Geofrey Nassari, founder and owner company.
Meru Slopes Tours & Safaris
- Office In:
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2013)
- Tour Types:
- Small & medium group tours (Budget & mid-range)
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $50 to $480 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
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Reviews
TR
Email Hatice Tecir | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
8 days safari in Tanzania
This firm is very realible and flexible across the companies in Arusha. At first we were a bit nervous if they pick us up from airport or everything's going well or not. However all they promised came true and we left Arusha to be so so happy by selecting this firm.
We joined the tour in Feb/2019 and went to Arusha National Park,Tarangire NP, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara. Additionally we visted a maasai tribe..
we saw big 5 animals ( elephant, leopard, lion, bufallo and rhino) aditionally giraffe, zebra , cheetah, bufallo, hyena, wildebeest, hartebeest, mangoose, filamingo, secratery birds, water flows, many kind of impalas, dik dik, crocodile, hippos, blue monkey, b/w colobus, antelopes,gazelles and many more...
Firm owner Geofrey is very fast to responce all e-mails and whatsapp msg. He welcomed us very well and so nice to us all the time.
Also our driver/guide Isaack P. Swai was really helpful, kind, well experienced in Safari to us during the safari. He is like a google map and never lost his way during te safari:) and very good at spotting the animals.
Besides cook Akshin is like a stomach engineer , he is very good at cooking and I'm afraid we got some weight :)
I need to say that I'm personally too greatful to all Meru Slope team for this lifelong experience.. never forget this epic tour...
strongly suggested!
BIG THANKS TO MERU SLOPES TOUR & SAFARİ!!
CA
Email Caleb | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Parks and wildlife were great, tour operator was not
I booked a 6D/5N with Meru Slopes, reading great reviews on SafariBookings.com.
I was dismayed to find out that they had shuffled me into a different company's safari, for unknown reason. This group was called Arunga Expeditions.
The guide spoke maybe 100 words the entire safari, we had battery issues with the LandCruiser, the lunch boxes were awful (dry muffin + banana + FOUR pieces of plain bread + juice box), and we were always rushed. When we would stop at say a large pride of lions and want to spend 5-10 minutes, the guide would try and start driving away after 1 minute to find something else. We'd have to ask him to stop so we can stay and watch the lion and actually take photos. He was never happy with this and often very rude. Often we'd leave something like this after 2 minutes and not see anything as spectacular the rest of the day. He'd mutter something like "many more lions later". The itinerary was to have FULL safari days at certain spots (Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro, Serengeti) but this only meant 4 - 5 hours to the guide. He would sleep in, start slow, and end early, so he could take off from the campsite and go drink a couple beers and watch football somewhere. We were always the last vehicle out in the morning and first ones back. The itinerary had a full day booked at Ngorongoro but we were finished BEFORE lunch time. How does this work?
Email lillatroll | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Reliable Company to deal with.
After a look at the different companies we went with MeruSlope Tours. Communication was good and they picked us up from our Hotel, almost at the time agreed. Our Guide was excellent, we were given lots of information while on Safari and we got to see lots of animals. The first campsite we stayed at was good and had decent facilities. The other two were not so great. None of the camp sites had hot water and the facilities were nothing more than space to put up a tent, a toilet and somewhere to eat. We met other travellers later on who said they had gone to the same areas as us but stayed in much better campsites for the same money. The food was adequate considering the facilities available but I am sure it could have been better too. It was said that towels were provided but this was not the case, no biggie for me, I don t like cold shower but I would have brought one if I had known. At the end of the day, it was the animals we came to see and we saw lots of them. If the last two campsites had been a little better then we would have been 100% satisfied.
US
Email John | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding 4-Day Budget Safari
We were 3 American friends that used Meru Slopes Tours and Safaris on the 4 Days Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongo Crater. We traveled in mid-March 2017.
Finding/Booking the tour: Meru Slope Tours and Safaris is highly recommended by Safari Booking and it has some positive, neutral, and negative reviews. You can’t please everyone, but if something has only 5-Star reviews then there’s a good chance it’s been doctored. I emailed Mr. Geofrey Nasari asking for prices and information and responded within 24 hours to every email. He was very professional and even entertained about 10 random questions and tour changes. He was extremely dedicated and I highly recommend him. You can also contact him on WhatsApp and he will get back with you quickly in English. We paid via bank transfer and the tour company has a bank through the US that will back up the transfer to Tanzania. His price beat his competitors by about $400.
