Join us for your African adventure!
Alika Africa
- Offices In:
-
United States
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2004)
- Member Of:
- Association for Promotion of Tourism to Africa
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $180 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
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50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
One of our best private tours anywhere in the world, with a great guide
My wife and I went on a two-week safari with Duma Explorer this April, 2015 and it was a great trip; one of the best private tours we’ve taken anywhere in the world, and at a very good price. The owner Stacy planned the trip and we were guided by Shange. We were initially concerned about spending two weeks with someone in a Land Cruiser, but we particularly liked Shange, who was lively, fun, knowledgeable and particularly good at spotting animals. He has guided Prince Philip and actor Daniel Craig (James Bond). When my wife needed to contact her doctor back in Atlanta he helped her make the call immediately on his own cell phone. He’s one of our favorite guides, ever. He speaks perfect English and gave us a rich sense of Tanzanian culture and wildlife, filled with history and stories. (He has also started his own small school for poor children. He will talk about the school if you ask; we got a chance to see some of the adorable children at the end of the trip.)
It worked well to plan the trip by email and a Skype call to Stacy and we were able to tune the trip to our needs (mostly comfortable tented camps, combining cultural experiences with seeing animals). We stayed the Ndarakwai Ranch in West Kilimanjaro to get over jet lag, Tarangire Safari Lodge in Tarangire National Park, Isoitok Camp in Masaai county near Lake Manyara National Park, Lake Eyasi Safari Lodge overlooking Lake Eyasi, Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge overlooking the crater, and the Kiota and Chaka camps in the Serengeti. All were comfortable with good food and service.
Our trip was at the end of the rainy season when it’s cooler, less crowded, less dusty and less expensive, but also was sometimes more difficult to see cats in the high grass. (But Shange was able to find a lot, anyway).
Some particular high points of a great trip:
• Walking safari in the Ndarakwai Ranch; we will always remember seeing elephants and giraffes for the first time in nature.
• Spending time with the Hadzabe hunter-gatherer tribe, Datoga tribe and the Masaai near Lake Eyasi. We got a glimpse of how these people live, not very different from centuries ago. Shange and the local guide Hasim were able to visit tribes off the beaten path.
• The Isoitok Camp has extraordinary food and deep commitment to providing clean water to nearby Masaai villages.
• Ngorongoro crater is a Shangri-La for animals; we saw thousands in a few hours.
• The Kiota and Chaka tented camps in the Serengeti, owned by Duma Explorer, were extraordinary: comfortable with remarkable service and a sense of being in the bush, but perfectly safe. Kiota, the newest camp, has hand carved dual sinks in the ensuite bathroom!
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Email Jason | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect Safari Experience — Thank you Stacy and Msangi!
My family of five (three teenagers) had a fantastic 13-day trip to Tanzania and Uganda. Duma (Stacy Readal) was an amazing partner in creating a PERFECT itinerary for us, and in pairing us with the PERFECT guide, Halifa Msangi. Let me start with the planning process. When I first reached out to Stacy, I was initially looking for guidance – I didn’t know if Tanzania was the right fit – the only thing that I knew for certain was the window of dates that we were looking to plan a trip. After our first conversation, Stacy had my wife and me sold on visiting Tanzania, and after that one conversation, my wife and I knew that Stacy (and Duma) was the right partner for us and for our family. In addition to a safari, we mentioned our interest in Gorilla trekking, but we knew very little about it. Stacy was able to give us a ton of information on it because she had recently taken her family on the same experience. Stacy used to live in Tanzania for many years, and therefore has so much personal experience with everything related to Tanzania – that was so hugely helpful in explaining to my wife and me what my family could expect. So, we knew that gorilla trekking was something that we were interested in, so Stacy was able to tack a trip to Bwindi, Uganda on to the end of our safari in Tanzania – no other travel person that we had spoken to before Stacy had offered to arrange such an experience without considerable additional expense. Stacy gave us multiple options on lodges/camps for our safari, and because she had stayed at most/all of them with her children, she was able to provide personal insight on what would likely be the best fit for our family. This was all done seamlessly via tons of emails and a few phone calls (she was extremely patient with me (thank you!) – I think I may have set the record for number of questions asked), and invoicing/payments were handled seamlessly – payments were made via wire transfer to a large US bank, which is comforting. Finally, when life threw us a curve ball a week or so prior to our travels (two members of our family would have to arrive one day late) Stacy was so