50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very different your guides
The communication by Rehema was fantastic and the animals were amazing. I appreciated her gift at the end.
Over the two days we had two very different Tour guides. On the first day Ali was gentle, friendly, polite and tried his very best despite having limited English but he forgot everything including the binoculars and that there was cold drinks for us in the cooler. He used WhatsApp for social reasons whilst driving but stopped when asked to (it is illegal in Tanzania).
On the second day the guide, Omar spoke English and remembered everything but was far too fierce with us and even asked for a tip at the end of the day which is not polite, including in Tanzania.
The last leg of the 2nd day was the two hour trip back to Arusha. This was on a very dilapidated minibus without Aircon and again the driver was using his phone whilst on the busy main road but stopped when we asked to.
So, to sum up:
Pros: communication / animals.
Cons: guides / drivers need a bit more training.
Top tip: take your own binoculars because even if they do remember them, there’s only two available.
NZ
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A memorable safari, but disappointing guide behaviour
Our safari in Tanzania was memorable for the wildlife we encountered, and our guide, Lucas, was knowledgeable and skilled at spotting animals. However, his behaviour and communication were disappointing.
The most upsetting incident occurred on the morning of 28 August at our camp. Due to a misunderstanding about the breakfast and departure times, Lucas raised his voice at me in front of several camp staff and said, “Why do you do this?” I found this behaviour unprofessional and disrespectful, particularly as the misunderstanding could have been resolved through calm and respectful communication.
There were also some communication issues during the trip, as well as a delay on the first day while the vehicle underwent brake adjustments. While we appreciated Lucas’s wildlife knowledge, respectful communication and professional conduct are equally important to the overall safari experience.
*Update following the company's response:*
Following my review, Safari Soles contacted me personally and investigated the concerns I raised. The management team acknowledged the issues and informed me that Lucas had been suspended from guiding assignments pending further professional training and evaluation. They also outlined steps to address broader operational and communication issues.
I appreciate that the management team took my feedback seriously and followed through on its commitments. While this does not change what my family experienced during the safari, I believe it is fair to acknowledge the company's subsequent response and efforts to address the issues raised.
DE
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Professional Tour Guide
All in all, a very nice day, though with a few drawbacks.
The tour guide arrived at the hotel on time, and the drive to the park went smoothly; however, the vehicle itself was not in good condition (it rattled from various parts, which was annoying during the journey).
Upon arriving at the entrance to Tsavo East, we were immediately pressured into buying safari hats—at a price of 15 euros each...
Inside the park, we saw a great deal, but the tour guide was quite reserved and only provided information when we asked questions.
There was a good variety of animal species to see :)
(automatic translation from German)
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Could have been better
Our safari in Tanzania was an extraordinary experience, and we were fortunate enough to see all the animals we had dreamed of, often in incredible situations. However, I want to separate the magic of the wildlife from the quality of the service provided by Benson’s team. There were several aspects of the organization that could have been significantly better.
1. Lack of preparation and practical information. Sleeping in a tent in the Ngorongoro Crater was an extraordinary experience in itself. However, we had not been informed beforehand that we needed to bring soap and towels. As a result, we had to shower without soap and dry ourselves with our clothes. While these may seem like small details, they reflect a lack of preparation and communication that should be avoided, especially given the price of the safari.
2. Concerns about the vehicle’s mechanical condition. Our safari vehicle sometimes struggled to start and seemed to lack power when driving uphill. We were regularly overtaken by other vehicles, which made us concerned about its mechanical condition and reliability throughout the trip. We would have appreciated greater reassurance that the vehicle was in good condition.
3. A lack of personal attention and communication. Throughout the booking process and the trip, we sometimes felt more like names on an Excel spreadsheet than customers receiving personal support. After payment, communication became less proactive, and we often had to contact the team ourselves to obtain essential information, including details about our guide and the arrangements before departure. We also received very little follow-up after the safari. For many people, a safari is a once-in-a-lifetime dream, prepared and financed over many months or even years. A little more personal attention would have made us feel much more valued.
4. Unexpected bank charges and a lack of commercial consideration. Despite paying 20 euros in transfer fees to ensure the correct payment, Benson said that approximately 200 euros were missing from the amount received. The exact source of the discrepancy remained unclear, but I ultimately had to pay the difference myself. Given the cost of the safari, I would have expected a more collaborative approach to resolving the issue, like a commercial gesture. Instead, I felt that the entire financial burden was left to me, without any real attempt to find a compromise.
