20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent. I would gladly use them again and recommend them to everyone
One of the best experiences ever! The legend safari team has exceeded my expectations. The vehicle was spacious and comfortable with enough room to turn around and get a full 360 view. The guide had exceptional knowledge of the animals and knew exactly what area of the park you can expect to see what animals. We managed to see the following animals
Waterbuck
Giraffe
Zebra
Elephant
Buffalo
Impala
Warthog
Hippos
Fish eagle
Vulture
Monkeys
Wildebeest
Tortoise
Kudu
Steenbok
Rhino
Baboon
Francolin bird
Eagle
Lion
Cheetah
Honestly, without the guide we wouldn’t have seen even half of the animals.
I highly recommend Legend safaris and look forward to another tour with them.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Well organised especially given late booking
From first contact communication was clear and efficient. I had contacted 3 companies as recommended and Tekko stood out on price point and accommodation. They were also the only company I contacted which differentiated on low and high season price and type of vehicle used which meant planning was easier. Maggie responded quickly and efficiently. She also was helpful in answering all my questions. I gave Tekko very little notice of travel but a well balanced personal itinerary was proposed and excellent accommodation was booked throughout. Much better than I anticipated in very nice lodges given the cost, which was very reasonable for 8 nights, especially as private vehicle and all meals were included in the cost. All lodges had pools bar The Ark ( if you go there you will understand why), outside seating and service and food at each was good. The transfer to the hotel in Nairobi was very long due to a local public transport strike but our driver , who had no control over this, was proactive in finding alternative routes and arranged for us to be met en route so we could get help
With our luggage and walk to the hotel. Had he not done this we would have been stuck in traffic for many more hours. The standard of driving throughout was excellent especially leaving Masai Mara after very heavy rains. The road was awful and I heard later that many cars got stuck but my driver got me through with what was clearly a very difficult road ( road being a generous description). He was excellent at finding the animals and I had some very special sightings often the only vehicle there. Also very helpful with shopping and getting medication for a very bad cold. I have been on safari before so have comparisons and I would have liked the driver, who is described as a guide, to have told more about the animals other than just their name. The driver was quite taciturn and it was quite hard to extract information. Also I fedback to him direct that he needs to know more bird names as a safari is about the big and small. He was good at suggesting changes to itinerary. As I had had plenty of game drives during the week this worked well for me but others might not like the loss of the last afternoon game drive , for which there would have been time, so be clear what the changes mean but bearing in mind driving on safari is a tough job. Also on the last day home he presumed we did not want to go to Carnivore as had had boxed lunch en route. This did mean we were at the airport very early with a substantial wait even before we could check in. I appreciate the traffic back to the city was building up badly and this would affect his journey home but we should have been asked. Overall a great safari but the guiding side of what was an excellent driver needs working on. I would recommend Tekko tours.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Far better than I could imagine
Since we choose safari based on budget, we didn’t have high expectation. We expected to see few animals, have some average food and build our tents by ourself. The reality was totally different. We saw almost all animals we could see, the chef was amazing and the food was very delicious (even better than in some restaurants in Europe, base on which conditions they prepared the food). We didńt need to take care about building up our tents, everything has been made by gus from Suricata safari crew. Actually, we didn’t need to care about anything, only just about observing animals. I would give 6 stars from 5, if possible. Totally exceeded my expectations.
ES
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well educated in the areas we visited.
Biggie (Steve) was recommended by our son who lives in Tanzania. My husband and I felt so comfortable with Steve as our guide. Every question we asked was answered in a way that which taught us so much about the animals and land we were in. His knowledge of the Masai people has made me more curious and I find myself reading books about the history of the Masai and Tanzania. Accommodations on Safari were beyond our expectations.
PL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing safari experience
It was one of the best decisions to book my safari experience with Soul of Tanzania. I have sent several enquiries to best safari tour operators and from the very first contact with SoT they made the best impression. First of all they have provided a selection of accommodations from different price ranges, they were always very responsive and answering all my questions with patience.
Second of all they have asked whether I would like to select a specific tour guide based on customer review. I was lucky enough to select Nico who was always very helpful, had tremendous knowledge about the animals and had good relations with other guides, which is very helpful for finding the best spots. Nico is also a very good driver which is really important on the bumpy African roads. Nico made almost everything that I could cross out from my bucket list the Big 5.
