Team Shemeji Safari Tanzania
Shemeji Safari Tanzania
- Office In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2015)
- Tour Types:
- Customizable private tours and fixed group tours
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $180 to $800 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
KR
Email Seonrim | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Warm-hearted and leisurely safari
My husband and I went to a private safari tour(lodge) for six days in between June 27 to July 4 with Shemeji Safari. It was a satisfied trip that fits to our expectations to see the wild nature of Tanzania. I recommend Shemeji Safari.
- Communications and services
Froukje kindly consulted and reflected our requirements to the itinerary, which had changed a lot. We exchanged more than 10 mails for about a month. Froukje even struggled to get a room in one lodge that we choose where there was no room for agencies left.
When we had to send the balance, Emma came back from maternity leave to deal with us. She even offered us the transportation to Seronera Airstrip in our final day in Serengeti, saying that the drop service of the lodge was too expensive. I felt very warm consideration. At the end, they gave us a Masai souvenir.
- Safari car and stuff
We rode in a pop-up roof car that can holds six persons. The car had a small fridge and a charging station that we requested. It was very useful. There were cushions and blankets in the car, so I could feel their thoughtfulness. The car looked a little old, but there was no big problem throughout the safari. A binocular was available in the car, but we had our own thing that performs better. There was a animal dictionary with pictures, so it's very helpful to refer to them.
- Guide
Our driver and guide, Edward, had 14 years of experience as a guide and was very friendly and professional. Every day after the safari, he asked us how was the safari and checked that he meets our expectations. He communicated with his guide friends face-to-face or via radio to show us the animals we want to see. And he knows where the animals would move, so we could stop at the best place and see the animals very close. There was even a magic that showed up the animal that I told to want to see that day! We saw Big 5 except the rhinos.
He tried to find rhinos for 2 days, but that's just my luck.
During the six day safari, we became friends.
On the last day, he saw us off to the airstrip and helped to check-in. Thank you so much, Edward. I already miss his smile.
AT
Email Milos | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable once in a lifetime experience
Our experience:
If you are a lover of animals and wildlife then i can only highly recommend this safari experience. It was one of the most amazing experiences of our life. Our safari exceeded all our expectations. We learned a lot about and saw lots of different animals, even some rare ones thanks to our great guide Edu! We chose the comfort option and the accomodation sometimes made us feel like we booked the luxurious one instead. The food at the lodges was also great. Everybody was very friendly and helpful. We also had 4 first row views of the great migration of wildebeest and it was simply stunning. It's very rare to see it so many times, but our amazing guide Edu made it possible. We also had some unforgettable nights where we slept and woke up in a tent next to a hippo, monkeys, wildebeest and zebras. We also witnessed a mini "earthquake" created by stampede of zebras. It was simply breathtaking! We also booked Maasai boma visit and a night game drive which were also very nice and unique experiences and i can highly recommend you to consider booking them too. Communication with the agency was great the whole time. Our guide was also very informative and he knew a lot of information about lots of different animals and birds
Tips for future travelers:
Definitely get good binoculars(it will be worth it) and if possible a good camera with a zoom lens. Clothes are not very relevant, you don't need sturdy shoes. But definitely bring good sunglasses. Don't wear overly expensive clothes since they will undoubtedly get dirty. Some roads tend to be very dusty and bumpy so expect to get tired from traveling and expect lots of dust.
Suggestions for the agency:
Only thing we thought of that could possibly make this already amazing itinerary even better is to have at least a day or two where the game drives would be split in two different intervals. One that would start very early in the morning, a break during lunch time and a second one that would last until late in the afternoon. This would be great to see nocturnal animals in action.
Possible improvements:
Lunch boxes were sometimes a bit disappointing which was weird since the food at the lodges was always very good.
US
Email Tiffany | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Attentive operator for a fun filled trip with lots of wildlife
We chose the 6-Days comfort Safari for me, and my two parents (60s) during Christmas 2021. This was a trip of a lifetime for them due to their age and wanted to do something special and chose Shemeji after shopping around a few other operators.
Overall it was a fantastic trip - caring/responsive safari operator, very helpful and knowledgeable guide, saw a ton of animals (even the elusive ones like the cheetah, leopard, lions) and got to catch the early part of the wildebeest/zebra migration which was lovely to see.
