Kimkim Trip Reviews for Tanzania

Hello Joseph

Thank you for all of your work in planning an amazing trip to Uganda and Tanzania. All of the hotels/bush camps/lodges were excellent. There was never a hold up/question about entrance permits when we arrived at the National Parks. The airport pick ups were very smooth, even after a 2 hour arrival delay.

The meals while basic were plentiful, soup, salad, fresh rolls, rice/potatoes, mixed veggies, meat/pork/fish/chicken, dessert, tea/coffee/cold milk. Alcohol/wine/beer was available for an additional cost. Breakfast of fruit, cereal, eggs, pancakes, bacon, sausage, toast was pre ordered the night before and was ready upon your arrival. The box lunch was a sandwich, dessert, yogurt, fresh fruit, juice/water. It was interesting to see how the chef would vary the meal each day by using various spices or sauces. At the Rhino Lodge, one of the items offered at supper was roasted potatoes in a peanut butter sauce!! Surprisingly it was OK!! Some of the meals were a buffet style, some were served, while others were a served buffet. There was no issue if you wanted seconds.

After seeing 100’s if not 1,000’s of animals in Tanzania, I was slightly disappointed with the lack of animals in Uganda (15 elephants and a similar number of zebra/impala) trekking to the chimps and gorilla was certainly a highlight. My driver in Uganda, Nassar from Able Tours, said that Uganda is a farming country and if a farmer comes across a fresh livestock kill, they spread poison the kill hoping that it will poison whatever did the kill. He also said that zebra do not have any natural predators, so they usually die from old age. Driving thru Uganda I was very surprised to see the height and steepness of the landscape. We had to take a short 10 KM detour, due to road construction, it took us thru a large tea plantation and it was eye opening to see the people harvesting the tea leaves, with the wicker baskets strapped to their backs on the steep hills. Watching the person, who took the full baskets back to the processing location climbing up and down the hills, made my legs and back ache!! I am a motorcyclist; it was very surprising to see all the motorcycles that are used to transport all of the commerce. I saw motorcycles carrying 5 people, ladies riding side saddle on the motorcycle, lengths of metal pipe, lumber, live animals, many yellow water pails, large branches of bananas, large 50 kilo bags of beans and rolls of metal roofing. Whatever needed to be transported was done with the small 100/125 cc motorcycles. I saw people helping to push these motorcycles up over the hills as the motorcycles did not have the power to get over the top of the hill when they were loaded. The boat ride on Lake Mburo was refreshing after the long and rough roads in Uganda. The night I stayed at Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, there was a commotion outside my tent around 11:30 PM. The noise carried on until about 3 AM until it finally subsided. In the morning, when I went down for breakfast, the staff asked how my night was, did I sleep well? I mentioned the noise and the staff just smiled and said, “Yes, the forest was not happy last night.” Apparently something had upset the local monkey group and they wanted everyone to know about it! Nassar told me that we were going to take a ferry across Lake Victoria, to save a 200 km drive I asked Nassar if he could swim, he said “NO, water is meant only for 2 things, cooking or bathing. There are things in the water that will eat you.” The ferry held 8 vehicles, about 300 of my newest non swimming friends and 50 motorcycles. There was no actual landing ramp, you just landed as close to shore as possible. Some of the ladies who had long dresses on would be carried off the ferry by someone so that their dresses did not get wet. I was the only one who was surprised by this, as it apparently is a common procedure. The ferry landed about 1 ½ KM from the Pineapple Guest house. The extra day that I stayed in Entebbe at the Pineapple Guest house was interesting. The guest house has 4 rooms each with private bath/shower and a balcony. There is a out building for families that sleeps 4. The swimming pool was a nice spot to meet other travelers and exchange stories. If you ever visit the guest house, ask for their Pineapple custard dessert. It is actually pineapple upside down cake with a large slice of pineapple on the bottom and a warm sauce that you pour over the dessert. I have never seen a pink pineapple but they are growing right on the property. I walked back down to the landing area (1 ½ KM) the next day and watched the activity at the local market. The Boma Hotel in Kampala/Entebbe was very nice with a swimming pool attached to the dining area. Unfortunately a late evening arrival and an early morning departure did not allow me time to enjoy the pool

