ES
50-65 years of age
Dream come true
It has been incredible to enjoy seeing wild animals leaving free, as if time had stopped there (for europeans as me).
The scenery, Serengeti, Ngorongoro, etc... it's something I will remember forever, and that must be protected.
People in Tanzania are very kind, and always smile, showing that are not neccesary lots of things to be happy.
The journey, safari and extension to Zanzibar has been perfect. Soul of Tanzania taylored it according our indications and with our amazing guide Ayoub we enjoyed every moment and minute of it.
The experience in the safari watching animals in their natural environment it's unforgetable.
I will recommend everybody, if can afford, to enjoy this authentic travel in space and time, now that it is still possible, and assuring that you won't regret.
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Excellent experience--look forward to doing it again !
Everything was absolutely superb, most enjoyable and faultless.
Had taken 5 grand children ages 16 to 19. Each and everyone of them came back with precious memories.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Adventure of a lifetime! Arusha - Lake Manyara - Ngorongoro - Serengeti - Mara River - Zanzibar! :D
I booked this trip from the UK through Regional Tours; Maturaf was my contact in Tanzania. The planning process was not entirely smooth as communication is difficult at times. Maturaf is very busy and is sometimes difficult to reach via WhatsApp but does eventually get back to you. We managed to put together out itinerary via email. Matura was very helpful and I found him to be the most flexible safari tour operator. Our driver was Hassan who is a young 29 year old gentleman with 6 years of game driving experience.
The itinerary above thankfully worked out very well for us. This was an anniversary trip which started from the UK. We flew to Dubai and stayed there for a few days to break up the journey and give us a chance to relax whilst knowing that there was a stark difference to our holiday setting on the horizon which added a further element of excitement.
We flew in to Mt Kilimanjaro airport from Dubai, the flight landed at 4am and we were met promptly by our driver Hassan. We were then taken by road to The African Tulip Hotel in Arusha. We took a full day of rest before starting our safari the following day. I would highly recommend this as it gives you the chance to gear up for safari without feeling drained from the outset.
Arusha is a small town with a few hotels, I felt the main attraction for Arusha was its location as a respite following a long flight. Arusha is around 1 hour drive from Mt Kilimanjaro airport. We did go out during the day towards the clock tower but we felt the locals were a little overbearing, one local walked with us the whole way, although he was friendly it was difficult to enjoy the walk as a couple.
African Tulip hotel is a perfect place to stop and wind down, it has more than enough facilities including great staff, Anthony was great as well as Anoop the hotel manager, he was kind enough to upgrade our room to a larger suite with balcony.
Our next hotel was Ngorongoro wildlife lodge. The view from each and every room and the main hotel balcony is phenomenal. You see the whole of the crater beneath you and I would recommend one night here which is enough to enjoy the dinner and views with early morning for sunrise watching the clouds roll over the hills into the crater. Everyone is on safari mode and there is a real sense of adventure.
The bathrooms in the lodge are a little small and basic but they are sufficient. The power goes out between 11pm and 5am but this wasn’t a problem for most people as safari timing is usually: sleep at 10-11pm and wake up at 6-7am throughout your whole safari.
It got very cold at night but the hotel was kind enough to supply us with a fan heater which we used to really warm the room up before power went out.
The next hotel was Serengeti Tortillis camp. This was our first time in tented accommodation and it was a great experience. The tent is spacious and has all the amenities you need. The staff were very friendly and attentive. A hot shower has to be requested and is ready in 5 minutes. I felt this type of accomodation was the best way to experience the Serengeti.
Our next hotel was Mara Kati Kati tented camps. This is a mobile camp which follows the great migration. This was very similar to Tortillis. The staff were friendly and food was well prepared by an on site chef. The only negative was that during the shower there is a member of staff stood outside the tent topping up the water when you ask for it, each top up doesn’t last long so that didn’t give the best privacy.
Sunset by the dining area is a great way to experience the natural beauty of the Serengeti.
Our final stop was Warere beach hotel in Zanzibar. I truly felt this was the best hotel in Zanzibar. This was purely because it felt like a safe, relaxing haven. We did venture into Nungwi where the majority of hotels are but it was far too busy, there were too many locals trying to sell their tours or goods and too much of a party vibe.
Zanzibar is the perfect location for a wind down post safari and warere is the place to do this. They looked after us really well, they even set up a private honeymoon dinner by the pool and gave us another room for a late checkout.
Good luck and safe travels!
