East African Safari & Touring Company
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 1992)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $230 to $2,000 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Cynthia | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
All our dreams come true.
After 2 years of researching where to visit in Tanzania , I had a dream itinerary for a 30 day trip for my husband and I. I sent it off to several safari companies for quotes. Some didn't reply, some ignored some parts of the itinerary, and some were way too expensive. East African Safari Company included everything and had a vey reasonable quote. And, Simon was enthused about some of the "different" things we wanted to do. Beforehand, there were lots of emails back and forth to fine -tune the itinerary, to debate the merits of one place over another, and for Simon to make excellent suggestions based on his 20 years experience organising safaris. When we found out 8 months beforehand that our accommodation in Mahale National Park was ceasing operation, I panicked, but Simon went about working out the logistics for us to stay in the TANAPA bandas with our own cook. So much cheaper and so much better! Transferring money was simple as we could just transfer direct to the company's Australian account.
On the ground, everything worked seamlessly- our private transfer from Nairobi airport, a handover to our wonderful guide James and excellent cook Michael , and then our 20 days with them, in a mixture of lodges, tent camping at special campsites in Arusha and Serengeti parks, a banda in Manyara, donkey-portaged tent in the NCAA, and a hotel in Mwanza. The internal flights on Auric Air from Mwanza to Mahale and then Safari Link from Mahale to Mafia were also a great way to see a little more of the country.
Our safari was a mixture of interaction with locals ( former street-kids, Maasai, the villagers of MtoWa Mbu, Sukuma) wildlife viewing, and physical exertion( walking and canoeing in Arusha National Park, a 3 day trek from Nainokanoka to Lake Natron, 4 days chimp tracking in Mahale National Park and snorkelling and deep sea fishing off Mafia Island) All of it was terrific, but I especially enjoyed having the time to walk/tour with people and hear their stories. The wildlife viewing was wonderful, with James able to find many things on his own, and with judicious use of the radio to hear about special sightings. We happened across both a zebra and wildebeest migration in different parts of the Serengeti- animals as far as you could see. The chimp tracking in Mahale with our TANAPA guide, Peter, was hard work- hot, humid, steep hills, but so worth it to have the chimps walk right past you, less than 30cm away. After all the sweating , it was great to snorkel in Lake Tanganyika watching the cichlid fish. Our final 4 days on Mafia Island was great as a wind-down with more snorkelling and successful fishing.
Every single day was wonderful, with new things to see and do, but enough time to relax and just "be" in the landscape. Guides, cooks, camp crew, lodge staff were universally terrific at their jobs, and James, especially, surpassed our expectations. He was versatile, adapted to things as they happened, funny, enthusiastic, warm and had our very best interests at heart.
We cannot recommend Eastco highly enough. We'll be going with them again- in February 2016 hopefully.
From Mwanza to Tamborani Lagoon with East African Safari and Touring Company
We have just finished a 2 week safari with East African Safari and Touring Company . We have traveled with East African Safari and Touring Company in the past and this time wanted to go somewhere we hadn't been before to see more of the country. Simon from East African Safari and Touring Company suggested we go to Mwanza.
We arrived in Tanzania and sat around Dar Es Salaam airport for the evening flight to Mwanza. Not much at the airport here, sat outside on the benches with the sun in our eyes before checking in on the Fastjet flight.
Arrived in Mwanza in the dark, small airport with a very rustic arrivals lounge! It was warm and humid. We were staying at Ryans Bay Hotel which was only about 20 minutes away. The hotel was great and we had a second story room with balcony and view over Lake Victoria.
The next day we met our guide from East African Safari and Touring Company, Bernard, and did the very short drive to the National Parks dock. It was great meeting up with Bernard as in the past he had been our guide and we shared an interest in birds! We were heading out to Saanane Island National Park to spend the afternoon with a ranger and guide exploring the park. The park launch was covered with a canopy and since it was just us and the guide we headed off straight away.
The thing that struck us most was the massive granite rocks everywhere. We were told the locals call Mwanza Rock City. It was good to get out of the water and stretch our legs on the island. Saw quite a few zebras and antelope, also a monitor lizard sun baking on the rocks.
The next day we headed off for the drive along the lake shore towards the Serengeti. This was one of my wishes, to drive through the Serengeti from near the shores of Lake Victoria to Ngorongoro.
We spent two nights in a bush camp in the Grumeti area. Lots of mud and long grass, but saw so many buffalos and elephants here. Also saw in the distance a basking crocodile. Then headed to the plains around Ndutu and Olduvai for two nights in a bush camp. These were two totally different experiences, from the valleys and rivers near Grumeti, to the long sweeping plains around Ndutu .
