Our driver safari guides and our Safari vehicles
Cross to Africa Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2017)
- Member Of:
- TATO & TTB
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $140 to $350 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
AT
Email Travelin Consultants | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
12 day - private trip around the Serengeti and neighbouring parks
We booked a 12 day special trip with Anthony directly. As seasoned Africa travellers we knew what we would like to do and see. With Anthony we had a great sparing partner who understood our aims and wishes and tried to cater to all of them producing a comprehensive tour itinerary for us. From there we tweaked bits and pieces, which went well as Anthony was very responsive and constructive all along.
Once we arrived in Tanzania Anthony picked us up and took us to the Hotel in Arusha where we could organise everything and prepare for the trip ahead. As requested we spent the afternoon with our chef at the market and told him what we like and our food preferences. This was a great experience as the local market has this buzzing vibe to it (not suited for squeamish people). Our chef showed us around and gave us insights into the local food, we gave him hints what we like most.
The next day we set off on our trip into the wild, with our guide Ahadi, chef and Anthony. Our route took us through Tarangire NP, Lake Manyara NP, Lake Easy, Ngorogoro Crater, central Serengeti, northern Serengeti and lake Natron NP.
The route was well thought out and we managed to visited almost all planned sites, parks and tribes (we missed the occasional one due to exceptional sightings which we stayed with and watched on). The time and distance approximations given, where sometimes rather guesses than approximations, changing schedules a little during the day, but nothing serious. We took some "easier" routes or D-tours which in some cases felt like excuses to kill some time. Rather driving to the camp slowly instead of reaching the next camp early and doing an extra game dive around the area after we settled in. But nevertheless we saw everything we could dream of and more.
Ahadi did a great job driving us around and showing us the wonderful wildlife and nature, as well as being a great source of knowledge; telling stories all the way and sharing facts&figures. He did a great Job a spotting wildlife and sharing it with us. His driving was second to none, making it an agreeable journey wherever he took us.
Our chef had a hard time remembering what we told him at the market, but as we went along and guided him when he restocked supplies, he did a phantastic job feeding us well the entire trip. The African diet is usually very filling and heavy on carbs, which is normal - looking at the reasons for eating around here.
Although, if you spend most of the day in the car not moving too much, three full meals and loads of carbs are a heavy load to take in. With time and some guidance we managed to reduce on meal to a salad snack. In general he made awesome meals and varied them from day to day, we never got board of eating. The fresh popcorn after long drives and game drives where a treat :-)
What we haven't understood - it seems to be an African-thing (not only Tanzania) - why don't they appreciate the local produces. We drove by avocado trees, papaya trees, Banana and Mango trees, Corn and beans fields. But in our lunch pack there was an apple (imported from somewhere) and for breakfast or as a side it was canned (Heinz) backed beans (why not the local ones?).
For the immersive experiences Anthony organised some great local guides with whom we visited the Datoga tribe's blacksmith, the Hadzabe bushmen and the Maasai.
With the Hadzabe, what started as a leisure walk with tourists to show them how hunting works turned into a full blown hunt and kill of a wild boar. An experience that is not for the feint hearted but better than any BBC or NatGeo documentary.
All in all it was a great 12 days of full-on Tanzania wildlife and culture. Anthony prepared and executed a great trip for us with many highlights and some downs. When there was anything to talk about, he was open for it and took the feedback immediately acting on it if that was possible. Ahadi did a wonderful job and our chef never left us hungry during the trip. Ahadi was fully dedicated to show us the best his country has to offer, which occasionally was cut short by Anthony wanting to return to camp, for him to look after his business, instead of us pursuing a distant sighting or track we spotted. But we guessed this was due to Ahadi and Anthony joining the trip and jointly looking after us.
Summarising it; we had a great trip with cross to African and can fully recommend them for any safari first timer and repeat safari booker. Just let them know what you are looking for and they will cater to your needs.
NO
Email Reidun, Kurt, Frode and Gunn Mari | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
5 days Safari in Tanzania
Our trip was amazing!
