20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Unforgettable life time experience!!!
We have just returned from our 12 days safari to Tanzania with Gilmag Safaris. Based on the experience we had, I honestly recommend this company to anyone considering taking such a trip. From our first inquiry, Mary was very helpful and suggested the most suitable itinerary. On arrival, we were given very useful tips during briefing. Our guide, Kessy was extraordinarily helpful. We saw all the big 5 including the ugly 5. Gilmag privided an incredible adventure with some luxury to boot. We feel very lucky to have found Gilmag when we were searching safari outfits. I would certainly recommend Gilmag Safaris for a visit to Tanzania.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent
Our safari was well organized, we had communication on the itinerary and advise on what to wear and bring well in advanced. The Company was able to manage our group and was happy to tailor our trip to our needs. Overall the service from the company and our guide, Simon, was exceptional.
SE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Exceptional Service Delivery
My wife and I had the best wildlife experience. It was our first African safaris and we booked with Arlanda Tours and Travel. Every thing was well organized from the start to the end, our guide Najib was very knowledgeable, very understanding, he made our trip memorable. Am looking forward to a much longer safari to Uganda and ofcourse I will use the services of Arlanda Tours and Travel, their services are exceptional. Thank you for creating everlasting memories.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great Kilimanjaro Trek
We just returned from doing the 6 day Kilimanjaro Marangu route with Kilimanjaro Wonders Expeditions Safari Africa and it has just been amazing! From our first contact I knew I was dealing with real professionals who take their work very seriously. We received very comprehensive information about the various routes; costs, level of difficulty, number of days to the summit. When we eventually zeroed in on the Marangu route the payment process went without a hitch and we received more information on the packing requirements, visas/vaccinations and other related travel information.
The eventual trek was just amazing; we were met at the Namanga border point as we were coming from a Kenyan Safari and taken to the lovely Kilicottages in Moshi. The following morning we were met our guides, porters and cook and embarked on the climb. The climb started off easily but got strenuous and difficult as we got higher and by the 5th day when we reaching the summit we could hardly put one leg forward. However thanks to the encouragement and extra care taken by the climbing party team we eventually reached the summit.
I have special thanks for the lead guide Joseph with his guides (Edward, Goodluck and Shabaan) who took excellent care of us, closely checking on our vitals. He also made sure that we had great food and lots of coffee during all the time.
We were very impressed and we have already made arrangement to return in November for a Safari and Zanzibar Holiday with this company.
Five stars for this company are not enough!!!
ES
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A disappointing experience
This is in response to the reply from Orongai to a review made by Jose Luis Garcia, in relation to our recent (and disappointing) safari to northern Tanzania under this company.
To accuse unsatisfied clients (who, even dissatisfied, paid for the service and left a substantial tip) of being racist is a vile deed and shows a surprising awkwardness. Orongai does not seem to have heard about Quality Management procedures, a set of work guidelines that are mandatory in the operation of any company providing services or selling products (in Africa, Europe or wherever...), and whose ultimate goal is the achievement of customer satisfaction. I would appreciate to know what is the quality policy of this company, in case it has something slightly similar...
When in a respectable business a complaint is received from a client, the first thing that has to be done is an investigation of the claim´s cause. Then, an internal process is initiated in which corrective and preventive measures are implemented, and finally a convincing explanation (together with a compensation if necessary) is offered to the customer. What is never done is to accuse the client of falsehood or discrimination in his dealings with the company. And this is exactly what Orongai has done with us. Orongai must be able to recognize that, at least, in the agreement he signed with us there was a lack of transparency and an extremely poor information management.
It is not worth commenting on the words that Orongai claims to have heard from some members of our group. They are as false as saying that the ITAKA SAFARIS manager proclaimed himself Ambassador of Spain (amazing observation !!)... It is convenient that the members of Orongai dedicate some time to improve their Spanish skills (and maybe also their English ones...).
Orongai demonstrates an immense arrogance in his dealings with clients, and this is something that can easily be deduced from previous claims to this company which still circulate on internet. The difference is that, while other customers ended up accepting Orongai's last-minute impositions (however unjustified they may be), we demanded an explanation and requested the mediation of an external agent (ITAKA´s manager), simply with the legitimate goal of clarifying the situation. And this point, which is an inalienable right of anyone who pays for a product or service, seemed to infinitely offend Orongai. If I am white and you are black, and I intend to exercise my legitimate rights, does it follows that I am a racist? Orongai should seriously think about it...
Finally, Orongai´s proposal of offering a 15% discount to new clients as a sign of generosity and professionalism, it is nothing more than an outdated and clumsy way of terminating a dispute, and it presupposes the tacit acknowledgment that a customer who placed his trust in Orongai has been unfairly treated.
Other Tanzanian safari operators, as well as national organizations of tour operators and agencies dedicated to tourism and the dissemination of the extraordinary natural values of Tanzania, should take good note of the behavior of Orongai.
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Sam showed us the beauty of the bush of Botswana.
Sam made this trip unforgettable. His tracking skill are not of this world. His knowledge about all the animals and plants is endless. And he is fun to be around, an amazing travelbuddy.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The experience was fantastic. The tour guides are so good. We moved with Jibby and is incredible.
Everything is perfect. I recommend people to use Arlanda Tours and Travel they won't regret.
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Terrible tour operator. We were threatened during our tour!
First of all I would like to make clear that our guide Simon Yuma was incredible and really made our safari an unforgettable experience! THANK YOU SIMON. YOU ARE AN AMAZING PERSON!
