Welcome to Tanzania Safari Desire, your trusted local expert for Tanzania safaris and unforgettable Zanzibar beach escapes. Based in Arusha, we specialize in crafting value-packed safari experiences that combine thrilling wildlife adventures in Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire and other parks with relaxing getaways to Zanzibar’s pristine beaches. Whether it’s your first safari in Tanzania or a return to Africa’s wild heart, we’ll design a private, flexible, and affordable safari that delivers far more than it costs.
At Safari Desire, we bring this promise to life — where your safari desires come to life.
Tanzania consistently ranks as Africa’s top safari destination, renowned for its diverse national parks and the awe-inspiring Great Migration. From budget-friendly camping to luxury lodges, our packages cover Northern, Southern, and Western circuits, including chimpanzee trekking in the Mahale Mountains. For travelers looking to combine adventure with relaxation, safaris can be extended to Zanzibar, Pemba, or Mafia Islands, where you can unwind on pristine beaches, dive among coral reefs, and swim with whale sharks.
We also arrange Mt. Kilimanjaro climbs via all routes, either as standalone adventures or combined with safaris and Zanzibar holidays. As a direct local operator—no middlemen—we offer competitive rates and insider access. Whether you’re seeking a bespoke journey or budget-friendly options, our team can help you plan the perfect Tanzania safari.
Posted on Tripadvisor
Pioneer39248106870Verified
Highly recommend! We had a fabulous 3 day, 2 night safari that included Tsavo East, the Taita Hills Sanctuary, and a stay at the Salt Lick Safari Lodge. It began with excellent communications and contracting with Lucas—with everything delivered as promised. Our guide Pascal was really exceptional. Despite a delay being able to get off our ship, he was patiently waiting and got us moving immediately. He altered our lunch plan, after asking our thoughts, to let us maximize our safari time and make up for our late start. He’s a very competent driver, experienced guide, and a way cool person to spend time with. He knows the parks, the animals, and coordinates well with other guides. He was committed to having us see all the animals we wanted to see at close range, as well as show us many we have never heard of or seen. We got phenomenal pictures with iPhone cameras—and even better memories. Some of our favorite moments were when we turned everything off and just got to watch and listen. It’s amazing to see a lion, lioness and cubs at close range, be surrounded by zebras, watch giraffes watch an elephant parade, or simply be surprised by yet another creature you never knew existed. The Salt Lick was also a delightful place to spend two nights. It has such unique architecture, a warm lodge and deck environment and it sits in an expansive nature setting. The food and staff are the best. Our stop at the Maasai Village on our return to the ship is the only part we had mixed emotions about. It is that perplexing crossroads between tradition, poverty and tourism. While it touched our hearts to meet the people, particularly the children—and to walk into a mud and dung house—there was much that felt extractive in nature, both demanding and overwhelming. As people around the world seek to maintain their cultures and also adapt and evolve, I find myself wondering how tourism can be part of a larger solution and not part of the problem.Posted on Tripadvisor
Roshini W8 days in Tanzania - Kilamanjaro Mandara Hut, Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Ndutu Plains, Serengeti Thank you, Lucas, for a wonderful safari trip. We had an amazing time and everything was perfectly organised. Gabriel was exceptional 👏 He was calm, caring, and an absolute pleasure to travel with. We felt very safe with him, and he did a fantastic job throughout the trip. Thank you for allocating Gabriel to us — it truly made the experience even more special.Posted on Tripadvisor
PHALLON G#1 Guide Company in Tanzania from Kilimanjaro to Safari and everything in between! If you are looking for a guide company for your Tanzanian adventures, look no further. Safari Desire will coordinate your trip from Kilimanjaro mountain top to the plains of the Serengeti, and everything in between. After much research, we chose Safari Desire. They are locally owned and operated, which was very important to us- many operators are from other countries. We wanted the our money to go into the Tanzanian economy- not elsewhere. In addition, Lucas was very attentive and helpful from booking to planning. Our itinerary was laid out beautifully with full links to the accommodations we would be enjoying. And every time I had a question about gear requirements, Lucas was prompt to supply us feedback, to make our planning and purchasing seamless Safari- Salomon! The guide with Eagle Eyes and has a deep understanding of the behaviors of the all the animals; allowing him to position us to see a plethora of animals, including all of the big 5! He presented us with many surprises including a cheetah and her cubs with fresh prey, to a leopard who drug her prey up into a tree and numerous up-close and personal encounters with lions, giraffes, elephants, zebras, and so much more! If your question is, did you see xxx? The answer is yes! Together with Salomon, we explored Tarangire, the Serengeti, and the Ngorongoro Crater over a span of 4 days. In addition, we had the opportunity to visit a Maasai Village, where we enjoyed learning about their customs and were treated to a welcoming ceremony and warrior ceremony. Salomon is a wealth of knowledge, and was a pleasure to be with, and become friends with on our safari! We stayed in beautiful resort lodges to amazing boutique tents on the Serengeti- Unbelievable experience. *** On a side note- we visited on Dec 3-Dec 16. These were times where the U.S had travel restrictions on Tanzania. We never experienced any turmoil or unrest and always felt safe on our travels in and out of Moshi, Arusha, the national parks and Kilimanjaro. Our trip was absolutely perfect! Crowd size: 2 Best for all over Tanzanian adventures!Posted on Tripadvisor
