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
Email Sarah & Gordon | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
100% recommended - experience of a life time
What an amazing experience! From start to finish our Tanzania trip was organised completely smoothly, from the airport pick up, last minute day tour to Mataruni village to our 7 day safari and stay in Zansibar. Our route from Arusha to Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro was a true adventure and we were so lucky to have Mwita as our guide. His knowledge and wisdom about nature and the wildlife have been incredible. He was able to spot animals whilst driving along the most bumpy roads- he just always seemed to get where the action was. And where necessary he encouraged us to stay patient. We saw 5 river crossings in the Northern Serengeti, an absolute nature spectacle! Plus several lion kills, lions mating and lion cubs and all the Big5. The beauty of the Serengeti and the sheer number of animals is mind blowing. The choice of lodges was also great, we most enjoyed Kuba Kuba and Mara Mara. Mwita also arranged a visit to a Maasai village that felt really authentic - he chose a village where people didn’t try to sell us any souvenirs- it felt very real and authentic and we learnt a lot about the culture of this tribe. Thank you so much for this amazing adventure Mwita, Bright, Pendo and Godwin and the entire Lion King team. Before booking this trip we had spoken to a few more tour companies, some of which were acting as a middle man which reflected in the price and advice. With Lion King you’re dealing with a local tour operator based in Arusha. We couldn’t recommend this company more to anyone who is looking for an unforgettable trip to Tanzania.
Email Andy | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Exceptional customer service from start to finish, a first class experience, highly recommended
From the outset when we were researching which of the many safari operators to choose, Lion King stood out with their quick responses to our questions and their flexibility in changing the schedule to suit our needs. We originally booked for 2020, but had to postpone for two years running due to Covid. During the last 2 years Lion King have kept in touch and have been exceptional in their support - we have had to rearrange dates and schedules, and nothing has been too much trouble. I must thank Pendo for all of her tireless help, her customer service is first class. The communication beforehand and all of the arrangements while on safari have been outstanding.
The safari itself was fabulous. We visited Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Manyara, all different but hugely rewarding experiences. The highlight had to be Serengeti, we saw all of the big 5 plus many more, including lion cubs and baby elephants which we could have watched all day. Our guide was Immanuel, and he was also great. He had an incredible eye for spotting animals and was full of information about the wildlife and Tanzanian culture. Again nothing was too much trouble, and it was great to see his genuine passion and enthusiasm for the wildlife, which further enhanced the experience.
The Land Cruiser was very capable and comfortable, essential on the bumpy terrain, and allowed a great view. Immanuel brought it back immaculately clean each morning, incredible after all of the dust from the previous day.
Lunches on the game drives were excellent, cooked meals everyday, there were plenty of envious faces from guests of other operators. The lodges were also of a high standard, and conveniently located. I must mention Tarangire Simba Lodge and Rhino Lodge at Ngorongoro, we had the pleasure of watching elephants while we were eating dinner at both of them.
Overall I could not recommend Tanzania, Lion King or Immanuel highly enough. We will return one day!
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Email Mike | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best Safari Experience Ever With Guide Immanuel
It was the absolute best decision to go on our honeymoon to Tanzania! The animals, the landscape, the people - all made for the most perfect trip. A couple notes about our 11 day trip to Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Zanzibar:
1) Lion King Adventures was the best tour operator we could have asked for. Their high rating on Safari Bookings is completely justified. We worked with Nickson and Anna through the process and they were both prompt, professional, and showed great flexibility in helping us find the perfect itinerary. While I must admit I was a little uneasy when our credit card payment could not be processed (we're from USA), rest assured, we were able to pay using Wise just fine. Just know, if the payment process is the worst part of your trip, you've picked the best tour operator!
