Kimkim Trip Reviews for Tanzania

We enjoyed our trip to Kenya and Tanzania.. the accommodation in all the places were very good and comfortable Except in Serengeti National park “ Heritage luxury tented camp “ . The word luxury should be taken out under the name ; this place is like a dump and under managed .. Tthere was no water flowing in the sink to brush our teeth or in the shower. When turn the faucet on in the sink, the faucet handle comes out .. there was no water/ hot water to take shower and the toilet do not flush .
the tent we stayed “ Thomason” should be sold a one person tent.. it is very small and dark , if 2 people are staying in that room , if sleeping at side closer to the wall to get out of the bed , you have to climb over the person sleeping or squeeze out from very space left between bed and wall ( I have bruised by doing that ) ..
we were part of group.. all the group members room lot more spacious then ours ( most of the room had a double bed and 2 single beds) ; I feel if all us paying the same price then all the rooms should be similar.. I feel we are entitled for some refund for not having decent quality room ( no running water; no flush able toilet, small and dark room & small space) .. this is unexpectable .. This place needs overall attention/ renovation and better management..

Hotel Reviews

Sarova Lion Hill Hotel

Nairobi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maji Moto Maasai Cultural Camp

Maji Moto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ashnil Mara Camp

Maasai Mara

Authenticity & Character

Location

Hi

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Speke Bay Lodge

Bariadi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Embalakai Authentic Ngorongoro Camp

Karatu

Authenticity & Character

Location

U u

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

No hot water to shower or brush your teeth and wash your face

Tumbili Lodge

Olasiti, Arusha

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fair Acres Boutique Hotel

Karen, Nairobi. P. O Box 1121 – 00208 Nairobi.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kibo Safari Camp

Amboseli

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Serengeti Heritage Luxury Tented Camp

This place is very very bad .. there was no water flowing to brush our teeth or to take shower, the toilet do not flush properly.. when we turn the faucet on, the faucet handle came off .. The wooden steps ( especially the bottom one) to main restaurant is not stable the tent we stayed is Thomason , which should be a one person tent with single bed .. the double bed was close to one side of the wall , getting in and out bed was since you have to climb over the person your sleeping with .. the tent is dark ( lights was covered with red shades) .. very disappointed with the quality of this place.. only good part is the animals roaming around near the camp and once we heard lion’s roaring near by .. This place requires overall attention/ renovation and good management..,

Authenticity & Character

Everything

Location

Overall major changes/ improvements is required

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything

Activity Reviews

Lake Nakuru National Park Game Drive

Nakuru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Maji Moto Maasai "Olpul" Bush Camp

Maji Moto

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Maasai Mara Game Drives

Masai Mara

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Maasai Mara National Reserve

Masai Mara

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lake Victoria

Lake Victoria

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Serengeti National Park Game Drives..

Tanzania

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Serengeti National Park

Tanzania

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ngorongoro Crater Tour

Ngorongoro

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ngorongoro Crater plus Crater Rim Walk

Ngorongoro

Amboseli National Park

Amboseli National Park

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amboseli National Park

Amboseli National Park

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Giraffe Center

Kenya

David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

Kenya

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nairobi National Park

Kenya

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My son already wrote you about our disappointment regarding our trip planning experience with Peter. He also told you about changes with respect to some of our lodgings without our knowledge. NOTE: Someone from kimkim personally reached out to and spoke with my son. This was my 3rd trip arranged through kimkim and the first, and hopefully last one, to have a negative experience with the planning part of the trip.
However, on the flip side, we were so very blessed to have Eli as our full time guide and driver!!! He has 15 years experience and willingly shared so many wonderful facts about his country, the animals, birds, etc. Anyone who has Eli as their personal guide is truly blessed. He is a gem!!!! We were able to see the "big 5" and had so many closeup opportunities with numerous species of wildlife. My son shot over 2,000 photos and 75 videos.
Our lodgings were very nice and the food was quite tasty. We were surprised that almost all of the food served was geared to American tastes. The Tanzanian people are very welcoming and always had lovely smiles.

