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
IN
Email Souvik Saha | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
TRIP OF A LIFETIME
In short, it couldn't have been better! And I owe this to the 3 stars of the trip - the animals, Meru Slopes (Geoffrey in particular) and our driver - Simon Juma. I went for this safari on my honeymoon, and I came back with memories and experiences that are still giving me goosebumps as I write this!
1. The animals - Well there are plenty of them, and yet you can never get bored of seeing them! We spent our 5 day safari in Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area and multiple game drives in the Serengeti. We saw the Big Five of course - but more importantly - we observed the animals! We saw how an elephant chased away four lionesses, we saw how ostriches put on a nice show to attract the females and we watched in awe while a leopard tore apart a warthog and rested with its kill atop a tree. Every sighting brought in a new experience, and each experience was unique and mind-numbing.
2. Meru Slopes - As someone who had no knowledge of Africa, I was indeed lucky (thanks to my friend Sharath Chandra for that - who himself had a great safari through Meru the last year) that I got in touch with Geoffrey. He is a guy you can really trust - He was always available on whatsapp when we were booking the trip, he advised us efficiently when we reached there, and he had the people and processes required to have a flawless safari. There are many safari providers, but I will give a few examples as to how Meru stood apart:
- Geoffrey arranged for my pickup from the Arusha airport, but when I changed my flight and informed him that I will be reaching at the Kilimanjaro airport, he sent a guy to pick us up. Kilimanjaro is at least an hour away from the Arusha airport
- Our stay in Arusha (before and after the safari) was arranged by Geoffrey, and he ensured that we had a good experience at the hotel (Arusha Tourist Inn)
Finally, I would thank Meru that they organized our trip with Simon Juma - our guide, driver and by the end of the trip, a friend!
3. Simon Juma (and the cook) - I was amazed at the knowledge Simon had - both about the jungles as well as his communication with tourists. Case in point - When we saw 3 lions from a long distance away, a number of other safari cars started following them in the direction they were going. Simon just went in the opposite direction, came to a specific point, stopped his engine and just waited. He had recognized the lion tracks, and indeed the lions came right where we were. He spoke fluent English, knew the scientific names of a lot of plants and animals you find there, and had interesting stories to tell about the many years he has been serving here. The food during the safari was fantastic - be it the soups or the pancakes - any there was plenty of food to choose from! Also, a big shoutout to our cook - who specially cooked chicken dishes for us when he got to know that we do not have beef.
Overall, I would love to go back again some day, but the experiences that I have come back with will definitely last me a lifetime!
DE
Email Michaela | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fantastic 4-days safari (Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro)
We had a fantastic 4-days group tour (Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro) with Meru Slopes Tours and Safaris. Planning the tour, Geofrey was reliable and super helpful: Per e-mail, he responded rapidly and arranged some extra wishes for us easily (regarding an accommodation and meeting friends in Serengeti Visitor Center). On our tour, we were lucky to be guided by the funny and competent Iri and our cook Goodibless who served us one the best meals in Tansania. The tour itself was amazing and perfectly prepared and carried out. The two of us were (rather coincidentally) at the Serengeti Visitor Center which is a nice and interesting place (lying in the middle of the Serengeti, next to Seronera campsite) and could be worth adding to future tours as it is not normally included. All in all, we were more than satisficed with Meru Slopes Tours and Safaris and would recommend them to anyone who plans to do a safari.
AT
Email Sandra + Flo | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
best safaritour ever!!
The communications and service were perfect!! It needed just 2 mails and the safari was booked. Everything was clear since the beginning. We were picked up from the airport as agreed. Our guide Simon was the best guide we could imagine. He was so effort, knowing, considerate and talkative. Our cook "the stomach engineer" conjured delicious dishes! For breakfast we had omelettes, pancakes, sausages, toast, jam, coffee, hot chocolate. The lunch boxes were surprisingly tasty. Everything was selfmade by "the stomach engineer". These two guys made the safari an unforgettable experience!
Thank you so much for that!!
NL
Email Pim | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable experience with a great driver guide
I joined a group to do a six day safari through Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. The communication with Meru Slopes ahead of the safari was good. I had a great driver guide, Simon, who really went the extra mile to get us close to all of the great wildlife in Africa. Except for the very rare Rhino, we saw all of the animals and predators that you would expect to see on a Safari in Tanzania, including rare up-close leopards and cheetahs! After Simon's suggestion we were even able to see a bit of the wildebeest and zebra migration in the Serengeti national park. The equipment provided by Meru Slopes like tents, sleeping mats etc. were all in good condition. The food made by the cook was great and fruit was provided during breakfast and dinner. Although we saw quite a bit of breakdowns along the road, our Land Cruiser never failed. Simon is a great driver who keeps the car in excellent condition. The camping in the Serengeti was amazing, with occasional elephants, monkeys and buffalo's standing not more than twenty meters outside the camp. One night we even stumbled upon a hyena that was roaming in between the tents. I would definitely recommend booking with Meru Slopes if you're looking for a budget camping safari in Tanzania!
