VN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Thoughtful
As the only guest on that particular day, I was genuinely beyond my expectations with the experience. It was not only memorable, but also deeply impressive in a way that is difficult to put fully into words.
First, the length of the tour is extremely suitable for travellers who do not have much time to stay in Rwanda. It offers a rich and meaningful experience within a manageable timeframe, which makes it an excellent choice for visitors seeking both convenience and authenticity.
Second, the scenery is absolutely breathtaking. The landscape is filled with stunning terraced potato fields, freely grazing cows and sheep, and hardworking local farmers still carrying baskets, digging the soil, planting potatoes, and harvesting crops entirely by hand, without the presence of any machinery. The journey also takes you through unspoiled forest, where golden monkeys, birds, flowers, waterfalls, and streams create a truly magical natural setting. The weather was wonderfully cool, at around 20 degrees Celsius, with gentle sunshine and a refreshing breeze. The hike itself can be quite demanding, especially outside the dry season, but once you reach the summit, the reward is so extraordinary that all you can say is, “Wow.”
Third, I was especially touched by the helpfulness and dedication of the operator, the tour guide, and the porter. My operator, Eric, was incredibly thoughtful. He not only introduced me to the history of Volcanoes National Park, the protection efforts of both the government and local communities toward the gorillas, and some aspects of the culture in Musanze, but also prepared almost everything I needed for the trek. My tour guide, John, was equally outstanding. He was enthusiastic, highly knowledgeable about the volcanic mountains of the Albertine Rift, and, most importantly, exceptionally patient and encouraging whenever I felt tired during the climb.
Finally, after such a physically demanding day of trekking, lunch — or even an early dinner, depending on your pace — at a local restaurant in Musanze town was a wonderful reward for the senses. And one piece of advice: do not forget to order the potatoes, because the potatoes from this region truly deserve their reputation and are simply unforgettable.
Overall, this tour gave me far more than I had expected. It was beautiful, authentic, emotionally rewarding, and exceptionally well organised. I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone visiting Rwanda.
FI
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fun and reliable service!
I had a blast touring the Masai Mara! The service was excellent from the very beginning, helping with everything from planning the accommodations and timetables to the very end of our trip. Personnel really knew the best places, and thanks to him we got to see amazing animals on the safari.
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Great tour operator offering amazing, informative experience of Tanzania.
This was my first trip to Tanzania with some birding friends. It was fantastic, from the friendly welcome at the Kilimanjaro airport in Arusha by the guides, the well chosen, beautiful accommodation and exceptional guiding.
The main purpose of our trip was to see the rich diversity of birds present in the area of Tanzania which we had time to visit. The guides, driver Joshua and birding expert Frank, more than delivered by taking us to exquisite locations and finding the birds we were seeking. They also shared cultural and historical information which enhanced our visit. I would love to go back to Tanzania and would not hesitate to use this company again.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
They really tried their best to do everything possible, there was sometimes transparency missing
We booked the tour online in advance, which of course sometimes raises concerns about whether the provider actually exists. It does exist😉 We then received several route changes; apparently, the budget wasn’t enough for the route we wanted. The tour was shortened over the course of the days while keeping the booked price the same—we didn’t want that. More changes followed; this time, destinations we’d requested were omitted, partly with flimsy excuses like “too much rain” or “the volcano is currently active”… eventually, we were able to agree on adjustments: no longer a private tour, but still covering the most important sites. I actually expect that when I book a tour, it will be offered exactly as I booked it. And that the money for my package will “be enough.”
But maybe that’s just the Tanzanian way of life—it’ll all work out fine, and we’ll see how it goes….
The evening before the tour, we sat down with the guide again and were able to ask all our questions—that was really great, put our minds at ease, and got us excited for the tour.
Then came the Serengeti tour; we picked up three more participants and saw a lot. On our first night at the campsite, we were greeted upon arrival by a herd of elephants running around the campground. Exciting and definitely special. We then spent the next night at the Ngorongoro Crater to explore rhinos and the crater early the next morning. Unfortunately, that’s when the poor communication began; we had to escort a participant who had left the group out of the park. This meant we were all able to see less, but we weren’t really given any information. Then we spent the night outside the national park, but without any information—this wasn’t what had originally been agreed upon. We were then given incorrect departure times for the next leg of the trip. Breakfast wasn’t served until an hour later than originally announced. We then continued on to Lake Natron. The drive was really cool because we got to see a bit of the surrounding area. There, we had a guided tour to a waterfall with a Maasai—a definite highlight. Especially since we were there so early; a few more tourists arrived after us and had to share the waterfall, but we had the whole place to ourselves. That was really nice. In the evening, we took a trip to Lake Natron to watch the sunset and see the flamingos, and the next day we headed back.
All in all, the tour was wonderful if you can overlook the fact that, every now and then, things that had been agreed upon didn’t happen. The driver and guide were very nice and knowledgeable, and the cook was also very friendly. The food was delicious.
We saw amazing animals and certainly gained many experiences that we will remember for a long time.
TG
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well informed guide and he was pleasant
Now you understand why Ethiopia is land of Origins. Rich heritage and culture well preserved.
EE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing safari experience with dedicated guides.
We had a fantastic safari experience and everything was very well organized. The guides were friendly, professional, and really made an extra effort to help us see lions, which we truly appreciated.
They were attentive and clearly cared about giving us the best possible experience. The vehicles were also comfortable, making the journey enjoyable.
Overall, we were very happy and would definitely recommend this tour.
CH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Professional in planning and execution
Arusha Trips was very professional. I did a self-drive safari once in Kenya, but for this adventure we opted to go with a tour organiser. Although we were quite close to the actual travel date, they managed to book a perfect tour. Even when we had to reschedule the tour just 10 days before the start due to an injury, they were super quick to react, even when the country was experiencing nationwide internet shutdowns! I would have never thought that they would be able to reschedule on such short notice and for a low price.
We went on a long 8-day safari up to Lake Natron, Serengeti, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro and Tarangire, followed by 4 days in Zanzibar. The driver Ali was professional, funny and very knowledgeable. You will learn so much about the animals but also the country and its people.
I would always recommend doing a long safari to see many animals, albeit next time I would skip Lake Natron and opt for more days in Serengeti. This way you skip some of the longest and most strenuous car rides (the roads up there are something else 😉).
The transit to Zanzibar was flawless. Only a late cancellation by the airline on the last day led to some delay — no fault of Arusha Trips, though. My partner and I can wholeheartedly recommend Arusha Trips for custom-made safaris
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent
He Thomas is the perfect driver and he take of the passenger making sure we are ok
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very smooth and thrilling thanks to Explore Africa Safaris!
A journey to remember! Our vacation to the savannah was very smooth and thrilling thanks to Explore Africa Safaris. The animal observations were amazing, and the guides were very informed. I heartily suggest it to everyone who wants to see the actual beauty of Africa!
LV
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very organized and made the whole trip easy and comfortable.
This trip was very enjoyable and well organized. We visited Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar, Gondar, Simien Mountains, and Lalibela, and each place was unique and interesting. It was a good mix of history, culture, and nature, and everything went smoothly.