Top Tanzania Wildlife Viewing Tours & Packages In 2025/2026

What travelers are saying

"We recently traveled through Tanzania visiting Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. We were impressed by the game-packed game drives with Gabriel the tour guide from Lappet Faced Safaris. He knew the parks like the back of his hand, patient and thoughtful letting us enjoy interesting scenes as long as we wanted. Above all he drove the well appointed safari vehicle carefully going through some tricky sections where some rookie drivers got stuck The accommodations organized by Lappet Faced Safaris were above excellent. Just the right level of comfort and great food out there in the wild. I would not think twice about using Lappet Faced Safaris again. Thanks, Francisco"

What travelers are saying

"David, the owner of Kili Slopes Tours helped me put my 16 day itinerary together. The trip was everything we expected and more. Stewart our expert driver was wonderful and nothing was too much trouble. We visited 6 national parks and did 18 game drives. We saw the big 5 and I think most of the animals and birds. Our accommodation was outstanding, especially the bush camps. My husband became ill and the staff were amazing, attending to his needs at all the places we visited. Of course, the highlights were seeing leopards, cheetahs, servile and lots of lions. My daughter, Racquel really loved this trip as it was her first safari. She adores all of the game. Thank you Stewart & David for making our trip so wonderful and it will be something we will treasure for ever."

What travelers are saying

"We recently traveled through Tanzania visiting Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. We were impressed by the game-packed game drives with Gabriel the tour guide from Lappet Faced Safaris. He knew the parks like the back of his hand, patient and thoughtful letting us enjoy interesting scenes as long as we wanted. Above all he drove the well appointed safari vehicle carefully going through some tricky sections where some rookie drivers got stuck The accommodations organized by Lappet Faced Safaris were above excellent. Just the right level of comfort and great food out there in the wild. I would not think twice about using Lappet Faced Safaris again. Thanks, Francisco"

What travelers are saying

"This letter is effectively what was communicated no less than 8 times in writing and conversation to OAT representatives up the chain, beginning 19 days before the trip. OAT was IMMOVABLE on allowing us to find an alternative travel companion and it was 100% due to rigid policy, not real barriers. We never expected a refund and wouldn't have blamed them if we could not fill my spot. They refused to even give us the opportunity. Appalling and sadly representative of their customer service. Congratulations, you lost two customers and one long time referral source. I only think it is fair that folks know the nature of the company at this point. An absolute shame. As a dedicated Edmund Hillary member of OAT with a history of introducing countless friends to your service including 4 who booked trips, I am writing to express my deep concern over the handling of our Galapagos trip booking in light of a recent medical emergency. This situation not only highlights significant gaps in customer communication and care but also underscores the need for immediate, effective action. Timeline of Events and Communication Issues: Initial Contact on 11/22: We contacted OAT 19 days before the trip, scheduled for 12/11, as soon as it became clear that extended surgical complications would prevent my travel. Policy of No Refunds or Changes Under 30 Days: We were informed that the trip is non-refundable under 30 days, which is understood. However, OAT also refused to allow a replacement traveler, posing zero risk to the company. Both of us called, met with the same response. Response from Exceptions Department on 11/22: The no-change policy was reiterated by the Exceptions Department on the same day. Written Escalation on 11/22: Both parties sent written letters to escalate the matter. Delayed Response Until 11/29: We did not receive any response until 11/29, with OAT mentioning the inability to make changes 12 days before the trip. Policy vs. Practical Reasons: The response seemed more policy-based than practical. We offered to cover the cost for a replacement traveler for the internal Galapagos flight, which was declined. The rep always returned to the policy prohibiting it. She further added we do not sell trips within 30 days. Upon looking the next day, I found no less than 7 different itineraries with no less than 13 different trips that I could have booked within 30 days. Further Escalation Request and Conversation on 11/30: A further request for escalation resulted in a 23-minute conversation on 11/30 without any change. Given these circumstances, I propose the following practical solution: Future Travel Credit in Exchange for Re-Selling My Space: If finding a substitute traveler is unfeasible, I suggest OAT resell my space to another interested party, crediting me for a future trip. This solution aligns with my preference and ongoing loyalty to OAT. The lack of a constructive response and rigid adherence to policy without considering exceptional circumstances is alarming. It not only affects this immediate trip but also impacts my ability to continue advocating for OAT in good conscience. An amicable and prompt resolution to this issue would speak volumes about OAT's commitment to customer satisfaction and flexibility. Unless there is a prompt and constructive resolution to this matter, we will be forced to escalate our concerns further. This includes reaching out to higher management within OAT, engaging with consumer protection agencies, sharing our experience through travel forums, and social media for breach of service. Our preference is to resolve this amicably, yet the current trajectory leaves us little choice but to pursue these avenues. I implore you to seriously consider these options and respond in a manner that reflects OAT's values of empathy and customer support. Your immediate attention to this matter is not only appreciated but necessary for a resolution that respects both parties' interests. Thank you for your understanding and prompt attention to this critical issue."

What travelers are saying

"I made a reservation last Thursday (11/16/2023) for a trip to Iceland from 12/02/2023-12/07/2023 and then I was told that I can’t have my refund back. When I called on last Thursday (11/16/2023) to place my reservation, the agent (Kathy) I talked to stressed about she "cannot" guarantee that I will be able to go on the trip. Before I provided the payment information, I specifically asked if I will be able to get the refund because the trip is coming up so soon. The agent ensured that I will be able to get a full refund back within 60 days if I decided to cancel the trip. I was also told that I am basically on a wait list and someone will contact me once I can go on the trip. No one contacted me about whether the agency was able to process my information at all, so I've been left in the dark about this trip since the beginning. I called the help line this morning (11/20/2023) around 9:00 Eastern Standard Time to cancel my reservation. I was informed by the agent that I will not be able to get my full refund back since it's too close to the trip date. Basically I was told that Kathy gave me the wrong information, so I will have to pay the cancellation fee. The only reason I provided my payment information is because Kathy specifically stated that I will be able to cancel the trip and receive a full refund. I've never been so frustrated with a traveling agency. I made sure to ask this agent regarding the refund policy twice before giving her my payment information, and she still couldn't provide me with the correct information. It's unbelievable that such a big traveling agency cannot uniformly train their employees with the correct set of information."

