Unforgettable Safari Experience with Safari Makers

Best experience imaginable! If you’re reading this review, book with Safari Makers. You will thank me later! Our guide Costa (Simba) was a friend by the time the trip was over. He knew the answer to literally any animal question we could throw at him (and we threw a lot), and we saw pretty much every animal that there is to see: lion, giraffe, buffalo, leopard, elephant, rhino, wildebeest, zebra, antelopes….just to name a few. Absolutely incredible experience.

Unforgettable Experience Made a 4 day safari with safari makers and had the incredibly good fortune of having Costa Simba as our guide. He was a walking encyclopedia of knowledge not just about the flora and fauna of the Serengeti but about how to use the tools of conservation to combat the man made onslaught to this beautifully fragile ecosystem. Using his knowledge of the land and animal behavior, we were able to view all the animals one on one totally free of the crowds. In his other job, Costa works as an adviser to the Tanzanian government and travels the world giving lectures on conservation. I learned and saw so much in 4 days thanks to Costa. If you get the chance to take a tour with him, pounce on it like a Lion on a wildebeest. You will not be disappointed.

10/10 Would Recommend We participated in a 6 day / 5 night safari through the company Safari Makers and were INCREDIBLY pleased with our experience. Our tour guide's name is Costa Simba and to say he is knowledgeable is an understatement. The man is brilliant with navigating the bumpy Serengeti landscape while simultaneously pointing out all types of animal and plant species. For every elephant, baboon, ostrich, lion, zebra, cheetah, gazelle, wildebeest, warthog, giraffe, cape buffalo, and hyena we saw, he had a series of facts about their diet, behavioral patterns, strengths / weaknesses, and how they contribute to the Serengeti ecosystem. To give you a bit of context, all safari guides are required to have a certain level of education, training, and a specialty. Costa's specialties involve both ornithology (the study of birds) and the function of termite mounds in the Serengeti ecosystem. Every time he saw a unique hawk or bird, he would point it out, share the name, and explain facts about it. When we approached a series of termite mounds on the plains, he invited us out of the vehicle and told us about how they allow for both predators and prey to stand atop the mound to scout the extensive, flat landscape. I say this because his level of engagement and explanation helps to not only educate tourists about the Serengeti, but his advocacy for wildlife conservation in Africa raises awareness about the dire needs to adjust the way humans encroach on their surrounding environments. On top of his knowledge of African wildlife, I would argue that the reason Costa is the best tour guide through Safari Makers is because he puts in extra effort to ensure his customers / tourists are driven to the most remote, untapped regions of the Serengeti, which increases the chances of seeing animals. He understands that driving in areas that are more frequently visited tend to attract less wildlife. He thinks critically about both the animals' migratory patterns and the variable weather patterns, which help him decide the best routes for finding certain animals on a given day. Both Costa and Safari Makers truly exceeded our expectations.

8 thumbs up for Ayubu and Johnny! We recently returned from our fabulous Tanzanian adventure. A friend who works in Arusha recommended Safari Makers; she did not steer us wrong! Communicating with Johnny via What'sApp was straightforward, though due to power outages, there was sometimes a bit of delay. He was helpful with modifications to our original itinerary and flexible with changes. We were picked up at the Kilimanjaro Airport by Ayubu who would become our guide. We toured Arusha National Park, the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Tarangire NP. Ayubu has very good English skills, is a great driver (he could easily compete on California's Rubicon Trail!), and has an extensive knowledge of animals. In fact, his favorite books to read, despite 16 years of experience as a guide, are those that teach him more about animals! We also learned a lot about local people, culture, and customs from him which was equally interesting. As mentioned by others, Ayubu is an incredible eagle-eyed spotter- we likely would not have seen nearly as many beasts had we not had his eyes working to our benefit. To top it all off, he has a great sense of humor. We butchered his name (of which we are not proud) but he took it all in stride. Our accommodations were unexpectedly delightful; we had a difficult time deciding which we liked best. The picnics when we were on the road were a pleasure. Lastly, we were nervous about long rains in May but found the end of the month to be a beautiful green springlike uncrowded time to be there. Thanks Johnny and Ayubu! Best vacation ever!

