Email Louise Craddock | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic
Everything about the trip was fantastic, the guide cum driver was incredibly helpful and experienced at finding the animals and a very safe driver, the cook rusted up fantastic tasty food taking into account our food diets. the Jeep was comfortable, we chose the camping option but this was very comfortable with proper beds some nights and thick comfy foldable mattress other nights and table and chairs for dining. the scenery was varied from park to park but all stunning, as for the animals well - we never thought we would see so many so close up it just amazed us every few minutes - I still look at my photos and smile, it was such a lovely experience I would recommend to anyone we all loved it all.
Email Tania Daniels | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing animals and beautiful scenery
I was unsure about travelling in March after research on the internet but it was fantastic. There were so many animals to watch and enjoy because it wasn’t as hot and not so many tourists made the experience even better. The people are so friendly and our tour guide Saleh from Lion King Adventure was the best. We learnt a few Swahili words which the locals loved teaching us. We just love fitting in with local life and culture when we travel and for some that can be difficult but if you do, Tanzania is a wonderful country to visit and you won’t be disappointed.
PT
Email Patricia Palma | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Top tour !
After some research se choose Kiliholidays tours to do our safári. We had support during all trip and even before ( we had some questions regarding the payment, and we had all explenations by e-mail). Our guide in Dar és Salem, Isan was super disponible, kind and interested to show us as much as animals as possible. He definly make the difference in our Safari.
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Email Steve C | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The good, the bad, and the ugly: how Kiliholidays turned crisis into comfort
I think that this review may turn some people off, but the events that happened to us were unlikely, and could have happened to anyone at anytime, anywhere. I feel that the response to these events by Kiliholidays (and in particular, Mack and our driver Laurian), are worth commending.
The good: My wife and I took our children (ages 8 & 6) on safari last week. We went to Tarangire National Park, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro Crater. Laurian was an absolutely amazing driver. He had vast knowledge of the areas we were traveling, the animals we were seeing, and to any question we asked. He was observing of speed limits, and particularly cautious because we had the kids with us. Throughout our journey, we observed all of the Big 5. The parks were amazing, each offering its own charm. Laurian always seemed to know where to go to find big game. My wife was initially hesitant to bring our children so far from home - by the end of the trip, we were already planning our next visit.
The bad: While we were leaving Serengeti National Park, the rear spring on the Land Cruiser broke, and we couldn't ride on it. We had to go ~4 hours to get to the Lodge we were supposed to be. We found it amazing that every single driver who went by us stopped to help. Eventually, the Wildlife Service came by, and the preliminary solution was to cut down a small acacia tree, and wedge a firm branch into the spring to keep it in place. My wife and I were a little reluctant that it would work, and we certainly weren't comfortable putting our children in that vehicle. So, Laurian asked another driver to take us to the Ngorongoro gates, at which point, he had arranged a staff member from Farm of Dreams Lodge to meet us and bring us back. Laurian himself stayed with the car, the Acacia solution worked, and he was able to drive it to a 24 hour mechanic in nearby Karatu. The vehicle was ready to go for the next day. And, Kiliholidays had a bottle of wine ready for us when we arrived at Farm of Dreams, to apologize for our inconvenience. At no point did we feel helpless.
The ugly: The following night, Laurian was bringing us to the Kilimanjaro airport, after an amazing trip to the Ngorongoro crater. About 10 minutes from the airport, he decided to pass 2 slower drivers at the same time. (Again, note that he was an extremely cautious driver). When he started to pass the car immediately in front of him, that car also decided to overtake the lead car. The other driver went straight into our lane. To avoid collision, Laurian drove off the road. Within a couple of seconds, a large ditch (10 feet deep x 15 feet across) appeared in front of us. This was literally the only ditch on a 30 mile drive, so really bad luck. We ended up straight in the ditch, going about 35 mph. The accident was not his fault, and he handled it how I would have handled it myself. Had he handled it any other way, the results could have been drastically different.
I needed several stitches on my forehead, my son banged up his cheek and had some swelling/bruises on his face. My daughter and wife also had some bruising. It was a nightmare situation, being so far from home. Thankfully, we had traveler's insurance, which helped in getting us medically evacuated the next day.
But in the immediate aftermath of the accident, it was all Mack and Laurian. Laurian arranged with another driver to take us back to Arusha to get medical care. Mack met us at the hospital, and waited the 6 hours with us until we were released. He paid out of pocket for the medical expenses. He arranged a hotel for us to stay the night (because we missed our flight). He went to the pharmacy for us to pick up our medications. He arranged transport to the airport for us, and he checked in on us several times. He felt horrible that this happened to us, and did everything in his ability to make it right. While we were far from home, and in one of the worst situations possible, they made us feel at home.
The accident could have happened to anyone at any time. I think the special part about Kiliholidays is how they responded to the incidents. They treated us like part of their family, and we are forever grateful for their support. We went to Tanzania looking for adventure, and we certainly found it - and we left with friends. We will be back, and we will use Kiliholidays again.