RU
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful places, beautiful nature, rich wildlife, nice people
My journey lasted almost two weeks, including Zanzibar, safari in several National parks in mainland and trekking in Usambara. To organize the trip, I turned to several companies and guides, all of them left the best impressions, which I've already shared in special reviews. This journey was one of my most memorable. Among all those who helped me in organizing it, I express my gratitude to the site safaribookings.com, which was very useful in establishing contacts and negotiating.
SG
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A great tour and an excellant guide
We joined the 4-Day Safari to Kruger National Park via Panorama Route. Our guide, Hoppy, is friendly, courteous and very knowledgeable. We were lucky to see the BIG 5 on this trip. The air-conditioned van was clean and exceptionally comfortable especially in the cold mornings. The whole tour including the drives, accommodations and meals was well-arranged and good. We highly recommend Wildlife Safaris (Pty) Ltd and Hoppy.
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
great experience at Entabeni
We drove to Entabeni reserve, about three hours from Johannesburg and we slept for two nights at Wildside Camp. The Camp is not that easy to find but the personnel is very kind, so if you contact them, they are available to guide you by phone. The scenario is incredibly nice, with a characteristic landscape dominated by Hanglip Mountain. There is one game drive in the morning and one in the afternoon, lating three hours each. The guides are nice and experienced. We spotted a pack of lions from very close, cheetahs hunting, elephants crossing the road and rhinos from the distance. The reserve is not so much populated (often the guide drove even for one hour without seeing any animal) but there's a good chance to see the animals from a very short distance. The food at Wilside is very good and the rooms are clean and spacious.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Truly unique and once in a lifetime experience
My husband and I joined two of our close friends in Tanzania for a 10 day wildlife + Zanzibar beach tour, run by Magufwa Safaris. It was such an amazing holiday. We saw incredible wildlife on our Safari: Wildebeasts, zebra, lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, giraffe and more! The environment itself was stunning and made you really take a moment to appreciate our fragile planet. Our guide, Leonce, was terrific - very knowledgeable and great company. The highlight of the trip was definitely staying at the Hippo Trails Camp in the Seregeti were you sleep amongst the wildlife with superb hospitality. The team running the camp were so welcoming and warm and made our stay there such a delight.
We spent the last few days relaxing on Zanzibar at Blue Bay Hotel. The ocean views were stunning and napping under the sun listening to the waves was the perfect way to end our tour.
Overall our experience was amazing and very special -- I cannot recommend Tanzania enough!
BR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Everything went well and as agreed
It was very easy to arrange the safari, communication was quick, easy, and all questions were answered. And when the time for the safari itself arrived, everything went as planned.
As for Nottens Bush Camp itself, it's a great camp, with good rooms, good food and excellent service. But be aware that there are no electrical lights in the rooms, so they're very dark. I wish the bathrooms were more properly illuminated.
AE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful safari with a real personal touch!
Usually, I am not the type of person to write reviews; however, for this company, I am making an exception without any doubt. From the get-go, Seven by Far Tours has proven to be a very professional and service oriented partner; Sylvester responded rapidly to our requests and put together an itinerary about which my travel buddy and myself got really excited.
Upon arrival, we were immediately picked up from the airport and brought to our hotel in Nairobi. From that moment onwards, everything was great. Our guide, Mr. Charles, went out of his way to show us all the national parks had to offer. In short, I can say that I have seen quite a bit of the world; however, this holiday was one of the most amazing holidays of my life, and it was certainly due to the organization Seven by Far tours has put into it! To conclude, if you ever consider booking a safari, contact these guys. You will not regret it for sure!
IS
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful Vacation in Tanzania
My husband, daughter, and I went on a 10 day safari to Tarangire NP Serengeti NP and Ngorongoro Crater. We used Regional Tours and Safaris for the trip and they made the safari a wonderful experience for us. Maturaf helped us create a wonderful itinerary by providing a lot of advice on the best time to visit the the parks and what to expect. He advised us to visit in July when the wildebeests would be crossing the Mara River to go into Kenya. He was also very helpful with the small details like the booking our accommodation, payment of park fees, transport and other logistics.
Our guide Nova was incredibly amazing, excellent at his job, highly experienced and skilled. He was great at locating the animals and he took as close as he could so that we could get great shots. He was very patient with us, especially when my daughter insisted on taking lots of pictures of the animals. Some of his passion even rubbed off on us when he taught us a bit of Swahili. He had a talented eye for birds. He showed us a lot of them and my daughter was happy with the pictures she took of the birds.
The accommodations in the tented camps gave us a feel of Tanzania’s wildlife. We could see the animals roaming from our tents. It was amazing.
I highly recommend Regional Tours and Safaris for your African safari.