Serengeti African Tours — Attraction in Arusha

We have been put into this group organized by the Serengeti African Tours by another agency we booked our safari with (Kilipath). We haven’t been either asked for our consent for this change. It came to us as a surprise, day before our North safari trip was supposed to start. I know that’s joining safari is a ‚juggling compromise game’ between requests of different participants whose wishes may vary. However: being surprised by this a few hours before has nothing to do with a good customer service. On the day one we have been picked by our guide/driver (Simon) who seemed to be quite reserved and not smiling at all. Okay, we thought: 6:00 in the morning doesn’t suit everyone. Our schedule has been changed and instead of Tarangire first we have been told we’re going to head to Serengeti and Tarangire was put at the end of the trip. Simon said that the change was requested by the rest of the group. But 3 other people (two other women who were traveling with us didn’t ask for this swap either) were supposed to participate in the safari, but they didn’t show up. The agenda was adjusted to some folks who eventually didn’t take part in the safari and other people who were traveling were forced to go for it although no one was happy with that.

The 'supposed-to-be-our-guide' Simon turned out to be a bored, not competent guy without a slight interest for the things that he’s doing for a living. He was rushing us all the time; but he did have enough time to chat with other drivers on the way. He didn’t use walkie-talkie to be tipped off where the best spotting places are. It was us who spotted animals, instead of him. Every time we stopped he wasn’t providing us with any details about animals, their habitats, the environment, the place. He seems he doesn’t know anything and that he doesn’t care at all. There were 3 options he was going for when he was asked by us any question: either he started to browse on his mobile for an answer or he was making up stories or he was giving to us some false information. If people who are participating in safari, who are not experts, know better than someone who pretends to be a guide... it speaks for itself. Simon was attached to his mobile, he was using it not only for looking for answers for some questions we asked. He was very often leading some private chats. And that is unacceptable in my opinion. It’s not what safari clients are paying for (quite big money, actually). After second day in Serengeti we were so sour, disappointed, angry or even furious that we were considering dropping the safari and asking for a partially refund from Kilipath. We had an honest chat with Simon in the evening on the 2nd day. He did apologize for using his phone, making up a story about a sick auntie he was talking about. No, his chats weren’t about a sick family member. The 3rd day in Ngorongoro was slightly better. But he didn’t share any facts with us either. He simply didn’t know. He isn’t an expert of any kind. His lack of passion, knowledge, enthusiasm or even interest for nature is just obvious, is palpable. He was just a driver, not a guide.

Serengeti has been mentioned in our quote as a 2 days trip. The agency applied for one permit only (for 24 hours). On the first day when we entered Serengeti there was a transfer to the campsite only (not a game drive) and on the second day there was only a morning game drive because we had to leave the park before the permit expires. So we were doing in Serengeti a game drive that lasted a half a day only (after our fierce protest we got additional 1,5 hours in the park). This is the way how the safari agencies are saving money on tourists.

Why two stars? There is only one reason for this and it’s called: Richard, our chef cook. A nice, modest, lovely guy who did his best to prepare delicious meals for us (under pretty tough conditions). His creations were simple, very local, but very tasty. We are extremely grateful for his efforts to cook for us not just food, but yummy and healthy food. Richard: thank you for all vegetable variations! You are...

I booked with Makini Safaris, but ended up touring with Serengeti African Tours for 4/5 days of my trip in Tanzania so I’m writing a review for both. They are both owned by the same company and you could be switched to a different tour like I was so I’m writing a review for both. My experience with Makini Safaris was extremely disappointing, and I do NOT recommend them.

When I arrived in Arusha, I was told by Naomi from Makini — the evening before my safari — that my entire itinerary and two of my lodgings had been changed. It felt like this was intentionally left to last minute notice as the lodging I was switched to were NOT the equivalent of what I actually paid for, so I felt jipped. This was incredibly unprofessional to alert me last minute. As a solo traveler who had paid thousands of dollars and flown halfway around the world, I should have been informed well in advance, not blindsided at my hotel lobby the night before. If a lodge genuinely cannot accommodate a guest, the company would know months in advance. Reservations exist for a reason. Instead, I was forced into a last-minute “switcheroo,” which I later learned also happened to other travelers, though to a lesser extent. It gave the entire experience a “scammy” feeling.