The Chanya Hotel in Moshi was my first experience with a tented bed!! There is a swimming pool which was most enjoyable after my Kilimanjaro trek. All of the hotels in the cities are located along a main road, but there was never any noise from the traffic, and each hotel was gated. The Rhino Lodge is located near the rim of Ngorongoro Crater. The balcony faces a mountain range and it was enjoyable to sit and watch the evening sky, while listening to the animals wandering the property. When I went to go bed, I was surprised to find 2 hot water bottles under the covers, warming the bed!! Arriving at the bush camps you are met by the staff who offered hot towels to wash the dust off of your face and also a glass of cool “refreshment.” The rules about the camps were explained and you are given a walkie talkie to contact the main tent. You were told NOT to walk up to the main tent by yourself in the dark. You called the main tent and a guide would arrive to accompany you to the main tent. Hot water was provided for a shower, you told the staff what time you wanted a shower and they would bring you 2 large pails of hot water that was then mixed with the water that was on the roof.

In Tanzania, my driver was Rama from Nariku Travel Experience. He was excellent in spotting the animals that often were hiding in or under a tree. When we first met, before we entered any National Park he said there was 1 rule that I had to follow, that was NEVER get out of the vehicle until he says it’s OK. After seeing a pride of lions lying on their side in the tall light brown grass, I soon realized what he meant. I commented about the lions and he smiled and said that if I was going to go to the bathroom over by the tree that I would probably not get back!! Rama explained about the 2 safaris and asked me what I wanted to do. He said we may be 20 KM away from the camp watching the animals when it is time to return for lunch. If we returned it could take an hour each way plus the time it took for lunch and then we would have to return and find the animals. He said we could take a box lunch with us and stay with the animals. As I came to photograph the animals, that was the option I chose. Rama’s knowledge and experience was tremendous as he was often able to position the vehicle in such away that allowed for some amazing photos. He was more than willing to wait until I was finished taking all of the photos that I wanted and often he would suggest a slightly better location. We witnessed 2 lion kills, one directly in front of the vehicle, about 20 meters away. Rama saw 1 of the lions stalking a gazelle, while the second lion went into the bush to chase the gazelle out. Rama drove right to the edge of a water crossing, where we parked and waited. Shortly after, the lion managed to capture the gazelle. Later that evening back at the camp, some of the other people who had witnessed the kill said, while eating meat with their supper; that was not very nice to witness the lion kill.

The 2 tours were completely different. In Tanzania, Rama stayed with me the entire day in the vehicle, he would stay at the same camps, ate with me or if I was sitting at the common tables with other guest, he would sit with the other drivers. I felt that I had made a friend, we chatted about his family, life in Tanzania/Canada and anything else that came up.

In Uganda, Nassar, was very pleasant, he drove me from point to point, dropped me off with another guide and he would return to take me back to the hotel. He did not seem to stay at the same camp/lodge nor did he ever have a box lunch for himself. The first day I realized that he did not have a lunch, I offered to share mine with him, but he stopped along the road at a vendor selling BBQ meat, cassava, bananas or corn to purchase his lunch. One morning Nassar mentioned that he was slightly sore as he had stayed at a small hotel in town and was able to play football for about 2 hours that evening with some of the local lads. We both laughed and commented about knowing how he felt!! The trip in Uganda was basically a 5 day drive with 2 days trekking to see the chimps and the gorilla. It seemed to be a long uneventful tour, due to the lack of animals.

The overall trip was amazing, I think that had I arrived in Uganda first and saw the few animals before going to Tanzania, there would not have been any slight disappointment. All of the hotel staff were extremely helpful and friendly, more than willing to chat about their life and to learn about my life in Canada.

Thank you for arraigning this adventure, perhaps there will be another longer safari soon!!

Wilf McQuinn
Canada

The guides were fantastic and were very patient with our every request.

We had an excellent time. All of the accommodation staff were super friendly. Everything was well organized. Rama was our guide and driver for many places and he was excellent. We were sad to depart his excellent service and care. We are excited to return and make another trip.