We had used Kim Kim lin 2024 for the tour of Brazil so we used KimKim again in June 2025 to experience the incredible diversity of African wildlife in their natural habitats in Kenya and Tanzania. The itinerary included visit to Amboseli National park with Majestic snow capped Mount kilamanjaro in the background and Maasai Mara reserve, Nakuru Reserve and Lake Naivasha in Kenya and world famous Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Caldera in Tanzania. To rest and recharge, we stayed at beautiful lake Victoria in Tanzania. Jospeh worked very well with us to complete the itinerary to our satisfaction.

This is a truly an unforgettable trip of lifetime. June weather was perfect with cool breeze, and partly cloudy conditions helped us throughout our tour. Our Tanzanian guides Festo and Godbless and Kenyan guides George and Sano ( Stanley)
were so special that they made the entire trip an informative and fun. The places to see picked were unique and gave greater insight first hand to life of many beautiful animals in their natural habits to find food and survive in the wildlife . Kudos to KimKim for making the itinerary so that we could see lions, lionesses , and their cubs, cheetahs, leopard, elephants, Buffaloes , giraffes, Rhinos, Hoppos, gazelles, impalas, Zeebras, wothhogs . Despite the change in the rain patterns, we did see a part of Wildebeests migration in Serengeti . Hot Balloon ride over Masai Mara Reserve was awesome.

The sound smells, and the side of African bush will stay with us forever, along with amazing people with the warm and open hearts. Spending a night at the Maji Moto Maasai Cultural camp (Kenya), on traditional leafy beds under the stars in sleeping bags (provided), with the protection of warriors throughout the night is a once in a life time experience.

The range of emotions that we experienced in Safari has always been refreshing for me and to witness as well as share the emotions that are being exhibited by others in the safari vehicle is satisfying to me. Being out in nature for hours, watching raw African wildlife as it unfold in front of our eyes, unedited unscripted unplanned can never be replicated anywhere else. A place where mother nature plays for her role in every outcome.

Only blemish we experiennced in the tour was no hotwater in Serengeti Heritage Luxury Tented Camp. It was challenging to navigate two nights without running hot water or flushable toilets. KimKim should work with Heritage Camp to resolve these issues so that the future traverls will not have challening experiences.

Thank you KimKim for our making dream come through. We are using Kim Kim for our next tour of New Zealand.

Marur Dev,

We had a wonderful time on safari in Tanzania. Our guide Ely was an extremely knowledgable, courteous and safe driver. He has over 15 years experience providing safaris in Tanzania's national parks, and was an encyclopedia of knowledge about every animal and tree we encountered. He was also a good conversationalist which is important when you are spending 10 days together in a car!

The experience booking the trip with Peter was less positive and was below the standard of other agents we've used on KimKim:

- Two of the hotels selected were a 1.5 hour drive away from the parks, which meant longer trips in the car and less time spent in the parks. This seemed unnecessary since we had booked 6 months in advance of our trip and there were acceptable accommodations closer to the activity.
- A few of the hotels we had agreed to were changed without our knowledge. The substitutions were acceptable, but it would have been nice to know this in advance.
- Written communication was at times unclear making it difficult to understand the context behind why decisions were made and to assess whether everything was booked as requested.
- We were never reminded or given any guidance about the Visa application process.
- We twice setup a phone call and twice Peter did not show up for the call. Eventually we were able to connect.

Hotel Review

Arusha Coffee Lodge

Beautiful property, excellent service and food, and amazing coffee. Good starting location for your safari if you are arriving in JRO.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Masai boma experience

Serengeti National Park

Would not recommend this activity. Received a brief tour of the tribes home and culture, and then were guided to a large area of crafts made by their tribe. We felt obligated and pressured to buy something. No price was listed, and when we asked how much the items we selected would cost we were provided very high numbers (as compared to anywhere else). When we said we were not interested in purchasing, they several times pushed the items back into our hands and told us to negotiate. Also Google the Maasai people and learn about their treatment of women. Patriarchal society that treats women as property and performs female genital mutilation.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had a excellent experience. Thank you for planning our itinerary. Day we transferred from Tanzania to Kenya could have been coordinated and communicated better. Overall it is a great experience. Accomodations and food was excellent all along our tour. Guides were very caring, educative. They took care of us like their own family. Thank you.