We especially wanted to spend some time at Olduvai gorge, visiting the museum and taking a guide into the gorge, so we asked Simon to choose a campsite nearby, and we were lucky enough to be under a small kopje about 20 minutes drive away so we could spend as much time here as possible. I had visited Olduvai on an earlier trip quite a few years ago and wanted to visit again.
We skipped Ngorongoro this time and went straight to Naitolia Camp in Tarangire. The change since our last visit was amazing, everywhere was green and so bushy with trees and shrubs where in the past was open area overgrazed. We had three nights here for some walking and game viewing. The birds there were fantastic.....I don't think you could find a better place for watching birds.
After this we went to Mkomazi National Park. We hadn't been here before. We stayed in a bush camp in the park. It was very wet which made getting around hard, but the surrounding mountains, the isolation and having the entire park to ourselves was something special. Game viewing was scarce, we did see some eland and other antelope, but the walks were fantastic.
We then drove over the Pare mountains and down to the main road. We did get lost a few times on the twisting roads and the low clouds made for interesting driving! We headed for Tamborani Lagoon south of Pangani. This is part of Tanzania’s latest Marina Park, the Tanga Coelacanth Marine Park.
This is not a beach resort place! We stayed in very basic tents on the beach, surrounded by palms. We loved exploring the beach and mangrove swamps. We also did a trip out to a small sand island in a outrigger dhow and visited the Tongoni Ruins. It was a very special four nights. We had the place to ourselves, and enjoyed watching the locals go about their daily life. It was interesting watching them catch squid at night with a torch right in the shallows near the camp!
All my communication with East African Safari and Touring Company was prompt and the service we had for our whole trip was great!
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Email Mary Jo Ferneding | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Ngorongoro, Serengeti, Tarangire Trip
I just got back from a private safari with the East African Safari & Touring Company (EASTCO) based out of Arusha, Tanzania. As a seasoned backpacker who has traveled to well over twenty-something countries, I must say that I have found this trip to be one of my most extraordinary.
Before my trip, I spent a great amount of time researching safari/tour companies and exploring many travel options. First and foremost, I was looking for a company that was respectful of the environment as well as the Tanzanian communities & people who work for them. It was also important for me to have opportunities to meet and interact with the locals. And as a woman traveling alone, I wanted to feel safe and comfortable with my driver and cook.
I decided to go with EASTCO for many reasons. I really liked that they are a local company invested in preserving the cultural integrity and well being of surrounding communities. I was also impressed with owner Simon King, who has worked with neighboring Maasai villages to create opportunities for collaborative partnerships, dramatically decreasing poaching practices within a conservation area just outside of Tarangire National Park.
After making my decision, however, it was nothing less than a true leap of faith when I wired off my hefty triple-zero deposit to a bank in Australia. I worried that I might be in for a scam or that I should have chosen a company who has an office in the US. My concerns, however, ended as soon as I traveled to Arusha, met Simon, and planned out the final details of my safari. At the end of my six-day stay that encompassed the Nogorongoro Crater, the Serengeti, and Tarangire National Park, I was so happy that I had chosen to go with EASTCO.
This was my first safari. Therefore, I cannot compare EASTCO with other companies except to share with you the things that I appreciated the most about my experience. First of all, Charles, my driver and guide, taught me the art of observing animals. He also helped me to refine my eyesight and learn how to observe the amazing, yet obscure eco-systems of East Africa. Charles could spot the tiniest of things and share a depth of knowledge about everything we saw. He also somehow knew where we might find animals, and most of the time we were the sole spectators, as we did not travel in caravans with other tourists. Charles also knew where to position the truck when we did have a crowd of people. One day we saw a family of thirteen elephants. He anticipated their crossing, maneuvering our vehicle to the perfect place where the animals, one by one walked right in front of our truck. After crossing, Charles predicted their path and drove to a point where we could see them walking a perfect line into the horizon. It was a magnificent moment! My cook, Michael was a wonderful travel mate as well. He always kept me laughing and cooked up amazing meals. I thoroughly enjoyed traveling with both of these gentlemen and felt as if I was saying goodbye to two dear friends when my safari ended.
Lastly, I really enjoyed most of the places that I stayed at. The first campsite, Simba was my least favorite. It was a beautiful location but was quite crowded, thus creating a disgusting bathroom scene thanks to the many tourists who did not know how to use squat toilets. Also due to the crowds, people became very territorial of their eating spaces. I was so grateful that Michael had staked out a good spot for me early, so I did not have to participate in all of the drama. My Serengeti experience, however was remote and peaceful. The campsite was full of wildlife. Teams of Mongoose would run wildly about in packs. A family of baboons would make their daily rituals, playing around my tent during the day and climbing a nearby tree at night. Cape Bull grazed within sight of my tent, and one day an enormous elephant wandered onto the grounds to eat the garbage out of the community trashcan. My last night on safari was spent at Boundary Hill Lodge, an upscale yet rustic lodge that enables views of wildlife from every angle of your suite and boasts a private bathtub on the balcony that overlooks Tarangire National Park.