What travelers are saying

"First, let me say our tour guide Tomomi S. is hands down THE best tour guide I’ve ever had - knowledgeable, fun and made great efforts to ensure that we were comfortable and happy (MTSobek tour guides are independent contractors. Tomomi also works for other Adventure/Tour companies) Secondly, Japan is beautiful, clean and the Japanese people are very welcoming. The hiking in the national parks was amazing. It could have been a truly five-star experience if MtSobek had not cut corners so egregiously. The website said (at the time) group tours are 5-22 people. The tour gets canceled if the minimum is not met. When I paid there were TWO other people booked-a mother and daughter duo. Shortly before our departure date I called to see if the tour would be cancelled. I wanted my money back but Mt Sobek was “pleased to say that the trip would not be canceled”. In other words, I could not get a refund. At the last minute a guy named Matt signed up so there were four of us. Five days into the trip Matt left and took a train back to Tokyo. I said to him “You realize Mt Sobek is not going to refund you”. He said, “I don’t care, Mt Sobek scammed us.” With tax, the tour costs $11,645 for 13 nights. For that price there is an expectation that the accommodations Mt Sobek chooses would be decent and clean. We all fully expected a ‘traditional Japanese experience’ which often means no private bath and 8 out of the 13 nights we slept on futon mats on the floor. However, Mt Sobek consistently booked us in the cheapest Ryokans (hotels) in each area in which we travelled. Most of these hotels were unclean and very out-dated. One Ryokan they booked us in was listed on a hotel website for $40 USD/night when there were much nicer accommodations nearby for $100 USD/night. (The Japanese yen is way down, the luxury Park Hotel in Tokyo was $200 USD/night. A comparable hotel would have been about $800/night in Austin.). We were the only people staying in several hotels that accomadated many more people. The most egregious example of MtSobek’s booking the cheapest rooms is when we were booked at a large traditional ski lodge at the base of a spectacular mountain. It was beautiful on the website but had two very different wings. One wing was modern, clean and beautiful with simple beds. The other wing was very old (similar to a cheap Motel 6 that had not been updated since the 1970’s). The carpet and bathrooms were disgusting and like many of the Ryocans where we stayed the futon mats seemed as though they had not been cleaned In 30 years. Only after our tour guide checked us in did we realize we had been booked in the cheap rooms. I asked Tomo why. Immediately someone from MtSobek reached out to me and said, “gosh, I’m sorry you did not realize you were going to have a traditional Japanese experience”. Really? “Traditional” experience depends upon one’s budget. In the US, “traditional” to some people may be the Marriott, a Motel 6 or the Four Seasons Hotels. We were paying for a Marriott experience and received the one-star Motel 6 experience. Upon arrival in Tokyo I expected to be met at the airport by a driver (as many tour companies do). However, several days before our arrival dates in Tokyo, MtSobek sent an email telling us how to locate taking a city bus from the bustling Tokyo airport. That is interesting if you do not speak Japanese. MtSobek cleverly uses great photography and elaborate descriptions of the national parks and the hiking while using terms like “traditional Japanese experience with tatami-mat sleeping” to disguise sub-standard accommodations. At one point we were looking on-line at the very hotel where we were staying and did not even recognize it from the website pictures. The hiking was amazing. The group size was disappointing with just the three of us. I would absolutely recommend a hiking tour through Japan, just not with MtSobek."

What travelers are saying

"Hello , first there is no airport transfer at all as they mentioned in the trip program , no one waited us at the airport as they mentioned that we should provide them with the flight schedule but unfortunately they neglected this service for arrivals and for departures as well , the level of the hotel in Lyon is under expected maybe 2 stars , the hotels are somewhat away from the city center which makes the transportation for the clients cost more and waste of time , the guide was very quick in her steps without even looking at the families and children and not being able to follow her . Rather , she was even quick to finish the designated program , such as presenting a program that was supposed to be for tomorrow and presenting it without justification , making one day crowded with her program and the second day on the contrary i.e there may be only one visit as it happened in changing visiting Eifel tower although it was late afternoon and the line was so crowded that took around 2 hours waited in line in order to gets tickets for the whole group while it was supposed to be on the 2nd day with scène river cruise , the stoppage in some cities as Geneva needs more than only 2 hours time while stoppage in between the cities in the rural area needs less than that time gave it to us .no flexibility in changing the program after booking even for a more advanced and valued trips ( changing not cancelling ) , it must be a meeting prepared for the group in a lobby of the hotel the night before or even if 1 hour before getting into the buses as a type of acquaintance and introduction between the members of the group ."

What travelers are saying

"I traveled with Thomson Safari on a 10 day trek on Kilimanjaro and a 5 day safari to the Central Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. Both experiences were far above my expectations. The trek crew was fantastic from the assistance on the trail to the delicious meals. On safari we saw a huge amount of animals including cheetah and leopard. The hot air balloon ride at dawn gliding over a pride of lions, a pool of hippos and the occasional giraffe or zebra was the experience of a lifetime. If I were just a bit younger I would not hesitate to repeat this entire experience."