to hangout, have a beer and listen to the live music. Overall, we had a great time and already planning our next trip back to visit the Serengeti!
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Email Rafed sadek | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Dream Safari
Me and my husband spent one week with Suricata Safaris in February 2018. The driver we had was excellent, he had plenty of knowledge about the animals and the nature of which they inhabited. He answered all of our question! (And we had a lot of them!)
We also had a Cook with us who made tasty dishes during our stay, and he always made alternative meals so everyone could enjoy them. He was very fun to be around too. There is one special memory of them that we have, one of the nights we gathered around a bonfire and just talked about the Tanzanian lifestyle, the wildlife and one or two funny stories might have slipped in:) we all laughed a lot and just Shared a memorable moment together. All of this while hearing the hyenas laughing behind the bushes and staring at a star filled sky.
We always got quick responses from the manager if we had any questions about booking details, acommodation and so on. and all of the crew were superfriendly.
We are very thankful for the great experience they gave us.
Best regards,
BE
Email Eva | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We loved every moment of our 5 days camping safari!
We loved every moment of our 5 days camping safari with Suricata Safaris. Booking and communication was really easy as Hilary, the owner, replied immediately to my inquiry and all of our questions. He organised a pickup for us as well as an airport transfer afterwards. We were 2 friends and were paired up with another 2 young travellers and spent 5 days in Serengeti and Ngorongoro parks. Our guide and driver Freddie knew absolutely everything about the animals and approached them with respect and admiration. It’s that sort of attitude you want your guide to have. We saw so many animals and even the great migration in the north of Serengeti and the famous wildebeest river crossing! If you travel with Freddie, don’t forget to ask him what his favourite animal is, his sense of humour is brilliant :)
Hilda was our chef and we still have no idea how she managed to prepare all the amazing feasts for us in the middle of the wild on a tiny portable stove with almost no light just from supplies we brought with us.
The camping option is a proper camping and although each campsite has washrooms and flushing toilets, electricity is not a given so make sure you have flashlights and appropriate clothes, it got very cold in Ngorongoro campsite in late July at night, you need a few layers.
We totally recommend choosing Suricata Safaris. It's a smaller company with a very friendly and personal approach that you simply do not get with larger tourist operators. All the people we met were amazing and passionate about their jobs. Hilary simply lives for his company and makes sure his clients are happy, it’s so nice to meet somebody who loves his job as much as he does.
DK
Email Ulrick Toettrup | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing safari – Strongest recommendation I have ever made
Travelling with Suricata was a great experience. Our guide Frederic was very knowledgeable about the all wildlife and had great vision both in terms of spotting the animals but also anticipating what would happen next which meant that we were often positioned very well compared to other safari cars. Frederic was also very patient (really important if you want to get close to the hunts and big cats in general). He also showed great respect for the animals, nature and other tourists which was a really big upside for us as well. Sadly we didn’t see this behavior from some of the larger companies offering the safaris. (This behavior from other companies only happened a couple of times).
On safaris you often have your own driver and cook so personal chemistry is probably quite important. Frederic and our cook (DeeVeeDee) were great company! Really funny guys and very attentive to our needs. The same has to be said about the office manager, Hilary, who picked up our delayed luggage and drove all the way to the National Park. They were also great in terms of customer service in general showing up 10 minutes after we had arrived at the hotel to make sure that everything was in order – e.g. food allergies, airport drop off, delayed luggage, safari program etc.
We strongly recommend having your safari with Suricata. You will love it!
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Email Ian | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible wildlife, in-depth knowledge, delicious food, safe driving and all around unforgettable
So, how do you choose a safari company? I'm sure you've read tons of reviews, looked over dozens of itineraries and read page after page of tips and recommendations. Let me help you out: pick Suricata!
I took a 7-day camping safari with Suricata to Lake Manyara, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater. Of course the wildlife and landscapes were breathtaking, but what really made the experience unforgettable was the professionalism, hospitality and humor of Hilary (the owner), Mandela (the guide/driver) and Dionis (the chef).
A few highlights:
- Hilary picked us up from the bus stop with a huge smile even though the bus was 2 hours late.
- The safari vehicle is one of the best we saw in the bush. Tons of room inside, very comfortable and very safe.