As with any trip, I am sure that if I thought hard enough I could pick apart my safari and find some things that could have been better. However, I know that nothing is perfect, and these minor flaws are insignificant and would be dwarfed by the incredible things that I experienced each and every day on my safari. It was a trip of a lifetime, I was living the dream, and I feel so fortunate to have traveled to this part of the world and to have met so many amazing people, both through EASTCO and the other places that I visited.
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65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Amazing wildlife, beautiful places and wonderful people - an excellent safari!
We are very happy that we chose to book our safari with East African Safari! In 13 days, we visited Ngorongoro, the Serengeti, Tarangire and Zanzibar and the trip more than met our expectations.
We found communication to be very good. During the planning process, Simon King kindly took our desires and expectations into account while also giving us very good advice. Later, when we ran into a snag on Zanzibar (concerning transport from Stone Town to Fumba Beach), Simon promptly solved the problem and also kept checking to make sure that all was well.
All of the staff, whether employees of the lodges or of East African Safari, were friendly, kind, and attentive. Our guide/driver, Ezekiel, was fantastic! We appreciated his expertise, his willingness to try to find the last of the wildebeest/zebra migration for my husband, and his sense of humor. Having visited game parks before on our own, we now understand how important an expert guide is. I cannot praise Ezekiel too highly! It is easy to measure a safari by the number of animals seen, but I felt that it was really all the wonderful staff who made our trip so memorable.
Some of the highlights of our trip included an afternoon walk with a ranger on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater, the spectacular views from the rooms at Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge, the beautiful camp in the Serengeti (complete with a leopard for a neighbor), all the wildlife we saw of course, and Boundary Hill Lodge. There is no word for Boundary Hill Lodge, but magical. I loved every minute of our time there. The beauty, the quiet, the remoteness made me want to just stay. On Zanzibar, we wish we had spent less time in Stone Town (our choice, not on Simon’s advice) and more time at Fumba Beach Lodge, another wonderful place where you can sit by an infinity pool and watch the white sails of the dhows passing on the blue water of the Indian Ocean.
I am already thinking of another trip to East Africa and will certainly arrange my safari through East African Safari Co.
CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Trip to Tanzania with EASTCO
Hello everyone. We just got back from our trip to East Africa and visiting Tanzania. We are both hoping to go back again some time at a different time of the year and experience another aspect of the wildlife.
We arrived in Arusha at around 11pm on March 1st and were greeted with a smiling James from EASTCO. We were not really expecting to be greeted at the airport since our Safari was going to start on March 3rd but Simon sent James over any way (which was a relief for us).
Day 1
We had booked this day to stay in Arusha, rest a bit and get ready for our 7 day adventure in the country but once again James came out, took us to Simon's place for a cup of coffee and we also got the chance to give him the balance for our trip. Afterwards he took us to Shanga for lunch and buying Tanzanite which we had asked for. He also promised to help us with getting a sim card on Monday.
Day 2
We were picked up in the morning, our sim card/cell phone matter was taken care of, packed lunched were picked up and we headed for Tarangire. It proced to be a beautiful park and we saw 3 of the big 5 on our first day of Safari! We saw a big herd of about 200 elephants migrating locally through the park. We saw a pride of lion with tiny cubs and we saw a beautiful leopard in a tree. We also saw giraffes, waterbucks, impalas, Zebra and ostriches which was nice. While driving to get to the leopard, James made a turn somehwere suddenly and to our surprise we had stopped a couple of meters from 4 male lions just hanging out under a tree! I'm not sure how he spotted them but I'm sure glad he did. They were gorgeous. at around 4:30, we started heading back to our camp for the night. We stayed at Naitolia and were the only guests so we were well taken care of and found the outdooor bush shower and toilet quite interesting.
Day 3
We had an early morning walking safari in Naitolia with a Masai guide. We spotted zebras from a distance but were really interested in seeing giraffes so our guide started tracking and leading us to where the Giraffe families were. They were terrified at first but after about 1 hour and slowly moving towards them, we ended up getting very close to them and it was thrilling to be walking so close to these magnificant creatures.
We called James to meet us along the trail back as we were too tired to walk back! We had walked for about 4 hours in the sun and didn't want to go back on foot. The camp staff awaited us with water ready for showers which was great as we were terribly sweaty and after lunch, we headed towards the great Ngorongoro.
