Our professional staff having a fam trip
African Chitah
- Office In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2017)
- Member Of:
- IATA & TALA
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $300 to $1,500 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
TH
Email Nongyao | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unprofessional and thoughtless safari operator.
For anyone thinking about using African Chitah for their Tanzanian dream Safari I would think twice. Below are some of the highlights, or I should say "lowlights" from our recent safari in Tanzania.
1) When we arrived at Kilimanjaro Airport there was no one there to meet us. After a half day of flying, to emerge from the airport with luggage in hand and no one there to meet us was most disconcerting. The driver did finally arrive 20 minutes later, but this was 20 minutes of un-necessary anxiety. The driver apologized with the excuse that there was "traffic." While that may have been true, there were literally hundreds of other tour operators at the airport holding placards with their guest's names. Why did these hundreds of other operators manage to arrive on time but not our driver?
2) On the first day or our tour, the driver arrived at our hotel very early. He asked us to finish our breakfast quickly as there were three other groups to pick up. When we arrived at the first pickup the driver asked us to sit in the car while he retrieved the guests. After 20 minutes no one returned. I found the driver waiting in the lobby and asked him what was going on. He told me that these other guests were still eating breakfast. I explained to him that this was not a private tour and we were sitting in a hot car waiting while someone else was casually eating their breakfast. He told us he would go and get the other guests and I returned to the car. Another 10 minutes passed and still no one had returned. I returned to the lobby and found the driver still sitting in the lobby. I then insisted that he come with me and get the other guests which he finally did. If I hadn't been so insistent, who knows how long I would have been sitting in the hot car while the other members of the group tour casually enjoyed breakfast and coffee. And he didn't even apologize for this at all.
3) Twice we were given hotels of noticeably lower quality than what we were promised on our itinerary. If we had been equivalent quality hotels it would not have been an issue. However, when we complained to the company about this they utterly dismissed our complaints. They did not offer to change the hotel to one of similar quality nor did they offer us a refund. While it may not have been the operator's intention, the outcome left us with the feeling that we had been hoodwinked in a "bait and switch" scheme.
4) The vehicle appeared to be noticeably older than those of other companies. We spent 20 minutes having to repair the door as it would not open properly.
Given the above I would normally give "1" star. I have generously given "2" stars due to the quality of our driver Steven. He was knowledgeable and helpful and went above and beyond to make sure that all the guests had an enjoyable safari experience. And perhaps most importantly, he was a skillful driver which cannot be discounted given the challenging and punishing terrain and roads.
NL
Email Wim | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Very accommodating, just beware of potential downsides to group safaris
African Chitah came out as the best option for joining a two day group safari to Tarangire and Ngorongoro: they were the cheapest option and willing to accommodate a request for a specific lodge at the edge of Ngorongoro. They were very helpful and communicative in arranging a rented camera and dealing with issues that came up (e.g. the road to my lodge was so muddy that our car got stuck). The “group safari” setup (or join safari as they call it) is quite intriguing: clients from different companies seem to be put together in an intricate logistical puzzle that involves separate drivers for transfers from town (in normal cars) and safari guides. I liked that it makes efficient use of resources, but it also has its downsides. The focus on efficiency gave me the impression that the guides chose routes through the parks that were more fuel-economic, like when we spotted an elephant in Ngorongoro and the driver didn’t want to make the detour despite everyone in the car asking for it. The safari cars were also clearly older and for some reason didn’t have the radio to hear from other drivers where wildlife was spotted. On my way from Arusha I was taken by two different drivers and then handed over to the guides at the central gathering point (Panorama), who were not informed about the specifics of my itinerary and initially wanted to change my specifically requested hotel - which had been the primary reason I booked with Chitah. When I protested they quickly accepted this and accommodated the schedule as planned - but it does mean you need to stand up for yourself and be a bit vigilant that things go as planned and everybody knows where you’re supposed to go. Another downside is that there’s more waiting time involved. In the morning there’s a breakfast as clients gather (even though I had breakfast already), and after tarangire I had to wait at a gas station for over an hour for some other clients who also needed to go to Arusha, because their safari - in the same park! - was still ongoing, which felt a bit like I had drawn the short straw in terms of how much safari time I got.
All in all the experience was pretty good, we got to see some great animals, but it is good to be mindful of how the group safaris are organized.
TT
Email Nicole | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Papa was an excellent tour operator
I had a great time in Tanzania with this company.
They were always on time, very accommodating, “Papa” - the tour guide - gave us a lot of information about the country and the parks.
The mid-range lodges they recommended were very good and the customer service, the food, the tents and rooms in those places were also good.
The only place I didn’t quite like was the first hotel. The rooms were small and uncomfortable.
Apart from that I will totally recommend this company to do the safari tours.
SG
Email Wee | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
A trusted company that provides fantastic experiences as promised
Guides cum drivers are very professionals and knowledgeable. We have a good time and enjoy the safari including the hot air balloon. Highly recommended
US
Email Linda | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fun and accommodating
What a great time we had in Tanzania. Each park was unique and full of wildlife. Our guide knew where and when to go to maximize our chances of seeing game. Ndalu (Papa) also had a wonderful lunch laid out every day and made sure we were doing all we desired. He was very flexible and fun.
US
Email Andy | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent service and tour. Great communicators as well.
Amazing safari with a tour operator that took care of everything for me. Very consistent and punctual communication the entire time and guide went out of his way to give us the best experience. Highly recommend
CZ
Email Tomas | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very good and professional company.
Thank you to everyone who participated in our safari. We have been on 4 days safaris and everything was perfect and very professional from the first contact from Midian to the very nice guy Fil on the safari who spoke very highly of all the animals and nature. Communication with everyone was perfect. Accommodation in the Lodge and one day in the tent was excellent. For us was the tent in the Serengeti bush the best accommodation - you have to experience it. I recommend this company to everyone
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US
Email Brian | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Safari, Would Recommmend
We did the four day safari, and our contact was very responsive at all points in the planning. We were picked up and brought to a nice lodge the day before, started on time each day and the guide/car were very good. Would recommend this packagae to friends and family, it was nice without breaking the bank.
FR
Email Hasna | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Super safari
Super safari, very good organization, special mention for Alex the French-speaking guide. To do again without worries
(automatic translation from French)
CN
Email Jasmine | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
African Chitah surprised me so much
It's a great operator !
In the early stage of communication, Midian was very patient in answering my questions and tried his best to arrange the hotel I wanted to stay in. Moreover , he did not refuse me because my luggage could not be reduced. I have communicated with several operators either in China or local , and chitah is the only one that does its best to satisfy customers' wishes .
During the trip, our driver luka is very responsible and has 15 years of driving experience. Safari is both exciting and safe, and he is also very good at looking for animals. I saw all the big five.
It is worth mentioning that , my wallet left in the kubu kubu hotel in Serengeti Park, Luka and Midian helped me to contact the hotel. The hotel arranged a plane to take my wallet to Arusha without charge, which shocked me a lot! The people in Tanzania are really nice! They are hard-working and really helpful.
It is highly recommended to come to Tanzania safari, and I highly recommend African chitah!
