Review · ARUSHA SAFARIS
Safari Excelente y Safari lujos Tanzania
The big draw here is variety. In six days, you move from Kilimanjaro to elephant country in Tarangire, spend two substantial days in the Serengeti, descend into Ngorongoro Crater, and finish around Lake Manyara and Mto wa Mbu. That is a serious introduction to northern Tanzania, not a quick park sampler.
I like the private format, since your group controls the pace and does not share the vehicle with strangers. I also like that park fees and all meals are included, which removes two common safari headaches. The main caution is the price: $7,851.24 per person is a major spend, and the package does not spell out the exact lodgings or vehicle standards in enough detail for a luxury trip.
Key points at a glance
- Two full Serengeti days: More time gives your guide a better chance to find animals and adjust the route.
- Tarangire’s dry-season wildlife: Elephants, buffalo, antelope, lions, leopards, pythons, and mongooses are all part of the park’s appeal.
- Private Toyota Land Cruiser option: The company has been associated with safari-ready 4×4 vehicles and daily vehicle cleaning.
- Guide-led wildlife spotting: Moses, Musa, Joseph, Amiri, and Carlos Moises are names connected with the company’s guiding team.
- Cultural stop in Mto wa Mbu: You visit banana plantations, a local market, handicraft areas, and communities from different Tanzanian groups.
- A polished but expensive package: Meals, park entry, pickup, and a private group help justify the cost, but you should confirm what luxury accommodation means before paying.
A six-day route through Tanzania’s best-known parks

This safari follows a classic northern Tanzania circuit. You begin near Mount Kilimanjaro, head south to Tarangire, continue west toward the Serengeti, then return through Ngorongoro and Lake Manyara.
That route works because each park offers a different setting and a different kind of wildlife viewing. Tarangire is known for elephants and its river. Serengeti offers huge open plains and two game-drive days. Ngorongoro packs a great deal of wildlife into a volcanic crater. Manyara adds birdlife, forest, lake views, and a short cultural visit.
You should also understand the pace. This is not a slow, lodge-based holiday with long afternoons beside a pool. Several days involve early departures, long drives, picnic lunches, and extended time in a safari vehicle. The reward is range. The cost is time on rough roads.
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Day one begins with Kilimanjaro and a practical welcome
The first day is deliberately light. A representative meets you at Kilimanjaro Airport, transfers you to your hotel, and explains the route ahead.
The listed stop is Kilimanjaro National Park, but the schedule describes arrival, hotel transfer, and a briefing rather than a full park visit. That distinction matters. Do not expect a substantial wildlife drive on day one.
I see this as a sensible start after an international flight. A proper briefing gives you a chance to understand departure times, meals, park rules, and the rhythm of the next five days. The early meeting point for the main activity is Jevas Hotel EncoreTZ in Arusha, with a stated start time of 7:30 a.m., so confirm exactly where you will sleep on the first night and how you will reach the departure point.
Tarangire brings elephants and a quieter first game drive

Day two starts early from Arusha and heads south toward Tarangire National Park. The drive takes you into one of Tanzania’s most rewarding wildlife areas, especially if you want strong elephant sightings without starting immediately in the vast Serengeti.
Tarangire’s permanent river helps support animals during the dry season. The park is especially associated with large groups of elephants, buffalo, oryx, and antelope. Those herbivores also attract lions, leopards, and other predators.
The day includes about six hours in the park, with arrival before lunch and game viewing through the afternoon. That gives you a useful first taste of safari life. You will learn how to scan the bush, watch animal behavior, and work with your guide to decide when a sighting is worth lingering over.
The wildlife list here is unusually broad. Tree-climbing pythons, mongooses, elephants, big cats, and several antelope species all appear in the park description. Of course, no safari can guarantee a particular animal. Your guide’s skill matters, and this is where the company’s guiding reputation becomes important.
Past guides connected with the operation include Moses, also called Musa, Joseph, and Amiri. Amiri has been praised for answering questions about animals, while Joseph and Moses are associated with strong wildlife spotting and trip organization. You cannot assume one of them will lead your departure, so request a preferred guide when booking if Spanish or another language is important to you.
