Goldfinch Adventures Directors
Goldfinch Adventures
- Office In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2022)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $3,296 to $10,407 per person per day (MXN, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Todd and Monique | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Things I wish I would have known...
First of all the value for the money was amazing. The customer service and the way they handled our entire trip the whole time was beyond our expectations. Kelvin made us feel secure the whole way and took care of every single stop and transfer without error! If you are considering this operation, purchase without fear!
Now here are some things we wish we would have known before starting out...
1) You are going to be in a Toyota Land cruiser and none of them from any of these companies have air conditioning. Because this is the high elevation tropics, that is usually okay. We were there in July and we could say we got hot in the car maybe once for a few minutes.
2) The mornings can be COLD . Bring at least one set of warm clothes.
3) do the Jeep excursions and not the ones where you're in an open truck strapped to a seat. Those people were at the mercy of the dust on the road and the weather 100% of the time. It looked completely miserable!
4) Don't bother overpacking. You will not be getting out of the car, except at lunch time in a campground.
5) take pictures of your people looking at the wildlife not just the wildlife.
6) hakuna matata... It's a way of life there and you should adopt it. Don't worry about things going wrong. Your safari company will make them right.
7) go to Zanzibar for at least one day, More if you can afford it. The Zanzibar Beach resort experience is incredible! We went for a day before our Safari and a day after and it was a stroke of genius.
8) The road is awful. I cannot stress this enough. The drives are torture for hours. Bring noise canceling headphones and you will thank yourself every single day.
9) bring Euro chargers for your phones. There is amazing support for US chargers but you will regret the day that it is missing.
10) The airport souvenirs were the same stuff but always seemed much cheaper than outside. This is opposite what you would expect. Kenya airport especially is a shoppers dream.
11) English skills here are rough. It may not be what you are used to. If you are thinking of a tour guide with a long canned speech, you should probably change your expectations.
12) do not fear the semi-permanent tent campsites because those were some of the best sleeps that we had and some of the best food that we had.
13) I wish I had carried more of the local currency all the time. Most places take dollars but once in a while they don't when you really need it.
14) The skill of your guide will determine what animals you see. We were very fortunate to have a fantastic one who seem to have a radar for rare animals. Shout out to Frank.
15) you are not going to get out of your car to look at the animals. Ever. That being said the pop tops on all the Jeeps make you feel super close to the animals.
16) The food is actually pretty mid the whole way. Bring snacks and keep your expectations low. However the fruit is the best you will probably ever taste in your life. This is especially true for the bananas and pineapples. You will realize you never tasted real bananas before you got here. And the pineapples are better than anything out of Hawaii.
17) The long airline flights are probably the most comfortable you're going to be on the trip so do not worry about them. They will be dim memories very quickly for us.
18) when you get involved in something exciting like a hunt, abandon all other plans and stay till the very end! You will never regret it.
19) kids around 11 can love this. Ours did. Younger kids probably will not love the drive. Keep the Safari short for them.
20) bugs were completely overstated as a problem. We can count on one hand how many bugs we saw in Africa.
21) Don't worry about using duffel bags. Bring a midsize roller suitcase. It's fine and way better.
22) leave some room in your suitcase for souvenirs. They are cheap and creative here!
23) get a SIM card at the airport so you can have your phone while you are traveling. I would have loved to have data/text on my hours long drives.
Going to Africa is not just about looking at a bunch of animals. It's a complete change of perspective. Your life will be divided into two parts from this time on. That is the time before you went to Africa and the time after you went to Africa. That is how much perspective it gives you and how life-changing it can be. If you are on the fence about an African safari, take this one. The price is amazing, you will scarcely do better! If you are willing to pay more go to a more developed country like Kenya, or South Africa. Maybe the roads will be better lol.
Email Lizzy | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A Memorable Safari with My Family!
My husband, daughter, and I had a truly great time on our last family safari vacation. Unlike how most people do their safaris, we decided to start ours in the afternoon and drove to Lake Manyara National Park for an evening game drive. The park was just so quiet and beautiful. Our driver (Collins) even drove us to the hot springs because it was something I really wanted to see.
After the game drive, we headed to Karatu and lodged at Farm of Dreams. The lodge was nice and cozy. Delicious food. Friendly staff. Just the perfect place to relax and unwind from a safari. My daughter even made new friends for the short time we spent in the lodge.
At 5:30 am the next day, we headed to Ngorongoro for an early morning game drive, as Deo suggested. Well, he was right. We got to see loads of animals, but the highlight of our trip to this park was when Collins got a hint from his fellow guide, who had spotted a rhino. He then rushed to that exact location, and OMG, that was the best safari moment EVER!
