FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The operator provided excellent organization, though food and accommodation needs improvment
Transport: Perfect. Our guide Nestor managed the flights Zanzibar → Selous → Dar es Salaam very smoothly, always punctual and reliable.
Safari: Very good. Comfortable 4x4 just for the two of us. Nestor was attentive, and we managed to see the “Big 3” (elephants, lions, buffalos), though no rhinos in Selous.
Accommodation: Lodges were adequate (mosquito nets, hot water), but overall quite basic with limited comfort and no extra amenities or blankets. We chose to spend the third night in a Dar es Salaam hotel instead.
Food: Could definitely be improved, lacked variety and quality.
Staff: Khadidja and Clara, along with the rest of the lodge team, were very kind and attentive. However, the lack of English skills made communication sometimes difficult.
Overall: Excellent organization and safari thanks to Nestor, but accommodation and especially food would need improvement.
CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
If you don't pursue an ultra-luxurious experience, you can choose...
I had a personalized safari itinerary that only lasted 4 days, covering the central, northern Serengeti and Ngorongoro. As a result, much of the time was spent on the road. Maybe the animals have been hiding in recent years, so the ones I saw weren't as spectacular as I imagined, but the guide was still earnest in helping me look for them.
The wind and sand were enormous along the way. After the first day, I was covered in black from hair to toes, and my skin and respiratory tract were also full of sand. Later, on the return flight, someone suggested wearing a full-face visible veil directly, which would provide better protection.
Regarding meals, compared with other tourists' food, I thought mine was just average, which might be because I ate the same kind for too many days. I started having lunch boxes on the first day of hiking, and ended up eating them for five or six days in total.
It wasn't like the freshly cooked meals shown in online photos from other people, and of course I didn't see any other tour groups serving freshly cooked food either. However, I did see many people with hot meals, whereas all the packed lunch boxes were cold.
Accommodation: Maybe because I decided too late, I stayed in tents for two nights and in other types of accommodation for the other two. One place had no shampoo or body wash, and another had no hair dryer. If you need these, remember to bring them yourself.
IT
Always available, responsive and flexible to all our requests
Zambezi Expedition Travel and Tours was very responsive from the start by sending us a plan and estimate based on our specific requests and adjusted it as per our desires even during the trip. Their feedback and response to our questions and requests were always timely and positive. Almost all accommodations reserved (except for one that was basic) were amazing. Although they are based in Zimbabwe, they efficiently arranged our trip section in Botswana with their partner agencies based there.
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The tour operator is organised and promptly available to reply to any questions.
From the start of the contact with the organisation, the operators presented two possible option for a 2-day safari, including the and excluding one night at a hotel.
Once the safari plan was chosen, the operator was in contact the whole time, from start to finish. They explained again the program the night before the safari, at the hotel, and made sure I was always with someone at each step.
My safari included visiting the Tarangire National Par with a lodge at Fig Tree Lodge and the Ngorongoro Crater the day after. For each expertness I joined a grip and shared their car, and they both included a lunch break with studding new of the savana.
I would rate the good, as it was possible to see some animals, but not as much as I expected. Whereas the Ngorngoreo Crater is 100% worth it. The view is always beautiful and we managed to see multiple lines, zebras, gnus, and lots of birds. I wish the guides would have explained more what we were observing and facts and characteristics of the animals we were observing.
In overall, the experience with a night in Arusha, Tarangire National Park, the Fig Tree Lodge and the Ngorongoro Crater was $430.
I truly appreciated the operators immediate replies to my messages and for helping me take a bus from Arisha to where I needed to get.
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
All the team is very welcoming, nice and helpful.
I planned my trip very long time ago and I asked thousands of questions to all the team. Each time, they have been very patient, and took the time to help me to take the best decisions and optimize my trip. They respected my budget, and I was quite impressed by the quality of hotels they booked.
Their drivers are really nice, and experienced, good drivers, peaceful and very knowledgable about animals, people and history of the country and tribes.
This is very useful, specially when a black mamba is coming to your car and you could have go out of it !
One deception concerned the fact that I couldn't hunt with the Hatzabe's despite of it was written in the contract. They just decided not to hunt this day. I would have prefer they mention "it might be possible to hunt with them" on the contract. This would have avoided my deception.
One not to good souvenir is the agency booked the plane ticket to go from Kilimandjaro airport to Zanzibar , but not the way back from Zanzibar to the Kilimandjaro airport. I still don't understand why and ask to myself how they thought we would go back to take our plane to go back to France. It was the last day , so it impacted our overall impression.
Despite of that, this trip will stay the best one I have ever had, and it was great to work with a human, local and welcoming agency such as Kimgoni, rather than TZ Specialist or Leopard Tours which are "big companies", much more not personal.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very well organized tour
Very good communication
Good value for money
It is a reliable operator
Very well organized tour
Excellent driver Charles who took us to see lots of animals. He went above and beyond to give us a good experience.
We booked budget accommodation. We didn't sleep in the places which were told originally but I believe what we got it was the same value.
Some tents had warm water and electricity only between certain hours which was a bit inconvenient: apeox 8pm till 7am. Not hot water for budget.
We had 6 days safari starting from Nairobi: Masai Mara, Nakuru, Niwasi, Amboseli. I was expecting to see Tsavo West on last day. On last day we did nothing but straight travel back.
If you plan to pay with credit card once you arrive in Kenya, we were told that it is possible. It is true bit there is 5% fee for each payment which we were not aware. Keep this in mind.
Overall it was a good experience. I totally recommend this tour operator and I can definitely come back with him.
HK
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very professional and quick in response
The service is good. I've modified the quotation for many times but Innocent is very patient and efficient! The tour guide is very nice, good driving skills and take very good care of everyone! We saw a lot of animals during game drive.
NL
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Pleasant day’s outing around Dar Es Salam
I birded a day with January who knows his birds and stake-outs well. We saw most of the targets I had asked for. I would definitely recommend going with this organisation.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Thorough, Responsive and Flexible!!!
Thank you to Richard and his team for organizing a memorable half century celebration 🎉 trip for me. Richard was very attentive, flexible and adaptive to all my changes and requests. He offered his professional advice on his expertise of the area. Our trip to Nairobi, Maasai Mara and Zanzibar was amazing!!!! Thank you @ Worldfire Vacations for a memorable trip!!!
SA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Lake Manyara National Park by Ehsan Gerami
I thought we would’ve seen more.