Pros
+ Guide: David was our guide and was amazing - first, he is very kind and nice guy - so fun/great to be around. He was receptive to changes we wanted to make (e.g., impromptu stops for bathroom, wanted to go souvenir shopping at a reasonably priced market), and made a pro-active effort to find animals (we saw Big 5 minus the enigmatic rhino but they are endangered species so makes sense) as well as patiently answer all my questions about animals (there were a lot of questions!). I also appreciated that he kept the car very clean as well every day since there is a bunch of dust/dirt that can creep in the car from the game drives and supplied us with ample water.
+ Communication/Service: Before the trip, I was contacting Shemeji quite a bit due to potential Covid restrictions (Omicron was just announced a few weeks before the safari) and about pricing, logistics - they were all very responsive via Whatsapp so definitely appreciated that. During the trip, I had Whatsapp working most of the time (due to my phone plan) and when I had concerns, it was easy to contact Michael (GM of hotels), Fidelis (operations), and David. The context was that there was a mix up between HQ and the hotel which they 1) 2nd camp did not know my dietary preferences, 2) how many days to stay at a hotel, 3) did not know there were 3 people in one room vs a room prepared for just 2 (for 1, 2, and 3 - this was communicated to Shemji when we paid a few months ago) and 4) did not pack two of our bags when we went from 1 hotel to the next and we only realized when were hours into the drive. I flagged this to Shemeji (Michiel, and the hotel manager) and the next day this was rectified (i.e., able to accommodate to my dietary restrictions with the following meals, gave an extra room for the last night, bought key items from the misplaced luggage like toothpaste toothbrush) and figured out a plan to get the luggage back (last day but luckily there were not tons of critical items). Really appreciated the responsiveness and the customer service/attentiveness to solve the problems.
+ Accommodation: For a comfort safari, though the accommodations were great - clean, high quality tents. Highlight was that for the Lake Manyara safari there were zebras grazing on the grounds!
Things to note
+ Food: The lunch boxes could be a little more varied/higher quality food - a lot of chicken legs, some rice, and hard boiled eggs. i think this is a matter of the price we paid for the safari though and the fact we are in the bush so it's not something I really minded. Sharing this info for people who are very food minded.
+ Car: Overall our car worked great - there was 2 large cracks in the window but it didn't affect our trip (David said it would be fixed and the company knew it) and great to have phone chargers in the car and a fridge. What I noticed was that across our 6 day trip, the two other Shemeji cars broke down for various reasons (one was a car malfunction issue with a sensor and one that was human error (the driver drove over something in the evening but no one was hurt). The result was that we had to tow one of the cars for 2~ hours in the Serengeti instead of going on our game drive. Of course we wanted to help out other car (and did) but the opportunity cost is that we were unable to really see the Serengeti which was a highlight. Understandably, things like this happen on this type of terrain but my observation that this frequency seemed a bit odd to me. Not sure if this frequency of car problems is something typical of all companies or just Shemeji.
+ Covid protocol: The servers all wore masks but the drivers/other staff typically did not - I am sure that if we asked David to mask up during the game drives he would have but we did not since there were was mostly a lot of air blowing through the car. Also, almost every other driver we saw also did not wear masks so this is not Shemeji specific. Depending on how Covid cautious you are, you may want to set expectations upfront!
DE
Email Geri | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
In short: fantastic.
In short: fantastic. Saw everything we hoped for and more, while being provided excellent service.
Booked a 10-day safari with Shemeji during August 2021 after receiving offers from about 10 providers. What drew me to Shemeji was the larger scope and variety of the original offer compared to others. After some customization (many thanks for the colleagues for implementing all of the requests!) we decided on a 10 day trip of Arusha NP - Tarangire NP - Lake Manyara NP - Ngorongoro - Serengeti C - Ikoma - Serengeti N - lake Natron - Kilimanjaro. I liked the offered "Africa Safari" lodges on location, with some minor modifications here and there.
