Our safari guide team
Shah Tours and Travels
- Located In:
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 1984)
- Member Of:
- ATTA, TATO, TTB, IMEC, JATA, KIATO, KPAP & KRTO
- 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)
Reviews
Email Shivani Chandaria | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Prompt, reliable, excellent service.
Shah Tours ensured our Safari was planned and executed glitch free. We had an awesome experience with them. I would highly recommend their services.
Reply from Shah Tours and Travels
Posted on Jan 24, 2020Dear Shivani,
Thank you very much for your great review. We are happy that you had an awesome experience with us and that reflected on your last visit. Shah tours would love to have you here again. Hope to see you again soon.
DE
Email Andrea, Thomas and Emma | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A very well organised trip through Tanzania with very kind people
We went on the Kibo and afterwards for three days on Safari. Shah Tours organised everything very good, we felt all the time safe and made a life-changing-experience.
The guides (and the whole staff) did what they could to forfill our wishes and they did it very well!!
The guide who took us on the Safari was the best one we could have wished. Emmanuel (Manuel? from Arusha) did a very good job! He knew everything, he was very, very kind and became in only three days nearly a friend. Best wishes to him and all at Shah-Tours!
Reply from Shah Tours and Travels
Posted on Jan 24, 2020Dear Andrea,Thomas and Emma,
Thanks for leaving us such a wonderful review. We are thrilled that you loved your experience,our staff will definitely be happy to read what you wrote. We put customer experience and satisfaction as our priority, and your review reaffirms the hard work we put in every day. So thanks for your kind words and we look forward to seeing you again.
Email Dane | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent Kilimanjaro Guides
Shah tours was our guide company for our Kilimanjaro climb. From start to finish they were impeccable. Transportation waiting immediately outside the arrivals area when we arrived. Our guide was waiting at the hotel, even though it was 10:30 PM when we checked in. Our team of 2 guides and 8 porters were professional, friendly and took great care of us. Meals were ample and nutritious. Our camp was always set up when we arrived and we never felt rushed. Each day our health at altitude was monitored. we chose the 7 day Lemosho Route. Special thanks to guides Matei and Naftael, and our waiter (who also joined us on summit day) Kelvin. Summit day was hard but we made it! Recommended.
Reply from Shah Tours and Travels
Posted on Feb 15, 2020Dear Dane,
Thank you for leaving such a nice review and for your kind words. We really appreciate you taking the time out to share your experience with us. We are glad you were attended well from the day you arrived. We look forward seeing you again.
Email Karel | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Our Guides Ken & Robert were ACE!
Good comphy Land cruisers, great selection of Nat. Parks & lodges. But best part of booking through Axis Africa were our 2 guides Ken & Robert!
Without them we wouldn't have had so many small details that made the auwesome trip into an unforgetable trip.
Ken & Robert brought us to so many places that we would have never found on our own, so much fun & interesting info on wildlife, nature and the country and a very varried package of activities to mix up in between the driving!
Ken & Robert thanks again for the 148 birds, we finalised the 150 target with cherry on the cake: Verraux's Eagle owl in Gedde ruins!
Email Sundar | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Exceptional Wildlife Experience, but Serious Concerns About the Safari Operator
The wildlife experience in Tanzania was exceptional, and we had some genuinely memorable sightings and experiences. Unfortunately, I had serious concerns about several aspects of the safari that were within the operator’s control.
Cash/payment:
The booking intermediary, Nitin Vyas, asked me to carry a substantial amount of cash, representing a significant percentage of the total safari cost, to meet certain expenses during the safari, including park fees. We were subsequently found out that park fees were not payable in cash.
We were uncomfortable carrying such a substantial amount of cash because of the obvious security risks. We offered to make the payment by bank transfer while we were still in Kenya, several days before reaching Tanzania, but this was not accepted.
I remain concerned about why cash was requested when secure electronic payment options were available and cash was not required to pay for the expenses. For a safari of this nature, I believe customers should not be placed in the position of carrying substantial amounts of cash and exposing themselves to unnecessary security risks. I am particularly concerned that Shah Tours was aware that we had been asked to carry substantial cash, yet did not intervene or advise us or Nitin Vyas against doing so, despite the obvious security risks involved
Potential conflict of interest:
We were also not made aware at the time of booking of the commercial relationship between Shah Tours and Nitin Vyas, the booking intermediary. Shah Tours subsequently explained that the intermediary brings business to Shah Tours and receives commercial benefits through this relationship.
In my view, this commercial relationship should have been transparently disclosed to customers at the time of booking. Where an intermediary receives commercial benefits for bringing business to an operator, it is reasonable for a customer to want to understand whether this arrangement has any bearing on the price or value received. I have not been able to satisfy myself that we received the best possible value.
Driver decision-making:
The drivers were experienced and we had excellent wildlife sightings. However, there were occasions where delayed decision-making affected our positioning. At Ngorongoro, we also left before the required 6:00 pm exit time without this being discussed or agreed with all guests.
Accommodation:
Misako Mara Migration Camp had an exceptional location, but the accommodation was very ordinary for the price paid and had several maintenance issues.
Overall, the wildlife experience itself was outstanding. However, my 1/5 rating reflects my concerns about the operator-related aspects of the safari, particularly the cash/payment arrangement, the lack of transparency regarding the intermediary’s commercial relationship with Shah Tours, the driver decision-making and the accommodation.