Hilary and Martin - owners of Suricata Safaris
Suricata Safaris
- Office In:
- Size:
- 50-100 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
CH
Email Eioline | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Mt Meru trek amazing, but team could be more friendly
The trek up Mount Meru offered stunning scenery and was definitely an unforgettable experience. The hike is challenging, however, especially the third day, which is quite physically demanding. The food was delicious, and overall, we were glad we took this tour.
Unfortunately, there are also a few points we view critically. Communication with the company wasn’t always easy, and important information wasn’t adequately conveyed in advance. For example, we weren’t informed that on the three-day trek, the final 1,000 meters of elevation gain could also be covered by taxi. Had we known that, we probably would have opted for the three-day tour instead of the four-day one.
Furthermore, we were assured that this was a private tour. In the end, however, we were on the trail with two other couples from two different trekking operators, led by a ranger.
The issue of tipping was also not communicated transparently, in our view. It wasn’t until the start of the tour that the guide himself pointed out to us that a 20% tip was expected. In our opinion, such an expectation should have been clearly addressed at the time of booking.
The food was good, but we didn’t find popcorn to be a particularly appropriate snack before the strenuous six-hour ascent at midnight, followed by a roughly three-hour descent.
Overall, we would have liked to see a little more hospitality, attentiveness, and warmth from the guide and the rest of the team.
DE
Email Paul | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
While the wildlife was extraordinary, the safari was tainted by bad guiding, poor gear, and delays.
Incredible Wildlife, but Disappointing Tour Organisation and Guiding
We went on a 5-day safari with Suricata Safari, visiting Tarangire National Park, spending two nights in the Serengeti, and exploring the Ngorongoro Crater.
First of all, the safari itself was incredible. These parks are among the best wildlife destinations in the world, and we were fortunate to see an amazing variety of animals. The overall itinerary was generally well planned, and the wildlife experience was unforgettable. Unfortunately, several aspects of the tour operator’s organisation and service significantly affected our experience.
1. Poor communication and last-minute changes
Our pre-safari briefing did not take place as scheduled and was delayed by approximately three and a half hours. Furthermore, when we arrived at Twiga Campsite, we were informed that our planned visit to Tarangire National Park would be postponed. We had specifically wanted to visit Tarangire first, allowing the safari to build towards the highlights of the trip. This change was communicated only briefly upon our arrival at the campsite, without any prior notice or explanation.
2. Our guide was essentially just a driver
This was by far the biggest disappointment. Our guide provided very little information about the wildlife, the national parks, or the itinerary. There was almost no communication, and we were rarely informed about the plan for the day, the expected schedule, or what we could expect to see.
A safari guide should do much more than simply drive from one place to another. Explaining animal behaviour, sharing knowledge about the ecosystem, and helping guests understand what they are seeing are essential parts of the experience. Fortunately, another traveller in our group had studied biology and was able to explain many things about the animals to us. Without this person, our safari experience would have been considerably less informative.
3. Poor camping equipment and repetitive food
At the public campsite in the Serengeti, the sleeping equipment was disappointing. The mattresses and sleeping bags were visibly worn out, and the mattresses varied considerably in quality, with some being extremely thin. One traveller in our group did not even receive a pillow.
The food was acceptable and there was enough to eat, but the meals were very repetitive and not particularly enjoyable. This was not a major issue in itself, but overall, the quality could have been better.
4. Too much time wasted coordinating different accommodation categories
Another significant issue was that our vehicle carried both budget and mid-range travellers who were staying at different accommodations. As a result, we repeatedly had to pick up or wait for the mid-range guests. This cost us valuable time that could otherwise have been spent in the national parks.
Consequently, we often entered the parks relatively late and sometimes spent only three or four hours there. For example, our descent into the Ngorongoro Crater took place quite late, and we had to leave again around midday because other members of the group needed to return to Arusha that day.
I also felt that we missed opportunities for early-morning game drives in the Serengeti. Instead of starting around 6 a.m., as would have been possible, we generally set off at around 8:30 a.m. Early mornings are among the best times to observe wildlife, and when travelling all the way to the Serengeti, I believe these opportunities should be taken seriously.
Conclusion
I would absolutely recommend visiting Tarangire, the Serengeti, and the Ngorongoro Crater. The wildlife and landscapes are extraordinary, and the safari itself was an unforgettable experience.
However, I cannot give Suricata Safari the same recommendation. The lack of guiding, insufficient communication, worn-out camping equipment, and inefficient organisation meant that we did not get as much out of the experience as we could have. In particular, combining budget and mid-range travellers in a way that repeatedly reduced our time in the parks was frustrating.
The parks themselves were outstanding, but the tour operator did not fully deliver on the experience I had expected. With a knowledgeable guide, better communication, improved camping equipment, and more efficient scheduling, this could have been a much better safari.
Email Shawn P | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Animals, Guides 5️⃣⭐️
Saw the Big 5 which is never a guarantee; beautiful country with friendly people. Magical …otherworldly experience. Amos (day 1) and Melita (days 2-4) were each skilled drivers and knowledgeable guides.
We never had a flat tire (we saw many), breakdown (a few), or accident (one); but our truck seemed in ill repair.
Their paper allocation is perplexing. Toilet paper to dry your hands and twice) napkins to wipe.
Meals got redundant. The tour operator failed to transfer our luggage on day 1 leading to an anxious evening. It did make it to us safe and secure that same night.
The different accommodations were magnificent (lodges and tented bush camp), especially considering their locations. The soft mattress has not made its way here yet.
For the misadventures, the ADVENTURE was absolutely amazing. Our thanks to our guides especially for making it so. Asanti sana!
