Base Camp Tanzania — Attraction in Arusha

Everything with base camp went exactly as planned and exceeded our expectations. When dealing with wild animals, there are no guarantees on how they’ll behave or what you’ll see so all can plan on is having a knowledgeable driver, smooth accommodations and a routine that works for you. Achmed was very responsive over emails and spoke great English which made us feel comfortable with selecting the company. The wire transfer instructions were detailed and Achmed was great at quickly confirming receipt so we felt comfortable. He even met us on our first safari night in Arusha to share tips and go over the itinerary Our driver Robert was awesome- he was nice, a good driver, knew the roads and proactively shared his knowledge of plants and animals. We learned so much from him and he was great at reading our body language to know when to stop or keep moving. He even drove 4 hours one way in the Serengeti and talked to countless drivers so he knew where to take us to see the migration which was top of our list. His English was amazing and we had no issues communicating We stayed in the luxury Serena lodges for all but Arusha and the tangerine and have absolutely no complaints. The views are great and the staff could not have been friendlier or more attentive. In the tangerine we stayed in the luxury tents and enjoyed the change of pace, the scenery (overlooks a river in the Savannah with elephants) and the service (best of the trip by far). I had a friend stay in the sopa lodges and enjoy the experience/food but can’t say anything from firsthand experience. Some tips -come prepared if you get motion sickness or have a bad back, the roads (especially in Serengeti) are bumpy. Most lodges offer massages hahaif you are not good with long bumpy rides, consider flying one way in or out of Serengeti to cut down on road timegrab a roll of toilet paper from the hotel just in case there are no bathrooms around or they’re outBring a ton of travel hand sanitizers to leave in the car/ have accessible. If you can find an organizer for over the seat that would be helpful. There’s large pockets in the seat in frontDress for sun and bug protection/comfort as you are in the car for long periods of time. Clothes should be breathable for the heat. Also ensure you bring plenty of bug spray and sunscreenTell your driver what you are interested in doing and seeing. Communication is key to a good safariRecommend maxing out at 4 people In a car for comfort/ space. The days are long and hot and you don’t want to be fighting for views- It’s cool at night and in the mornings so I would recommend bringing a sweatshirt or lighter jacketBring small bills for tipping ($1 bags, $5 meals, $15/$20 Safari guide per day). You won’t be able to take out cash at lodges but they should be able to provide small change. Tip at the end of your safari based on service (otherwise like tipping in middle of meal)You can buy alcohol and water very easily in all of the lodges. In the Serengeti expect American like prices since everything has to be brought in ($10 wine/cocktails, $5 beer, $2 large water)Serengeti balloon- we stayed in central and essentially you’re spending a lot of money to watch the sun rise over the Savannah. Our driver said it’s great in the north or south depending on the migration season when you can see the 2 million animals...

Our first trip to Africa and we wound up doing a week of safari and a week on Zanzibar via Base Camp Tanzania. We initially intended to go to South Africa but further investigation indicated northern Tanzania is an outstanding opportunity to see wildlife in a huge natural environment. Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park sounded awesome and they exceeded expectations thanks to Base Camp Tanzania and our wonderful, experienced guide. Achmed was awesome in planning every detail of the trip with timely responses to our myriad of questions and turnkey trip planning. We did the driving tour with one guide which involved a lot of hours of driving on rutted, washboard dirt roads. The option exists to take prop planes to each park to reduce driving but then you are engaging a new tour guide at each stop. We endured the driving tour but were rewarded with maximum wildlife encounters and a great relationship with our guide. The lodges we stayed at were wonderful, particularly Sopa and Serena. We did one night of tented camping a Nyikani Camp and wished we had done a second, it was wonderful. We stayed at the Blue Bay Resort in Zanzibar and it was excellent in every way - service, beach, accommodations, food. We closed with a day in Stone Town which was interesting but very crowded. In total, a trip of a lifetime and we could not have been more pleased with Base Camp Tanzania, Achmed and his organization. Final comment - we went in August largely because it fit our calendar. This is the peak of dry season and heavily visited as many Europeans take their summer holiday in August. If you have an open calendar, consider visiting after the fall short rains or spring long rains when vegetation flourishes and crowds, and probably prices,...

My husband and I just finished a 10 day safari and we could not be happier we chose to go with Basecamp. From the time we first emailed to start booking our trip to saying goodbye to our driver/guide at the airport, we had an amazing experience. Achmed, the owner, was very responsive over email and was incredibly kind and patient answering my many questions while working with us to finalize the perfect itinerary. Compared to other companies, Basecamp had the best communication, personalization and value for the money by far. Achmed also took the time to meet us on arrival and go over what to expect on safari, which was so nice.

We could not have asked for a better driver/guide in Priscus! He made our trip so memorable - definitely recommend asking for him if booking. Not only was he an excellent driver, he was so knowledgeable about the animals, the land, the camps . He shared many stories with us and was very flexible to ensure our trip was tailored to exactly what we wanted (I.e. early morning game drives, ensuring we had some downtime at each of the camps booked while maximizing our opportunities for animal sightings). He quickly learned how much we love coffee, and always arranged for us to have coffees to go waiting for us in the car. On our last night he arranged for us to have a surprise bush dinner to celebrate our honeymoon . Priscus is an amazing person that we had the joy of spending ten days with.

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