incredibly helpful – she looked into the situation and found a local plane from JRO right into an airstrip in Tarangire National Park – she arranged two seats for them on that plane, and we met them at the airstrip one day late, and started our Safari! It was so cool!! We visited Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, Ndutu and central Serengeti. OK – so that’s Stacy – she was awesome – I would partner with her again 100 out of 100 times. Another huge thank you goes to Stacy for partnering us with our amazing guide, Halifa Msangi. (He goes by Msangi. The “g” is a hard “g”, like in “Serengeti”.) Msangi is the BEST! He is an amazing guide with an absolute wealth of knowledge. I cannot overstate how much we learned from Msangi about Tanzania (about the land, the ecosystem, history, politics, etc) about the wildlife (this man knows everything). He did an amazing job of finding wildlife, and knowing when we were witnessing something significant, that we likely would not see again in our time on safari, so that we could stay and enjoy it and soak it in. He loves Tanzania, and loves nature. We asked him what made him want to be a guide, and his answer is that he loves nature. He loves the animals. He’s passionate about it. And that’s obvious to anyone who spends even a few days with him. In addition – and maybe more importantly -- Msangi was really wonderful and patient with my family. When we arrived at JRO, he stood out amongst all of the guides waiting to pick up their guests – he had the biggest most welcoming smile and the warmest presence. He has a great sense of humor, and was able to figure out our family dynamic after only a few days with us. Finally, Msangi is as kind a person as you will ever meet. A few anecdotes: his strong relationship with other safari guides is obvious, and it matters. There is a bond that exists between the guides, and those relationships and information sharing can be the difference between seeing a cheetah, or driving right by it. There was one occasion that I noticed another guide flash his headlights at us, telling us “come here” – I’m sure it was because of the relationship between Msangi and that other guide. Msangi is the guide that all other guides respect. Another anecdote – we were transiting between camps, and were in the Serengeti where the “roads” can be very iffy. Our truck was great. Very comfortable – it got through everything without any concerns at all. On this leg of the trip, it was a total downpour, and the road (which was just two dirt tire tracks) had turned into a mud pit. We were fine, but we came upon a box truck that was hopelessly stuck in the mud. When we came upon it, the driver was outside, in only his underwear – he had removed his clothes because he knew they would quickly become mud-soaked. So Msangi – being the kind, caring, helpful person that he is – stopped our truck to help this poor guy out. He assessed the situation, advised the driver on how to navigate the mud pit that he was in. Msangi got out his shovel and helped dig out mud – and after several back and forth attempts, he assisted the driver in getting his truck out of a hopeless situation. That’s the kind of guy Msangi is. The office people at Alika were great too! We spent our first night in Arusha, and I accidentally left my eyeglasses behind on my hotel bathroom counter. I realized this several hours later, and told Msangi, who called the Alika office. They told me that they’d get them to me in a few days, via a courier. I told them that wasn’t necessary – that they could mail them to my home, and that would be great, but they told me it was ok. Two days later, before we had a tour at the village of Mto Wa Mbu, our village guide said “before we start, I have something for you.” And there they were. Thank you for making that happen – it was kind of unbelievable. I know that this review is about Duma, and not about the lodges/camps that we stayed at, but I do want to mention that the places that Stacy chose for us were really amazing. Beautiful settings. Beautiful rooms. Wonderful, friendly staffs who would bend over backwards to make our stays magnificent. The places that we stayed at were very very nice – wonderful choices for me and my family. Thank you for making our trip to Tanzania and Uganda a true trip of a lifetime.
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Email Gary | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Stacy Readal did a fabulous job in setting up our trip on very short notice.
Our guide/driver was Ebenezer. Ebenezer was a great driver (important as many of the roadways are narrow and dirt with ruts); had a knack for finding hiding animals; had incredible knowledge of all the types of wildlife we saw, including the plant life and birds; and was very personable (important as you spend a lot of time driving around in a Toyota Land Cruiser and at meals with your guide). I highly recommend him.
We stayed in some really nice camps (our two favorites were the Elwai Camp and Tarangire Tortilis Camp) but all of the camps had very friendly staff. The night prior to the Safari, we stayed at the Tumbili Lodge. Very nice accommodations with excellent food.
We saw lions (lots), leopards (2 and a cub, which we hear is rare), hyenas, cheetahs, baboons, giraffes, warthogs. antelopes, impalas, Rhinos (in the Ngorongoro Crater which is a must), elephants, hippos, ostriches, and large migrating herds (thousands) of wildebeasts and zebras.