My wife and I consider it great fortune to have found Stephan and the rest of the Truly Swahili team. Our trip to Uganda and Tanzania went off without a hitch, and offered memories that will last a lifetime. Stephan patiently explained all details of the trip in advance, and his choice of accommodations were absolutely perfect! Our guide Fred and driver Steven in Uganda are now considered friends, and the same can be said for our tour coordinator Irene in Tanzania, as well as our guide Kaka and driver Jambo. Our trip was not only fascinating, but it also was just plain fun! I had the privilege of trekking to get up close with gorillas in Uganda, and we then had the opportunity to see every creature Africa had to offer, ranging from giraffes and zebras to elephants, lions and rhinos. This is probably one of the last places on the planet where you can still see these beautiful creatures in their natural element, and contacting Stephan is the first step in planning the trip of your life!

Great trip!
Kaka kept us amused and informed during the days of game drives. He was simply fantastic.
The lodge was staffed with friendly people and stellar food.
In retrospect, we could have done one fewer days of game drives and one more day in Zanzibar, but no complaints.

Hotel Reviews

Nyota Luxury Camp

Fantastic! Friendly staff Courteous and attentive. Stunning pool! Comfortable bed. Lovely shower (indoor and out!) Delicious and copious food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Gita!!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Neptune Pwani Beach Resort & Spa

The horseback riding was a delight. The room was fine. The food was only meh.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kitela Lodge

Karatu

By the time we got here, we were tired and cranky. Nice room, good food. Internet was iffy at best.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Hot Air Balloon Safari at Serengeti

Tanzania

So much fun!!! Enjoyed it so much, we inquired about doing it the next day, but given the price point decided against it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a lovely time. The service before departure was great - listening to what we wanted, lots of clear and regular communication and the Kim Kim and local team also helped us with some refund issues after we’d left.

The team on the ground were lovely. Good fun and great guides.

I had a wonderful safari with Kaka and Jambo! I saw many, many animals including the big 5. The following beach trip to zanzibar was also lovely! It was a great vacation!

Wow and Incredible
We had an amazing experience in Kenya and Tanzania. Stephan pulled together an adventure that was perfect for us! We saw everything on our Must-See list and more. The guides and lodging were all great. The transportation was safe and convenient. The welcome booklet from Stephan was so valuable. Because of it we had everything taken care of and had no problems in either country.
Kenya:
Stephan and our Guide/Driver Norman from Truly Swahili were at the airport to greet us when we arrived in Nairobi. On the drive to the 1st hotel, we went over the plan and discussed logistics. This was great so when we took off the next day for Lake Nakuru, we were ready.
Norman was our driver and guide while we were in Kenya. It was great to have the same person the whole time we were there. Norman was great, what a nice and caring person. He is also a great guide. He found so many birds and animals. It is amazing to watch him work. The number of small hidden birds he saw was incredible. We would have never seen as much as we did without him. We spent 2 full days on Safari in the park with Norman. We would do it again
Skynest Residences by CityBlue - this was an apartment/hotel which I really appreciated. We stayed here twice as we were going in and out of Kenya. The unit had clothes washing machine which was helpful. We did not have to pack for the whole time we were away. The people were all very friendly, the unit was clean and comfortable. The view from the roof of the building was wild. Nairobi is HUGE!
Sopa Lodge Nakuru - This is a beautiful lodge above Lake Nakuru. The views are incredible. The location is in the park, so our safari began when we woke up with Zebras just nearby. The room was clean and comfortable. Maggie and Mary in the restaurant took amazing care of us!!! They were so friendly! We felt welcome and safe the whole time
Cliff Lodge Sunrise Boat Safari. This was fun. We were treated to a boat cruise on Lake Nakuru. We were able to cruise the shoreline to find all sorts of different birds, and 100’s of Pelicans and Flamingos. It is an early start, so a delicious breakfast is provided. Milka really knew her birds and what we could expect to see. And the Milka/Suleman team were great together spotting everything!
Tanzania
This time we were met at the airport by Truly Swahili’s Irene and our guide Kaka. We met our driver Jambo the next day. More on Kaka and Jambo later! Irene went over the plan for our 8 days in Tanzania on the drive to the hotel in Arusha. This was great so we again knew what to expect.
Sanna Boutique Hotel in Arusha was quite nice. It had an amazing rooftop view, and we were just at the base of Mt. Meru. Everyone was so friendly and helpful. Gofrery in the restaurant talked birds with us and made sure we were always ok! It was a good stay before the long drive to the Serengeti.
Kaka and Jambo our guide and driver. I do not think there is enough good to say about these 2 guys. They were a power team! Driving is long and challenging. Jambo got us where we needed to go every time. We were so impressed how he knew how to get around in the Serengeti. There are no roads or signs, yet we always arrived at our lodge at the end of the day. Jambo has crazy skills to be able to drive and find birds and game as we go. Then there was Kaka, he was joy to be around. He saw the positive in everything. And he also saw everything. He knew what was most important to us (birds) and took us to the places that had birds. He knew where a fig tree was that all sorts of bird life. Amazing! Both Kaka and Jambo listened to us, stopped the car when we asked and never rushed us to get going again. Both laughed easily and knew so much! We were able to enjoy the Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater game drives to the fullest! The combination of being in Tanzania with Kaka and Jambo was incredible. I will want these 2 to guide me next time. Tanzania without Kaka and Jambo – I don’t think so!
The Acacia Seronera Luxury Camp was amazing. It was the iconic staying in a tent-cabin in the Serengeti. What fun. We heard lions from our bed the 1st night. That is not something that happens in the USA! The rooms were clean and comfortable. There were plenty of people to escort us to our room in the dark. So, we always felt safe! Mariska took care of us in the restaurant, and she was great! The lodge is doing a big update and from what we saw it will be even more luxury than it was for us!
Karatu Simba Lodge – we enjoyed this lodge a lot. It was also clean and friendly and safe. The rooms were very comfortable. Sitting on the deck looking over the hills and farms was beautiful! The meals were buffet style so there was lots of variety and all of it was very tasty!
A last minute add on to our trip was Lake Manyara Biking, Canoeing & Cultural Experience with lunch, instead of a second day in the Ngorongoro crater. This turned out to be one of the most memorable days of our trip. This one we went into not really knowing what to expect. Teresa from The Cultural Tourism Programme in Mto Wa Mbu was an excellent guide. We learned more details about the different tribes and their cultures and skills. We have the opportunity to purchase art from small local artists. We had a traditional Tanzanian lunch prepared for us in a Banana Plantation. YUM! Biking through the village was an interesting ground view of the area. We enjoyed the day! Now I think we will always add a cultural day to any trip! Had I known more about the day I would have brought more cash with me. We encountered so many different people all who are so proud of what they do! I wanted to bring home a little of everything they made.
Irene met us again before we headed to the airport. How wonderful to have a personal touch to be sure the trip not only met our expectations but exceeded them. Stephan took this time to call us and check in before the long trip home as well. 5 Stars!!! Will Recommend!

