35-50 years of age
Great trip
Our safari experience was nothing short of incredible! From the moment we arrived, everything was so well-organized and seamless. The guides were not only knowledgeable but also deeply passionate about the wildlife and landscapes, which made every drive exciting and educational.
We were lucky enough to see the Big Five, along with countless other animals and birds, and each sighting felt magical thanks to the guides’ sharp eyes and insights. The camp/lodge was comfortable, beautifully set in nature, and the staff went above and beyond to make us feel welcome. The food was delicious, and every meal felt special, whether under the stars or with a view of the savannah.
What stood out most was the sense of connection — to the land, the wildlife, and the people. It was an unforgettable adventure that left us with memories (and photos!) we’ll treasure forever. Highly recommended for anyone who dreams of a true safari experience.
Massive thanks to Max and the Topma Team
AE
35-50 years of age
Professional, exceptional and brilliant
I recently summited Kilimanjaro with Nafika, and the experience was outstanding. Elias was highly responsive from the point of booking and in relation to the climb, the whole team—ranging from porters to our guides, especially Meshack and Erfata - were exceptional. Their professionalism, experience, and focus on our wellbeing ensured we reached the top safely. Highly organized, caring, and dedicated, Nafika truly made this adventure unforgettable.
GR
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
We had a great safari with Verity Bester .She arranged everything perfect.
She arranged everything professionally. The communication was excellent .She responded immediately to our questions .The choice of lodges was great .All the drivers were excellent.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A great adventure made possible by a professional, trustworthy team!
QUICK SUMMARY: We loved the tour; we felt we were in excellent hands; the guides and chaperones were exceptional; any hiccups were smoothed over quickly and professionally; the team was very responsive and proactive with communication throughout the entirety of trip. I would definitely book with Rafiki Tembo again.
Before booking, I asked a friend which tour company she used when she went on safari in East Africa 8 years ago. But after searching for the company online, I learned they had since gone out of business. I chose Rafiki Tembo from the listings in SafariBookings based on the positive reviews, the destinations included, and price point. It was a leap of faith, but it turned out to be an excellent choice!
Rafiki allowed my group (3 travelers total) to customize our trip, so we added an extension from the mainland to the island of Zanzibar for the last 3 days. We also chose to arrive in Nairobi from the U.S. a day before our official tour began so that we could visit the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Nursery and the Giraffe Center, both of which are in the Kenyan capital. While we made our own hotel arrangements at the Fairview Hotel for this pre-tour time in Kenya, Rafiki offered to arrange all transportation, from airport pickup to our hotel, and to and from each of our Nairobi destinations. (Shout out to our driver George, who was so sweet and patient!)
After Nairobi, our official safari began with our Kenyan guide Unique Gee, who whisked us away from our hotel to the Great Rift Valley. He was funny and engaging and answered all of our many questions about wildlife and Kenya in general as we made our way through the Maasai Mara National Reserve, Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha. He also shot quite a few photos which he shared with us for free. (Thanks Gee!)
We stayed at 2 different Sopa lodges on the Kenyan safari and the accommodations were excellent. Beds were comfortable, views were sweeping, and the food was delicious and abundant with a wide variety of options (it was buffet style). The staff were also very pleasant and helpful. In addition to the game drives, we also did a hippo cruise and walking safari in Naivasha. I recommend both!
For our next stage of the trip, we flew from Nairobi to Arusha, then to the Seronera Airstrip, where we met our guide Deo, who took care of us throughout our Tanzanian safari. Like Unique Gee, he too was amiable and very knowledgeable about the wildlife, land, and people. We really enjoyed getting to know both Unique and Deo, who seemed more like friends showing us around than hired guides.
For our time in the Serengeti, we stayed at the Osero Serengeti Luxury Tented Camp. As the name suggests, we stayed in tents, but it was more "glamping" than camping as they had comfy beds and full ensuite bathrooms. While the food wasn't quite as good as the Sopa lodges, it sufficed. The staff and service was excellent, and we enjoyed chatting with them. Note: wildlife are free to roam through the camp at any time, but we never felt unsafe.
Our drives were longer in the Serengeti because the park is larger than the Maasai Mara, and wildlife is more dispersed. In addition to the larger game, we were able to spot some of the smaller animals, like a klipspringers, colorful lizards, a serval, hyrax, banded mongoose, and more.
After the Serengeti, Deo drove us to the Ngorongoro Crater, where more wildlife and awesome views awaited us. We stayed at the Farm of Dreams Lodge in Karatu, which was very charming. The next day we opted to do a cultural tour of Mto Wa Mbu. Don't miss out on this!
