World Tours and Safaris Tanzania
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About World Tours and Safaris Tanzania
World Tours & Safaris Tanzania is a Tanzanian family owned travel company based in Arusha, Tanzania which has been specializing in quality tours and safaris at reasonable prices for more than 20 years now. We are the true experts when it comes to Tanzania, we arrange luxury, mid-range and budget camping safaris as well as Mt Kilimanjaro, Mt Meru climbs. Besides beautiful scenic Tanzania safaris and trekking tours, we organize relaxing beach holidays on the shores of the Indian Ocean on Tanzania’s Islands.About our safari vehicles
For Safari, we have a wide range of 4x4 customized Land Cruisers with pop-up roofs with the sitting capacity of 5 and 7 people (window seats) that can withstand both dry and wet conditions during the safari. The vehicles are equipped with 2 extra spare tires, a hi lift jack, a fridge, charging ports, a radio call, a pair of binoculars, guide books and are regularly maintained to be fit for safari use. For Airport Transfers, we use comfortable saloon, minivan, minibus or buses depending on the number of people to be taken to/ from the airport comfortably.
There is a saying attributed to Buddha: the problem is thinking, you have time. With that in mind, I'm trying to see and do some things - before it's too late. of course the kibo is also part of it :) For my personal Kibo adventure, I chose World Tours and Safaris Tanzania. I don't regret this choice. On my six-day hike to Kibo, I not only got to know breathtakingly beautiful nature, I also made new friends. Together with guide Walter, Luca, my waiter & porter, and the other porters Yuma, Sakony, Alfon and Josef, I made it to Meyers Cave - a great experience, also and especially because of these friendly, great people! I recommend anyone planning this trip to choose WTST. Richard Rickson, the managing director, is friendly, courteous and reliable. He runs his small business very responsibly and ensures that his porters are treated fairly. If there is an opportunity and you are traveling with WTST, try to get Walter as a guide. When was I traveling? Beginning of November. There is the so-called little rainy season on the mountain, and it actually rained every now and then - but it was empty on the Coca-Cola route - so empty that you were happy to meet someone every now and then. Another tip: don't underestimate altitude sickness. Even if you're fit, if you're not used to the height, it can knock you out relatively quickly. Therefore plan an additional day at Zebra Rock (Marangu route). It's best to start in Arusha (which is already higher than Moshi) and take a day/night there before you head to the mountain. My conclusion: the Kibo adventure was one of the most beautiful and impressive experiences in my 57-year life - not least because of the friendly and helpful staff at World Tours & Safaris Tanzania.
Germany
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Very unhappy with Richard Kilonzo and his Safari company:
We booked a 7- day Safari with Richard Kilonzo. To start with, we arranged that somebody from his company would pick us up at the bus station and take us to our hotel; nobody came. Someone from the bus station that didn't work for him took us to his office. The entrance to the office is embarrassing, full of mud and puddles. He showed himself very friendly the very first day. Not like that the last day when we came back from safari, that hardly had time to speak to us.
The first two days in Serengeti Park were fine.
The third day we slept in Ngorongoro campsite. The next day we were supposed to spend a full day driving in Ngorongoro Crater, from 06.00 a.m. until late in the afternoon, as it was written in the planing that he had sent to us when booking the safari.
Our surprise was that the night before going into the crater he told us that it was not possible to spend the whole day. We could only be inside the crater for 4 hours (from 06.00 until 10.00 a.m.) and then we had to go out of the park. The problem was that he should have paid one more day fees for us (we were four people in the jeep) in the crater, but he did not. He told us that "laws have changed lately" and he could not do anything, he also told us that if we wanted to stay more time in the crater, we should pay the extra charge. If you look in the Official Website of the Parks, since so many years, the entrance fee is paid for a 24-hour stay. If you want to stay longer, you have to pay another entrance. He lied to us that night, and finally we could not be in Ngorongoro Crater for longer, which is one of the best Parks in Tanzania.
Moreover, the last two nights we were supposed to sleep in a Tarangire campsite. He tried to convince us to sleep everywhere else, telling me that in that campsite there was no water (I do not know why), but finally, after my insistence, we slept there... with hot water showers.
The last day of the safari we were supposed to have a morning drive game in Tarangire before coming back to Arusha. What we really did was have breakfast in the campsite and immediately come back to the city of Arusha; no game driving our last day of Safari, as it was written in our initial planning. He told us that we didn't ask for the driving that day, and blamed the driver (he tried to force me to tell that the driver refused to do the driving; the driver did not refuse. I did not ask... Why should I ask for something I have already paid and it is included in the Itinerary?? The situation was exactly the same as in Ngorongoro two days before; he was supposed to pay the entrance fee for that morning, but probably he didn't.
Another German couple came with us for 4 days in the safari. Richard changed their plans almost everyday, even several times in only 2-3 hours. Their last day of safari was supposed to be the full-day drive in Ngorongoro... They were left in a campsite which was not in their plans at 13h00 that day.
When we came back to Arusha after the safari, we went to see him to his office, but that casually he didn't have much time to talk to us... He had to leave quickly.