After all that game driving in the crater, we had brunch and headed back to Farm of Dreams, where we spent the rest of the day swimming and just having a great time. I even got to become friends with the lodge manager and owner (Irene); she’s just amazing!
We then checked out the following afternoon and slowly drove to Tarangire National Park for our last holiday game drive. Now, this park is so special to me. It brought back memories of when I was a little girl and how my dad used to drive us there. I even remember getting chased by a bull elephant on one occasion (one of the scariest days of my life)! Men, Tarangire will always be a special place for me.
After our evening game drive, we headed to Arusha and ended our almost 3-day safari.
Thank you, Deo, Collins, and all the Goldfinch Adventures family, for making this holiday special, magical, and memorable for my husband, daughter, and me.
Looking forward to the next one
DE
Email Refik and Ümran | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Deo is an excellent guy, we took care of everything you need for a safari tour in Tansania.
First of all we want to say great thanks to our organisator Deo. From the beginning of our Safari tour(including welcoming us in Arusha Airport) until the last time he helped us and took care of us very well. Whatever we ask him a question he answered very kindly and quickly. If you have any questions about the tour, don't hesitate to contact with him, actually he will answer your questions before you asked him 😉
~Duration of Safari Tour~
we booked a 4-day Safari tour. It was very suitable for a great experience. We think that, 4-Day tour is the best choice, 3 days could be short and 5 days maybe too much.
~Accomodation~
We stayed first night in a lodge, that was okay, other two days we stayed in a tent at camping site, we should say that camping site organisations was not so good, usually they don't have enough hot water to take a shower and don't have enough charging slots for our mobile devices. But this part is the under control of camping sites.
~Driver and Cook~
On the other hand we had a great driver and a very talented cook :) food was also very tasty and traditional.
Everyone should have this experience at least once in a life. You will have amazing memories at the end of this trip. We suggest you to take a professional photo machine to take great pictures of wild animals.
Strongly suggest to everyone Goldfinch Adventures to feel this amazing experience 👍💪
Kind regards from Refik and Ümran
DE
Email Nicole | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
PERFECT safari with Goldfinch Adventure!
Because we just wanted to go on a short safari (only two days with one overnight stay), Goldfinch Adventures made an individual offer for us. We discussed our wishes in advance (length of stay, transfer, desire for a small and individual lodge, etc.).
We received a detailed offer that immediately convinced us. Until the start of our trip, Goldfinch Adventures was always available for answering our questions. The journey (transfer from our hotel in Paje and flight to Arusha) went smoothly (small tip: choose a seat on the right side of the plane for a beautiful view of Mount Kilimanjaro). In Arusha we were warmly welcomed by our contact person Deo and our driver Omari and we started our safari experience with an extremely good feeling. Omari was the perfect companion for us, he has an extremely good eye and discovered the animals much earlier than we did, approached the animals in a respectful manner and we received a lot of information about the wildlife and the surrounding area. On the first day we stopped in Tarangire National Park around midday and had a great, warm local lunch with drinks (nicely set with a tablecloth etc.). Deo had chosen a perfect lodge for us: small, right on Lake Manyara, high-quality - an absolute dream with great food! Our second day took us to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area with the Ngorongoro Crater. Another very special experience with Omari at our side. We saw all animals we dreamed of - even a rhinoceros. We were able to get very close to many animals.
When it was time to say goodbye to Omari at the airport, we met Deo again, who helped with check-in and accompanied us till security check.
I can highly recommend Goldfinch Adventures. Planning, safari experience and - not to forget - the people working at this company are simply fantastic!
Email Gaby | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent
Our safari trip with Goldfinch Adventures was one of the best we have ever been on. Deo, our tour operator, was very accommodating and customized the itinerary multiple times to fit our needs. We saw amazing animals, from elephants in Tarangire to lions in the Serengeti. Deo even helped us to include a chimp trekking tour in Mahale. Our guide, James, was knowledgeable and knew exactly where to go to see the best animals. We truly had a great time!
TR
Email Addo Emanuel | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
perfect and well organized
My friends and I booked a hike up Mt. Kilimanjaro and Safari with Goldfinch Adventures. Best decision ever! We reached out to Deo during the planning phase and he was quick to reply to all the questions that we had. He even took us out for dinner the first day we arrived and that made us feel welcomed in a foreign country, far away from home.
KILIMANJARO
We hiked Kilimanjaro via the Machame route as Deo recommended. Our guides Steve and Ben were so patient and encouraging with us throughout the hike. It was physically and mentally challenging, but they made it enjoyable by making us laugh and checking our health. “Pole pole” they said. Word of advice? Stay hydrated, eat well, sleep, wear sunscreen, pee, and be prepared for any weather. Our porters were also awesome; we couldn’t have done it without them.