We had a wonderful trip to Tanzania and a large part of it is thanks to KimKim. We were matched up with local specialists which changed a couple of times. We ended up with Salty Travel. Nadia and Lucy were great to work with. They answered all of our questions patiently and were prompt in their responses. Also, they communicated our requests clearly and seamlessly to their on-ground team and partners.

The trip itself was amazing. We were a group of ten which included kids and we covered Tarangire, Central and North Serengeti, Ngorongoro crater area and a day at Moshi. Magi and Penda are excellent guides who have spent a lot of time doing safaris. They were patient with our questions and responsive to our needs. They were happy to provide suggestions about game drives and willing to work with us to modify plans as needed. Their knowledge of the area and animals were very valuable to us. They were able to get us to the right spots at the right time. We trusted them to take us where the animals were and we got to see the Big 5 and more! Our highlights of the trip included seeing a standoff between a herd of buffaloes and lions, watching a pride of lions eat their kill, seeing a couple of cheetahs eat a gazelle, and being in place to see the first crossing of wildebeests across the Mara river.

One minor area for improvement would be the vehicles. One of our vehicles had the misfortune of getting four flat tires over the course of our safari. Also, having working AC during the long days of travel would have been nice.

Overall, I will highly recommend KimKim, Salty Travel and our guides to anyone who is considering a trip to Tanzania.

This was a trip of a lifetime. Everything was great —the accommodations, the good, the tours including , of course, safaris but also a coffee plantation, Olduvai Gorge, a walk along Ngorongoro Crater. Best of all was our fantastic guide, Ramadhani Mmasa, who was friendly, knowledgeable, accommodating and so pleasant. A real treasure! I would recommend Kimkim and their representatives and will use them again.

Agrey, Serengeti Guide was simply the best — knowledgeable, engaging, and patient! Neptune Pwani resort in Zanzibar was fantastic — warm , clear, ocean water with sandbar! Make sure to book the restaurants prior to arrival as limited availability.

Hotel Reviews

Neptune Pwani Beach Resort & Spa

Great facility — clean, spacious, tropical. Beautiful beach with sandbar. Book your restaurant(s) prior to arrival due to limited seating available. Try the spice tour! Be prepared to be invited to visit shops/restaurants along beach.

Authenticity & Character

Tropical feel

Location

Beach!

Staff

Friendly, accommodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

Replaced beach towels routinely

Thorn Tree Camp

Serengeti National Park

Food was good. Tent was spacious. Staff available to walk you from tent to common areas ‘on-demand’. Tent aesthetics were tired.

Authenticity & Character

Tent in heart of Serengeti

Location

Accessible to central Serengeti

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bit dingy — bedding , towels, shower curtains were well worn.

Activity Reviews

Serengeti National Park Game Drives..

Tanzania

Highly recommend seeing animals before 7am !

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zanzibar Beach Excursions

Zanzibar Beach

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Serengeti National Park Game Drives & Hot Air Balloon Safari..

Tanzania

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Drive to Serengeti National Park

Tanzania

Agrey , driver/guide was engaging during entire trip, cared about safety, asked for our priorities— custom service at its best!

Quality of Experience

Food

Thoughtful to provide snacks and lunch . Standard box lunch not so great but pitstop was great.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We are very grateful for a wonderful experience in Tanzania organised by Joseph and his team. Our driver/guide for the safari part of the trip was Agrey who was tireless in ensuring that we had every opportunity to see the wildlife and looked after everything for us. We also enjoyed his company and willingness to share his expertise, experiences and insights. The cultural aspects of the tour gave us an opportunity to interact with the people of Tanzania as much as could be expected in the time we had. We felt that we had some special experiences and not as if we were on a tired tourist trail. The accommodation arranged and the activities were perfect for us and fitted the type of tour we requested. On the basis of this trip, we would have no hesitation in recommending KimKim to others. Many thanks to Joseph and Agrey for a special time.

