50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Really poor driving. No regard for passenger safety
If you value your life, stay away from this company
FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Terrible organization and program not followed
Unfortunately for us, the expert was very disappointing... particularly regarding the organization, which turned out to be disastrous with the agency manager.
We were informed the day before that the program would be modified. The manager confirmed that the activities would remain the same, only the schedule was changing. We accepted because we trusted her.
On the first day, we set off for a hike around Mount Kilimanjaro, where a guide was supposed to accompany us. A taxi driver arrived to take us, we drove for two hours, and when we asked the driver when the hike was scheduled, he told us there was no guide and no hike. Yet we had paid for it. The manager hadn't informed us.
We told the manager, who, as compensation, promised to take us to see the animal migration in the northern Serengeti the next day. We accepted.
We thought it was probably a mistake, which can happen, that the next day would be better. WRONG!
She told us that the safari guide would be there the next day at 6:00 AM. Except that when we woke up at 4:30 AM, we saw a message from the manager at 12:30 AM, telling us that the guide would actually be there at 7:00 AM... We weren't exactly thrilled, as we could have easily slept another hour, given how tired we were.
So we explained to our guide that, as compensation for the previous day, the agency manager had promised us a day trip to the northern Serengeti to witness the animal migration.
The guide hadn't been informed of the change in schedule, so he called the manager, who told him to proceed with the trip to the northern Serengeti to observe the animal migration. He hung up with her and explained that it was okay for him, we could go, however, it added 10 to 12 hours of extra driving with no guarantee of seeing any attractions.
The manager had assured us that it was close to our hotel and that it wouldn't affect the itinerary.
To put it simply, she lied to us because if we had known it would take a whole day on the road, we wouldn't have accepted this compensation.
So we set off and drove for about 6 hours as planned to reach the Serengeti.
But there, we saw a lot of wild animals, and our guide didn't stop. He continued driving quite fast. We asked him why he wasn't stopping, and he told us we had to go to the hotel because it was far.
So we showed him the agreed-upon itinerary, and he told us he hadn't been informed, that their agency manager hadn't told him there was a safari day on the very first day.
Our guide was very understanding; he even took the time to stop whenever he saw wild animals so we could observe them. As a result, we arrived at the hotel at night, and that's when things started to turn into a nightmare.
We arrived at a sort of base camp in the middle of the savannah. So far, nothing alarming; it was what was planned in the itinerary.
Except that after about 10 hours of driving, we discovered to our dismay that there was no water or electricity there, and our phones were nearly dead.
We tried to contact the manager to request compensation, but we haven't received a response since.
The next day, our guide told us he had spoken to the manager and that we would receive compensation equal to half the price, and that we would go to the camp that evening to get water and electricity.
We arrived at the camp and found a tent to sleep in, and one shower for 50 people (see photos).
Our guide told us the manager would be waiting for us at 4:00 PM at Arusha airport to arrange the compensation. She never showed up and hasn't responded since, so we filed a complaint with the relevant authorities.
We haven't heard from the manager since, and we are devastated.
(automatic translation from French)
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Could Have Been Better Organized
My experience with Ekarua Wild Safaris was unfortunately disappointing, mainly because of the organization and communication. There were a few changes to our planned itinerary, but they were not explained clearly or communicated in advance, which caused unnecessary confusion during the trip. The wildlife viewing and scenery were genuinely enjoyable, but the logistical issues affected the overall experience. I believe the company could improve considerably by providing clearer information, better coordination, and more consistent communication with guests.
BR
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Do not hire this company for safaris in Tanzania
afaris conducted between July 17, 2026, and July 23, 2026
Our initial interaction with Leopard Tours was far from ideal. My group and I were exhausted from the journey to Arusha; we were a large party of 21 people distributed across four hired jeeps. Bernardo introduced himself as the lead guide but immediately expressed concern about how to fit our luggage for the trip to Lake Manyara. The situation dragged on while a light drizzle began to fall; our bags were left exposed to the elements as the staff debated how to load them onto the roofs—complaining that covering the luggage racks with tarps would take too long. They ultimately decided to cram everything inside the jeeps however they could; naturally, this resulted in damaged wheels and burst zippers on some of the suitcases.
It was a very hot and dusty time of year on the roads. Only one jeep had air conditioning, so unless you wanted to die of heatstroke, you were forced to breathe in clouds of dust!
As for Bernardo, the guide: he was arrogant and sarcastic. He deliberately tried to provoke and irritate me—and he succeeded. Once the safari got underway, he simply stopped providing the kind of information good guides usually share with their clients. He would pretend not to hear requests to stop for bathroom breaks, and he wouldn't even slow down when Thomson's gazelles or other animals were slowly crossing the road or threatening to dart out in front of the jeep. Once he realized this was causing us distress—especially me and the other women—he would deliberately drive straight at the gazelles, only swerving away at the very last second. A guide from a company that positions itself as the best safari operator in Tanzania shouldn't disrespect the animals or the clients; experiencing that kind of tension was shocking and unnecessary. I switched guides and Jeeps (since we had that option as a large group) to avoid making the situation worse.