5. An efficient but rather distant guide. Our guide was undoubtedly experienced, knowledgeable and highly effective. Thanks to him, we saw all the animals we had hoped to see, and his knowledge of the terrain was impressive. However, his attitude was rather distant, with little warmth, enthusiasm or interaction compared to other guides with their clients. We did not necessarily expect to become friends with our guide, but a little more human warmth would have made the experience even more memorable.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Not the greatest experience, not reliable, not the greatest customer service
I chose Tall Masai Safari as the point of contact Nancy (I thought initially) was very customer service friendly and the company, as a whole, had positive reviews. I was a little disappointed with the company though. Not smooth transfers nor communication experienced when we actually got there. I had confirmed months in advance of my confirmed booking with a mid luxury safari lodge (Jambo mara safari lodge glass cottages). Nancy assured me that we were confirmed. However, only 3-4 days before our actual safari, she informed me that one of the nights I was supposed to have confirmed was not confirmed (she explained albeit a little delayed that I had been "waitlisted" for 1 of the 3 nights ever since the beginning when she confirmed me! However, instead of informing me of this transparently, she confirmed that I had 3 nights confirmed). Instead, she wanted to have me go to another safari lodge which was not even mid luxury (substandard) even though I had confirmed and booked a mid luxury safari package. (I confirmed this with another tour operator as well as online reviews for the Mara Simba Oryx). I told her I would not move to another lodge since I had paid and had confirmed for Jambo mara safari lodge glass cottages. I would only move if it was comparable or better. And, actually, I didn't want to move with all our luggage and inconvenience of moving. She offered a deluxe glass cottage of 110.00 extra and would not even comp me for it nor split it in half (when it was their mistake/ non transparency that had gotten us into this situation). I was not happy with the sudden surprise change in my lodging reservation to say the least 4 days before my actual safari. In addition, the safari company they contracted with Big Time, was disappointing too. I understand the other 2 group safari tours are Jocky and Axis. If I had known, they contracted with Big Time, I would have opted for another operator. This company had 2 different tour guides/ drivers -one that just started (Brian) that didn't know much about animals/ wildlife nor how to spot them etc and the other one Joshua, who was more knowledgeable, but not to what I had expected as I had other tours on Crescent Island and one in Lake Nakaru national park with much more knowledgeable and high quality tour guides. I wish we could have had the same really high quality tour guide operator for both days of our safari so was disappointed with the quality not matching up to the price paid. The tour guide really does make or break your tour. So, I would, in essence, not recommend or choose this company again.
KZ
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Ok
All was good enough. Just read their prospects carefully before planning.
NZ
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Land of breathtaking safari memories
Accomodation and safaris were top notch with all the big 5 seen.The migration was an absolute 7th wonder of the world.The cool breeze meant the high temperatures were very bearable and actually one needed a jacket and beanie at times
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
While the wildlife was extraordinary, the safari was tainted by bad guiding, poor gear, and delays.
Incredible Wildlife, but Disappointing Tour Organisation and Guiding
We went on a 5-day safari with Suricata Safari, visiting Tarangire National Park, spending two nights in the Serengeti, and exploring the Ngorongoro Crater.
First of all, the safari itself was incredible. These parks are among the best wildlife destinations in the world, and we were fortunate to see an amazing variety of animals. The overall itinerary was generally well planned, and the wildlife experience was unforgettable. Unfortunately, several aspects of the tour operator’s organisation and service significantly affected our experience.
1. Poor communication and last-minute changes
Our pre-safari briefing did not take place as scheduled and was delayed by approximately three and a half hours. Furthermore, when we arrived at Twiga Campsite, we were informed that our planned visit to Tarangire National Park would be postponed. We had specifically wanted to visit Tarangire first, allowing the safari to build towards the highlights of the trip. This change was communicated only briefly upon our arrival at the campsite, without any prior notice or explanation.
2. Our guide was essentially just a driver
This was by far the biggest disappointment. Our guide provided very little information about the wildlife, the national parks, or the itinerary. There was almost no communication, and we were rarely informed about the plan for the day, the expected schedule, or what we could expect to see.