The hotels that were booked for us, including service, were great. Local guides were very dedicated, knowledgeable and very pleasant to work with. The tour was very well planned and executed.
Interactions with Taf during the trip were very efficient. She was very responsive, flexible and helpful above and beyond. Not once we felt at lost. If we needed an information or her guidance, she was there for us no matter what time of day or night that was. It was very assuring to know that there was someone working to make our trip not only pleasurable but also very safe. All the bookings and places we went to were well targeted as if she knew us for a long time. We expected a memorable trip but she made this trip a very special one. She has also rememberd my husband birthday and surprised us with a very special b-day cake.
Most memorable places for us were: Cape Town, Franschhoek and wine country (specificaly The Grand Provence and the Franschhoek Country House and Villas. Courtney, the manager spent as much time with us as we needed and also was able to answer the many questions that we had, Safari in Gondwana, and Victoria Falls.
In Gondwana we had multiple interactions with Izanee, Service Manager and Ruan, our safari guide. Both were very dedicated, knowledgeable very pleasant to work with.
The hotels that were booked for us included: Cape Town Table Bay Hotel, Franschhoek Country House & Villas, Gondwana Lodges, and Victoria Falls Safari Club. All of them were excellent choices and we would not have any hesitation to stay at them again. Hotels were clean and very well equipped.We specifically enjoyed the fact that all of them have had a fantastic views!! Well done, Taf.

Hotel Reviews

Table Bay Hotel

Waterfront

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gondwana Game Reserve

Herbertsdale, Mossel Bay

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Franschhoek Country House & Villas

Franschhoek

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Victoria Falls Safari Club

Victoria Falls

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Protea Hotel by Marriott O.R. Tambo Airport

Kempton Park

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cape Town Guided City Tour

Tanzania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pot & Cruise

Victoria Falls

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bo-Kaap district Cape Malay cooking Class

Tanzania

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arts and Culture Peninsula Tour

Cape Town

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jaen Marie was great

Activities at Gondwana Game Reserve

Tanzania

All experiences, including food and services, were above our expectations.

Quality of Experience

We loved the interactions with the staff.Their knowledge and friendliness was fantastic.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

As above and I loved my facial. Very professional. I remember seeing buffalo in the meadow while having facial. An amazing experience.

Transport

Village Art Morning Tour

Victoria Falls

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wine Tram Exclusive Wine & Cuisine Experience

Tanzania

Exquisite experience for all the senses! Spectacular views were only an addition to the fantastic food, presentation, and absolutely amazing service. We loved it all.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boma Dinner and Drum Show

Victoria Falls

We have not participate in this activity.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tuk Tuk Tour

Tanzania

WE have not participate in this activity

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My wife and I recently returned from our bucket list trip to Tanzania in East Africa on Saturday July 23rd. What an amazing experience. We want to thank Magic Africa and Vivian Kironde for helping to coordinate, schedule, recommend and provide us with an unforgettable trip to the cradle of life. Vivian was very patient with us and listened to our needs. Our experience from the moment we arrived to all the lodges/accommodations/food/people/places were picture perfect but the most important and highlight of our trip was our local guide and driver Johnson Mapimma. Johnson was not only personable, friendly, and accommodating but he had a wealth of knowledge and shared that knowledge with us. He taught us about the local wildlife during the safaris; where to find them, why they do certain things, how humans should respect them and more importantly, he taught us about the culture, it’s people and history. Because of Johnsons knowledge, know how and quick thinking he provided us with an opportunity to experience a rare catch of a lioness taking down a zebra along with her pride. Asante Sana Johnson for showing us your beautiful country and for being a friend.

Best,
Marcello &Anita
Kew Gardens, NY
USA

We had the most amazing time in Tanzania. Taf had planned the most perfect trip for us, it truly felt like a dream. Taf was great to work with, and was so helpful, kind and patient helping us postpone our trip multiple times due to covid.

We had an incredible trip! Wonderful guides, amazing stays and great food were all set up for us.
Joseph, our local specialist, communicated well with us and was easy to work with, he answered all our questions promptly and made our requests reality. Richard was our driver in Nairobi and he was welcoming and informative. Our guide in Kenya was Andrew and he was knowledgeable and wonderful, going above and beyond in helping our Dad, and find for us some incredible animals, especially the 4 cheetahs hunting in the Maasai Mara. Our guide Mansour in Tanzania was patient and well informed, we had the opportunity to see a bunch of cats in the Serengeti and the surrounding conservation area. We also had the opportunity to meet Susan at the Maji Moto camp, which was a unique experience during which we enjoyed getting to spend time with some of the Maasai, who taught the tween boys to throw spears and shoot atraditional bow and arrows. We had an amazing time and can't wait to go back!

I had Joseph as my contact for this amazing trip to Pemba & Zanzibar. I couldn't be any happier with his great customer service. Due to my busy work schedule, I was unable to book in advance and it was last minute. Finally, when I booked the trip I had a nightmare with CoVid19 as I was coming from Uganda. Joseph was very, very helpful and made sure that I initially received helped with the cancelations, but eventually I was still able to make it to my destinations and he helped me again and made sure the remaining of the days left were booked and ready for me. The hotels utilized were great, the food, the staff and every aspects of my trip were amazing. I am a single female traveler and safety it's always a must. Not once I felt in any danger or uneasy. Thanks to Joseph for putting up with me and arranging the CoVid19 test and everything else. Best luck and hope to work with you again ;)

First I want to thank Adele in South Africa ( she works at Duma Explorer that provided the safari services) who helped me plan every step of the way in this safari. She was excellent and her first draft of an itinerary was very close to the final version. Since this was a solo photographic safari, I was concerned that my specific needs might be difficult to accommodate. It did not take long to realize that Adele was on target and did a great job is meeting my needs.

My journey started off a bit rocky. I was met at the airport in Arusha by a person from Duma Explorer, but not the one I expected. Apparently, my guide, who I knew to be highly qualified for my trip, had a car accident and, although unharmed, was unable to make the safari. The man who met me at the airport assured me that he was well qualified and that we would have a wonderful trip together. This sort of a surprise certainly causes apprehension and some anxiety. The next morning, my new guide took me to meet Wilson, my planned guide. While Wilson was unable to lead my trip, after meeting him, I felt reassured that everything would be fine. Read on for my review of my safari.

My guide, Chaduu, was fantastic. He knew the wildlife very well, not just the names, in some cases the Latin genus and species as well as their behavioral characteristics. This would be pretty meaningless if we didn't find animals. Chaduu knew the favorite haunts of many animals (mammals, reptiles and birds) so we saw, identified, and photographed a great number. He was also helpful in answering my questions about animal behavior. Finding wildlife is also a matter of luck and I have to admit that we were very lucky. This was a solo photographic safari. Chaduu and I were together for many hours a day for 17 days in a safari vehicle together. We never seemed to run out of discussion topics, and discussed a wide range of subjects. He was very careful to obey park rules of the road and "parking locations". In addition, photography requires patience, hoping and waiting to see some interesting behavior. We spent a great deal of time waiting and as a result got some amazing photos and observing some incredible behavior. He never complained and seemed always eager to experience seeing animal behavior, knowing that patience is necessary. Chaduu was excellent in helping to position us for the best angle for a photo and responding to every request to move even a few feet in on direction or another. His assurances on day one were completely accurate and I was happy to have Chaduu as my guide.

I was also interested in tribal cultures and people. I was not disappointed. We engaged Hadzabe bushmen and Datoga metal workers and women. Each tribe lives in their ancient ways and the people were fully authentic and friendly. Duma provide a local expert who spoke the native languages. He was very helpful in the success of meeting, engaging and photographing these tribal people.

Granted this was a solo safari. Chaduu and I could pretty much do what we wanted without having to consider the needs of others. That fact in itself made this photo expedition worthwhile and greatly contributed to our success. We were a terrific team, working together every step of the way. Chaduu was always a professional.

Overall, my experience in preparing for this trip as well as the trip itself, met or exceeded my expectations. Good job and thanks so much for your help along the way.

Tanzania and the national parks truly were unforgettable. Our driver / guide Living was great and PK Tours did a good job arranging everything. Bianca also was very communicative and planned an unforgettable trip. Thanks!