Safari Infinity
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2011)
- Member Of:
- Tanzania Association of Tour Operators
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $500 to $1,400 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
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Email Sandy | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
First Safari: Safari Infinity--An Amazing Experience!
Tanzania: The Great Migration, Tarangire National Park, Central and Northern Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater.
We just returned from an 8 night, 9 day safari with Safari Infinity as our Tour Operator. This was our first time in Africa, fulfilling a long awaited dream of seeing the beautiful Serengeti and even the Great Migration. This “trip report” is best done by an open letter to the people in Tanzania who made this possible, the people at Safari Infinity, including and especially to our guide, Robert.
Dear Lucia and Simon, Co-Owners of Safari Infinity, and Robert, our driver/guide for our time in Tanzania,
Our trip of a lifetime, our safari in Tanzania, including Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Crater, and the Central and Northern Serengeti, was a never to be forgotten adventure tailored to us, exactly, thanks to all of you.
From the moment we stepped off the plane we felt we were in good hands, met by your representative who immediately whisked us through the visa process, then helped us navigate through the paperwork when our luggage was, unfortunately, delayed.
Our arrival at the African Tulip Hotel was met with a warm welcome, one of many we were to discover, in your beautiful country. We have traveled to many different countries, but never to Africa, and we were overwhelmed by the joyous welcome we received everywhere we stayed. We had planned an extra couple of nights at the African Tulip in case of flight delays, and to rest from the long flight. That planning proved to be a very good thing, as our luggage (minus our hats and other articles of clothing!) arrived 2 nights later. The hospitality at the African Tulip Hotel was exceptional. The manager is very “hands on,” concerned with all the guests well-being. We felt as if we were, indeed, Very Important People!
From the moment we met you, our guide, Robert, we liked you instantly. Your quiet, laid back demeanor, coupled with your astute sense of humor was a perfect match for us. You infused your knowledge of the local culture with sightseeing, injecting your unique brand of humor, keeping us entertained and wanting to know more. There were few questions (and we had many!) that you could not answer in depth, often pulling the vehicle over so you could more fully explain that in which we had expressed an interest. Later, and especially after our safari had ended, we realized that we saw much more than animals to be checked off a list, which we never really kept.
With you, we were able to fully immerse ourselves in the experience of observing wildlife. While others took photos, then left, we sat and had a leisurely boxed lunch while we watched a pride of 17 lions, and the drama that unfolded as a huge dazzle of zebras encroached on the lions' territory, then alerted one another to the lions' presence. We were in no hurry, no schedule to keep, just to enjoy the animals. On another occasion we were part of the magical experience to witness a herd of elephants as the matriarch communicated with sound we, as humans did not hear. The entire herd froze in place for several seconds, listening, then instantly and in perfect synchronization, resumed their activities, reassured that we were not a threat. If we did not have the luxury of time and your encouragement and guidance, we would never have noticed such an amazing event.
You seemed to know when to arrive at the Mara River, just in time to wait discreetly until the crossing began, then positioned us in a spot to watch the crossing of at least 6,000 wildebeest in a spectacular sight that we will never forget. You were as excited as we were to witness such a thrilling event, adding to the pleasure even more. Then, on the same day as the crossing, as if that was not enough, you seemed to find, in the midst of nowhere, 2 cheetah brothers who had just killed a young wildebeest. We all agreed to watch the “whole story,” and stayed to see the cheetahs keep out a watch for each other as the other ate, then once done, to wash each other's faces! Once again, those who stayed to take a few photos, then left, missed the most precious and memorable part of this sighting. Even then, we didn't leave. We waited for the gathering vultures to descend, watching as one of the cheetahs chased the approaching birds, making it very clear that they were not welcome. It was fascinating that the birds were fearful of moving in, even long after the cheetahs had left! When they finally did, it was a sight to see. We saw the whole event, the cycle was complete.
Your attention to detail seemed to be second nature. And, as we have already mentioned, your sense of humor had us laughing more than we have laughed in some time. Who could ask for more?
Lucia, I also liked you from the first time we communicated. You were always very patient with my many questions, and seemed, through your emails to be sincerely eager to provide a wonderful trip. When we finally met you and your husband, Simon at our hotel in Arusha, we felt even more confident that we had made the right choice, with your warm and caring personality shining through, and Simon's quiet assurance and knowledge of the business as a former guide, himself. We know you both were the foundation behind our experience, quietly making everything work as it should. You even arranged for extra touches along the way, as we were celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary. What a nice touch! As if that were not enough, you wanted to know all about our safari afterwards, the good and the bad.