A safari guide should do much more than simply drive from one place to another. Explaining animal behaviour, sharing knowledge about the ecosystem, and helping guests understand what they are seeing are essential parts of the experience. Fortunately, another traveller in our group had studied biology and was able to explain many things about the animals to us. Without this person, our safari experience would have been considerably less informative.
3. Poor camping equipment and repetitive food
At the public campsite in the Serengeti, the sleeping equipment was disappointing. The mattresses and sleeping bags were visibly worn out, and the mattresses varied considerably in quality, with some being extremely thin. One traveller in our group did not even receive a pillow.
The food was acceptable and there was enough to eat, but the meals were very repetitive and not particularly enjoyable. This was not a major issue in itself, but overall, the quality could have been better.
4. Too much time wasted coordinating different accommodation categories
Another significant issue was that our vehicle carried both budget and mid-range travellers who were staying at different accommodations. As a result, we repeatedly had to pick up or wait for the mid-range guests. This cost us valuable time that could otherwise have been spent in the national parks.
Consequently, we often entered the parks relatively late and sometimes spent only three or four hours there. For example, our descent into the Ngorongoro Crater took place quite late, and we had to leave again around midday because other members of the group needed to return to Arusha that day.
I also felt that we missed opportunities for early-morning game drives in the Serengeti. Instead of starting around 6 a.m., as would have been possible, we generally set off at around 8:30 a.m. Early mornings are among the best times to observe wildlife, and when travelling all the way to the Serengeti, I believe these opportunities should be taken seriously.
Conclusion
I would absolutely recommend visiting Tarangire, the Serengeti, and the Ngorongoro Crater. The wildlife and landscapes are extraordinary, and the safari itself was an unforgettable experience.
However, I cannot give Suricata Safari the same recommendation. The lack of guiding, insufficient communication, worn-out camping equipment, and inefficient organisation meant that we did not get as much out of the experience as we could have. In particular, combining budget and mid-range travellers in a way that repeatedly reduced our time in the parks was frustrating.
The parks themselves were outstanding, but the tour operator did not fully deliver on the experience I had expected. With a knowledgeable guide, better communication, improved camping equipment, and more efficient scheduling, this could have been a much better safari.
TN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The operator was available most of the time and professional
The safari experience was really nice, the guides were welcoming and responsive for our needs, the camp sites had the necessities and the was food okey, except that the lunch boxes during the day were really bad (most of the time they contained sandwitches with one slice of cucumber and one slice of tomato) so make sure you have some backup food wise, othet than that the operator provided me with a private taxi from the airport who basically scamed for 50usd (20usd for the ride to the hotel and 30usd said it includes price of the highway 10usd and 20usd for taking me to breakfast which I paid for)
CA
A Little Scattered
My partner and I did a 2 night safari to Amboseli National Park in Kenya. The park is amazing and would highly recommend!
The issue we had was around the miscommunication we had with the tour operators and feeling like we were constantly waiting. The tour we paid for included a morning pickup on the first day in Nairobi and a game drive that day. However, we were left waiting to be picked up and the time kept being pushed back. We didn't end up getting picked up until the afternoon by a driver and then we had to wait for the guide. We finally got to our safari camp after dark, and did not do a game drive.
The next morning we got into the park much later than we were told. For some of it we were even waiting at the park entrance and our guide was standing around talking to people.
The next morning we also left later than expected and missed sunrise in the park. We also had to pickup other people from the group from another hotel and ended up waiting for them for a while. This meant we barely got a game drive the second day, and needed to join another tour to leave the park. This really cut into our time when we only had 2 days.
Our guide was a little slow getting things moving but when in the park he was searching for animals and even tried rushing across the park for an lion sighting.
Our primary issues were the tour being different than the itinerary we were quoted for, and multiple people having different interaries, which led to too much logistics planning. If you are to go with this tour group I would recommend confirming the tour you are quoted for is what you are doing, and seeing if you will be moving around to different vehicles throughout the tour, which reduces time on game drives. Also, when bringing up these issues to our point of contact over WhatsApp, we were ignored.
Amboseli Park is amazing though and i would highly recommend going there to see all of the elephants and views of Mount Kilmanjaro. The game drives were really good once we got going. There is so much wildlife to see all across the park. Also, the Osutua Rafiki Camp was really nice! It exceeded our expectations and would stay there again!