Earthlife Expeditions
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2011)
- Member Of:
- AMREF, TTGA & TLTO
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $175 to $650 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
SG
Email Navya | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A phenomenal and memorable experience!
I am so happy I stumbled upon Earthlife Expeditions online. I reached out to various tour providers online, however Mr Deo's immediate and prompt response, along with a detailed itinerary and a bunch of different tips and suggestions instantly stood out from the other providers. I was organising a family holiday, which was a task made even more daunting by the fact that my parents wanted a laid back, luxurious safari, and my younger brother wanted adventure.
Mr. Deo was not just understanding and accommodating, he was also incredibly flexible with the itinerary and gave us great recommendations. Having been in the industry for so long, he really knows it inside out. In addition to that, he is very warm, and goes the extra mile to make sure his clients are well taken care of. He really does make it a point to see to things personally.
Our trip started in Tarangire, and we continued on to Manyara, Central Serengeti, Northern Serengeti (to see the migration) and finally the Ngorongoro Crater.
The team took care of everything, from accommodation bookings, to food, drinks and the entire travel with all permits. The quality of the lodges and camps were phenomenal. Like something from the movies! There were enough and more safety precautions taken, and we never felt scared or worried. The food was absolutely delicious, and we ended our trip in Zanzibar where we stayed in a small boutique hotel (which was absolutely beautiful!).
Our guide, Mr. Gilbert, was very friendly, and incredibly knowledgable about all the animals and the birds. He is so warm and friendly, we really took to him immediately. He had a great sense of humour and we were really very fortunate to have him as our guide.
As unforeseen issues can affect anyone, we did have a slight issue towards the end of our trip with the car, which unfortunately was difficult to rectify as we were in the middle of nowhere. However what was heartening were the steps Mr Deo took to make sure that we were comfortable and duly compensated for any inconvenience. He made it a point to meet us at breakfast before we left for Zanzibar to take down all of our personal view points and to make a note of our feedback. This not only demonstrated great service but also showed us how personally involved Mr Deo is with all of his clients, and that he will go the extra mile to make sure we have a good holiday.
Issues can happen with anyone, anytime. The real difference is when you're well taken care of throughout, and the tour providers go the extra mile to make you happy.
This really was a trip of a lifetime, memories I will carry forward with me for life. We witnessed the great migration, were fortunate enough to see a Lion and Buffalo hunt from start to end (the buffalo escaped a pack of 4 lions!) and Mr Gilbert made it a point to show us everything we possibly could within the time frame.
I will recommend Mr Deo and Earthlife Expeditions to my family and friends in a heartbeat, every single time. Thank you so so much for making our holiday so memorable!
Email Louise | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trustworthy operator - highly recommended
We selected Earthlife Expeditions after contacting a number of highly rated safari operators in Tanzania. Only Earthlife provided the itinerary that we were looking for, with the type of accommodations we had asked for and the requested number of nights.
Communications with the owner Deo were prompt and polite. We also contacted a number of previous customers who gave positive feedback.
Unfortunately we had to cancel our safari several months before travel due to a change in circumstances. In accordance with Earthlife's terms and conditions (provided before booking), a portion of the deposit was transferred back to us within a matter of a few weeks. Trust is a huge aspect of booking directly with an operator based remotely and Earthlife have proved themselves to be reputable and trustworthy.
We will certainly use them in the future.