We arrived in the conservation area and saw the baboons hanging by the entrance and then entered the park. We stopped at the viewing point to admire the beauty of the crater from up above and managed to spot elephants, buffalo and a rhino with our binoculars. It was great to go from the heat and dryness of Tarangire to the green and lush Ngorongoro. We arrived at Rhino Lodge to spend the night and saw a huge buffalo right next to our porch grazing at around 9! He didn't budge when we went out to the porch to look at him. Had a great dinner and went to bed early to wake up early in the morning for the crater drive.
Day 4
The crater offered us the rest of the big 5 and we managed to see 3 black rhinos (from a distance) and tons of buffalos. I never imagined that I could be surrounded by so many animals and so much beauty. It was just amazing. We saw two pairs of lions (Male and female) and about 30 cars watching them. James mentioned that they are going to be mating and all the cars stuck around. After about 40 minutes one of the pairs got up and left for the bushes and went out of sight. The second pair followed them shortly after and we ended up not seeing the lions mating! We did however, see some of the playful moves of the females trying to get the males to mate which was good enough for us.
We left the crater around noon to go towards Ndutu and southern Ngorongoro. Had our packed lunched with the Kites flying above us and trying to steal the food. It was quite interesting as I hadn't thought of Kites as the stealing type! They would literally come close to scratching people to get their food so we just got back in the car and had our lunch in there.
We stopped on the way for a visit at the Masai village and found it interesting to learn about how they live.
Driving south, we saw tons of Gazelle, giraffes, and Zebras and the local cattle and goats grazing along with them. Some wildebeest here and there as well so it was an interesting mix of animals. We got to our mobile camp in the middle of the wilderness eraly in the evening and had dinner and quick showers. We were also warned about the sound of the animals at night and not to move or make sounds if we hear an animal (elephant, lions, hyenas) coming close to the tents!
We did hear an elephant and a lion fighting in the distance but it was too far so didn't scare us much
Day 5
Our first game drive in serengeti was a great success. We saw lion cubs eating a zebra. We also saw the beautiful lake Ndutu and the giraffe, zebra and wildebeest on the plains. The highlights of the day however, was seeing the great migration! We saw what I can only guess was over 500 thousand wildebeest and their young calves all around us. It was amazing to be driving between this huge herd of animals. There were also tons an tons of zebras getting ready fo rtheir migration. I can't even describe the feeling we had watching these creatures and all the young feeding. We saw more lions and two cheetahs (a mom and an older cub) and back for the day. We also saw hyenas, jackals and vultues eating the remains of a baby wildebeest.
We had a great dinner and woke up at midnight at the sound of a lion and hyenas fighting! This time, a little too close for comfort but it was still awesome.
Day 6
Our second game drive was amazing as well. We saw two prides of lions and spent about 1 hour with one of the families as more and more of them kept coming out of the bushes and they started grooming each other and showing more affection for the cubs. It was a beautiful sight and I feel blessed to have witnessed this at such a close distance. The highlight of the day was seing a momma cheetah with 5 tiny cubs, little hairballs, eating and playing with a Thomson's Gazelle. Then the mother dragged the food to the shade of another tree since the first one was a little too much out in the open. The cubs started following her and it was just an amazing sight to see. heading back to the tent, we saw dik diks, two male lions hanging out in the marshes and making our day.
Day 7
We left for an early morning game drive, saw some more lions, giraffe, ... and headed towards Central Serengeti and the Western Corridor to see the Grumeti river and its Crocs. We saw 3 lions up in the trees in Central Serengeti and we also saw two leopards here. We went towards Grumetti and saw 4-5 big crocs in what was left of the river in this season and also saw lots of hippos. Our arrival in Speke bay was around 6 pm which gave us enough time to shower under running water for a change (it felt so good) and go for dinner. I loved the Speke Bay Lodge with its great view of the bay.
Day 8
We took the boat to the Fisherman's village close to the lodge, saw the people and how they lived there and saw the resident crocodile at Speke Bay lodge. Early afternoon we headed for Mwanza, had dinner and got on the ferry leaving for Bukoba where our Tanzania journey would end and Uganda would start.
Overall, we loved loved loved our time in Tanzania and would love to go there again, this time at a different time to see another aspect of the wildlife. EASTCO did a great job and there were no hiccups whatsoever on the trip. Our only complaint was that the car was a little too old but really, after being on so many game drives, I'm pretty sure that it doesn't matter what car you're in, it will still be pretty bumpy!
Email Brian | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Excellent trip with Eastco from Lake Victoria to Udzungwa
My wife and myself returned to Tanzania last January for a 16 day safari with Eastco. This is not my first or even second trip, but we decided that this would be our grand adventure. We first visited way back in 1984 and did a Tracks pink truck camping safari through Manyara, Ngorongoro and Serengeti, before heading off to explore southern Africa on the Tazara Train and then north through the Sudan to Egypt.
