20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing discovery
This safari was organised as part of an overland tour. The safari operator Oti had everything organised and made us feel extremely safe. We did a 3/4 day tour of Lake Nakuru and Masai Mara. He was very well informed and spoke excellent english. We managed to get upclose to 4 of the big 5. Even though we were camping, we were still very comfortable. Meals were all provided.
Since that trip my friend has been back for another tour and I intend to do the same in the near future. All in all we had a fantastic time and can't recommend this tour enough!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was a joy to experience the wildlife, culture and spaciousness of Tanzania on our EASTCO safari.
My husband and I traveled on a 12 day custom safari with EASTCO in Oct/Nov 2013. We were very happy with all aspects of the trip. We had a wonderful time with our driver James. He really made the trip a memorable experience for us. We started our safari at Lake Victoria and visited the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, Tarangire, and Arusha Park. We stayed in a mixture of tented camps and lodges and were pleased with all of them especially the camp in the Serengeti and Boundary Hill in Tarangire. We saw so much; a lion kill a zebra, an abundance of cats, lion cubs playing, a rare sighting of a caracal, so many monkeys, herds of elephants , and so much more. We also had some very interesting cultural visits; a fishing village on Lake Victoria, a Maasai boma, and a school. Overall, it was a very great experience, James and everyone at EASTCO gave us a wonderful trip that we will never forget
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A magical safari with EASTCO.
We went on our first safari with EASTCO in February 2013 and had a magical time! We spent 16 days visiting the north of Tanzania (Speke Bay, Serengeti, Ndutu, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire, Babati, and Mkomazi). During our trip we visited some off-the-beaten-path areas along the Northern circuit which was one of our desires. The trip was 18 months in the planning with Simon and a lifelong dream trip. The trip had a lot of expectations, hopes and dreams built into it.
Simon's communication was top notch. He answered the many questions I posed and more. Communication is very important to us in our travels. Simon checked that box with ease.
Our guide, Ezekiel, was fantastic. He was a wonderful fit for us and just made the trip. A guide is so important in a trip like this.
Our camps and lodgings were perfect for us. We stayed in a mixture of: EASTCO's private camp, Boundary Hill Lodge (which is owned by EASTCO), lodges and guest houses, all helping to make the trip comfortable, fun and interesting.
Our itinerary was so nice and balanced. It gave us a mix of wildlife, scenery and culture, all of which we hoped to see and experience. Another box checked by Simon.
We saw and experienced more than we could have imagined on our safari. We saw the migration in the Nudtu area, spent days in the Serengeti and nights looking at the beautiful blackness and stars of the African night sky, visited the Kolo cave paintings near Babati, went canoeing on Lake Babati, visited a masai boma, went on a couple of walking tours, did a fantastic night drive, saw so many animals, and met interesting people.
EASTCO met each and every desire, hope and expectation we had and more. Many thanks to Simon, our guide Ezekiel and all of EASTCO. It was absolutely the trip-of-a-lifetime!
We had such a great time on this trip that we have another safari planned with EASTCO in July 2014. Can't wait to experience the southern parks of Tanzania!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
12 day safari to Serengeti, Ngorongoro & Tarangire
We wrote off to half a dozen companies, most of whom came back within a couple of days, however, Simon at EASTCO seemed to have a more professional approach and the accompanying explanatory documentation was extremely helpful and just what we were looking for. Although his was probably the most expensive, we preferred his suggestion of starting in Mwanza rather than Arusha. For the first week we stayed in ‘special’ campsites which means that you take in everything you need – water, food, dig your own loo and a much more basic way of living. A bit more expensive than staying in public campsites but so much nicer. We also stayed in a couple of beautiful lodges during the second week - Boundary Hill in Tarangire was one of the most stunning places I've ever stayed in. In terms of equipment, the tents could do with a bit of repair and the Landrover was old but serviceable but it wasn’t an issue for us. We stopped a few times to help the newer Landcruisers who had broken down but our Landrover drove through anything and, to be honest, in wet season you would need this type of vehicle to access some of the places we went to. Tanzanian people are the loveliest, friendliest ever. I felt incredibly safe and everybody we met was helpful and courteous. Our guide, Cosmos, was absolutely superb and I cannot speak highly enough of him – cheerful and hugely knowledgeable. EASTCO is a good organisation and I would certainly recommend them and use them again. All accommodation was well organised and any minor issues were sorted out very quickly.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent Safari with Eastco exceeded our expectations
16 Day Nairobi-Arusha-Mwanza with Eastco
Here are some extracts from the diary of our Trip to Tanzania with East African Safari and Touring Company. The trip far exceeded our expectations and was indeed faultless in planning and execution. I would contact Eastco if going on a Tanzanian Safari.