Trip of a lifetime Family of four with two adult children. This was truly an unforgettable experience. Victor planned an amazing 5 day 4 night safari for us and was so patient when I changed the dates multiple times. Costa, our guide has a sixth sense when it comes to knowing where to be for the best views of all of the wildlife in Tanzania. We traveled through the Serengeti and experienced the great migration as well as the beautiful Ngorongoro Crater where we rounded out the Big Five with sightings of two Rhinos. Tarangire National Park offered one of the most special days with all of the elephant families and a visit from lions outside our tent in the middle of the night. Costa taught us so much about the wildlife and Tanzania’s conservation efforts. We hope to return for more adventures with Costa and Safari Makers in a few years. We loved every moment.

Amazing safari! Our family went on an amazing 5-day safari with Safari Makers - Tarangire, Serengeti (2 nights) and Ngorongoro Crater. Loved camping on the savanna, falling asleep with animal noises all around. Costa was a great guide, professional and experienced. He adapted the trip to our interests and made sure we had many great sightings. His commitment to and knowledge of conservation was also very much appreciated! Ali was a great cook and made luxurious dinners on the rustic stoves. The conversations in Swahili were an extra bonus! I highly recommend Safari Makers - I would go with them again any day.

Another amazing safari with Safarimakers! The Safarimakers team never disappoints - Johnny carefully arranged every detail and Abdul and Ayubu were (as always) great guides for the experience. On this trip, I traveled with three besties from high school and I wanted them to enjoy themselves and Safarimakers made sure that was the case. We had five days of unforgettable safari filled with many magical moments, followed by three days at Fish Eagle Point (also highly recommended) near Tanga enjoying the Indian Ocean. I highly recommend Safarimakers - they are a great value for the price and personalize each moment of the trip!

A Job Well Done Wow! We had the best guides, Ayubu and Abdul for our safari and trip to the coast. Both of the guides were professional, prompt and did not seem bothered at all by our strange requests. They pointed out animals, cultural points and geography as we travelled along. They were both fun to spend time with and were knowledgeable when we would ask everything and anything about Tanzania. Johnny at Safari Makers also did a great job of handling all of our requests when we were planning our safari. Very pleased.

Would Travel with Safari Makers Again We got linked up to Safari Makers from a family friend. We had an idea of an itinerary in mind, but they helped shape a customized itinerary based on information that we gave them about what we wanted to do and for how long. They set up a hike up Kilimanjaro with the Marangu route. Our guide was named Eligius and he had a team of 7 others that helped make our journey to summit a success (that was the goal - to make it to the top, right)?! Eligius and his team were amazing - positive attitudes as the porters hauled our belongings, food, supplies, and water up the mountain. Positive but realistic encouragement as we hit the challenging summit day. We also set up a safari with Safari Makers. Our guide was Abdul, and we would highly recommend. As other reviews have mentioned, he is respective of the animals, extremely experienced, a safe driver, and knew the answer to every single question we asked about the animals that we saw. We did one day in ngorongoro crater, two days in the Serengeti plains and one day in the northern Serengeti (I think). Don't be afraid to ask for customization of your itinerary. Make sure you comb through it to make sure all the timing works out with any scheduled plans/flights.

Adventure safari as it is meant to be Amazing Safari trip with Hamis and Ali! We did 5 day serengeti + ngorongoro. Hamis takes you on a ride you will not forget, he is still just as excited to see the animals as we were. Almost all the other companies just listen to the car radio and drive to the location where the lions / cheetas are seen, which often results in 10+ cars arriving in the same spot scaring the animals away. We didn't have the radio on for one sec during our whole safari (I do suspect it might have been broken..). Hamis just likes to go driving in the area where he thinks might be animals and often we were the only ones having seen specific wildlife,when we compared stories at te camp (e.g. three male lions marching into enemy territory). For me, this is what made the safari so enjoyable, there is some risk that you don't spot anything for some time, but when you do, it's all yours. Do note that Hamis has a strong personality / drive and will keep pushing for the animals relentlessly, which makes it sometimes a bit of a die-hard experience. Again, if you enjoy thus kind of adventure, you're int the right place. Food, tents, matresses and general organization are of good quality. Car felt a little dated, with some of the locks on doors not working properly. However, for the very competitive rate Safari Makers offers, the prive quality ratio is outstanding. All in all, excellent experience. When we return we will gladly book again.