Two Serengeti days give the safari room to breathe

Day three takes you from the Tarangire area toward Serengeti National Park. This is a long travel and wildlife day, listed at around eight hours, with a picnic lunch outdoors and an afternoon game drive continuing until sunset.
The Serengeti is the emotional center of the trip. Its Maasai name means endless plains, and the scale is hard to grasp from a schedule alone. You spend much of the day watching the country open up around you, with wildlife viewing woven into the drive rather than confined to one short session.
The second Serengeti day lasts about nine hours. That extra day is one of the best features of this plan. Wildlife does not appear on demand, and a longer stay gives your guide more time to search, wait, and respond to fresh sightings.
The Serengeti is also tied to the larger ecosystem that reaches toward the Ngorongoro area and Kenya’s Maasai Mara. The exact animals you see will depend on season, recent movement, and luck. Still, two days is a much better use of the park than arriving late one afternoon and leaving at first light.
Expect long periods in the vehicle. That is not a flaw in the itinerary, but you should be comfortable with it. The open country is the attraction, yet roads and tracks can be tiring. A private vehicle helps because you can pause for photographs, ask questions, and manage your own pace more easily than in a large shared group.
One company account describes the use of a Toyota Land Cruiser 4×4, with guides cleaning the vehicle each day. Confirm the vehicle assigned to your booking, since equipment and seating can affect comfort on long game drives.
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Ngorongoro Crater concentrates wildlife into one remarkable day
On day five, you leave early for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and descend into the crater for a photographic safari. Lunch is a picnic inside the crater, and the scheduled visit lasts about five hours.
The crater formed roughly two million years ago when a large volcano collapsed inward. Its floor now creates a contained setting where many animals live close together. That concentration can make Ngorongoro feel very different from the wide, open Serengeti.
The crater is a strong choice for a short safari because you can see a great deal in a limited area. It also gives the trip a geological story, not just a list of animal sightings. The setting itself is a major part of the day.
The tradeoff is time. Five hours may feel short after the long Serengeti days, particularly if the descent and return take up part of the schedule. The early start is worthwhile, but you should be ready for another packed day rather than a leisurely crater outing.
A picnic inside the crater sounds simple, but it is practical. You do not need to leave the wildlife area for lunch, and the meal is supplied as part of the package. Ask in advance about dietary needs and how meals are handled, since the general promise of included food does not describe menus or special arrangements.
Lake Manyara adds birds, monkeys, and a local village visit
The final day is built around the Manyara region and Lake Manyara National Park. The park takes its name from the lake, which attracts large numbers of flamingos. The area also supports wildebeest, zebras, buffalo, monkeys, elephants, giraffes, and more than 400 bird species.
Manyara gives you a change of scenery after the dry open spaces of Tarangire and Serengeti. It is a particularly good finish for anyone who enjoys birdlife and smaller details, not only the major mammals.
The itinerary also mentions the park’s famous tree-climbing lions. As with every wildlife promise, treat this as a possibility rather than a guarantee. A good guide can improve your chances, but nature sets the timetable.
Lunch is another picnic inside the park. After the afternoon game drive, you visit Mto wa Mbu. The stop includes banana plantations, a local market, handicrafts, and an introduction to communities from different Tanzanian groups living in the area.
I like this addition because it gives you contact with daily life beyond the vehicle. It also creates a better ending than simply driving back to Arusha after one last animal sighting. Keep your expectations grounded: this is a short cultural visit, not a full community program or a multi-day village stay.
Private touring changes the feel of the trip
Only your group participates, which is a major advantage at this price. You can ask questions freely, stop longer at a good sighting, and avoid the awkward compromises that come with a large mixed group.
Private does not mean relaxed every minute. The route still has fixed park hours, long transfers, and early starts. But the ability to discuss the day with your guide can make a real difference, especially if you are traveling as a couple, family, or small group with different interests.
The guiding team is clearly central to the experience. Names connected with the company include Moses, Musa, Joseph, Amiri, Carlos Moises, Mussa, and Moises. Past groups have highlighted language ability, animal knowledge, patience, safe driving, and the guides’ willingness to explain behavior rather than simply point at animals.
That is exactly what you should want from a safari guide. Seeing a lion is memorable. Understanding why it is resting, watching, or moving is what turns a sighting into a meaningful experience.