We flew from Melbourne to Dubai on Emirates and after a layover and shower at the airport, we flew onto Nairobi. Our first sights and sounds of Africa were amazing,we were picked up by our Eastco driver and taken to our overnight accommodation. The Silver Springs Hotel. The road to the hotel showed us what Africa was like, people everywhere,cars everywhere,the houses and buildings were far better than I expected and we were surprised to find everybody extremely well dressed and speaking excellent English. The hotel was not fancy but adequate with a buffet style dinner. The beer was cold,so what more could you ask. We didn't leave the hotel that night and went to bed with the sounds of Nairobi ringing in our ears.
After an early breakfast we caught the 7:30 am shuttle to Arusha. This showed us our first sight of African countryside and the Maasai, bright red and blue clothes, sheets they looked like but later we learned they were Shukas. Nothing like Australia. At the border post we completed the formalities slowly, there was quite a rush with a queue waiting to go to Tanzania. We were not asked for our yellow fever books but paid the visa in nice new crisp $50 bills. ( pre warned by Simon).
Now Tanzania, it was a beautiful midday, blue skies and Maasai cattle with sheep and goats scattered along the way. The first real highlight of the trip was seeing Mt. Kilimanjaro off to the left,rising in all its majesty above the plains. Everywhere was green and lush and there were water holes and pools dotting the plains. We had already seen our first wild giraffe and in the distance gazelles. We were so excited it was like Disneyland and we were the kids.In front we could see Mt. Meru, getting larger and larger as we drew closer. What a picture with two mountains rising above the African landscape.
Mt. Meru looked high, cold and rugged as we got closer we realized that Arusha nestled in its foothills.
Our first view of Arusha was traffic, cars and 4 x 4's everywhere. There were people everywhere.The buildings in Tanzania were not as fancy as those we had seen in Kenya but you could still see plenty of new two story houses behind high brick fences. There obviously was a lot of money around.
After arriving in Arusha we were met by our guide William who was to be with us until Mwanza. William packed our two bags in the bag of the land Rover and off we went to meet Simon at his house. This was a visit we were looking forward to after reading so much on the African forums.
The Land Rover was not new but spotlessly clean and very comfortable. During our safari we saw many 4x4's mostly they were Toyotas and a few land Rovers. We didn't see too many new vehicles. William told us that the company liked land Rovers because they were more comfortable than a Toyota on the dirt and pot holed roads. They were also easy to repair.
We met Simon at his house we sat on the front verandah of a large oldish brick house. We paid the balance of our safari and over coffee we talked a bit. We wouldn't see Simon again so made the most of it. The yard was full of old Acacia trees and there were birds everywhere. He said he didn't like to cut his grass because of the seeds which in turn attracted the birds. It did look a bit like a jungle.
We were headed to Tarangire to Boundary Hill Lodge for our first taste of a real safari and our first night.
By the time we left Simon and drove to a supermarket on the way to load up with a few after dinner drinks and biscuits William told us we would be late and would arrive at the lodge after dark.