US
Email Maria | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great budget experience
We did the 4 days/ 3 nights program and we are satisfied. At half the price that other operators were charging us, we had a great experience on seeing all the animals (and more) that we expected.
Geoffrey and his team were very fast on responding emails and very open about the tour standards and what to expect.
The service included not only the safari but also airport pickup, drop off and hotel before and after the safari. An amazing combo!
Hotel in Arusha: is ok. Comfortable but nothing fancy and it is located outside the center city but close to local markets and bus station. The staff is friendly and the food good. Arusha is just your initial base for the safari and there is not a lot to do so it is ok.
During the safari...
Staff: we had a driver/guide and a cook the entire time. Both super helpful and kind to our needs. Just make sure that you express to the driver what you want to see so he can look after it. We didn’t mention we wanted to see the flamingos close in manyara, so he didn’t take us and I only found out about afterwards. But he made sure that we saw over 35 lions, 5 cheetahs, 2 leopards, dozens of elephants and giraffes, thousands of zebras, wildebeests and impalas...
Car: a 4X4 confortable Jeep for 4 tourists. It looked very similar to the other cars we saw at other safaris once we were in the parks. You will spend 8 hours/day on these so be sure to have a comfortable seat in a comfortable car!
Accomodations: overall, if your focus is the animals Meru is a great option. If you are looking for luxury and 5-star facilities nop. Pick your priority!
The first night we were in a lovely camp outside Manyara. It had electricity, internet, cold beer, warm shower, beds and even a porch. The second night, we stayed at a very simple hotel inside the Serengeti. it also had electricity, no internet, cold beer but also cold shower. Despite its simplicity it was a great night of sleep and we got the chance to see hienas and impalas running around the facilities. The third night we were in a camp, sleeping in a tent with no luxuries at all at the rim of Ngorongoro. Cold shower in a very dirty bathroom. Your confort level here will depend on wether or not you have a good tent and sleeping bag (both of which are provided by the operator - in our case was ok. It fit my 6.3 ft boyfriend well :) bring warm clothing as it gets cold in be night. Despite these frugal environment, the camp had some zebras, buffalos and birds laying around and beautiful views on the crater...
Food: the cook does it best to please us under his budget and the items he brought to the car. A lot of food is served and you eat almost every 3-4 hours. You will eat eggs, crepe and toast for breakfast; for meals a variation of chicken, soup, potatoes, vegetables etc... everything greatly seasoned and adaptable to food restrictions. Simple but tasty! They don’t serve alcohol but you can bring with you or ask them to stop by somewhere and buy it.
Animals: you will see them. They are in the wild but they are many and the drivers talk among each other to make sure you see it all. They are there and independent of the operator you will see it so don’t worry about it and do not take the price tag as a direct reference to the amount of animals observed. Meru slopes was great with its budget option in providing us with memorable experiences!
Email Mo | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An unforgettable experience
We booked a 4 day safari with Meru slopes and had an unforgettable experience with them. I would highly recommend them to all and if I was to do a safari again would not hesitate booking with them again.
Booking
We got a quote from Geoffrey which was very reasonable for the 4 day safari and beat any other quote we had had. Geoffrey requested a 15% deposit to secure the booking which we paid and got confirmation from Geoffrey that it had been received. From booking to arrival he was always available on whatsapp to answer all questions which we found to be of great help.
Arrival
We arrived at Arusha airport an hour and a half later than expected. Emmanuel was waiting for us there. We apologised for the delay and that was the end of that. Not a single mention or complain about how he had to wait for us etc. He was jovial and entertained us with polite conversation.
Safari
We started at 6am and were advised there would be 4 others joining us. We had a wonderful group and we all got on well. The vehicle was equipped with a fridge and ample space for charging phone, cameras etc. The safari far exceeded any expectations we had. We managed to see the big 5 and many other animals including a cheetah. We were lucky enough to see a baby leopard. Our guide Freddie was just brilliant. I’m pretty sure he has eyes like an eagle as he was able to spot animals form a distance. He was very knowledgeable on the wildlife and answered all questions asked. We felt comfortable throughout the safari and never had a single instance where we felt he was rushing or taking too long. He made sure we were happy at all times.
