Perfect Kilimanjaro trek and safari - Wakanda After much research we chose Wakanda for our once in a lifetime Honeymoon trip to Tanzania and could not have been more happy with our choice. Before our adventure started I communicated with Aishwarya and together we planned our itinerary, she was very responsive to all of my requests and nothing was too much trouble. There are many tour operators offering safaris and Kilimanjaro treks and I narrowed my selection down to 3 companies but the main thing that swayed my decision was the fact that when I decided to add on internal flights at the start of the safari Aishwarya did not take advantage and charge me a ridiculous sum for which I knew were cheap flights. The other 2 companies wanted to charge me nearly £300 each for the same flights Wakanda offered me for £100, this is when I knew I could trust this company. KILIMANJARO TREK We did a private 8 day Lemosho Kilimanjaro trek with Daniel and Goddy as our guides along with a chef and 10 porters to assist us all the way to the top of Kilimanjaro. Daniel our head guide was very professional and as he was preparing to climb to the top of Everest his first aid and extreme altitude training was impeccable. This was demonstrated when we reached base camp and as we were signing in 4 or 5 porters approached the office carrying a limp and lifeless young girl who had collapsed after summiting earlier. They were disorganised and clearly panicking as they struggled to deal with this emergency, Daniel offered assistance but they become defensive and took offence at his offer. This exchange was in Swahili so we could not understand, we asked Daniel to explain what was going on as this was very stressful for us as we started to realise the stark dangers of climbing to extreme altitudes. Daniel explained that they were doing everything wrong, they should not have lifted a person suffering from altitude sickness as this would put more pressure on her lungs, the first thing they should have done was to assess the situation by taking an oxygen reading of her blood (a test carried out on us every day , along with a health questionnaire by Daniel and Goddy to track our acclimatisation) that takes 30 seconds, then take appropriate action such as giving oxygen etc. When choosing a company to take you to these extreme altitudes please make sure that if the worst should happen and you need first responders assistance that the guides are FULLY trained to handle this professionally like Daniel and Goddy at Wakanda . The service we received from all of our team (and it was definitely a whole team effort that got us to the top) was brilliant, we were very well looked after and they made our honeymoon memorable in so many ways. People said it was a crazy thing to do for a honeymoon walking and sleeping in a 2 man tent on the side of a mountain with a portable toilet and a bowl of hot water to wash in every day but the team made it very special and romantic with some amazing intimate dining locations just for us. We will remember this forever. The team helped us achieve our goal in so many ways, from the porters walking back from the next camp to meet us and carry our backpacks that last mile to singing to us on our arrival at the next camp after a particular hard trek and then cleaning our boots whilst we soaked our tired feet in the bowls of warm water they had waiting for us at each camp. The most amazing thing they done for us was on summit night when 3 porters walked with us to the top carrying our backpacks and letting us drink from our hydration bladders without having to take off our cumbersome mittens. They even wiped my nose before hand feeding us snacks and sweets whilst Daniel and Goddy kept us going at the perfect pace for each stage of the assent. I labelled them “The Engine’ as we honestly could not have achieved our goal without them powering us to the top. SAFARI We decided to fly from Arusha to Northern Serengeti to avoid the long drive to the starting destination (I highly recommend this). We were met at the airstrip by Aishwarya our personal photographer and Edward our guide and driver. The Land Rover they supplied for our safari was perfect, clean comfortable, spacious and with the opening roof it had excellent viewing possibilities. Edward was very proud of his Land Rover and kept it clean and tidy at every opportunity. We drove a short distance from the airstrip and Edward quickly gave us our first animal sighting, a small group of elephants. We kept seeing Zebra and deer and wanted to stop to take pictures but on Edward’s advice we carried straight to the river where after a short wait we were privileged to see our first wilder beast river crossing. We quickly learnt to take the expert advice of Edward as he had expert knowledge of the best way to see the animals. We were awestruck with the wilder beasts crossing the river and it was so nice to be able to just watch and take in the whole amazing spectacle without having to worry about taking poor iPhone pictures knowing Aishwarya was capturing everything on her huge telephoto camera. Within the space of 2 hours we had ticked off 2 of the big 5 (elephant and buffalo) and seen a big migration crossing, a brilliant start to our 6 day safari. As the evening approached we headed to our first migration camp, Camp Zebra. It was referred to as a tented accommodation but we have never seen tents like this before, it was more like a spacious cabin with a king size bed and a full en-suite toilet and shower, this definitely felt like luxury accommodation. Aishwarya’s accommodation recommendations for this night and every other night were brilliant and could not be faulted. The food served in the mess tent was excellent as was the packed lunch supplied by each camp for the next day. I say packed lunch but in reality it was far better than that, Edward had a fully equipped large picnic hamper with insulated stainless steel bowls which were filled each day with hot delicious food which were served to us with a lovely glass of wine in the most amazing scenic locations. We travelled long distances each day with Edward guiding us to perfect animal encounters and sharing his knowledge of the area and animal behaviour along the way, there was always something new and exciting to look at each day. Whenever we saw animals Edward would position us perfectly to observe them and Aishwarya would take the most amazing close up photos for us. I was surprised how close we actually got to the animals. I thought we would be observing animals from a distance with binoculars but I was totally wrong, we got very close with the animals, often walking (or running in the case of the cheetahs we saw hunting) in front of the vehicle. Edward and Aishwarya were a great team who were a pleasure to be with on our long and exciting adventure and they felt like friends by the end of the safari, they enabled us to see all of the big 5 and much much more, they definitely exceeded our expectations of what a safari should be and we highly recommend asking for them if you book with Wakanda. Aishwarya was passionate about her photography and took many pictures of the animals and also of us, this was definitely a huge bonus as we did not return with loads of poorly taken selfies but with expertly edited professional photos which we will treasure forever. Edward, Aishwarya, Daniel, Goddy and all of the porters made our honeymoon perfect and we cannot thank you all enough. If you are looking for bespoke reasonably priced adventure of a lifetime then we definitely highly recommend Wakanda Safari and Tours. P.S on our return Aishwarya sent us all of the beautiful professional photos she had taken with no charge. They were amazing!

