Tanzania: reviews from our travellers

"This was the most amazing trip to Tanzania ever. With the help of Jessica at Expert Africa everything went like clockwork and she has always been on hand to help with any queries even while travelling.

Great service with exceptional attention to detail that made such a memorable experience for us.

Would always use Expert Africa" Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 14 on a Tanzania safari

"Overall we had a great experience, Ruaha NP is extraordinary and together with our stay at Mwagusi camp it made good for everything what was disapointing or frustrating (i.e. guides at Impala and Kigelia)." Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 12 on a Tanzania safari

"This was our first safari, and overall the trip exceeded expectations. Jessica really took the time to understand the kind of thing we were looking for and her recommendations and advice were spot on.

It was nice to bump into Chris (the boss) on our trip - once on one of the flights and again at Mdonya. He's clearly extremely knowledgeable and passionate about all things safari.

We loved the two camps, and it was great to visit two different areas as the experience was different at each. In particular we loved the fact that both parks were relatively quiet and on the game drives we rarely saw other people.

We expected both of the camps to be quite basic in terms of facilities, but we felt really spoilt at both, the tents were lovely and the food was excellent. Probably because of this, the time in Zanzibar, which we were anticipating being a bit of luxury at the end, fell a bit short in comparison (although Jessica's first recommendation wasn't available).

Overall, I'd highly recommend Expert Africa and we hope to be able to book another trip with them one day!" Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 7 on a Tanzania safari

"Jessica Plumb is an outstanding professional who was always available to us, even with last minute changes. We have recommended her to others and we would certainly contact her again if we were ever to return to Africa.

The camps we visited both had excellent facilities and staff but Jongomero staff really stole our heart! What wonderful and authentic people!

We recognized real changes in Southern Tanzania that have occurred during the five years since we last visited. Climate change has affected the weather. We had three evenings of rain at Jongomero (one torrential) that surprised everyone since it was still the dry season. At Siwandu, the temperatures reached the high nineties.
Both changes impacted game viewing but our guides were great and went above and beyond to ensure great viewing opportunities. Another change that we noticed in the Selous was “progress” since the new dam was completed. The airstrip has been expanded and they are building yet a newer, bigger one. There is now miles of unpaved highway and lots of truck traffic. Of course, all of this has impacted wildlife. Lastly, we talked at length with many of the camp staff. They told us that cell phones and technology in general is changing life in their villages. Many young people are looking at other options rather than the traditional tribal ways." Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 13 on a Tanzania safari

"Our trip was a dream come true. It was clear from my first call to Expert Africa that you had a lot to offer.

You were smart listeners, patiently crafting a great trip that matched our best hopes." Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 12 on a Tanzania safari

"Lovely trip would maybe spend more time in Ruaha" Read full review: 26 nights in Africa; 8 on a Tanzania safari

"We would absolutely recommend Expert Africa to anyone. From our first call to our last it was excellent service.

We were placed with Jessica Plumb based on the area we desired to travel. She guided us with care and precision answering any and all questions we had. The attention to detailed planning was felt throughout the trip! We could not have asked for anything more!

The Nomad team was top notch. You can tell by talking to them they are a wonderful company with little turnover. They are a family and value their guest. The accommodations, although all different were excellent and the service was first class. The food was AMAZING. We really had no idea what to expect but it was delicious. The guides take ownership in making sure their guest see everything they possibly can. Wifi was a pleasant surprise and much appreciated to communicate briefly with those back home. Without a doubt we will assist in talking to anyone about our trip and the excellent service we received!

It's hard to say what was our favorite because we loved each and every minute! We have said again and again we could not have been treated any better any where else! We hope to return and WILL use Expert Africa.

Feel free to use any of our quotes!

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

can not think of one thing
Just make sure we have another excellent person next time and please let the Nomad team know how wonderful they were!" Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 9 on a Tanzania safari

"Our trip wouldn’t have been nearly as enjoyable without Richard’s efforts and collaboration. He truly made everything come together seamlessly.

When we embarked on this journey, we reached out to several outfitters with written questions. Richard stood out as the only one who replied in writing, addressing each of our queries. We appreciated that, as it showed he was willing to take the time to provide thorough answers instead of opting for a quick phone call. Through our exchange of preferences, we eventually set up a phone call to finalize the country and initial park selections. It was clear that Richard was truly listening when he suggested swapping Amboseli for Samburu to enhance our animal encounters. His recommendation, based on the unique features of each park, convinced us that the switch was the right choice. Additionally, we decided to include another park and lodge based on our combined ideas.

As our travel date approached, we both felt a bit anxious, being detail-oriented individuals who thrive on precision. Richard managed to provide some additional details, but he urged us to trust him with the finer points. He assured us that from the moment we landed in Nairobi until our return flight home, we would be well taken care of. Although this level of trust was outside our comfort zone, we agreed. Now that we're back, we can confidently say Richard was right—every detail was meticulously handled. Wahoo! Everywhere we went, people were expecting us, from the pilots to the lodges and guides, seamlessly coordinating our journey at each transfer point.

Our trip as a whole met our expectations and went way beyond. We have done nothing but rave about it since we returned home. We have told everyone we have talked to about the trip what a great experience it was and how great it was to work with Richard. Given the opportunity to plan another trip like this, we would certainly be comfortable working with Richard and would highly recommend him and Expert Africa to friends.


Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
On our trip, we experienced both communal and solitary dining. We thoroughly enjoyed the communal meals with the General Manager, Assistant General Manager, and other lodge guests. These gatherings offered us a valuable opportunity to learn about each person's culture and experiences. We believe that offering a communal dining option could enhance the overall experience, making it more enriching and engaging." Read full review: 24 nights in Africa; 15 on a Kenya safari

"Our holiday was pretty much perfect! Claire found exactly what we didn't know we wanted. We hold her wholly responsible for the fantastic holiday we had.

The high standard of accommodation, safari and activities on the island were greatly appreciated.

The company running the safari camp and Fanjovi Island are a masterclass in customer service.

Thank you for a holiday of a lifetime!

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

The only reason I left "value for money" blank is because we have never paid so much for a holiday, nor have we been on a safari so have nothing similar to compare it to.
It was our best holiday, it exceeded our expectations, so no gripes on the "value for money".

No, we don't have any suggestions to improve your trips or your service ---- and that's unusual." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 12 on a Tanzania safari

"This was another wonderful trip booked by Maruska. Her suggestions were great and she patiently put up with us changing things around until we had the perfect itinerary. Thank you so much Maruska!

We also thank Maruska for re-booking hotels and transfers when we had our international flight cancelled. And thank you to Chris when an internal flight was delayed and onward travel arrangements had to be re-booked. Aside from those flight problems our whole trip was wonderful. Accommodation was excellent and transfers went smoothly.

We were so happy with this trip that Maruska has just booked another safari for us next year." Read full review: 38 nights in Africa; 20 on a Zambia safari