Hilary and Martin - owners of Suricata Safaris
Suricata Safaris
- Office In:
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2016)
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $190 to $600 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 Alvin D. | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Abosolutely AMAZING!!!!
We traveled all the way from new york, USA for this trip and it was hands down an experience of a life time. From my initial inquiry, Hilary was very prompt in his responses and made sure he answered all of my questions. It was our first time camping and traveling to east Africa so I was very cautious when booking, but that feeling quickly vanished after the multiple email exchanges with Hilary. We booked a 3 day safari. Our chef and driver were absolutely amazing. There were very passionate/energetic throughout the 3 days. There was never a dull moment with them. Their energy was always at 100%. Food was amazing. I was amazed at how they were able to provide quality and tasty meals with limited resources. Very impressive! We saw 4/5 big five and a tons of wild life. Not only did I learn about the wild life, I learned about the culture in Tanzania. The staff was very knowledgeable and accommodating.
Its also worthy to note that Hilary who is a local Tanzanian owns the company. It felt great to support.
Great value and I would definitely recommend this company without hesitation.
Email Eva | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic, trustworthy safari experience
When looking into which safari company to book with, a big priority for me was to be sure that the company was legitimate and trustworthy. Suricata Safaris has been fantastic and done everything that they promised and more. Communication with Hilary (the founder/organiser) has been speedy and easy from the enquiry stage all the way through to my arrival in Arusha and check-in at the hotel (he was there to greet us). The company puts you up at a good hotel to start and end the safari so pick-up is easy.
In terms of my safari experience, the guide (Mandela) was great and so was the chef (Emmanuel). It was a phenomenal experience and there were plenty of hours of game drives so I was never left feeling underwhelmed.
I would thoroughly recommend this company and would go with them again in future, as the trip was good value, delivered amazing animal sightings, spent in great company, and all round smooth to organise.
FR
Email Zakaria | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Safari. Totally recommended !
We totally appreciated our Safari with Suricata Safaris.
Hilary was very accomodating. It was easy to communicate with him before the trip to arrange all the details. Our guide Ezekiel was really nice and know a lot about Tanzanian wildlife.
Suricata team is the best in class !
Hakuna Matata.
Email Anthony Tran | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
African Safari Adventure of a Lifetime
Suricata Safaris took us on a safari of a lifetime! We went on the 6 day tour and everyday was new and exciting with different experiences on each day. Some of the highlights were driving along side the majestic elephants, witnessing the river crossing of the great migration and being up close and personal with a pride of lions.
Suricata were so helpful from start to finish. Hilary instantaneously answered all my countless number of my queries. Our guide Freddy ensured we saw as much as possible on the game drives plus educate us with his Endless knowledge of everything safari related. On top of all this we even had our own cook. Hilda kept our bellies full with her scrumptious home cooked style meals everyday!
We will be returning to Africa and when we do we will be sure to book with Suricata again as they always put our best interest first.
KR
Email Eunjee kim | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Never better than this.
Quick reply , all inclusive, well explained etc.
When I met them first in Arusha, Suricata people Welcome us. They try to explain everything in detail.
Furthermore, we did not like the accomodation they recommend us, so I found the other one, but they came to our hotel and explained tomorrow schedule.
Also I was afraid that they would not come to pick me up, but they came to pick me up very correct time(like 6:30am)
I have never found they were late. They were very promised people.
Also when I had 3days tour, the safari car had no problem at all. I found they always fill the fuel fulled.
I actually have got quotation more than 10 company. However I never regeret that I have chosen Suricata safaris.
I strongly recommend suricata for young 20~40years old people.
Never better than this.
This company is quite young, so I am sure that young people will like it.
Asante.
SE
Email Julia Hedberg | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Professional yet familiar; Suricata provided us with a fantastic hiking and safari experience
After pick-up at the airport, we spent one night in the city centre of Arusha at a nice hotel before heading off the following day. Our guides Luki, Alex and Freddy introduced themselves and briefed us on the coming days and were happy to answer all of our questions. With us on the hike we had a team of 21 guys that helped carry our things, cooked us hot meals in the mornings and evenings and most importantly; brought us a huge portion of laughter, singing, dancing and motivation. The hike itself is quite a walk, but with its magic scenery and the many great stories told by our guides on the way, there was never a thought of turning back. Camping meant some chilly nights when reaching the higher altitudes, so warm clothes is a must of course, but the hot soup served before dinner also helps! Finally, the summit day arrives. While legs are getting tired, the excitement to finally reach the peak is what brought us all the way up. Starting off at the base camp under a sky full of stars, the moonlight shines bright enough to turn off your headlight. After some climbing, the sun begins to rise and the mountain comes to life right in front of you. Simply put, it cannot be described but must be experienced!
Safari is of course a must when visiting Tanzania, and once again Suricata made sure we got the most out of our days! We spent three days exploring Manyara, Tarangire and Ngorongoro National Park and saw herds of zebras, wildebeests and elephants as well as leopards and lions and many many more. Our guide Mandela knew tons about the animals and could easily spot them for us where there seemed to be nothing. The nights were spent in a lodged camping where every night a campfire was lit and locals would come to hangout, have a beer and listen to the live music. Overall, we had a great time and already planning our next trip back to visit the Serengeti!