CA
Email Debbie Lodewijk | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We are seasoned travellers amd this was our favorite vacation ever! Top notch service and experience
We had a trip of a lifetime with our guide Junior (Godlisten) of Earthlife expeditions. All staff very very helpful and went the extra mile many times during our adventure. Our luggage was delayed 4 days and our guide purchased clothing and basics for us so that we could enjoy our first few days, he even gave my fiance his own clothes to wear (shirt, shorts, sandals) and then drove hours to pick our luggage up that was a detour from our itineray while we rested at our homestay. Our itinerary was a dream, we saw everything and so much more than we hoped. Our guide was very talented at positioning the vehicle and reading animal behaviors for extraordinary photo opportunities, I noticed we had better vantage points often than other safari vehicles. All accomodations were excellent. We asked for a trip to Kilimanjaro and a local village homestay and these were added on without any issues to our itinerary. We met many local people and had a wonderful cultural experience in addition to the safari that was authentic and private. I was very impressed with the skills and talents of our guide, he was fluent in 5 languages, a mechanic and handy man (which is important on the rough roads), great help negotiating at local markets and with guides. I have a keen interest in agriculture and ethnobotany and Junior made sure I had many opportunities to learn, including an improptu bush walk with the local Masai people to learn about medicinal plants. We had a surreal experience of coming uncomfotably close to a lioness while at an observation point in a park out of the vehicle (a place permitted to be out) and he was calm, and instucted us on what to do in a way that minimized our stress and fears, the lioness continued on her way, an experience we won't soon forget! Junior cleaned the vehicle every day and there was a fridge and charging ports in the car which were muchly appreciated as camera batteries don't last long with all the photo opportunities. We shopped around with several companies and feel we had excellent value and a wonderful safari vacation with Earthlife. At the conclusion of our safari they even booked our domestic flight to Zanzibar and met us at the airport with our tickets and arranged transport to our next hotel even though our tour with their company had concluded. We highly recommend and are grateful for the memories and experience we had!
US
Email Betsy | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Deo was great to work with.
We had the trip of a life time. Our guide Paul was awesome this was my 3rd safari first to Tanzania but by far the best. The camps where well equipped and the food was great.
I would highly recommend Earth life we are now planing a trip to the Southern circuit.
Too Many Great Things to Say About Earthlife Expeditions
My husband and I absolutely loved our trip with Earthlife Expeditions.
The communication with Caudence before our trip began was phenomenal. She was able to plan our incredible safari with such short notice. The accommodations that she booked for us were beautiful, had delicious food, and great ammenities.
Our guide, Joe, was incredible. Your guide can make or break your trip, and he went above and beyond. Not only was he personable and easy to talk to, but we quickly became friends. He was funny & full of tons of knowledge. He even taught us a bit of Swahili, which impressed the hotel staff that we'd chat with. Because of Joe, we saw the Big 5, a stunning sunrise over Tarangire National Park, & had a honeymoon that we'll never forget! Asante Rafiki (Thank you friend)
If you're browsing tour companies, stop looking, you've found the best one.
US
Email Shernaz | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beyond Excellent!!
I contacted several safari operators before deciding on Earthlife and I am SO glad that I did! Communicating with Deo, the owner was easy and prompt. He was a true professional, and very honest. He used to be a guide, so knows first hand about the pros and cons of the various safari destinations. He did not steer us wrong.
We are a very well traveled family and this was by far our most favorite trip! The accommodations were absolutely fantastic and the food was amazing! Deo gave us exactly what we would have wished for. The safari vehicle was well maintained. Our guide Jeff was MORE than amazing! He could find even the most illusive animal and we were always the first ones on the scene! He was also quicker than a google search in telling us about each bird, animal or flower AND he had eagle eyes! He spotted the endangered black rhino from about a kilometer away and then sure enough when we drove closer - he was right!! He also cleaned out the vehicle every day and was just such a nice human being of great character. After eight days, we felt like family! On our way home, we broke journey in Doha and the hotel concierge recommended a desert safari. Our adult boys without hesitation, told us "no Jeff no safari!!" That says it all!
I would highly recommend EarthLife Expeditions, Deo and Jeff without a moment's hesitation! Asante Sana Deo and Jeff!
CA
Email Teresa | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic 7 day safari with Earthlife
I’m Teresa (from Ontario Canada) and I booked a safari with my husband & my 27 year old son.
I cannot say enough wonderful things about our safari - booked through earth life adventures tours
Our guide, Joshua Thadeo, became more than just a tour guide - he became our friend.
He was our eyes and ears on safari. He can spot an animal miles away!!
We saw the big five, and so much more....The endangered Rhinos, a cheetah eating a gazelle, the migration of the wildebeest, a lion stalking and killing a zebra, and a complete pride of 32 lions!
Everyday was better than the next!!
His knowledge of the animals and the land was beyond our expectations
and his love of Tanzania was evident at all times.
Thank you so much Joshua for making our trip so successful!
It was the most amazing experience of my life and I hope to come back to this beautiful country again. I definitely recommend booking with Earthlife!!!
