Trans Kibo Travels
- Office In:
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 1987)
- Member Of:
- TATO, KIATO & KPA
- Tour Types:
- Customizable private tours and fixed group tours
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $190 to $1,020 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
DE
Email Peter Johannes Klein | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Did not fullfill our expectations and what we have booked
We were 2 persons and booked 3 days hiking Mt. Meru and 4 days safari for approx. USD 1500 each person.
Every day we had discussions with the guides or persons who conducted the tours. They wanted too high tips for average or under average services. We had acrid discussions about the tips.
In our mentally and physically worst moment on Mt. Meru on the summit day when we slept only 3 hours, climbed 1300 vertical meters up to 4500m and 1300 down, had still another 2000 vertical meters down towards us and BEFORE we got a meal, they asked us how about the tipping and if we already know their tipping guidelines and if we now could give the tips.
On safari, we booked 2 days Serengeti, 1 day Ngorongoro and 1 Tarangire National Park. The truth is, you only get half of these days because the rest of these days is travel time to the next destination or camping site. Our guide did not explain anything. Just nothing. He just drove the car and did no else "guiding service". But afterwards, he expected a high tip.
Transkibo has subcontracted the whole safari tour, meaning personnel of a different safari company or freelancer conduct the safari guides. But these persons don't have a strong connection to the company we have booked (transkibo) which is why they do not care about providing good services.
The truth is Tanzania is not a backpacking country. The country is spoiled of rich tourists who spent a lot of money to get carried on Kilimandjaro with chairs and portable toilets.
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
True Customer Care and Professional Guides
I booked a 4-weeks tour with Trans Kibo Travels including Kilimanjaro + Mount Meru climbing, safaris and Zanzibar trip.
Despite high constraints on my travel dates, the tour operator managed to organize my trip as per my wishes and within a short delay. I had sent a request for quotes to more than 10 other companies located either in France or Tanzania (Arusha and Moshi). Trans Kibo Travels was the most competitive one in terms of offer and prices. The communications by email were sufficient to plan everything and questions were answered quickly.
From airport arrival in Tanzania to my return in France, all the schedule has been respected, no issue with the transfers. Trans Kibo Travels employees and their manager were available to fix all issues. For instance, they provided me with a warmer sleeping bag (required for Kilimanjaro climbing) and an electric plug adapter, all this for free.
The safaris went fine, we saw all the big animals and the guides were friendly. Food was provided in sufficient quantities and quality was fine.
Concerning the Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru climbing, substantial tips had to be paid in addition to the initial cost. This was expected but it would have been better if this cost could be including in the initial bill for an easier budget management.
In summary, I would say that Trans Kibo Travels is a reliable company which is focused on its customer wishes. I am fully satisfied of the experience lived with them.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The skeleton outline is there... you see animals, but in my opinion the service is pretty bad
So I will start this review with you will see a lot of animals. It has nothing to do with the guides they use really, the route they take never go far off the beaten path and once a guide finds something interesting all the other landcruisers and landrovers will soon be there. Just the same, by going to these areas you will see some amazing things. I would just advise you use another company. This group incorporates other names, perhaps in an effort to disperse bad reviews around to different groups. MJ safaris is one group that uses or combines with Trans Kibo.
This really regards the service provided by the company. It was a budget safari so initially I chalked up most of what you are about to read as related to that. However, on meeting several other people who took budget tours from Arusha it became very clear the service was sub-par even for a budget tour.
1. Our guide was non-talkative. He did not point out many animals and it took us prompting him to get him to speak. There were other passengers who were rude to him but he did not talk much.
2. The food was the same for four people as it was for two people. We noticed this cause two of us were alone the last day and the food was the same and much more filling. Multiple times we were hungry in between meals those first two days.
3. The big deal was how much we waited. We waited for many hours to enter the park with excuses like our bank is not transferring money, our credit card is not working still. This also applied to leaving one of the campsites. We waited every morning while other tours left. We were regularly the first to arrive in the afternoon and the last to leave in the morning. This amounted to at least 5-6 hours less drive time for a four day tour then other budget operators.