- Mandela, the driver and guide, has super human abilities to find animals. He makes it a point to take his own path instead of following dozens of other vehicles. This means that you'll often get to watch animals without any other cars around. And you'll be able to look out into breathtaking landscapes and actually hear the wildlife versus sitting in the middle of 20 cars revving and idling the entire time.
- Mandela was also a great storyteller and knew information about wildlife, trees, plants, food, history, culture, etc etc.
- Dionis, the chef, will make the best soup you've ever eaten. He even made pizza... in the bush, without an oven. Make this man an Iron Chef!
- Mandela and Dionis also listen to what you want out of a safari and go out of their way to make sure your trip is comfortable, stress free and safe.
I could go on, but you get the idea. Can't wait to go back!
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Email Peter | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent team that took us to Uhuru Peak
If you ever consider climbing Kilimanjaro I cannot recommend a better team than Suricata Safari to help you to the top!
We did a 6 day treck (5 days to reach Uhuru Peak and 1 day to get down). It was certainly a challenge and everyone in the group really had to fight to get to the top but thanx to the guides professionalism and extremely good mood we all made it!
It was a great team effort with porters, cook and guides. All of them fantastic people supporting and pushing us all the way. A special thanx to the guides ( Luki, Albert and Freddy)!
ES
Email Prince | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderful Mount Kilimanjaro experience with Suricata Safaris.
It was an amazing experience climbing Kilimanjaro with suricata Safaris. We were welcomed by Hilary at the airport, and driven to our accommodations for the night. On the day we began our climbing, we were met by a team of 21 people to help us with our 6 days Machame route. These men would eventually become more than just our care takers. They are a group of people with pioneering spirits and adventurous outlook on life. We all made it because of these guys, they catered to every need, they hauled our bags up and down the mountain, they were at our beckon calls when needed and most importantly, they were never without smiles on their faces. Kilimanjaro is tough, but these group of guys made us believe we could do it and we did. They never left our sides and they were there on the day we departed after completing the Uhuru Peak. There is a difference between the Suricata Safari team and others on the mountain, but that is something you have to see for yourself. I absolutely recommend you go with Suricata Safaris for you Kilimanjaro adventure.
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Email Tom | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Majestic Vastness of Serengetti---I'll always remember.
I've Traveled in Latin Am, Asia, Europe and Africa & I appreciated Hilary and the Suricata Guide-Driver and cook! Hilary, the owner was so hospitable, on-time, and thoughtful to us. His price was reasonable and yet he helped us in extra ways, like taking us to the shuttle bus to Nairobi, even though we had already paid him and he did not have to do this big favor for us! I enjoyed the safari---especially the majestic vastness of the Serengetti. Emmanuel, the driver/guide has amazing eyes for spotting animals and is kind and thoughtful towards his guests in the safari. Dionnis, the cook prepares really good food and it comes on time---a big contrast to the lackadasical service we experienced at even a supposed 5 star hotel in Arusha. If I could do it over again, I would arrange to spend 2 days and 2 nights in the Serengetti, and sacrifice Tanguire or Manyara during a 5 day safari.
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Email Delphine | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beautiful safari of northern Tanzania!
The owner of Suricata safari, Hilary is very friendly and helpful, he will make you feel super comfortable no time! We did a 5 days private tour safari in the norther parks: Tarangire, Serengeti e Ngorongoro. Hilary came to pick us up at Arusha airport and took care of our overnight accommodation in Arusha. The safari was beautiful! Our guide Floris, and our chef Mister Delicious were the best and really took care of us for all 5 days. I truly recommend Suricata Safari! Write to Hilary and he will organize your itinerary base on how many days you have and who you would like to see. The price is good, the jeeps are good and well maintained and the camp gear is also new and clean!
Email haj | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
very friendly and knowledgeable about the animals the choice of the lodges were excellent
It was delightful to meet Hillary and Izikio at the Kilimanjaro airport. our safari started the next day in four days we visited Ngorongoro and Serengeti parks, very we had breaks for lunch and the packed lunches were OK. but the dinners at the lodges were very good the lodges were comfortable with hot and cold water .the roads are mainly bumpy if anyone has back problem this ride going to be really painful.
the night stay in Serengeti national park was unforgettable you can hear lions roar all night ,and sunrise and sunset are amassing it is a life experience not to be missed