We have got a lot of good memories from this once in a lifetime experience! We saw all of the big 5 and many other animals thanks to our driver Zamba. He has a long experience in Safari and made the program even better than it was first planned. He was also very friendly so it was sad to say goodbye. The food on the accomodations and on our picnics was very good. The accomodations was exactly what we expected. We had both ordinary lodges and tented lodges. We recomend tented lodges. There you are really close to the nature and the animals. At night we heard, hyenas, elephants,hippoes and buffaloes very close to the camp.
It was also very nice to see how closely the different companies work together whilst out there. Both how they share information about the animals, but also if your car had a problem, people were nearby to help.
If we are going to Safari again we will definitely choose Cross to Africa Safaris and we we’ll recommend Cross to Africa Safaris to our friends and family.
From 4 Norwegians who loves the Tanzanian people
Kurt, Gunn Mari, Frode and Reidun
Amazing Safari. Excellent Value.
Cross to Safari Safaris organized a wonderful 15-day safari for us. It was a long-anticipated trip and we wanted to do it all, from seeing gorillas in Rwanda, to visiting spice plantations in Zanzibar, with game drives in Tanzania’s amazing parks in between. We did a lot of research before we contacted Cross to Africa and from start to finish, we were impressed by the professionalism, responsiveness, and patience of Anthony as we tweaked and shaped the itinerary into exactly the right safari for us.
It was a delightful surprise that Anthony was our guide for the Tanzania stretch of our trip. We felt like we were traveling with a friend who just happened to be an expert driver/guide! Not only did he have a thorough knowledge of all the parks we visited, but he clearly had a passion for their maintenance and the preservation of the wildlife that lives there. He was also committed to ensuring we had an unforgettable experience, including identifying every bird we saw, down to the specific type of weaver. That attention to detail extended to arranging a surprise birthday celebration on very short notice. It was definitely a birthday to remember, and I am truly grateful!
Bosco, our driver/guide in Rwanda was also a pleasure to travel with. He was extremely generous in sharing the history and culture of his country, making the drive between Kigali and Musanze not only picturesque but informative as well as. He was attentive to our needs and made the necessary calls to ensure we were in a gorilla trekking group that suited our hiking ability, making that once in a lifetime experience a true pleasure (and one without stress or injury). And, not lacking in attention to detail, Bosco took note of my coffee addiction and planned a stop on the way to the airport at the Question Coffee café, a cooperative of women coffee farmers, roasters, and more – it is a remarkable venture and offers a truly outstanding cup of coffee.
Bottom line, Cross to Africa does a great job with the entire safari business—we stayed in some lovely accommodations and the food was good and plentiful—but it is the personal attention to all the small details that make for a wonderful holiday and that is what truly distinguishes this team. There are a lot of safari companies out there, but if you are looking for both an excellent experience and a great value, you cannot go wrong with Cross to Africa. We highly recommend them!
DE
Email Tobias | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Beautiful 7-day safari
We did a 7-days safari as a group of five. We stayed in tented camps which were already prepared when we arrived on the evening.
Our cook Saga did a great job and we had very good food every evening.
We saw every animal we wanted and could see in the parks we were. Our driver Remi did a great job and showed us the best spots to watch the wildlife.
US
Email Leslie | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Top notch trip
Anthony did an outstanding job planning this trip for us. He & our other guide Patrick excelled at finding the animals. They were both extremely knowledgeable and eager to answer all of our questions (no matter how dumb) with patience.
The lodging was fabulous! Even the mobile migration tent camps were more luxurious than we expected. The staffs were so helpful, friendly and made us feel like VIP’s. And the food at every camp or lodge was fantastic.
We will definitely book with Anthony again and can’t say enough good things about him and Across to Africa Safari.
US
Email Cat F | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible Safari Experiance
Cross to Safari organized a fabulous 13 day safari for us. It was a private tour for 3 women. The choice of lodging chosen by Anthony was fabulous. Our two guides were awesome, knowledgeable, and patient. The food at each camp, including the mobile migration camp was 5-star!
