Reviews

Sort By: Date Most Helpful Rating 41-50 of 83 Reviews
Scott   –  
Canada CA
Visited: July 2017 Reviewed: Aug 5, 2017

Email Scott  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Dream honeymoon in northern Tanzania and Zanzibar
5/5

My wife and I had a two week honeymoon in Tanzania immediately after our wedding and, in short, it was spectacular. East Africa did a great job all around with the planning and execution of the trip, making it very smooth and successful.

Alym (owner) was enormously useful in helping us decide on an itinerary that was right for us. He has deep first hand knowledge of the region and provides thoughtful and honest recommendations about what we should and shouldn't include in our trip taking into account our personal preferences and budget constraints. After deciding on the itinerary, Alym made sure we had all the information we would need before our departure (e.g. Packing lists, advice on travel medicine, etc). Alym took care of everything after that and we didn't need to lift a finger in dealing with all the many individual vendors on the ground.

Once we arrived, we were taken care of from the time we stepped off the plane to the time we arrived back at the airport to depart. All the logistics were executed flawlessly and the hotel and safari experiences constantly exceeded expectations. East Africa has a select group of guides and ours (Selemani) was terrific, which was an important contributor to the overall experience because you spend A LOT of time with your guide. Selemani had ~15 years of experience so he knew everything about the wildlife and was very cognizant of our needs, and furthermore was a very fun and interesting guy.

Tanzania is a fantastic option for a dream safari vacation and East Africa Wild Adventures is a great choice to make it happen for you. Thanks Alym and team!

Tayler & Seth L.   –  
Canada CA
Visited: January 2018 Reviewed: Feb 5, 2018

Email Tayler & Seth L.  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Amazing Honeymoon Adventure - Can't wait to go back!
5/5

Alym was amazing to work with from the very start. He took everything we wanted to see & do into consideration, while also staying within our budget. On our way to Tanzania, we missed our connection flying through Amsterdam. Alym was able to push back every part of our itinerary within a 12 hour time period so that we wouldn't miss out on a single aspect of our trip - It was amazing! After landing in Kilimanjaro, every aspect of our trip was seamless. Our guide, Selemani, was wonderful! He was very easy going, easy to get along with, and incredible at spotting different animals. We saw more than we could've ever imagined thanks to Selemani. All of the lodges and tented camps we stayed at were amazing. Great food, friendly staff, amazing locations. After our safari, we flew to Zanzibar for some rest and relaxation. We decided we wanted to go into Stonetown for a day and Alym helped us arrange this as well. Every aspect of the trip exceeded our expectations. We highly recommend East Africa Wild Aventures and we will definitely be booking with them again!

Gary   –  
United States US
Visited: February 2018 Reviewed: Feb 26, 2018

Email Gary  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Perfectly Planned and Executed
5/5

USE THIS OUTFITTER if you are planning to visit East Africa - Everything we planned went perfect and Alym Bhanji (native of Kenya, owner, and trip coordinator for East Africa Wild) did an incredible job of talking to and learning about my wife and I and then putting together an itinerary that fit us perfectly and then took care of every detail so that it was truly the trip of a lifetime.
Three and a half weeks, four countries (Tanzania - Rwanda - Kenya - Seychelles) , twelve flights, six airport pickups, ten lodges, six parks with permits, and thousands of animals - all without a single glitch.
Alym is headquartered in Vancouver BC so it was very easy to coordinate all the planning without worrying about time changes. He has staff in East Africa that catered to our unique trip and were very accommodating to any and all requests. We took over 9,000 photographs and never felt rushed. Every lodge was incredible (Nature One was a life changing experience), the vehicles were in great shape and every driver was safe, considerate, knowledgeable, and a lot of fun (at one of the camps we stayed in, the camp coordinator went out of his way to tell us our driver/guide Selemani was the best he had seen based on reports from his staff). With no one to compare Selemani with, I can only say that we saw every animal (except an Aardvark which became a running joke) and most birds in the Guide Book including over 70 Lions, 9 Cheetah, 8 Leopards, 3 Rhino, 19 Gorilla, 100s of Hippos - Warthogs - Giraffe - Monkeys - Baboon - ++++, and 1000s of Elephants, -Antelope - Zebra - Wildebeest - Gazelle - and Impala. Selemani was able to spot a Rhino from the top of the Ngorongoro crater over a mile a way without binoculars (we could barely confirm using binoculars). He knew every dirt road in all the parks we visited - it actually seemed like he had made appointments with the animals so they were nearly always where he thought they would be. I guess that comes from doing your job for over twenty years and still loving it. They also arranged six dives and a snorkel trip to see Whale Sharks.
Karim was our guide in Rwanda and was the perfect host setting us up with the best guides for the Gorilla trek. John was our guide in Kenya and was masterful at shuttling us to the different sites - the best being Sheldricks elephant orphanage where Alym had arranged for my wife to adopt a baby elephant so that we were able to get a private tour and spend time with the orphaned baby elephants. I can't say enough about how well the trip was executed, we are veteran travelers and there are always a few things that go sideways but not this time. The biggest hiccup was the room we reserved in the Seychelles was supposed to be ocean view and they showed us a garden view - a quick call to Alym and we given a ocean view room, a bottle of champagne, an apology from the management, and a free dinner. Alym had immediately called the hotel (5:30am his time) and straightened everything out in less than 30 minutes from my call.
The trip came with a cellphone app that detailed out every day and activity of our trip that made the trip easy to track and was great to show friends. We spent about a month soliciting and reviewing bids from twelve different tour companies prior to picking East Africa Wild. Alym submitted a letter of interest within 24 hours and gave us an initial bid within 3days and then spent about three weeks putting the trip together, adjusting the itinerary and confirming all the details. During this time the bid didn't change. From the time we requested a bid until we returned home, Alym would return calls, texts, and emails within a couple of hours.
I can't imagine how our trip could have been any better and it was all due to East Africa Wild.