The consequences of this were significant: • I ended up traveling with two different safari companies (Makini for 1 day and Serengeti African Tours for 4 days which I guess are both owned by the same company) and multiple groups, rather than having one consistent guide as planned. • My days in the parks were often cut short — not entering until 9–11am and leaving by 2–3pm, even though parks open at sunrise when wildlife viewing is best. Meanwhile, I saw other tours leaving the lodges hours earlier. • I lost valuable time in the Ngorongoro Crater, which was one of the highlights I had most looked forward to. • I spent half of some days being shuttled around to pick up and drop off people at various lodges — pure chaos. They put 3 groups together in the same safari vehicle, even though we had paid for different safari experiences, and we all stayed at different lodgings so most of the time in the day was spent picking people up and dropping them off. This also meant I had to unexpectedly tip several more drivers, which I hadn’t budgeted for.

The safari vehicle itself was another issue. It was tiny, specifically the vehicle for Makini. I am 5’3” and NEVER have problems with legroom, even on planes, but I could not sit comfortably in the back seats. The only tolerable spots were the front two rows which were taken by others.

To be fair, the guides themselves were excellent and deserve recognition separate from the company: • Machete (with me for my day 1 in Lake Manyara): friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive. He never rushed us, explained the landscape and wildlife in detail, and even repaired our safari vehicle in under a minute when the starter failed. He went out of his way to make sure we didn’t miss key sightings. • Laurence (Serengeti African Tours, subcontracted due to Makini’s changes and with me for 4 days): patient, kind, and did everything possible to salvage the mess created by Makini. He worked the radio, stayed in contact with other guides, even helping other guides when they broke down, and tailored the drives to the animals we wanted to see. Unfortunately, his hard efforts were undermined by Makini’s poor planning and scheduling.

In the end, I felt taken advantage of — whether because I’m American or traveling solo. I still visited the parks listed in my original itinerary, but the way it was handled left me shortchanged and deeply frustrated. The itinerary is NOT conducive to maximizing the potential to have an enjoyable trip.

Bottom line: the guides are wonderful, but Makini Safaris as a company is disorganized, unprofessional, and unreliable. If you want the trip you actually paid for, I recommend booking with a different more...

I’d like to share an honest review based on our experience.

The day before our safari started, the coordinator insisted we pay the full amount in advance, offering no guarantee or formal contract to ensure we wouldn’t be scammed. The only reason given was that she wouldn’t be working early the next morning. However, other safari companies can handle payments on the same day—why not this one? That seems like a problem with internal operations.

When I explained I preferred to pay on the day of departure, the coordinator’s attitude in messages became noticeably cold. She eventually agreed to come early the next morning to collect payment.

On the first day, we were picked up at 06:50, but by 07:10, the vehicle had broken down and was completely non-functional for 20 minutes. Thankfully, our guide Peter was incredible—he stayed calm, was highly knowledgeable, and explained everything with great care. Out of all the safaris we’ve done, Peter was by far the best guide we’ve had.

Now the food: each day we had one veggie dish, one meat, a staple (like rice or pasta), and one banana. The portions were small and the meals hardly changed. What shocked us most was that a couple in our group who paid $3600 received exactly the same food as we did—even though our cost was less than one-third of theirs. That felt really unfair to them.

Another concern was tipping. When I asked the coordinator Antonia about the average tipping rate, she told me $20 per person per day. But when I asked fellow travelers and friends who’ve been on similar safaris, most said $5–10 is normal. Even people in our own vehicle were surprised and found the suggested amount unreasonable, even misleading.

We had planned to tip the chefs regardless, but on the second-to-last day, the chef suddenly announced that we were expected to pay $10 per person per day. First of all, we assumed food was already included in the high tour price. Second, none of our friends who had done safaris before were ever told this. The next morning, several cars were delayed at the Ngorongoro campsite because many guests were shocked and uncomfortable with the sudden request for extra tips. If guests are paying premium prices, shouldn’t your kitchen staff already be fairly compensated?

One of the saddest moments was when a couple celebrating their anniversary discovered their customized plan had been changed without warning. Their private cabin, special meal, and anniversary cake were all missing. Understandably, they were devastated.

On the final day, we were supposed to leave camp at 7 a.m., but ended up waiting in the car for over an hour due to delays with the kitchen. We didn’t get our packed lunches or leave until 8:10. That said, we still appreciate the chefs’ hard work—it’s clear they are doing their best under pressure.

In summary: • Our guide Peter was absolutely outstanding. • The internal management, tipping system, and treatment of staff need serious improvement. • Transparency and fair treatment—both for guests and workers—should be a priority.

I hope this review helps the company grow and encourages better experiences for...