Serengeti Wakanda & Edward provided the best Safari experience! - I can’t recommend Serengeti Wakanda and our tour guide Edward enough! There are so many safari companies out there, and we were recommended them by a friend who gave high praise. From airport pickup to lodgings, everything was seamless. They booked our flight to the northern Serengeti to view the wildabeest migration. Edward, our guide, was an absolute legend. He was so great at spotting the Big 5, getting us three crossings, even an elephant crossing, multiple leopards, multiple lions and cubs, two cheetahs, and even two black rhino sightings! This is of course with countless up close elephants, giraffes, zebras, and buffalo. We had six days with him in the Northern Serengeti, Central Serengeti, Ngorongori crater, and the Tarangire national park. I’m positive we would not seen as much without good expertise. His company and knowledge were fantastic. If you’re looking for a one in a lifetime safari experience, one that’ll be memorable, with a group and guide you can trust to handle everything, then this is the one. If you’re lucky enough to be paired with Edward, he loves Texas and cowboys if your coming from the states and want to bring a little gift.

Unforgettable Experience - Incredible experience on the safari with Serengeti Wakanda Tours. We saw so many animals, stayed in amazing accommodations, ate incredible food, and had an overall top notch experience. Our guide Edward made the experience especially special. He was very knowledgeable of the animals and was a great companion to enjoy our trip together with. If I come back to the Serengeti, I will definitely request Edward again!