Kingsley from Colorado   –  
United States US
Visited: June 2018 Reviewed: Aug 15, 2018

Email Kingsley from Colorado  |  65+ years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Going on safari in Africa was a childhood dream and and it was everything I dreamed of and more.
5/5

At the age of 67, I finally realized my childhood dream of going on safari in Africa. For 4 months, Aleem of East Africa Wild and I had an ongoing email relationship exploring different options for a trip to Tanzania with my 27 year old daughter. He was always responsive, patient and knowledgeable while we finalized a 6 day private tour to Tarangire, Olduvai, Serengeti and Ngorongoro. It was everything I dreamed of, and more, as we saw all the animals I wanted to see and witnessed a spectacular Grumeti River crossing of the migrating wildebeest. Our driver was amazing at finding animals, very informative and accommodated all of our requests. Although I have traveled extensively this was truly an experience of a lifetime. We loved Tanzania and the Tanzanian people and would encourage anyone to explore this part of the world and we thank East Africa Wild Adventures for making it happen.

David C.   –  
United States US
Visited: July 2018 Reviewed: Aug 15, 2018

Email David C.  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

African Safari excellence
5/5

I wanted a two-week, non-group safari, doing and seeing things typical tourists don't experience and got much more than expected for an unbelievably reasonable price. The details and our concerns were handled expertly and hassle-free (because the owner has lived there and knows the right places and hotel/camp owners, etc., making him an invaluable resource). He made special arrangements to accommodate our schedule and desires. From being picked up at the airport to being delivered to our final destination, our driver made the entire Safari worth every penny. He made us feel safe and secure at all times. He knew the animals and their habits, the plants, tribal culture, politics, economics, roads and geography, and became our friend. We would absolutely use East Africa Wild Adventures again and highly recommend them to you.

Abraham   –  
United States US
Visited: October 2018 Reviewed: Oct 11, 2018

Email Abraham  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

One of the greatest experiences of my life!
5/5

I had read all the positive reviews in advance, which convinced me to choose East Africa Wild Adventures, yet it still managed to exceed my high expectations. From the beginning, they were super helpful in providing tips and information on how I could maximize my time in Tanzania. We spoke briefly over the phone to discuss options and I was very satisfied with the options they laid out for me. Once I arrived to the airport, my guide, Hassan, was wonderful: an expert in the region (I learned so much about the region and its history from him) and in wildlife scouting, actively helpful at all times. He ensured that I had the best time I could have, and I definitely did. Again, I had high expectations given all the positive reviews I'd read, but even those expectations were exceeded from the moment I arrived. Next time I plan a trip to East Africa, I will for sure work with them again.

LK & Kyle   –  
United States US
Visited: January 2019 Reviewed: Jan 21, 2019

Email LK & Kyle  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Dream come true!! East Africa Wild created a safari experience that exceeded all our expectations!!
5/5

From the start, Alym was very attentive in understanding our preferences and booking the right itinerary for the season. He is extremely knowledgeable about Kenya and Tanzania, and he was able to place us in lodging near some excellent wildlife viewing over the holiday season with relatively short notice.

We had an unexpected travel delay and, as a result, we were going to arrive many hours late to start our safari. We were panicking so we called Alym and he immediately snapped into action solving the problem. He quickly arranged for ground transport early the next morning from Nairobi to the Tanzanian border. Our guide, Usiah, picked us up and we barely missed a beat, seeing elephants and lions that afternoon in Tarangire. This level of service was well beyond our expectations.