We were hard pressed to find any criticism. Hmmm....more variety in the box lunches? That was about all, as I recall.
We saw so many kinds of animals, in such beautiful settings that it would be impossible to detail each event. Flamboyant ostriches doing their “flash dances,” a den of hyenas with their youngsters, a “teen-age” male elephant, trying to scare us with his trumpet and charge (it worked!) and an army of baboons marching down the dirt road to a different location.
One of my concerns in coming to Tanzania in peak season was, of course, the number of other vehicles and people we might encounter. I had expressed this concern to you, Lucia, but you assured me that your guides knew how to get away to areas where other vehicles do not frequent, thus often avoiding the crowds. My desire to experience the Serengeti and to see the migration won out, and we decided, crowds or not, to go to Tanzania. In reality, Robert, you disliked crowds of vehicles as much as we did. Much of the time I forgot we were there in peak season, as we were the only vehicle around, or one of 2 or 3. . The exception was the pride of 17 lions, but after a while, most of those vehicles left to have lunch somewhere else, as you knew they would, leaving us with a front and center, unobstructed view. Even at the crossing of the Mara River we were situated so we felt as if we were only one of just a few vehicles. I still don't know how many were there, as we were right up front. You made sure we always got an early start, so we were witness to many sightings while others were just getting started. After all, we were in Africa, so why waste time sleeping late!
The best decision we made for our safari, besides booking with you, was to take a private safari with our own guide and vehicle. We had a freedom we would never have had with any other type of safari. When we wanted to be quiet, we were quiet (probably not very often, right, Robert?) When we wanted to stay put, we stayed put. We left early and stayed late, or not. It was all up to us.
Staying in tented camps for most of our safari was an excellent choice, and once we got used to the “talking shower” with buckets of just right warm water, we loved them. The sounds of the bush at night were almost hypnotic. On our last night it was appropriate that we were surrounded by what seemed like the entire herd of almost 2 million wildebeest, voicing their trademark, hmmmm, hawwww, sounds all night long. We loved it! And, I suppose it was appropriate that during our flight back to Arusha on one of the take-offs after a stop to pick up passengers the pilot had to brake and start over due to zebra and wildebeest on the air strip. Only in Africa!
One final word about our vehicle. We knew we'd be driven in a Land Cruiser type of vehicle, but when you, Robert, escorted us from our hotel out to the Land Cruiser for the first time and we climbed in, we felt as if you had picked us up in a limo, only better! It was incredibly spacious, and although there were just 2 of us, there were 4 seats altogether. The huge windows were panoramic, creating a feeling of being open when needed, and closed nicely to help keep out the dust of the long drives. You had a cooler generously filled with water, soft drinks and even beer, and we had the use of great binoculars as well bean bag supports for our cameras. The top opened up so we could stand, and see out easily, yet we were protected from the midday sun. One of the best things about this Land Cruiser was a bank of electrical plugs for charging our batteries right behind the driver's seat. I could not have imagined how convenient this turned out to be. This was a late model vehicle in pristine condition, so we felt right away that we were traveling in style. Lucia and Simon, you definitely don't skimp on anything, and you especially pay attention to the things that matter!
Lucia, Simon and Robert, we have traveled to many countries over our 70+ years. We've been to Europe, the UK, the South Pacific, and New Zealand, as well as the continental United States and Canada, including Alaska. We can easily say this trip has topped them all. It was one we will never forget. Thank you to all of you for that. Our wonderful safari was enhanced by knowing the people we entrusted were so kind, caring and capable. You represented Tanzania well. Asante. Asantesana!
Email bobbie and prav solanki | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Once in a lifetime experience
We had an unforgettable honeymoon thanks to Safari Infinity. The whole holidays was planned perfectly and gave us a variety of experiences and a true feel of Africa. Our tour guide asami was fantastic and had a wealth of knowledge and experience. We were unsure about booking with an operator in Africa instead of our home country the UK, but it was the best decision and we saved a lot of money. Safari Infinity were always just a phone call away from any changes we wanted to out itinerary and truly cared about our experience and wanted it to be as great as it was. We have already recommended them to friends and family and hope to return soon.