DE
Email Wolfgang Dittel | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Friendly, sure, amazing,
After comparing some offers from internet in Germany, we chocked Anthony with his company. He gave me from beginning a trustful feeling. We paid for three people and 6 days in advance: (Tarangire, Ngorongo Crater, Serengeti, Manyara Lake) Our guide and driver Remy was at last our friend. He dove excellent and sure over all this specials way. He saw the animals from far before we saw anything. We could the the big 5 and much mor, about 60 lions with family, hunting lions, sleeping lions, and in Serengeti all. The Lodges were brilliant, always good food, friendly and competent colgues. Special the tent camp Kontiki was so close to the lions and the Hyppos, that we could hear them from tent in the night and see the Hyppos in Flashlight. For security we feeled very good with the polite and helpful Masai. My daughter, 19, and her friend Helen, 18, were so happy to see all the wild animals. Remy had eyes as an eagle to showed us details and rare animals as a Rhino. I thank Anthony and Remy for this amazing and wonderful adventure. Wolfgang from Munich, Germany
US
Email Tyson | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent tour. I highly recommend.
This was just a wonderful experience all the way through. From the moment that I booked the trip until I was dropped off at the airport, everything was amazing. Not only did I get to experience the trip of a lifetime, I also stayed at some great accommodations and ate like a king. You will not go hungry here. The guides make you feel very comfortable and are extremely knowledgeable. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone looking to get the most out of everything that Tanzania has to offer.
CH
Email Daniel | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A dream came true
We spent the most incredible 6 days with our guide Remy in Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorogoro and Lake Manyara. A safari with Cross to Africa is truly a journey that you will never forget.
The booking process was extremely easy. We reached out to the organisation and received an immediate answer from Anthony who planned the trip for us and modelled it to our wishes. The booking and payment (bank transfer) was done very easily, and Anthony was extremely responsive and also notified us directly about the successful money transfer.
Our driver Remy picked us up at our hotel and it was a delight to travel with him. We were so lucky to have such an experienced driver. He knows the animals very well, knows where the best spots are, drives safely and is always kind, helpful and good company. Additionally, he is very well connected in the safari guide community which is very helpful as he could share and receive a lot of information about where to best find the animals. Whilst other guides often just followed the animals and lost them, our guide was thinking ahead and always made us see the animals from super close. After our 6 days we saw the big 5, saw a hunt of a lion, and many other animals such as hippos, cheetahs, giraffes and zebras. One of our highlights was also seeing lion and cheetah cubs. Remy, our guide, always organized good lunches (even vegetarian options were available) and made sure that we were happy and safe. Water was always provided by him and during the whole trip you must not worry about anything as your guide is taking care of everything.
The lodges and tented camps that cross to Africa booked were exceptional. Especially the tented camp in the Serengeti (Kontiki) will last in out memory forever. The tents (although the word 'tent' is a clear understatement - you have a proper bed, shower, toilet, etc.) are beautiful and thanks to the solar panels you have a proper warm shower and electricity. You sleep in the middle of the Serengeti where you can hear animals and have dinner at the campfire under the clear sky full of stars.
Also, the other accommodations (lodges) were clean, spacious and offered nice food.
During our 6 day safari we learnt a lot from Remy about the animals, plants and the Tanzanian culture. We truly enjoyed listening to our experienced guide and appreciated his knowledge a lot. The days went very fast, and we could have continued at least for another week, so we really hope to be back soon!
US
Email Sarah | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Professional, responsive, and reliable
We booked our 5 day safari online about one month in advance. Communication was prompt and professional. Anthony answered all of our questions and had no problem planning airport transfer and first night of lodging for us, which was not initially included in the itinerary.
When we arrived, we were actually added to a group on Suricata Safaris instead of Cross to Africa... we suspect because we were the only ones requesting our specific type of safari for those dates. Suricata Safaris was an awesome company, and we had a fantastic experience with them. The only unfortunate thing was that we had booked lodges / tented camps while everyone else in our group was doing budget camping. This meant that we bonded with our group, only to be dropped off at a lodge and spend the night separate from everyone else each evening! There were also minor differences in the overall itinerary of the safari from what we had booked, but as we were flexible and everything we did was incredible, this was a non-issue.
Overall, we had an excellent experience with Cross to Africa Safaris, and I would recommend them.