We flew into Dar Es Salaam on Qatar from Melbourne and caught the evening Fastjet flight to Mwanza on the shores of Lake Victoria. The Fastjet flight was actually very very good, nice new plane, lots of room and very friendly staff. Food had to be bought but the beef and gherkin roll was very tasty, steered away from the chicken!
On arrival in Mwanza we were met by Joseph, who was our Eastco guide here in Mwanza. Tonight was at Ryan’s Bay Hotel, which was very very comfortable and perfect to recover from the flights.
We woke late this morning and Joseph took us down to the National Park docks and the ferry across the lake to Saanane Island. It was great to get out and stretch our legs, the guide, Musa, was excellent. The most striking thing was the rock formations here. Spectacular!!
In the afternoon we headed with Joseph for a short city tour and ended up at Tunza beach resort for a few cold beers. Amazingly there were waves breaking against the sandy beach, only a foot or so but something unexpected. There were a few locals swimming here, obviously a popular place for a few beers and a swim after work. We then went and had a Chinese dinner at Yon Long Restaurant. This is also a hotel, and the restaurant was right over the water. We sat and watched the ferries leave from across the bay, back and forth and the lights on the far hillside. Overnight again at the excellent Ryan’s Bay.
After breakfast Joseph collected us with picnic lunches and we head along the lake shore. Our ultimate destination was the western gate of the Serengeti. But we were in no rush today, visited the Wasukuma Museum en route, apparently the largest tribe in Tanzania. This was very very interesting! We had our picnic lunch on the shore at Speke’s Gulf. We tried to imagine what it was like 150 years ago when John Hanning Speke was the first European to see Lake Victoria.
Wilson our guide was waiting for us at the Ndabaka gate when we arrived about mid afternoon. On our last safari Wilson was one of the camp staff at Eastco's Serengeti tented camp, so it was really great to see him again and to know of his advancement. He mentioned over the course of the safari that he has now been with Eastco for over ten years, starting young as a mechanic, then camp supply driver, then camp staff and guide and finally after doing some courses had been given the chance to guide. He had already been through Kenya, Uganda and much of Tanzania in those years, and mentioned he was heading to Victoria Falls later in the year. His excitement was palpable, especially when we described our experiences from 30 years ago.
We spent four nights in the Serengeti, two in the western corridor in a bush camp near the Grumeti River and two near Ndutu in the Serengeti Tented Camp. Two totally different contrasting areas of the Serengeti. From what we had read we thought the western corridor might be a bit wildlife depleted, but in the planning stages Simon told us that there is a large resident population along the Grumeti area, and also so of the wildebeest head out to the plains here during the migration. The drive in certainly confirmed that statement! Lots of zebras and wildebeest as soon as we left Ndabaka, then as we got closer to the camp and the change in scenery to floodplains, and hills there were buffalo everywhere and passing herds of elephants.
We arrived at our bush camp, this and the staff had been dropped off by Wilson earlier in the day, all carried by a trailer! Costa the camp cook met us with cold juice. Another old acquaintance, his enthusiastic greeting was overwhelming. Hot showers under the stars before a dinner of fresh baked bread rolls, onion soup and pork chops. Amazing considering where we were and what Costa had to work with.
The days in the Serengeti were just as exciting as our first visit, although now being on a private safari, we enjoyed the flexibility of being able to spend as much time as we wanted whenever we wanted! Highlight probably leopard in a tree with kill, no one else around. Standing up stretching with the sunset in the background.
We spent a night at Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge just to relive the view. As memorable as our first trip. We did not go into the crater this time but went for a short walk with a guide before heading to Manyara for game viewing. No lions in trees, or rhinos like we saw on our first trip in 1984, which was a sad reminder of how much has changed. The township of Mosquito creek no longer a collection of small dukas, but campsites, small motels and lodges everywhere, and obviously an important tourist stop. We left late afternoon and head towards Naitolia Camp for the night. Large massive beds, surrounded by nets and canvas. Outdoor shower and toilet which was fun! Heard elephants feeding during the night, breaking trees branches and the growl of a lion but obviously far away.
The pre dawn chorus of birds was what I will always remember from our stay here. We were up early with quick cup of tea and light breakfast as we were walking towards Boundary Hill Lodge. Being hot and humid during the day we wanted to do this as early as possible, and headed out with the Masai guide Sanagar and Allano. We walked for about four hours and made it towards the banks of a sand river. Wilson was waiting here for us with the land rover which was a relief! It was good to get out an walked though, saw some terrapins in the water holes by the side of the road, evidence everywhere of the elephants that had passed through during the night, giraffe and zebra not too far away. The tracks of hyenas and bat eared foxes in the soft sands. Flowers and greenery everywhere.