SE
Email Rafed sadek | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Dream Safari
Me and my husband spent one week with Suricata Safaris in February 2018. The driver we had was excellent, he had plenty of knowledge about the animals and the nature of which they inhabited. He answered all of our question! (And we had a lot of them!)
We also had a Cook with us who made tasty dishes during our stay, and he always made alternative meals so everyone could enjoy them. He was very fun to be around too. There is one special memory of them that we have, one of the nights we gathered around a bonfire and just talked about the Tanzanian lifestyle, the wildlife and one or two funny stories might have slipped in:) we all laughed a lot and just Shared a memorable moment together. All of this while hearing the hyenas laughing behind the bushes and staring at a star filled sky.
We always got quick responses from the manager if we had any questions about booking details, acommodation and so on. and all of the crew were superfriendly.
We are very thankful for the great experience they gave us.
Best regards,
BE
Email Eva | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We loved every moment of our 5 days camping safari!
We loved every moment of our 5 days camping safari with Suricata Safaris. Booking and communication was really easy as Hilary, the owner, replied immediately to my inquiry and all of our questions. He organised a pickup for us as well as an airport transfer afterwards. We were 2 friends and were paired up with another 2 young travellers and spent 5 days in Serengeti and Ngorongoro parks. Our guide and driver Freddie knew absolutely everything about the animals and approached them with respect and admiration. It’s that sort of attitude you want your guide to have. We saw so many animals and even the great migration in the north of Serengeti and the famous wildebeest river crossing! If you travel with Freddie, don’t forget to ask him what his favourite animal is, his sense of humour is brilliant :)
Hilda was our chef and we still have no idea how she managed to prepare all the amazing feasts for us in the middle of the wild on a tiny portable stove with almost no light just from supplies we brought with us.
The camping option is a proper camping and although each campsite has washrooms and flushing toilets, electricity is not a given so make sure you have flashlights and appropriate clothes, it got very cold in Ngorongoro campsite in late July at night, you need a few layers.
We totally recommend choosing Suricata Safaris. It's a smaller company with a very friendly and personal approach that you simply do not get with larger tourist operators. All the people we met were amazing and passionate about their jobs. Hilary simply lives for his company and makes sure his clients are happy, it’s so nice to meet somebody who loves his job as much as he does.
DK
Email Ulrick Toettrup | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing safari – Strongest recommendation I have ever made
Travelling with Suricata was a great experience. Our guide Frederic was very knowledgeable about the all wildlife and had great vision both in terms of spotting the animals but also anticipating what would happen next which meant that we were often positioned very well compared to other safari cars. Frederic was also very patient (really important if you want to get close to the hunts and big cats in general). He also showed great respect for the animals, nature and other tourists which was a really big upside for us as well. Sadly we didn’t see this behavior from some of the larger companies offering the safaris. (This behavior from other companies only happened a couple of times).
On safaris you often have your own driver and cook so personal chemistry is probably quite important. Frederic and our cook (DeeVeeDee) were great company! Really funny guys and very attentive to our needs. The same has to be said about the office manager, Hilary, who picked up our delayed luggage and drove all the way to the National Park. They were also great in terms of customer service in general showing up 10 minutes after we had arrived at the hotel to make sure that everything was in order – e.g. food allergies, airport drop off, delayed luggage, safari program etc.
We strongly recommend having your safari with Suricata. You will love it!
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Email Ian | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible wildlife, in-depth knowledge, delicious food, safe driving and all around unforgettable
So, how do you choose a safari company? I'm sure you've read tons of reviews, looked over dozens of itineraries and read page after page of tips and recommendations. Let me help you out: pick Suricata!
I took a 7-day camping safari with Suricata to Lake Manyara, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater. Of course the wildlife and landscapes were breathtaking, but what really made the experience unforgettable was the professionalism, hospitality and humor of Hilary (the owner), Mandela (the guide/driver) and Dionis (the chef).
A few highlights:
- Hilary picked us up from the bus stop with a huge smile even though the bus was 2 hours late.
- The safari vehicle is one of the best we saw in the bush. Tons of room inside, very comfortable and very safe.
- Mandela, the driver and guide, has super human abilities to find animals. He makes it a point to take his own path instead of following dozens of other vehicles. This means that you'll often get to watch animals without any other cars around. And you'll be able to look out into breathtaking landscapes and actually hear the wildlife versus sitting in the middle of 20 cars revving and idling the entire time.
- Mandela was also a great storyteller and knew information about wildlife, trees, plants, food, history, culture, etc etc.
- Dionis, the chef, will make the best soup you've ever eaten. He even made pizza... in the bush, without an oven. Make this man an Iron Chef!
- Mandela and Dionis also listen to what you want out of a safari and go out of their way to make sure your trip is comfortable, stress free and safe.
I could go on, but you get the idea. Can't wait to go back!