US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding company!!
It was a Fantastic Safari, visited on August 5, 2022.
We had a 12 Days/11 Nights Safari with Bluerange Connect Limited. We visited Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, Amboseli, Tsavo West and East. Our guide Emmanuel Muniafu was amazing! His knowledge, eye sight, instinct, driving abilities was outstanding!! We couldn’t asked for anyone better. We got to see more animals up close then we could ever imagine! We saw the Big 5 or 10 and many other types of animals, many times over! It was truly a trip of a lifetime!! Bluerange Connect hit it out of the park!!!
ES
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Totally recommended
It has been a very pleasant, fun and enriching experience. We did a private safari in Spanish and in a van, perhaps the latter is what we will change in the future, because the SUVs moved like fish in water, those roads for the vans are horrible.
For the rest, we were great, very comfortable with the guide Oscar and with our driver Simón, they made us spend 3 very entertaining days.
Totally recommended!!
(automatic translation from Spanish)
NL
Fantastic tour and very kind guide.
I had a safari with my family. Sudi is a safe driver and an excellent guide. Very helpfull and friendly. He shared lots of information about the animals also about the country. We had interesting and fun conversations, a great time together. Moreover, cook Charles served us with some great fresh meals along the whole trip. I really recommand Sudi Dendea!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding
A safari in Tanzania is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so you want to make sure you do it properly. Fortunately our tour with Shiri was perfect, including the lodgings as well as our guide Lau who was very experienced, knowledgeable and friendly and made sure we saw lots of animals. The hospitality from Linus - the owner - was exceptional and he was always available over WhatsApp to answer any questions very promptly. It can be overwhelming with hundreds of tour companies to choose from but I would 100% recommend Shiri!
NO
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great wildlife, but disappointing tour operator
We did a small safari tour over 3 days, where we slept in tents. Our experience was very two sided.
Pros:
1-The animals and nature we got to see was incredible. We saw almost all the animals we were hoping for.
2-The cook was amazing, considering his working conditions in public camping sites. Every single meal was really tasty, and had a good variety. He was always polite and explained in detail which food he served.
3-The tents were as expected for two adults in terms of size and weather resistance, but the campsite toilets and showers were dirty and lacking toilet paper. There were also too many tourists per toilet.
4-We have beverages in the jeep (water and soda) every day.
5-Two person per row in the jeep allowed everyone to have their own window.
6-The cars used for transport to and from the airport were in good condition
Cons:
1-The lodge where we stayed before and after the safari was very low-budget. The shower had only cold or burning hot water, and the water pressure was way too low. No hand towels were provided, and we had to ask for a second shower towel both stays. The breakfast was decent and the staff was polite. The room had poor sound isolation, so we were kept awake by other guests.
2-Our guide/driver (James or Jimmy) was often driving very erratically, so that it was often difficult for us to take good videos or photos of the animals. Sometimes he wouldn't stop when all of us saw animals we wanted to photograph.He was often giving information while we took pictures, but he kept demanding our response whenever we were busy with experiencing the wildlife. The way he approached different tourist in the jeep seemed unprofessional to us. When the tour was over, he didn't even bother helping with our bags, or even say goodbye. This was after we had paid the tip that was suggested by Hillary.
3-The driver should have a microphone, because it is almost impossible to hear his voice while the engine is running, especially if you are sitting in the back of the jeep.
4-Our contact at the lodge (Mr. Ally or Ali) gave us a very unenthusiastic introduction to our tour, where he said that we "must" pay a tip of 15 USD per day per person, even though Hillary's email said it was a recommendation. Only after we said this, he changed his choice of words. After the safari was over we met him again. Then he asked "give us a 5-star review on Tripadvisor, both of you today". We told him we would review the experience from home, but he kept asking to do it immediately. The only purpose was to keep Surikata Safari on top of the list at Tripadvisor, rather than honest feedback. Future tourists should keep this in mind when you read all the 5-star reviews. We had some extra time on our last day in Arusha where we said we wanted to relax. Instead he kept pushing for us to pay for more tours. The transport to the airport was 45 - 60 minutes delayed.
Overall what we suggest especially to couples is that to choose a mid-range (more luxurious) option compared to the one with tents. Then you might not be annoyed by some of the things we have listed.
IE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic "bucket list" experience
"Bucket list" experience you should do more than once. This was the holiday of lifetime. We saw all the "Big 5" including an elephant with twins, three rhinos in the Serengeti (I'm told this is very unusual), cheetahs hunting using our vehicle for cover and monkeys who stole part of our lunch. The accommodation was very good and our guide (Gasper) superb. Highly recommended. Our family of 5 including 3 teenagers will definitely be on safari again.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderful and professional
We booked our trip with African Paradise Safaris because their itinerary was the closest to what we wanted. We were extremely pleased with the experience. John Peter, who managed the booking, was very responsive and flexible when we suggested changes to itineraries. He was very patient with all of the questions we had. Our driver John was great - we spent 14 days total with him and I don’t think we got tired of each other! He’s an excellent driver and also a lot of fun - we had lots of smiles and laughs. Highly recommend APS for booking a safari!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing safari
My girlfriend and I did the 5 day safari in Tarangire, Serengeti & Ngorongoro and absolutely loved it. Our guide Simon was super friendly and so knowledgable. He knew everything about all the animals we saw (and there were so many) including the birds. Our cook Dennis was also very friendly and kept us well fed throughout the trip. We also did the hot air balloon ride at sunrise which was stunning. Hope we can come back soon!
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Trustworthy, reliable, great!
We traveled twice with Ivan some time ago (as you can see above) and found him to be very reliable, nice, helpful and very competent. Even when I transferred him a considerable amount for gorilla permits from here, the trust was not disappointed. He knows his way around Uganda and there, so to speak, "God and the world". It was a lot of fun with him and we would not hesitate to travel with him again, especially since we are still in contact and he is always available to answer any questions. So, in my opinion, nothing changes.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very knowledgeable and patient.
We used this service for transfers to and from airport to our lodge. So easy. Very knowledgeable. So patient - stopping to take wildlife and other photos along the way. Would highly recommend!