The first hour was tarmac and then the next 40 minutes was a dirt track. It was dark by the time William pointed out Tarangire Treetops as we passed and then we stopped a bit further on and he showed us the lights of Boundary Hill in the distance. We arrived at the lodge and were met with a cold juice by two tall Maasai men. We were to learn there names later. They walked us to our room where we would spend the next three days. The room had a down stairs bathroom with a large King sized bed in the main room.
We settled in and after a shower and drink were escorted to dinner. Three courses served with candles and kerosine lamps. There was a large open fire burning on the verandah. We couldn't see much of the view but we looked to be on a very high bluff.
The dinner was great and the leek soup especially tasty. After dinner we were again escorted back to our room by the Maasai guards. What a first day and what a place to begin the trip of a lifetime.
We awoke to a second day of Safari, it was a beautiful clear morning and after the rain that had fallen overnight we wondered how we would reach the Maasai villages today.
From our bed we could see Kilimanjaro in the distance, walking on to the verandah gave a beautiful view of the valley below and sunning on the rocks were many hyraxes. Coffee arrived at 7:00 and we then asked for breakfast in our room with a message sent to William take your time. Elephants could be seen eating below.
Our showers were hot and more enjoyable because of the view. If you can imagine a loo with a better view, you probably haven’t seen this one.
After breakfast we did venture out and went looking for our walking guide. We had agreed to go on a short bush walk. The road was dirt with puddles of water everywhere. Accompanied by two Maasai askaris we set off. To cut a long story short the exercise was good. The conversation limited but fun and the small things we did see made it worth while. No elephants or lions up close.
A highlight was the often long lines of soldier ants and the birds which we saw mostly from a distance. Even after that heavy rain it was quite warm and clear.
Our guide Loishoi did point out the many footprints of the earlier visitors, jackals, antelope, but not much else. We had expected to see the leopard from the night game drive the night before but didn’t.
Baobabs were not everywhere but on the road below the lodge bordering the stream and water holes we did see many. We decided pretty quickly that we had experienced enough and asked to head back. We wanted to talk to William and change our plan to go into the park again in the afternoon and do the Maasai village visits tomorrow on the way to Ol Tukai. Loshoi had told us that the road to his village was pretty wet and we might get stuck.
After lunch we headed off with William, the intention being to see as many elephants as possible.
We again turned left in front of the lodge and followed the road along the side of the swamps. Here we could see small groups of female elephants with babies of all sizes. There were small water holes everywhere and on the right side of the road it was one swamp and wetland. William did say this was one of the migration routes and the elephants would be here till the water dried up.
The elephants were everywhere eating in the swamps and pulling up really large tufts of grass. We spent an hour and half in this area it was pretty relaxing as we were the only vehicle.
We then headed into the park proper, we had to show our permits again and William either signed us in or out but it didn’t seem to matter.
The drive to the Tarangire River took 20 minutes and was a bit boring but once there, we again had plenty of bird activity with yellow collared lovebirds seemingly everywhere and pretty noisy. We saw a few Impala herds and older male elephants resting under the baobabs. The Tarangire River was pretty full and many of the tracks flooded over and muddy holes everywhere. We had to keep to higher ground but still got a good idea of what Tarangire in the rainy season was all about. It was wet.
As we were driving we saw a few large lizards on the rocks near one of the bridges but no luck for a python. Lions, we didn’t see one the whole time we were in Tarangire, but ticked off a lot of birds. In the late evening we drove back , all in all the day had been relaxing and an excellent way to start a long safari. Birds, elephants and then baobabs.
We were not going on a night game drive again but did plan to meet William for dinner. After retiring to our room,which was a bit more than that, we again sat on the verandah and looked at the elephants and a few giraffe below.
Boundary Hill Lodge is set in a beautiful location overlooking the valley and park below. It was one of the best lodges we have stayed in. Well worth it.