Third of all, SoT offers many small details that make the safari once in a lifetime experience. They are the only tour operator offering hot lunches with ice cold wine, the car was spacious, clean and had a power adapter so that my camera batteries were always full.
Finally, the camps and lodges Soul of Tanzania have recommended were more than exceeding expectations.
So I would definitely recommend Soul of Tanzania as tour operator.
TW
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
With great service and hospitality, this tour operator is your only and best choice!
The tour guides will give you a thorough explanation on everything about Africa, and will try their best to serve you an unforgettable experience. For example, the memories of great food, accommodations, and safari are still deep inside my mind. I really have a great time while staying in Africa!
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Terrific tour of Uganda with Encounter Africa Safaris!
Terrific tour of Uganda with Encounter Africa Safaris! Would recommend and would absolutely travel with again. Driver was friendly, on time (which is a rarity in Africa) and very knowledgeable about the region. He was incredibly flexible and accommodating. I really enjoyed the chimpanzee and gorilla tracking - thanks for a great tour! Excellent and prompt communication throughout the booking process.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Do your own research
The main lesson I learned having booked a Tanzanian trip with EA is do your own research too.
When we arrived in Arusha, the accommodation was well below average. We have traveled all over India and are familiar with accommodation in an under developed country, however, this was quite shocking. We managed to upgrade to a nicer room at no extra charge, courtesy of the hotel.
We decided to travel by road throughout our trip so we could see the countryside, however, the vehicle was a rust bucket. The air con didn’t work and we were unable to close our windows for protection against the elements, mud and tsetseflies. The car seats had no cushioning left which, given that most of the trip was off road, made for an extremely uncomfortable ride. It also felt like the shock absorbers were shot too. The vehicle had done in excess of 380,000km all of which were off road. We all ended up with sore backs as a result. Just to note, some of the game drives took over 6 hours with no toilets around. It’s ok for guys, but I wasn’t comfortable going behind a bush for rest stops. It’s not something you are told prior.
A big part of our trip was to see the migration of the wildebeest. We had been warned by other travelers that the migration was delayed and all the animals were still at the Wester Corridor, so we should tell our driver so he could make alternate arrangements. He was very reluctant to do so. By the time we got to camp, the wildebeest has just started to arrive, but the other big animals had not. We spent hours and hours each day for nearly three days searching for signs of lions, elephants and other large animals. We finally insisted that we move to where other travelers had advised us to go. Reluctantly our guide agreed. We managed to see leopards, lions (many), hippos, crocodiles, wildebeest, zebras, hyenas many different antelope, all in one day. However, because of this earlier reluctance to move, we only managed to stay overnight. It was wonderful and we wanted to stay longer, agreeing to pay the additional costs associated with it. It was refused and we ended up moving very early the next day to stay at a hotel, which was not ideal. Another 10 hour drive in a sub standard vehicle.
Our driver could not be contacted the next day so we missed out on the morning game drive. So we spent over 24 hours in a hotel room. Not what you want when you pay big $$ to see wild life.
After missing out on seeing the migration, it was extremely disappointing that we were forced to leave the one place that had all the action we were searching for.
There were many enjoyable moments and the guide was extremely knowledgeable and a superb driver. Just make sure you do your own research. Check hotel reviews. Ask about the age and condition of the vehicle you will be traveling in. It will make all the difference when traveling through this stunning country. Africa is amazing. The people are warm and welcoming and the animals are breathtaking. It truly is an experience of a lifetime.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A really great experience we wouldn’t hesitate to repeat.
We had a great Safari experience with Mohammed, our tour guide. The landscapes are obviously beautiful and Mohammed made sure we saw an amazing range and abundance of wildlife. He was very knowledgeable and adapted to our group preferences. He was also great company! Our chef was also great, providing a variety of good food and packed lunches, and making us extra banana fritters when we said we loved them. We liaised with Humphrey prior to arrival who was very helpful organising airport transfers and providing extra information. We stayed at a lovely campsite in little huts, an unexpected luxury! All in all a great experience we wouldn’t hesitate to repeat.