US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An amazing person
Our visit to the Ngorongoro Crater with Ozon Light Tours was a highlight of our trip to Tanzania. Our friendly driver Issa, made the journey enjoyable with his stories and knowledge of the area. With Albert we learned about the crater's unique ecosystem and saw incredible wildlife up close. A must visit!
RO
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable Day Safari to Mikumi National Park
We did our last minutes day safari to Mikumi National Park. Communication with Arrow Trekking & Safaris was very fast and unbelievable just one day communication the trip was confirmed, at the park we had very good guide Joseph he managed to find for our group a lot of wildlife. Our group saw elephant, giraffe, lion, antelope and many more; without driving around very much. In short we enjoyed our trip we cannot stop recommending Arrow trekking & safaris to any interested holiday maker for a day trip to Mikumi.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect Safari Experience — Thank you Stacy and Msangi!
My family of five (three teenagers) had a fantastic 13-day trip to Tanzania and Uganda. Duma (Stacy Readal) was an amazing partner in creating a PERFECT itinerary for us, and in pairing us with the PERFECT guide, Halifa Msangi. Let me start with the planning process. When I first reached out to Stacy, I was initially looking for guidance – I didn’t know if Tanzania was the right fit – the only thing that I knew for certain was the window of dates that we were looking to plan a trip. After our first conversation, Stacy had my wife and me sold on visiting Tanzania, and after that one conversation, my wife and I knew that Stacy (and Duma) was the right partner for us and for our family. In addition to a safari, we mentioned our interest in Gorilla trekking, but we knew very little about it. Stacy was able to give us a ton of information on it because she had recently taken her family on the same experience. Stacy used to live in Tanzania for many years, and therefore has so much personal experience with everything related to Tanzania – that was so hugely helpful in explaining to my wife and me what my family could expect. So, we knew that gorilla trekking was something that we were interested in, so Stacy was able to tack a trip to Bwindi, Uganda on to the end of our safari in Tanzania – no other travel person that we had spoken to before Stacy had offered to arrange such an experience without considerable additional expense. Stacy gave us multiple options on lodges/camps for our safari, and because she had stayed at most/all of them with her children, she was able to provide personal insight on what would likely be the best fit for our family. This was all done seamlessly via tons of emails and a few phone calls (she was extremely patient with me (thank you!) – I think I may have set the record for number of questions asked), and invoicing/payments were handled seamlessly – payments were made via wire transfer to a large US bank, which is comforting. Finally, when life threw us a curve ball a week or so prior to our travels (two members of our family would have to arrive one day late) Stacy was so incredibly helpful – she looked into the situation and found a local plane from JRO right into an airstrip in Tarangire National Park – she arranged two seats for them on that plane, and we met them at the airstrip one day late, and started our Safari! It was so cool!! We visited Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, Ndutu and central Serengeti. OK – so that’s Stacy – she was awesome – I would partner with her again 100 out of 100 times. Another huge thank you goes to Stacy for partnering us with our amazing guide, Halifa Msangi. (He goes by Msangi. The “g” is a hard “g”, like in “Serengeti”.) Msangi is the BEST! He is an amazing guide with an absolute wealth of knowledge. I cannot overstate how much we learned from Msangi about Tanzania (about the land, the ecosystem, history, politics, etc) about the wildlife (this man knows everything). He did an amazing job of finding wildlife, and knowing when we were witnessing something significant, that we likely would not see again in our time on safari, so that we could stay and enjoy it and soak it in. He loves Tanzania, and loves nature. We asked him what made him want to be a guide, and his answer is that he loves nature. He loves the animals. He’s passionate about it. And that’s obvious to anyone who spends even a few days with him. In addition – and maybe more importantly -- Msangi was really wonderful and patient with my family. When we arrived at JRO, he stood out amongst all of the guides waiting to pick up their guests – he had the biggest most welcoming smile and the warmest presence. He has a great sense of humor, and was able to figure out our family dynamic after only a few days with us. Finally, Msangi is as kind a person as you will ever meet. A few anecdotes: his strong relationship with other safari guides is obvious, and it matters. There is a bond that exists between the guides, and those relationships and information sharing can be the difference between seeing a cheetah, or driving right by it. There was one occasion that I noticed another guide flash his headlights at us, telling us “come here” – I’m sure it was because of the relationship between Msangi and that other guide. Msangi is the guide that all other guides respect. Another anecdote – we were transiting between camps, and were in the Serengeti where the “roads” can be very iffy. Our truck was great. Very comfortable – it got through everything without any concerns at all. On this leg of the trip, it was a total downpour, and the road (which was just two dirt tire tracks) had turned into a mud pit. We were fine, but we came upon a box truck that was hopelessly stuck in the mud. When we came upon it, the driver was outside, in only his underwear – he had removed his clothes because he knew they would quickly become mud-soaked. So Msangi – being the kind, caring, helpful person that he is – stopped our truck to help this poor guy out. He assessed the situation, advised the driver on how to navigate the mud pit that he was in. Msangi got out his shovel and helped dig out mud – and after several back and forth attempts, he assisted the driver in getting his truck out of a hopeless situation. That’s the kind of guy Msangi is. The office people at Alika were great too! We spent our first night in Arusha, and I accidentally left my eyeglasses behind on my hotel bathroom counter. I realized this several hours later, and told Msangi, who called the Alika office. They told me that they’d get them to me in a few days, via a courier. I told them that wasn’t necessary – that they could mail them to my home, and that would be great, but they told me it was ok. Two days later, before we had a tour at the village of Mto Wa Mbu, our village guide said “before we start, I have something for you.” And there they were. Thank you for making that happen – it was kind of unbelievable. I know that this review is about Duma, and not about the lodges/camps that we stayed at, but I do want to mention that the places that Stacy chose for us were really amazing. Beautiful settings. Beautiful rooms. Wonderful, friendly staffs who would bend over backwards to make our stays magnificent. The places that we stayed at were very very nice – wonderful choices for me and my family. Thank you for making our trip to Tanzania and Uganda a true trip of a lifetime.
CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Excellent
We booked one day Gorilla Trek with this company starting from the City and our guide Abou picked up 4:30am on time as agreed from four points hotel he was Kind, nice, knowledgeable and overall Hermosa Company went beyond our expectations, if you are in Rwanda for a short time we recommend to go Gorilla trek.
We travelled as a couple.
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Emile was professional, helpful and a kind tour guide
Lovely and memorable trip. Rwanda is a beautiful and dafe city
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very good service for the safari organisation
The communication with the agent was very good and very useful. After I expressed my main interest for ensuite facilities he suggested DUMELA camp site. After this suggestion I didn't have to look further. Dumela is a camping option with ensuite facilities. In the tent there are two single beds and A/C. It is not really glamping but close to it. The beds were made after our first night, something that I wasn't expecting at all.
The evening safari at the Blue Canyon Reserve with Goodmen and Peace was great. We had the opportunity to see rhinos, lions, giraffes... The drive at Kruger National Park with Evance was fantastic. Evance told us some details about the animals but also about the flora.
At Dumela camp we had a problem with the cold water in the shower but it got fixed after we reported it. We didn't use the swimming pool. Both dinners around the fire place were nice and fantastic to have one complimentary glass of wine (the next ones are charge 20R each).
My partner and I did the panoramic route tje last day. It was nice but it felt a bit rushed. Getting down of the vehicle, walk, take few pictures and return to the van. Despite this I will suggest doing it the final day of the stay.
A point for improvement is the communication among all the employees. It happened that we were told a different time for being picked up and the driver was hurrying us up 30 minutes earlier. And a fellow Safari companion was forgotten in her accommodation and almost misses the evening safari. On the last day breakfast was served late so we needed to rush and we weren't provided with cutlery and as there was nobody around we didn't want to invest extra time in walking to the kitchen to request them.
But in general picture , my partner and I had a great time at Dumela camping and with the safaris and the panoramic route organised by MoAfrika.
IE
50-65 years of age
Guided Walking Tour of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Fantastic tour, magnificent view. Kuda, our guide, was very knowledgeable about the area. Lots of interesting stories and good fun. Highly revommended.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing sightings with a fabulous guide
Mzwa our guide was informative and managed to find us constant sightings. He had a great sense of humour and always made sure everyone was happy before moving on. A truely special experience
US
A Remarkable Adventure in Tanzania
Our journey with Kilimanjaro Heroes was terrific. What began as planning a trek for 2 up Kilimanjaro via the 8-day Lemosho route evolved into a trek for 7 to the summit and also a 6-day safari for 4 of our party. What truly sets Kilimanjaro Heroes apart is their responsiveness, flexibility, and dedication to ensuring an unparalleled adventure.
From the outset, communication was seamless. The provision of a local US telephone number made coordinating with a Tanzania-based company effortless, eliminating the need for costly intermediaries. This direct line of communication proved invaluable, especially as our group expanded from 2 to 7 individuals and our itinerary transformed to include both the trek and safari.
During the ascent of Kilimanjaro, the local team's commitment to our success was unwavering. Despite encountering altitude sickness among three members of our group, the guides and porters went above and beyond to ensure everyone reached the summit safely. Their support was truly remarkable, from daily medical checks to the guides even carrying the day packs of those struggling on the final ascent—a testament to their dedication and expertise.
Moreover, the personalized touches extended beyond the trek itself. Arriving a day early in Tanzania, some members of our group ventured to explore Arusha National Park, while others opted for rest after the long journey. Unexpectedly, those who remained behind were treated to a tour of Moshi by our guide, providing a glimpse into local life and culture—an unexpected highlight of our trip.
For those short on time and seeking a safari experience, Arusha National Park offers an abundance of wildlife, including different types of monkeys, elephants, cape buffalo, giraffe, etc. alongside the opportunity for a walking safari—an ideal option for a condensed wildlife encounter.
When it comes to the safari portion of the journey, we recommend booking early, as accommodations in the various safari parks fill up quickly. Our late booking necessitated more driving than necessary. For visits to the Serengeti, opting to fly back can save valuable time, eliminating an extra 5 hours in the car—a consideration worth considering.
In summary, our experience with Kilimanjaro Heroes was terrific. From the initial planning stages, marked by flexibility and responsiveness to accommodate multiple changes, to the successful summit of Kilimanjaro and the unforgettable safari adventure, For those seeking an adventure of a lifetime in Tanzania, Kilimanjaro Heroes is definitely worth considering.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Outstanding Service
We were in Kigali with a day before our flight home.
Emile Lion was recommended by the young lady at the hotel desk. It was evening and I did not have high hopes for finding a day tour but called Emile.
After making the call, explaining what we were looking for, Emile made the recommendations he thought would interest us.
Per his recommendation, we took a full day trip to Akagera National Park and were very happy we did.
The entire experience was excellent. Last minute accommodation, helpful and informative guide and well kept equipment.
If an when we return to Rwanda we will be sure to book ANY tours with Emile.