Roy Safaris — Attraction in Arusha

Where to begin this review. First off, I was recommended Roy Safaris from a distant family member after she had used the company for a trip about 4-5 years ago. I didn’t end up researching anyone else, trusted her judgement and booked with Roy, and I couldn’t have been happier.

The booking process was very simple and easy. I emailed the group and received a response in a timely manner. I had no idea what I wanted to do, all I knew was that I wanted to see some animals, and relax on my honeymoon. Gemma, the coordinator asked me a few simple questions such as what kind of lodging I wanted (luxury or tent or camps) and a few other questions. Shortly after, I received a 12 day itinerary created for me by Gemma. It was perfect, and I booked immediately. There was also options for add ons such as a hot air balloon safari, or treetop walkway, etc.

When arriving in Arusha, Roy safaris had someone pick us up and bring us to our hotel. The following day we met with Gemma who once again went over our itinerary in detail, and even gave us a Roy Safari t shirt. We then met our guide Emmanuel ( “Manny”). While on safari, the vehicle was comfortable, we were always provided with enough water, and the boxed lunches from each of the accommodations made sure we were not hungry.

Now to Emmanuel. There are many words I can use to describe our Safari Guide, but here are just a few most important: intelligent, kind, and trustworthy. We constantly joked around that Manny was a human GPS. He knew exactly where he was at any given moment, even in the middle of the vast Serengeti. We felt safe with our guide Manny, and trusted that he would bring us to each place safely. From the very beginning, Manny practiced exceptional and professional service. My husband and I were blown away at his intelligence, every question we asked, he had an answer. I can wholeheartedly say that this man has a passion for his job, Safari and all the animals. He has an appreciation for what he does, and it truly shows. His passion for animals was made clearly evident, and he would stop at nothing to ensure we were able to get the best views and photos. Manny made sure our experience and time in Africa was as best as it could be, and always looked after us. He provided us with useful information such as where to get the most authentic souvenirs or even coffee. Every night after dinner he seemed to somehow find us, and always ask if we were enjoying our stay and our meal. By the end of the trip, we had made a great connection with our guide and we were even able to enjoy some dinners with him, share some laughs and create some inside jokes that we will hold onto forever. He has a great sense of humor, and we will definitely miss our time with him. We are so lucky to have made such a great friend in Africa, and hope we can one day meet again. If you book with Roy Safaris, we recommend without a doubt to request Emmanuel as your guide. You will not be disappointed.

Overall, our experience with Roy Safaris has been phenomenal, and we could not ask for anything more, or anything different. Thank you to Manny & Gemma from Roy Safaris, for making this the most epic honeymoon and...

Roy Safaris was an incredible company to work with. From the onset of gathering information, the company was friendly, responsive and prompt. They answered all questions precisely and were patient while waiting for our response. On arrival at their company-owned hotel, The African Tulip in Arusha, we were greeted warmly with fresh juice and a very professional staff. The rooms were beautiful and well-appointed as was the entire hotel. We wanted for nothing. The very comfortable lounge was a perfect place to relax after a long day of travel and the drinks--with safe-to-drink ice--were delicious as was dinner in the hotel restaurant. Every member of the staff, from housekeeping front desk, bell staff, restaurant staff, as well as restaurant manager and hotel manager went out of their way to make sure we were happy and comfortable.

Our safari driver, Hassan, picked us up promptly at 8:30 a.m. after our briefing by a representative of Roy Safari. He stopped by a very nice grocery store on our way out of town so that we could get extra water and snacks. Hassan was wonderful in answering our million questions and would stop wherever we wanted to observe the animals and take pictures. He has the keenest eye and could spot animals from what seemed like a mile away. We saw ALL of the Big Five in 2.5 days and amazing sights such as the wildebeest migration, a leopard after a kill, lions on the hunt and after a kill, elephants, giraffes, hippos, cheetah...we saw everything we wanted and more. Hassan became a friend and I truly don't believe we could have had a better guide.

The Tortilis Tent Camp in Serengeti and Sopa Lodge Ngorongoro Crater were superb places to stay on our safari. Roy Safari did a great job in choosing them for us. We were sorry to only have one night in each.

At the end of our days, Hassan called the person picking us up in a small village to make sure he would be there and delivered us safely on to the next portion of our trip.

After.9 days, we returned to The African Tulip where we were again greeted warmly and were called by name. The lounge and restaurant staff even remembered our preferences and treated us a friends. The manager of Roy Safari greeted us and remembered to bring a shirt my dad requested. Hassan also came by to say hello which was a great surprise!

All in all, I cannot say enough good things about this company and our guide, Hassan. After months of research on various companies, I chose Roy Safaris based on their timeliness in answering questions and their thorough explanation of everything involved. I was worried because they were also the most reasonably priced but they met all my expectations and more. I would not hesitate to recommend...

I have spent 4 days with Roy Safari in Serengeti and Ngorongoro on a private safari. I found them in my Lonely Planet Guide. They provide only luxury tailored Safaris. It is a very reliable company though an quite expensive one.

Guide and Driver: I was lucky to meet a great guide whom I STRONGLY recommend. Saidi is man with vast knowledge of animals and their habits. Not only is he accustomed with the fauna but also flora of the vast plains of Serengeti. He proved to be an expert in local Masai customs and their history. He brought me some of their native langue, not to mention Swahili. He is funny, communicative, easygoing, polite and full of empathy.

Driving skills I'd love to emphasize how well he drove throughout land paths of national parks with 4x4 car.

COMPLAIN Unfortunately I must complain about the quality of lunch boxes. I got a severe intestinal infection and was suffering a lot. Luckily I am a doctor and had suitable medicines to cure me. But for sure it is not what you would expect out of a pricey safari. It almost spoiled my fun. (Later on I visited a Masai doctor and got some local medicines that healed me).

Nevertheless SAIDI did a marvelous job. He made his best to comfort me in hard times. I consider myself a nature lover who is pretty demanding. I got what I asked for.

If you want to go to kind of bespoke safari. Feel relaxed all the time. Want to experience something special, and have some extra money for it. GO FOR ROY SAFARI!...