NL
Email Christos | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
5-Star Guide, 2-Star Management
Pros:
- Our driver, Elias, was very good at his job and did his best to have a memorable experience.
- Thanks to Elias, we saw a lot of animals, from a close distance and he provided many interesting information.
Cons:
- The communicated hotel list was not followed twice. The hotels played a major role when selecting the safari, so we were disappointed ending up in different places.
- When we asked the reason for not taking us to the correct hotel, an excuse was provided related to governmental issues, which we later found out it wasn't true, since another member of our safari was taken to this hotel. An employee of Suricata also confirmed it was a lie.
We also found out, that other participants were lied to, with different excuses and on different topics.
- The other car of the safari had soft drinks and beers available during the safari, but we didn't. Also the last day we used another safari company, which also provided drinks.
- Mostly the lunch was chicken, which I love, but it was usually so overcooked and dry that one day I couldn't even eat it.
IT
Email Anna | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great experience, but it could have been perfect
The organization of the safari was very good, and the campsites were well arranged, with perfect meals and very kind staff. However, there were two drawbacks: we had to wait half a day for the guide and the guide for the last three days was not well-prepared and gave no explanations. I am sure that with a more knowledgeable guide we would have seen many more animals. On the other hand, I was very happy with the guide during the first two days and with the open jeep, which made the experience much more enjoyable.
DE
Email AK | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Ok
The camping safari is pure adventure.
However, there were a few things that didn't go perfectly.
We were reliably picked up from the airport by taxi. The taxi driver told us the safari started at 7:00 a.m. At the hotel, we were told the safari started at 8:00 a.m. The actual start time was 8:30 a.m., but we were misinformed. The safari itinerary was also changed (Lake Manyara on Friday instead of Tuesday), which isn't a problem in principle. However, this needs to be communicated. According to the description, the game drives last about 6-7 hours. In reality, however, they lasted a maximum of 4-5 hours, as we didn't start at the agreed time on a single day.
Some of the campsites were very run down, often with only cold water, and only one of the three showers working.
(automatic translation from German)
The safari itself was amazing, but there were issues with other administrative matters.
Good Points:
• The safari experience
Bad Points:
• The most shocking issue was that no one came to pick me up at the airport. A person named Ali was responsible, but instead of apologizing, he kept making excuses about the traffic.
• Jackson, the person I had been communicating with via email beforehand, is completely unreliable. Whatever you tell him, assume that no one on the ground will be informed.
• In fact, I had clearly discussed via email the remaining balance to be paid, the change of accommodation, and the need to prepare change. However, none of this information was conveyed to the staff on-site. As a result, I had to spend my nights in the hotel lobby in Tanzania explaining everything all over again.
IE
Email Sarah | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Mixed experience but kept asking for 5 star review
We had a mixed experience on our 4 day safari. Our first three days were very good, but our final day they changed our group and car which led to a lot of sitting on side of road or on curb waiting. We were never communicated with about what was happening. If you have the same group/guide I say you'll have a better experience but we were not told till 10pm before our 6am tour start that we were to have two different groups. We found the communication poor - at the end when they meet you they kept pushing for us to give 5 star review rather than listening to our experience and feedback. The food on the tour was excellent and our jeep was very good.
Email Jeremy | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Good safari, but poor camping equipment and forced to leave 5 star review
Good safari, knowledgeable guides. Overall decent experience. 3 different parks, 3 nights in tents and 4 days of safari.
But - camping and sleeping gear was old and smelt mouldy. It was not hygienic.
Also at the end of the trip we were left with sour taste in our mouths as the company essentially held us in a location until we submitted a 5 star review.
So please take any 5 star reviews with a grain of salt.
It’s a good safari for the cost, but be prepared for some mouldy camping gear
RO
Email Monica | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Mixed
Overall, the adventure went well. In detail, we saw wild animals - that's why we went to Tanzania in the first place - and sometimes they were so close... right next to the jeep's front wheel OMG. We had Mister T, Lewis, Silas as our guides and Piu as a chef in Ngorongoro. On the first day of the safari, the jeep had issues when it exceeded 35 km/h, and we lost a few hours trying to fix it at a Mad Max-style service center :). The response was that it could be repaired if taken elsewhere for a part, and all of us in the group chose to continue using it as it was. On the second day, a different jeep, a different guide, and a different group: this time, the gearbox broke down right before entering the park, before the ticket gate. After a few phone calls done by Silas, we were told that it would be fixed in an hour. After an hour, we were told it would take another 2 hours. After the first hour of the two, we were informed that we would receive a replacement vehicle around 3 - 4:30 pm. After a while, Silas managed to persuade another driver (just entering the park) from a different company to take each of us to our respective accommodations - we drove for 6 hours with only a few stops because it was already getting dark, and the driver didn't have time to return back safely. The vehicles were not properly checked, which posed risks (what if we were already near the group of relaxed lions we photographed next to the front wheel? What if the vehicle didn't start? I'm sure Silas would have found solutions, but I would have preferred not to have these worries :). The first night of accommodation was at Boma Lodge - excellent lodging and food. The second night was at An'gata Lodge - MASH-style tents, a dedicated team - we were escorted to and from the tents by a team member using walkie-talkies; good food. The third night was at a camping tent, and the toilet/shower area needs improvements. Good food cooked by Piu. During the night we were visited by zebras OMG :) I'm glad that, overall, the safari was a success. We took memorable photos/videos and returned safely, with no unpleasant incidents regarding food. I can recommend improvements in communication between guides and tourists AND regular technical checks of the vehicles. Regarding tips, I agree with it up to the point where there is so much pressure that it can be believed that salaries are not paid from the money tourists pay for the safari (and it's not a small amount), and guides rely solely on tips. I hope that is not the case.