2) Our tour guide, Immanuel, was the absolute, hands down best! I guess since this was our first safari, we did not realize just how important your tour guide is to your experience (they are your chauffeur, animal/plant expert, translator, lunch preparer, etc.) - you spend upwards of 10 hours/day with them! Immanuel was so knowledgable about every animal that we saw, it was as if we had our own encyclopedia driving us around. He had a great knack for finding animals as well as positioning the Toyota Land Cruiser in a way for the best photos - e.g. he saw some cheetahs from a long distance out (still don't understand how he was able to see them in the savannah grass...), and he drove us to the exact spot they crossed our path. Immanuel was so patient stopping for every animal that interested us (my wife loves giraffes so he stopped just about every time for her even though we saw hundreds en route and in the Serengeti) as well as giving us a tidbit about each animal and answering every question that we had. It was really great to see his excitement as well - we knew if he asked us to take a picture of a leopard in a tree or lions sleeping in front of us, it was a special moment even for a well seasoned guide! We also felt like royalty every lunch when he would set up a hot meal lunch with tablecloth and choice of beverages all aligned perfectly (this is where you could tell Lion King Adventures goes above and beyond for their clients - not many other tours had this perk, just box lunches). You can just really tell Immanuel loves his job and is pouring his heart and soul into it. On a more personal level, his English is excellent - he knew our American slang and idioms really well. He is just a really caring and selfless human being (e.g. stopping to assist other guides with car trouble and always giving our lunch leftovers to the guys cleaning the park bathrooms), it was so great to get to know him on a personal level. I hope we can stay in touch in the future!
3) All of our airport transfers and accommodations were great. We stayed at Arusha Planet Lodge, Lake Burunge Tented Camp, Eileen's Trees Inn, Embalakai Camp, and The Residence (in Zanzibar). Every single place we stayed the staff was nothing short of excellent, kind, and all had a smile on their faces (special shoutout to Embalakai Camp - our favorite spot while on safari!). The food was great at each option as well - essentially you can't go wrong with all of the recommended places from Lion King Adventures!
4) If you are thinking about doing a safari but have reservations like we did because of distance, COVID, etc. I just want to say it was 1000% worth it! It was the best trip we've taken to date and we are already planning our return trip to Tanzania. Lion King Adventures and specifically Immanuel played a big part in our enjoyment, and I hope this review gives others a sense of how great it was for us - thanks Immanuel!!
DE
Email Svenja | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A great adventure with Lion Kings!
From the start till the end, a really well organized trip by the company and our guide Peter. The hotel with the staff and meals were awesome und delicious. On our safari trip we saw 18 lions with their babys, some elefants, giraffes and a lot of other animals. We also visited a massai village that was very interesting. My wife and me really recommend that trip to our family and friends in Germany. Awesome!!!
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Email Alison Marshall | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Knowledgeable, fun, the best!
Our family of five went on a 7 night safari tour with Lion King Adventures. Each day surpassed our expectations! During the planning stage of our trip, communication with Lion King Adventure was always prompt and informative. Our family arrived at two different airports and Lion King Adventures was there for both arrivals. From the moment we got into the jeep on our first day, everything was seamless. Our first stop was Tarangire national park, it did not disappoint! Elephants, lions, ostriches, and zebras (to name a few) abound. And the lunch! Lion King Adventures supplies a chef prepared hot lunch everyday while on safari. We are a family of vegetarians, and meat eaters, everyone was taken care of, and the food was delish! We next went to Serengeti national park for three nights. This was a highlight for most of us! The animal viewing was great! We also spent time in Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara. We could not have asked for a better planned trip.
The best part of our trip was our guide, Gilbert. Not only did Gilbert have a keen eye for wildlife, he was extremely knowledgeable and excited to share all that he knew. One of our family members was set on seeing a Black Rhino. By the last day we still had not seen one. But with Gilbert as our leader we knew we’d get lucky enough to spot one, and indeed we spotted four! Gilbert was diligent and kind and by the last night he felt like family! If you book with lion King Adventures and are lucky enough to get Gilbert as your guide, prepare for fun and lots of sight seeing! He made sure we got to see all Big 5, and so much more.
We haven’t even left Tanzania yet and we’ve already recommended Lion King Adventures to friends and family! Thank you Lion King Adventures for ensuring our first trip to Tanzania is not our last!
