Ilmaasai Expedition
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2004)
- Member Of:
- TTB, TALA, KPA & TANAPA
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $160 to $750 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
DE
Email Sebastian | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Pure Magic!
We (couple, German, between 27 and 31) did the 5 days / 4 nights Safari with Ilmaasai. The destinations and accomdations were:
1. Tarangire National Park, rest at Fig Resort
2. Lake Manyara, rest at Fig Resort
3. Ngororo Crater, rest at Simba campsite
4. Serengeti National Park, rest at campsite
Our contacts were:
1. Loth for communications
2. Brayson as driver and mechanic
3. Osman as cook
WE HAD THE BEST TIME EVER! I will tell you my thoughts as they come out ;)
# the communications (reservation, payment issues, thousands of extra questions) with Loth worked perferctly! He always answered within little time and helped us a lot! He picked us up, took us to the hostel before the trip started and picked us up again next morning when the tour started. After the the safari he even brought us to Moshi.
# Brayson is a gentle person and a good driver and spotter for animals. He managed to show us four of the big five within 4 days (Rhinos missing due to windy conditions). We always felt safe driving around with him. He knows a lot about animals. Sometimes you have to ask him if you want to know stuff. Of course it is very exhausting for the driver to always have an eye on the road, watch out for Zebras and Gnus jumping over the street, spotting animals, answering questions... Be fair with him and he will do everything he can to make the trip special to you. You can tell that he is an experienced driver. He knew how to get the car in position for good fotos.
# Osman baffled us! How on earth he managed to serve us this awesome food in the middle of the Serengeti is beyond me. He is very friendly, helpful and a good spotter too. We miss his food!
# the accomodations at the Fig resorts are quite basic of course. Don't expect air conditions and Jacuzzis ;)
# the campsite at Ngorogoro was in good shape and a ranger kept an eye on the tent during night. Toilets and showers were okay.
# the campsite at Serengeti was okay too but worse than Ngorogoro. Toilets and showers were quite an experience. If possible you should avoid leaving the tent during the night (there were Pumbas and Hyenas close to the tents). Just be aware of the fact that you are sleeping in the wild! This is something you will never forget but be sure that this is what you want! If that sounds too cruel for you, better go to for a lodge...
# the tents were safe and closed 100%. No Mosquitos!
# only water was included. if you want Sprite, beer etc. for dinner you have to pay another 3000 TSH (= $1,50).
Things you should bring:
# toilet paper (!!!), goggles, Anti-Bite (Mosquitos and Tse-Tse-Flies ate me alive at Manyara), sun blocker, sun glasses, good camera with at least 250mm zoom, crackers for kids if you want, maybe an inlet for your sleeping bags, pants with zipper function, cap/hat, well loaded batteries for your cameras.
Summary:
I can strongly recommend this company. Everything was very professional. pleasant, reliable and fair. If I should come again, then I know who to call.
One last thing I'd like to add: Drivers and cooks get paid but we read in our books (unfortantely after the tour when it was too late) that you should tip them more generously than we did. Count in another $5 to $10 per person per day.
Safe travels and enjoy the ride.
Warm regards,
Sebastian
DE
Email Atika | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderful safari experience at Ngorongoro and Manyara national parks
My friend and I had a two day safari which was such a brilliant experience, much of it due to the care that ilmasaai takes in organizing everything. The drive was nice, and Bryson (?), our driver, was quite patient with us and our constant need to photograph every monkey or bird we saw (or when we freaked out about any of the big 5). He drove us around to all the locations where he thought we woudl get to see more wildlife and was also quick in spotting a lot of these tiny, miniature, camouflaged animals. Moreover, he was a treasuretrove of information on everything Tanzania.
We also had delicious food that was prepared fresh by Usman, our cook, and he took care of my specific eating preferences as well (no beef or pork). I thought that was very considerate of them.
In the end, when we were done with out safari and were waiting to grab the ride to the airport, Katherine, the daughter of Loth was very nice and took us around the Arusha (the main sites are basically a 5 minute walk from each other).
I liked the personal feeling I got from these guys. They tried to make the journey as pleasant for us as possible (given the hectic schedule we had planned for ourselves), and the whole two days were extremely fun. Moreover, unlike several of the other places that we also wrote to, they were reasonable in their price and gave us all that they described they were going to do. It did not feel like we were cheated here.
