Hilary and Martin - owners of Suricata Safaris
Suricata Safaris
- Office In:
- Size:
- 50-100 employees (Founded in 2016)
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $3,271 to $10,329 per person per day (MXN, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
IE
Email Sarah | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Mixed experience but kept asking for 5 star review
We had a mixed experience on our 4 day safari. Our first three days were very good, but our final day they changed our group and car which led to a lot of sitting on side of road or on curb waiting. We were never communicated with about what was happening. If you have the same group/guide I say you'll have a better experience but we were not told till 10pm before our 6am tour start that we were to have two different groups. We found the communication poor - at the end when they meet you they kept pushing for us to give 5 star review rather than listening to our experience and feedback. The food on the tour was excellent and our jeep was very good.
Email Jeremy | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Good safari, but poor camping equipment and forced to leave 5 star review
Good safari, knowledgeable guides. Overall decent experience. 3 different parks, 3 nights in tents and 4 days of safari.
But - camping and sleeping gear was old and smelt mouldy. It was not hygienic.
Also at the end of the trip we were left with sour taste in our mouths as the company essentially held us in a location until we submitted a 5 star review.
So please take any 5 star reviews with a grain of salt.
It’s a good safari for the cost, but be prepared for some mouldy camping gear
RO
Email Monica | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Mixed
Overall, the adventure went well. In detail, we saw wild animals - that's why we went to Tanzania in the first place - and sometimes they were so close... right next to the jeep's front wheel OMG. We had Mister T, Lewis, Silas as our guides and Piu as a chef in Ngorongoro. On the first day of the safari, the jeep had issues when it exceeded 35 km/h, and we lost a few hours trying to fix it at a Mad Max-style service center :). The response was that it could be repaired if taken elsewhere for a part, and all of us in the group chose to continue using it as it was. On the second day, a different jeep, a different guide, and a different group: this time, the gearbox broke down right before entering the park, before the ticket gate. After a few phone calls done by Silas, we were told that it would be fixed in an hour. After an hour, we were told it would take another 2 hours. After the first hour of the two, we were informed that we would receive a replacement vehicle around 3 - 4:30 pm. After a while, Silas managed to persuade another driver (just entering the park) from a different company to take each of us to our respective accommodations - we drove for 6 hours with only a few stops because it was already getting dark, and the driver didn't have time to return back safely. The vehicles were not properly checked, which posed risks (what if we were already near the group of relaxed lions we photographed next to the front wheel? What if the vehicle didn't start? I'm sure Silas would have found solutions, but I would have preferred not to have these worries :). The first night of accommodation was at Boma Lodge - excellent lodging and food. The second night was at An'gata Lodge - MASH-style tents, a dedicated team - we were escorted to and from the tents by a team member using walkie-talkies; good food. The third night was at a camping tent, and the toilet/shower area needs improvements. Good food cooked by Piu. During the night we were visited by zebras OMG :) I'm glad that, overall, the safari was a success. We took memorable photos/videos and returned safely, with no unpleasant incidents regarding food. I can recommend improvements in communication between guides and tourists AND regular technical checks of the vehicles. Regarding tips, I agree with it up to the point where there is so much pressure that it can be believed that salaries are not paid from the money tourists pay for the safari (and it's not a small amount), and guides rely solely on tips. I hope that is not the case.
NO
Email Dilan | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great wildlife, but disappointing tour operator
We did a small safari tour over 3 days, where we slept in tents. Our experience was very two sided.
Pros:
1-The animals and nature we got to see was incredible. We saw almost all the animals we were hoping for.
2-The cook was amazing, considering his working conditions in public camping sites. Every single meal was really tasty, and had a good variety. He was always polite and explained in detail which food he served.
3-The tents were as expected for two adults in terms of size and weather resistance, but the campsite toilets and showers were dirty and lacking toilet paper. There were also too many tourists per toilet.
4-We have beverages in the jeep (water and soda) every day.
5-Two person per row in the jeep allowed everyone to have their own window.
6-The cars used for transport to and from the airport were in good condition
Cons:
1-The lodge where we stayed before and after the safari was very low-budget. The shower had only cold or burning hot water, and the water pressure was way too low. No hand towels were provided, and we had to ask for a second shower towel both stays. The breakfast was decent and the staff was polite. The room had poor sound isolation, so we were kept awake by other guests.
2-Our guide/driver (James or Jimmy) was often driving very erratically, so that it was often difficult for us to take good videos or photos of the animals. Sometimes he wouldn't stop when all of us saw animals we wanted to photograph.He was often giving information while we took pictures, but he kept demanding our response whenever we were busy with experiencing the wildlife. The way he approached different tourist in the jeep seemed unprofessional to us. When the tour was over, he didn't even bother helping with our bags, or even say goodbye. This was after we had paid the tip that was suggested by Hillary.
3-The driver should have a microphone, because it is almost impossible to hear his voice while the engine is running, especially if you are sitting in the back of the jeep.
4-Our contact at the lodge (Mr. Ally or Ali) gave us a very unenthusiastic introduction to our tour, where he said that we "must" pay a tip of 15 USD per day per person, even though Hillary's email said it was a recommendation. Only after we said this, he changed his choice of words. After the safari was over we met him again. Then he asked "give us a 5-star review on Tripadvisor, both of you today". We told him we would review the experience from home, but he kept asking to do it immediately. The only purpose was to keep Surikata Safari on top of the list at Tripadvisor, rather than honest feedback. Future tourists should keep this in mind when you read all the 5-star reviews. We had some extra time on our last day in Arusha where we said we wanted to relax. Instead he kept pushing for us to pay for more tours. The transport to the airport was 45 - 60 minutes delayed.