Within the first maybe 3-4 days we already saw all animals you can see on this route, and it just kept getting better. Leopards eating prey in the trees, hyenas and cheetahs on the hunt, multiple lion prides with many cubs at arms reach, lions feasting, elephants super close multiple times, thousands of wildebeest / zebra / buffalo, giraffes all around, 5-6 large Mara river crossings (WOW!), rhinos, hippos, crocodiles, monkeys, baboons, innumerable birds of all sorts, and so on. Difficult to list all of them. Check an "animals of East Africa" book, and you can likely check all species off the list.
Our guide Godliving has been top notch in every way. Delightful, professional, courteous, punctual, showed a great amount of enthusiasm and love for both nature and what he does, drove very well, took all around great care for us and has always been keenly attentive to all our wishes. After our long long days of adventures he'd still take the time to maintain and thoroughly clean the car each night and be up early and sharp nontheless. He always knew where to find the animals we were looking for and was an excellent spotter, all the while driving the *incredibly rough* terrains. He is a fantastic chap and we found a friend in him.
All accommodations were great, and there was quite a bit of variety. On some locations we were practically the only guests (fallout of corona I guess) which lead to the atmosphere as if we had owned the place with all the staff just looking out for our wishes, like a movie star. A.S. Lake Manyara is right next to the lake with hippos, zebras, wildebeest and monkeys all around. Rhino lodge has an unbeatable secluded atmosphere at the ridge of Ngorongoro. A.S. Serengeti is right on the plains where you can listen to hyenas and lions playing outside your tents. Serengeti is famous for a reason. A.S. Lake Natron has an unbeatable view. We were treated very well in all locations, everything was squeaky clean, and being able to take a warm shower after a day of dusty wilderness is a blessing, especially in the middle of nowhere. When it takes you days of driving to reach a spot, you appreciate the logistics of providing comfort for you there. I found the food to be excellent, delicious, no complaints, no stomach issues, no problems whatsoever. Water and sanitizer was provided all around. I saw virtually no mosquitos and only a few tsetse flies in Tarangire, who mostly died gruesome deaths under my palms.
It is difficult to list anything that was wrong. Yes maybe lunch boxes are a little repetitive after 2 weeks, but half the world is starving, and hey you are munching on chicken while watching lions eating a few meters away, so who cares what the food is. We had a punctured tire a number of times, but considering the exceeding amount of sharp rocks littered everywhere, this is not unexpected. The cars have double spares for a reason.
About the extra programs. The Maasai village was interesting but the locals can be a little pushy about trying to sell you stuff. Lake Natron waterfalls are great but you need some condition as the rocks are steep. Driving with a fully open safari car was definitely a different experience, which I highly recommend. We didn't do too many walking tours (harder to get close to animals safely) but the few we did were very interesting.
If you are going for the adventure, to be close to nature, to see wild animals at arms reach; while being well taken care of and in comfort, you will not regret booking with them. Hope to go back at a later time. highly recommended.
NL
Email Lyn | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our dream became true!
Before departure we made a travel schedule with Emma. We discussed all our needs and dreams. We had good support, could discuss everything and made choices together. The price is fair. The communication was friendly.
In Tanzania we had Edward as driver/guide and Godson as chef. No words to describe this time. During safari we had so much excitement (together). Have seen the big five, and several times cheeta's.
We like photography and have a lot of memorable pictures! Our dream came true.
We can recommend Emma, Edward and Godson; they make Shemeji great! GREAT!
US
Email Laura | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful safari experience
It was sort of a last-minute decision for us to book this 7-day safari trip. We did a lot of research online and eventually went with Shemeji. The owner Emma was a breeze to work with. Despite the time difference between the United States and Tanzania, I find it rather easy to communicate with emails. The payment was done via international wire transfer without any issue. Our guide Adam was a courteous driver and very knowledgeable. We covered Tarangire, central Serengeti, northern Serengeti, Ngorongoro, and Lake Manyara before departing to Zanzibar. The road conditions can be challenging, but we felt lucky that we didn't skip northern Serengeti. It was amazing to witness the wildebeest migration. Serengeti is the place you won't be disappointed and won't forget for a long time. The tented lodges we stayed in were fantastic. Special praises to Tortillis and Savannah. Nice breakfast, friendly staff, and excellent service.
A percentage of the Shemeji income is going to the volunteer work to improve living conditions for the local people. I didn't know that beforehand but felt very happy that I made my small contribution.
