We just finished our 10 day safari in July. Four of us (2 couples) with our guide Beatus, we traveled a long and fantastic route of 1600 km, including in order Tarangire, Lake Natron, Serengeti north, center and south, Ngorongoro then Manyara. The Mara River in the north of the Serengeti during the period of migration of animals by the hundreds of thousands towards wetter territories in southern Kenya (and not only the center and south of the Serengeti, where sometimes companies limit themselves without necessarily specifying it to us in their packs) is a powerful spectacle where you feel very small. So many species, in such large numbers... Our advice is to trust your guide and let nature come to us and capture our senses. Without trying to see everything, without setting goals, you end up seeing everything anyway, provided that the guide is passionate, truly experienced and involved.
For us, the company "Passionate Guides" which we went through directly after asking friends who were knowledgeable about safaris in East Africa, made this possible. Its manager Beatus, beyond his job as a safari guide, also has a deep knowledge of nature in general and animals in particular, acquired from father to son (the father now retired who was a veterinarian and health control of the herds belonging to to the Masai).
How did we do it? We first expressed our wishes for these ten days, then we trusted the itinerary proposed in return after a few explanatory discussions, a proposal which turned out to be perfectly adapted to the movements of the animals depending on the season and the places visited (which no one can guess alone a priori unless they live there).
Please note that the most interesting places (in diversity and number of animals, but also in diversity of vegetation) are not necessarily the most popular (the northern Serengeti is the most beautiful, for example in this time of year, but it's difficult to get there from Arusha in just a few days, unless you're only doing the northern Serengeti). Our guide often went off the beaten track where few vehicles go (which is also appreciable for the serenity of the place). Along the way, we also met real Masai where we least expected them, often in arid territories along remote tracks.
A thorough knowledge of this infinite nature and a good pair of binoculars are ultimately the best allies of experienced guides, allowing us to see sites that others will not always have the chance to see (radio between guides is not enough to piori and can unfortunately lead travelers to places full of 4X4s because sometimes quicker access for guides..). Our guide also watched for remains on the ground, bones, flights of birds, tall grass, movements of hyenas, and finally saw a feline showing its nose in the perimeter (and so he did not attract all the guides at once). radio in return, under penalty of "erasing" the scene). By chatting in the evening with other travelers, we sometimes discreetly measured how lucky we had been during the day to see the unique scenes that were offered to us by taking the time and being well accompanied.
For our part, we have chosen not to go through an intermediary tour operator in France or elsewhere but to buy our safari directly from those who “stage” them in Arusha in order to better control the quality of the service offered (our experience: an intermediary company will sometimes reserve an “available” guide that it subcontracts at the last minute and that it does not necessarily know, which can lead to disappointment from what we may also have heard on site). In the case of the company “Passionate Guides”, the advice given before booking was relevant and motivated by the desire to help us discover the best according to the time available. This is the philosophy displayed by the company and it suited us well. A company on site also knows better than an intermediary the local weather conditions, the access possibilities and the movements of the animals week after week throughout the year. Their advice, if it aims to give us the best possible experience, seemed valuable and decisive to us. The quality-price ratio is also unbeatable (safari without plane: 40% cheaper than a reservation outside Tanzania in our case, for identical duration, accommodation and crossing points – the assurance of a good guide chosen and reserved for the 'advance in addition).
It was easy to pay a deposit upon booking. No surprises in terms of organization or accommodation (mid-range for us because closer to nature and more real in terms of the sector), nor security for us during the stay, all good... (obviously , we don't get out of the vehicles as we want during the day, but we quickly understand why and we appreciate feeling safe with an attentive, serious guide who takes the opportunity to explain). No surprises on accommodation reservations either (ask for advice on the level of comfort according to your tastes and budget, the company will book for you and confirm availability). The lunch offered at midday is much better and more convivial than the lunch boxes usually distributed from the lodges in the morning.
Our guide was able to adapt perfectly to our group, adapting to our gradual immersion during the stay, leaving time for photos when necessary, allowing observation, silence... He takes his time and adapts to the group with great sensitivity and intelligence. It is also inexhaustible when it comes to knowledge about biodiversity.
In short, it was a perfect and unforgettable experience thanks in particular to Beatus and his company which well deserves the company motto "Passionate guides".