Getting there: The cheapest option is Ethiopian Airlines. This tour included a trip back and forth to the Airport, which would have been about $100 each way without it. The driver (Emanuel) was very accommodating and punctual. He had a sign waiting for us and we rode in a van to the hotel.
Arusha Tourist Inn Hotel: This hotel is owned by the Safari Company and your first/last night are included in your price, saving you more money. It is very basic but clean. The three of us were in one room that had 3 twin beds pressed together. The outlets worked (they are British standard so bring an adaptor if US or European). There is a bathroom connected to the room with a Western toilet and a shower with hot water. Sheets, soap and towels are provided. There is free wifi in the lobby so you can let your loved ones know you arrived and the front desk is manned 24/7. There is a small restaurant that makes breakfast every morning for free (usually eggs, fruit, toast, and coffee) and lunch and dinner are available, but the menu can be limited based on what they have. Remember this is a basic hotel to start and end your trip. There are more luxurious places, but they can be very expensive. For my group looking for a budget safari, there were not many complaints. As the front desk to call a cab for you and they will even negotiate a good price to check out some things in Arusha. Go to Snake Camp and see all the snakes, crocodiles, and lizards that you missed on your Safari. It is also the only snakebite treatment facility in the area and it treats the local population for free. Cool bars in the area that are safe are: Via Via and Snake Camp.
The Safari: Hands down one of the greatest experiences of my life. I have traveled to Africa 5 times now for work and leisure and this will be incredibly hard to top. We had a driver (Innocent, his actual name) and a cook (Godfried) that travel with you. Each place was different, Lake Manyara is like driving through a forest, the Serengeti was plains and desert and Ngorongoro crater. We camped in a tent with twin beds and a connecting shower/bathroom the first night (they even had a bar at the site with musicians and a tumbling show that worked for donations). The second and third nights we were in camping tents with community showers and bathrooms at the site you walked to. Those sites did not have hot water in the showers. We still can’t believe how many animals we saw. There were elephants, hippos, baboons, giraffes, leopards, lions, cheetahs, herds of zebra and wildebeest and even some rhinos. We saw the Big 5 over the whole trip, but not in any one park. Innocent would give basic information, let you take pictures and move on. He had tons of information but didn’t lecture and let you enjoy the animals. He kept us on a good schedule with us only feeling rushed at the very end. He also networks with the other drives over the radio to help each other bring the tourists to where the other animals are located. The camp food was not particularly luxurious but there was plenty of it. We had 6 people in our truck and it was everything from meat and potatoes to spaghetti to fried chicken. A couple days we did packed lunch so we got to eat outside on the hood of the car while seeing giraffes around us in all directions. One thing I did not realize is that you’ll spend about 12 hours total driving to the different national parks. It’s really the only way to get around unless you do very expensive flights between parks. Make sure you tip your driver about $10 per person per day.
Return: Our group divided as they were doing an additional day and we were driven back to the Arusha Tourist Inn.
Overall: This is a budget camping Safari that was well worth the price. If I do a Safari again, I will definitely use this service and I highly recommend it to anyone except those who want to spend the money on hotels instead of camping. This group takes away the hidden costs of the Safaris like your lodging first and last night and travel to and from the airport. Most importantly it is owned and operated by locals. Many of these companies are owned in the US, UK, or Germany so it is nice to support a local group instead of 40% of your overhead going to a company outside the country. There was one hiccup where our guide’s credit card magnetic strip was broken so I had to pay for the park entrance fees and get reimbursed by Geofrey upon our return. Geofrey reimbursed me as soon as we returned, paying me in cash immediately, accepting responsibility, apologizing and giving my group some souvenirs to make it right. This is Africa, things will not go 100% as planned. Seeing the customer service and how hard he works makes me know his business is going to make it. Pick Meru Slope Tours and Safaris for a great price and great customer service.
Email Tarang | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic and comfortable experience! Highly recommended!
Me and my colleague joined a group of four others for safari in Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater lake. Everything was very well organised prior to the trip. This included airport transfer from Kilimanjaro, hotel accomodation in Arusha both before and after the safari, and obviously, the whole safari incl. accomodation.
