US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unequivocally happy with our decision to book through African Big Cats
We loved our safari experience and were so happy to have gone with African Big Cats! They were very responsive throughout the booking process and helped to customize our itinerary, recommending activities, like a crater rim hike in Ngorongoro, based on our interests. The lodgings they booked for us were excellent, except for one which we still found to be “fine” instead of “great”. The vehicle had everything we needed - lot of water, soft drinks, comfortable seats for long drives, and charging ports.
Our guide Festo made the trip extra special for us. He is not only super knowledgeable and respectful of the animals and parks, but is also exceptionally kind and friendly. He was very attentive to our comfort and offered alternative activities or schedules to customize our experience (like leaving our accommodation later than planned early in the trip when we were having trouble adjusting to the time change). For having spent a lot of time together over 9 busy days, we never felt like a burden to him; he just radiates positivity, curiosity, and good vibes!
I would not hesitate to book through African Big Cats again and would recommend them to any friends and family looking to visit Tanzania!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The most unique experience ever
We booked this tour three days before departure and Clinton was the person we spoke too. His communication was great, he checked everywhere for availability and got us some really great accommodations. People usually arrive on day 1 in the afternoon but we arrived at around 2am so Clinton was able to get someone to pick us up and take us to our first hotel without a problem. Our driver, Boni, was outstanding. Picked us up on time on the first day of the safari and his driving skills were top notch. He tried his best to get us to see all big 5, unfortunately we just missed the leopards. His sense of direction was unbelievable, drove us through the most random roads and still got us to our hotels safely. We were quoted less than what a group experience would have been and we had the absolute best experience ever. We have already shared the information with so many of our friends who are interested in a trip like this. We would 100% book with this agency again.
FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The best holiday EVER
I did a 5-day safari with 3 nights in lodges and 2 nights camping. The experience was absolutely amazing — we saw so many animals and never felt bored for a second. The food was delicious and plentiful, with a great variety of vegetables, meat, fruit, and more. I never once felt hungry after a meal.
Our guide was fantastic, and the places we stayed were all great. The camping was basic but fine — cold showers in the Serengeti, but it was manageable. In Ngorongoro, it was very cold at night, but the campsite was beautiful and we even slept beside zebras, which made it unforgettable. The team who organized the safari were always available and incredibly helpful.
I 100% recommend this safari experience — I loved every moment of it.
There’s also an optional activity for $20: visiting a Maasai village. Personally, I don’t recommend it. For me, it didn’t feel authentic — everything seemed staged. We were welcomed with a dance, then shown the school where children recited letters and numbers, and afterward taken to the “houses” where there was nothing inside. They explained how they lived, but something about it just didn’t add up for me.
DO
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A beautiful memories I will always carry in my hearts.
The journey was challenging, but every step was worth it for this unforgettable encounter with nature’s giants. My 3-day gorilla trekking adventure in Uganda was nothing short of magical. Trekking through lush, mist-covered forests, we followed the calls of birds and the rustle of leaves until we finally stood face-to-face with a gentle mountain gorilla family. Watching their playful young and wise silverback in their natural habitat was a humbling, once-in-a-lifetime moment. Every moment I felt excited and thrilled.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Serengeti Smile is attentive, well-organised, and makes your safari seamless — just request a guide
I had a clear idea of what I wanted my trip to be, and Serengeti Smile accommodated it perfectly. Patricia was always just a WhatsApp message away, making it easy to adjust plans and brainstorm ideas. Everything — flights, transfers, and accommodations — was flawlessly organised. We had three nights in the northern Serengeti for the migration, then moved on to Ngorongoro for two nights at the beautiful Naserian Camp. The lodges were excellent, safe, and friendly, and our driver ensured we had cold drinks and everything we needed on long days. His English, however, was limited, and for English-speaking guests I’d recommend requesting a guide with strong English for a more engaging experience. Overall, a fantastic and well-run trip that I’d highly recommend.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We loved our Safari adventure
We had a fantastic time and loved the safari. Peter our guide was knowledgeable, friendly and very helpful. The chosen camp in the Masai was superb with giraffes and wildlife all around. A memorable experience. We highly recommend this company.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing, Flexible and accomodating
Patrick was an absolute pleasure to deal with in the lead up to our safari, he modified the tour to include a visit to the town which my mum was born in, which is off the tourist trail and organised a birthday cake for my 6 year old daughter. The time and thought put into every aspect of the tour was amazing.
We can not fault our driver Gordon. Not only were his driving skills impressive, but his animal spotting too. We considered him family by the end of the safari.
We saw all the big 5 plus so much more.
We travelled budget and found all the accommodation suitable to our needs.
I would not hesitate in recommending this company to anyone.
NZ
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
A positive, flexible and very helpful local operator happy to tailor a tour to our interests.
We thoroughly enjoyed our 16 days of travel around Botswana and Victoria Falls with Sekanka Travel. Sekanka is a very responsive family company that was happy interact with us and provide great suggestions while we were planning our visit to Botswana. They were very flexible about including additional places we wanted to visit (for example Tsodilo Hills and the Okavango Panhandle) and provided us with a fully detailed itinerary.
We were looked after very well while we were there by our Sekanka guide Thalo, and the staff at the places we stayed. Accommodation was excellent and we were particularly impressed by Planet Baobab and staff at the camp we stayed at in the Okavango Panhandle. Transport provided by Sekanka was a van and a four wheel drive driven by Thalo which suited us very well as we both enjoy a good road trip. Thalo was an excellent driver on challenging roads.
We particularly enjoyed the many opportunities to walk or travel in boats and mokoro with guides to learn about trees, birds, animals and rock drawings. We appreciated the chance to visit villages and towns, meet people, and even learn to weave a bowl.
All in all a great trip and we have many many photographs to remind us of it.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Safari Experience start to finish
Our experience with Tanzania Roadside Expeditions was great from start to finish. They responded quickly to all email inquiries and gave us quotes for several options before we narrowed in on exactly what we needed. Communication was never an issue and everything worked out exactly as they had explained it to us. Price was also very reasonable.
Most of all I would like to give high praise to our guide Walter Odemba. He was nothing short of fantastic. Walter is very knowledgeable about the animals and the culture of Tanzania and has a great sense of humor. He positioned our vehicle precisely knowing what the animals were likely to do next giving us the best photo opportunities. We had already seen all the big 5 by early on day 2, which admittedly included some luck. Any request we made of Walter was immediately worked into our remaining hours each day. Another thing to note, Walter is an outstanding driver, efficient in getting you where you need to go but always safe. Besides the animals, we also learned so much about the history and culture of the country. I would recommend to anyone seeking a safari out of Arusha to use Tanzania Roadside Expeditions and be sure to request Walter.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris