This was my first safari and we could have not picked a better company to go with. I was skeptical of dealing in a country so far away but that was no problem as Pendo or Benson would answer all our questions the following day. Once we arrived we were greeted at the airport and taken to our hotel. The following morning we were picked up by Richard (our driver/guide) for the next 5 days. Richard was so knowledgeable, kind, patient and had a sense of humor. We saw 28 lions and all the other usual suspects. I felt so lucky to witness the interaction between a lion chasing a cheetah and the moment before that. So cool! We went with the luxury accommodations as my friend didn’t want to wash her hair in a bucket ever day which other companies offered. The weather was cooler than what we expected. Glad I brought a fleece. This was truly a trip of a lifetime and everyone should experience at least once.
Sally Yeap
SG
Visited:
June 2019
Reviewed: Jul 20, 2019
Email Sally Yeap
| 20-35 years of age
| Experience level: first safari
excellent
5 / 5
5
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The 5 days safari experience was superb! Inge was very patience and answer our (many many many) questions. She even communicate with us through whatsapp. We opt for the mobile budget camping option and we didnt regret it at all. The food was fantastic, thanks to our cook roman. Also not forgetting our diligent and humble guide, SImba, who was excellent! He is very knowledgeable and tries his very best to understand and answer our questions. We managed to spot the big 5 and many other animals which we didnt expect. (of course luck plays a part)The whole journey truly exceed our expectation. We were incredibly lucky to get so close with so many of the animals and had an excellent guide. We will definitely book with Shadows of Africa again。
Carmen Potel Alvarellos
ES
Visited:
June 2019
Reviewed: Jul 20, 2019
The safari was amazing, our guide Edi was perfect. It is an unique trip.
Afterwards we flight to Zanzibar and we saw the reality of this wonderful country: misery, corruption, unemployment,...
Angela
US
Visited:
July 2019
Reviewed: Jul 19, 2019
Email Angela
| 35-50 years of age
| Experience level: first safari
The best experience of my life! I can't wait to go back.
5 / 5
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I just got back from spending 2 weeks in Tanzania, it was truly the trip of a lifetime, and I've had a lot of amazing trips - Galapagos, Patagonia, Easter Island, Peru, Bolivia, Vietnam and Cambodia - to name a few. But this trip to Tanzania was by far the best! I did a 4-day 3-nights safari in Tarangiri, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro. I was amazed by how many animals there were and how close we got to them - lions, zebras, elephants, giraffes, wildebeest, hyenas, cheetas, leopards, gazelles, impalas, warthogs! There was no need to use the binoculars because the animals were right there.
My best night was the night spent at Kati Kati tented camp, it's just what it sounds like, a camp with tents in the middle of the Serengeti. The tents are true tents but somehow they have a proper toilet, sink and shower, but you get the full camping experience along with lions roaming through the camp at night, it was amazing! My only regret is that I didn't spend another night
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there.
In addition to the animals and scenery, I have to mention the people, everyone I came across was so nice and genuine.
After safari I went to Unguja (Zanzibar for those of you who haven't been yet - Zanzibar is an archipelago and the island everyone calls Zanzibar is really Unguja). I stayed in Stone Town which is very nice with it's historic winding streets and alleyways, beautiful carved Zanzibar doors and great shopping. Visits to the Slave Museum, Prison Island (to see the giant tortoises) and Jozani Forest (to see the red Colobus monkeys) are all a must! However, be warned that Stone Town is VERY touristy and you will constantly be approached by people trying to sell you things.
After Unguja I went to Pemba Island, also in the Zanzibar archipelago, which is the opposite of Unguja, there are hardly any hotels or tourists and the beaches are pristine and no one will bother you. At low tide you will see the local women collecting seaweed to sell while the children clean clams in the tide pools. It's a very special place. There's not much to do there unless you like scuba diving in which case you must go to Swahili Divers. I stayed at their cottages (Gecko Lodge) and had 8 amazing dives, I saw coral that I didn't know existed before.
