Safari and Mount Kilimanjaro Companies
 

Anyone can reccommend good companies for Safaris in Tanzania and Kilimanjaro trekking?

We did safari and Kilimanjaro this year. There is a vast number of companies available to help you organise the trip you want. We went with Good Earth Tours and Safaris, http://www.goodearthtours.com. We were on a fairly strict budget and they were able to assist in lots of ways to keep the price down. We ended up with a great guide/driver and the cook was superb.
Goodluck!

While we did not hike Kili ourselves, the tour company we used for the rest of our trip is noted to have some of the best and most encouraging guides. We used Roy Safaris Ltd. out of Arusha, Tanzania. Family owned and operated business with good write ups in Lonely Planet and Bradt guide books. Give them a shout. Their email address is [email protected] And, no, I do not work for the company. Good luck in your search.

I'm in the midst of reading a book which details a walk up and over Kili, and through Tsavo in Kenya. I know nothing of the company other than what I'm reading, but wish I'd discovered them before we booked our trip (next time!). They're Tropical Ice (www.tropical-ice.com) led by Iain Allen. Don't know if they're worth looking into, but for trekking they seem to be worth a look.

kathy_nelson, My friend and I are planning our first trip to Africa this December. We are about to book our travel company for a Mt Kilimanjaro climb and safari. Good Earth Tours is definitely the cheapest (which is great since we are on a budget) but we're wondering if the guides are good and the amenities are safe. The contact I've been emailing sometimes avoids my questions. Can you elaborate more on your experience with Good Earth Tours? Do the guides speak English? Did you feel safe with the guides on your climb and due to the recent travel warnings? Any info is much appreciated. Thanks!

Tropical Ice was the tour operator that arranged the tour that had the plane crash into Mt. Kenya this year. All on board were killed-pilot error. Might want to stay away form them if your tour calls for any flights.

um, not to state the obvious, but unfortunately that pilot isn't around to make an error anymore. Accidents do happen. I don't think any one company is more likely to have an accident than another. I would expect that many use some of the same "vendors" to fly folks between places.

Tropical Ice is the tour company that Rick Ridgeway used for his book "The Shadow of Kilimanjaro," to which a previous poster eluded. That company has one of the best reputations in the business. Some of the biggest airlines in the world have had aviation accidents, some pilot error, some not. Sometimes it can all just amount to a toss of the dice.

Tropical Ice is also mentioned in "Ghosts of Tsavo". (we've been reading a lot of books with an East Africa bent lately!)

Hi

I went trekking on Kilimanjaro in September 2003 and I used Marangu hotel as the tour guide for my trekking. I have posted a long trip report on my homepage www.gardkarlsen.com where I have info on cost, what equipment I used, diary etc. Maybe you can find some useful information there :-)

Regards
Gard
Stavanger, Norway

James, I can absolutely, without qualification recommend Thomson Safaris--http://thomsonsafaris.com/ They are outstanding in every way. To read about our experience with them and see pictures, you can go to www.janeandken.com and navigate to Tanzania. They do trekking, safaris and combinations.

By the way, Gard, I loved reading your trip report! After reading it I felt better that we didn't include this as part of our trip because I probably would have been like the woman on yours who was an hour from the summit and just couldn't continue. I can't even imagine what a wonderful feeling it must have been for you to reach the top of the continent.

Tusen Takk!

James, what tour company did you use for your trekking? We plan to go in June and looking for a reliable operator. Thanks