SAFARI
On the day of our safari, Deo met us in the morning and introduced us to our safari guide, Samuel. Samuel was very knowledgeable about the animals and the nature, and he always gave us plenty of time to stop for pictures.
We were lucky enough to see all of the Big Five animals on our 4-day safari. The safari Jeep was comfortable, and the top popped open so we could get a better view. We even managed to squeeze in a nap sometimes!
I would highly recommend this safari to anyone looking for an unforgettable wildlife experience.
Email Lucy | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great communications, excellent service, great value
We worked with Kelvin for our booking. He was very responsive and communicative. We had lots of special requests, and he was able to accomodate all of them without raising the prices by a lot. Unlike some other operators, the quotes went up significantly with the custom requests. He made recommadations for lodging when we didn't have one in mind, and they all turned out to be great. Our guide was Emanuel, who was so pleasant and wonderful. He has 11 years of experience and has the eyes of an eagle. He can spot the tiniest birds while driving. He was an incredible driver as well. The roads can be extremely bumpy and muddy, but he did his best to make us feel comfortable and leave his car clean. We had simple but delicious lunch every day. Overall, we were very happy with Goldfinch and thought the value for money was excellent. Would highly recommend!
IT
Email Sslly cleaves | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Personal and proffessional excellent service
From our first contact with Kelvin at Goldfinch we had confidence in his approach . He was always quick to respond and would fully answer questions and queries and giving advice when necessary and adjusting our itineary accordingly. We found Goldfinch to be excellent value for money when we compared them to other operators.
We went for a private 2 person mid range/luxury safari and trip to Zanzibar.
The safari was 5 days. Every day was incredible, our guide Abu was fantastic he was polite, friendly proffessional and knowledgable.
We saw animals in abundance and at close range
All our accommodation either lodges or tented camps were excellent, very comfortable, clean, great facilities and food.
Did the Balloon safari which was also great and the 8 days in Zanzibar was organised very well staying in two different areas but both hotels chosen were excellent.
Kelvin met us at the start of our trip, again im the middle and at the end
He was always available via email and alwsys responded promptly adjusting anything we requested
Would definately recommend and use again
Felt we got a very proffessiomsl personal service throughout
Thank you.
Email Pranav | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We loved Swahibu’s enthusiasm and determination to explore as much as possible with the time we had.
From start to finish, Kelvin was incredibly attentive in accommodating all of our changes, and every part of the trip felt hassle-free, with plenty of food, drinks, bathroom and photo stops, opportunities to grab gifts, a different comfy lodge every night, and even a night drive arranged with another operator so we never felt we were missing out.
Our guide, Swahibu, was fantastic—his enthusiasm and determination to explore as much as possible with the time we had, his deep knowledge and clear love for the Serengeti, plus great binoculars and a real eye for positioning the vehicle, meant that even with a lot of driving every day felt packed, purposeful, and helped us discover our own love for the park. He confidently planned each next move and coordinated with other guides to find the best sightings. Goldfinch handled all logistics excellently—every flight, transfer, pickup, baggage hold, and drop-off was smooth, responses were fast whenever we needed anything, the itinerary was very customizable, and the trip was extremely well priced (we compared multiple quotes and Goldfinch was by far the most affordable for the same inclusions, plus the perk of unlimited liquor), making this an amazing option for a couple like us but equally great for families or any group.
Our only real regrets were being unable to do the Nogrongro descent as said in the itinerary and permit issues on last-day game drive which caused us to miss the few fleeting migration sightings and dramatic moments (like a lion kill) other guests caught pictures of that morning even though it was a difficult late-November window. I guess that just means we will have to come back! It was clear that the team, especially Swahibu and Kelvin, truly did their best to make it all happen. Overall, it was a wonderfully organized, stress-free, and memorable safari experience that we would happily recommend to anyone.
Email Penny | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Simply Perfect In Every Way
I recommend Goldfinch (GF) without hesitation. I contacted five safari companies with identical enquiries, yet only two replied - and Brenda at GF responded immediately, which was a very lucky thing for us. She was incredibly knowledgeable, helpful, and crafted the perfect itinerary.
When I later asked if my 93-year-old father could join, she liaised with the camps straight away, and every adjustment was handled flawlessly. The camps themselves were stunning, and the staff were amazing - they even adored singing and dancing with my dad, which meant the world to us.
Our guide, Ludo, was exceptional, and we were fortunate enough to see the Big Five and so much more.
Thank you, GF, for an unforgettable adventure and memories that will last a lifetime.
