IE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
They know what they’re doing! Excellent!
We had a great time with Go Serengeti. The communication was clear, staff was helpful and always available, and our driver had a vast experience and knowledge. Accomodation was also great. Overall, a 10/10!
ES
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Brilliant, very flexible and knowledgeable.
We loved it they drove us from Nairobi to Mombasa, the safari was amazing the price was loads better than the other options, the driver was great and answered all our questions I would recommend them.
GR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Reliable, polite and friendly
Excellent treatment!
We booked a 3-night tour to Gombe National Park and Kigoma Town. Chimp trekking is a unique activity and Kigoma Town is very interesting.
Everything was made easy for us and Luice and his team replied immediately to all of our queries. We were also suggested alternatives when things took an unexpected turn!
I definitely recommend.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Crazy safari with Serengeti smile super excitement to us in Tanzania
We chose Serengeti Smile to fulfill our dream of experiencing the Serengeti’s sweeping landscapes, abundant wildlife, and stunning sunsets, and the reality exceeded even our highest expectations. From our very first inquiry to the conclusion of our private, tailor-made 8-day Great Migration Safari, the organization was flawless. The itinerary covered Arusha, Tarangire National Park, Central Serengeti, Seronera, Northern Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Lake Manyara National Park, each destination offering its own unique charm and adventure. Every detail was carefully planned, making the journey seamless and memorable.
The safari itself was breathtaking, with an astonishing 48 animal species sighted, including the Big Five. From lions lounging with their playful cubs to leopards and cheetahs surveying the plains, and vast herds of elephants, giraffes, and zebras moving gracefully across the savannah, the Serengeti’s wonders unfolded before us. Witnessing the Great Migration at the Mara River was an unforgettable highlight, with thousands of wildebeest and zebras braving predators in one of nature’s greatest spectacles. Our accommodations enhanced the adventure perfectly eco-friendly yet luxurious lodges and tents that blended into the wilderness, offering both comfort and immersion, with staff who went above and beyond to make us feel at home.
Our safari guide, Godlisten, deserves special mention for making this trip extraordinary. His deep knowledge, professionalism, and passion for both the wildlife and his country elevated every moment of the journey. He had an uncanny ability to spot even the most elusive animals, patiently answering questions and sharing fascinating insights into animal behavior, tribal traditions, and the Serengeti’s delicate ecosystem. His respect for nature and his attentive guidance made the experience unforgettable. Our contact person was Lambert, this is extraordinary planner knowledge and available all time needed to help. We cannot recommend Serengeti Smile highly enough this was not just a holiday, but the adventure of a lifetime.
Thank you so much Godlisten and Lambert, we look forward to revisit near future
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Easy to contact from the US side, but was hoping for more transparency and/or details of the trip.
Our experience was very mixed, starting with a guide (his name was Losioki) who made us feel very unsafe and dismissed. On the first day when he picked us up from the Tanzania/Kenya border, the car wouldn’t start from the parking lot, that should have been the first red flag. After trying for 5-6 times, the engine finally started. Then later in the day as we were making our way to Serengeti, the vehicle began making weird noises as we were driving through a rough road. He had to stop several times to check, but decided to keep going. When we asked what was going on, he repeatedly brushed us off with “don’t worry” in a very condescending tone, even saying it five times in a row at one point, as if we were overreacting. Eventually, two pieces of metal fell off from under the car while we are still driving, which was a clear hazard. Only then did he admit the vehicle couldn’t continue and arranged for someone else to pick us up. We waited in the middle of nowhere for an hour in a very hot weather condition. The car picked us up happened to be going to Serengeti as well with another couple who was on a private tour, so we hitchhiked with them and we did not hear from the guide the rest of the day.
After this experience, we contacted the tour operator when we got to the hotel to get a new car and a new driver the next day, but they did not end up making this arrangement. I fully understand how difficult it is to get a new guide when we are already in the park and there are some operating difficulty to make this work, however at this point I feel like our safari experience was already tainted by this bad start and we just didn't feel great about the guide.
The following day, he returned and insisted the car was now fine. We decided to give this another chance and went on to do our first game drive in the park. Only 15 minutes into the drive, we went across a three cheetahs sighting with heavy traffic (20+ vehicles), the car stalled completely in the middle of the jam. He had to get out and coordinate a bump start, which was extremely stressful and further confirmed our concerns. When we tried to calmly explain that we didn’t feel comfortable with him or the vehicle, he constantly interrupted us with “listen to me” and “calm down,” which only made things worse. We also explained that this is now the third time we had problems with the vehicle, and having just done the masai mara safari, we know that if this keeps happening during a traffic jam, which is very common when there are rare animal sighting, we cannot bump start the car every single time. It's neither efficient nor safe. Serengeti is a huge park and we are at the risk of being stalled in the middle of nowhere again.