Caudence, from customer service, was fantastic during our booking process. He was always so quick to answer our questions and put together a great itinerary for us that included 4 parks and a mix of lodges and tented camps! We were not disappointed!
Meek, our driver who picked us up from the airport in Arusha was also professional and informative!
Everything about our booking and trip was top notch!
US
Email Maria & Dave | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The guides were amazing. Very knowledgeable and friendly.
There was communication prior to the trip but with a seven hour time difference we sometimes had to wait one or two days to receive answers. However, our questions were always answered.
The guides were amazing. They were very friendly and extremely knowledgeable. Very punctual. They were excellent drivers. Thanks to their persistence we were able to see the big five.
The camp sites were wonderful. The staff bent over backwards to accommodate us at all sites. Food was great, but you have to be flexible as it is not what you are use to. There was always plenty of food and water.
The roads were awful, full of potholes and very dusty. So soap to wash out cloths in the evenings was a necessity. Some camping TP and small baggies were also needed at times.
Need to have lots of $1 bills for tipping.
Buying souvenirs was a hassle as you have to haggle the prices on everything.
If we were to go on another safari we would highly consider using the same company.
BN
Email Ian & Michele | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great Game Viewing in a Beautiful Environment
The ten day tour took us through Tarangire, Central, Southern and Western Serengeti and Ngorogoro, and there was lots of great game viewing wherever we went. Our guides were knowledgeable and accommodating and also excellent drivers.
The camps we stayed at were in a variety of locations and none of them disappointed, two of the location in particular offered spectacular scenic views. All the camps were comfortable and offered the amenities that you would expect on a tour like this.
The support from Earthlife prior to and after the trip was also fantastic and we would have no hesitation is recommending them to other travelers or using them ourselves at a later date.
Best safari experience I can ask for!
Choosing Earthlife is my wisest decision made for my safari trip! Our trip was made so comfortable and memorable thanks to the professional pre-trip planning done by Caudence and the amazing tour done by Aggrey.
Starting with Caudence: She is the most responsive agent among about 10 agents I spoke to in total. The way she communicates is just hyper clear and customer-oriented, which played an inportant part in building my trust for Earthlife. With Caudence I feel my needs and questions were carefully listened to and addressed, unlike how I experienced with some other agencies who apparently was going after my money and everything they do is trying to make me sign asap. I really enjoyed our communication and our efficiency for confirming the whole trip within only 30+ email exchange. In the end I felt totally safe to make the full payment 3 months prior to my trip (I suggest you do the same because it really saves time and Earthlife can be trusted!)
Next is our Super professional guide Aggrey: this guy is a gem stone in the safari field and I am not exaggerating! He told us he has been doing this job for 7 years and that explains where his rich knowlede for animal and the landscape comes from. We have seen all big 5 (including the rare black rhino) and many more (like python, giant lizard) because this guy has hawk eyes to see them all while driving at 100km/h. Aggrey himself is also a animal fan therefore he is self-driven to seek for big cats and rare animals. As his guests we were really lucky to have been to some best location for seeing animals because Aggrey is so much dedicated to his profession (he drove us like right below a giant tree so we can see really close a huge panther taking a nap on the tree). He is an excellent driver (a living GPS) and you can totally trust him and take a nap after a long safari day while he delivers you safely to your camp. When it comes to shopping, he also knows the places to go. I remembered to help us buy the best tanzanite stone at a good price, he drove us between 2 shops back and forth without complaining. Instead he was giving us advices and talking to the owner for bargaining...things like this is enough to prove that he cares about only one thing:give his guest the best experience by showing true knowledge, respecting the guests’ needs and engaging them in each moment of the safari!
Lastly the company: Very reliable and responsible brand that exceeded my expectations. The company took note of our honey moon and did their best to make sure we get special welcome in our hotels. When one hotel forgot to inform us about a site move (which caused us to drive 1 hour more), the company went harsh on them and asked to apologize with action. As a result, we received a bottle of wine as apology on the second day in the next hotel which is about 1.5hrs drive away. It really shows that Earthlife cares! At the end of the trip, the reservation manager came to our hotel to collect our feedback on the trip, a gesture that again approves their customer-oriented business philosophy.
In summary, earthlife is really great... i cannot imagine our trip being any better for the price we paid. If I go back to Tanzania again, I choose Earthlife again without hesitation!!!!