Our mellivora African travels team
Mellivora African Travels
- Office In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2019)
- Member Of:
- TTB, TANAPA & TAWA
- Tour Types:
- Customizable private tours and fixed group tours
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $1,731 to $17,315 per person per day (MXN, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
QA
Email Victoria | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great 2-day safari but ruined by bed bugs in Marera Valley Lodge
We had a nice 2-day safari with Mellivora’s Ludowig (Ludo for short). Ludo has 10 years of experience in safari tours so he is rich in information about the animals, the terrain, culture and even history. Thanks to Ludo's trained eye, we got to spot all the animals we wanted to see on our safari. We have with us my 5-year old toddler so we had to plan our potty stops with Ludo and he was very accommodating. His time estimates though made us nervous twice (it was 3pm and he said we need 5 hours to get to the airport. Our flight was 8pm. We reached the airport at 6pm 😅)
The Land Cruiser’s cooler did not work so Ludo felt he needed to buy us cold water and juice packs (for my toddler) at the end of the day. This is much appreciated. On the second day, he put ice in it so our drinks are cooler.
The lunch on Day 1 (in a hamper) is really good. We love the rice and the stew :)
Fransiscah is great with her work. From giving us the quotations fairly quick, to adjusting it to our requests, and to following us up. It was because of her persistence that we went with Mellivora, especially as there are so many tour companies and you just do not know who is truly legitimate. She always responds to your queries, before, during and even after the tour. Everything is coordinated because of her.
BUT the three stars is because of the bed bugs in Marera Valley Lodge. Since Mellivora was the one who pitched this lodge as one of our options in the safari package, we expected that they check these lodges regularly AND made sure that the lodge is taking bed bug infestation seriously. But the fact that the lodge would not even respond to Mellivora’s emails and calls about our incident - I doubt Mellivora has a good relationship with them. Marera does not respect Mellivora and their guests. Mellivora cannot NOT take responsibility and just push all the blame to Marera, as you guys are the one who introduced us to Marera. You could have at least given us medications/cream, if refund is not too much.
Reply from Mellivora African Travels
Posted on Jan 6, 2026Thank you very much for taking the time to share such a detailed and honest review of your safari experience with Mellivora African Travels. We truly appreciate both your kind words and your constructive criticism, as they help us improve the experiences we offer our guests.
We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your 2-day safari with Ludowig (Ludo). He will be very happy to know that his experience, knowledge, and attentiveness—especially in accommodating your 5-year-old toddler—made your safari memorable. We also smiled at your airport story 😊 and are glad everything ultimately worked out smoothly. Your appreciation of his thoughtful gesture with the drinks and the Day 1 lunch hamper has also been shared with him.
We are equally grateful for your recognition of Fransiscah’s efforts. She takes great pride in supporting our guests from the initial inquiry through to post-safari follow-up, and your feedback reaffirms the importance of her dedication and persistence.
That said, we would like to sincerely apologize for the distress and discomfort you experienced due to the bed bug incident at Marera Valley Lodge. We fully understand how upsetting this must have been—especially while traveling with a young child—and we are truly sorry that this negatively affected your overall experience.
You are absolutely right in saying that, as Mellivora African Travels, we bear responsibility for the accommodations we recommend as part of our safari packages. While Marera Valley Lodge is an independently operated property, it was indeed introduced through us, and therefore we acknowledge that we should have done more—both in preventive checks and in our response after the incident.
We are particularly disappointed by the lodge’s lack of responsiveness to our follow-ups. This behavior does not align with the standards we expect from our accommodation partners, nor with the level of care we aim to provide to our guests. As a direct result of your experience, we are re-evaluating our relationship with Marera Valley Lodge and reviewing our internal processes for accommodation inspections and incident handling.
Regarding your suggestion, we acknowledge that offering medical assistance, treatment creams, or a form of compensation would have been a more appropriate response. We regret that this was not extended to you at the time, and we sincerely apologize for that shortcoming.
Please know that your feedback has been taken very seriously, and concrete steps are being taken to ensure that similar situations are handled better—or avoided entirely—in the future. Your experience will help us improve not only our accommodation vetting process but also our guest care when unexpected issues arise.