Juzer Yusufali
CA
Visited:
June 2019
Reviewed: Jul 18, 2019
An experience that all should have - a must on everyone's bucket list
5 / 5
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A beautiful country with friendly people. The safari was an amazing experience and made so even more memorable with great accommodation and food. Our guide Nova was very knowledgeable and patient and made sure we saw as many animals as possible
The Tortillis camp in the Serengeti was especially unique in terms of its location, nestled as it was within the park . Their staff and service was excellent.
Bibi : )
CA
Visited:
June 2019
Reviewed: Jul 16, 2019
Email Bibi : )
| 50-65 years of age
| Experience level: first safari
beautiful trip
5 / 5
5
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4 / 5
Peter was our first contact and kept a close eye all along, greatly appreciated. Did Kilimanjaro 1 day climb with guide Tibit, a very good guide and the 6 days 5 nights to Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara and enjoyed every minutes if it. Our guide Jackson was knowledgeable, funny and delightful. Saw all animals, visited a Maasai village. Lunches were very good and dinners always accompanied with a recap of the day with planning for the next one. Transportation was very good. Accommodations were good with a plus for Kilimanjaro Wonders Hotel and Tukaone camps. Very nice and friendly staff at Octogone Lodge. Overall a wonderful experience. A really good group. Thanks to all!!!!
Jette
DE
Visited:
June 2019
Reviewed: Jul 15, 2019
Email Jette
| 20-35 years of age
| Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable impressions within pure nature.
5 / 5
5
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We were so lucky having the best guides we could ever asked for. Both of them were so friendly and humorous, they made our safari unique. June was actually the best time to travel. Right after the rain season ended, everything was so green. We were lucky to spot the Big Five.
Ekaterina Kireeva
RU
Visited:
June 2019
Reviewed: Jul 14, 2019
I already have visited rural areas in China and Middle Eastern countries, so I was expecting something similar. But honestly I was surprised to see Tanzania as very clean and quite healthy country! The food was very fresh and tasty, roads were good and safe enough (I even took dala-dala), and people were incredibly friendly. Most of my guides were exceptional, I was very pleased with the service, although I took one of the cheapest tours. All of them spoke English very good, were knowledgeable and polite. The only thing I was really angry with was the absence of hot water in many places. I can tolerate it in safari camps, but not in hotels. I should know about this and book a bit more expensive ones.
I did 4-days safari and it was unspeakable adventure... I watch BBC and National Geographic movies about African nature since my childhood, so it was crazy to finally see everything by my eyes! Giant, but gentle elephants in Tarangire and ferocious lions, eating their prey at
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sunrise in Serengeti, were highlights of the journey! I took amazing photos as I dreamed. We also have seen plenty of beautiful birds, amazing family of cheetahs, cute gazelles, mongooses, monkeys... During lunch and evening time I had an opportunity to meet smaller creatures - lizards, butterflies and so on.
Of course it wasn't hakuna matata journey, but I expected this. In Serengeti we had to mount our tents under the rain, I've even got some cold. It was very cold during the night in Ngorongoro, but I was clever enough to get warm autumn jacket. Some fellow travelers wasn't so lucky, so I could suggest travel companies to get a bit warmer sleeping bags for a winter season. :) And the most incredible part was animals in the night - hyenas were wandering around our camp in Serengeti! and also warthogs and some smaller animals. It was crazy, but truly adventurous! It is certainly not for those, who like comfort. In Ngorongoro cute zebra was eating grass near my tent during the night, and I even could hear its breathing. So it was really unique experience! I feel I should return some day may be to see Oldonyo-Lengai volcano and the lake Natron, and more of Ngorongoro, because we didn't see rhinos close! Thanks to Tanzania for so incredible journey!
Sebnem
TZ
Visited:
June 2019
Reviewed: Jul 14, 2019
Email Sebnem
| 35-50 years of age
| Experience level: 2-5 safaris
It was unforgettable.
5 / 5
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First we went to Tarangire National Park and then Ngorongoro Crater. We loved it both but Ngorongoro was another world.
Angela Templeton
US
Visited:
July 2019
Reviewed: Jul 13, 2019
This trip was better than my lofty expectations. The food was delicious & plentiful. The accommodations were perfect for a safari. Our guide was very knowledgeable and patiently answered non stop questions. He made sure we returned home with awesome pictures & lovely memories.