Dinner that night was full of Williams' safari stories, he also told us about his wife and children and working for Eastco. We retired early as tomorrow we were heading on another adventure Manyara and Ol Tukai.
Day 3: After breakfast and a farewell to the staff we headed back on the road we had used the first day. Across a very wet sand river towards the plains. Apparently we were on the road only used in the rainy season. We saw a few zebra in the distance but not many other animals.
We had agreed to stop at a school on the way which Eastco supported. Before getting to this school however we asked William why he was slowing down to avoid all the pot holes on the road. He said the water was used by the local Masai villages and they would be collecting it. It did seem pretty dirty. A bit further on we saw very young children running from the road when the saw us approaching leaving behind water buckets and 20 litre containers. We stopped and pretty soon the women and children came back, and after introductions by William, we were able to watch.
The water is scooped up with a bowl and then put into a bucket or 20 litre water containers. The water container was then carried on the head of the girls back to their hut. And emptied into 200 litre old oil or petrol drums or in some cases plastic water tanks. The water is used for washing clothes and for cooking. After asking a few questions we did learn that for chai (tea) it is boiled first. I still wondered if it would taste muddy. The women told us via William that they had no taps and the main water source was an underground pump, installed by Eastco as it turned out, but was 2 kms away.
We were able to go into the huts and the first thing we noticed even though the floor was dirt it was still clean and we were told it was swept every day, sometimes more often. The huts were pretty simple and had a thatch roof with earthen fire in the middle. The tribal elder or husband had a shed built out of mud bricks with a tin roof. The hut was two rooms and William told us it was a bit of a status symbol to have a house with corrugated iron sheets on the roof.
We had not visited the school yet but felt we did learn more about Tanzanian rural village life than most would.
We passed quickly by the school and gave to the head teacher some pens and exercise books we had bought, even though the children had pens they liked the ones we had as they were all different colors and sizes, not your normal local pen or pencil all the children had. The head teacher pointed out the new doors and windows that were being put in and did tell us that Naitolia camp owned by Eastco was supporting the school through what he termed bed nights. William did explain to us that the village received $ 20 per night for every client that slept there.
The village secretary a young women who we found at the school asked us for a lift to the main road and we welcomed the chance to talk to her. She spoke almost perfect English so we were able to talk without William interpreting. It was fun to hear about her life in a Maasai, male dominated community and being a women village secretary. She told us that half the village committee were women and many women occupied all levels of local government. That half hour taught us a lot about Tanzania.
We dropped her off at the main road and then we headed towards Manyara and Ol Tukai. We couldn’t wait as we had heard so little about Eastco’s new camp. As we got closer we could see the lake, visible below the escarpment with the sun turning the clouds orange in the sky.
It had obviously rained a lot recently, the car slipping and sliding over the black mud, and eventually William stopped so the last 20 minutes or so to the camp we walked with the local Masai carrying our bags, a line of chanting red clad Masai walking through the mud towards the acacias and along the lake shore in the setting sun, it was so surreal, so very African. In the distance we could see flamingos, a streak of pink across the horizon, as we came closer to the camp we knew it was going to be one of those memorable experiences and it was.
Ol Tukai the room, beautiful in its simplicity, king size bed, the view over the lake, the flamingos, zebras along the lake shore, the staff, all were fantastic. So private, so remote and so different to anywhere we had experienced. A sky filled with a million stars, some seemingly so close it was is if we were amongst the heavens. I think we were.
What was unique here was that the kitchen was part of the dining room, the meals being prepared by Nashoo and Isaiah as we watched, the smell of fresh bread being baked in the large open oven and the view across the lake towards the escarpment with the sun sinking below the mountains.
Our first night at O'l Tukai gave us a taste of the rainy season here. After an excellent home cooked meal in the brass lantern lit dining area, we crawled into our King sized bed, pulled the duvet up to our noses and watched as mother nature did her tricks.Every second the sky seemed to be lit with brilliance, the rift escarpment on the far side of the lake silhouetted with flashes of lightening. Thunder of course. I think we were lucky as we could imagine some parts of the valley must have been getting drenched.