Simon has an amazing knowledge about animals and is able to anticipate their behaviour. We saw so many animals super close, which other groups didn’t. I can highly recommend him and I hope that he will find a better employer in the future and here is why:
The company, which was recommended to us, AFRIKA KUKAYE, seemed small but legit. We actually wanted to book with a smaller company then with a big operator.
We heard many times that on group tours people from different companies were just put together in the same car and everyone having a different itinerary. We said to Remsi that we did NOT want to do it this way. Communication went well and we WERE ASSURED by the owner Remsi Sungwa that we would definitively go with this company.
So far - so good. He confirmed everything. However, 1 day before our Safari was supposed to start, and of course AFTER WE PAYED, he told us that we would be going with another company from his „long term and highly trusted business colleague DAVID MARO owner of KILI SLOPE.
This led us to be already suspicious. On the day of the Safari our cook had to leave the car, because we were getting a 7th person in the car due to an „emergency“ they said. I would rather attribute this to their inability to properly organize a tour.
On the first evening of our Safari we talked to the persons in our group. It turns out that EVERYBODY BOOKED WITH A DIFFERENT OPERATOR AND EVERBODY HAD A DIFFENTENT ITINERARY AND PAYED A DIFFRENT PRICE. Nobody actually booked with Kili Slope.
Furthermore most of us were promised 3 full days in Serengeti National Park. During this evening we were told that it would ONLY BE 48h because that’s the way the permits in the park work. THIS IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE ON HOW THESE TOUR OPERATORS CHEAT THEIR CLIENTS.
Long story shot: Everyone was very angry this evening. I contacted my „agent“ complaining about this. I was assured that everything will be fine an that I just should enjoy my time.
Next day the 7th person who was squeezed in our car had to wait for another group from Arusha in order to join them. We felt really sorry for him, because he HAD TO WAIT IN THE CAMP INSTEAD OF ENJOYING HIS SAFARI DUE TO DISORGANIZATION of his tour operator. This made us even more suspicious, because we had an excursion to Lake Manyara on the last day of our itinerary (actually this was supposed to be on our 2nd day, but who cares for the itinerary, right???) and 3 persons in our group did not. One girl had lake Manyara in her itinerary but apparently she was not going to see it because she only booked 5 days Safari and was going back to Arusha with the rest oft he group
Next day we got a call from the owner of Kili Slope Tours Mr DAVID MARO the long trusted business partner of RAMSI SUNWA from AFRIKA KUKAYE:
! Please read this carefully. We have travelled many counties and have been on many tours but this was: the Mount Everest of REALLY BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE!!
MR DAVID MARO HEAVYL THREATEND ME AND MY GIRLFRIEND VIA THE PHONE. WE WERE REALLY SCARED AND MY GIRLDFRIEND WAS EVEN AFRAID HE WOULD SEND PEOPLE TO BEAT US UP! THIS IS HOW HE SPOKE TO US!
WE WERE INSTRUCTED NOT TO SPEAK TO THE OTHER PEOPLE IN OUR CAR ABOUT ITINERARIES AND THAT WE HAVE KEEP YOUR quote: „MOUTHS SHUT AND NOT TO COMPLAIN ANYMORE!“
FURTHERMORE HE THREATENED US THAT HE WILL SEND A CAR AND TAKE US BACK TO ARUSHA (I GUESS WITHOUT ANY TYPE A REFUND)
I can only advise everyone who reads this to stay away from Afrika Kukaye and Kili Slope Tours. These guys will treat you like cattle and only want your money. They give a sh*** about you. They do not have the slightest customer service thoughts and will even threaten you if you complain!
We did our Safari in February 2019 but, to be honest, we first wanted to be out of East Africa before we publish this review. We know that these Tour Operator have a network in East Africa and at that time we were still afraid of consequences posting a negative review about them.
I guess this shows every reader how strong the threat to us felt.
So please, do not book with these people!!
CA
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wow! It can't get any better than Gosheni!
My husband, myself and his two sisters thoroughly enjoyed our 8-night 'Migration Safari during Calving' with Gosheni. Our emails were always answered promptly, our safari patiently tailored to our changing requests by Peter and his staff, and payments easy. We were met at the airport by our guide, Gabriel. He had waited hours for our delayed arrival but we soon learned TIA - This Is Africa. However, a late flight was the only glitch and nothing to do with Gosheni. We chose the mid-luxury option as we wanted en suites, but it felt like we were in luxury. The tents and lodges were all very comfortable, and though we were in the middle of the Serengeti, we felt very safe. And spoiled by the attentive service and excellent food and beverages, at each tented lodge or lodge. The highlight of our safari, of course, had to be our guide Gabriel (who looks uncannily like Denzel Washington!). Gabriel was experienced, knowledgable, friendly, funny and a good driver! He seemed to have a sixth sense for spotting wildlife - we saw so much from a lion carrying her cubs to wildebeest calving to a cheetah kill. We saw all of the Big 5 (even the Big 12), and dozens more species, some so close to the Landcruiser our iPhones even took good photos! Gabriel even had us singing ' Jambo...Jambo Bwana...' We were very glad we chose a local company and supported the local economy. So Kudos to Gosheni and especially Gabriel for making our Tanzanian safari so incredible.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Tarangire National Park by Michelle Papa
Tarangire National Park is very well landscaped and beautiful. It's not as wild as the plains of the Serengeti or as jungle-like as the Ngorongoro Crater. The Tarangire almost feels like an amusement park zoo but don't let that stop you from visiting! There are plenty of animals to be seen and it feels like it's a nice way to break you in before going on a real safari!