We at Tanzania Safari Desire a leading safari company in Arusha Tanzania value the feed back that we get from our clients after they have completed their safari in Tanzania. Josh and Monica are one of past esteemed clients who have been on Tanzania safari on us and we have their trip report (not edited) here below.
Tour: 13 Day Itinerary
7 Days Kilimanjaro Machame Route Plus 5 Days Safari in Northern Tanzania
Travel Period:
August 12th – September 3rd 2017
Accommodation Comments:
Accommodations at Mount Meru Game Lodge, Rivertrees Country Inn, Kirurumu Tent Lodge, Serengeti Kati Kati Camp, and Ngorongoro Serena Lodge were all wonderful. Mount Meru Game Lodge was our arriving lodge from the airport. Although we arrived around 9:50 PM we had a romantic candlelit dinner at this fantastic property. The morning was equally delightful for breakfast which included black and white colobus monkeys sleeping among the trees. This was the only place we saw them—a real treat. Rivertrees Country Inn is HIGHLY recommended especially when arranging a 70 minute massage and soak post Kili climb. A very relaxing property with lush gardens and streams. Joyce and the rest of the Rivertrees staff were also very kind and accommodating when we needed laundry cleaned for the evening (short notice). The staff at the Kirurumu Lodge were extremely nice and had a great sense of humour. As the quintessential safari camp, the Serengeti Kati Kati Camp was also our favorite safari camp. One of the most relaxing activities was just watching the sunset over the plains after a long days drive. Ngorongoro Serena was perhaps a bit too nice 🙂 but had great views and its proximity to Ngorongoro was perfect after a long day in the crater.
Transportation Comments :
Arriving transportation was a smaller, four door, taxi sized vehicle (about what you would expect). Ally the driver was friendly –joined by our mountain guide Douglas. Ally also drove us the following morning to the pickup point where we joined our minibus and the rest of the mountain team.
For the Safari, we were very impressed with the comfort and suspension of our Toyota Land Cruiser, especially considering the road conditions going to the Serengeti. We also liked the fact that there was an inverter which we could charge all of our electronic devices and a cooler with water. I should also point out the skill of our driver/guide Ibra—absolutely amazing!
Tanzania Safari Guide Name & Comments:
Ibra Kivuyo was our guide and driver for Lake Manyara, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro. Ibra’s background in conservation and education served him well in creating an experience that surpassed anything we had dreamed of. His time management and keen eyesight were trumped only by his calm, friendly nature. He listened to our interests and was able to deliver—which can be hard when dealing with mother nature and occasional government obstacles. Ibra was also very knowledgeable of cultural customs and we always enjoyed seeing him interact with the children whom we met along the way. Please thank him again for us.
Kilimanjaro Guide Name & Comments:
Douglas Tarimo was our guide for Kilimanjaro. Douglas was very attentive and anticipated our every need before we knew it—let that be changing weather, water, gaiters, poles, etc. His timely instructions allowed us to not only summit but feel well enough to enjoy the journey. We found him to be genuine, strait forward, and kind. He did an excellent job coordinating this excursion while managing a wonderful team. Special thanks to the rest of our Kili team: Alex, Amadeus (excellent cook), David, Tibruce, Sipryan, Pascal, Benson, Abu, Luther, Innocent, and Richard.
Suggestions and other Comments:
Elvice Marano, our trip coordinator created the PERFECT itinerary given our individual budget and time constraints. It was EPIC. THANKS!
Although we did not request it, we ended up with a couple additional porters but this was a blessing as the added luxuries such as heavy sleeping mats and the private toilet certainly made our trip more enjoyable. However, it may be helpful knowing this in advance as it was important that we had sufficient gratuities based on the number of porters. Fortunately we had arranged for additional funds.
Regarding money—because our trip was scheduled to begin in August it was a challenge obtaining crisp, unfolded U.S. currency—particularly in smaller denominations like $5, $10, & $20. Because the US treasury usually does not circulate new bills until November, I would recommend U.S. travelers to be aware of this as well as the custom of Tanzanians requiring newer bills in excellent condition. Twenty dollars each in US $1 also came in useful.
Should someone have a reservation for a massage on the final day of kili climb please let the mountain guide know in advance. We arrived late and needed a couple hours upon arrival to “wash the mountain off” and make arrangements for expedited laundry service. Fortunately the Rivertrees staff was accommodating and had available times for each of us to have a massage at 5:00 so we had time to relax and meet our safari guide before dinner at 7:00.
Thank you for making shower arrangements prior to departure. Location and facilities were excellent, very near the airport, and a great value.
How did you find us Tanzania Safari Desire?
I looked online for Tanzania based companies, and Lucas was very helpful in his email correspondence.
Would you allow Tanzania Safari Desire to forward your email to other clients asking for references?
Certainly!
Would you recommend us to anyone who would like to use our services?
Absolutely!
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