4 Day Camping Safari Tanzania Secrets

Traveler Reviews

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  Alexander

  July 19th, 2021
  Just returned from the 4 days experience today, and took my team to write a review. There might be just some folks...
  Just returned from the 4 days experience today, and took my team to write a review. There might be just some folks that will "walk away" and simply "don't return", but I took the courage and liberty to analyze for good and for the better. Skeptical to book form the very beginning: 1) At the very beginning, it has been said that a complimentary airport pick-up / drop-off would be offered 2) Once the booking has been done, I already had to start to re-negotiate and only a "hotel drop-off" / but airport pick-up has been granted. 3) Mister Lukas has been notified about my exact arrival time / airport / gate / eTicket has been offered, airport pick-up has not been smooth and we had to still discuss over online "whether" we would have done the "PCR Test", for a domestic flight from Dar Es Salaam to Arusha instead. 4) Some other tour "companions" that we have been with informed us that they have been offered "a complimentary hotel night" prior the tour / upon arrival, my package that was USD 1,615 for x 2 people, did not have that. What you need to know! 5) The "Venice Hotel" offered by the Tour, is rather a place to stay, not to live, and I was actually being grateful for not having to stay in this place at all. 6) Cars, mainly Toyota Land Cruisers (2010 Versions, 4 cylinder engines) 7) "HALO" Wifi Box has been offered, only up to 5 devices / connection not always stable 8) charging points in SUV vehicle not always on, switched off by driver most of the time. 9) The Chef / Food was good, sometimes even a bottle of wine prepared. 10) expect to be taken to souvenir shops or to be asked to buy items during the trip, which is fine, you are not forced to buy anything. About those 4 days, just to recap: Day 1) Pick-Up from the hotel, drive to see wild-life, stayed in a so "called hotel", rather would prefer to stay the first night in the tent as well, no need for such place. (dirty room, with even hair from previous guests on shower walls) / swimming pool, horrifying. Day 2) Sleeping in camp, fine. (wild-life drive) Day 3) Sleeping in camp, fine. (camp at crater, over 2200m sea level, fresh, pack warm clothes). About the camping situation: A) sleeping bags have most likely not been washed for over a year / dirty / broken / not even able to close those at all (without zip even) / B) mattress most likely also not been washed / replaced for over a decade C) As to be expected, shower rooms without hot water, fine. D) day 1 x it has been said that everyone would get x 1 little Coca Cola per day, second day, not even water, had to ask several times for water (not only me, everyone) E) Food was always fine, usually in the morning stuffed with over 20 cookies, instant coffee or black tea, sometimes a few eggs and 1 x 2 cm sausage per person / burned toast broad or crepe included. (choice of chocolate powder / milk powder on the site, as well as sugar). / Lunch or Dinner usually chicken and rice / and carrot soup (with black pepper). Good score for safari: F) Mr. Jacob (Driver) / Mr. Richard (Chef) - lovely folks, all fine, they definitely did their very best Management VS Organization: G) In my opinion, if a person pays USD 1615 for 3 nights, 4 days, there should have been a clean mattress, or at least a cover for such / functional or clean sleeping bags H) Expect that you are going to Africa and not Europe, US, Asia, it is a completely different continent. Expect that everywhere you go, and they see a "white face", that you have money and everyone wants to take something out of your pocket. I) At the end of the trip, it has been rather made clear that "you have to give money to everyone you have been dealing with", which is fine, there is no issue in offering tips to someone, and I would have expected that you can decide such generous sum, however, J) as the person of contact mentioned it "if you pay tips you won't be in trouble", is rather very vague to say, to a person that just paid over USD 1600 for 3 nights, 4 days. K) Certainly I did my part and so did everyone within the tourist group, however, I would rather prefer if the "tips" would be included in the package, and this should have been calculated by the organizer instead, not everyone wanders around with exact USD amounts / especially when you are from Europe. L) If you would ask me, whether I would consider to book "again" with all the same agent, I would rather pass and prefer to find a place where all is included, and tidy and neat. M) Sleeping in a tent I did for so many years, and enjoyed it, however, it is not about how old / or what brand their equipment actually is, it is more about keeping it clean. N) Once a service / equipment / package has been delivered with excellence, you can ask for more money, but not if nothing is done properly. Nothing wrong with the car, or the wild-life: O) There was no issue in getting driven from one site to another, all good, however, P) The operator should organize their crew, equipment, or at least send a "check-list" of what items you may consider to take by yourself instead. Q) such as "our tents, sleeping bags, mattress is disgusting", so bring your own, would be fine. R) or recommend "at least" in the intro before booking, how much money you need to pay extra, because their organizer of the trip doesn't pay them well enough, or at all? Will book my next took at another website, or agent instead, especially when climbing Mount Kilimanjaro you will have to definitely book with a qualified agent, that is well prepared instead. If you would like to receive picture and material, let me know anytime. Thank you.Show more
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  Traveled in July 2021
  

  Reply from: Serengeti African Tours

  Thanks so much for the positive review, welcome again

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