35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing
We first time went safari Amazing and very good experience
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazingly slick in Tanzani! Zanzibar might need a little work...
My partner and I planned our honeymoon in Tanzania and Zanzibar and decided to go with Tanzania Specialists due to the other positive reviews - they didn’t disappoint! The communication beforehand was excellent so we were fully briefed on what to bring and what to expect, plus the itinerary was flexible around us. The transfer from Kilimanjaro was easy and our first hotel was great. Within an hour, a Tanzanian Specialist had arrived to give us a briefing which was very thorough. The next day, our private guide for the week, Elly Kivuyo, arrived and ran us through the plan for the week; Arusha, Tarangire, Serengeti, and lastly Ngorongoro. I’m not sure whether TS match guides to clients but they did a great job with Elly; he’s early 30s (same as us) and was very laid back and positive. He offered several observations as we went along, but wasn’t a Chatty Cathy which suited us as sometimes it was nice just to sit in comfortable silence. He went above and beyond to ensure we saw absolutely everything and got some fantastic shots of the animals. He also took the time to help us learn lots of Swahili - the guides in Zanzibar were really impressed by how good it was due to his efforts. He made it very clear, both verbally and through his demeanour, how much he loves his job and we were actually really sad to leave him at the end of the week - he stayed with us at the airport at Arusha until we were called through to board our flight!
On the flip side, Zanzibar is still very new for TS it seems; the office there was only set up a year ago and there appears to be a few teething problems. The drivers are not the guides so they aren’t often too sure of the details of your itinerary - it would be great if TS could also give the drivers some information in case the clients have any questions. There was often a lot of waiting around for the guide once we got to the tour location and I’m not 100% sure that the tours are definitely value for money; they seem a lot cheaper if booked independently and the Spice Farm particularly, seemed to have an expectation to tip three other people once you’d already paid a far whack for the tour! However, we still had a great time and they picked our hotel just right - great chilled vibes on Jambiani beach and a paradise hotel. Overall, the Zanzibar side needs a little work but Tanzania and Elly blew us away!
NZ
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Exec Africa was responsive, professional, competitively priced, and always served with a smile
I had a great experience using Africa Exec for a Chobe Safari day trip, airport transfer, and a cultural dining experience. Manuel my contact person was very personable, responsive, helpful, professional and went above and beyond to ensure a smooth and enjoyable travel experience. The Africa exec vehicles are brand new and very comfortable to travel in, especially compared to some of the local taxis. I would not hesitate recommending using Exec Africa to book your various activities around Victoria falls and Chobe. Based on my experience they provide the best prices as well as a quality experience
Authentic Tanzania experience and great value for the money.
Crater Explorer is a great value with kind people who help experience the wonders of Tanzania. Their guides and porters are friendly, profesional and focused on you having a great time.
I highly recommend them if you want to have a more authentic experience at a lower cost. While they don’t have the newest gear, and schedules/plans can shift, they do provide personal attention and are flexible to work with.
Do not expect “luxury” and “westernized” experiences of the more expensive outfitters which have the newest gear, modern amenities and cookie cutter offerings.
Suggestions:
1. Bring more cash than you would expect, while there are atms and some places accept credit cards it’s not reliable
2. Having a way to filter your water is critical (such as Grayl Bottle)
3. Do your own research prior, people are responsive but not always detailed
4. Expect power to go out in the towns most days 7p-10a, if not more often
5. Expect to be in vehicle for a few hours as things are far apart; police check points are common and your driver handles them
6. Keep Hakuna Matata (no worries) in mind as things will change, but it’s all works out
If climbing Kilimanjaro:
1. Bring cash to tip about 15-20% for guides and porters; they depend on tips and earn them (only newer USD$ as they don’t accept older bills)
2. This is a useful gear list (https://followalice.com/knowledge/kilimanjaro-packing-list)
3. Rain gear, poncho and bag cover are key, even not during rainy seasons
4. Convertible pants, full zippered rain pants and other layers easy to take on/off are key as the weather/temperature change multiple times during a day
5. If you can, bring older gear/clothes to give to guides/porters afterwards; they depends on donations for all their gear (headlamps and batteries are gold!)
6. Sunscreen early and often, especially the higher you get
7. Choose the route which best meets your goals; each route has its pluses and minuses
8. Physically prepare prior, you want to be in shape enough to enjoy the experience, not just survive it
9. “Polé polé” (loose translation “slow and steady”) is key; each day by itself is easy but they add up and you want plenty left in tank for the summit
Enjoy! It’s a once in a lifetime experience
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Goodluck makes you feel like family as he shows you the best of Africa in all aspects.
Our family had the best safari and cultural experience with Goodluck in Tanzania. We saw amazing places, incredible animals, and thoroughly enjoyed seeing the great migration. We especially liked meeting so many kind people across all of the different areas of Tanzania & learning how they work, live, eat & drink - definitely some one of a kind life experiences there.
If you want to experience real Africa in all aspects, book a trip with Goodluck!
NL
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
PERFECT COMMUNICATION
First of all the 5 DAY TASTE OF ETOSHA seemed to be the exact tour I was looking for and it turned out to be perfect!!
Communication by e-mail with the tour operator went smoothly.
The whole trip was worth its value.
I had the feeling that I could rely on all the information.
Our tour guide was a gentleman and knew what he was talking about!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent service
Nicole walked us through the entire trip before during and after. We were a big group of 4 families and were not disappointed at all. I highly recommend them!
IN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Highly Professional and Friendly Service Provider
Online Booking experience with Alex was smooth and he answered all our queries patiently. Evans was our guide and our Safari experience of Masai Mara was definitely enhanced due to his proactiveness.
The camps are spacious and comfortable.
I would highly recommend booking with them.
CH
Highly individualised Safaris
I booked (on very short notice) a 6-days Safari for myself with Mazingira. Very fast response to the requested proposal. Fast response-time for later modifications and excellent planning of a personalized itinerary, specifically to my requirements. My guide / driver Simon was excellent. The vehicle was a Toyota Landcruiser Safari-jeep. The accomodations chosen were good. Only due to heavy rain, the Sero Tented Camp was not to my liking. The Game-drives in Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Ndutu / Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro-Crater did all result in lots of animal-sightings. It was a phantastic experience - thank you Mazingira and thank you Simon!
JP
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
I couldn't say anything besides PERFECT!!
We had a great itinerary, great breakfast, lunch and dinner. They made us love the Mt Kenya much more We can trust all guides.