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)
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Reviews
CA
Email Weeam | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceptional and Experienced!
Just returned from a 5-day mid-range Safari with my husband for our wedding anniversary and the experience exceeded all expectations!! Everything was absolutely wonderful! Our driver/guide Juma was extremely knowledgeable about the animals, the Sergeneti, Ngorongoro and Tanzania. He took great care of us and we felt in very capable and caring hands at all times. He is a true expert in all things Safari, and we felt very lucky to have had him as our guide! The lodges we stayed in were 5/5, the staff was incredible and the food was great and varied! Meru Slopes (Gift) even went out of their way to make our anniversary extra special with gifts and surprises at the lodges we stayed in. Do not hesitate to book with Meru, they are experts and really care about the clients. They personalized the safari to our exact preferences and accommodated all our requests. Best experience ever and we got to see all the Big 5!!
CN
Email Qiuhao | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
True professionals – they handled everything, so I just enjoyed myself.
We got up early every day, and it paid off – we saw all the Big Five, and finally tracked down a leopard with our guide's help. The chef's food was fantastic every day. A few practical tips: expect a lot of dust on the roads; Serengeti camps had no hot water for showers, but Ngorongoro Simba camp did have hot water, though it was freezing cold at night – bring a warm down jacket!
Email Josh | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A professional, worry-free experience from start to finish!
While there were plenty of tour operators for our 7-day safari in Tanzania, I am so very happy we went with Meru Slopes! I know it takes a lot of trust to choose one of these companies and invest trust (and money!) in them upfront, but you truly cannot do better than Meru Slopes. Shadrack was our organizer, and he provided excellent early support in putting together the perfect package and itinerary for us. His communication was prompt and helpful, and was ultimately the reason we went with Meru Slopes initially. What we found out later was that they are one of the few tour companies that are locally owned in Tanzania, rather than by companies that exist out of the local economy, which made us feel better about having invested in them.
Our tour guide Andrew was, in a word, outstanding. He answered every one of our (very many) questions along the routes, was warm and friendly throughout, and incredibly knowledgeable about all the terrain, ecosystems and wildlife that we experienced. Possibly the best part was his pacing. He didn't rush us along from one sighting to the next, but allowed us to hold at a location when we wanted to, or move on when we were ready. This allowed us to truly have the safari experience we were hoping for, without feeling like we were being pushed along.
The accommodations were better than expected, and very smooth checking in and out, which was helpful given we were in a different location every night. Everything truly felt so well-coordinated and planned, and came off without a hitch. We could not be more happy with our safari experience, and we know it will be a memory that will last the rest of our lives.
THANK YOU MERU SLOPES!!
Email Gautam | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great trip and I recommend Meru to anyone who wants to go on Safari
The crew at Meru delivered an unforgettable nine day Safari. I have a section on the trip and also tips for souvenirs.
Overall trip - My tour guide Samweli is top notch and one of the best guides around (16+ years experience). He had a great eye for spotting animals, taught us culture/history of the people and lands, knew the answer to every question we had about the animals or flora, respected animals by maintaining safe distance from them while other guides would chase/harass the animals (you can still see them close with your naked eye as they will walk towards you, but many other drivers were obviously doing what they probably thought tourists wanted to maximize their tips). Everyday he cleaned the car thoroughly so it felt new. We saw all the big 5 and more, most of which ended up fairly close because they walk around anyways or they are by main road. His 16+ years of experience shows as other guides were calling him for advice on which roads to take. He also drove safely in general - didn’t tailgate other cars, which avoided dust and ensured safety for passengers and animals that might be crossing; many other drivers we saw were a few feet from the car in front which resulted in a ton of dust being put inside car. He did not off-road, which damages the environment.
Our consultant Leonard was great in helping create a trip that met our budget and placing us in amazing lodges (some of them is what I imagine a billionaire would live like), as well as keeping us updated every step of the planning process. Emmanuel was our driver to and from the airport, and also provided the city tour; he was very knowledgeable about Arusha and open minded.
Souvenir trips to get the lowest prices and most variety: buy paintings at one of the shops near lodge or national park, and buy the carvings/stones/clothes at the Masai market (you can get paintings here too) in Arusha during city tour, and also at Sanaa for glassworks/bags during the city tour (this place is amazing - employs people with disabilities and is also inexpensive for westerners). We bought some glass cups and animal structures they made in front of us at Sanaa. Of course if you aren’t doing city tour or don’t have at least 2 hours in Arusha, you’d need to buy from one of the souvinier shops by the park.
Outside of Sanaa, bargaining is expected by the sales people. Do not come in thinking you are a westerner and will not bargain with poor people because you will get absolutely ripped off, and regret it when you see the same thing in another store a few feet down the road at a much lower rate. If you want to give away your money, do so at a non-profit or a place like Sanaa.
Less applicable for Masai market (significant competition there amongst shops prevents gouging), but all other stores you shop at - they will ask for $400 when they’d settle for $50 and they still make a healthy profit. I saw a family before us pay $700 for some painting and crafts that I saw for $40 at another store later on. Masai market has prices fairly close to the lowest anyways so don’t expect more than 20% reduction. Safari land and its main competitor (don’t know name but not as fancy) are expensive; just go there for the experience. Many carvings you see are NOT unique. I have a hand etched wooden animal which I bought in a distant African country thinking it was unique, but I saw the same thing in Safariland for 6x the price ($20 vs $120). Buy it because you like it, not because it’s one of a kind because it’s unlikely to be.