As we enjoy our summer at home and the Xmas break the visions of the lake seem like we were only there yesterday.
We awoke to a earth washed clean, the sky crystal clear so early in the morning with pools of water stretching towards the lake shore. With the rising sun behind the camp every detail of the escarpment was a highlight. Gone were the herds of Zebra and wildebeest, gone were the giraffe, these were replaced by small herds of Thomson gazelle and nearer to the forest line were Grant's gazelle. Flamingo's spread out along the far lake shore, with pelicans and the odd flamingo or two scattered along our side of the lake shore.
When our morning coffee was delivered we asked John. our Masai guide, where the Zebras had gone.
He told us that during the nights, the zebras and wildebeest leave the lake and head towards the grass plains behind Ol'Tukai, nearer the Masai bomas. he did mention that during the rainy season this did attract lions to the bomas. I am glad he didn't mention that as were walking to the camp last night.
We were headed for a walk after breakfast but would start after the water drained a little. After a hot shower we headed off to breakfast, on the way we saw two African hares with the male jumping almost a meter off the ground.We were completely ignored.
Breakfast was fruit and what I would call a full English breakfast.
Our walk took us along the flood plains, herds of gazelle were jumping out of the way even before we got close. Today was the day for water birds, Gull-billed terns in their thousands wheeling overhead as we came closer to their roosting spots, grey-headed gulls, pelicans, cormorants, flamingos, stilts, plovers and avocets.
Although with the clinging mud, each step added a kilo or two to our progress but the birds were always a distance presence.
John told us that before Ol'Tukai was built this area was a hunting haunt for mzungus living in Arusha, Quail being the bird of choice.
He also told us that previously the lake used to be full of dugout canoes fishing, and fishing camps would be built along the lake shore. The fishing camps were a major headache for the village leaders as they would chop down trees for firewood and leave plastic bags everywhere.
Ol'Tukai being there has now stopped this poaching.
We walked back to the camp via one of the family bomas Johns sister and mother were at home and we were given the royal tour, the chance to try some sour milk and maize , loshoro, I hope spelled correctly.We only tasted it but did sit in the dark smoke filled hut.
We had a late lunch and an afternoon nap followed by a very nice dinner.
After dinner we were offered a very special treat a night walk with our Masai guards and two very powerful torches. This was something special and eerie as we set off. Our main concern was not to step in holes which were every two or three meters. We managed to see some spring hares, a mongoose of some sort, a large barn owl and some night jars. We heard hyenas in the distance.We were never very far from the lodge and were always in the open.
Apparently John and his Masai guards had already checked the area out while were were having dinner, they new what to expect the walk was a treat.
The above is only part of our safari. We also visited Ngorongoro Crater and stayed in Eastco'c camp in the Serengeti before heading to Mbalageti and lake Victoria.
All in all it was a memorable experience and I hope the above gives you an insight as to what a safari can show and be apart from the beautiful wildlife of course.
Our walk took us along the flood plains, herds of gazelle were jumping out of the way even before we got close. Today was the day for water birds, Gull-billed terns in their thousands wheeling overhead as we came closer to their roosting spots, grey-headed gulls, pelicans, cormorants, flamingos, stilts, plovers and avocets.
Although with the clinging mud, each step added a kilo or two to our progress but the birds were always a distance presence.
John told us that before Ol'Tukai was built this area was a hunting haunt for mzungus living in Arusha, Quail being the bird of choice.
He also told us that previously the lake used to be full of dugout canoes fishing, and fishing camps would be built along the lake shore. The fishing camps were a major headache for the village leaders as they would chop down trees for firewood and leave plastic bags everywhere.
Ol'Tukai being there has now stopped this poaching.
