Lion King Safari Guides
Lion King Adventures
- Offices In:
-
Canada
United States
Switzerland
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2010)
- Member Of:
- TATO & TTB
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $200 to $1,115 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
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Email Meredith | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An Unforgettable Adventure with Shafino! - A Tanzania Safari Journey
**An Unforgettable Adventure with Shafino: A Tanzanian Safari Dream**
Embarking on a 7-day safari through Tanzania with the remarkable guide, Shafino, was nothing short of life-changing. From the moment we set foot in the Serengeti to our final farewell at Ngorongoro Crater, every moment was a symphony of sights, sounds, and discoveries.
Shafino's expertise is unmatched. His keen eye effortlessly spotted the most elusive creatures, from majestic lions lounging beneath acacia trees to graceful giraffes grazing on the horizon. With his wealth of knowledge, each animal became a story, each landscape a masterpiece.
Beyond his expertise, Shafino's passion for Tanzania's wildlife and conservation is palpable. Every story he shared was not just a fact, but a testament to his dedication to preserving this natural wonder. Whether tracking a leopard through the dense undergrowth or witnessing the thunderous wildebeest migration, Shafino's love for the land was infectious.
The accommodations were a perfect blend of luxury and immersion in nature. Waking up to the sounds of the Serengeti, with giraffes passing by our tent, was a surreal experience. Each lodge and campsite was carefully chosen, offering not only comfort but also a genuine connection to the environment.
What truly sets Shafino apart is his warmth and genuine care for his guests. His enthusiasm for sharing Tanzania's treasures made every day a new adventure. Whether we were savoring a bush breakfast overlooking the plains or sharing stories around the campfire under the star-studded sky, Shafino made us feel like family.
The highlight of our journey was undoubtedly witnessing the Great Migration. Words cannot capture the sheer magnitude of thousands of wildebeest and zebras moving across the Serengeti. With Shafino by our side, we felt like explorers in our own National Geographic documentary.
As our safari came to an end at the breathtaking Ngorongoro Crater, we couldn't help but feel a mix of awe and gratitude. A week in Tanzania with Shafino had been more than a vacation; it was a soul-stirring journey through one of the world's most extraordinary landscapes.
For anyone seeking an authentic, immersive safari experience, I cannot recommend Shafino enough. His knowledge, passion, and genuine hospitality elevate the journey from a trip to a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Thank you, Shafino, for opening our eyes to the wonders of Tanzania. We will carry these memories in our hearts forever.
Email Kerry Hills | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience! Wow!
From booking our safari right through to the end of our trip the communications and service were excellent! We were looked after really well from arriving in Arusha to the drive back to the airport for our return flight to Zanzibar and felt safe in their reliable hands. Fredy, our guide was amazing, he was so passionate and enthusiastic to show us as much as he could. His head was forever swivelling from side to side on the look out, pointing out animals we would have missed. We always knew there was something to see when Fredy stopped the vehicle and sat for a few minutes just looking, nine times out of ten he would point something out to us that we would have missed completely. His knowledge of the animals was second to none. We saw the big 5 plus the great migration, giraffes, hyenas, hippos, empalas, gazelles, cheetas and lots more. At all times we felt completely safe in his driving and the vehicle whereason on several occasions other guides were stuck in mud but only our driver out of several other guides had the correct equipment to pull them out. I was surprised to find several washrooms in the parks that were exceptionally clean, something that had been worrying me. Our guide Fredy was very patient with me and my many "washroom breaks". It was only when we went deep into the Serengeti that the "bush toilet" came into use. The lodges we stayed at were beautiful but in particular we loved Kitela Lodge. The accommodation and staff were exceptional, (especially Veronica, the chef) and I would recommend this to anyone who wants comfort, good food and service. Overall, value for money this was worth every penny we paid and I would not hesitate to recommend this "5 day luxury best of Tanzania Safari", believe me you won't regret it!
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Email Charlie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Shafino was an amazing guide with a lot of knowledge of the wildlife and the terrain.
The trip was an amazing experience. Our guide Shafino, made the game drives a lot of fun and memorable. He knew exactly where to go to find all the animals we wanted to see. His knowledge of the environment, local culture, and wildlife made this experience really satisfying. I learned a lot during the game drives and had tons of fun.