Hotel Reviews

Karatu Simba Lodge

We enjoyed this lodge a lot. It was also clean and friendly and safe. The rooms were very comfortable. Sitting on the deck looking over the hills and farms was beautiful! The meals were buffet style so there was lots of variety and all of it was very tasty!

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was a good balance between getting to the Ngorongoro crater and having out day in teh village of Mto Wa Mbu.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Acacia Central Serengeti Camp

We ended us staying at another Acacia lodge in the Serengeti ..... The Acacia Seronera Luxury Camp was amazing. It was the iconic staying in a tent-cabin in the Serengeti. What fun. We heard lions from our bed the 1st night. That is not something that happens in the USA! The rooms were clean and comfortable. There were plenty of people to escort us to our room in the dark. So, we always felt safe! Mariska took care of us in the restaurant, and she was great! The lodge is doing a big update and from what we saw it will be even more luxury than it was for us!

Authenticity & Character

another classic safari -tent lodge. It was amazing

Location

I mean we are IN the Serengeti. The location can not be any better!

Staff

everyone so friendly. Mariska was a special person.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sanna Boutique Hotel

Arusha

It had an amazing rooftop view, and we were just at the base of Mt. Meru. Everyone was so friendly and helpful. Gofrery in the restaurant talked birds with us and made sure we were always ok! It was a good stay before the long drive to the Serengeti.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Godfry - He was awesome.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sopa Lodge Nakuru

Nairobi

This is a beautiful lodge above Lake Nakuru. The views are incredible. The location is in the park, so our safari began when we woke up with Zebras just nearby. The room was clean and comfortable. Maggie and Mary in the restaurant took amazing care of us!!! They were so friendly! We felt welcome and safe the whole time

Authenticity & Character

Very 'classic' safari lodge. It was everything you woud expect .