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Email Kwai | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing, out of the ordinary safari for a multigenerational family!
We just returned from an indescribable safari with Safari Infinity. Our group was a multigenerational group of 6, so it was a tall order to meet the needs of an 11 year old and 75 year old grandparents. From start to finish, Safari Infinity was just spectacular. I researched quite a few safari companies, and Lucia at Safari Infinity was so great with communication and I never felt pressured to book. It really sealed the deal early on that we would choose them as a company.
Lucia did a great job of guiding us towards an itinerary that worked for all of us and was also within our families budget. No question was too silly for her to answer, and it was so great to have such good communication because, while our family has traveled a lot, we had never planned out a safari.
Once we got to Tanzania, we were met by Kelly, who made us feel at ease at once. I don't know how to describe Kelly other than he's really a special human being. His excitement about being a guide is intoxicating, and we never felt like he was just going through the motions like some tour guides. My parents, who have done extensive traveling in India and Asia said that Kelly was by far the best tour guide they'd ever had. Kelly is very bright and an expert in wildlife, and was able to navigate questions and conversations from my political science professor dad about Tanzanian history and also do a foot race with my kids. He went above and beyond to show us his country, help us understand the people and also taught us so much about wildlife. Kelly did not take us on a standard tour, but really went beyond what we expected. Many days, we were the only jeep that we saw for miles. He would get his binoculars out and find animals for us. His tenacity allowed us to see the unexpected…a lion eating his kill, 2 wildebeest crossings, a dung beetle, rhino, leopard..the list goes on an on. Kelly really made the safari a real trip of a lifetime. We all felt like it was so much more than a safari, but really an educational experience, an adventure (the day our truck got stuck in the Northern Serengeti), and a bonding experience for our family. By the end of the trip, he was truly a friend of our families.
The safari itself was fabulous. Lucia chose accommodations that met our budget, and to be honest, they were much nicer than I expected given that our family did more of a "low budget" safari. The accommodations were really nice and the food, especially at Kati Kati Camp and Mara Under Canvas was fabulous. I had no idea that we would eat so well while on the trip. We loved the tented camps, and the service was incredible, especially at the tented camps. We loved the sundowners and the popcorn (who knew Tanzanian's loved popcorn so much!).
After our safari, our family went to Tanzania for a week. We planned this separately, but Safari Infinity picked us up to transport us to our flight back home. Our guide/driver en route back (can't remember name), was also fabulous. My daughter developed a rash in Zanzibar, so the Safari Infinity driver went out of his way to find us a chemist so we could get some medications. It really was great because being sick in a foreign country is the worst.
All in all, I cannot recommend Safari Infinity more highly. We have only been back a week and have given their name to numerous friends of ours after they saw our photos. We truly hope that our safari experience isn't the trip of a lifetime, and that we'll be able to go back with our kids again and hopefully our grandkids. If so, we will certainly use Safari Infinity again!
CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a lifetime!
My wife and I returned from a 10-day safari with Safari Infinity. We picked Safari Infinity as Lucia was always very prompt with her replies, and always answered our questions. Planning a safari is not an easy task, but Lucia was patient with answering our questions and gave us helpful suggestions until we came up with an itinerary that we were happy with.
With the trip planning out of the way, we could only anxiously wait until the safari started! Our expectations for this "trip of a lifetime" was very high and we were unsure if the trip would meet our expectations. I'm very happy to report that it indeed was a trip of a lifetime! While I'm sure all of the tour guides with Safari Infinity are fantastic, we got their superstar guide, Kelly. From the very beginning, we felt at ease with Kelly, with his easy-going demeanor. It also didn't hurt that he has the eyes of an eagle! He would be able to spot animals from miles away and oftentimes, he would spot animals before other all the other guides. After giving us a few minutes of VIP private viewing, he would kindly radio the other guides to the location. Thanks to Kelly, we were able to get within a few feet of several animals that you normally only get to see from a very far distance (e.g. rhino, leopard, and cheetah). We were fortunate enough to also catch a pack of Hyenas performing a kill on zebras, and on the last day we found a cheetah cub and it's mom feeding! Kelly even gave me photography tips so I could get better photos with my new camera :) We also enjoyed having lively conversations with him, and apart from learning about the animals, we also learned so much about Tanzania culture. We really felt we were on a trip with a friend, not just a tour guide. At one point, my wife accidentally left our hats at one of the lodges. While we were flying back to Arusha, poor Kelly had to drive by the lodge to pick up our hats and drive back to Arusha to deliver to us before our flight back home. Talk about service!