CH
Email Vanessa | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great experience and unforgettable honeymoon
We were very pleased with our trip which included a 7-day trip to Kilimanjaro via the Lemosho route as well as a 6-day safari. The Kilimanjaro expedition was perfectly organised and the crew took great care of us. Our guides Emmanuel and Gabriel were very great. The warm meals prepared by Jamali were a nice treat and Dickson ensured were always had snacks and drinks readily available. Kudos to the porters who do an amazing job, Eliasa in particular. For the safari, our guide Halifa Msangi was extremely knowledgeable about the fauna and flora, as well as the best locations to spot animals. We were very happy with Duma Explorer, from suggestions by Stacy during the planning of our trip, to the smooth execution by the on site team. We would strongly recommend them.
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Email Jo Dixit | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Expertly Tailored Bucket List Vacation to Tanzania's National Parks and Zanzibar - Stacy Readal
Stacy Readal of Alika Africa/Duma Explorer is an absolute treasure! She planned a bucket list of 3 weeks of vacation for our family to Tanzania's National Parks in the North Circuit and a beach vacation at Zanzibar that exceeded all of our expectations.
Stacy is an American, residing in San Francisco. She has over 15 years of living and working in Africa, including extensive travel throughout the continent and fluency in Swahili. She knows exactly what families like ours are looking for in a safe, luxurious, and fun vacation in Africa. She used her unique understanding of both America and Africa to design a custom bucket list vacation for our family.
As a professional and an expert in her field, she demonstrated high availability, and her communication was top-notch. Despite the time zone difference (while we were in Tanzania and Stacy was in CA), she was always available to answer our questions and connect with us.
Her attention to detail and high-touch experience made us feel truly special. She went above and beyond to ensure that all of our needs were met, and she even helped us with special requests such as Indian vegetarian food and Masala Chai. Her ability to negotiate great deals with luxury tent operators was impressive, and she made sure that all of our local flights and transportation were seamless and hassle-free.
The National Parks that Stacy organized for us to visit in Tanzania were nothing short of breathtaking. From the lush and diverse landscapes of Arusha, to the vast and wild expanse of Tarangire and the Serengeti, to the otherworldly beauty of the Ngorongoro Crater, every park offered a unique and unforgettable experience. And the true highlight of our trip was the time we spent at the beaches of Zanzibar. The crystal-clear waters and powdery white sand were like something out of a dream.
Her team on the ground in Tanzania was friendly, and professional, and provided top-notch service. Omary, Milcah, Robert, Isack, and especially our Tour guide Ben were always available to answer our questions and provide assistance, and they made sure that our trip was an unforgettable experience. Stacy's leadership and her team's dedication to their clients is truly remarkable. We felt well taken care of throughout our entire trip, and we couldn't be more grateful for the wonderful memories we made.
I highly recommend Stacy, her team, and Alika Africa/Duma Explorer to anyone looking to plan a dream vacation to Africa. She is an expert in her field and will go above and beyond to make sure that you have an amazing experience. Five stars all around!
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Email Mark Johnson | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We still talk daily about this fantastic trip!!!
We decided to book with Duma after reading Tripadvisor reviews and exchanging e-mails with Duma and a few other tour operators out of Arusha. We felt Duma best offered the type of trip we were looking for, and were easiest to work with, compared to other tour companies we contacted. We not only got the trip we had dreamed of, but even more than we anticipated. A friend of mine who had been on safari in Tanzania a couple of times, plus several other African safaris, suggested an itinerary that focused mainly on the Serengeti, and less (or no) time at other standard places to see. Stacy not only worked with us on that itinerary, but made suggestions that enhanced our plans. We wanted to splurge to do a balloon ride one day, but were willing to sacrifice in other areas to keep our budget in line. Stacy was fantastic at getting to understand us, and make appropriate suggestions for us, to allow us to do just that. Also, we had done a lot of research on Tripadvisor about the various camps in the Serengetti, Tarangire, and the Ngorongoro Crater. Stacy adapted our plans so that we could stay at the camps we felt strongly about, and provided what proved to be sound advice, about some of the other camps we considered. She was even able to get us into a particular tent at one camp - one that was farthest from the dining area, with a view unavailable to other tents. For the record, we stayed in Tarangire at the Tarangire Safari Lodge, we stayed in Serengeti at Duma's Chaka camp, Buffalo Luxury Camp, and Lemala Mara camp, and lastly at Ngorongoro Crater we stayed at the Sopa Lodge.