Our driver, ziggy was an experienced guide and knowledgeable on best times and locations to see everything. It helped that we had our own guides to the animals and birds, allowing us to identify most of the not so obvious species. Our cook, buga was fantastic, always ready to cater and an all-round jolly character. He made a variety of great food, some of which was local food but more catered to the 'western' palette.
All of our accomodations were brilliant, after Tarangire we stayed near Lake Manyara at what can be described as more of a 'glamping' type of place; zip up tent in a wooden hut with 'en suite' wc and shower round the back. In the serengeti we practically camped right in the middle of all the action, hearing lions roar at night was extraordinary and the clear night sky was incredible for star gazing. Our camp site overlooking Ngorongoro was idylic and the perfect site to get down to promptly get down to the crater in the morning.
Over the course of the safari we saw hundreds of bird species, the so-called 'big five' and many many other animals. The wildebeest migration is thoroughly impressive and so is just about any animal that you see. We also saw some action which was pretty savage (hyenas mauling down a new-born calf) but that is nature! Again, credit to our driver for spotting this and getting us to the spot promptly. No description of mine can quite describe how great of an experience this all was, everything was absolutely fantastic. Thanks to Meru Slopes, highly recommended, well worth it and they made the whole experience a delight.
Email Lisa | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
4 day safari Meru slopes
4 day safari to ngorongoro crater and serengeti. Overnight before and after in Aruba tourist inn. This is a budget trip but worth it for the friendly and efficient service. It is tent and toilet camping so not for people who like the finer things in life but well worth he money and the hotel before and after is good
HK
Email Eva | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best Safari experience with Meru Slopes
We had an amazing experience with Meru Slopes! From the day that we enquiry about the coming trip to the last day, Kelvin answered all our questions and arranged all the details patiently.
When we arrived at Kilimanjaro Airport, Nickson gave us a big welcome and treated us like home!
Our safari tour guide, Jacob was professional with extensive knowledge about animals habits and the nature. He tried best to get us the big 5, ugly 5 and some other animals. We even saw action time of lion, which was awesome.
We also want to give credits to Sway, who guided us to have hiking experience to waterfall and coffee tour in Moshi, which was special and exciting!
Last but not least, thank for every staff who provide assistance during our trip in Tanzania! We would love to recommend Meru Slope to our friends!
DK
Email Siri | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderful trip with wonderful people
Thank you very much for an amazing experience! It has been a true pleasure to go on safari with Meru Slopes!
Our wonderful driver Jacob has shown us all the best of Tarangire, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro. Jacob has been a skilled guide who has taken us safely and smoothly and shown us the incredible wildlife of Africa. He is always in a good mood and creates a great atmosphere.
The trip would not have been the same without dear Moshi. Our very skilled chef who has provided us with fabulous meals at all times of the day. He always has a smile on his face and is incredibly pleasant to everyone. He is a fantastic man who deserves a lot of praise!
Together, Jacob and Moshi have given us fantastic settings, good structure, security, and a very memorable trip from start to finish. Thank you so much! Meru Slopes has also been a great organizer of our safari. They respond quickly to emails and assist when needed.
Warmest recommendations if you want a fantastic safari!
ID
Email Nur Ahyani | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent Services
I was assisted by Jerome in arranging the trip; very accommodating, 3 days of safari experiences in Serengeti and Ngorongoro and one day hiking to Shira Plateau Kilimanjaro was amazing with Meru Slopes. Good guidance from Jacob for the Safari, tasty food by Dullah during the Safari, and a friendly accompaniment by David for the hiking
Email Viv | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing guide!
We really loved this tour. Communication was excellent from the start with one person on whatsapp who replied promptly. Pick up to and from airport and accomodation was included.
Our guide Saleh was EXCELLENT. He found us the big 5 and kept the tour interesting with facts about the animals. He knew good spots to find animals and was constantly on the radio to pick up other tips. He drove extremely well and at a fast pace - we saw lots of other Jeeps getting stuck and actually helped them out.
Also excellent cook Buga - especially his potato chips!! He provided home cooked meals every day for breakfast/lunch/dinner rather than plastic lunch boxes.
Would highly recommend this company and team :)