Trust me, go with Serengeti Wakanda. Ask for Edward as a guide - Trust us, Serengeti Wakanda is the perfect option. The choice of company is crucial to the success of the safari. For a perfect safari there are so many variables to take into account and the organisation plays a crucial role. When choosing, I based my decision on two aspects: reviews and the level of customisation of the experience. Serengeti Wakanda has top reviews and listened to our needs and customised the itinerary and overnight stays based on our requests. Everything was organised to perfection. Our guide Edward was very knowledgeable, incredible at guiding, always available even after many hours of driving and terrific at finding animals (we even saw a river crossing and a rhino!) We were able to see all the big 5 and the Masai Mara crossing from a privileged position. To see the animals at their best, it is essential that the driver has an excellent eye and driving skills, otherwise you end up seeing animals behind dozens of other cars. In this Edward was incredible. Another aspect is safety. We saw so many cars with problems on the road. As much as the unexpected can happen sometimes, Edward was extremely careful in prevention, to minimise the chances of breakdowns or punctures. In addition, he always gave us extreme driving confidence, which is not taken for granted given the rough roads. Chef Youseph prepared delicious meals for us throughout the trip. Delicious and varied cuisine. As good Italians we were ready at the start to criticise every dish, but we were left speechless. We return home with two or three recipes to try for sure! Finally, I would like to applaud Serengeti Wakanda for also thinking about the 'extras'. For example, they organised a free transfer from the airport to our hotel in Zanzibar. Not due but appreciated. Even at the end of the Safari, they were a point of reference for any of our doubts or needs, demonstrating a unique attention to their clients. It is rare for me to give reviews, but this time it was due. Serengeti Wakanda and Edward are the best!!!

It was an incredible experience. - We went on a 6 day safari with excellent guides, Andrew and Anderson. I can't believe how lucky we were. We had luxurious stays in lodges with buffet dinners and excellent service. We were a group of 9 and it was fun to caravan in two cars. We felt so taken care of, down to every detail. I loved the food. No shortage of vegan and vegetarian options. We are recommending Wakanda to everyone we know!

First time in Africa and on Safari! Best experience! - We had the most amazing experience with Serengeti Wakanda and Filex! We had never been on safari before and weren’t sure where to start. Beatrice at Wakanda was extremely responsive and helpful in guiding us how to set up the best safari. They were able to completely customize the tour to make sure we had the best experience that was within our budget and we could see everything. Beatrice was very patient with us as we decided on the itinerary and kindly sent over many revisions. Only now that we have finished the safari can we truly understand and appreciate how much time went into planning the details every day including our meals. As for the tour itself, we were so thankful to have Filex as our amazing guide! He can really do it all and we always knew we were safe and getting the best experience with him. He is very knowledgeable about pretty much everything — we learned a lot about the animals, Masai culture, Tanzania as a whole, different foods etc. He was able to answer all of our questions and it was evident he enjoyed teaching and serving. We knew we were in the best hands — not only to get the best safari experience but also where our safety was a priority. For example, during the Great Migration, there were dozens of other tour vehicles there to witness the Mara river crossing; he was always able to get us to the best spot but explained why he was doing certain things to avoid a crazy accident. He knows the area so well and was able to get us to see 4 crossings!! In addition, there were many vehicle breakdowns that we witnessed during the trip (not all preventable, I’m sure); however, Filex was able to explain why certain breakdowns happened and what he does to avoid them. He also helped two vehicles get back on the road given his extensive knowledge in automotives. Along with other impressive characteristics, we were also blown away with his ability to recognize and spot an animal from very far away while driving in difficult terrain. We were able to see the Big 5 and get the best pictures and experience! The food that is organized through the company is also very impressive! We never went hungry and we really enjoyed the hot lunches provided. There was a good variety and everything was always fresh. The vehicle itself is sturdy and had everything we needed. Power outlet, wifi, and fridge with water, soft beverages, beer and wine. They were refilled daily so you never have to worry about going thirsty either. Serengeti Wakanda is extremely reliable and easy to communicate with. We would go through them again and ask for Filex! :)

Amazing experience!!! - We loved everything about our experience with Serengeti Wakanda. The communication, planning and booking with the owner Bartho was excellent. He answered all of my questions and walked us through each step. Our tour guide, Andrew, was over the top amazing! He seemed to have a sixth sense on where to find animals and made sure we had the opportunity to start our days early, as our best sightings often happened first thing in the morning. Andrew shared his knowledge about Tanzanian life and culture in addition to the Maasai and other tribes in the area. Andrew was organized, smart, kind and great with our kids, ages 13 and 11. We couldn’t have asked for a better guide and highly recommend him. Our cook Dula was fantastic. Honestly felt like we were eating restaurant quality food 3 times a day. He was so much fun to be with and was always warm and kind. Our last day in Arusha, the guide Ben showed us around the city, took us to unique places to buy gifts and souvenirs. We learned so much from him in just a few hours about life in Tanzania. We felt the value of what we paid was excellent. Each guide we met spoke very highly of the owner Bartho and how the company is run, including taking good care of his employees. Highly recommend you book your safari with Wakanda.

