5 Days Mid-Range Group Safari

Car flipped, itinerary changed, poor communication

Absolutely DO NOT book with Suricata. The gist: Itinerary changed last minute, despite us booking 7 months in advance. Our car crashed on day one, and management did NOT contact us until we reached out to management directly. We were left stranded at the Serengeti gate for 2 hours after. We had to call multiple Suricata numbers to try to get a hold of someone to help us. First, despite having booked 7 months in advance for the 5 day mid range safari, the company changed our itinerary last minute letting us know the evening before. We were given different explanations by different people, but ultimately we believe it was due to overbooking and not enough rooms at our planned lodging, Suricata Boma Lodge. We believe this because another tour group from Suricata went on the planned itinerary (booking only weeks before), and had to share a room with a stranger they met on the tour because lodging was full. Going back to the accident. On day 1, we felt our tour guide was driving recklessly, around 80+ km/hr on a very bumpy road in Ngorongoro Crater. He lost control, we veered off the road, and ultimately the car flipped on the side. Our guide had another driver from another company drive us 2 hours to Serengeti, which is where we were supposed to go to (on day 1) for the game drive after the itinerary change. He stayed behind with the car and was hesitant to give us his phone number. Upon arrival to the Serengeti gate, the other driver dropped us off, and said he wouldn't wait for us to figure out what the plan with Suricata was. We started calling any Suricata number we had, but we could not get in contact with anyone from Suricata, including our initial guide. It's important to mention that the company did NOT contact any of us at all, not during the 2 hour drive to Serengeti after the accident. We called multiple different numbers, none of whom were very responsive. We had to ask another Suricata tour group driver who drove by the Serengeti gate to help us contact management, and it was at that point they said they were going to send someone to pick us up. We waited an additional 2 hours at Serengeti gate entrance to be picked up and dropped off at Tanzania bush camp. This happened to be the wrong location because our names weren't listed and so we had to share a tent with another couple on our tour group we just met. The days that followed were better, but multiple things came up that were frustrating. 1- We all felt SO unsafe being on the roads again after, and not all cars Suricata provided had working seatbelts!! 2- We changed guides almost every day, but WE had to ask management every day to figure out what the plan was and who our guide was. They NEVER reached out first. 3- Each game drive was probably only 3 hours long. 4- On our drive to Arusha, the Suricata driver pulled us to the side of the road and asked us to stop at the community center so he could get commission. It felt like he was pressuring us. 5- We finally met with one of the managers of Suricata at the end of the 5 day trip. He ultimately agreed to only give us 20% refund because it was 1 day refund. Honestly that felt like it was bare minimum. The safari themselves were good, but of course this experience itself is amazing. But you don't need Suricata to give you this experience, so I urge you, if you are reading this, DO NOT BOOK WITH SURICATA! They are a large company here in Tanzania, but their customer service, management, and communication is AWFUL. You will feel better cared for with another company.

via Tripadvisor

An unforgettable safari with Gerald! 🤩

I just finished an amazing 5-day safari with Suricata Safaris, and I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better experience! From Tarangire to the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, every day brought incredible moments. We were lucky enough to see the Big Five, along with cheetahs, giraffes, hippos, flamingos and so many other animals. The landscapes were breathtaking, and the whole experience exceeded my expectations. A special thank you to our guide, Gerald, who truly made this safari unforgettable. He was incredibly knowledgeable, patient, friendly and always happy to answer our questions. His passion for wildlife really shone through, and he made sure we enjoyed every moment. I was also really impressed by his driving skills, especially on some of the challenging roads we encountered! Everything was well organised, the accommodations were lovely, and the whole team made us feel welcome. A big thank you to Gerald, Jackson and the entire Suricata Safaris team! These five days will definitely remain one of my favourite travel memories. I couldn’t recommend them more highly!

Response from the operator: Thank you so much for sharing your feedback following your recent safari with us. We’re delighted to hear that you had a memorable experience, and it was truly our pleasure to host you. At Suricata Safaris, we are committed to providing personalized and enriching safari experiences, and it’s incredibly rewarding to know that our efforts made your journey special. Your kind words mean a great deal to our entire team. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back for another adventure in the future.

via Tripadvisor

A Dream

The safari was amazing. Pascal is a good driver and a good founder of animals! Happy to life this experience with him!

Response from the operator: Your feedback means a lot to us thank you! We’re glad you had an enjoyable and smooth safari experience. Wishing you all the best, and we hope to see you again in Tanzania.

via Tripadvisor

Looking at the Complete Five-Day Experience

The entire mid-range safari experience is much more than just spending hours searching for wildlife. The trip is impacted by travel between locations, lodging, meals, communication, and daily planning. The following information will help a group of five traveling to the Serengeti with Suricata Safaris write an honest review. Describe Jeremy's guidance using a particular example from the trip. The group's actual experience should be reflected in comments regarding comfort and service. In this manner, readers receive useful information in addition to the highlights of the wildlife.

Response from the operator: We truly appreciate your excellent feedback! Knowing that you enjoyed every part of your safari means a lot to our team. Thank you for choosing us for your adventure.

via Tripadvisor

Worked out great. Some logistical issues along the way

Our guide Golden was incredible. He knew all the answers to every question we had. Golden was funny, knew exactly where to take us, and was a safe driver (That matters). Nearly a decade of his experience made seeing the Big 5 an easy goal. I can’t speak high enough of his expertise. To Golden, thank you very much! (Asante Sana)

Response from the operator: We truly appreciate your kind review. It’s wonderful to hear that your safari was memorable and enjoyable. Thank you for recommending us, and we hope to welcome you back someday.

via Tripadvisor