Geofrey Nassari, founder and owner company.
Meru Slopes Tours & Safaris
- Office In:
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2013)
- Member Of:
- TATO & TTB
- Tour Types:
- Small & medium group tours (Budget & mid-range)
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $180 to $1,200 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
_1813_5e20b935b89f3.gif "Meru Slopes Tours & Safaris")
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
CL
Email Valeria | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Ok
We chose Meru Slopes for our 6-day budget safari after reading many excellent reviews, so we expected a well-organised and smooth experience. Overall, the safari itself was good, but our experience with the person who sold us the tour, Almanchius, was quite disappointing.
Our guide was good. He knew exactly where to take us to find the animals and we had a great time with him. He was not very talkative and gave only brief explanations, so at times he felt more like a driver than a guide, but overall we were happy with him.
Our chef was excellent. He was professional, always on time and prepared delicious food throughout the safari.
Unfortunately, communication with Almanchius before and during the trip was the biggest problem.
Even before booking, communication was not very professional. We asked for a call to get more information, but the call lasted less than five minutes and he was clearly distracted, talking while getting in and out of a car. We still decided to book because of the many positive reviews.
After paying our deposit, things became even more concerning. Almanchius stopped replying to our messages and emails, and at one point we genuinely thought we might have been scammed. Eventually, he apologised and gave us different explanations for the lack of communication.
There were also several things that should have been communicated before the safari. For example, we were never told that we would have a chef travelling with us or that we would be expected to tip him. We only found this out once the safari had started.
Before the trip, I also asked Almanchius if it would be possible to arrange a small cake or candle for my husband’s birthday. He told me it would not be a problem, so I assumed this had been arranged. However, on the day, neither the guide nor the chef knew anything about it. I contacted Almanchius again, and once again received an apology and an explanation for why it had not been arranged.
We had a similar problem with our airport transfer after the safari. We had to send several messages and reminders to get this organised. Again, we received apologies and different explanations for the delays.
To be clear, we enjoyed the safari itself and were happy with our guide and chef. The problem was the organisation and communication from the person who sold us the tour. When you are travelling internationally and have already paid for a safari, you need to be able to trust that your questions will be answered and that arrangements will actually be followed through.
Meru Slopes has good safari staff on the ground, but based on our experience, the communication and organisation from Almanchius need significant improvement.
Email H Zahid | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent budget option of open-group safari
Great option for solo traveler on a budget to join an open-group safari. Wilfred from Meru Slopes helped with designing my itinerary, communicated well, and coordinated pick-up and drop-offs efficiently. The safari guide Stanley did an excellent job with finding the best spots for wildlife viewing and was very knowledgeable! Camping was a great and adventurous experience as well.
Email Mir Azam | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Communicating was excellent, responded within very short time
Safari package we customized for 8 nights. All hotels and tents were good except one or two. Our driver Gidion was a very knowledgeable and respectful man. He showed us all kinds of animals and described with details. Only issue we had with our vehicle, air conditioning was not working, otherwise everything was perfect.
DE
Email Rune Kickler | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Almost great, Shadrack and Abraham as a guarantee for the success
We used a comparison website to book a safari that included Tarangire, the Serengeti (including the Great Migration), the Ngorongoro Crater, and Lake Manyara. This led us to Meru Slopes. We communicated with Shadrack via WhatsApp. He made a very good and professional impression, which is why we booked the 6-day safari with him for $1,250 per person. A 15% deposit was required. We also really liked the option to stay at the Arusha Tourist Inn—arranged directly by the agency—both the night before and after the safari. A shuttle for pickup and drop-off was also included, but we didn’t use it. Upon arrival, there was a briefing in the evening, and after we returned, there was a debriefing to discuss the positive and negative aspects. We really enjoyed all of that. Shadrack did an absolutely outstanding job.
There were three of us, and we were crammed into a truly dilapidated Jeep along with three other tourists. Even before we set off, the four tires on the vehicle (as well as the two spare tires) had so little tread left that it was no surprise we had to stop a total of six times to change tires. The speedometer, fuel gauge, and odometer were also broken. The windshield had several cracks and chips, the armrests couldn’t be adjusted, and most of the windows either wouldn’t open or wouldn’t close properly. However, we also lost over an hour because the office failed to send the paperwork to the Lake Manyara National Park rangers in time. So we stood there while everyone else was able to pass through without any problems.
The cook on the safari usually prepared very delicious meals, but he never stuck to the agreed-upon times. That cost us time (sometimes more, sometimes less) and added up to well over eight hours. He also never once made arrangements for our guide to eat with us, which is why we had to go get extra cutlery and dishes every time. Most of the dishes were cold, and despite being told that there was a vegetarian in our group, he didn’t accommodate her needs. Overall, though, it was great that we were served meals prepared for the whole group each time, whereas many other tour operators only provided pre-packaged lunch boxes.
Our guide was Abraham. He was always very calm and level-headed, had detailed answers to most questions, explained things thoroughly on his own initiative, and drove the vehicle well at all times. He handled the constant tire changes quickly and did an excellent job in every other respect as well. He was the reason the safari as a whole turned out to be such a successful experience.
The Arusha Tourist Inn hostel is also definitely worth recommending. The staff were always very friendly and accommodating. The rooms were spacious, clean, and well-equipped. The only downside is that the walls can be a bit thin. Hot shower water takes a few minutes to come on.
Conclusion: Overall, we really enjoyed our experience with Meru Slopes. The key factors in its success were, above all, Shadrack as the organizer and Abraham as the guide. With a different vehicle and a different cook, the sometimes extremely negative aspects of our experience could be immediately addressed, making Meru Slopes a top choice for safaris.
DE
Email Francesca | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
It was a very good experience!
The safari was nice and well organized. Especially the Serengeti and Ngorongoro National Park offer great game drives. The team was always there to help, the food was good and changed daily, and the group was awesome.
AM
Email Rafik Ghazaryan | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very good choice
Joel Mollel is a great driver and guide. We had a very nice experience with him. He is very attentive to every detail, making our trip memorable. He even drives very close to the animals for best views.
I suggest Meru Slopes to trust this driver more and give him more tours because he makes it the best.
Email Liz | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fast & Furious
Awesome experience, our driver went super close to all the animals and totally bossed in front of all the other vehicles
He was a sick driver and that was super fun
He did also crash our vehicle and we needed to be rescued... that's Africa though I guess. Definitely unforgettable.
CA
Email May | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
good
Our guide, Mudy Mohammad, was very enthusiastic and patient in helping us find the animals. We had a lot of fun.
Email HC | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very experienced and passioned
We had a wonderful time explore the safari. The company provided very good services. The tour guides are very friendly and experienced. All lodge and food services are excellent. Thank you!
He was funny and always knew the best Spots.
The Safari with Meruslope was a great experience. We had a good driver who was also funny and knew many things about the parks. The food was tasty. The only thing to improve are some washrooms in the bush camps.
Overall it was one of the best things we ever did and I would recommend it to anyone who is considering it.