Has anyone used Semantago Tours & Safaris before? I am looking at planning a trip with them but would feel much more comfortable of someone could provide a positive reference for them. Thanks!

I found no matches in a google search, assuming Semantago is spelled correctly.
Never heard of them.

Why don't you post the itinerary you are interested in and see what people think and get some recommendations.

I tried SemantaNgo too. Same results, no matches. Either spelling yields zip.

Thanks for getting back to me. I must have spelled it wrong - it's Sematango. I added an "n". They have been very responsive in planning my trip and have given me my best price, but I'd feel better booking if someone could confirm they have used them. It's a Tanzanian-based company. My itinerary is:

June16: Leave NYC

June 17: Arrive Tanzania overnight at Impala Hotel

June 18: Drive to Ngorongoro arrive for lunch afternoon visit schools or maasai bomas dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Serena Lodge

June 19: Full day in the crater with picnic lunches dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Serena Lodge

June 20: Drive to Serengeti enrote Olduvai Gorge then proceed on to your lodge forlunch afternoon game drive in the park, dinner and overnight at Seronera Wildlife Lodge(at this time of the year Migration will be between Seronera area and Kirawira and Seronera Lodge is in the center of them it will be a good place to see the Migration better then staying at Mbalageti camp, but if it will be late June and early July then staying at Mbalageti camp is very good as the animals will be around Grumeti area)

June 21: Full day game drive in the park, overnight at Seronera Wildlife Lodge

June 22: Full day game drive in the park, overnight at Seronera Wildlife Lodge

June 23: Drive to Lake Manyara National park arriving on for lunch, afternoon game drive in the park dinner and overnight at Lake Manyara Serena.

June 24: Drive back to Arusha shopping along the way lunch at Impala Hotel and then transfer to airport for your flight to Zanzibar, where you will be met and transfer to breezes beach hotel for dinner and overnight.

June 25: Breezes beach hotel

June 26: Drive back to Zanzibar where you will have a stone town tour, lunch at Emerson & Green restaurant before being transfer to the airport for your flight to Dar where who you will have a dayroom with dinner and back to the airport for your flight back home.

Any thoughts?

I found them!

Looking at their site, they seem to stress the advantages of private tented camps away from the crowds. Their itineraries on the site list many private tented camps.

But your itinerary has standard lodges, which are nice places and would make for a good trip, but do not seem to utilize Sematango's strengths of PRIVATE camps.

When are you going? Knowing that will help with comments about the itinerary.

In summary:
1 nt Arusha
2 nts Ngorongoro
3 nts Serengeti
1 nt Manyara
2 nts Beach

This is a nice itinerary if you want safari and beach and have 2 weeks. You are reaping the benefit of all Serena properties. I'd shop this itinerary around and see what other providers, mentioned here, offer. I had never heard of Sematango.

Hi there,
I will be travelling for two weeks in August to Tanzania and Kenya with Semantango. Omary has been very helpful and patient with all of my questions. His price was also very competitive. Hopefully, the trip will be awesome!!!

Thanks for the replies. I too have found Omary very helpful.

atravelynn -- we are looking to start our tour June 17. I have priced the itinerary with 10 tour companies and theirs was the best price.

Sounds like you'll be staying at Mbalageti camp, a nice option. That is a good time to go. Have a great trip and please report back.

Will do. Thanks for your help.

I've just returned from safari with Sematango tours. While the safari itself was very nice, the manager of Sematang Tours, Mr. Omary Salim, ripped me off to the tune of $600 on a 2 day side excrusion I asked him to book for me to Mafia Island. He insisted on cash in advance, charging me $960 for a side trip that cost $368. This included $100 transfers to and from the hotel and a $20% markup for "arranging the tour". I would never use Sematango Tours and will warn others against using them as well. Further details can be provided on request.