Overall what we suggest especially to couples is that to choose a mid-range (more luxurious) option compared to the one with tents. Then you might not be annoyed by some of the things we have listed.
Reply from Suricata Safaris
Posted on Aug 23, 2022Dear Dilan,
we are glad to receive your feedback and especially the positive points. We are very sorry for some experiences you had and we will work on improving. We are a young and growing company and feedback like you did is very important for us to revise internal conducts and miscommunications. We are very aware that improving our and our associate accommodations (campsites, lodges, hotels) service quality will reflect on the way our actual and future guests live their Suricata Safaris experience and experience Tanzania. Our focus in to make this really a memorable moment.
Let me go through on all the points you mentioned and give you some explanations:
1-We are in close contact with our partner accommodations and are working on checking the points you mentioned. We will create a checklist to revise ourselves the sites to improve. Some of the points are a bit tricky as we are bound to the infrastructure we have in Africa and that is sometimes a bit different from what our guests from other regions of the world are used to. Rooms insulation/noise sometimes is due to the location of the rooms inside the lodges; we are working on choosing the best solution taking into account budget restrictions that come with the packages that are booked by our guests. It is important to notice that these problems don’t happen in medium/higher budget safaris, where the lodges’ structure, architecture, atmosphere and staff conduct are designed to provide a more exclusive/calm experience.
2-Our guides/drivers conducts are on a constant process of improvement. We will reinforce with all of them the importance of the photo/video’s moment to all our guests. For sure calm/silence is needed to enjoy it fully. We have a steady flow of people and have actually very good feedback on our guides. We apologize if your experience was below expectation. The experience is until the last “goodbye”. We are aware and will make sure that such an experience does not happen again.
3-We are aware of the acoustical limitations in the safari cars. We have chosen not to put microphones because we think that silence is an important feature when observing wildlife. While very close to animals the best conduct is to turn off the engines, because silence is needed. On the other hand some guests want to experience safari almost in silence, so we will think about how to improve this point, including the distribution of people closer or not to the driver/guide.
4-Our guests’ recommendations are for sure very, very important to the company, as it is the way people can understand better the coming experience. The tips are a recommendation only, and is important to say that the tips are a very important income to all the people that work in safari business in Tanzania. We will solve the internal miscommunications about the tips and the approach to new experiences.
We are working to improve every day, we are sorry for the inconveniences you mentioned. Thank you for your time, you feedback is valuable to us.
Hillary and Suricata Safaris team.
Email Amy | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Reliable
We had good good communication with the company and were efficiently picked.up from the airport & transferred. James our cook fed us extremely well and Luther was informative and pointed out wildlife. The only bonus would have been if the company arranged for an earlier start time to enter the parks.
PT
Email Angelo | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing experience
Very good experience. The trip to Serengeti is a bit long. But the guide and driver Melita, very experienced, always found various wild animals quickly. Very good!The first campsite was in a fantastic location, but the facilities could have been a bit better. The same was true for the second campsite.I would like to highlight the head chef Lucas, very simple but careful, and he cooked very well, despite the limitations of the conditions. I really liked the head chef, Lucas.The guide Melita was very helpful.
Very good expe⁸rience
We had a 3-day camping safari experience and it was truly an incredible experience, mainly because we were able to see all the animals up close. I have to thank Melita, our guide, and our chef, who did an excellent job. One allowed us to see all the animals and explained every detail, and the other prepared all the meals with great care, always serving appetizing food. Overall, the experience was very good; the campsites have an incredible atmosphere and provide an experience side-by-side with wild animals. I only feel that some things could be improved, namely the conditions of the campsite bathroom. On the first day, there was no toilet paper.
DE
Email Florian | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Suricata offered us an excellent tour and amazing experience with o my some organizational issues
On our 3 day tour through Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater we got to see so much of the wildlife mostly thanks to our amazing tourguide Melita. His experience and knowledge about the Nationalparks helped us see all the different species, including the big 5! He was an amazing guide and made the experience very special.
The campsites were very clean, equipped with the necessary amenities and very well located. We had amazing sunsets, sunrises and Zebras in the camps. The food included was always delicious and big portions so that everybody had enough.
The safari tour experience and our guide deserve 5 stars without a doubt!
Unfortunately we can only give 4 stars for the overall experience because of some organizational issues in the beginning. We were told to be picked up at the airport and after waiting for one hour with nobody responding to our messages or calls we had to find ourselves a taxi. Also the included accommodation was not very clearly communicated so we double booked. After a long exchange we were compensated to make up for the caused trouble, which we appreciated after the frustrating arrival.
Either way we would recommend the tour to anybody considering it.
IE
Email Gilmar | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A dream come true!
Suricatas Safari made my lifelong dream of a Tanzanian safari come true. We visited Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti, and Lake Manyara, each offering breathtaking landscapes and incredible wildlife encounters. Our guide, Emanuel, was outstanding — knowledgeable, patient, and with an amazing eye for spotting animals, including a rare black rhino and a pair of lions on their honeymoon!
Everything was perfectly organized, from the comfortable vehicle to the well-planned itinerary. Highly recommended for anyone wanting an unforgettable safari experience in Tanzania.
AT
Email Dagmar | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Safari experience
What a great experience.Our Guide Damian did a very great Job,smart and handsome Always giving us a Lot Background information. You can tell he knows what He is doing-we were always on the right spot and lucky to see many animals very close.
Suricata Bomba Lodge is amazing and also the night in Serengeti was a memorable experiences.
Unfortunatally nobody was at JRO Airport to pick us up - but Suricata managed everything very professional and quick.
This is really the only reason why we only give 4*-other than that we can only recommend this company - we got more than expected. Thanks to the whole Team for making our Safari unforgetable.