RA Safaris

Visited: Oct. 2024 Reviewed: Oct. 23, 2024 Submitted in:

We did a safari with Real Adventure Safaris in 2010 with our then 11 and 13 year old children which had been very well organised and was a great experience. So when we decided to go to Tanzania in 2024 we of course chose RA Safaris again.
And again RA met and exceeded by far our expectations.  This time we traveled with our children and their partners. The itinerary was quite complex:  Arusha, Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti,  Lake Victoria,  Lake Tanganyika,  Gombe Stream National Park,  Dar es Salaam and Mafia Island. Included were arrivals and departures to and from different airports at different times.
The whole trip was very well organised, everything worked to our complete satisfaction.  All the hotels were very well chosen, always in special locations with very professional and friendly staff.
Important to mention is that our driver Salehe who accompanied us through the National Parks was a very reliable driver and a very knowledgeable guide. The way he found the animals was incredible and proved his outstanding expertise.
Throughout the whole trip Zeph, the owner of the company, stayed in touch with us to make sure everything was going fine.

We can really recommend Real Adventure Safaris.

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Visited: Aug. 2024 Reviewed: Sep. 05, 2024 Submitted in:

We were recommended RA Safaris by a friend as we were planning our trip to Tanzania, and we could not be happier with our experience. It was important to us that our tour company was locally owned and operated, and we felt this enhanced our experience and also brought authenticity to our time in Tanzania.

The itinerary that RA put together for us was highly personalized based on what we were interested in seeing, including Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Arusha National Park. Zeph was very patient and consistent in his responses to our many questions as we worked together to plan our trip. He presented us with firsthand, insider’s knowledge about where to stay and what to see to maximize our experience. This was especially important as my wife was pregnant during our trip, and we didn’t know this when we originally made arrangements with RA Safaris. Zeph went the extra mile to modify our reservations and make us confident that she would be comfortable, safe, and healthy on our safari. We thoroughly enjoyed all the lodges and campsites that Zeph arranged for us, making our experience on safari extra special without breaking the bank.

Our guide on safari was Johnson, and he really made our experience unforgettable in the best way. Johnson was professional and friendly, and he always made sure to focus on showing us what we were interested in (mostly wildlife). Johnson had a thoughtful response to every question we had, and he anticipated our every need (very important with someone pregnant on safari in remote locations!). He clearly had experience with a diverse range of travelers, and his stories and knowledge entertained and informed us. We are so glad we had Johnson to guide us through our time in Tanzania.

And the wildlife we saw was absolutely stunning. As a wildlife biologist, I have been fortunate to see amazing wildlife all over the world, including in Eastern and Southern Africa. I am confident that our trip was the best wildlife viewing I’ve ever had. We saw everything on our list and more: elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs, buffalo, giraffe, rhino, diverse birdlife. And we were fortunate to witness two river crossings as part of the famous wildebeest migrations (make sure to hit up northern Serengeti in August for that!). Johnson was skilled at finding everything we wanted to see, and he was knowledgeable to provide answers for even the most esoteric wildlife questions.

Overall, we can’t recommend RA Safaris enough to anyone looking to have a memorable, meaningful time in Tanzania. They presented us with a range of options to personalize our trip, and I’m sure they can cater to anyone, from the budget traveler to someone looking for a more luxurious experience. We look forward to the next time we get to travel through Tanzania with RA Safaris. Asante sana, RA Safaris!

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Visited: Jun. 2024 Reviewed: Jul. 08, 2024 Submitted in:

A+++ travel experience (with small kids!) with RA Safaris

I cannot recommend RA safaris highly enough. They may not have as snazzy a website as some of the other tour companies, but I promise you that traveling with this locally owned and operated (and thus supporting locals!) travel agency was one of our best decisions in our most recent trip to Tanzania (June 2024). Some friends of ours used RA Safaris back in 2015 and said we MUST use them. Their prices are really competitive but most importantly, their customization and attention to detail was superb. Zeph, the owner of RA safaris, personally ensured our satisfaction throughout the trip. Eli managed all of our trip logistics/planning in advance, and Johnson, our onsite tour guide, could not have been better.