Once again, thank you for choosing Mellivora African Travels and for sharing both the highlights and the concerns of your journey with us. We truly hope that despite this incident, you will remember the wonderful moments of your safari, and we would welcome the opportunity to serve you better should you consider traveling with us again.
SI
Email Izzy | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Very unprofessional and disruptive to mix different budgets (accommodations) in the same tour
So the feelings are mixed.
We did a 4 day safari with them, including Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Tarangire.
The driver David was very good and knowledgeable and we are really happy about him, his skills and the professionalism from his side. 10/10 for the driver himself.
Food was good (our chef was Richard). First night in a lodge was nice. Second night in Serengeti camp wasn't the best (facilities were super dirty and shower was only cold, but maybe also rain had something to do with it), but Ngorongoro camp was just lovely.
However, there were lot's of organizational issues that did significantly bother us.
What they did is they put 7 people from different companies and with different accomodations in the same vehicle - meaning that everytime everyone had to be delivered and picked up at a different location (sometimes literally 1 hour apart), so we lost a lot of time every single evening and then morning for pickups (things also didn't go so smooth with packing up) - very sadly on the account of our precious time for game drives (keep in mind that the best time to see animals is as early in the morning as possible). The 7th person was put in the last minute and so there wasn't any space left for our cook, which made it very inconvenient form him and us trying to find ways to get him to our destinations.
The driver wasn't really aware about plans of different people in our vehicle after the end of this trip - like that half of the group was supposed to continue the tour and that the rest were to go to the airport, and this wasn't communicated and caused some confusion, we also were not really sure about our luggage pickup (we were told to pack light and so we left half of the luggage at our hotel, to be delivered to the airport pickup on the last day).
So as said, the lack of organization did really bother us and we're not happy about this.
We've done many safaris elsewhere and nowhere in the world did "a sharing safari" mean different accomodations (but instead just a mixed random group of people, enjoying the same standard of the trip). I don't know how it seems to be the norm in Tanzania, as if everyone is doing it - we were joined by people from agencies like Serengeti African Tours and another company and they all said that they just share clients all the time.
Now I don't wanna be that "nothing was ok" person, but I just have to mention this -
we ran out of soda and wine on the second day (how can you promise wine, beer and soda with our meals and then provide only 1 bottle of wine for 7 people for 4 days?
The animals and the guide shed a nice light on the whole experience, but I have to say that organization-wise, this was by far the worst experience we've had in any safari. So my advice here seems to be - just take the cheapest tour as it obviously makes zero sense to pay more for a "preferably better company", or maybe make sure that people in your group will have the same standard or accommodations, to make things go smoothly.
Reply from Mellivora African Travels
Posted on Oct 30, 2024Dear Jerneja,
Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed feedback on your recent Tanzania safari experience with us. We genuinely appreciate your insights and apologize for any aspects that fell short of your expectations.
First and foremost, we're delighted to hear that you enjoyed many positive aspects of your safari, including the incredible wildlife sightings, budget-friendly, delicious meals,comfort,good driver and guide also the cook.
However, we are equally concerned about the challenges you encountered, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused. Your feedback is invaluable, and we are committed to address the issues you raised to enhance our services for future travelers.
We also understand your disappointment regarding the guide's approach of not being able to start with an early morning game drive. This is mostly because, with a shared safari, the itinerary is pre-planned and most of the time it is not guaranteed to start at dawn,Often 1hour late. However, with a private option, it is easy to customize and guarantee to start early morning.
Our sincere apologies for the discomfort caused by the sleeping bags. We are doing our best to ensure the quality of our equipment meets the highest standards. We also highly advise our future camping travelers to bring their own sleeping bags whenever possible.
Dear Jerneja, your feedback is invaluable to us, and we are committed to continuous improvement. We would like to extend our gratitude for choosing our company and we hope to have the opportunity to provide you and our future travelers with an enhanced safari experience in the future.
Wishing you wonderful future travels Rafiki!