Usiah was a wonderful guide and has decades of experience. He has a sixth sense for where the animals reside and was able to bring us to them well before other guides. Over a week's time, were able to see over a dozen cheetah, at least 50 lions, as well as multiple leopards and rhino, which are unfortunately quite rare and endangered. We experienced the wild drama of the Serengeti, seeing the Great Migration and predators on the hunt. We came back with incredible photos and memories and cannot recommend Alym and East Africa Wild highly enough! Stop reading through reviews and call Alym; I'm so glad we did!

Jessica Eremita   –  
United States US
Visited: May 2019 Reviewed: Jun 25, 2019

Email Jessica Eremita  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Extremely Organized! Amazing Experience! Outstanding Customer Service!
5/5

From the very beginning, working with Alym on planning our dream honeymoon was such a great experience. Alym is the type of guy that just oozes passion for what he does and for the entire safari experience. He and his team just wanted us to love Tanzania and safari as much as they do! He worked with us on tailoring the itinerary to exactly what we were looking to do/see and stay within our budget.

We stayed in the most beautiful hotels and absolutely loved our guide. He was extremely knowledgeable and very easy going. We felt like we were with a pro!

This was the trip of a lifetime, and we highly recommend this company! Every need was met and our guides and accommodations were fantastic! We could not have had such a smooth trip without them! We will be using them for all our future trips to Africa!

Cherise   –  
United States US
Visited: August 2019 Reviewed: Sep 16, 2019

Email Cherise  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Our Kenya & Tanzania safari was a trip-of-a-lifetime and far exceeded our expectations!!
5/5

After reading tons of online reviews & corresponding with several safari tour operators, I decided to book my family’s 14-day Kenya/Tanzania safari adventure through East Africa Wild. During my initial phone conversation with Alym, it was clear that he is customer-focused and truly cares about his clients. He asked me questions and listened to my thoughts in order to understand my needs, desires & budget so he could design a customized itinerary specifically for my family. Alym is an expert planner…he is incredibly knowledgeable, detailed & responsive. He took care of every detail from the minute we were greeted at the Nairobi airport to the time we were dropped off at the Arusha airport to catch our return flight home.

East Africa Wild assigned private drivers/guides to us during our trip. Carlos was our tour guide in Kenya & Usiah was our guide in Tanzania. Their service was outstanding! Both of these guys were super friendly and went out of their way to make sure we were happy at all times. Carlos & Usiah were incredibly skilled at spotting the animals & knowing where to find them. We checked all the boxes on our list of “dream-come-true wild animal sightings,” and then we saw those rare animals again…and again! Carlos & Usiah also shared a lot of interesting information about the local people and their culture. We couldn’t have asked for better tour guides.

My family and I had been dreaming of taking an African safari for many years, and our recent trip far exceeded our expectations!! The people of Kenya & Tanzania are extremely friendly & welcoming, and the wildlife is unbelievable! There are no words to describe how awesome it was to have the amazing animals within a few feet of our safari vehicle and lodges/tents. We got some incredible pictures, but nothing compares to the excitement of being there to experience it in person. The Big Five…the wildebeest migration…I am still in awe!! Hopefully, I’ll be able to return to Africa to repeat this adventure-of-a-lifetime. If I do, I will absolutely reach out to Alym at East Africa Wild to have him plan the trip for me!!

Sandra   –  
Canada CA
Visited: August 2019 Reviewed: Nov 2, 2019

Email Sandra  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Great experience with Alym and East Africa Wild
5/5

Planning and booking our safari with Alym and East Africa Wild was easy, fun and straightforward. Alym always made himself available to discuss all aspects of the trip. Not only did he clearly answer all questions I had, but he was forthright in explaining why certain itineraries or properties might not have worked for us given the season, length of stay, etc. It was information that you can't easily find by doing a search yourself or by booking a set itinerary often offered by tour operators. It helps enormously to work with someone who is familiar with the area and the different properties.

The safari itself was fantastic and there are only one or two minor things I would have done differently (maybe skip the Masai village?), but nothing to do with the actual properties, length of stay, etc. The properties he suggested were great choices and though each one was a very different experience from the others (by our choice), each was a wonderful, comfortable stay. The actual time on the road was exceptional - we were in three different parks/conservation areas and saw a great number and variety of animals and birdlife. The vehicle itself was very comfortable and it was great having it to ourselves (family of 4).

We had a wonderful driver/tour guide, John, and could not have hoped for a better person to show us part of Tanzania. We were with him for 7 days and not once did we feel we could have had a better guide. He was very easy to get along with and knowledgeable about everything you could possibly think to ask him about his country (not just birds and animals!). He was also an excellent driver and we all felt very safe with him despite some challenging road conditions.

I have already recommended Alym to some of my friends who are planning a safari in the near to not so near future. If we are fortunate to be able to do another safari, I will certainly be in touch with Alym again.

Average User Rating
5.0/5
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