DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The best trip Ever
We had a great 10-day safari in Northern Tanzania organized by Lelaa safaris in June 2021 - Ndutu, Southern Serengeti, and Tarangire, Manyara,Ngorongoro National Park. The accommodation everywhere was perfect and the safari was very well arranged, thanks to Eric. We were particularly happy to have Elemesi as our guide and driver, he knows how to find the most secretive animals and is a great compagnion. We saw all six african wild cats. It is for the first time taking a safari with Lelaa and everything is perfect - they are real experts and flexible to cater to your interests and needs.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unforgettable Safari and Zanzibar
My wife and I have just returned from a holiday vacation in Tanzania safari and Zanzibar with Lappet Faced Safaris. We did not know much about Tanzania or Zanzibar and Francisco helped us come up with the great bespoke itinerary specially crafted to suit our desires, budget and timeline. We had fun on safari visiting Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater with our fantastic guide Frank. We enjoyed the beautiful landscapes and awesome wildlife encounters. They had organized for fabulous camps that were comfortable, fine food and great staff. Matemwe beach in Zanzibar was relaxing and beautiful; walking along the beach, swimming and just having fun. This trip was like our second honeymoon all thanks to Lappet Faced Safaris
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great company
I went for this company as my best friend recommended me. IT was like once in a lifetime experience! We enjoyed the entire safari. The best part was locating the golden monkeys. It was just awesome to be there. And the company managed everything very decently.
I am going to recommend them and rate them 5/5. A great safari experience with an awesome tour company
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
WONDERFUL trip with Seven Wonders Safaris, in every respect an incredible experience, A+++
TLDR Version: Thanks to Seven Wonders Safaris, our budget family safari was in every respect an incredible experience, A+++, did not have a ‘budget’ feel to it at all. Evelyn and her team are professional, experienced, responsive, and will go the extra mile for you. I highly recommend them, and plan to book with them again.
Background: We’re a family of 4 (two parents and two college-aged kids), and this was our first safari.
Safari: 9 Days Kenya and Tanzania Budget Safari, July 2021
Initial Contact and Selection: We used SafariBookings.com to select several companies based on what we wanted to see. Seven Wonders Safaris responded with a quote for the requested safari and with some other options tailored to our needs. This was very helpful, and the company's 5-star rating meant a lot in our selection process. When it was time to pay for the safari, Evelyn assisted in giving us the options regarding payment, including the wiring instructions.
First Portion - Kenya: This segment was operated by a company contracted by Seven Wonders Safaris, I believe due to regulations about who can operate tours in each country. We had an experienced safari guide in Kenya, and saw many, many animals in Masai Mara. The accommodations for this leg of the safari were modest, but we were not expecting more than that for a budget safari. The guide allowed for options to see other sites, which we did (e.g., Lake Navaisha boat tour, Great Rift Valley overlook).
Second Portion - Tanzania: Evelyn greeted us at our hotel in Arusha shortly after our arrival. She answered all of our questions and let us know what to expect the next morning. Evelyn told us that she changed two of our lodging sites because the existing ones were getting mediocre reviews. I was glad to hear that because I had read those reviews as well, but remember, we paid for a budget safari and did not expect luxury. The two changes turned out to be noticeable upgrades - I would say those new lodging sites far exceeded what I expected in terms of the actual beds, hot showers, food, and overall ambiance. We really enjoyed staying in those places! The food was delicious, service was outstanding, and the settings were memorable.
The vehicle used by Seven Wonders Safaris was significantly better than that used on the Kenya portion of the safari, and that was a welcome improvement. Our guide was Hosea (pronounced HO-za), a long-time, very experienced safari guide. He was personable, knowledgeable, very understandable speaking English, and he ultimately proved to be a top-notch guide for our safari. Hosea found a currency exchange business for us on day one, which we needed to change our Kenyan shillings into Tanzanian shillings. He always kept us informed of the tour agenda, and he knew the names of every animal we saw, including all of the birds. He often spotted things we did not see, and directed our attention to those animals. Thanks to Hosea, we were able to get as close as allowed to the animals (from our vehicle), resulting in excellent photos for us.
Hosea also made sure to explain to us the history and cultures of Tanzania. This was very interesting in its own right, and generated many questions from us - all of which Hosea could answer. Example: as you travel through Tanzania, you’ll often see young children tending/herding animals such as sheep, goats and cattle. We asked Hosea about the school systems, compulsory schooling, etc. Not safari questions, certainly, but Hosea answered them all.