Andrea SWonderful trip It was a great experience. The communication and organization were excellent, and everything ran smoothly from start to finish. I would definitely recommend it.Posted on Tripadvisor
Balogh PUnique and authentic I highly recommend the company. I have done the Southern Tanzania Parks and it was a unique and exclusive experience travelling through scenic landscapes. Special thanks to Otto without whom the vast distances could not have been completed!Posted on Tripadvisor
LinwowSo Many Animals & So Much More! We just finished our 11-day Tanzania safari and we really want to give a shout out to Yusra and the entire team at Safari Desire. Yusra was a dream to work with helping us craft our perfect Safari. Always responsive and incredibly patient (and kind!) with the many changes we made before finalizing the itinerary. It was one of the highlights of the trip to meet her in person in Arusha. Our guide, Gabriel, was so much more than we imagined. His deep knowledge of the natural world, love for animals (especially the babies!), and teaching us about Tanzanian culture made the Safari truly special. Yet, it was his kind and loving soul that truly inspired us. We loved every minute with him. The lodges and tented camps in Arusha, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro and Serengeti were all lovely with great food and big smiles. The hot air balloon at sunrise was spectacular. The four days in Zanzibar were the the perfect ending to a life-altering trip. Thanks to everyone at Safari Desire, we will carry our memories of Tanzania in our hearts for the rest of our lives.Posted on TripadvisorPierce RubensteinMemories for a Lifetime Based on all the indescribable experiences we had on our 6 day safari with Safari Desire, many would say we were lucky, but we weren't. We didn't have Luck, we had Gabriel. He was the most amazing safari guide we could have asked for. He knows the national parks and the habits of the animals so well that he's able to find secluded spots to witness the most magical moments of life unfold. Despite the many hectic and busy attempts to see a Great Migration Mara River crossings that we heard about from other lodge guests, Gabriel trusted his experience rather than chasing the radio waves to find a river crossing that we witnessed up close and by ourselves. On top of all of this Gabriel was a joy to spend the day and meals with and was always there to help us find or accomplish anything we wanted. As for the tour company, Safari Desire, we couldn't have asked for a better experience. It's a newer and boutique operation, which means Lucas, the owner/operator can provide a hands on and exceptional experience to make sure we customized the perfect trip. All his recommended accommodations, experiences, and routes worked out wonderfully and we're even nicer than the pictures on the tented lodges websites. I'd 100% reach back out for any experience in Tanzania and/or Kenya in the future. The jeep itself was very comfortable and had larger windows than some of the other ones we saw, which was nice for the times we didn't feel like standing to see out the roof. I'd 100% reach back out for any experience in Tanzania and/or Kenya in the future.Posted on Tripadvisor
Brenda HVerified
Kenya/Tanzania Safari + Zinzibar We just came back from our Kenya/Tanzania Safari + Zinzibar trip with my family & friends of eight. Our trip was great overall. Saw the Big Five & more. Our tour guides, were great as they were very knowledgeable on the animals on our safari. Would definitely recommend Desire Safari. The only negative was our vehicle on the Kenya side did not have air conditioning but theTanzania side was fine.Posted on Tripadvisor
Carissa B3 Day Safari in Tanzania! We had a fabulous time on safari with Safari Desire! Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable, fun, and made the entire experience unforgettable. We loved visiting the different national parks and conservation areas, seeing so many animals, and experiencing such wonderful hospitality. We had an amazing time and are so grateful for Safari Desire fort the great experience!Posted on Tripadvisor
Daniel PalaciosUnforgettable Safari Experience! Our recent safari was spectacular. From start to finish, Lucas and the team ensured our experience was seamless and unforgettable. The lodge facilities were amazing — comfortable, well maintained, and perfectly set in the heart of Serengeti. Our guide named Goodluck, was incredibly knowledgeable and accommodating, going above and beyond to make sure we didn’t miss a thing. The abundance of wildlife was breathtaking. Breakfast and dinner were excellent, offering delicious, well-prepared meals in a warm atmosphere. The only area for improvement would be the packed lunches for the game drives; adding small carry-on fridges or offering hot food (as we noticed some other safari companies do) would take the experience to an even higher level.