Location

It is in the National Park so Safari is just out side the lodge.

Staff

Maggie anfd Mary - AWESOME. Everyone was friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was large and comfortable. The Lodge its self was beautiful

Skynest Residences by CityBlue

Nairobi

This was an apartment/hotel which I really appreciated. We stayed here twice as we were going in and out of Kenya. The unit had clothes washing machine which was helpful. We did not have to pack for the whole time we were away. The people were all very friendly, the unit was clean and comfortable. The view from the roof of the building was wild. Nairobi is HUGE!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Safari Experience at Ngorongoro

Tanzania

What an amazing place. there is SOOOOOO much to see

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Safari Experience at Serengeti National Park

Tanzania

WOW The Serengeti is Amazing. But we had the BEST gukdes Kaka and Jambo! They made more amazing than it was going to be anyway!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

JAMBO AND KAKA!!!!! YES!

Transport

Evening Game Drive at Lake Nakuru National Park

Nakuru

Norman was a amazing guide. Lake Nakuru is beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunrise Boat Cruise on Lake Nakuru

Nakuru

Cliff Lodge Sunrise Boat Safari. This was fun. We were treated to a boat cruise on Lake Nakuru. We were able to cruise the shoreline to find all sorts of different birds, and 100’s of Pelicans and Flamingos. It is an early start, so a delicious breakfast is provided. Milka really knew her birds and what we could expect to see. And the Milka/Suleman team were great together spotting everything!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Milka and Suleman

Transport

Everything went according to schedule. Communication was excellent and all arrangements were according to our expectations. Great selection of accommodation choices and the best guide to drive us to the national parks and explain everything about Tanzanian wildlife.

Hotel Review

Arusha Planet Lodge

Arusha

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Serengeti National Park Game Drives

Serengeti National Park

Serengeti National Park

Serengeti National Park

Ngorongoro Conservancy & Crater Tour

Ngorongoro

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We worked with Stephan to book our Tanzania safari and Zanzibar trip this summer. Kimkim arranged our travels with Truly Swahili. We were traveling with another couple and Stephan smoothly coordinated all of our input. We originally told Stephan what we wanted, he then put together a wonderful itinerary that included all of our wishes. We then fine tuned the itinerary and conveyed this to Stephan. He made the adjustments quickly and expertly. We were very happy with the process and our trip. We had an amazing vacation!

Our local ground team in the mainland (from Truly Swahili) included Irene, the trip coordinator, Kaka our guide, and Simba our driver. Kaka and Simba were an amazing team (we think they are brothers). Every day when they picked us up at the lodge, Kaka would ask each of us our goals and animals we wanted to see for that day. Simba always knew where to go to achieve that goal. Together they always made sure we were in a position to get the best photos and experiences. Kaka would teach us at least three Swahili words or phrases for the day. He always had an energetic smile and wonderful stories about the animals. Simba, the (quieter brother) had an extensive knowledge of the animals and their behaviors. Together they made sure we stayed safe and happy.

Our mainland itinerary included a Rufiji river cruise and a safari in Nyerere, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti, Lake Manyara and Tarangire. We achieved our goals of seeing the "Big 5." We did this in one day in the Ngorongoro Crater. Each park we visited had it's own unique personality, terrain, and variety of animals. We are very happy we did each one of them.

After the safari's, we spent the last couple of days in Zanzibar where we could relax and enjoy the exquisite beauty of the resort. Our Zanzibar guide, Khamis, was an encyclopedia of knowledge of the island in it's culture and history.

All together, we can not recommend Truly Swahili enough! Irene and her team's choices of resorts, lodges, and experiences were amazing! The guides, accommodations and food were always top notch!

Thank you so much Stephan, Irene, Kaka, Simba, and Khamis for making this vacation a trip of a lifetime!

Our recent family trip to Tanzania with kimkim was amazing! From the moment we began to inquire about the adventure to the shaping of the schedule—and questions along the way, we found Melvin and his team to be incredibly responsive and diligent. Upon arrival in Kilimanjaro, we were greeted warmly by Irene and her team, and always felt confident that we were in good hands. Tanzania opened our eyes to just how much the country has to offer—from hiking the lower slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro to discovering giraffes, hippos and lions as we moved through Serengeti national park, and learning about a culture which differs so much from Canada. What made the trip especially fun were our guides—Kaka and Jambo, who were very friendly, knowledgeable, competent, organized and had a wonderful sense of humor. Hoping this is not our last adventure to Tanzania!