Bernardo didn't strike me as a man with good intentions; on our last day with Leopard Tours, he displayed behavior that really defined his character: he asked that all the gratuities intended for the various guides and drivers be pooled with him first, claiming he would distribute them later. Everyone was suspicious of his motives, so each group gave their tip directly to their own guide.
It wasn't a good experience with Leopard Tours.
I do not recommend this company to anyone.
MT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A tour operator that turned a dream holiday into a stressful experience due to poor service, unsafe
Avoid Hekima Safari if you value your safety and holiday experience.
Our experience with Hekima Safari was extremely disappointing. After paying in full, we were pressured during the trip to pay an additional $5,000, with the threat of changes to our itinerary. We eventually paid $1,000 in good faith after a promise from the director, Moppo, that it would be refunded, but we are still waiting.
The safari vehicle was the biggest issue. It was unreliable and, in our experience, unsafe. It broke down repeatedly in remote areas, causing us to lose valuable game-drive time, especially in the Serengeti. Some journeys took up to five hours instead of one due to constant problems.
The vehicle was in poor condition, with no air conditioning, faulty windows, heavy dust and exhaust entering the car, and parts even falling off during the trip. At times, we genuinely feared for our safety.
Other excursions arranged by Hekima Safari were also below expectations, with poor standards compared with what was advertised and what other groups received.
A trip that should have been a once-in-a-lifetime experience became stressful and disappointing. Based on our experience, we cannot recommend Hekima Safari.
EG
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unprofessional Guide with a Bad Temper - Good Luck
One incident happened on the third-to-last day of our safari. We noticed there were only 10 bottles of water left for the remaining two days, so I politely asked him if he could buy more. He immediately turned around and asked in a harsh tone, “How many bottles are left?” After I counted and told him there were 10, he simply replied, “I think it is enough.” We then had to explain why we needed more water before he reluctantly agreed to buy more the next day.
Another incident happened while we were waiting for the wildebeest crossing. We waited at one location for about an hour and then left for a restroom break. About an hour later, we heard over the radio that the crossing had started at the previous location. Instead of calmly explaining the situation, Good Luck became visibly upset and started blaming us. He repeatedly said, “I told you to be patient,” “I’m a professional,” and “You need to listen to me.” We were very uncomfortable being spoken to this way. Even though we later saw another crossing, the experience had already ruined our mood.
I would only recommend Good Luck to travelers with "good patience" who don’t expect their reasonable requests to be welcomed.
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Choose better memories
I don't like leaving bad reviews, but in this case, it was unavoidable. Terrible company, broken-down car, and a guide who barely spoke English—or didn't speak at all. Some accommodations had no hot water.
We even met two other groups from the same company whom we had to give a lift to because their car had broken down as well. The price isn't high, but saving a bit of money is definitely not worth ruining a once-in-a-lifetime experience like a safari.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Dishonest company
Booked and paid for safari back in may in FULL to then have to pay a further 1130 dollars to actually get our safari we had to pay the entrance fees and the driver or we wouldn’t of had one! He promised to return all the money! Lies and fobs you off avoid unless you want your trip to be ruined and leave you with no money for the rest of your trip
Unsafe, careless, irresponsible driver.
Our driver Tiyani made my trip from OR Tambo very uncomfortable. I felt unsafe for the majority of the trip. For the first 30 mins the driver was regularly turning his head to chat with his female acquaintance. I had to ask him to keep his eyes on the road while conversing as I felt unsafe with his bad driving habits. After our first stop he ate his KFC and chips whilst driving. He often had 1 finger only on the steering wheel. He regularly drove 20kms over the limit and crossed continuous lines. His driving around the mountains was unacceptable.
All in all it was a very unpleasant and at times frightening trip.
I would not have him as a driver of my company, unless he adhered consistently with safe driving practices.
PT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Possible fraud alert
Hekima Safaris required us to pay the full cost of our safari one month before our trip, despite our contract stating that the final instalment would be paid upon arrival. Hekima insisted they needed the full money before the trip to pay for the national park fees and secure the hotel reservations. However, our problems began immediately. On the first day, our guide had not been given money for fuel from HEKIMA and we had to advance USD 230 so the safari could even begin. We were accommodated in some hotels that were not those agreed in our contract, and at one lodge in the middle of Serengeti National Park we were required to pay USD 716 ourselves because, although Hekima Safaris had made the reservation, they had not paid the hotel. When we contacted the company, they claimed they were experiencing banking problems, leaving us with no alternative but to pay if we wanted somewhere to sleep that night.
The same pattern continued with the park fees. We were delayed entering Serengeti because the reservation was not valid, and later we were stranded for around five hours at the exit towards Ngorongoro because the required payments had not been made. During this time, the Hekima company stopped answering our calls and became unreachable. We lost the final day of our safari, because the guide abandoned us at another accomodation not payed by HEKIMA, instead spent it at the Tourist Police in Arusha filing a formal complaint. We are now taking legal action to recover the full cost of the safari, together with the additional expenses we were forced to pay because of the company’s failures! SEE YOU ON COURT, MOPOO!