Tanzania Safari Travel Report by Kerstin and Helga
(translated from German into English)
Germany | 30.03.2013
Dear Tanzania-Experience team
Herewith our travel report on our trip to the national parks of Tanzania’s Northern Circuit from 6 to 18 March 2013. After years of looking for the right company for our dream trip to Africa, we have decided on your company and are very happy that we did! We booked through www.safariscout.com and they recommended that we choose your tour. We were very happy that we did. I really appreciated your friendliness and patience as you tried to cater for all our needs and wishes.
We were on the road with our guide Lyimo for 11 days, visiting Arusha NP, Tarangire NP, Lake Manyara NP, Serengeti and the Ngorongoro crater. We were thrilled to have Lyimo as our guide. Not only is he an excellent driver, his empathetic nature, sense of humor and unbelievable knowledge of the animals, plants, people and languages of Tanzania has made him a friend. Asante sana, kaka twiga!
Also, the LandCruiser was super – spacious, safe and comfortable. We spent 1800km on very bad roads in it. Asante sana, LandCruiser!
All the lodges and camps were unique. Apart from being perfectly clean, the staff was friendly and helpful and one gets the feeling that the friendliness comes from the heart.
Arumeru Lodge is perfect for resting and recovering from jetlag. With its fantastic garden and friendly staff it is easy to get used to the new environment. The food is superb.
Maramboi Tented Camp is in the bush with wildebeest, warthogs, geckos and birds crossing our path. Here also the food was very good and the staff was charming and helpful.
Kirurumu Manyara Lodge has a view over Lake Manyara and the view is just breathtaking. The food was very exclusive. Here we joined a night game drive as we did not have much time to spend at this lodge.
Nasikia Tented Camp was our personal favourite, not only for the roaring lions, hyenas and even a leopard close to our tent, but also for the rooms. For us Europeans it felt strange at first to stay in canvas tents, but if you want adventure, this is perfect! The staff rocked and the food was the best of the whole trip. We stayed here for five nights and it was difficult to leave…
Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge was huge and luxurious and after the few days in a tent, it seemed like special treat. For me it was almost too ‘civilised’. The service was perfect as well as the food and the view over the Ngorongoro Crater just breathtaking, something that I cannot find words for to describe.
Due to our flight departing late at night, we were booked at the Kia Lodge, a change from what was originally planned. The bungalows were good and the grounds well-kept, but the food was disappointing.
All in all, we were very pleased with the organisation and the compilation of lodges and the safari route. We had seen so much more than we had dreamt of and booking a private safari for two was just right; we really ‘lived’ our personal dreams and Lyimo could meet our needs perfectly.
And the bottom line: this private safari was still cheaper than competitors’ quotes for safaris of seven people of more. And Tanzania-Experience also supplied more than enough bottled water! We could also select which camp or lodge we could stay to ensure a good combination of luxury and simplicity.
A special thank you to Matatu, the ranger from Arusha National Park. If you ever get the change to have her as your guide, take it! She is an amazing woman. Also, to Hassan from Nasikia a big thank you for being so caring. He is very funny and every time we saw a zebra, it reminded us of Hassan’s laugh!
Helga (mama cheetah) und Kerstin (dada fisi) from Germany would like to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We would definitely recommend you and will plan our next Tanzania visit with you. Asante sana to the Tanzania-Experience team. Thank you for helping to fulfill our dreams.
Helga and Kerstin in Germany