Being a rather anal engineer, I had many detailed questions about all kinds of things that would pop into my head during our planning, and then after our booking. I am used to planning for contingencies in my job, and many of my questions had to do with oddball "what if" scenarios. We booked our trip in Feb 2014, and until we arrived in Arusha in Oct 2014, I was sending Stacy these types of questions, which she always answered promptly and pleasantly.
Once we landed at Kilimanjaro Airport, the rest of our two weeks in Tanzania was as worry free as could be. Everything went as smoothly as possible. The accommodations were amazing. I gained weight at every camp, because the food was so good (the soups as the first course of most meals was incredible). Duma even made sure we had very little rain during the rainy season!
But, the main reason we booked a safari was to see wildlife, and boy did we see wildlife!! Our terrific guide was Michael Mlolo; a guide with 30 years of experience! He was not only a great guide for the big game (we saw over 100 lions, 11 cheetahs, 5 leopards, and 4 rhinos), but he knew every bird that we saw, and was patient spelling the names so that my wife could write these names down. When we got home, we started going through our photos and tagging them with the different species - we have not found a single instance where Michael's identification does not match what we confirmed on the Web. Michael is a very kind man, but also very protective. And, although we did not leave fluent in Swahili, Michael would always share Swahili words for things with us (Duma for instance is the word for Cheetah!). I'm sure there are plenty of good guides at Duma, but Michael Mlolo must certainly be the best one!! Absolutely, if we ever make it back to Tanzania, we will book with Duma, and request our new friend Michael to be our guide again.
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Email Carl F. | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
They really listen to what you want.
Alika Africa was great. Our guide, Ebenezer was terrific. The visit to a boma at Isoitok camp, which we really enjoyed, felt like a very genuine meeting of people rather than a cultural show. Stacy did a great job selecting the accommodations that matched our desire for a "glamping" experience. Tangarire, Ndutu, Central Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater were simply fantastic. If I were to do it again, I would pass on Lake Manyara park since it has very dense foliage and therefore difficult to see anything and spend an afternoon in the town of Mto Wa Mbo for a cultural experience. I will definitely be recommending Alika Africa to friends and family.
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Email Justin | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfectly planned and seamlessly executed.
Our experience with Alika was perfect from planning to execution. Stacy worked with us to curate a trip that met our wants, timeline, and of course budget. We had full faith going into the trip, and of course, were not disappointed. We went to N. Serengeti, C. Serengeti, Ngorogoro Crater, and Tarangire National Park. Each had a different landscape to appreciate with abundant wildlife, and working with Stacy, we had different lodging experiences at each based on budget.
We were lucky enough to get Msangi as a guide, who has 28 years of experience and was once head of the association of guides in Tanzania for 8 years. He was an expert spotter, professional, and focused on getting us intimate experiences with wildlife rather than following the crowds of parked jeeps as many inexperienced guides may do. We saw almost all we wanted to see on the first day in N. Serengeti and the rest of the trip was almost all bonus!
Couldn't recommend Alika (Duma) enough! p.s., as a gay couple, we felt very supported by Alika.
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Email Karen | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Easy to work with, Amazing experience!
We just finished a 9 day Safari and it was amazing! We saw so much, and our guide, Salim was the absolute best!! He was so engaging and knowledgeable—and so much fun!
If you are trying to plan a safari and are overwhelmed by all the options and are not sure how to proceed, stop searching and email Stacy at Duma Explorer. She will help you work out all the details, customize everything for you, and you will have a great time!!
Top notch all around!
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Email Timothy Duncan | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An Incredible Experience with Incredible Guides!
I had an incredible experience with Duma Explorer / Alika Africa on my visit to Tanzania. I did a solo trip to Serengeti National Park (2.5 days), Ngorongoro Crater (1 day), and Mt. Kilimanjaro (1 day), and I was lucky enough to see the wildebeest migration, some wildebeest river crossings, the Big 5, and just about every other animal there is to see in the parks. My guide, Isack, was amazing! He was an experienced guide and extremely knowledgeable and respectful of all of the animals and of the parks in general. He took care of everything for me and answered all my questions. Emanuel, my guide for the Kilimanjaro hike to about the halfway point up the mountain, was also great. A very experienced climber, who's been to the summit many times, he was very knowledgeable about the flora and fauna along the trail, and he kept to my pace. I plan to return in the future and will definitely be using Duma Explorer / Alika Africa again. I highly recommend!