The Seven Wonders Safaris difference: We saw Lake Manyara, Serengeti N.P., and the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania. Each location had its own unique flavor, and we enjoyed them all. Instead of going on about those parks, this is what I noticed: you can pay a LOT for a safari, but ultimately the point is to see certain animals in their native environment, as they have existed for time immemorial. When you go see the animals, you need an aggressive guide who will get you on site to see them quickly and up close. We had that with Hosea and Seven Wonders Safaris. The only difference I saw between our budget safari and what appeared to be luxury ones during the game drives was the age and type of vehicle people were in. The bigger differences are probably in the accommodations and what is included there. But even on our trip, our food and accommodations in Tanzania were perfectly fine, and sometimes outstanding. When we stopped for lunch, we saw other tourists being served a boxed lunch. Seven Wonders Safaris served us a cooked, hot meal each time, more than enough food for all of us. I could see other tourists enviously looking at our hot food! There was a cook (Kelvin) who joined us during the Tanzanian portion of the trip, who made the food. This was a great touch. I could have spent much, much more on this trip than I did, but I don’t think we would have had a better time than we did. If I had spent less, the food and accommodations would have been too meager (we could see some of those camps as we passed). Seven Wonders Safaris = just right.
Extra Mile: Due to COVID and also due to changing visa requirements, we had several moments on this trip where we thought it would end from lack of the right test/visa. Each time I was able to contact Evelyn, and she helped us fix things. All of those things were beyond her control to begin with, but she helped us get through them all, including arranging a PCR COVID test for us on our return to Kenya, so we could return to our home. She met us again in Arusha before our departure and made sure everything had gone well. Her customer service was excellent, and I plan to contact Seven Wonders Safaris again when we plan a different trip.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Dream safari vacation of a lifetime
This was the best experience ever. We experienced and saw everything that was in our itinerary. Our guide Michael was great at knowing exactly where to go to spot game and we couldn't have spotted 90% of what we saw without him. Plus, he was fantastic at navigating the unmarked roads of the Tarangire, the crater, and the Serengeti. I highly recommend this company as they tailor made the safari around what we wanted and we definitely would not have been able to do the covid test at the Seronera site without help. We had to postone this trip twice before we actually went due to the pandemic so the fact that everything went as planned was perfect. As far as pricing, you cant beat this company because we stayed at a different place each night and every place made us feel like royalty. I recommend every place we stayed at as they were better than any hotel we have ever stayed at. If are going n a safari, you should choose this company. Asante Sana
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Perfect Safari experience
Very good communication via WhatsApp.
Excellent driver (safe, prudent, professional, skilled). Good and clean accomodation. Great and abbundant food. Very good experience! The best value for money. I highly recommend this very reliable agency.
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Reliable and professional
We booked 3 nights 4 days safari at Masai Mara park and it was such an unforgettable experience. Our guide was amazing and so helpful during the whole trip. I would definitely recommend the tour operator
FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A responsive operator yet to improve on value for money
We did a 3-day tour to Gombe national park to visit the chimpanzees.
The planning and organization was very professional, with very fast responses and someone was expecting us when we arrived.
Once in the park, the accommodation was as expected - mid-range tents - far from the premium and cleaning standard you may get in other Safari experiences.
The experience in the park was great. We got really close to the chimps, while respecting their boundaries and always well guided by the local experts. The staff was also great and food was very good.
Our rating of 3/5 stars is based on two main elements:
1) On the second day (out of 3 days program) we arrived at Kigoma at 4pm. First the driver left us in a wrong hotel - we’ve noticed that and finally were redirected to the one that had been communicated - Sunset Vista Hotel. Secondly, at Sunset Vista Hotel we were put first in a very small room with a tiny toilet and wifi internet wasn’t working. Joshua, the operator manager, was responsive to our complaint and came the hotel to upgrade us to a better room. The improved room was still far from the expectations over mid-range on European or Serengeti standards.
2) The overall price of 350 USD per day is clearly overpriced - as 1st you profit only 2 out of 3 days, as the 3rd day you travel early in the morning back to Dar. And 2nd, you’re paying luxury daily rates when comparing to Serengeti, while getting a mid/low range service.
Overall we were very happy to see chimps from very close and Joshua was very professional and responsive.
We hope this constructive feedback improves the overall service delivery for future travelers.
PT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Once-in-a-lifetime safari experience!
We travelled to Tanzania on our honeymoon and we chose Soul of Tanzania as our safari operator. We couldn’t be happier with our experience! They organized everything, from transfers to/from the airport, accommodation in Arusha and everything during the safari. They proposed a tailor-made 7-day safari experience through Tarangire, Serengeti (North and Central) and Ngorongoro crater.
Our guide, Enock, knows everything about wildlife and always found the best spots to see the animals. Throughout the whole time, he was kind and willing to teach us more about the different species.
All the places we stayed were wonderful, very nice staff and great food! The hot meals were always balanced and tasty, and we loved the wine too, of course. Indeed you see everyone else eating pre-packed cold lunches except for us.
Honestly we couldn’t recommend Soul of Tanzania more, and our guide Enock, who we will cherish forever for these amazing times in Tanzania.
CN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
patience, professionalism, knowledge of animals
8 days under the only driver who?is also a professional guider for all safari and animals. and also can fast find interesting animals and also the rare scenarios like fine lion eating, four leopards hunting, etc.