NL
Email Maaike | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Safari - Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro
Off we went on safari! For me the first time. And it was so cool!
At 06.00 we were ready! There was Elly, our driver. We then picked up the other girls and we were on our way to Tarangire. During our first safari day we have seen many animals, such as impalas, baboons, zebras, wildebeest, elephants, giraffes, ostriches and from afar even a leopard. Every time we saw an animal, we jumped up from our jeep. We only had to say 'stop' and we stopped. The roof was open, so we could see everything. And thus could make beautiful pictures. At the end of the day we saw two female lions. They kept unfortunately well hidden. With a satisfied feeling we went to the campsite. Here we could freshen up and we got dinner from our cook Patrick.
The second day we were in good spirits on the way to the Serengeti. We still wanted see a few animals: lions, leopards, hippos, rhinos, buffaloes, hyenas and cheetahs. Before we arrived at the Serengeti, we first had the Ngorongoro. What is a different landscape. Very nice to see. That bodes well for the last day. Finally arrived at the Serengeti. In the distance we saw a herd of elephants, which eventually crossed our path. Wow.
We had seen many new animals, namely gazelles, purple lizards, buffaloes, hyenas, hippos, a crocodile and finally a lion and a leopard closer.
Late in the afternoon we went to the campsite, which lay in the middle of the Serengeti. Here our tents were ready. This was very different from the camp. Snug in the tent. Our cook had again prepared a delicious meal, and then we went to sleep quickly. Our alarm clock the next day was already at 5 am. At night we had a visit from a Buffalo, who stood next to our tent. You don't see that often.
It was very special to see the sunrise the next morning in the Serengeti. Even today we have seen many new animals: cranes, secretary birds, pumba's (boars) and Dik-dik (small deer). As icing on the cake of that last morning in the Serengeti, we even found two cheetahs! These animals are very rare to see, and now there were two. What an extraordinary animals!
At the end of the morning we had a little lunch and breakfast at the camp and we drove back to Ngorongoro. This was quite a bit, so when we arrived at the campsite, we stayed there. Also this campsite again was very nice. It was a piece of green grass with large trees on a mountain overlooking the crater below. When we arrived we had visitors right away; zebras on the campsite! That was very nice. We all had to get used to the temperature in Ngorongoro. Here it was many times colder than in Tarangire and Serengeti. We showered (freezing!) and the rest of the day ate with four layers of clothes and a blanket around us. What a cold! Luckily we had a thick sleeping bag during the night.
Our last day of the safari. We only had a male lion and a rhinoceros standing on our list. And yes, have also seen these animals. From the distance, a rhino (one of the 15 remaining black rhinos in Ngorongoro). Yes the big five is spotted! A little further there lay 3 male and three female lions. In the middle of this group lay in a ditch a dead buffalo! They had clearly only just found it and only ate half of it. Now they lay dozing all six, tired of hunting. From a distance hyenas were leering to the carcass and also a group of jackals were just walking around that group of lions. What a special sight, this is real nature.
It was a fantastic experience! Thanks Elly, Patrick and Shemeji Safaris & Tours. It was great!
RU
Email Irina Beresneva | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Experience of my life
Our whole journey from the first day to the last is a fairy tale, opening new and new pages every day. We just fell in love with Africa. We highly appreciated the comfort provided by the company. We understand that Shimeji Safari Tanzania has done everything possible for us to take away a piece of Africa in our heart. We will recommend Shimeji Safari Tanzania to all friends. and we would love to come back one day again. Our driver, friend, translator from/ to Swahili, defender Kosmas will always be in our memories.
Email Hayden Jones | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Nothing short of incredible.
We expected it to be good and it covered all that we could have hoped for. The experience itself was special but what made it incredible was our driver/guide.
I can't compliment Khalid enough, such an interesting guy with huge passion for what he does, friendly, excitable, attentive and an all round pleasure to be in the company of.
I would not hesitate to book again and would be sure to point any friends and family if your direction should they look to take a similar trip.
Email Jamie Edwards | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Tanzania Safari Operator.
Recently came back from a fantastic safari touring around northern Tanzania. Everything was organised superbly and the accommodation was excellent throughout.
Couldn't recommend this company highly enough and wouldn't hesitate to go with them again.