Our Head Guide Nico and our Signature Hot Lunches
Unlimited Expeditions: The Soul of Tanzania
- Office In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2015)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $150 to $400 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 Murali | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
trip of a lifetime with the best operators
We did this trip in Feb 2020 just before the lockdown. In retrospect, we were incredibly lucky to do this trip since shortly after we returned the world has gone into a lockdown due to Covid-19, and is still in a lockdown.
We did a custom safari that consisted of Arusha national park (1 day), Lake Manyara national park (1 day), Serengeti south (2.5 days), Serengeti north (2.5 days) and Ngorongoro (1.5 days). It was altogether a 10 day trip and it truly was the trip of a lifetime.
With Helena, our trip planner, we planned the trip down to the finest details and customized numerous times. She was ever patient as we tried to make the most of our time and money. We looked at half a dozen tour operators and finally went with Soul of Tanzania because of the great reviews on tripadvisor, the great reviews their guides got (which is the single most important thing in a safari), and lastly that while SOT was not the least expensive it was not much more expensive that other outfitters who did not have as good reviews. Obviously while going to a new continent for the first time with family and young kids, and being in the wilderness for long periods of time, safety and comfort are important. For us, SOT was a perfect combination of cost, quality and internet reviews.
All arrangements such as hotels, permits, safari vehicles, food etc were handled efficiently by SOT and so all we needed to do was just show up. They assisted with the visa process and all other paperwork.While in Tanzania, all arrangements were handled very well by SOT and we could just enjoy the safaris. We are vegetarians and all the places had enough food for us- some places had extremely tasty veggie food. And Nico packed veggie food for our lunch every day to enjoy with the chilled south african wines.
The safari vehicles were in great shape. Nico kept them clean and well maintained which is quite a challenge in the dusty african savannahs. He had an almost unlimited supply of water and juice, and of course wine for lunch daily.The lunches at SOT have been described in great detail and all i'll say is that it was so special to have a nice warm meal every day surrounded by spectacular nature.
The unlimited mileage that SOT has is incredible. Nico drove many hours (2-4 hours each way) to find wildlife far away from the crowds. That's where we saw cheetahs and lions from close by, a zebra giving birth, herds of giraffes and massive herds of wildebeests and zebras.
Nicodemas Modamba was an unbelievable guide- he was in touch with all the other guides over the radio, he stopped and chatted with all the guides. If there was a good sighting to be had, Nico would know it. In addition, he had great eyesight and spotted Cheetahs and lions from a km away. He was knowledgeable about birds and good at spotting them while driving through the rough terrain. He was attentive without being intrusive and was an overall great guide and travel companion. My son fell ill near Ngorongoro national park but Nico was present at all times. as soon as we decided that we wanted to go to a doctor, he immediately took us to a really good hospital half an hour away. The doctors and service was very good at the hospital and my son was good enough to continue on the safari a few hours later. I'm forever grateful to Nico for being so available the entire time.
Overall we had the trip of a lifetime that i had dreamt about for many years- decades even. We saw all the big and small species we wanted to see, we saw a ton of birds (all for the first time), we had close encounters with the wildlife, we felt the magic of Serengeti that morning with three cheetahs lounging next to our jeep, we felt the magic of the land when we saw a huge flock of whiskered terns put on a flying display for us, we felt the love of Africa when we saw cheetah cubs playing with their mom, we felt the power of Africa in big African lions giving us growls and we felt the elegance of the place when a tower of 50 giraffes ambled by us. We could not have scripted such a safari- a lifetime of experiences packed into 9 days.
Don't think- life is short and unpredictable. Book your next trip with Soul of Tanzania and immerse yourself in the greatest show on earth.
A few (!) of our memorable experiences in Africa.
1) our first sighting of the african giants: as soon as we got into Arusha national park, our first safari in Africa, we saw a tower of giraffes along with the zebras.2) black and white colobus monkey in arusha national park. What a sight to see these gentle creatures chewing on leaves.3) hiking in Arusha. We did a small hike in Arusha national park and were within 20 ft of a family of giraffes! they were just across a small stream and it was incredible to be so close to them.4) hornbills in lake manyara: we saw a lot of hornbills around dusk.
5) the great migration: between ngorongoro and serengeti, we saw the migration! thousands of gazelles, wildebeests and zebras along with a huge herd of giraffes.
6) Leopard on a tree
7) Hyenas in the campsite! Hyenas and dik diks were comfortable in our Shushudia campsite in Serengeti. We were the outsiders and had to be careful. You can't walk alone after dark here- it's just too dangerous.
8) Cheetah with cubs: on an early morning in Serengeti: we saw a cheetah mom with 3 cubs and it was amazing to watch her play with them.9) Three cheetah brothers: Nico had some magic eyesight spotting these 3 cheetahs from a km away in the grass. there was no other jeep around us. just the three cheetahs almost at a touching distance.