We had the choice between biking and walking, we chose the latter. Rafiki arranged for local guide Abdul to take us to a Maasai boma, a local wood workshop run by members of the Makonde tribe, a community kitchen where we ate some of the best food on the trip, a banana beer bar, and a primary school. Again, be sure to add it to add the cultural tour to your itinerary. (Thank you Abdul for sharing your town with us!)
For the final part of our trip, we flew from Arusha to Zanzibar. Here, we were taken excellent care of by Joshua and Yusuph. The first day we went on a snorkeling trip arranged by Rafiki with Jofari Safari Blue to a sand bar and smaller island. It was great fun! The second day we toured the Hakuna Matata Spice Farm and then did a walking tour of Stone Town. We really loved our time in Zanzibar and wished we could have remained there longer, but we had to get back to the U.S. (Thanks again, Joshua and Yusuph!)
What a fantastic trip! Traveling can be stressful, but we had a lot of peace of mind thanks to Rafiki Tembo. We felt like they had our best interests in mind throughout our time in East Africa. They had so much to coordinate on their end (accommodations, domestic flights, various tours in 2 different countries, guides, drivers, etc.). Even though they are a newer company, they were consummate professionals. They are also good people who you will come to know and love as we did! For real!
Thank you Lowassa and team for everything!
P.S. Rafiki Tembo have the best safari company name. "Rafiki" means "friend" and "Tembo" means "elephant" in Swahili. Elephant Friend! What's better than that?
PT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very well organized and very friendly. They do their best to give you the best experience!
Why only a 5-star ranking? My guide Lamesgn deserved at least 6 stars! I had a wonderful day in Addis Ababa. He’s always eager to share his knowledge and makes sure you feel truly welcome. I highly recommend his services in Addis Ababa. BEST. GUIDE. EVER.
MY
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kenya to Tanzania - Six-Day Safari Experience
Our dream trip was planned by Josh, who arranged everything perfectly from the very beginning to the very end. From Nairobi to the end of Zanzibar, there were no problems.
For the first two days, Omari was with us in Kenya, especially in Amboseli and Masai Mara. Really surprised to see the huge herd of elephants and the unprecedented migration to Masai Mara. Omary was very friendly and took great pleasure in teaching the children by answering their questions.
Then Imma was with us as a guide in the Tanzanian part. The endless plains of Serengeti and the scenes of lions, rhinos, and zebras together inside Ngorongoro - all this he has shown in an extraordinary way.
This six-day safari will be an invaluable experience in our family's life.
under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing! The nicest, kindest, loving person ever! great experience!!!
This experience was the best one I’ve ever experienced! I loved every minute of it. the animals were spectacular as per. The whole experience were stunning. I’d go back to it any time at any day!
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Providing an excellent Safari experience
I spent several months in Tanzania and lived with the Kimaro family in a very close-knit family atmosphere. I also went on a safari in Tarangire National Park with a friend. Our guide, Deo, showed us the wonderful nature and wildlife of northern Tanzania in a very pleasant way. He responded to our numerous questions and requests without any problems and with great enthusiasm. We had an unforgettable time, thank you very much!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Just the best !!
KG is a 10/10 driver / guide / tour operator you could ask for for a trip around South Africa! He joined us on an 8 day trip and was knowledgable, friendly and funny and really made the trip what it was - and worked alongside our other guide to teach us so much.
Thanks for being the best KG and for making our trip so memorable. Couldn’t recommend more :)
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding !
Wow- what an Amazing Trip!! Where do I start ? From the first day of planning and first message I sent to enquire, the whole trip was a dream come true. Max (Aka My Top Agent) was soo attentive and very understanding with soo many changes even before going. He was soo understanding with our needs and desire of this epic trip. He planned and worked with me to provide us with a complementary trip which to date I will never forget. The journey was carefully planned and I felt at ease incase anything happened.Our amazing trip organised was visits to Maasai Mara, Hot Air Balloon, Serengeti Safari and also having a few relaxing days in Zanzibar. The whole 3.5 weeks was organised with perfection by Topma Tours. They even gave us complementary site visits and also upgraded services which were not included in our packages. A massive Thank you to Max and his team and lastly it was a dream come true to see the Big Five African Game Animals and it wouldn’t have happened if it wasn't for their game drivers experience, patience and reassurances!
I would recommend Max and Topma Tours to everyone ! I cant wait to use their services again in the near future.
From your Truly Valued customers always,
Nizam & Nurun