GH
Email MAAME YAA | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Seamless trip and paid attention to details
The driver was patient, experienced, communicated so well. He played the role of a tour guide and made sure we covered everywhere and saw all the big 5 animals.
Money worth every penny
Very reliable, he made the tour so enjoyable. Their meals were great
CH
Email Barbara Manga | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Exceptional
We had a 4-day fly-in safari from Zanzibar, and there's no way to fully express how satisfied we are with the experience. Everything was perfectly organized, from the excellent accommodations to the seamless transportation, and our guide was outstanding. From the moment we sent our first inquiry, the responsiveness was exceptional. We enjoyed a smooth journey and saw plenty of wildlife, including all of the Big Five. It was truly an incredible and unforgettable experience, and we highly recommend this safari to anyone looking for an extraordinary adventure.
IT
Email Verena | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well organized and transparent in its communication
It was very easy to communicate with them. They were always available for any kind of questions and also helped me with things that had nothing to do with the safari.
As I still go to university, the price was really high for me, even if I know that a safari can never be cheap. At least they offer the possibility for a budget safari, but maybe they should think of another way to make it possible especially for young travellers to save some more money.
I did the tour during the rain season, but was lucky enough to pick some sunny days. I would say that the rain season has some advantages too (zebra migration, less tourists e.g.), but obviously it's also kinda risky.
I cannot complain about the tour operator, but I also have no possibility to compare it with others, as it was my first safari and I usually never do that kind of organized trips. So it's difficult for me to rate it.
DE
Email Aylin | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very good and always a quick response
We did the 5-day tour to Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Tarangire NP.
The booking went very nice and we got a lot of recommendations regarding the perfect places for the season.
Everything was well organized, all the pick ups and drop offs went smoothly. We could always contact Fransisca and she would respond very quickly.
The hotels we stayed in were good (especially in Ngorongoro and Lake Manyara).
We saw a lot of animals, especially in the Ngorongoro crater - that was the place we enjoyed the most and would definitely recommend.
FR
Email Charlotte | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Really reactive , easily reachable , and well organized
We had a really great experience for our first safari . It was well organized , everything we prepare we did not have to think about anything.
Our driver was really nice and explained to us a lot of things during the safari and made us feel comfortable .
We enjoyed it !
JP
Email Frank | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Exceptional service, i highly recommend anyone.
Our experience with Mellivora African Travels was nothing short of extraordinary. From the very first communication, the team demonstrated a deep understanding of luxury travel and crafted an itinerary that was perfectly tailored to our expectations.
Every detail of the journey was thoughtfully arranged from stunning high-end lodges to seamless transfers and expertly planned game drives. The accommodations were exceptional, combining comfort, privacy, and breathtaking views of Tanzania’s landscapes.
Our private guide was outstanding: highly knowledgeable, attentive, and genuinely passionate about wildlife. Each day felt exclusive and unhurried, allowing us to fully immerse ourselves in the beauty of the parks while enjoying close encounters with incredible wildlife, including the Big Five.
What truly sets Mellivora African Travels apart is their commitment to personalized service. The entire trip felt effortless, refined, and curated with care exactly what you hope for in a luxury safari experience.
We would not hesitate to recommend Mellivora African Travels to anyone seeking a sophisticated and unforgettable safari in Tanzania. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime journey.
IT
Email Silvia | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Extraordinary
Fransisca followed us every step of the way, answering every question quicky. Everything was perfectly organized. It was our first safari and it went very well. The guide was excellent and the accomodation was great too.
IN
Email Ninad | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceptional
Fransisca was extremely helpful and responsive right from the planning stage. She patiently answered all our questions and helped us feel confident about the itinerary. The lodges and camps she selected were absolutely phenomenal — each stay added something special to the overall experience.
A special shout-out to Joshua, our guide and driver. On a safari, the guide truly defines the experience, and Joshua exceeded all expectations. He was friendly, highly knowledgeable, and had an excellent understanding of wildlife and the park. His calm approach and sharp spotting skills made our game drives unforgettable. We would highly recommend him to anyone planning a safari.
Overall, a very well-organized and memorable Serengeti experience. Highly recommended!