Boundary Hill was just as we remembered it, views still as spectacular as ever. Costa had taken over the kitchen at Naitolia and was also here taking charge at Boundary Hill. Obviously 20 plus years of seniority has its perks!
We had two nights here, and the first morning we were woken by gentle knocking at our door and a morning cup of tea with biscuits. This was just before the sunrise, and my wife was excitingly pointing off in the distance. Once we woke up a bit I could see why she was so excited, Kilimanjaro stood low on the horizon between Mt Meru and another closer mountain which I cannot remember the name. We sat on our balcony and watched the Snows of Kilimanjaro change from apricot to pink to white as the sun broke above the horizons. Finally losing sight completely as the clouds covered the peak. Memorable!
We left Boundary Hill, driving through the park on our way to Lake Babati for the night. Tarangire was so green, elephants everywhere, lucky glimpse of a couple of lions and a cheetah on an anthill in the distance. We arrived at lake Babati late afternoon and headed straight out on the lake in a dugout canoe. The object this afternoon was the hippos here. As we got closer the guide would hit the paddle on the side of the dugout, and sure enough in the near distance a hippo or two would raise its head and investigate this strange sound. Then disappear back beneath the waters. Lucky enough to also see some pied kingfishers here as well as the beautifully coloured Malachite Kingfisher. We stayed the night at the Trinidad guesthouse, clean and comfortable. No meals so we ate dinner at a nearby bar and restaurant.
After an early breakfast of a egg on bread (no toast!) with a boiled beef frankfurter on the side we headed south towards Dodoma for the night. Lots of roadwork’s on the way, but fascinating trip through forests and open countryside. Closer we got to Dodoma there was rocky hills. We stayed the night at the Simba Motel.
Another long day which we had planned on as we headed south towards Udzungwa National Park. A lot more traffic around to what we had been experiencing and arrived late afternoon at the park rest houses. Very comfortable, very new and large rooms. First night meal was a bit bland so we convinced Wilson and Costa to take over the meal plans for the next two nights!
We woke early the next morning and headed off to the park for a day of trekking, butterflies everywhere, lush greenery, birds and some monkeys hiding in the canopy. Lunch at the waterfall was a relief as it was hard going today! Returned to the park resthouse, and glad for the showers! Costa and Wilson had performed miracles and enjoyed a delicious meal in the open banda with a cold beer or two.
Our second day was spent down in the Kilombero swamps, we took a dug out canoe, and spent half the day exploring the area, no special bird sighting. Another superb home cook meal at the park resthouse.
We had a long day of driving ahead of us, so we went to bed early an up before dawn to get on the road. We were heading to Dar Es Salaam and took the scenic route through Mikumi National park, well the only route in reality. Even though we tried to reach Dar before peak traffic it still took us a couple of hours to work our way through the traffic here. Wilson and Costa dropped us off at the best Western Coliseum, a few emotional farewells. They were going to stay the night just outside of Dar before the drive back to Arusha the next day.
We had most of the day in Dar before catching our flight. Went to the Hilton Double Tree for dinner overlooking the ocean. Taxis in Dar are not cheap though, I think it was 40,000 TS, about $30 AUSD each way! But wanted to catch a sight of the ocean before we left.
Overnight at the Best Western was very comfortable very friendly staff.
Went looking for the New Africa Hotel to see what changes had been made since the cup of coffee we had here 30 years ago while waiting for the Tazara train. Massive changes everywhere in Dar Es Salaam.
Headed to the airport early, as traffic jams apparently a nightmare here, even though we were staying on the airport road!
So ends another fantastic experience, and can’t thank Simon, Wilson and Costa enough for leaving us with more memories.
Email Cecelialee | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Other Outstanding Safari
We flew into Nairobi in March this year for a safari in Tanzania. We stayed at the Fairview Hotel, a lovely setting where you feel like you are in the country, not in a large city.
We had a private transfer organised by EASTCO to Namanga. One of my travelling companions wanted to buy Kenyan cricket jumpers for his sons, so Amina, who travelled with us to the border with her driver, organised to take us to a Nairobi shopping centre. When we finally set off for Namanga we were caught in Nairobi’s traffic jams! Our driver set out to avoid this by driving down the back streets of Nairobi. It was amazing, busy colourful markets , small tin shop fronts, lunch being cooked up by side of the road for passersby. A great start to our day.
We were met at Namanga by EASTCO and after quick customs formalities we were on our way to Arusha. The first thing I noticed this time was how green the country side was. I have travelled to Tanzania several times before but this was the first time in March after some rain.
We spent the first two days around Arusha, shopping! I noticed how many more motor bikes there were now. A great sight: Masais in their traditional shukas zooming around on motor bikes.