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Email Ashley | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A seasoned and extremely knowledgeable guide that is a priceless asset to any company.
Words cannot begin to describe this experience. From the time you inquire about packages, to the time you get dropped off to leave, the experience is incredible. The customer service from everyone involved throughout the process is outstanding!
The safari is life changing. We got to see Rhinos (yes, multiple), Cheetas feeding on a fresh kill, have elephants walk inches away from our jeep and even see a lioness successfully hunt a warthog. But none of that would have been possible without our driver and tour guide Shafino. He was the real highlight of our trip. From the second he greeted us at our first hotel we knew we were in the BEST hands.
Shafino was beyond knowledgeable about the culture, the animals, the people and anything else we asked about. He knew exactly where to drive to see the animals we wanted to see. He is also the most talented driver around, and I can say this because while other drivers were getting stuck in the mud and peoples safaris were put on hold while they had to be towed out, Shafino was experienced enough to know exactly where and how to drive so we would not get stuck. If you are booking with Lion King Shafino is a MUST!!
Gama went above and beyond at everything, making us feel the perfect mix if adventure and safety!
Lion King had everything arranged perfectly! We felt everyone was waiting for us to arrive and they loved taking care of us while sharing the safari/beach experience. Absolutely a stellar experience. I felt like it was a perfect mix of culture, adventure, and relaxation.
So glad we booked with Lion King Adventures!
My husband and I booked an 8 day safari with Lion King Adventures. From the very first inquiry online to dropping us off at the airport to leave, they were absolutely fantastic. Very communicative and accommodating. Upon arrival in Tanzania we are welcomed by our AMAZING guide, Ozzy. We got a rundown of our agenda and the jeep and he had cold waters waiting for us. We were very comfortable for the entirety of the trip, even when we were spending 8+ hours in the Jeep. There is a cooler in the back of the Jeep that is always stocked with bottled water and soda.
The entire experience was a well oiled machine, from the meals to accommodations to excursions. It was flawless. They know what they're doing and they do it well.
Although it is not guaranteed to see animals, we saw everything we wanted and more. There are quite a few tour companies out on the game drives at the same time and they have a radio they communicate on, so if someone sees an animal they'll let everyone else know. With that being said, we never felt crowded or like there were too many jeeps around blocking our view. Ozzy was very determined to give us the best experience possible. It was very evident that he takes his job very seriously. I can imagine his job can be redundant but we never once felt he was just "going through the motions" and he understands that this is truly a one in a lifetime trip for us and wanted to make sure we enjoyed ourselves. My husband was determined to see a kill and we saw a cheetah hunting, Ozzy followed her (at a reasonable and ethical distance of course) for literally 5 hours waiting for this cheetah to catch her meal. She never did catch anything (remember, nothing is guaranteed) but it was nice that Ozzy tried his best for hours to see what my husband wanted to see. He was incredibly knowledgeable...he had an answer for every q we asked. I learned so much! There was a gred + balance of informing us about the animals, small talk, comfortable silence and laughs I can't say enough good things about Ozzy, he was incredible. The first day my stomach was hurting and I bought a ginger soda. Every day thereafter there was a ginger soda in the cooler for me. He even gave me one as we were leaving to the airport, how thoughtful is that?!
Our accomodations were all great, everyone was super welcoming and accommodating. I would recommend doing research on the different accommodations because there are multiple options from budget to luxury. We had our 3 meals a day and unlimited water as promised, and there was never a shortage of food. I am a vegetarian and always had plenty to eat.
Things to note:
It's HOT during the day, but cools down at night. We visited in December. Even though it was only in the 80s, it felt much hotter. There is no AC in the Jeep, but you can roll your windows down and the top is usually down. You get airflow, but it's warm airflow. I actually got pretty dehydrated one of the days. I kept a wet washcloth in a baggie in the cooler to put on my neck/ face to cool down.
There's a lot of driving involved, the game drives themselves, and then driving from location to location. We very much enjoyed seeing different parts of Tanzania and going to different parks, and we're so glad we didn't stay in one place, however if you get car sick I would recommend bringing Dramamine.