We walked back to the camp via one of the family bomas Johns sister and mother were at home and we were given the royal tour, the chance to try some sour milk and maize , loshoro, I hope spelled correctly.We only tasted it but did sit in the dark smoke filled hut.
We had a late lunch and an afternoon nap followed by a very nice dinner.
After dinner we were offered a very special treat a night walk with our Masai guards and two very powerful torches. This was something special and eerie as we set off. Our main concern was not to step in holes which were every two or three meters. We managed to see some spring hares, a mongoose of some sort, a large barn owl and some night jars. We heard hyenas in the distance.We were never very far from the lodge and were always in the open.
Apparently John and his Masai guards had already checked the area out while were were having dinner, they new what to expect the walk was a treat.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well organised Safari
This was our first Safari and it was a nerve wrecking experience to book something suitable within our budget. The booking procedure by Safarihub was very straight forward and their assistance in tailor making a Safari was second to none. Our tour driver was very friendly and we thoroughly enjoyed what the Tanzanian National parks have to offer. We look forward to booking our second Safari in the not so distant future.
CH
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great experience!
Thanks to Migunga Adventures Tours & Safari, our trip to Kilimanjaro and the safari tour afterwards were an unforgettable experience!
Upon our arrival, we were greeted very warmly by Sylvester Migunga and his team and enjoyed their personal assistance throughout the whole trip. Everything was perfectly organized and could not have worked out better.
We highly recommend the services of Migunga Advetures & Safaris and would certainly book our next adventure with Sylvester again!
SE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Highly recommended...
My husband and I made enquires with Achmed at Base Camp Tanzania three months prior to departing on our safari. I chose Base Camp Tanzania for their price and also experience - from several positive reviews and also having been in business since 1997. Email responses from Achmed were usually within 24 hours. My husband and I did the "8 Day Camping Safari", with a requested change to the recommended itinerary (excluding Hadzapi bushmen and Dagota Tribe visits, instead visiting Ndutu in Ngorongoro Conservation Area) easily done. Additionally, Achmed organised 3 nights extra accommodation at L'Oasis Lodge with half-board (breakfast and dinner, not lunch) with ease - we paid for lunch separately, factoring this into our budget, also including alcohol (Safari beers 500ml are about USD$2.50 each) and tips for the driver, cook and any additional guided tours not included in our safari.
The initial 30% payable-upon-booking deposit was via Wire Transfer, with a scanned copy of our transfer transaction emailed to Achmed. The transfer was confirmed very quickly, with Achmed emailing a receipt of the transfer. The final balance, paid 2 months prior to the safari departure date, was also problem free.
We opted to pay the visa-on-arrival, standing in a fast-moving, lengthy queue at Kilimanjaro. A driver was waiting for us at the airport and drove us the 1 hour drive to L'Oasis Lodge, Arusha. We unfortunately did not carry small USD amounts at this time for tipping the driver or porters at the Lodge. After a day of relaxing by the pool, Achmed met us in the evening prior to our safari to discuss our itinerary. I felt calm, reassured and really excited.
Our safari was awesome! Emmanuel was our driver - experienced, informative (just the right amount), professional yet relaxed, wanting to give us a great experience - he is a fantastic guide. Zacharea was our cook - the food was plentiful, varied and tasty, and considering I have a food allergy (mentioned at the time of booking), I was extremely well fed, and I had absolutely no problems. There was always heaps of bottled water available. The large 4WD with pop-up-top was more than suitable for us (and would be comfortable for up to 4 people) and there were 2 multi-adapter power-points in the vehicle for charging devices. The tent was adequate for 2 people, and bedding was a 5cm (2") thick foam mattress each, so was quite firm to sleep on (I'd recommend taking your own camping foam-roll mattress or perhaps considering the luxury camping option if this basic style is not suitable for your body).