All the accommodations we stayed at were great. The one we were most concerned about (Kati Kati tented camp) turned out to be our favourite. The staff were attentive, the food was great, location was quiet, and even my wife thought the "bucket shower experience" was kinda fun. Living in a tented camp in the Serengeti, and hearing the animals right outside your tent is an experience I will never forget (especially the Hyena who serenaded us with her howling!)
At the end of the trip, it was very nice touch that both Lucia and Simon came to visit us before we departed. Not often you find a company where the owners will actually meet you to get your feedback. Definitely a nice touch, and shows much how much they care about your experience! I would highly recommend Safari Infinity to all my friends/family and we look forward to returning to Tanzania for another safari with them in the future! Thank you again Safari Infinity team!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A professional, reliable and helpful tour operator
I booked my Tanzanian safari through Safari Infinity after receiving 4 different quotes. I found Lucia, one of the owners, to be prompt and helpful with each communication. Throughout the process I was very pleased with the suggestions made and information provided. I felt that the safari itinerary overview provided detailed information about what to expect in each location.
Once in Tanzania we were thrilled to meet our guide, Kelly. He is a wonderful, expert guide who entertained us throughout our safari. We were met in Arusha by Kelly, and then later also met Lucia and Simon. This was a wonderful, personal touch that allowed us to put a face to the name.
Even while on safari Lucia was never far away; keeping in touch with Kelly to check on our progress (one day we just had to brag about all of the amazing things we had seen!), providing us with a credited mobile phone in case of emergency (which was highly valued as a family member needed to have a heart operation) and providing assistance to us even after our "safari" aspect of the trip concluded (we included Zanzibar and a fly-in visit to Selous).
We had some unforgettable moments while on safari, made even more special by sharing it with Kelly. As a guide he has been our favourite (we have also travelled in Kenya). He knows how to approach the animals to provide the best viewing and is also mindful of getting the best light to capture the best images. Kelly had a thorough knowledge of all the areas that we travelled to, resulting in us been the first ones to spot lions, leopards (male and female mated 3 times), jackal pups and cheetahs (mother and her cub playing and then Mum hunted for and caught breakfast).
For our safari we travelled to Arusha (2 nights), Tarangire (2), Ngorongoro Crater (2), Northern Serengeti (4), Zanzibar (5) and Selous (3 nights).
I would highly recommend you book with Safari Infinity and request Kelly as your guide. You will not be disappointed!
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
First Safari with Safari Infinity - Superb!!
It's been a week since we've returned from our Safari accompanied by Safari Infinity in Tanzania. We haven't stopped talking about the great time we had with our guide from start to finish.
What started everything was a single picture posted on Facebook of a lion sitting on a termite mound at sunset. From that point on we had regular communication with Augustine and always got quick responses every time and throughout the year, right up until we left for our trip which gave us the confidence we needed. We did a thorough review of other clients who used Safari Infinity and concluded that this WAS the company to use which did not disappoint. Everything that we planned went as expected. From the Land Rover (very comfortable), full daily sight seeing, great accommodations from start to finish. From tented camps to luxurious lodges, the amazing views to the animals grazing freely around our tent. Going to different National parks and being exposed to the diversity it offered, which didn't disappoint. We were one of the lucky ones to have been able to see and capture the big five including the Black Rhino in the Ngorongoro crater which is a rare sight. Our guide, Karashi, was very welcoming, friendly, funny and his knowledge of the area and wildlife(52 different animals in one day) was totally amazing. We were also provided with a cell phone while on safari in case we had questions or issues, which we never needed, but was another level of comfort while abroad.
In conclusion, we could not have asked for a better company to deal with. Always professional, friendly and responsive to our questions or concerns and looking to make our trip memorable.
Anyone looking to go on safari, Go with Safari Infinity and you will not be disappointed.
The safari was was perfect, giving an unforgettable experience.
From the early planning stage to the end of the safari, the Safari Infinity team were attentive and responsive to all requests and changes. They really take into account your preferences while offering suggestions. We had George as our driver/guide, he was a wonderful person to spend time with, good driver, discrete, excellent birder and great at spotting animals. We stayed in a variety of lodges and mobile camps, which were all very good in their own way. We met with Lucia and Simon in Arusha, to discuss our trip, which was very nice and showed they were genuinely interested in our feedback. We would highly recommend this company.