At that point we asked to be dropped at the visitor center so we can contact the tour operator. When you are in a foreign country on safari, your guide and vehicle are everything, and we were supposed to spend the next 5 days with him, and this was absolutely not the experience we signed up for and we didn't feel like this arrangement would work and I felt extremely uncomfortable even staying in the same car with him. We obviously understand that this kind of accidents happens, the car gets broken down often during safaris. The problem is mostly coming from him not being transparent with us, when knowing that the vehicle had underlying issues, he continuously dismissed our concern. We waited in the visitor center (which was miles away from our lodging) for a couple hours so our tour operator could make some calls and get us a new car.
Thankfully, things completely turned around with Lawrence, who became our new guide. He was the exact opposite—professional, kind, and safety-focused. He checked his car often, explained everything clearly on where we are going, what stops we are making, and went out of his way to make sure we were comfortable in all aspects. On top of that, he was incredibly knowledgeable and helped us find amazing sightings, including leopard cubs and lion cubs. He also shared so many fun facts that really enriched the experience. In addition to the big animals, he is also passionate about plants and birds, so we learned so much from him.
While the first two days left us very disappointed, Lawrence delivered excellent service and saved our trip. Because of the contrast, we’re giving a two star overall. But if you do decide to book with this tour company, we strongly recommend requesting Lawrence (if it's an option)—you’ll be in the best hands.
AE
Can give customized plan, Good organization
Best experience.. booked through instagram ad while searching for trip to kenya.. they connected me after and our organizer Esther customized our plan based on our need.. then our guide was David.. had a great experience.. David did the impossible of 10 hr drive from Massai Mara to Amboseli then went to for a game in the same day.. unbelievable saw 100s of elephants.. overall great experience
CH
A safari beyhond our exspectations
We did an individually planned one week safari with this company. Even the first contact months before the trip was inviting. Questions and remarks were promptly answered. Although the itinerary of our safari was changed several times due to limited availability of rooms in lodges, the safari was great and we were overwhelmed by our experiences. We had many exeptional animal sights. Our guide was very experienced, a careful driver and funny. We had a great time together.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very professional and great customer service!
Spent three nights at the Lower Zambezi Lodge in Zambia, booked through Wilderness Horizon Safaris. From the start I always received quick and detailed replies, and my questions and requests were always answered. Had to make some changes to the schedule after booking, but that was never any problem. Great customer service! And the safari itself was very enjoyable, at a good lodge in an excellent location!
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Climbing Kilimanjaro: The 7-Day Machame Route Expedition
My friend and I recently finished Kilimanjaro umoja tours 7-day Machame Kilimanjaro climb, and we would recommend Kilimanjaro umoja tours to anyone. Juma and Roster, our contacts at Kilimanjaro umoja tours, were very responsive and helpful. We found the booking process straightforward and once in Tanzania everything was very well organised and slick. All members of staff that we met were friendly and very professional, and we always felt well taken care of. We had a great experience climbing Kilimanjaro with Kilimanjaro umoja tours.In particular our guides Mando, Eli and Zuberi (and the rest of their team of chefs and porters) were totally reliable and professional, and made our climb both safe and enjoyable. When my climbing partner was taken ill, the guides went above and beyond to help him and to make sure he recovered and went on to reach the summit. Lots of good food was provided, and the guides carried out two medical checks per day to make sure everyone was feeling okay. We would highly recommend climbing with Kilimanjaro umoja tours , and Mando team of guides.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Jasmine of Sarafika Tours was excellent in every respect from the arrival of 3 weeks to departure
My wife and I along with three other couples (close friends for many decades)were ecstatic with the experience in total from the experience with Sarafika tours’ Jasmine and her team from transportation to the Safari experience and other cities that we added to the trip.Everything that we experienced was excellent and I have a very “discerning” group of friends. The experience,value, accommodations ,excellent guides including them the congeniality,professionalism,driving skills, of everybody involved providing the ability to see any and every animal from the Great Migration ,Serengeti, The Mara river and actual viewing of multiple crossings along c Ngorongoro Crater experience . I can count the number of reviews that I’ve written through my travels on one hand and this is one that I had to write just because it was five star in every way.
Asante sana!(Thank you very much) Jasmine, you and your team of guides/drivers are/were the best from Sarafika tours