Tanzania Reviews & Testimonials

We had an amazing time, and loved every minute. The tour was very well planned, and dealt with the many changes we made with ease.

What we appreciated was the effort in doing all the best to satisfy our requests! So everything was as expected.. the tented camp (everything was like at home),the game drive( we asked a private tour), the position of the camp ( very important for us, we saw animals from our tent).. attention to the quality of food, served every night in a nice way!! We asked the box lunch every day.. in order to eat it in the middle of the Savana!! Silvia..

Silvia's Tanzania Experience

Our private family safari to Tanzania couldn’t be better! Dev in the home office was super well-organised and answered all our questions promptly and accurately. The safari was very well organised. Frank was the best driver/guide we could ever hope for: personable, knowledgeable and possessing a seemingly superhuman ability to spot all types of game while carefully driving the safari vehicle. All the lodges we stayed at on our safari were each, in their own way, special.

It was downright amazing to be driving all day in the African bush and then drive up to a beautiful luxury lodge at the end of a long game drive. Each one was unique in its own way. All of us will long remember the outdoor shower at Lahia Tented Camp overlooking the Great Migration just below us, as just one example. We viewed tens of thousands of large African mammals. In short, I highly recommend our private, luxury 13-day Tanzania Family Safari.

Honestly, this review can’t even possibly come close to expressing what this trip meant to us! I have taken a bit of time to write this review. We went back in July-August 2024. It has been hard to write a review that would do this trip justice, but I am going to try.

From start to finish, it was beyond our dreams! So let’s start at the beginning. We started working with Antoinette with Discover Africa in December 2023. Lucky for us, we found her by accident doing some research. We talked to others but really connected with Antoinette and decided to take a leap of faith in her. Thank goodness we did! She was the “Queen” of this trip, if you will! If it wasn’t for her, this experience would never have happened. I can’t express enough thanks to her and her team! She NEVER got impatient with us. Even with all our “stupid” questions. She answered all of our questions patiently. She never lost focus. She is a source of incredible knowledge and personal experience. She designed a fantastic bucket list trip for us! Every detail was thought out! She is a gem, and if you are lucky enough to get to work with her, you will not be disappointed!

Our trip was focused on the country of Tanzania. What an absolutely beautiful country and beautiful people! From the landscapes to the people and the animals, you should see this amazing country! (Kenya has nothing on Tanzania!)

We started our adventure in Kilimanjaro. We were picked up by Freddy, an Anderson and Harvey representative. He had the most smiling face to welcome us into the country. After a 30+ hour journey, it was well received! We asked him for a coffee place, and he took us to a stand since he is a tea drinker; he was a little at a loss but was very tasty. Onwards to our lodge. Stayed at the Kaliwa Lodge. Very pretty in the treetops over looking the river. With the abundance of foliage, it was hard to see the river but could hear it. Food was incredible, and staff were really nice and attentive. We tried to “hike” Kilimanjaro, I use this word loosely, to the first base camp. We made it halfway. It was a wonderful experience. Our guide was Kester who works with the lodge. He was so fun. I think he was a bit worried with us but we made it! We learnt about his life and what movies he liked. Great way to kick off our trip.

We were picked up from Anderson and Harvey transfers and met Charles for the first time. On the way, Charles treated us to a “respectful” coffee! He was such a delight. We loved talking politics to him. Learnt about his family and his job.

We met Charles a few times throughout the trip. He was a great representative for Anderson and Harvey. He brought us to Siringit Villa. That place is incredible! Beautiful grounds. The food is 5-star! People come from all around to eat there. The service was impeccable. The spa and the golf were fantastic. We spent one of our days visiting the Arusha National Park with Allen from Anderson and Harvey. The brush is incredible and thick. We had a picnic lunch and just a great conversation getting to know Allen and seeing the park and the animals. Really a nice relaxing stay to get ready for the push through to the Serengeti.

Next on our stop was the Arusha Coffee Lodge. Unfortunately, only 1 night at the Arusha Coffee Lodge. I wish it could have been more! The room was gorgeous. We were treated to an excellent dinner. And the breakfast was incredible! The arts and crafts are fun to watch them make and to shop.

Enjoying our trip immensely to this point, as I reflect, this is the point where our adventure really began!

We meet Penuel. He was our guide for the next 11 days. Starting from the Tarangire National Park, through the Ngorongoro Crater, into Central Serengeti, finishing in Northern Serengeti. That is a statement… meeting Penuel. He is a force of nature. He is an astounding guide! From his incredible sightings to all his knowledge. He is a true ambassador of the culture, environment, and all the creatures. His patience is unparalleled to anyone. His comprehension of the terrain and the roads was stupefying (not like there are road signs). His witty sense of humour and his sarcasm endeared him to us right away. We are in debt to Penuel for forever! What he showed us there are no words. He means the world to us! Thank you, Penuel!

Every place we stayed along the way, mentioned below, was beyond belief! From the service to the food and drinks to the breathtaking rooms! You do not want for anything! They surpassed any expectations that we might have had! We thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of our wonderful camps.

All 5-star experience:

• Elewana Tarangire Treetops
• Melia Collection Ngorongoro
• Nimali Central Serengeti
• Nimali Mara Northern Serengeti

Our trip ended in Zanzibar at Essque Zalu Zanzibar. This island is very cultural. Be respectful! Had a nice time unwinding from the rush.

If you made it this far, thank you! Spectacular Trip!

Susan from Discover Africa is quick and friendly in giving professional advice on my Tanzania trip. She provided me with an interactive and detailed itinerary when I first reached out. She answered all my queries regarding the trip before departure, and I did not have to worry about it.

I had a wonderful trip with the Safari operator, Tanzania Experience. Communications before and throughout the whole trip were effective. The driver/guide, Abraham, is a safe driver even and is professional in helping us identify animals in national parks. The lodges are tidy and amazing—far better than my expectations.

Using Discover Africa was a great decision. Their website had plenty of details and pictures to explain and show what they were offering. The various safaris listed had prices listed though they were from the previous year but it did give me a ballpark figure that allowed me to make a more informed decision. Also, when I finally did contact them about the trip, I got a timely reply and was set up to speak with Megan who would arrange the trip. She was very informative and listened to my requests regarding the trip (travel style, animals I wished to see). Fortunately, I was flexible with my dates and Megan was very good at coordinating my final date choice. Megan was very good at keeping me updated on my trip status and answered any questions I had before the trip (most communication was through email).

Considering what the final price was, in the end, I felt it was an excellent deal. All staff (driver-guide, lodge staff) were extremely friendly and helpful. Our guide was knowledgeable and experienced but fun as well. Being a single traveler was not a problem, and in the end, it worked out perfectly with the other 5 members of my group. And turns out the other 5 members were friendly, intelligent and fun as well, we got along very well.

FYI: I chose the 10-day safari going through Tanzania and Kenya

My early July eight-day safari was supposed to capture the Mara River crossings but the herds failed to cooperate and had only just reached the river on the last day. Nonetheless the safari was a fabulous success. We flew from Zanzibar directly to Lake Manyara to minimize drive times and spend more days on game drives.

Antoinette put our trip together: the lake, Ngorongoro Crater, the Central Serengeti and the Northern Serengeti. Our guide delivered the goods. Penuel Tango had a vast knowledge of both the animals and the lay of the land along with a fully equipped and fully working vehicle that made the daily game drives easy and fun.

Not only did he know where to find the prized critters, he could spot them from far away when all we could see were grass and trees. Lions, leopards, cheetahs, jackals, rhinos, elephants, buffalo, and the great herds were all open to us on every drive. He knew the stories of lion prides in the area. Our goal was to see as many animals as we could and we did. We were up close and personal with lions, cheetahs and leopards on every drive. He was patient made waiting for action a priority and in being so we were often had “private” viewings of the big cats.

The huge herds of the Northern Serengeti were a wonder to see and experience up close as they made their way north and Penuel knew all about them, their habits and life cycles.

Overnight lodging was the lesser part of each day but Antoinette arranged great camps with good food and accommodations that all had very attentive and friendly staff. Boxed lunches provided for game drives were sufficient and varied. July is peak season for safaris and we saw and learned about the experiences of others. Not all were perfect. Not all were well planned. Broken vehicles and bad guides happen. With Discover Africa we didn’t have any troubles anytime during the adventure. The planning time Antoinette spent with me up front paid off mightily. Zoom calls with her topped trying to do things only by email.

Everything happened right on time and without any hitches. Flights were smooth and effortless, accommodations seamless, Guide interactions perfect. Excellent work all around.

I had an amazing trip thanks to Discover Africa. I stayed 4 days on the island of Zanzibar and 9 days on the Tanzanian mainland. Meghan initially contacted me, and we scheduled a zoom call. I explained what I was interested in doing and a few days later she had a proposed itinerary with an estimated cost. We coordinated the trip through emails, and she was very diligent in getting back to me right away to answer my questions.

Megan planned everything for me such as making flight reservations, having someone pick me up the airport, hotel reservations in Zanzibar and the 4-day safari accommodations. She gave me her personal WhatsApp number in case I had any questions or needed help with anything. I was traveling solo, so having someone to help me in case I had any problems gave me such peace of mind. Her attention to details made the trip go as planned without any problems whatsoever. The accommodations were just as advertised and the safari amazing.