10) A trio of lions: again we were the only jeep in their presence thanks to the deft work of Nico. The lionesses lounged in the heat while the big lion gave us a warning growl to make sure we left them alone.11) Zebra giving birth. This zebra was lying on her side giving birth and there were a bunch of zebras standing at the sidelines looking at her. We sadly could not wait for the birth since it could take several hours!
12) hyena and wildebeest: right outside our campsite in the Ndutu area of Serengeti, we saw a half eaten wildebeest and a hyena waiting around to finish eating it.
13) Tree climbing lions. twice in Serengeti we saw tree climbing lionesses. once there were 2 of them but far away. the second time there was only one sleeping on the tree but very close by.
14) Cheetahs relaxing after a kill. Three sub-adult cheetahs sleeping in the bushes. Nearby was the carcass of an impala that they had killed and were being scavenged by vultures.15) a group of maybe 500 terns near lake ndutu. These birds were putting up a big display of flying around and landing.
16) Flamingos in Lake Ndutu: we didn;t see flamingos in lake manyara due to the high water levels there but were lucky to see them in lake Ndutu just before leaving Serengeti.
17) Seeing the big five in one evening in Ngorongoro. Just one after in this garden of Eden and we saw a leopard crossing the road, rhinos in the distance and numerous buffaloes, elephants and lions. Ngorongoro is truly a garden of paradise. Just looking into the crater from the above with your binoculars is an unreal feeling. Big beasts roaming around all over- variety and quantity!
18) Bat eared foxes! rare, nocturnal! We were one of the earliest in Ngorongoro crater and hence had the fortune of seeing these animals before they disappeared into the bushes.19) Huge herd of hyenas: maybe a herd of 40-50 hyenas squaring off against each other. in the background, wildebeests roamed around nonchalantly.20) Birds, birds, birds: I think we saw 150 species (we made a checklist) of all the birds on our trip. From large birds like the Kory bustard, ostrich, secretary bird to scavenger birds like numerous vultures, to flocks of terns and flamingos, to birds of prey from kestrel to martial eagles, to the numerous colorful common birds like splendid starlings and weaver birds to the numerous exciting hornbills to the colorful and rare birds like paradise flycatcher and cinnamon bee eaters.
A few tips:Handicrafts are actually less expensive and of better quality in the airport after you clear emigration. it's probably better to buy it there than in the overpriced roadside shops.
Lake manyara, in my opinion, can be skipped. you see better diversity of birds and animals in serengeti and ngorongoro.
Arusha national park is great only for the colobus monkeys. we went specifically to see that. If you are not interested in this species of monkey, you can skip this park as well.
Nothing in this world can beat Serengeti. maximize your time there.
You can check out pics of our trip on https://www.instagram.com/murali_nature_photography/
US
Email Susan | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Highly Recommend Helena P & Emmanuel Macha
We met Helena P. at the NY Times travel show at the Javits Center in January 2019. All I knew is that I wanted to see the great migration and I had no idea how to plan the trip. Helena made everything so easy - we just had to pick a level for the safari (exclusive) and we added on Zanzibar and she took care of everything. Helena also took care of the changes we made due to COVID - eliminating our visit to Kenya and adding on to our safari in Tanzania.
Emmanuel Macha is an amazing guide. We saw everything you could want to see on safari - the big 5, pride of 20+ lions, 2 lioness & 6 cubs tracking & killing a warthog, and the wildebeest crossing. On safari you spend a lot of time in the jeep and Emmanuel was great company.
The hot lunches with wine were also a nice touch and I can't say enough good things about Helena & Emmanuel Macha.
NO
Email Lise | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The experience of a lifetime!
Everything was really good! The experience was mindblowing! Our driver erasto was excellent! We felt safe and taken care of! Highly recommended
Email Mike P | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding from Start to Finish
We booked a week long safari in and around the Serengeti, followed by a week relaxing in Zanzibar and I have to say, that from our initial contact with our planner, Luis, to returning home, nothing could have run more smoothly.
SoT do not organise international flights, but once the trip was finalised and flights booked independantly, SoT acted like a high class tour operator, meeting us at the airport and transporting us to our first accommodation.
Our trip included visits to Ngorangoro, Ndutu, Serengeti and Lake Manyara, followed by a relaxing week in Zanzibar.
In terms of wildlife, we saw all we dreamed of and more. Our guide Felix, who I thought of as a friend by the end of the safari, was so knowledgable, not just about the wildlife and where to find it, but the history and politics of his country, he made the whole trip far more enriching than I thought it could be. His driving was pretty good too, seeing us through some "interesting" situations in the unusually wet period. Picnic lunches were cooked affairs with wine, not sandwiches, plenty of water was available throughout the trip, the vehicles even had 3 pin 240v plug sockets on board to charge batteries.