Ask for the guide’s name, language, and role before departure. Some feedback refers to a separate guide and driver, so clarify whether your booking includes one person handling both jobs or a two-person team.
What $7,851.24 per person needs to include
At $7,851.24 per person, this is priced as a luxury safari, not a budget wildlife circuit. The listed inclusions are useful: park entry fees, all meals, airport pickup, a private group, and mobile-ticket convenience.
Park fees in northern Tanzania can add a substantial amount to a trip, and meals are not a small detail when you spend days far from towns. Private transport and a dedicated guide also carry real value.
Still, the available details do not identify the hotels, camps, room categories, drinks, flights, tips, or optional activities. That gap matters. A luxury label should come with clear accommodation names and standards. Before booking, ask for:
- The exact hotels, lodges, or camps for every night
- The safari vehicle model and seating arrangement
- Whether airport pickup and all transfers are included
- Which drinks and snacks are covered
- The guide’s language and name
- Any extra fees not included in the stated price
I would not pay this amount based on the word luxury alone. I would pay it if the accommodation, vehicle, guide, and service level match the price and if the private format matters to me.
Meals, timing, and the practical side of safari
All meals are prepared and supplied, with picnic lunches mentioned on the longer park days. That makes the route easier to manage and avoids searching for restaurants between game drives.
The itinerary is available in multiple languages, and the company has been associated with Spanish-speaking guides as well as guides who speak several languages. If you need Spanish, Italian, or another language, confirm it in writing rather than relying on general availability.
Most people can participate, and the activity is near public transportation. The main meeting point is Jevas Hotel EncoreTZ in Makao Mapya, Arusha, with a 7:30 a.m. start. Pickup is also offered, including airport pickup on arrival at Kilimanjaro.
The safari requires a minimum number of participants, despite being private once confirmed. If the operator cancels because that minimum is not reached, you are offered another date or experience, or a full refund. Your own cancellation is different: the booking is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason.
Who will get the most from this safari
I would recommend this route to a first-time safari visitor who wants the major northern Tanzania parks in one trip. It also suits couples and families who value privacy, meals arranged in advance, and a guide who can adapt the day to the group.
It is a good match for anyone who wants both wildlife and a little local contact. The Mto wa Mbu visit adds bananas, crafts, markets, and community life to a route otherwise focused on animals.
I would be more cautious if you dislike long drives, picnic meals, early starts, or spending many hours in a 4×4. I would also compare other luxury packages if your priority is a high-end lodge experience, since the accommodation details here are not clear enough.
Should you book it?
Book this safari if you want a private, tightly packed northern Tanzania route with two Serengeti days, supplied meals, and park fees handled for you. The best reasons to choose it are the route’s variety and the company’s strong emphasis on guides such as Moses, Joseph, and Amiri.
Before committing $7,851.24, get the full lodging list, vehicle details, guide assignment, and inclusions in writing. If those details match a genuine luxury standard, the package offers a convenient and wildlife-heavy introduction to Tanzania. If they do not, the price is difficult to justify.
FAQ
Where does the safari start?
The listed meeting point is Jevas Hotel EncoreTZ in Makao Mapya, Arusha, Tanzania. The stated start time is 7:30 a.m.
Is airport pickup included?
Yes. On the first day, a representative meets you at Kilimanjaro Airport and transfers you to the hotel.
Is this a private safari?
Yes. Only your group participates in the activity.
Are national park entry fees included?
Yes. Admission and entry fees for the national parks are included.
Are meals included?
Yes. All meals are prepared and supplied. Picnic lunches are specifically mentioned for several park days.
Which parks and areas does the route visit?
The route includes Kilimanjaro National Park, Tarangire National Park, Serengeti National Park, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and the Manyara region, including Lake Manyara National Park.
How long are the game-drive days?
The listed park time is about six hours in Tarangire, eight hours on the first Serengeti day, nine hours on the second Serengeti day, five hours in Ngorongoro, and five hours around Manyara.
Can I request a guide who speaks a particular language?
The experience is offered in multiple languages. Guides associated with the company include Moses, Musa, Joseph, Amiri, and Carlos Moises. Confirm the language and guide assignment before booking.
Can I cancel for a refund?
No. The experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If the operator cancels because the minimum number of participants is not met, you are offered another date or experience, or a full refund.
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