All in all, just really poor service. When a component of your tour is a bank, and they consistently mess up, the answer is not to blame them but find another group who doesn't F-up all the time.
After I contacted my operator and never received any response. So now I'll just recite my story here.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great safari and Kilimanjaro Trek (Machame Route)
I just finished a 6 day climb via the Machame route on Kilimanjaro, and did a 2 day safari beforehand. Thomas from TransKibo organized the whole trip (airport transfers, accommodation, safari, and Kili trek), and did a great job! The guides were very knowledgeable and well equipped, and the food, equipment, etc. was great. I wanted to do this trip on a budget, and TransKibo was very helpful in tailoring the different components to my price range (i.e. accommodation, number of tents, mess tents, etc.). Thanks for the great adventure!
CA
Email Lisa L | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very satisfied with the service!
We booked Kilimanjaro and Safari with Trans Kibo.
A few months ago I started contacting Trans Kibo and other trekking agencies. Thomas is very patient at my emails and all replies are instant. Guides they arranged for climb are professional and helpful. All 5 of us summit. After climb Abraham came to hotel to book safari for us. It was great!
Quote is very competitive and service meets our expectation. I'll recommend Trans Kibo to my friends for sure.
FR
Email Samuel | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Awesome team, Great quality/price ratio
Did the Kilimanjaro climb with TransKibo, amazing trip!
The team is so nice and friendly.
Food is great and guide is very knowledgeable
Price very attractive
Recommended !
CH
Email XY | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Competent, flexible and responsive
Very well organized stay in Tanzania altogether. The Safari was a blast, my girlfriend and I enjoyed it thoroughly. We went on a 4-day tent Safari (and a Kilimanjaro climb, also coordinated by Transkibo) and the car, the food and the guide's skills were all satisfactory.
Transkibo was very quick to respond to email enquiries and also over the phone. All the employees we talked/wrote to used very good English, they also made sure they answer every single question I asked (I often get annoyed by people only answering some of the questions and thinking they're good).
When we decided we would prefer to switch the order of the Safari and Kilimanjaro climb they re-organized without extra cost. The drivers (both the Safari driver-guide and the taxi drivers) they organized were all very competent at their job and delivered us on time when it really mattered or got delayed for reasons that were not their fault.
Whan note in case this comes up with others: We arrived very late in the evening and cash payment of the amount remaining after deposit payment (the standard procedure) would have been inconvenient for the Transkibo employees. Therefore they recommended to pay this outstanding amount using a credit card via the website of MJ Safaris. After some clarification (that this recommendation was not a scam) I did this and it worked alright. It turned out MJ Safaris and Transkibo are sister companies.
FR
Email Stéphanie Ribellino-Mallein | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was a wonderfull experience
Our family lived 2 great trek of Kilimanjaro and safari into national park with the agency Transkibo and one more day to visit Kilimanjaro plantations.
First we communicated with agency about different possibilties of trek and safari (what to do, how to do it, how much, what is included or not, etc.). It was very easy, well explained and very good understanding about our delay to book. Thank you very much for your adaptability.
Once arriving, every thing was very well advised and during the trek and tour all was well organised.
We appreciated a lot information, aid and discussion with the managers who had contributed for us to continue as well as possible our journey in Tanzania.
US
Email Linabel | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Awesoooome!
We did a two day trip at Tarangire and Ngorongoro. It was amazing! Our tour guide was really good and easygoing, he knew many interesting things, you can tell he loves his job. He made good preparations so we could go into the park with no long wait, which we really appreciated. The food was awesome too. It was a great adventure with good people.
CZ
Email Miroslav | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Lemosho rout 8 days and 2 days Safari
Helou,
we did 8 days Lemosho route climb to Kili and 2 days Safari. We were a group of 5. I can say Transkibo has best rate price/performance. We communicated via email, we received every answer, we asked for. They took care of everithing from beginnig to the end. Guides Bariki and Alex are very professional, both have very good english and wide knowlidge about Kilimajaro. Equipment was in a good shape. The best part was food. Their Cook Solomon was a wizard. One of us was vegetarian, no problem for him. We had a weak diarrhea, again no problem for him. He prepared two different dishes. Honestly I can reccomend Transkibo to everybody.