I don't know what else to add, SoT are outstanding, I will visit the area again and will only consider SoT to travel with.
Thank you for making this trip so special
US
Email Rumi | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Easy Company to work with/Edward was the BEST GUIDE
We are SO happy we chose Soul of Tanzania for our trip! Edward was our guide who was VERY professional, knowledgable, answered all our questions, and made sure we had the best time! He helped other guides, he knew all the lodges, and he advocated for us at every hotel/lodge we stayed at. He made sure we got to see as many wildlife as possible. He has 11 years of experience and he is fluent in English. The pick up. and. drop off from the airport was seamless. We got to visit 3 different NPs. They let us choose our own lodging and were flexible about frequent changes to my plans. I enjoyed choosing my own lodging. The jeeps were comfortable and very clean. I know people say not to go in March, but the parks were lush, green, flowers were blooming, and all the animals had babies. We still saw SO much everyday. I don't feel like I missed out at all.
FR
Email Ghislain | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unbelievable experience
Nous avions sélectionné Soul of Tanzania au regard des bonnes notes et des commentaires trouvé ici et là. Nous n'avons pas été déçu cette compagnie est à la hauteur de nos attentes. Voiture, qualité des repas, qualité des lodges tout y est mais le plus important une équipe au top !!! Présence, réactivité, ponctualité, gentillesse tout y est du "Journey Designer" au guide en passant par toutes les personnes que vous pourriez être amené à côtoyer. Notre voyage a été fabuleux la Tanzanie est magnifique, les gens y sont d'une gentillesse incroyable et les équipes de Soul of Tanzania ne déroge pas à cette règle. Nous recommandons évidemment. Hakuna Matata !
We selected Soul of Tanzania based on the good ratings and comments found here and there. We were not disappointed this company lives up to our expectations. Car, quality of meals, quality of lodges everything is there but most importantly a top team !!! Presence, responsiveness, punctuality, kindness, everything is there from the "Journey Designer" to the guide, including all the people you may come into contact with. Our trip was fabulous Tanzania is magnificent, the people there are incredibly kind and the teams of Soul of Tanzania are no exception to this rule. We obviously recommend. Hakuna Matata!
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Email Hrafnkell | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Truly an outstanding experience
Booked a 4-day safari encompassing Tarangire, Ngorongoro and Serengeti. SoT were very responsive in all communication from the first contact and Helena, our tour designer, managed to book a custom package in accordance with our wishes on a very short notice. The accommodation was excellent throughout. Livingstone, our driver and guide, was simply phenomenal - he knows literally everything about the area and its flora and fauna and seemed to have a sixth sense about where to find the different species of animals. Consequently, the tour never had a dull moment as there was always something new to see. We might have been lucky, but during a relatively short safari we saw cheetahs, leopards, lions, rhinos and a crocodile as well as the more numerous elephants, zebras and impalas. A particularly nice touch (which others have mentioned) is the warm lunch, which we enjoyed using metal plates, goblets and cutlery so no concerns about plastic waste :) In short - Soul of Tanzania are professionals from start to finish and we had the trip of a lifetime.
KR
Email Kim | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
I have never experienced before like this tour!
Hello.
I want to review my tour in Tanzania.
I joined soul of tanzania for my honeymoon. my wife's
dream was visiting Tanzania and joining safari tour.
also, my korean friend who joined Soul of Tanzania
recommend me your company. that's why I choose them.
Experience with Soul of Tanzania can make my horizon broaden. I could think everything with my life during tour time. also, the guide, Zamo who was with us for our safari tour was very kind and professional. I think he know everything
in safari. so I could enjoy my tour. moreover, the vehicle that we used for tour was good. all hotel and lodge was perfect.
Nowadays, Covid-19 is attacking the whole world.
but After threaten by Covid-19, I recommend you visit Tanzania, especially join Soul of Tanzania. they can give
perfect memory in Tanzania to you.
I hope all people is okay and enjoy their life.
thanks.
ID
Email Melissa | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The most wonderful tour ever
We were really impressed by the great nature of africa, especially luckily we saw male lions sitting under a tree.
All of the accommodations arranged by the tour were much beyond our expectations. The guide was very kind, professional, and trustworthy. The tour team responded to our questions in a timely manner and to the point. Even when our luggage was lost in transit, they helped us and managed to get and send it all the way to our place in safari.
PT
Email Alexandra | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fabulous! Everything was exelent, Congratulations to Soul of Tanzania!
Fabulous! Everything was exelent, Congratulations to Soul of Tanzania! Thank you for the amayzing experience! Highly recommend