My husband and I traveled with our two young kids (6 and 7) and Johnson was so, so good with the kids. He paid more attention to the kids than to us, which I LOVED. Our trip was a mix of high-end lodges (e.g., Gibbs Farm) and tented lodges, and the itinerary put together was so smooth and such a nice mixture of options and accommodations. They accommodated all requests. The safari vehicle was in great condition and we had everything we needed while on safari. When our little kiddo needed to go to the bathroom while deep in the Serengeti, Johnson knew all the (unmarked) backroads to get us to a hidden lodge to find a restroom. He knew ALL of the other guides and was intimately familiar with the terrain, which is essential in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. The information delivered about the flora and fauna was delivered precisely, with accuracy, yet wasn't overwhelming. Johnson gave us plenty of space as a family. The trip was exciting, yet we felt safe and cared for the entire time.

All food was amazing, both at the lodges and on the road when on safari. When we were picked up from the airport, Zeph and Johnson met us outside with a small picnic of fruit and fresh coffee. Their service was impeccable. When we go back to Tanzania, there is no other company that we would consider.

Thank you to Zeph, Johnson, Eli and the rest of the RA Safaris team. We wish you the very best!!!

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In October 2023, I decided to travel to Tanzania during the Chinese New Year. During that month, I extensively researched various travel tips on social media and requested quotations from domestic travel agencies. At the time, domestic travel agencies were quoting around 40,000 yuan for an approximately 8-day safari itinerary, excluding airfare and visa fees. Some routes even excluded Ndutu, which seemed unreasonable. Consequently, I decided to directly contact local travel agencies in Tanzania. Ultimately, I chose Real Adventure, and I'm very glad that I did. Their email responses were prompt, and they provided direct and clear answers to all my questions, making the communication process very smooth. Their quotation was reasonable and within my budget, and Zeph was extremely helpful throughout the process. The final itinerary they designed provided a fulfilling experience without being overly exhausting, offering new experiences every day.

I highly recommend our guide, Johnson. Not only does he have keen eyes, but he's also extremely patient. Any wait he suggests always leads to pleasant surprises. Feel free to ask him questions; he knows everything about the animals on the savannah. Thanks to him, we saw over 60 kinds of animals during 7 days. Johnson cleaned the vehicle daily, ensuring that we could start our journey in the most comfortable environment possible. The roads in the Serengeti are bumpy dirt tracks, dotted with mud pits and puddles after rain, but his driving was steady. Thanks to him, our safari experience was outstanding. Real Adventure's vehicle was also quite comfortable; we didn't experience any discomfort after long hours of sitting, and I didn't need to use the back support I brought along.

I highly recommend visiting Tanzania during this short rainy season. Although the lush vegetation increases the difficulty of spotting animals, the breathtaking landscapes, moist and comfortable climate, vibrant grasslands, and adorable animal offspring make it all worthwhile. Tanzania is worth visiting, especially in February.

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Visited: Jul. 2023 Reviewed: Nov. 27, 2023 Submitted in:

I went to Tanzania to see the animal migration in Serengeti for my honeymoon with my husband. It's our first time been to the Africa land, and the trip we memorable and incredible. We are so glad that we chose RA Safaris who has made everything so easy and wonderful for us.

- Trip Planning
Zeph the contact from RA, is really helpful on customizing the itinerary based on our needs. We actually started planning our trip pretty late, and Zeph made everything happened within such short notice. Also he is really good at giving genuine suggestions about the itinerary.

- Tour Guide
Our tour guide is Salehe, who is extremely experienced, knowledge, kind and friendly, in short, PERFECT. He has everything you would ask and need for a safari tour guide. He made our experience very memorable as he has eagle eyes and knows where to find animals. And more importantly he makes us feel safe all the time.

- Food and Accommodations
Soooo pleasant. Although there was a bit pity that my favorite lodge got sold out but I did find another treasure Ole Serai. Everything is great.

- Price
Since RA Safaris is locally owned and operated, they offer competitive rate.

I've recommended RA to my friends and family already and hope they will have their safari dream come true.
Last, just remind everyone who plan to visit during migration season, do plan as EARLY as possible.

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Visited: Jul. 2022 Reviewed: Sep. 20, 2022 Submitted in:

We are a family of five, three kids age 12, 11 and 6, that decided to do the trip of a lifetime in the summer of 2022. We were fortunate to have RA Safaris recommended to us by friends living in Tanzania. While preparing the trip Zeph was very helpful doing the very best possible getting a trip together that would be adventurous but still doable for the whole family. In the end we did 9 days, including an excursion to the northern part of Serengeti to see the great migration. Highlights of our adventure were Serengeti (of course), Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire parks. Our accommodations were a mix or luxury lodges and campsites, carefully selected by Zeph to provide us with both adventure and comfort within the limitations of our budget. Our guide was Isa and our cook was Kitoi. Isa is a wonderful guide that really made us all feel welcome and always did his very best to get us the best possible game viewing experiences. He soon became the hero of our 6-year-old son who still misses him. The food during the camping days was always very tasty and plentiful. Through our experiences we came to know Zeph and his staff as wonderful and truly honest people who did their very best to make our trip a Real Adventure (RA).