DE
Email Max | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfectly organized, friendly, professional, and truly unforgettable safari experiences.
Our 7-day safari in Tanzania was simply unforgettable and without a doubt one of the best travel experiences we have ever had.
From the airport pick-up on the first day until the end of our trip, everything was perfectly organized. All transfers went smoothly, and the lodges we stayed in were beautiful. The staff at every lodge were incredibly warm, welcoming, and attentive, making us feel comfortable throughout our entire stay.
A big thank you goes to Leonard Mkwavi for the excellent organization of the trip.
Our biggest praise, however, goes to our guide, Elbarik. With his warm personality, great sense of humor, and genuine kindness, he made this safari truly special. His knowledge of Tarangire National Park, Serengeti National Park, the Ngorongoro Crater, and Lake Manyara National Park was outstanding. He always seemed to know exactly where to find the animals, and thanks to his experience and expertise, we were able to see an incredible variety of wildlife, including many rare species. Along the way, he shared fascinating information about the animals, nature, and the national parks, making every game drive both exciting and educational.
You could clearly see how passionate Elbarik is about his work and how much he enjoys creating unforgettable experiences for his guests. That passion made all the difference and turned our safari into a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.
We highly recommend this safari and the entire team to anyone planning a trip to Tanzania. Thank you for an absolutely amazing experience—we will cherish these memories forever and hope to return one day!
Perfect organization, reliable partner
We really had a lovely experience. Everything was perfectly organized, our driver and guide Rasheed was amazing, both as a person and as a professional.Thanks to him our family holidays were truly unforgettable.
CA
Email Matthew Z | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Life changing safari experience - Highly recommend Daniel Mbise
Just finished an incredible 10-day safari in Tarangire, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro. Daniel Mbise was the most knowledgeable and experienced guide we could have asked for. He taught us so much about the wildlife, local culture, and history. His spotting skills on our game drives were amazing, we saw multiple lions, leopards, cheetahs and even a rhino! As a photographer, I was especially grateful that Daniel was very patient and helped me to get the best angles for shots.
The entire trip was very well planned by Meru Slopes. Kelvin was super responsive and answered my many questions and fully customized the itinerary to fit exactly what we wanted. The accommodations felt luxurious, the food was excellent, and we got to see pretty much everything on our bucket list. I highly recommend booking with Meru Slopes and asking for Daniel Mbise!
LT
Email Giedrius | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderful experience, perfect organization by Gift and Omari at Meru Slopes!
Many thanks to Meru Slopes for a very well organized safari tour! Our safari coordinator Gift was excellent at suggesting the best ideas for our itinerary and flexible adjusting to our needs. Our guide / driver Omari did a wonderful job at organising our daily activities and was very helpful in reaching the main areas of interest. Omari is also very experienced in finding the locations of different animals and spotting them even from far away. Omari was very knowledgeable about Tanzania, its culture and biodiversity. Many thanks once again for excellent experience, we would repeat it any time in the future!
Email May Merriweather | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing tour guide, unforgettable 9-day mid range northern circuit Safari experience
We did a 9-day mid range northern circuit safari private tour with Meru Slopes and Tours. We started in Tarangire, the. Serengeti, Ngorongoro crater, and ended with Lake Manyara.
Each national park was a unique experience. Each of the parks had their own ecosystem with amazing animals. It was well organized and planned with adequate time spent in each park.
Leonard Mkawi, the organizer, communicated well with us and made sure our trip went smoothly.
Our tour guide Samweli Bahine was simply the best. He was knowledgeable not only about the animals but also about the local flora and fauna, culture, and history. We learned a lot from him. We saw all the Big 5, Ugly 5, Small 5, and some unique animals such as monitor lizard and a variety of birds that looked like dinosaurs. Samweli was on time, kept the vehicle clean, and made sure our food was vegetarian/vegan. He went above and beyond to make sure we had an amazing experience. We learned a lot from him. He was friendly, warm, and kind.
Overall I would highly recommend Meru Slopes and Tours. They are a local tour group and we were very happy with the tour organized by this operator. We wanted to support the local community and we are very glad we chose Meru Slopes and Tours. Unlike other tour operators that are not Tanzanian, where the slim profits may not ever trickle down to the local people, Meru Slopes and Tours is providing employment and development for the local people. We would definitely choose them again. They gave us a safe, comfortable, enjoyable, and unforgettable experience in Tanzania.
DE
Email Saskia & Daniel | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Safari - Best Honeymoon-Moment
We booked an 8-day safari through Leonhard and meruslopes, and it was the best decision we could have made. We were more than satisfied with our guide, Jacob. He is very courteous, friendly, and funny. He was able to answer our questions thoroughly and always shared interesting facts. He's also very good at finding animals; thanks to him, we were able to see all of our Big Five, hunt two lions, and much more!
We highly recommend meruslopes and especially Jacob!
(automatic translation from German)