Time will fly by. Try to enjoy every moment of your amazing safari trip because this is truly a once in a lifetime experience, and because of that you want ensure you choose the right company to book + would highly recommend Lion King Adventures exact reason. In my opinion, the tour company you book with, and your guide, can make or break your experience. Thankfully we chose Lion King Adventures and had an incredible experience.
Worth every penny!
Lion King lives up to their raving reviews! When I was looking for a safari company to go with, Lion King kept showing up at the top of any search. I figured, if I’m going to do a safari I want to do it right (who knows if you'll ever get to do it again) so we booked with Lion King and they went above and beyond with every aspect of the trip. They were quick to respond with questions and happy to work with us to create a trip that was exactly what we wanted.
We had the most amazing guide!! Shafino has been a guide for well over 20 years and it really showed. His knowledge about everything (animals, birds, plants, ecosystem) was on another level that I can guarantee is hard to come by. Lion King sends all of their guides to training in the off season to ensure all their guides are well prepared to educate you and answer all of your questions (and I mean all). His knowledge of the area and the animals is the only reason we were so successful in seeing the Big 9. He knew all the quickest routs whenever something big came on the radio whereas other tour companies had to ask for directions (wasting precious time when a lot of these animals and good photo opportunities disappear quick). He has also worked with professional photographers so he knows exactly how to position his car to get the absolute best shots! (I’ve included a few I took with just my phone). I really could go on and on about how Shafino clearly stood out and did everything above and beyond. So please, save yourself hours of searching and just book with Lion King. I PROMISE YOU WONT BE DISAPPOINTED!!
Email Stephen Court | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Safari goes the extra mile…life long memories
Overall the safari was incredible! As a combination, the four parks we visited allowed us to see so many of the amazing animals and bird life found in Tanzania. Animals were plentiful and the vehicle and accommodation fitted us perfectly as a family. Our guide, Shafino, was a true legend of the parks. Not only did he know where to go to find all the animals on our wish list, but his detailed knowledge of all things that run and fly was next level. I highly recommend Lion Safari and Shafino as a guide. Thanks for the great memories.
Email Stephen & Carmelle | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The guide was AMAZING!!!
A safari in Tanzania is already a trip of a lifetime so i was excited to make it happen. A friend recommended Lion King adventures and they completely exceeded any expectations that i had. Our guide, Saleh, absolutely made our trip and i cannot thank him enough (i'm not much of a tipper but i left him a heavy one!). He was the most personable, kind and accommodating guide with eyes like a bald eagle, spotting things that we could barely see with binoculars! With some very long and bumpy drives, i could only imagine what it would be like if Saleh wasn't the way he was. He taught me some Swahili, i got to know more about him and his family alongside Tanzanian culture, and he was super knowledgable with everything we asked about the animals. We stayed in 3 lodges during our visit...
Tarangire Ndovu Tented Lodge (1 night) - So scenic and tranquil with great food and service
Nyota Luxury camp (2 nights) - This exceeded expectations with the beauty, friendly staff and the food was great... we had a private dinner while lightning was striking across the sky of the serengeti and wildebeest and buffalo were not more than 30m away (Maasai security were sharp!)
Ngorogoro Oledani Mountain Lodge - beautiful luxury rooms on a huge compound with exemplary service.
I proposed to my girlfriend on this trip and with the help of Saleh and Lion King adventures, it was an experience that we will never forget! Thank you so much for an amazing Safari!
if you book with Lion King, make sure you request Saleh as a tour guide if possible!
Email Rebecca & Joseph | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Professional, organised and knowledgable.
We had a fantastic experience with Lion King Safaris. Our guide, Pius, went above and beyond to make sure that our safari experience was perfect. He was so professional and helpful throughout. We valued his knowledge of the wildlife in the different parks and he was entertaining company for the 5 days we were away.
We stayed in some fantastic places and valued the excellent organisation of the company as our trip was seamless from start to finish. We were lucky to see the Big Five, and Pius made it his mission to ensure that we saw as many different animals as possible. We would really highly recommend Lion King safaris - they will work tirelessly to meet your every need.