Tanzania Holidays Safari Interview

I do tell people now that go on Tanzania holidays, when I recommend to them, make sure you take a couple of days extra and really enjoy it. A lot of people think when you do a safari three days is enough but it's not. When you come back and you think, I should have stayed two or three days longer, you regret it.

Table of Contents
Safari Operator Accommodation Wildlife and Food	Typical day Disappointments Tips, advice and rating

Where did you stay during your Tanzania holidays and what was it like?

The lodges that they provided, we went to the Sopa lodges and for Lake Manyara we went to Kirurumu Tented Lodge.

At the Serengeti and Ngorongoro was a 4-star lodge, and all the meals were provided. Very nice, the rooms were very good, they had a show on as well for us at the hotels. They were all very friendly.

So we were very, very pleased, it was a shame that we actually should have done it longer, extend a couple of days longer.

How did the safari operator perform?

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They were very, very good, because I did everything through the internet. It was the first time that I've done it through the internet and I was really quite afraid, because you don't know what you're getting, when you get there at the end.

But they were very good. Everything that they promised and what they said on their e-mails and everything, it was excellent. And the driver that they provided, he was excellent.

We were very, very happy with Roy Safaris. I was so happy with them that I've actually referred two other people who've gone with them as well.

We were there for four nights, five days so it was a bit of a rush and I think another two days would have been just perfect, would have been more relaxed.

What wildlife did you see and how was the food on your Tanzania holidays trip?

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We saw all the big 5. As I said our driver was absolutely, he made sure that we didn't go out disappointed. He was such a terrific driver that he said, you're not leaving here till you see the big 5 and we did, it was just wonderful.

What did a typical breakfast and dinner consist of?

It was a full English breakfast with yoghurt, fruit, eggs, bacon, pastries, cheese, breakfast cereal. For lunch, because we were on the road, we would mainly have like cold chicken, eggs and fruit. For dinner it was a 3-course meal, which was of course what they provided at the time. Their meals were very, very nice. Then you had a choice, like the entree and the main meal.

Please describe a typical day from start to finish.

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First of all we had to get up very early, which was a pain for the people we were with because my sister hates getting up early.

I was up at the crack of dawn knowing where we were going to go. The roads were a little bit rough but we managed it, we'd stop and have a look at the animals, and we'd talk, it was great.

Then we'd stop for lunch and the drivers would give us sort of lessons on the animals, you know a bit of a nature talk, which was great. Then we'd continue on till we get to the hotel at about 6 o'clock and then we'd get ready for dinner. Then we'd start all over again and it was just wonderful, the staff were very friendly.

We loved the relaxation in the evening, I must admit, after the bumps. I think it's also the company you're with as well. It does make a difference. We went with my sister, the 2 of us, in 1996 I think it was, and the group that we were with wasn't very nice so we didn't have a really good time.

But this Tanzania holidays trip that we did was wonderful because we picked the people we wanted, so it was great.

Was there anything that didn't meet your expectations on the trip; any disappointments or regrets?

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No, the only disappointment was that I should have stayed longer. There were no disappointments at all, everything just went smoothly.

We took the shuttle bus from Kenya to Arusha, and we even enjoyed that. They came and picked us up, they took us to our hotels, they picked us up in the morning, we weren't left alone anywhere. We didn't wander off at night, we didn't want to do that. You know, it was just, no, that's my highlight, I loved it. That's why I keep trying to go back every two years for Tanzania holidays.

That shuttle bus, can you book that before hand?

Yes, Roy Safaris did that all for us. They just wanted to know where we stayed in Kenya, and we gave them our hotel address and it was only US$20 per person, and they came and picked us up from the hotel and took us right down to the Arusha hotel. It was wonderful.

We had no problems in trying to find our way in trying to find our way to catch the shuttle bus or anything like that. That was very well organised by Roy Safaris, they did an excellent job.

Any tips and advice for others interested in a Tanzania holidays safari and how do you rate your trip?

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Just make sure you know exactly what you want before you actually go there.

If you do it through the internet, and dealing through an agent, make sure you tell them what you want. Because they don't know what you want.

A lot of people just say, oh do a safari, but there's lots of things, how long you want to spend, things like that, and hotels and lodges where you want to stay. I think you should always check if they recommend a lodge on the internet what it's like, so you know what to expect.

Because they give you a name and you don't know if you're living so far away, they say such and such a lodge but once you go on the internet you see, oh this is terrible. You have to do your own Tanzania holidays research if you do anything through the internet. But if you're dealing with an agent in your own country you can go and see them and you can always go back and complain afterwards.

But once you leave, through the internet, I think it's a little bit hard once you've given them the money, you know you really have to do your research.

What would you say is the most useful item for Tanzania holidays?

On a Tanzania holidays safari especially you need binoculars, definitely, that's the first thing. Your camera. You need a hat and sunscreen, for sure.

I wasn't into swimming in the pools and things like that so it didn't worry me because you get up so early and get back quite late, unless you go camping, maybe it's a different thing. But for lodges I found binoculars, sunglasses and camera, those are the main things that you really need.

It sounds like you had one of those really great Tanzania holidays. How would you rate your safari overall, if you had to do it on a scale from 1 to 10?

Oh, 10. It was definitely 10 with Roy Safaris. I think it's also about how you feel. If you go with an open mind and say you're going to have a good time, you tend to do that.

But if you have reservations and say, ah look there's no water here… we don't have this back home. If you start comparing it with what you have in Australia, well I'd advise you not to go. You have to go with the flow and then you'll have a good time.

Safari Location:	Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara Tanzania
Safari Company Used:	Roy Safaris
Duration:	Four nights, May 2003
Traveller Details:	Yionna Pavlides
Rates & Availability:	Plan your own safari. Make a Tanzania holidays enquiry