Hotel Reviews

Lake Manyara Serena Lodge

Karatu

Mbuzi Mawe Serena Camp

Arusha, Tanzania

Neptune Pwani Beach Resort & Spa Zanzibar

Zanzibar

Arusha Serena Hotel

Arusha

Amazing hotel, very beautiful building and great staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Skynest Residences by CityBlue

Nairobi

The hotel feels very institutional and the food (breakfast) was terrible. Thank goodness we didn't stay there too long.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day Hike on Mountain Kilimanjaro

Tanzania

Canoeing in Arusha

Tanzania

We didn't do this because of scheduling issues.

The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust - Elephant Orphanage Visit

Nairobi

Encounters with Giants: A Day at the Nairobi Giraffe Centre

Nairobi

Sunset Dhow Cruise in Zanzibar

Tanzania

Would skip this in the future. The crew wasn't that competent and the harbor was not a pretty spot to boat.

Brilliant trip to Uganda and Tanzania! Melvin and Irene did a wonderful job organizing everything for us in both countries and personally greeted us which we appreciated. Melvin was our point of contact in the lead up and was always very responsive and helpful. We were very pleased with the final itinerary and how easy it was to get this trip planned. Fantastic guides and drivers in both countries. They were very informative, organized, got us where we needed to be safely, and were a lot of fun! Beautiful accommodation in every location. Will organize future trips with Truly Swahili and can't recommend them enough. Memories to last a life time!

This was our family's first trip to Africa. Were naturally unfamiliar with the territory and a bit apprehensive about planning a trip. We spent five days wildlife viewing in Serengeti and Ngorongoro, and two days in the city of Arusha.

Our local travel organizer Melvin M. and our local safari guide Walter O. were both extremely helpful and kind beyond our expectations. Melvin was professional and very responsive. Walter and assistant guide Kaka M. were very well informed about Tanzania's natural world and helped us get the most of our time, putting in extraordinary effort to help us experience the best of this wonderful part of the world.

As parents were were protective traveling with our teenage kids. The team made us feel safe and welcome both in the city and in the wild. We will remember their kindness and good company for a long time to come.

Hi Joseph,
Doug Fishman and I completed this form in person and gave it to Aggrey, our fantastic guide. I have nothing but praise for his warm personality, animal knowledge, habitat and geographic expertise, and ability to light up a room with his friendly manner. All the camps and lodges were excellent with very kind hosts. Aggrey was adaptable to our needs and showed kindness to the other guides and staff by sharing our uneaten food. We saw all the animals we had hoped to see and Aggrey was skilled in using the cell phone and binoculars to get great images. Thanks to Kim Kim for arranging this once in a lifetime trip. Fred Pinkney, Takoma Park, MD USA.

Our trip climbing Kilimanjaro followed by a safari organized by Kimkim was fantastic. Our lead guide on Kili, Abu, was professional and really helpful. Our other guides, Nazoru and Lulu, were equally fantastic. On the safari to Tarangire park, Serengeti and Nagorogorno crater, or guide and driver, John, was so knowledgeable about the environs and animals. He really made the long driving days special. Thank you team!

Fantastic trip. Our guide Aggrey was superb. He was so kind, knowledgeable and has 10 years of experience in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro. Our local contact Ali was attentive and smoothed the way for travel changes.

The communication with Agnes was good from the beginning. The trip was organized well. The hotels they've booked for us were on the expected level, the safari was organized professionally, the driver spoke English well and was always trying to find the best compromise between our wishes and what was realistically possible in the given timeframe. All ground transfers were there on time and got us to where we needed to be on time. We felt very safe with all the guides and drivers we've been in contact with, we never had a feeling that they are doing anything that is not in the guest's best interest. The team was very responsive and eager to help all the time, so they really deserve compliments for this.

There were some minor details regarding the activities in Zanzibar that were not scheduled in a way that we requested when planning the trip. However, this was quickly solved after contacting the team, so we could see and do everything we've planned prior to the trip. And the plane transfer from mainland Tanzania to Zanzibar was organized a bit "the local way", but in the end we got to Zanzibar safely and on time.