Also, look into travel insurance. They coordinated our flight out the next day, and due to our injuries/soreness, were able to get us into Business Class, which was absolutely amazing in allowing us to stretch out and not cramp due to our soreness.
BR
Email Fernanda Martinez Tarran | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An unforgettable experience
Our safari trip was just as we planned. Our guide and driver, Mussa, is someone you can really trust: he was always there at the right time, solved all the problems that came in our way and was kind enough to send us emails with the photos he took during our trip. We visited Tarangire and Ngorongoro and saw lots of lions in both parks, and also elephants, rhinos, even wildebeest giving birth. Tarangire has beautiful vegetation, and Ngorongoro is just stunning - a place we will never forget. We stayed at a budget hotel at Mto wa Mbu, in the Arusha region, that was very comfortable and had nice food. Everything was great. We highly recommend Mussa and Roam Serengeti.
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Email Andrea Simpson | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing honeymoon trip!
We loved our safari experience, first and foremost we loved our guide Ali, we was so nice and funny and went above and beyond so my husband and I could se everything we wanted to get out of our safari. Second, we loved our home cooked meals every single day! Delicious picnics in the middle of the wildlife. We loved every day, drives are long and understandably the roads are not smooth but that is part of the fun! Suddenly doing and turn and finding an elephant a lion or a giraffe! Thank you for helping us plan this unforgettable trip!
FR
Email Christophe Jouvin | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Safaris are tiring, but magical! Zanzibar is relaxing;)
Everything was very good, except the choice of our organizer (hello tanzania) who did not take care of us properly, and made us available old uncomfortable vehicles making safaris less enjoyable ...
IT
Email Marzia | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
the land of tips
The wildlife was the best we have had from this country. Italy is knew in the world for sly people but tanzanian were worst than us. I've never knew something similar. The land of tips, the land of "surprises". I am really sad because i think that this will kill the tourism there. Last but not least, you make fool prices for all about tourism. In the rest of the world we are not so riches as you think. For the most of us, the 50$ that you ask like chips are a day of work!!!!!!
P.s. the weather was good, the foid was good, the accomodation not so bad, but when i think about my trip, FOR YOUR FAULT, i think about you CRAFTINESS for first.
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Email Steve | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
I Dream of Africa: Excellent Immersion Safiri - The Great Rift Valley, the Serengeti and more
This is a small company lead by Christopher Zululu of Arusha, Tanzania. The company specializes in what is called "budget safari", but that belies the reality. We visited the Serengeti, Tanangire, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, and Arushu National Parks over a period of weeks. We pitched camp (large tents) deep in each park, and were surrounded by the local environment, geography, flora and fauna. This enabled us to see far more of each, for far longer, than luxury safaris, which almost always start in a lodge outside the parks. We would start safari wildlife drives before dawn, and end just after dark. Our owner/guide has 25 years of experience in the parks, and is an expert on locating wildlife to view, and knows the biology and ecology so that you can understand what you are seeing.
The camping aspect wasn't roughing it: we called it glamping. The safari had an excellent camp cook, who prepared 3 hot meals a day, based on local produce. Because of the altitude in northwestern Tanzania, sleeping was great: it was cool every night. Dawn and dusk were filled the calls of birds and monkeys in the trees overhead, and during the nights you could here the grazers and sometimes the predators moving. Each morning provided an interesting task of identifying the animals that had roamed right outside the tents and campsites from their tracks and scat.
Here are some outstanding moments: dozens of forest elephants walking, running, trumpeting, and calling with low frequency infrasound right next to you; prides of lions with cubs, roaring at leopards with a kill in acacia trees; lions hunting wart hogs less than 40 meters away; adult and infant rhinoceroses in the forest; hiking with an armed ranger through cape buffalo herds and groups of giraffes in lion country; hundreds of wildebeests, impala, gazelle, zebra and buffalo; night safari to see civet cats, porcupines, bush babies and hippopotami out of water; birds of all kinds; baobob trees ... Visiting local towns and villages.
See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_protected_areas_of_Tanzania for a list of species you are likely to see in each park mentioned above. You are likely to see everyone of them, and many more in the highly diverse environments in these parks, ranging from high altitude rain forests to broad grasslands and plains.
Fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport near Arusha to start.
It's a trip of a lifetime.
AE
Email Huong Anna | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Supper wonderful trip
The best trip i have so far . Really enjoy each and every moments . Thanks so much Mudy owner of company . He helped me to arrange from beginning coz this is first trip I travelled to africa and solo . During the trip and driver is amazing, his name is Sebastine he is flexible person together with us spot out animals, gave us usefull information about the wildlife . Special our cook, food which he prepared is amazing . I cant forget such wonderful experience.
Suggest you if u planned for safari in tanzania, this company is highly recomended . Really professional , really amazing trip