I think the only thing I was slightly unhappy about was the fact that we were put in a lodge for the one night, where I thought we were actually going to camp in the park itself. But I think that might have been because of several other circumstance.
Overall I loved this experience and would highly recommend ilmaasai. They are a small company but the care and attention they give you is much more and probably much better than with a big safari company.
The best wild experience of my life
This organization provides you the best service you can have. The guides are all local and they are very well prepared and they know the territory very well . Remind that you are on safari you cannot expect luxury accommodation or a full package of service. But with this organization you are supported 100% of your time
DE
Email Monika | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing tour and very reliable and well organised Tour Operator!
We've booked a 5 day Tour with Il Masaai Expedition and had the best time in Tanzania!!! The booking and communication with Mr. Loth was very friendly and he explained everything to us. We were picked up on the airport by himself just on time and stayed one night in Arusha before the tour started. Our driver Bryson was such a nice guy and we felt very safe the whole time! Also our cook Othman did a great job he served delicious food every day, like local meals and also Spaghetti, Pizza.... Tanzania is a fascinating country and we were overwhelmed with all that beautiful nature and animals like lions, rhinos, elephants, leopards, zebras....the highlight was definately Ngorongoro Crater - we started early in the morning and saw all the animals walking in the sunrise so magical!!!! Although we did a Budget safari it was the best trip so far and we travelled to many countries before. I would definately choose Il Masaai Expedition again if I will come back - and that's for sure :) Asante!
IL
Email Ina and Eyal | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
great company! great guide!
We really enjoy the safari tour with Ilmaasai! good people and great guide.
Our guide was Godson, a very nice, smart and funny guy, he have a lot of knowledge about the animals, plants and the tribes in the area, and he was happy to explain us about everything.
The tour was very organized, good equipment, and they didn't miss anything.
Email Carlos | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
What a great experience!
We are a (relatively) young couple and although we travel the world as much as we can, this was our first visit to Tanzania. We found Loth from Ilmaasai through Safaribookings. After doing an extensive research that lasted several months, we felt that Ilmaasai offered the best overall package for visiting Tanzania, and best value for the price. During the arrangement of the safari, we always felt that Loth would try his best to meet our requirements.
With the help of several guides, internet forums, and Loth's expert advice, we tailored a bespoke safari visiting most of the northern circuit.
The experience itself was fantastic from start to end. Our driver and guide, Bryson, was very very knowledgeable and always looked after us. I was impressed with the care he took to ensure that we learned about nature as well as enjoying the safari. We were also accompanied by Osman, our cook, who was good fun and prepared delicious food! I mention this because spending many days in a car with other people can be difficult, but these guys made us enjoy it. On top of that, both (but especially the guide) were fantastic at explaining every single detail of animals' behaviours and the environment they live in. They are very passionate about Tanzania and they really made the difference to our adventure.
On top of the educational safari, the amazing landscapes and the good company, the trip was organised to include some small excursions that were the icing on the cake: canoeing, hot springs, hiking, etc.
In summary, we don't hesitate to recommend Ilmaasai for a Tanzania safari. We'd like to be back soon, and when we do, Loth's number will be the first one to dial.
IL
Email Keren | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We had a wonderfull time, excellent guide ane firm manager, helped us with all we asked for
Safari was amazing, saw all animals we wanted, felt te guide did every thing to please us, we could trust completly, and enjoy the trip
DE
Email Katarina | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable experience
We really enjoyed the safari and were looked after very well by our guide and chef. They were both very patient and explained everything we wanted to know about Tanzania to us. It was a great way of learning not only about Tanzanian wildlife, but also about the culture. We saw all the big give animals in just 5 days. It was amazing!
US
Email Paul Green | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great Trips, Great Guide
We really enjoyed our trip to Ngorogoro, Manyara and Tarangire over a 3 day weekend. It was a short safari, but Ilmaasai did not make it feel rushed and we had several great experiences. We booked them because we like to support local small business and were glad we did. They were professional and we got all that was promised in a professional, warm manner. Loth, the owner communicated exactly how it would progress and it went off like clockwork.
Highly recommend.
Amazing photographic safari
Well organised, friendly and informed drivers. Varied tour in four different parks