We had an incredible trip to Northern Tanzania that exceeded all of our expectations - thank you Nadia! Our trip started with a 3-day hike to summit Mount Meru, led by Ungi Tours. The guide and porters were wonderful, offering not only good companionship but also were very knowledgeable about the environment through which we were hiking and instruction on how to successfully summit despite the altitude and other challenges. After Meru, we had 5 days of safari through Tarangire and Serengeti National Parks, Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro Crater, led by Classic Journeys Africa safari tours. Our guide was excellent and patient, spending countless hours riding around the parks, watching the wildlife, and answering our questions. And the accommodations for these days were each spectacular in their own way - Maramboi Tented Lodge, Nyikani Migration Camp, and Ngorongoro Farm House - allowing us to sleep right inside of (or very near) the actual parks, with wildlife walking through the camps! Finally, we ended with 3 days in Zanzibar, which included a half-day of snorkeling and a full day of walking the streets of Stone Town and learning the history of the East African slave trade. Again, our driver and the guides were fantastic! And all throughout, whenever we needed assistance (unexpected flight changes, etc.), the local specialist we used through kimkim was incredibly helpful. Thank you!

Hotel Reviews

Saddle Hut

A great place to stay on our hike up Mount Meru!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Miriakamba Hut

A great place to stay on our hike up Mount Meru!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Zanzibar Beach Resort

This hotel grew on us as we spent more time there because the staff were so friendly, but the accommodations were in disrepair. You could appreciate the "specatularness" of the resort when it first opened (20-30 years ago), but during our stay, the wifi didn't work for 3 of the 4 days, the food was very average (and sometimes not good), and several of the lights and electrical outlets in our room did not work. And the place had more of a feel of a 'conference center' than a resort. That said, the rooms were spacious and the staff friendly. We were originally torn between staying in the center of Stone Town or at a beach resort on the eastern coast and settled on this place as a compromise, and it worked for those reasons, but at the very least it would have been far more pleasing if the food had been better.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ngorongoro Farm House

An amazing farm and garden - the entire place was spectacular, although we didn't love the pre-dinner 'music' from members of a local Maasai tribe, which felt forced. That aside, the food and service were excellent and the location was beautiful. Loved the experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nyikani Migration Camp

Amazing experience to be sleeping within Ngorongoro Conservation Area, right next to the Serengeti. Food and service were excellent and the location was beautiful. Loved the experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maramboi Tented Lodge

Minjingu

Amazing experience to be sleeping within Lake Manyara. Food and service were excellent and the location was beautiful. Loved the experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gold Crest Hotel

A perfectly reasonable hotel that met our needs to have a home base when in Arusha! All of the staff were incredibly helpful and friendly and the morning breakfast was excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sunset Dhow Cruise

Zanzibar

An incredibly beautiful experience. We were surprised to be joined by two musicians who played traditional music while we sailed. Was such a nice respite, with gorgeous views, at the end of a busy day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkeling in Mnemba Atoll

Zanzibar

Spectacular! The fish and coral were extraordinary - unlike anything we've ever seen before. And our guides provided an incredible picnic of fruit to keep us refreshed and hydrated as we swam.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lake National Manyara

Tarangire National Park

An amazing experience led by Classic Journeys Africa safari tours.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arusha

Arusha

We had a few unstructured hours in Arusha on different days at various times during our trip. We enjoyed walking around the market and especially appreciated our visit to the Arusha Cultural Heritage Centre. We had a great dinner at Spices and Herbs Ethiopian Restaurant and a terrific lunch at Chowpatty for Indian food!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Stone Town, Spice Farm and Prison Island

Zanzibar

Overall, an amazing experience and a full day. The Spice Farm was fascinating - our family loved learning about how so many spices we use day to day are grown. And we had a fantastic tour guide for the walking tour of Stone Town and Prison Island. Obviously, learning about the East African slave trade was quite sobering and we were surprised by the giant tortoise on Prison Island. But all in all, a very important and meaningful part of any trip to Zanzibar.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Serengeti National Park

Serengeti National Park

An amazing experience led by Classic Journeys Africa safari tours.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mount Meru

Mount Meru

An amazing experience led by Ungi tours. Incredibly challenging physically, especially the summit on day 3 followed by a full descent in one day. But the experience of reaching the summit and watching the sunrise over Kilimanjaro was spectacular.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport