Flash Safaris and Photography

by Bas and Marianne Smouter
(The Netherlands)

Elephants drinking at the swimming pool at Tandala tented camp

Elephants drinking at the swimming pool at Tandala tented camp

The lodges were like a fairytale, meeting people was very warm and special. Everything was wonderful and organized very well. This was the holiday of our lives!!

Safari Company Performance

We heard about Flash Safaris and Photography from other clients. They were very satisfied.

Magda Vrijs, representing Flash Safaris, is a very warm person. She is very interested in the kind of person you are and she discussed all the things you like to do or to visit. The result is a very personal safari.

The guide we had, was a wonderful man. He knew everything about the environment, the animals and culture. During the safari he was part of our family and that was a very good time.

Accommodation and Food

We stayed in the guesthouse of Magda Vrijs, camping Ngorongoro, Lake Eyasi Bush Camp, Tarangire Rivercamp, a hotel in Dodoma, Tandala Tented Camp, Vuma Hills Tented Lodge, Sleepinn Hotel Dar Es Salam and White Sands Beach Hotel at Zanzibar.

Typical meals were -

Breakfast: fruit, eggs, bread etc.
Lunch: fruit, chicken, pancakes, pizza, salad, etc.
Dinner: soup, chicken or other meat or fish with vegetable and rice or potatoes, fruit

Each meal was very good.

Wildlife

We saw all kind of birds, crocodiles, elephants, lions, all kind of monkeys, zebras, wildebeests, buffalos, ostriches, antelopes, rhino, hippos, cheetahs, all kinds of gazelles, snake, giraffes, etc. etc.

In Zanzibar we saw dolphins and all other kind of fishes.

The only animal we didn't see was a leopard.

To choose a highlight... everything was a HIGHLIGHT!

BaboonLion

Life on Safari

A typical day would be like this:

  • Wake up
    • Hunting with Bushmen
  • breakfast

  • game-safari as long as we wished, the guide stopped as long as we wanted and we searched with him for the most beautiful spots and animals

  • lunch during the day on a picnic-place

  • going back to the lodge or tent

  • freshen up

  • dinner

  • coffee or something else to drink and

  • then to bed again.


Some other activities we did during the safari was hunting with bushmen, visiting rock paintings near Kondoa, hiking and tracking in the rainforest. At Zanzibar: visiting Stonetown, snorkelling, spice tour, beach (swimming and reading a book).

Tips and Advice

Bring warm clothes (Africa is not always sunny).

The most useful items in our luggage were good shoes, a good travel guide, photo camera and binoculars.

Tarangire River Camp tentTarangire River Camp interior

Manyara NPMikumy NP




Bas & Marianne's Safari Details:

Rating: 9.5/10

Safari company used: Flash Safaris and Photography (make an enquiry)

Parks visited: Tanzania - Arusha NP, Manyara NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Eyasi, Tarangire NP, Kondoa, Ruaha NP, Mikumi NP, Udzwunga NP, and Zanzibar Island

Date of safari: 21 July - 11 August (3 weeks)

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    • Comments for Flash Safaris and Photography

    Click here to add your own comments

    Sep 05, 2011
    		 Great animals and great food
    by: Christl and Julia Menold, Germany/Sudan

    We had a great private safari with Flash (6 days/5 nights September 2010 to Tarangire, Manyara, Serengeti & Ngorongoro) - the guide was fantastic, impressive in spotting animals, very knowledgable about animals, national park and geography, very friendly funny and patient with us (Stop, we want to take another picture of the zebras!), camping was a bit rustic (sanitation), van was not that comfortable (jeep would have been better).

    The cook was excellent, a real chef and wonderful person - food was delicious and always plentiful; he prepared non-vegetarian and vegetarian food; we must have gained a few pounds. Traditional food in Zanzibar was delicious.

    We probably wouldn't go camping again (sleeping on the floor, dirty sanitary facilities), but opt for lodges/tented camps. If you do go camping - remember to bring a torch.

    The days were great - animals, animals, animals and lots of delicious food before, during and after the drive. We saw lion, leopard, elephant, wildebeest, buffalo, zebra, giraffe, hippo, black rhino (but very far away), ground hog, all sorts of antelopes and gazelles, different type of monkeys, all sorts of birds, etc.

    9 out of 10.
    Sep 20, 2010
    		 Perfect trip
    by: C Pellis, The Netherlands

    I heard about Flash Safaris from a colleague and went on a trip to Arusha-Manyara-Serengeti-Ngorongoro-Lake Eyasi-Tarangire (13 days) plus 5 days in Zanzibar. This was from 25 July 2010. The whole trip was perfectly arranged.

    We enjoyed the whole trip and had a very good guide and driver and the food was European. We stayed in tented lodges: Migunga-Ikoma-Rothia-Tindiga-Tarangire rivercamp ? they were perfect.

    We saw many wild animals except the rhino. The highlight was an elephant-bull near the car and the crying of the lions in the night; going to hunt with the bushmen.

    I would advise that people bring a sweater for the cold evenings.
    Apr 17, 2009
    		 Serengeti & Ngorongoro with Flash Safaris
    by: Nana Moeljadi, Tanzania

    The Operations Director of Flash Safaris & Photography is a friend, so I picked them for my safari to Serengeti and Ngorongoro for four days from 9-12 December 2008.

    They were very good. We had an excellent driver cum guide. We loved the tea/coffee services provided at lunch breaks.

    We stayed at Serena Serengeti where we enjoyed the nice view from the room and the food was excellent (we had buffet breakfast and dinner); and Serena Ngorongoro where we had a nice and spacious room. We were a bit disappointed with the lunch boxes provided by Serena both in Serengeti and Ngorongoro.

    On the game drives we saw lions, leopard, gnu, zebra, impala etc. The spotting highlight was a leopard as I have never got the chance to see this animal in my previous safari trips.

    My advice to other would be - to save time it would be good to travel by air to Serengeti from Arusha airport, as upon arrival at the airstrip, the driver/guide could take the client immediately on safari. Although the cost is higher, but it would save the 6 hours or more drive to Serengeti which would be very tiring for the passengers.

    Our camera was my most useful item to take along.

    Rating: 9/10
    Apr 17, 2009
    		 Safari and Mt Kilimanjaro
    by: Bas Klop, Netherlands

    My safari with Flash Safaris and Photography Ltd was on 22 January 2009 for 13 days. I received excellent performance and personal service by all staff involved. The food was basic but of good quality and well prepared.

    I went to Arusha NP, Kilimanjaro Trekking, Tarangire NP, Lake Manyara NP, Ngorongoro Crater - and stayed at Flash Safaris House, Migunga Tented Camp, Bougainvillea Hotel/Lodge and camped on Mt Kilimanjaro.

    The highlights for me were the local colour and people, a walking safari in Arusha NP and climbing Mt Kilimanjaro. I saw all kind of wildlife except leopard.

    On my trip, my camera, walking poles and hat were most useful.

    Rating: 8/10 - just contact Flash Safari with your desires and wishes and they will take care of you.

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