I would not recommend at all this Richard Kilonzo and his company for a Safari in Tanzania. This man is absolutely untrustworthy. He felt so cheated by this man. He sold us a safari that we haven't really done. I strongly recommend every person not to waste their time and money and to look for another better and more reliable choice.
Spain
In 2014, with my wife we had the pleasure, together with the office World Tours And Safaris, for 4 days to visit Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro.
On the fifth day we went to see Kilimanjaro.
In the office they are working very friendly and competent people, including the owner Richard. Office complied with all obligations and program.
We highly recommend this office.
Greetings, Thaddeus.
Poland
We did a safari tour of 6 days in Tanzania. We got a very good impression and a good price from Mr. Kilonzo. He promised a lot, including a good car and doing his best to see the big migration. Getting there we got a car in a very poor condition, ignition and brake problems. Mr. Kilonzo promised us to see the great migration but getting to the Serengeti we understood that the plan was made in a way that we are too far away. He made us lose our precious time instead of seeing what we wanted. Talking to Mr. Kilonzo by phone asking for his help he shouted at me, didn't give any help and gave a very bad feeling.
The driver Horase was very good and the cook too.
Be very careful with Mr. Kilonzo and don't trust this company.
Israel
We (two friends) used World Tours and Safaris in November for a 6-day safari (Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro). Having consulted different websites and reviews, we decided to contact WTS. Richard came quickly back and gave the most economical package according to our demands, exactly as we wanted.
He always responded quickly to our messages and provided clear explanations.
Richard is a trustful man who keeps his word: we were supposed to share the safari with two travellers. They did not arrive on time but this fact has not changed our safari program or the price previously agreed.
Our guide Aaron was gentle driver, he had good knowledge of animals and landscape and found always the best places to spot the animals. The food was abundant and delicious thanks to our cook Gady.
We had a fantastic safari and we keep excellent memories thanks to the good organisation and the commitment of the team.
THANK YOU!
Belgium
Thanks to the team at world tours we had an amazing 6-day safari. Our driver Stanley and our chef Sokofo were very good and friendly. They did their best for us and we saw the big five. The food was very good. It was incredible and we really loved our safari. All is provided from the agency (tents, pillow, mattress, food, water.....). During the safari we felt very safe. I highly recommend World Tours and Safari Tanzania for your safari.
United States
My husband and I went on a tour with World Tours And Safaris Tanzania in August 2009. We started in Tarangire, headed to Ngorongoro, Serengeti, Lake Manyara and ended in Arusha. We had a BLAST.
Richard, the tour operator, is wonderful, and by going with his company, we felt like we were supporting the local economy more than operators in the US who then contract with local companies. In fact, going "local" probably knocked a couple thousand dollars off the price of our trip. It was much more affordable and we didn't have an unlimited budget.
We did the step 2 type accommodations -- so we stayed in the wildlife lodges and not the Serenas. They were perfect for us -- not luxury but more than sufficient, and the views were beautiful.
I would go with Richard's tour company again -- in fact, we may be revisiting and we will book with him again. The only negative of the whole trip was that occasionally our jeep had some issues restarting, but our driver was able to get it going. It just meant a couple of pauses in some areas but still -- it didn't detract from the trip.
Oh and as far as wildlife viewing, we saw what the folks who book through more luxury type operators saw. Plenty of Abercrombie tour buses passing us by. We also saw a kill, and got so "tired" of seeing lions and cheetahs that we got to a point where we weren't stopping for them anymore. You know you are having a great trip when you've gotten to a point where you're only interested in the really rare stuff.
Anyways, long story short, our trip was wonderful and we'll certainly never forget it. I wholeheartedly endorse Richard's company, and if you are looking to "go local," you won't go wrong here. Good luck and happy safari planning!
United States
We did the 6 day Kilimanjaro hike (Machame route) and the 5 day safari tour (Lake Manyara ,Serengeti, Ngorongoro crater).
Price was under $2500 per person for all the basics and no hidden changes for parks. It covered everything except of course tips. We did spent around $450 for tips average for safari, Kilimanjaro, taxis and hotel. Price is good since you get both Kilimanjaro and Safari. And you get not much more for paying a lot more $$$ from the big commercial agencies.
All in all you get same lunch food from all tour companies, same service(now it depends how professional and nice is the crew. Ours were very nice people) but pricing varies a lot between companies. So choosing reasonable pricing with good tour package works best in all cases. Indeed the matter of professionalism and maintenance and availability of gear is the most important aspect when choosing between similar price offers. So after careful research World Tours and Safaris was our choice. Would we recommend them? Yes.
When doing our research it was also very important for us the people that will be our crew are treated and paid fair by their employer.
About Kilimanjaro trip (9/10):
I did succeed climbing Kilimanjaro all the way to Uhuru peak thanks to my crew and my preparedness. Please make sure you bring your prescripted diamox and ibuprofen pills from your home country. It is very important to have them with you no matter what anybody says, no matter you think or read in Internet that you need them or not, because in the end you may need them with high probability. That was our case too.
Food at the Kilimanjaro hike was very good. It is not fine dining but it is more than delicious for the conditions. My favorite was the cucumber soup we had one evening.