Food
Godfrey was our chef for the trip and the food he prepared was sublime. The variety and portions were ample and we were never left hungry. He asked us all regarding our dietary requirements and as agreed was able to cater for the halal diet.
I would definitely recommend Meru slopes and would not hesitate booking with them. Geoffrey is more than accommodating and is available to contact from booking to the end. If you’re reading this and thinking about booking with Meru slopes I would advise to book with them and you will have an awesome time.
US
Email Jon | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trustworthy company, extremely well organized, great price and service, and great tour guides!
Just came back from a 4-day safari with Meru Slopes this past December, 2017. Amazing company and safari!!! If I ever end up doing another safari, this will be the first place I check for rebooking! My friend did all the pre-communication in advance with Geoffrey, so I can't speak from personal experience about setting everything up, but I was told that Geoffrey (the owner of this safari group and the Arusha Tourist Inn) was very good in responding on WhatsApp and answered mostly all of our questions eventually. They do require cash deposit of approximately 30% up front via wire transfer, but that seems perfectly normal for most safari groups. The rest is paid in cash USD upon arrival at the Inn. All accommodations were what I expected or better than expected. especially for the price! The meals were way better than I was expecting, and there was always extra food each night. Geoffrey and his staff go above and beyond to help us be comfortable in the best way possible! Before I start, Let me say that I do go car camping several times a year here in CA and other US States at national parks, and backpack as well several times a year, so I am somewhat used to doing this kind of stuff. For a more detailed review of our itinerary feel free to read below:
Arrival Day: It was arranged that someone would be at the airport to pick us up when we arrived in Tanzania at Kilimanjaro Airport...the driver (Emmanuel) went above and beyond for picking us up. My friends and I got separated on our flights in and missed our flights to Tanzania from Kenya. My 2 friends arrived 2 hrs later than originally expected, and the Emmanuel was waiting for them, and took them to a local restaurant while they waited for me to arrive. I showed up 5 hours later (around 11 PM) and they showed up with my friends to pick me up as well. The drive from the airport to Arusha Tourist Inn (in Arusha) is roughly 1 hour drive. Emmanuel is really friendly, and never felt unsafe in his car while he was driving.
We arrived at the Arusha Tourist Inn (which is I believe also owned by Geoffrey, the owner of this safari group). The location is a bit weird for an Inn at first arrival, considering the front door is facing an alley with no signage outside, just a sliding door, and behind a private gate, but otherwise it was fine. You enter from the alley, then walk upstairs and the lobby is there. We were greeted by Geoffrey and given 2 separate rooms. Rooms were fine, actually better than what I was expecting. There was hot water (kind of), flush toilets, and all rooms have mosquito nets around the beds as well, so during peak season, I could see that being extremely useful. No AC or anything, so it can get hot at night fyi. Also only a bar of soap provided, no shampoo or body wash or lotion, so make sure to bring your own toiletries.
Day 1: In the morning was given a meal from the restaurant downstairs as part of the Safari booking, and loaded the car and headed out on our day 1 with a different driver, who was extremely friendly and enthusiastic and answered all of our questions! Did a few hours at Tarangire National Park where we saw tons of wildlife up close. Amazing experience!!! We were dropped off at a place called Lilac Lodge (believe there are some reviews of this place on Tripadvisor, but essentially glamping) near that park for our first night, where our driver handed us over to a new driver, and the staff at this campsite lodge thing took over from there. Lilac lodge was pretty nice...a gated little area with tents for some groups, a bar where you can buy drinks, and also wooden cabin lodges (which is where we spent night 1 at). I've stayed in Yurts, lodges, cabins, etc, and this one was no different. Has beds, a flush toilet, and shower. not the cleanest shower, but I would say on par with other kinds of similar accommodations, so it was nice, also better than I had expected. Really good box lunch during the day (burger, chicken leg, and some other snacks and box drink). Also really good dinner and breakfast the following morning was provided at the lodge. Bring your own toilet paper FYI because none of the places have it outside of the Inn.