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Email Nina | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Magical experience
We had a wonderful time. Our Guide Mwita was great. He works in this business for a really long time, so he is really experienced. He always knew the best places to spot the animals (especially the bit cats), and took his time to find them. He made our trip perfect, by implementing our requests. We spotted so many lions, we hadn‘t thought this would be possible. He told us a lot about the animals, the nature and also the people, so we never got bored. Also our acommondations were very wonderful and magical. The office is also perfect. Our contact person was Pendo, she replied to every question so quickly and it was very easy to speak to her. Over all I only can recommend Lion King Adventures!
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Email Kimberly | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unmissable!
For us, this was a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Since coming home, it's been difficult to explain to folks at home how amazing it was. Gilbert was our guide and is fantastic at it. He literally went to college to become a guide and it shows. He got us in front of all the Big 5, and we got to see a ton of animals besides. He also answered all of our obscure detailed questions about the animals, and we loved learning the details about all the amazing creatures we saw. The creatures and landscapes in Tanzania are really unlike anything we've ever seen; stunningly beautiful and awe-inspiring.
Gilbert also really smoothed the way for our entire trip. I don't know how we could have traveled through Tanzania without him. As it was, everything was seamless and perfect, but it was definitely because he made things seamless for us. 10/10 and I would ask for him again if we make a return trip (and we might, thinking about doing a bigger family trip, we want to share this incredible experience with our family).
Email Tom | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Safari perfection - take me back!
We have just finished a 7 day Safari with our guide Ozzi and it was perfect from start to end - very sad it’s over!
Communication was exceptional from the point of enquiry up until when we arrived at the airport, the main office was on hand to answer any questions we had over WhatsApp. When my wife’s bag was lost on the flight from Europe they took care of everything - nothing ever was too much!
Our guide Ozzi was amazing and his care, attention to detail, friendliness and knowledge of the parks and wildlife was second to none. We couldn’t of hoped for a better guide - he let us set the pace and made sure we saw the big 5 (and every other animal)! Ask for Ozzi when you go (I’m sure all the other guides are amazing too!).
The accommodation Lion King picked for us was all amazing as were the staff working at each place. Food was varied and delicious - for lunch each day Lion King provide an amazing hamper lunch, often served in the middle of the Serengeti surrounded only by zebras!
We are very sad our experience is over but honestly would recommend to anyone this once in a lifetime opportunity with a 5* company!
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Email Treena | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Awesome safari with Lion King
Just finished an excellent safari prepared by Lion King Adventures. The communication with staff setting up this trip was easy. They planned a safari specifically designed for me- including a special pick up from a park I was already at. Mwita was an excellent safari guide. He was very knowledgeable about the parks, the animals, and the area. He was also genuinely interested in the animals, which makes a huge difference in the type of safari you have. He would even ask for my phone to take pics/video while I was using my big camera. The full lunches in the bush with wine were an excellent special treatment! The lodges they booked me in were top notch. I would highly recommend Lion King and Mwita as your guide!!
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Email Win Wehrli | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding service from start to finish
Pendo acted as our LKA liaison and the experience was efficient, professional and worry free. She made numerous suggestions and welcomed our own. This lead to an outstanding adventure where everything that could go wrong did not. Our first day was a hike beginning at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Marangu Gate, up five miles to Mandara Hut and then back down. Our guide, Abdi, had summited many times but was still patient and helpful for our scaled back excursion. He pointed out many of the plants and animals which otherwise would have been missed.
Gilbert took over guiding for the next several days. At our first stop we stood awestruck atop the Ngorongoro crater. From there we entered Serengeti National Park and spent four days in a nature coma. The park works so well because it is a closed system. Nobody can permanently reside in the park and all vehicles follow strict protocols staying on roads and keeping passengers inside. This results in very close contact with elephants, lions, monkeys, and water buffalo to name a few. The accommodations at Embalakai Masai camp were monumental, combining culture, wildlife and comfort. Our last several days were spent in Zanzibar. A walk through Stone Town is a must. Four days at the Z Hotel ended a journey which to this day we are still processing. Lion King exceeded all expectations. Their Five Star ratings are legit.