Kilimanjaro guides did excellent job. Their number one priority was to get us to the summit and that says enough how much they are reliable.
All the crew was friendly and willing to help if needed. I can absolutely confirm these guys work so hard you have no idea. And I've asked about their ages. They are around 24-35 years old. We were 3 people with 14 people crew. I sincerely thank the porters, cook and guides for all hard work and making our difficult mission in Tanzania fun, easy and possible.
How worth is to pay for mobile toilet? We didn't pay for that and we did not need one. What was available as public restrooms was pretty decent compared to what we've expected. I saw several mobile toilets and by what I saw will tell some of them were more "abused" than the public ones. But if you are a pretentious princess or old lady that has hard time squatting, go for it!
About the safari (10/10), Jeep condition(10/10):
The guide and cook we had in this trip did fantastic job. Jeep was in pristine maintained condition. Sometimes the path was so rough we were surprised the jeep was doing so well and never broke and moving fast when we had to go from point A to point B.
Guide did everything possible for us to see the big five (and we did see all the big five animals). My highlight was interesting fight between a young male lion just killed a buffalo and pack of hyenas. Guide has radio (a must for all good safari guides) station which is important for him to get us to the interesting events happening during the game rides. They call them game rides because it is hit or miss regarding what you will see during these rides. I've asked our guide how much experience he has in business. He said 15 years as I can remember.
Cook really poured from his heart into making good dinner, lunch and breakfast. We had some Swahili traditional dishes and food was delicious!
The last day at the Ngorongoro crater camp there was raining cats and dogs and these guys were all wet outside putting all the luggage back in the jeep. We got dry in the jeep as our luggage was dry too. Kudos to these guys!
From our crews I did not hear any whining about tips and insisting when to give them. Of course we had short talk the last days because that is something that has to be arranged properly and we wanted to be arranged properly. These guys are professionals and they did not try to make us feel like ATMs. As expected we also wanted to be good clients and we were prepared to tip them accordingly too before our trip to Tanzania!
Thank you Richard for putting this trip together and providing us with excellent crew.
An advice about hotel accommodation between the tours. The default hotel we were provided had the basics and overall met out needs, but also was cheapest and we did not have to pay extra for something better. But in case please inform yourself, inquire and do research what hotel will meet your needs.
United States
In just three days we saw the Crater plus a couple of parks, lions hunting, wildebeest migrating in hordes, stately giraffes interspersed with zebra, and splendid hippopotami. The light was spectacular, the birdlife multifarious. The driver was also a superb guide, able to work out when the lions would hunt, and where the elusive leopard and cheetah lurked. Food was excellent throughout, and accommodation comfortable and even comparatively luxurious in one sheltered camp. All in all a fantastic experience.
Rajiva Wijesinha
Sri Lanka
I went to see the great Migration, visit the mighty Ngorongoro Crater & Serengeti again, Climb Kilimanjaro, walk the Ngorongoro Highlands, climb the Masai Mountain of God " Eldoinyo lengai. Tanzania has these and much more.
It's a few months now since my trip of a lifetime with World Tours & Safaris and now the whole experience has time to sink in. What are my first thoughts? Wow! When can we come again?
I have travelled 9 countries in Africa and close to 70 worldwide & there are only a handful of places I would return to. Tanzania and the Galapagos islands top the list. Why did I return to Tanzania of all African countries and use World Tours & Safaris?
1. Achieving your goals. I believe Tanzania has the greatest number of the top attractions and best natural animal photographing opportunities in Africa. The best chance of seeing the greatest biodiversity of mammals in any one spot in the world! Just Ngorongoro Crater for all the big 5 is just amazing not to mention its landscapes. There's a huge selection of other parks & attractions including favourites like Serengeti Tarangerie. The worlds highest freestanding mountain Kilimanjaro (on my bucket list). As a serious photographer, I needed to know I was in the best place for the best opportunities in the least amount of time.
2. Safety and reliability. Taking all things into account Tanzania is a place I would feel happy taking my family to when supervised by a great reliable team like Richard's. Richard is a wealth of knowledge and an expert on where to go what to do, when and how to do it safely.
3. Money and Value. I found Richard had an excellent range of options from budget and camping through to the top end magnificent lodges and luxury camps. I will never forget the the views lodges overlooking Lake Manyara the Ngorongoro Crater and throughout the Serengeti and many other parks. Knowing your money is going where you send it is utmost importance. Its a catch 22, big overseas agencies out of Africa may offer security but at a huge extra price for the same product and the unknown lower end of the market agencies could be fly by nighters. I found Richard great to deal with and competitive in all aspects of my tours and he was always contactable.
4. Food was always good and plentiful. I never once had any problems and had some great culinary experiences.
There is so much more I could say but now what remains beside those vivid memories of the landscapes & animals is the "team the family." I felt a part of there with Richards Crew. I would like to thank them all for making my dream a reality. Yes I am giving him a big plus because he was able to make it happen, safely efficiently and economically and I know he will look after me again should I decide to return to Tanzania, which is highly likely.
Australia
Cleanliness of vehicle
Meet and greet team
Quality of itinerary
Responsiveness of staff