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Visited: Mar. 2022 Reviewed: Apr. 20, 2022 Submitted in:

After speaking to a bunch of different tour operators, we decided to go with RA Safaris because they’re a small local business, owned and operated by Tanzanians - important in a time when tourism is still recovering. Zeph was very generous with his time and went back and forth over the itinerary with us to make sure we made the most out of our time, settling on 5 days with them - Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, plus a day hike at Kili.

Our guide was Sahele, and he was with us from the airport pickup all the way to drop off. He was so knowledgeable and determined to get us to see every animal - AND WE DID. Big 5 plus cheetahs, sable cats, so many hippos, thousands of zebras. He took us to a spot way out in the Serengeti for lunch and while we were peeling hard boiled eggs, several elephants came up to this tree and scratched themselves on it, giving themselves dust showers. It was stunning. Sahele knows all the spots and isn’t shy about getting on the radio or driving out into the sticks to make something amazing happen. We ended up seeing 4 rhinos when some folks don’t get to see any.

He came down with a pretty bad cough during the trip and had no problem wearing a mask for our comfort during the trip. The gas tank cracked in the Serengeti but Sahele was able to resolve it without having it affect the overall timeline of the trip.

On Safari we did a mix of lodges and tented lodges. Everywhere we stayed was fantastic and comfortable with delicious food. We enjoyed the tented lodges the best! We are vegetarians and meals were not an issue for us.

I wouldn’t recommend doing a day-hike of Kili - there’s surprisingly no animals at Kili, there wasn’t a rewarding view, and it’s an exhausting drive from Arusha. Maybe do Meru instead, which is much closer and seems to be more interesting at lower elevations.

As to be expected, you’ll make some sacrifices going with a small local operator (like the truck being on the older side) but go with RA Safari because the prices are extremely competitive, the lodges they selected are incredible, they are knowledgeable and great communicators, and they’re the type of organization that deserves the support for the community they’ve created.

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Visited: Aug. 2021 Reviewed: Aug. 17, 2021 Submitted in:

We made 10 days game drive through Selous Tarangire Serengeti and Ngorongoro. I chose this agency because it was a small one I wanted to support Tanzanian tourism and workers. So I suggest always to choose a local agency not an European one so that money could stay in Tanzania. I love animals I am vegetarian and the tented camps and lodges suggested were perfect, they always asked me about food preferences or intolerance.
The trip was great so many lions in Serengeti, i counted during the safari 77. Their conservation is at the top; also many elephants in Tarangire and stunning views of nature.

The Driver Salehe made his best for let us see wildlife, the contact with the owner Zef were very good he managed well also at the first by mailing. We had problems with car and Zef solved them.

So I suggest this agency they try to make the best in order of what are your planner. Amazing game viewing.

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RA Safaris organized a private safari for me several years ago. The safari and abundance of wildlife that I saw left such an amazing impression on me that I feel like it was yesterday.

As a female, I was concerned about going on a safari alone. From the moment I stepped out of the airport, Eli and my guide, Gideon, did everything they could to make me feel comfortable and safe. They were wonderful and extremely professional.

While on the safari, Gideon taught me so much about animal behavior and because of him, I gained a much deeper appreciation of wildlife.

The trip was amazing. 100%, I recommend Real Adventures. You will not be disappointed. Gideon is a fabulous guide!

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RA Safari is the best tour operator that we could have worked with.

I found them through a reference from a relative who has traveled with RA multiple times and always had a great experience, so going in I had some peace of mind. However, Zeph, Elli, and our guide and friend Salehe surpassed all expectations.

I contacted over a dozen operators and not only were RA best pricing-wise but while traveling everything was perfect and extremely professional. A big part of your safari trip is the guide and Salehe was extremely patient with all of our requests. A big purpose of my trip was taking pictures and whether 1 or 100 shot, Salehe was always patient and careful to ensure that we got the best possible angle.

All in all, if you are going for a safari, I only have two suggestions:

1. Go with someone local rather than a non-Tanzanian operator
2. Travel with a guide who is patient, hard-working, and genuinely likes animals. This will make a huge difference to your trip.

RA Safari was the best and I wholeheartedly recommend them

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