Big 5 and river crossing - We were hosted by Felix, our driver and Idris our chef. We booked a 6 Day Migration river crossing Camping Safari. It was spectacular. There is a lot of driving, but the rewards are great. We were lucky enough to see the big 5 between Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater and 2 wildebeest river crossings at the Mara river. Felix is an excellent driver and guide and very knowledgeable and Idis was a brilliant chef even baking us a chocolate cake in the middle of the bush. Well worth it

Amazing diversity of wildlife and great customer service - We had a fantastic trip in Tanzania with Serengeti Wakanda Tours. They really care about customer service. Our guides, Anderson and Andrew, were knowledgeable about the animals, great drivers, and also adept at managing our many requests. We saw far more animals than we expected, enjoyed gorgeous accommodations (on the mid-range priced safari), and learned so much. We appreciated the hot lunches and real dishes they packed each day when all of the other tours just got box lunches. All meals were suitable for both vegans and meat eaters. Andrew and Anderson made sure we saw a huge variety of animals and were always patient to let us take the time to observe the animals. They also knew so much about each animal and always answered our questions. Our only minor negatives were that one of the vehicles was getting a bit old and needed some maintenance and that the suggested tips were higher than many other companies.

Thank you so much Goodluck, Felix and Serengeti Wakanda! - Serengeti Wakanda provided the best safari experience we could ever have on our first ever safari! Everything was well taken care of including food and safari schedules. We chose Serengeti Wakanda because of Goodluck (the tour consultant) as he is the best when it comes to personalised the itinerary and we are going to choose Serengeti Wakanda again because of our guide Felix, another best man who just made our safari unforgettable. Ensure to ask for Goodluck and Felix and rest assure that everything will turn out amazing. Edit: Goodluck (Our tour consultant) - 5 stars Felix (Our guide/driver) - 5 stars Overall company - 4 stars I am reducing 1 star here because originally the review posted was 1 day before the end of the safari and unfortunately, our last day wasn't great due to the guide/driver we were assigned to. Firstly, we were disappointed that they replaced our guide Felix for the last day who was with us during the entire safari except the first day. The guide that was assigned to us for the last day did not seem very welcoming. First of all, since it was the last day and we were suppose to head to the airport for our flights after safari, we started late from the hotel/lodge and also stopped at a gift store on our way where he took us for a bio-break. He never mentioned that longer time we take to start and reach the safari location, higher are the chances we might not cover the points we suppose to see. He did let us have our time before we reach the safari location and then a few minutes into the safari, he broke the news that since we arrived late, we can't go to all the points and we have to choose which one we want to cover. Secondly, he was over the phone multiple times throughout the safari and wasn't invested at all in locating animals or sharing any information about the surroundings like various plants/birds or the park in general. Felix, our earlier guide, did make sure we always have veg food as per our dietary preference (except for the first day because it seems there was some confusion regarding the information he had which made some of us go half stomach for that day but that's fine as after that we never had that issue). But the last guide got a big container of chicken on our last day and did not seem to be sorry/bothered by it when were not able to have it. At last, I am not sure if he genuinely had a trouble communicating in English or was just pretending that he did not understand us at times to avoid to talk with us because at some points we just gave up asking him some things because he just could not understand what we were talking about. Similar behavior was also seen in the driver who picked us up on the first day but I guess he wasn't a real guide and was just picking us up from the airport and dropping us to the lodge so it did not bother us a lot. But he did had us lost our way while we were struggling to find our first day accommodation. He kept driving and there was no internet and we were clearly not able to see people/residential signs around and we kept requesting him if he can call and have us connected with Goodluck so we can check with him about the address as our phones were not working but he did not respond to us until we somehow finally reached the lodge (again not sure if he genuinely did not understand what we were saying in English or just pretended). Again, Goodluck and Felix did amazing job so 100 stars for them but I will still remove 1 star from the overall review because of the first day and (specially) the last day guide.