our safari group in ngorongoro crater
Dancing Simba Safaris
- Office In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2017)
- Member Of:
- TTB, TANAPA & NCAA
- Tour Types:
- Customizable private tours and fixed group tours
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $2,602 to $20,814 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
JP
Email Sachi | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very caring
All was satisfactory except for the first night hotel that does not have hot shower (it was a cold night so removing one star).
Each travel guide was very caring, and the operation was coordinated professionally. I had great experience.
CH
Email Yle and Lea | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
kind and helpful
the safari was a magnificent experience! We managed to see many animals and despite the somewhat uncertain weather the tour operator always managed to find solutions (not letting us sleep in a tent due to rain). The food was very good with many options for vegetarians too.
The accommodations were equipped with electrical sockets and wifi. Guides certainly need to improve their communication of important information such as timetables and general organization. Guides are available on request
(automatic translation from Italian)
IL
Email Danielle | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We had a good tour, with great guide!
We had three days of safari with Benny the guide, which was a great
Email William | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fantastic guide, disappointing organisation
We had a wonderful 7-day safari from Arusha, through Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara. It was intense and unforgettable, with too many amazing events and sightings to even begin to list here.
Apart from the magnificent animals and beautiful landscape, the best thing by far about the trip was Hamza, our guide. It would be difficult to imagine a better one: knowledgeable and informative, patient and helpful. He seems to know every inch of the parks, and worked hard to find us every animal we hoped to see, including crocodiles, tree-climbing lions and leopards. Moreover, he is a skilled driver, giving us the gentlest of “African massages” but able to cover long distances over dusty roads without ever making us feel unsafe. Being a guide is a tough job demanding a wide range of skills, and we had an intense schedule. Hamza made it all work beautifully, and always with a cheerful laugh or a little joke. If we return to Tanzania, we will certainly look for him again. Hamza deserves 5 stars.
Unfortunately, our experience with Dancing Simba, the booking company, was far less impressive. Poor communication and disorganised, seat-of-the-pants arrangements led to several problems – including a last-minute lodge change that added hours of driving, and a mishandled hotel booking in Stone Town – that effectively spoiled two full days of a relatively short trip. Along the way, we couldn’t help feeling that some decisions, such as the lodge change, may have reflected Dancing Lions’ own interests more than ours. Taken together with various signs of cost-cutting and disorganisation, this really let down an otherwise extraordinary trip.
In short: Hamza deserves 5 stars — but Dancing Simba only 2. Hence the 3-star rating overall.
Asante sana, Hamza!
Email Tyler | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Choose another company
The Good: The safaris were incredible. Ngorongoro in particular was amazing. Lots of wildlife. We were worried about traveling during the “off” wet season, but it was amazing. Best safari so far in all of Africa. Keep in mind, the safari host is subcontracted.
The Bad: Communication before and during the tour was abysmal. We had no idea what was going on at any time and David did a poor job of confirming plans. We had to have backup plans upon arrival at the airport because we weren’t even sure if we were going to be picked up due to a lack of communication and confirmation.
The Ugly: Fig Tree Lodge, the Eco Lodge with which Dancing Simba contracts several stays, is pretty terrible. Mama Pia is a delight, but the rest of the staff are rude and it feels like a scam. A dirty one at that. Several of the tours felt the same way, including the coffee tour near Materuni Falls, Mto Wa Mbu, and the Maasai people nearby.
All in all, we made the best of it, but Dancing Simba was absolutely not the catalyst that made this trip amazing. We’ve traveled over 75 countries and have done many safaris and weeklong tours with guides. Highly encourage you to do your homework and book this type of trip with someone else, especially at this cost.
Reply from Dancing Simba Safaris
Posted on Jun 1, 2023Dear Tyler,
Thank you for sharing your feedback about your recent safari experience with us. We appreciate both the positive aspects you mentioned and the areas where we fell short of your expectations. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or disappointment caused during your trip.
We are thrilled to hear that you found the safaris to be incredible, with Ngorongoro standing out as an amazing destination with abundant wildlife. It's wonderful to know that despite the concerns about the off-wet season, you had a memorable experience. We take pride in delivering exceptional safari experiences, and your positive comments encourage us to continue providing outstanding adventures.
However, we understand that our communication before and during the tour did not meet your expectations. We apologize for the abysmal communication and lack of confirmation regarding your plans. This is not the level of service we strive to deliver, and we take your feedback seriously. We will review our processes and work on improving our communication channels to ensure that our clients are well-informed and have peace of mind throughout their journey.
Regarding the subcontracted safari host, we acknowledge that there were shortcomings in coordinating and confirming plans, and we apologize for any inconvenience caused. We will address this issue with the subcontracted host to ensure better communication and seamless arrangements for our clients.
We are disappointed to hear about your negative experiences at Fig Tree Lodge and some of the other tours you mentioned. We deeply regret that you encountered rudeness and felt the quality of service did not meet your expectations. We will promptly address this matter with the lodge and the tour providers involved to ensure that such incidents are not repeated in the future. We appreciate your valuable feedback, as it helps us hold our partners to the highest standards of customer satisfaction.
At Dancing Simba, we strive to be the catalyst that makes our clients' trips amazing, and we regret that we fell short of that goal in your case. We understand your recommendation to do thorough research and consider other options when booking a similar trip, especially considering the cost involved. Your feedback will be taken into account as we continuously work towards improving our services and delivering exceptional experiences to our clients.
Once again, we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or disappointment you experienced during your safari. We appreciate your honest feedback, and we are committed to learning from this experience and making the necessary improvements to provide a better customer experience in the future.
If there is anything else you would like to share or discuss, please do not hesitate to reach out to us directly. We value your business and hope to have the opportunity to serve you better in the future.
Best regards,
Dancing Simba Safaris