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35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The trip of a lifetime!
Our 10 day safari with Safari Infinity was a truly amazing experience. One that our family will never forget. Planning with Lucia was incredibly flawless. She arranged for us the perfect combination of hotels and tent camping, so that every night was a unique experience. As we were two families of 5 and 6, we had 2 guides, Kelly and Reggi, who were top-notch, definitely the best guides out there, and who complimented each other perfectly. Not until the final day of our journey did they reveal to us that they were father and son! We quickly learned that while all the other safari guides stayed to the "well traveled-road", ours continuously took us off the beaten path to lead us to our own private and breathtaking discoveries. We felt incredibly lucky and fortunate to be experiencing the very best safari possible because of their expertise and adventure. The wildlife was in abundance. At first, it was surreal as if we were venturing through a movie set...until Kelly or Reggi would whisper, "nobody move or make any sound, nobody." We witnessed a cheetah on a chase, a leopard kill in a tree and hyenas ravishing the remains of impala. We will never forget the sweet, amazing sound baby lion cubs make, how elephants form a circle around their babies to protect them, the thousands and thousands of stars that light up the African night sky, or the beauty of a sunrise over the Serengeti.
IL
Email Boaz | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great safari with Safari Infinity
We just returned from a great 8 days safari trip in Tanzania. Our Safari operator was Safari Infinity and I highly recommend them. We choose Safari Infinity after contacting and evaluating several other companies and we are very happy with this choice. From the early beginning Lucia was extremely responsive and patient for our numerous questions and requests. We were 2 families with lots of kids traveling together, and as such, we had many special requests, mainly around lodging requirements. Lucia was very supportive, and was able to build an itinerary which perfectly combined the best parks and wildlife watching, reasonable travel time and comfortable lodging for families with kids. She was also extremely helpful with some arrangement needs that we had which are not directly related to the safari (we spent a few days in Zanzibar after the Safari) and gave us the feeling that she really cares and wants to ensure our vacation is successful even though this part of the trip was not booked via Safari Infinity.
When we arrived to Arusha, Lucia and Simon came to meet us in the hotel. It was really nice meeting them face-to-face after so many months of email communication. It made us feel that they really care and that they will do their best in order to make sure that everything goes according to plan and that every problem or concern we might have will get an immediate response.
Our drivers and guides on the tour were Kelly and Tumaini. Both were just great. They are friendly, knowledgeable and did whatever they could in order to make sure we have the best safari experience. The cars were very comfortable clean and with lots of attention to small details which makes the experience even better. Things like high quality binoculars (a few more could help), electricity sockets, cool drinks in the refrigerator, blankets, etc.
Safari Infinity is a relatively new and small operator. They are very reliable and gives lots of personal attention to its customers which is very important when arranging a tour remotely, so much time in advance, and in a country that you are not familiar with and do not know what to expect.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An Amazing Trip....A Safari Company
Hi, we are an Australian family (mum, dad, boys aged 15,13 & 11 and 2 grand parents) that have just completed a 10 day safari with Safari Infinity. We visited Tarangire, Lake Maynara, central and western Serengeti and Ngorongoro national parks. First, I would like to say that the Safari was everything we expected and more. The Tanzanian people proved to be most hospitable. We saw the Big 5 and much more. The geography amazed us on how different it was between all the national parks.
We are so grateful we chose Safari Infinity. Lucia promptly responded to my many emails over the organisational stage, far better than any of the other companies I contacted. This was one of the main reasons we went with them.
Once the safari started we were in a 8 seater jeep. Our driver was Eric who basically became part of the family. He had great temperament in dealing with people, always smiling. His ability to position the jeep for prime location happened time and time again. His ability to find the animals and read their direction was incredible. We witnessed one live kill by a leopard, 2 failed attempts by lions, and found 3 other all ready completed kills. He was patient with our 1million photo shoots.
We stayed at the following accommodations (mix lodges and camps) and were very happy with them all, Lake Duluti, Oliver's Camp (Tarangire), Escarpment Lodge, Lemala Explorer Western Serengeti, Mbalageti Safari Lodge, Lemala Ewanjan, Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge, and Mount Meru Arusha.
Thanks again Safari Infinity for the trip of a life time!