The camping sites were all different - fenced or not fenced, most with warm showers, and squat or western toilets. The list of "Things to bring" from the website was helpful, but don't forget: a sleeping bag, bath towel, body wipes (if you won't take a cold shower), and tissues (not all toilets have paper). Also, stinging flies are attracted to black and white, so neutral coloured clothing is recommended.
I admit that I had low expectations of seeing the wildlife, simply to avoid my own disappointment. I was super happy with my experience, completely satisfied. I feel Base Camp Tanzania really wants their customers to go away very pleased with their safari, and endeavour to provided the best possible experience. Emmanuel was also happy to stop at our request (where practical) for placement of us to the animal/s with consideration to lighting/shadow for photographs. He was great at spotting wildlife, and getting ourselves and assisting others out of a jam (quick-passing, down-pouring storms made the roads slippery, very boggy and created pools everywhere).
I have heard/read several people say that African safaris are expensive. I feel what we paid for our 12 night holiday/8 day camping safari was worth the money for us (if perhaps compared to self-drive) - no time/effort wasted on driving and navigation but completely focused on wildlife spotting, knowledge of the local areas and roads, less risk of getting stuck/bogged if experienced in the driving conditions, answering questions and providing interesting information, access to communicate with other drivers to find out where the wildlife has been spotted, all meals prepared for us, and tent/bedding prepared for us. All airport transfers (Kilimanjaro-Arusha-Kilimanjaro) were also included in the cost of the safari, even thought we didn't start our safari immediately, and also had "rest-days" afterwards.
Achmed met us upon returning from our safari for a chat about our experience (and perhaps to listen to any recommendations, although I had none). I am so very happy with my Tanzanian safari experience and have no hesitation in recommending Base Camp Tanzania.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic safari experience
Joe is a very professional, reliable and friendly guide. He is passionate about safari and was dedicated to showing us the best experience possible.
Joe is very experienced in the parks and with animal behaviour. We found so many animals including all the big five, three lion hunts from ten prides of lions (one large pride very close up), feeding vultures and hyena and jackals, stampeding wildebeest on migration, hilarious baboons, rhino, hippos, leopard, buffalo, giraffe and loads of elephant families (very up close to one particular elephant) and much more.
We went on the five day safari mid-range package, which from my research, was the best value of the mid-range offers. All the accommodation he uses is fantastic, especially the Angata tented lodge in the Serengeti.
Joe worked very hard and went out of his way to make sure we had a fantastic week on safari (even giving us a Swahili song around the campfire). I'd highly recommend Asili Explorer. Asili Explorer is Joe's company and only a few years old. He is always working hard to improve it. The only improvement I suggested to him has to do with the initial payment process (so nothing to do with safari). I believe he is looking into that, so maybe no longer an issue for future customers.
AT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Professional and experienced safari guiding
Without much prior information except for some email exchanges with Paul, we decided to book our 6-days safari tour with Tanzania Roadside expeditions because of their flexibility to accommodate our exact wishes (we are a family of four with two teenage sons and hence different interests and wishes...) and at a reasonable price. The tour company choice turned out to be a lucky strike. Being driven and guided around for six days by James was a pure pleasure. Our trip included the national parks of Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Serengeti and Lake Manyara with one night in KatiKati tent camp in Serengeti. We saw all animals one can wish for including two leopards, three cheetahs and one serval cat. We also made a day tour to Lake Eyasi where we visited the Hazebe tribe -which we would really recommend as it is an extraordinary experience!
Our driver and guide James turned out to be an extremely dedicated and experienced tour guide and a very pleasant person to travel with. If requested, he will share a wealth of knowledge about Tanzanian nature and society and our journey to Tanzania would not have been at all as memorable had we not met and gotten to know James.
Being very pleased with the six-days safari, we decided to let Tanzania Roadside Expeditions also arrange guided tours in Zanzibar for us and one day of trekking on Kilimanjaro. These arrangements also worked out very well. We would without hesitation recommend James and Tanzania Roadside Expeditions to anyone looking for a memorable visit to Tanzania!