Day 2: Serengeti National Park, which is a 4-6 hr drive away, so day 2 is really just getting out to the park and straight to the campsite. Did get a flat on the way there, but that was fixed in about 30 minutes or so, so no big deal. I guess flats happen, so just don't be upset or anything if it happens to your truck. :) Second driver was also really friendly and able to answer all of our questions! Also saw tons of wildlife, which is what you would want from a Safari. Second night accommodations are in tents, like a car camping campsite. Bathrooms and showers were not quite as clean as the first lodge, but hey, it's tent camping, so you really can't expect much. We were given tents, a mattress pad, and sleeping bag. All things are used and may not be in the most clean condition, but it works and does the job. If you have a thing about super clean bedding, bring a sleeping bag liner with you, which is what I did, and problem solved! FYI this is camping in Africa, so there will be wild animals around at night, which is to be expected. Saw a few ___ cats (bobcat-sized animals) or something in the campsite before heading to sleep...but once again to be expected in the wilderness. Your tour guide will tell you what to do and not to do, but yeah, just don't wander around at night outside late night or anything and you'll be fine in the tent. More than enough food for meals once again. Bring a flashlight/mini lantern or something (preferably with the red light to not attract the bugs), because there wasn't much for lighting for the first half of our dinner when we were there. Flip flops might also be advised for the showers. I didn't have them and was okay, but wish I did.
Day 3: Morning for a few hours in Serengeti, then go back for lunch at the campsite and then head out to Ngorogoro National Park. This drive was also a few hrs away, and when we arrived, mainly just went straight to the campsite again to set up camp. Night 3 camping accommodations are way nicer and cleaner than the previous night. Still in a tent, but the bathrooms were much cleaner, and eating room was completely enclosed with lighting and tables already, etc. All meals are as always great food, and way more food than we could eat. FYI, they do have armed guards supposedly at this camp place, so at least you know there won't be anything too dangerous there, but they don't manage the wildlife that can be there. I woke up in the middle of the night and there was some buffalo or something a few ft away from a few tents over. I was told there were zebra and some other animals grazing right next to tents in the night too. pretty awesome!
Day 4: wake up, spent a few hrs driving in Ngorogoro then go back for lunch, pack up, and headed back to Arusha Tourist inn for our last night before ending the following morning. After tent camping and lodge camping the few days before, the Inn was really nice to have. Dinner was provided as well as a little to-go box for breakfast which Geoffrey gave us, which he really didn't have to, but were grateful that he did. Emmanuel came to pick us up, and take us to the airport the following morning, and once again was timely and just great in everything!
One tip I do have, is if you are thinking about doing a 4 day safari or longer safari, 4 day gives you a good taste of the safari but I would have wished for one day extra in Serengeti or Tarangire. You will most likely see almost all the animals you would want to see from 4 days, but it will be short, maybe only getting 4-5 hours of safari each day, and the rest is camping or traveling. Some of the longer safaris and include Manyara. Manyara we were told by our guide is extremely dense trees and you are mainly looking for birds and can be quite boring. If you are not interested in bird watching, skip that one and spend more time in Serengeti or Tarangire.
Overall, amazing experience with a really great company! Honestly, all the companies follow the almost the same itinerary and stops, and the lunch boxes are all the same across the board. What makes this company stand out from the others is the price, and the service they offer! Geoffrey and all of the guides and drivers and staff really go out of their way to help us and make us feel at home. I never once felt unsafe with them, and it's a bonus that the owner of this safari group also owns the Inn, so it makes everything smoother with the arrival and departure, and with what they can give us for meals, etc. The drivers also really know their animals, and can spot stuff so fast...and they were always completely honest with us with everything. We were also able to see the Big 5 (Rhino, Lion, Elephant, Leopard, Buffalo) and a ton of other animals! The safari is really just an amazing experience that I think everyone should do at least once in your life. If you're okay with tent camping/glamping, I would not hesitate to suggest Meru Slopes for this over the other 700 safari groups! Thanks again for an amazing experience! Your company and safari really made me fall in love with Tanzania!
QA
Email Tanu Chopra | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was simply awesome , fun filled , adventurous.
To start with David our driver cum Guide was really good. He had a lot of knowledge about each and every thing and very good conmunication skills. All the lodges where we stayed throughout the trip were very good. Good food , great weather and beautiful locations.
Only point of improvement is the Arusha inn where we stayed on day 1 and last night needs a lot of improvement.
BR
Email Tales | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Everything that was agreed was fulfilled. They were always very attentive and helpful.
Everything that was agreed was fulfilled. They were always very attentive and helpful.
ES
Email Alberto and Rebeca | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Charming People and Experience
We enjoyed a lovely 4 days safari around Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Lake Manyara.
The man in charge, Mr Nassari, was very helpful, taking care of everything we needed: the transfer from the airport, the accomodation, all the payments, and so.
The good skill driver, Hilary, drove carefully and was very kind and funny.
And the cooker, Geoffrey, took care of us with very tasty confort food. It would be a sin not to eat everything in the plates! That's why they called me "hyena".
Both of them were also very helpful as guides, because they know evertything we need and ask about the parks, the animals, the culture...
Unforgettable experience.