Joshua and Naombael (Directors)
Gombe Wild Chimp Safari
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2005)
- Tour Types:
- Small & medium group tours (Budget & mid-range)
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $50 to $350 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Sarah | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Really nice budget short trip!
We made a really short time decision to go for one night to Mikumi National Park. As we were on limited budget and i've been already on another tour with Gombe, I contact them & could agree very fast on a one night trip to Mikumi for a fair price.
They picked us up at our stay in Dar in time. The Driver Rajabu was really kind & could tell a lot about the Park and it's nature.
We had an afternoon drive, a morning drive & another midday drive.
All meals have been included & were really good.
Only negative point on our tip was the fact that there was a fire in the park only few days before we arrive. So the vegetation was not as rich as it has been on my last trip to Mikumi. But that's nature. And not the fault of Gombe Safari.
IT
Email Massimo | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Selous Game Reserve Safari
Last August me and my wife, we spent by Gombe Track Safari tours 4 fantastic days in Seleous Game reserve.
Everything was great , Mr. Joshua ( Owner of Gombe Safari ) had managed for us a great trip , the accommodation in Hippocamp was very good , last but not least our Driver/ Guide Mr. Joshua , this Guy is very professional , knows everything inside the park and when you are near to him you are getting always safety , we saw with him many animals . Thank You again at all Gombe Safari staff for everything , see You next year
US
Email Kristen J. | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
3-day Mikumi Park safari
Overall, a wonderful experience with Gombe Safari! My boyfriend and I booked last minute (only about a week before) when we decided to go on a 3-day tour from Dar. Our driver Yunis was very knowledgeable about the park and took the time to track down all of the animals we had hoped to see, which we appreciated. The accommodations were nice for the price (slightly roughing it but better than camping! Running water and electricity for a fan were awesome). The food was local and well made by the two cooks on-site. Everything with the tour ran perfectly on time and our driver was very flexible based on how many game drives we wanted to go on each day. I would definitely recommend this tour company!
CZ
Email Karel Jakubec | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great safari in Mikumi
Everything went as we expected. Our driver Roman picked us up at Dar Es Salam airport (at 4am!) and we drove to Mikumi.
Accommodation was in Mikumi cottage, directly in the park, small bungalows. Nothing luxurious but clean, staff quite welcoming. Water was not hot, but it was - you're in Africa. There was almost no variety in food, always the same sauce with either chicken or beef. This could be definitely improved.
Safari itself was superb. We had an old (600 000+ kms :) ) Toyota Land Cruiser, big and spacious with detachable roof. We saw lions, leopard, buffaloes, elephants, wild beasts, warthdogs, giraffes, hypos,... Roman was a great guide, not very talkative, but once you asked he gave you an answer. :)
At the end we arrived to port just in time to catch a ferry to Zanzibar.
PK
Email Omar Parvez Khan | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was all we hoped for and better!
My wife and I decided to go to Tanzania for our honeymoon; mainly for the beautiful beaches in Zanzibar but also for a safari in the 'mainland'. Gombe interested us right off the bat because the price seemed the most reasonable.
The company turned out to be exactly what we were looking for. We landed in Dar and two people were there to receive us. And from then on till the end of the safari everything was taken care of. our transport, our meals, our rooms, our game drives. Everything.
The accommodation was inside Mikumi National Park. nice, neat rooms close to the wildlife. We had regular visits in the room area from animals such as baboons and even a hhuge elephant. It was awesome.
Some people are saying that they didnt like the food. But we had no issue. Our guide, Alfons (a great guy, btw), took us to some good places and we ordered whatever we wanted ti eat; no limitations. Tried a couple of local dishes as well and they were great. Do try their fish and a sauce called 'chachando sauce', which is rare but if you find it, its amazing.
The safari itself was great. We saw a lot of animals. Zebras, giraffes, wildebeasts, warthogs, alligators, hippos and even a couple of lions at the end! And these aren't all that we saw!
A final word about our guide, Alfons. Amazing guy. Really knows what he does, knows the parks, the animals and even other parts of tanzania and tells some great stories. Also has a good sense of humour. Even when we drove for hours looking for lions we didn't feel bored for a single second. It was an awesome experience. Thank you, Alfons! We willn request the same guide of we go again.
Excellent Experience Overall, but improvements could be made
The experience of being close to chimpanzees in their natural environment will always overshadow anything else. It was absolutely amazing! By far, one of the coolest experiences I have ever had. Worth it, completely!
As for the safari company, they were fair to good. I could only find 2 companies online and I chose Gombe Track. When you are paying a lot of money for a safari you expect to not have to handle little details, like where you will be sleeping (there was a big miscommunication between the national park and the company and there were no beds for us). As well, when we paid the other half of the bill in cash, it was just out in the open (seemed dangerous and not professional) and the person I gave the money to did not seem to understand that I am handing over hundreds of dollars and it would be nice to have an envelope or some recognition that he is the right person because the main guy could not meet up with us initially ... It was strange. Some suggestions for improvement would be to have the owner of the company to personally meet with the tourists and explain the itinerary and what is going on and give him the money directly! When some random person picks you up from the airport and doesn't explain where you are going or what his role is, it is just a little frustrating and does not start the trip off well. As well, it is not explained well that the guide you have is hired by the park and you only meet him/her at the park. It would also be nice to explain the flexibility of the schedule and possibly have an opportunity to stay at a different hotel in Kigoma, if you want. Overall, still an amazing experience but the tour company has some kinks to work out!
Email Kate | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great 3 day safari in Mikumi
I went on the 3 day Mikumi safari with a friend and it ended up just being the two of us on the tour - great price for a private safari!
We got picked up from a Dar Es Salaam Airport hotel and drove to Mikumi with our guide John. We had car problems along the way which was unfortunate, but we still arrived in plenty of time to get an evening tour in.
We saw a lot on the trip - giraffes, elephants, hippos, crocs, wildebeests, baboons, zebras etc. We even managed to see a pride of lions (John had heard there were some off the main road so we headed straight there before breakfast).
The accommodation was basic but fine, and the employees at Mikumi cottages were all lovely. The food was good too, although we had the same every day - pancakes, sausage, egg and watermelon for breakfast, and rice and meat for dinner.
We managed to get in 2 morning drives and 2 evening drives which was plenty as you're generally out in the car for around 4 hours. On the second day we also had lunch/a rest at a lovely place in the park which overlooked the park so you could see animals in the distance as you ate!
I was unsure what to expect of the tour given the lack of reviews, but it was one of the best experiences I've had and i would really recommend it to anyone!
Excellent Gombe visit with Gombe Track Safaris & Tours!
Outstanding visit facilitated by GTS&T. Timely, courteous, reliable...excellent on all accounts. I highly recommend them and we will use them again soon. Many thanks, Joshua!!!
Email Brian and Patricia | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
African and awesome
Excellent all round, all went to plan.
The chimps were seen every day. Unbelievable really. Great guide, average food and accommodation in Gombe , as expected.
But
We think a trip to Kigoma Station would perhaps have been more interesting than the museum.
BE
Email David Yekutiel | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A short visit to paradise
Myself and 2 friends booked 3-day Gombe Stream. It was a no-frills trip to possibly the most beautiful place on earth! Everything worked fine, simple and efficient service (basically just booking the flights and getting us from A to B to C etc.) . Totally worth the reasonable price. Lovely boat ride on the lake, simple but good accommodation, fantastic Chimp viewing and forest walk, great bathing in the lake - just relax and have fun in this very un-touristy and atmospheric corner of Africa. Recommended for nature lovers, not for the over-pampered.