Then we went to Arusha National Park looking for colobus monkeys. It was green and lush, a lovely way to start our safari. We ate lunch from our lunch boxes at a picnic spot at the top of the hill and watched the rain clouds moving across. We saw flamingos in the lakes, zebras, buffalo, giraffe ,bush buck, duiker and many baboons of course.
As we were heading out through the forest, our last chance to see the colobus monkeys, we were not disappointed. In a clump of trees beside the road we saw at least ten colobus monkeys moving amongst the branches.
Next day we headed to the Ngorongoro Crater. The countryside once again was so green, the young Masai goat herders stood out wearing their red and blue shukas, a special sight. On the way we stopped at Mto wa Mbu , where we wandered around, bought some bananas and some Masai shukas. They make great gifts and my daughters use them as picnic blankets.
We spent two nights at the Wildlife Lodge on the edge of the crater. I was looking forward to the lovely view of the crater from my bedroom window which I enjoyed so much last time. On our first night here, we had three buffalo munching on the grass right outside our bedroom windows.
We spent the whole of the next day in the crater. My travelling companions did not want to leave the crater till the gates closed. The crater was so picturesque, so green and there was much water around. We were looking for rhino and we saw five not too far from the road.
As we had asked for the full day in the crater we were able to enjoy the beauty of this remarkable place and its varied wildlife, on most occasions without any other vehicles around. Later in the afternoon many more vehicles arrived for an afternoon drive.
As we were heading to the gate of the crater, one of my companions, always on the look out for animals, spotted a serval cat . This was his ninth trip to Tanzania and this was the first time he had seen the serval cat - it just added to our fantastic day.
Next day we drove to Ndutu, we were advised by EASTCO this was the best place to see lots of animals as it is just after calving season. They were right!
Of all my safaris I have never seen so many animals as this time.
We stayed in a tented camp site for two nights . The first night we had zebras wandering through our campsite. In the morning as I was having my hot shower I looked over the canvas wall of my bathroom and saw a lone zebra checking out what I was doing. The next night we had many wildebeest wandering for several hours through our camp. Everyone should camp for at least one night to experience the animals in this kind setting.
On our first day driving through Ndutu I was amazed at seeing so many wildebeest with their young, as well as zebras also with their young. We stopped at Ndutu Lake for more than a hour watching a line of wildebeest with their young crossing the lake. They were grazing on the bank of the lake and when each ones turn came to cross the lake off they ran with their young behind to join the thousands of wildebeest on the other side of the lake. As we watched we wondered if some of the very young would make it across the lake. Some calves had difficulty so their mothers turned around and they returned safely back to the bank. An incredible sight, difficult to capture in a photo but a wonderful memory.
We also saw a herd of about 100 elephants making their way to a watering hole nearby.
Our guide Bernard parked at the side of the path the elephants were taking. Within minutes there was a group of at least 12 vehicles around the elephants. They parked in front of the elephants.
Maybe radios should be banned! What happened to the adventure of looking for animals yourself. One my travelling companions would yell out to Bernard our guide,” STOP”, checked with the binoculars,” NO, NOTHING, KEEP GOING”.
Then next day not far from our campsite we found a pride of 8 lions. As we were observing these lions we noticed we had a flat tyre, much to the distress of Bernard as he had to change the tyre within close proximity to the lions. We removed his bag from the front seat and opened the door for a quick jump in if necessary. So as we kept our eye on the lions for any movement Bernard nervously changed the tyre. Fortunately they were all well fed and were content to just laze in the morning sun.
I read many complaints about vehicles and flat tyres. My husband recently travelled in outback Australia up the Birdsville Track, five flat tyres later! All part of the adventure.
We then headed to the Serengeti plains. The wildebeest were just heading to the edge of the Serengeti and as far as I could see in every direction there were thousands of wildebeest. The grass was quite long so it was a little more difficult to spot animals. As we had seen many more animals than we imagined we would we were able to relax and appreciate the vastness of this amazing place. We did see many eland in the distance .
We were on a mission to find leopards and cheetahs. We found two leopards in trees, the tails hanging down from the branches a dead give away!
Then we came across a cheetah with five young sucking as she lay in the sun. As we were enjoying this unique experience along came the vehicles, the radios were calling! Many drove and sat far too close to the cheetah, once again a great photo opportunity and happy tourist but not enough respect for the cheetah family or other tourists.
We were staying at Seronera Wildlife Lodge, another favourite. On our way to the lodge we passed a hippo pool with many hippos giving a great photo opportunity.
As we headed out of the Serengeti the next day , Bernard never stopped looking for lions ,cheetahs and leopards around the many kopjes while keeping an eye on the clock as we had to be back at the gate on time.
We came across two very shy African wild cats, a very rare sight.
