We had an incredible trip to Northern Tanzani...
Tanzania
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Dec 13 - Dec 25, 2023
We had an incredible trip to Northern Tanzania that exceeded all of our expectations - thank you Nadia! Our trip started with a 3-day hike to summit Mount Meru, led by Ungi Tours. The guide and porters were wonderful, offering not only good companionship but also were very knowledgeable about the environment through which we were hiking and instruction on how to successfully summit despite the altitude and other challenges. After Meru, we had 5 days of safari through Tarangire and Serengeti National Parks, Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro Crater, led by Classic Journeys Africa safari tours. Our guide was excellent and patient, spending countless hours riding around the parks, watching the wildlife, and answering our questions. And the accommodations for these days were each spectacular in their own way - Maramboi Tented Lodge, Nyikani Migration Camp, and Ngorongoro Farm House - allowing us to sleep right inside of (or very near) the actual parks, with wildlife walking through the camps! Finally, we ended with 3 days in Zanzibar, which included a half-day of snorkeling and a full day of walking the streets of Stone Town and learning the history of the East African slave trade. Again, our driver and the guides were fantastic! And all throughout, whenever we needed assistance (unexpected flight changes, etc.), the local specialist we used through kimkim was incredibly helpful. Thank you!
Hotel Reviews
A perfectly reasonable hotel that met our needs to have a home base when in Arusha! All of the staff were incredibly helpful and friendly and the morning breakfast was excellent.
Amazing experience to be sleeping within Lake Manyara. Food and service were excellent and the location was beautiful. Loved the experience.
Amazing experience to be sleeping within Ngorongoro Conservation Area, right next to the Serengeti. Food and service were excellent and the location was beautiful. Loved the experience.
An amazing farm and garden - the entire place was spectacular, although we didn't love the pre-dinner 'music' from members of a local Maasai tribe, which felt forced. That aside, the food and service were excellent and the location was beautiful. Loved the experience.
This hotel grew on us as we spent more time there because the staff were so friendly, but the accommodations were in disrepair. You could appreciate the "specatularness" of the resort when it first opened (20-30 years ago), but during our stay, the wifi didn't work for 3 of the 4 days, the food was very average (and sometimes not good), and several of the lights and electrical outlets in our room did not work. And the place had more of a feel of a 'conference center' than a resort. That said, the rooms were spacious and the staff friendly. We were originally torn between staying in the center of Stone Town or at a beach resort on the eastern coast and settled on this place as a compromise, and it worked for those reasons, but at the very least it would have been far more pleasing if the food had been better.
A great place to stay on our hike up Mount Meru!
A great place to stay on our hike up Mount Meru!
Activity Reviews
An amazing experience led by Ungi tours. Incredibly challenging physically, especially the summit on day 3 followed by a full descent in one day. But the experience of reaching the summit and watching the sunrise over Kilimanjaro was spectacular.
An amazing experience led by Classic Journeys Africa safari tours.
Overall, an amazing experience and a full day. The Spice Farm was fascinating - our family loved learning about how so many spices we use day to day are grown. And we had a fantastic tour guide for the walking tour of Stone Town and Prison Island. Obviously, learning about the East African slave trade was quite sobering and we were surprised by the giant tortoise on Prison Island. But all in all, a very important and meaningful part of any trip to Zanzibar.
We had a few unstructured hours in Arusha on different days at various times during our trip. We enjoyed walking around the market and especially appreciated our visit to the Arusha Cultural Heritage Centre. We had a great dinner at Spices and Herbs Ethiopian Restaurant and a terrific lunch at Chowpatty for Indian food!
An amazing experience led by Classic Journeys Africa safari tours.
Spectacular! The fish and coral were extraordinary - unlike anything we've ever seen before. And our guides provided an incredible picnic of fruit to keep us refreshed and hydrated as we swam.
An incredibly beautiful experience. We were surprised to be joined by two musicians who played traditional music while we sailed. Was such a nice respite, with gorgeous views, at the end of a busy day.
Hi Joseph
Thank you so much for your amazing review and feedback. We truly appreciate your feedback, your opinion matters to us, and it will help us make improvements based on your valuable insights. I must say that working with you to plan your vacation has been an absolute pleasure! I hope to welcome you and your family back to Southern Africa in the future
Kind regards
Nadia