African Scenic Safaris Ltd. — Local services in Kilimanjaro

What a holiday! What an experience! And I have to credit the two people who made I al possible: our tour planning expert Nembris, and our amazing driver and guide, and now friend, Jackson.

Trip planning started off with me emailing Nembris a basic idea of things I wanted to do and see. She emailed me back with an itinerary that included all those things, and a few extra suggestions of things I would have never known about, but I am so glad ended up being included. For example, Nembris suggested we go to Chagga war caves, a waterfall near Kilimanjaro, and a hot springs. I did not know of these locations before she suggested them, and we ended up having the best time visiting them, learning so much and having fantastic experiences, meeting people, seeing nature, learning the history, and getting immersed in local culture. Whenever I needed to adjust the itinerary or anything in the lead up to the trip, Nembris worked it out easily, and the info pack she put together was so thorough and helpful. Our guide Joseph who showed us around the areas around Moshi was so helpful and lovely, even took some great pictures for us.

The safari itself exceeded all expectations to the MAXIMUM. Before travelling to Tanzania we had not let ourselves get our hopes up of seeing animals up close or seeing all the animals we wanted. Luckily we had the best safari guide ever, who literally achieved seeing all the animals we had wanted to see on DAY ONE of the safari! Jackson even managed to find us a rare rhino sighting in the Serengeti national park. Like I said, exceeded expectations. We couldn’t believe how many animals we saw, and at such close range.

Each day id get back to the accomodation and think, surely we cant top what we saw today. But each day, Jackson kept finding more and more unique animal experiences for us to see. Prides of lions, Lions mating, Cheetahs with full belly from a fresh meal, Baby leopards in trees, even a wildebeest giving birth!!!! Never in a million years did I think I would see that and it was a highlight of the trip. His eyes and instincts are amazing, he can see these animals from so far away, knowing exactly what to look for while they camouflage in.

In addition to being a GREAT guide who ticked every animal off our bucket list, and then some, he is also a very ethical guide. We saw many drivers getting too close to animals or driving off road when they are not meant to, crowding animals, disturbing animals etc. Jackson never encroached on the animals space, or went off road illegally, and always made effort to least disturb the animal while giving us our great viewing experiences. This is what every traveller should ask for in a driver. If drivers do not act the way Jackson does, we may not have these beautiful places to visit in the years to come, as vegetation becomes damaged, and animals may leave the area due to the annoyance of the vehicles. On one occasion, we saw another car with two tourists in it broken down by the side of the road. After finding out they were heading to a campsite just near ours, he asked us if it was ok to offer them a ride too. We said of course! We were proud to have a driver who cared about others in this way.

His knowledge of the Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater are amazing. He seems to know them like the back of his hand. This is extremely helpful when an animal sighting comes in over the radio or he gets a notification. He always knew the exact way there. He helped other drivers find there way at times as well, because his knowledge is so vast.

He had lots of funny stories and we were always able to chat and joke like we were friends. The amount of driving he did each day garners so much respect, especially when the roads are not easy to drive on. He is the MVP!!!!

11/10 would DEFINITELY recommend this company. It was so easy, cost effective, and most importantly FUN to travel with them. Thank you Nembris, Joseph and Jackson for the...

It was with Solene that we prepared our trip in details. She carefully listened to our wishes and designed an itinerary that perfectly aligned with our expectations to discover Tanzania and its incredible wildlife, immerse ourselves in the local culture, and enjoy a wonderful period of relaxation in Zanzibar. The entire organization was close to perfect. Upon our arrival, our guide, Jackson, welcomed us at the airport and was with us every step of the way during our stay on the continent. One great feature of African Scenic is their commitment to the environment: instead of using plastic water bottles, they provided a refillable container that we could refill in the vehicle. This thoughtful approach was especially appreciated considering the litter along the roads. After spending two days exploring the landscapes around Kilimanjaro (coffee plantation, tropical forest...), we set off towards the spectacular parks of Tarangire, Serengeti (both central and northern sections), and Ngorongoro, where Jackson truly showcased his expertise. We not only witnessed the Big Five but were also lucky enough to see a cheetah mother with her cub feasting on an impala, a lioness with her two cubs devouring an antelope, and two astonishing Mara river crossings by wildebeests. We were captivated by the groups of elephants, zebras, giraffes, hippos... Jackson, master in game ride, had an extraordinary talent for being in the right place at the right time, along with exceptional observational skills. But not only. Jackson taught us also that it's not only about seeing as animals and moving from one place to the other to watch as much as possible. It's more about feeling each moment deep inside ourselves, take your time to observe an elephant using his trump to pull out a plant or watch a giraffe eating a branch full of thorns. At the start of our trip we had a guide, at the end we had a friend. The accommodations were all well-located, and the hospitality we received was always warm and inviting. A highlight of our journey was the amazing hot air balloon ride over the savannah (don't be afraid of the vertigo, you will not suffer of it); it left us in awe of the magnificent landscapes below. Our time on the continent culminated in an unforgettable night spent in a Massaï village, a unique experience that will forever remain in our memories. To conclude our vacation, we enjoyed a few serene days lounging on the white sandy beaches of Zanzibar. We returned home from this adventure with our hearts full of beautiful memories and at least a thousand photos, and it undoubtedly ranks among the most extraordinary trips we’ve ever taken. With complete confidence, we wholeheartedly recommend African Scenic. A heartfelt thank you to the entire team, and especially to Jackson, who made this journey truly...

African Scenic Safaris was the best decision we made for our Honeymoon trip to Tanzania. We did a week Safari and hiked Kilimanjaro and before getting into the details, both were well above and beyond a 10/10 experience. The entire planning process was made very easy, and extremely flexible for what we wanted to see and do. And communication throughout was exceptional. On top of that, they are one of the few companies that has a focus in conservation, they pay all their employees fair wages, and belong to numerous organizations that hold them to the highest standards of tourism. You won't find a better company out there!

The safari was amazing, our guide Hashemu, knew the Serengeti like the back of his hand. He was extremely knowledgeable about the animals, the land, and the culture of Tanzania. He is a very kind and generous person and went above and beyond for us every single day. We had our own Jeep to ourselves and was out on game drives almost the entire day. Not to mention it was a great vehicle and well maintained, and for the amount of broken down Jeeps we saw we realized how important this was! I would highly recommend African Scenic Safaris for experiencing the Serengeti and if you are lucky enough to get Hashemu as your guide you are in for the best Safari you could imagine!

We had the same experience for hiking Kilimanjaro. Our crew of guides, cooks, and porters were all exceptional and became family to us. Godwin and Gadiel were our two guides and they were both incredible. They made sure we were prepared and safe for the hike and went above and beyond to make sure it was the best experience possible for us. They had so much knowledge and love for the mountain and kept us motivated throughout the toughest parts of the hike. Summit day was breathtaking and it is a moment we will remember for the rest of our lives. Rasuli, our cook, blew my mind of how he could make such delicious meals not only for us but for the whole crew for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It was 15 of us in total and the food he made was better than most we get in restaurants! And lastly have to go SO much thanks to our porters who would carry all the equipment, tents, food, water, etc. from camp site to camp site. This must be one of the toughest mental and physical jobs and they do it without a single complaint. We would not have been able to make it to the Roof of Africa without the support from our entire crew and we are beyond thankful for everything they did for us.

Long review...but long story short, African Scenic Safaris is one of, if not the best, company you can find for a Tanzania experience. It was the best honeymoon we could have ever imagined and we owe it all the African Scenic Safaris. Highly recommend using them and would...