Just as we thought we had seen it all, on a nearby kopje we saw a group of lions, a mother and five cubs relaxing in the sun . Below by the road there was a male lion keeping a very careful watch over his lioness. A great way to leave the Serengeti and yes we made it to the gate with 5 minutes to spare!
On our drive we stopped at Mt Wa Mbu, we bought bananas and sat in a local cafe and soaked up the atmosphere.
We spent the next two nights at Boundary Hill Lodge, a very unique lodge. We drove through Tarangerie National Park and saw many giraffes ,a male lion virtually straight away and many, many other animals. On our second day at Boundary Hill Lodge we had a most relaxing time enjoying the privacy and wonderful views from our rooms.
As we drove back to Arusha we stopped at the Kisongo market . So many people, so colourful, so many food products to buy. We asked Bernard if we could stop at local restaurant to try a local lunch, so we stopped at Makuyuni and tried the local lunch nyama choma, roast goat and banana.
Just outside Arusha we called into the snake farm and also visited the Masai museum, both well worth a visit.
We had a most amazing and memorable safari.
EASTCO were extremely good, were very flexible and were happy to accommodate all of our requests.
I was impressed with Bernard our guide with his fantastic knowledge and his genuine concern and interest for his environment.
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Email Robert Barta | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A customized itinerary, pleasant and knowledgeable driver and overall fantastic experience.
The communication before the trip was excellent and all my questions were answered promptly. The tour was customized to allow me 2 days with the gorillas at Bwindi and primates at Kibale in Uganda and continued to many parks and reserves in Tanzania. My driver Ezekial was very nice and knowledgeable. The tour and locations were fantastic and gave me a wide variety of African ecosystems. Accommodations varied from large tented camps to lodges and hotels.
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65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing Trip!
East African Safari & Touring Company set up a private 7 night safari for us. Simon was easy to work with (over the Internet) and modified our trip to accommodate our specific requests for itinerary changes. From the time we landed in Arusha (about 3:00 am) until we left, all the trip arrangements, connections, details (whether large or small) were done timely and what seemed effortlessly to make the trip exactly what we had envisioned. Ezekial, our guide/driver, was attentive to our wants/needs and did everything he could to make our trip perfect, took care of our every need and our safety. He knew the areas, the names of the animals and their habits (to locate them for us). We saw so many animals, we saw the Great Migration, we experienced life in a Maasai Boma, we stayed in lovely breathtaking view rooms in lodges (one even had a claw foot tub on our private balcony to bathe while taking in the spectacular view and the animals below) and experienced a real "tent" camp in the Serengeti. The trip covered all the must sees and more and gave us plenty of time at each spot. We had also done a group Safari with another company and East African's trip was far better because we were in control of what/where we went/saw without a formal timetable prescribed by the company/group. We were able to stay longer to watch an animal or drive in another direction in search of an animal, and were not "crowded out" in the pop-up 4x4 (there was just the two of us (instead of 7-9)) when viewing and taking pictures - it was wonderful and we would do it again. The trip included a National Park ranger guided walk along the Ngornogoro Rim, night drives, Maasai guided walking "safaris", and a Maasai Boma visit. It was the perfect time to go, weather was wonderful, we saw 4 of the Big 5, saw the migration through the Serengeti, and NO CROWDS! This safari was terrific value for price!
Email Kathryn | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
I had an amazing solo safari in Tanzania with EastCo!
As a female travelling to Tanzania alone, I was quite anxious about this trip. I sent emails to around 80 different companies stating what I was looking for, along with some questions addressing my main concerns. I was really impressed by the detailed and personalized response that I received from EastCo, and after a brief correspondence with Simon, I decided to book with them. And I'm so glad I did.
I did a private safari for 10 days, starting in Arusha and visiting Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater, Ndutu, Seronera Valley, Tarangire and Shira Plateau at the foot of Kilimanjaro. EastCo arranged for nature hikes at Ngorongoro and Tarangire, as well as a night drive, also at Tarangire. I was also able to visit a remote school. All great experiences. The itinerary was perfect and the accommodation was all fabulous. The safari itself was amazing. Thanks to my wonderful guide (Bernard) and awesome driver (Wilson), I felt safe and comfortable the whole time, which as a solo female traveller was very important for me. As it was my first safari, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I saw so many animals at close range and had a number of special experiences.
There were a few hiccups, but nothing that would stop me from booking with EastCo again. There were a few problems with the vehicle, but Wilson was able to fix them and get us back on the "road" in no time. I was supposed to camp one night on Shira Plateau, but there was an issue with permits, so we were unable to camp. That was a bit disappointing, but the lodge they arranged at short notice was beautiful. There was also a problem at the gate at Kilimajaro NP, but again, it was sorted out with relative efficiency.
All in all, I had a fantastic experience with East African Safari and Touring Company, and I can't wait to do another safari with them!