Tanzania Expeditions
- Office In:
-
United States
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2009)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $150 to $700 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
US
Email Greg | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Mt. Meru Claimb
My grown daughter and I had a fine experience climbing Mt. Meru. Tanzania Expeditions did a great job for us on the 4 day climb and we made it to the summit. We chose Meru over Kilimanjaro in order to spend fewer days on the climb. But Meru has some exposed areas that were a little concerning and I got a scraped knee when I fell on loose rock during the descent. In retrospect, I would do Kilimanjaro instead of Meru. I would use Tanzania Expeditions again.
Email Jenny | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An amazing, once in a life time experience!
We were a family of four (adult kids) who booked the 4-day Camping Safari with Tanzania Expeditions over the Christmas period 2015.
We were very well taken care of and the trip was a fantastic experience overall. All payments were handled professionally and we got a competitive rate for our package. The main reason why we chose this company over others were that the communication before the deposit was paid was all dealt with promptly and efficiently.
We had organised for the safari company to book us bus tickets from Dar es Salaam-Arusha before the safari and this worked well. When we arrived in Arusha they picked us up from the bus station as arranged and dropped us off at our pre-safari accommodation. The safari started the following day and we were very happy with the content of the tour and what we got to see. The nature is absolutely stunning and everyone should go on a safari in their life! We also got there just in time for the great migration which was spectacular. The food was of very good quality our driver was a very personable and good fun. We also had a case of illness during the tour which they dealt with very well.
The slight hickups were that our upgrade on the first night was fully booked when we arrived on sight so we got the "normal" accommodation instead. We also had a car break down but I think this is something that could happen with any company. They dealt with this by letting us ride with a different tour provider for the last day which worked out fine. We could have also wished for more facts about the animals and nature as we saw them but this was just a minor observation. Overall we had a fantastic time and would recommend Tanzania Expeditions to other travellers.
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g297913-d6964527-r354092618-Tanzania_Expeditions-Arusha_Arusha_Region.html#
US
Email Whitney | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Highlight of Trip
We went on safari with Tanzania Expeditions and visited the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara. This was part of a lengthy around-the-world trip and the safari was easily one of the trip’s highlights. There was an event at the end that cost one point from the overall experience/score though.
From the beginning, communication with Justin was excellent. He outlined what we would do and where we'd be staying. The prompt email replies were one of the reasons we chose the company. We were a little wary of wiring the money, but the process was smooth.
When we arrived in Nairobi, our airport pickup changed from the previous plans, and our guide actually came to get us. We crossed the Tanzania/Kenya border without issue. (However, I would highly recommend flying into Arusha or Kilimanjaro to avoid 6 hours of driving each way.) Once we arrived at our hotel in Arusha, we met with Justin briefly. We were then told our accommodations had changed. We were pretty surprised because everything was so clearly outlined before the trip. We booked the safari about six months out, so this last minute switch was quite odd. But our new accommodations turned out to be great. More on those below.
The safari itself was amazing. Our guide was informative, insightful and extremely skilled at driving the vehicle over the rough roads. We were out from the early morning, pre-sunrise, to sunset. We saw the big 5 plus so much more. It's hard to describe how incredible it is to see elephants walking just meters away or lions stalking prey. Our safari vehicle was one of the older ones we saw and was a bit rough around the edges, but that didn't bother us.
We first stayed at Kati Kati Camp. I originally said I wanted lodges to stay in, not tents. When accommodations changed on us, there wasn't much we could do, so we embraced the opportunity to sleep in the Serengeti. Each tent had a shower and toilet, so you really weren't roughing it. The wind/animal noises at night kept us up at times, but it was a truly an authentic experience. Would I do it again? Probably not but I'm glad I did it once. Our next night at the Ngorongoro Farm House was easily our favorite accommodation the entire trip. It was beautiful and spacious and we wish we could've spent longer there.
The final day of the safari was very long. We had a short morning game drive and then we had to get back all the way to Nairobi. Along the roadways in Tanzania, there are constant police checkpoints where they are checking for correct documentation. It seems that all vehicles get pulled over at some point. Apparently these police are also corrupt and look for ways to fine you. We were pulled over many times without incident. When we were flagged to stop again, we kept driving. All of a sudden, we had police cars following us. At the next checkpoint, we were forced to stop and a policeman jumped into the vehicle with us and we had to drive to the police station. At this point, we were wondering what is going on? We waited at the police station for nearly 90 minutes and then we finally got some answers after Justin arrived. As it was explained to us, they were illegally trying to pull us over and our guide wanted to file a complaint with the police chief and that's why we ended up at the station. We eventually got on the road and arrived in Nairobi at night. If our guide had been in the wrong, they would've held him at the station, so we took that as a promising sign. (If you search for articles about police corruption in Tanzania, you do find it's a large problem.) Justin assured us this had never happened before. He apologized and promised that our safety is the top priority of the company.
Would we recommend Tanzania expeditions? Yes! Having a guide who was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic is not something you get from every safari company. Even considering the last day's incident, we have very positive things to say about our guide and the company overall. But do yourself a favor and limit the driving on the roads; fly into Arusha or surrounding areas. With Tanzania Expeditions, you are guaranteed to have an once-in-a-lifetime experience. All of our memories, both pleasant and even not so, will be vividly told through stories for years to come.