Tanzania Testimonials

See Also:

• Tanzania Advice From Clients >>
• Tanzania Videos >>
• More Tanzania Photos >>

10+ Godlisten was outstanding!  Highlights were Balloon. Olivers Camp. Godlisten guiding us to incredible animal experiences.

AWR listened to what we were looking for and delivered.  We did this very quickly and it worked!

David L., Safari, February 2024

Robin, appreciated you working with me on this adventure. The whole trip was a success with complete support from the teams assigned to us for the Kilimanjaro trek and the Safari. My son and I are very happy, especially with the trek team lead by Head Guide, Nestor Peter Meela. Nestor had the unique ability to understand our capabilities, gently push our margins to ultimately help us achieve our objective to summit at 19,300ft. His experience of the mountain, and familiarity with the park rangers was always a comfort. I also want to recognize the Cook – Elivas, and the Waiter – Novatus. Elivas’s food prep had good flavor, and it was always specific to our needs for the trek. Novatus was a porter/waiter, he woke us up early daily with hot water, coffee, tea, and had a great attitude in serving food at all times.

By the way, I also appreciated your transparency on the range for tipping each member of the crew; it certainly took the pressure off for me. And we were happy to do more than the suggested ranges. We were humbled by the crew’s service, and how they approached their work daily with dignity and grace.

Advice:  Plan early and follow AWR recommendations.

Thomas R., Marangu Trek + Safari, September 2023

I appreciated Tom being flexible with the group on lunch break and logistics. He was also really great about helping us take pics using the binoculars, and patient with us when we wanted to stop and look/take photos. He was also great in teaching us Swahili words, and even spoke some German! He was great!

Highlights were: Seeing baby cub lions w/2 lionesses; lions crossing the road and brushing by our jeep; zebras on the road and close to the jeep; impalas.

AWR was well organized and good communications.

Dorothy C., Tanzania Safari, July 2023

We had a wonderful trip. The number of animals that we saw in natural settings up close was remarkable. Your suggestion of Tarangire was perfect. The density of animals, weather and topography was perfect. We believe the duration was perfect (6 nights). All the properties were good. The views and animals were perfect.

Highlights: Seeing tons of Giraffes up close (at under 5 feet) for an extended period of time was the highlight for me.  Tarangire National Park, Honeyguide Camp, Ngorogoro Crater & Neptune Lodge.  Your suggestion of Tarangire was very good. We did see a migration on the western corridor. It was great working with you.

If folks have more time, I would add Zanzibar to the itinerary as opposed to extending the Safari.

Sandeep P., 7-Day Safari, July 2023

Tom was excellent. Very friendly and extremely knowledgeable.

Highlights:

• Seeing all these amazing animals, roaming freely, clearly not too afraid of humans (not sure if it’s good or bad).
• Walking to the restaurant at the camp site and seeing zebras, wildebeest and baboons just feet away!
• How welcoming and warm and friendly the people of Tanzania are.

See Also:

• Tanzania Advice From Clients >>
• Tanzania Videos >>
• More Tanzania Photos >>
• Photos from guest and photographer, David Noyes, 2014 >>

10+ Godlisten was outstanding!  Highlights were Balloon. Olivers Camp. Godlisten guiding us to incredible animal experiences.

AWR listened to what we were looking for and delivered.  We did this very quickly and it worked!

David L., Safari, February 2024

Robin, appreciated you working with me on this adventure. The whole trip was a success with complete support from the teams assigned to us for the Kilimanjaro trek and the Safari. My son and I are very happy, especially with the trek team lead by Head Guide, Nestor Peter Meela. Nestor had the unique ability to understand our capabilities, gently push our margins to ultimately help us achieve our objective to summit at 19,300ft. His experience of the mountain, and familiarity with the park rangers was always a comfort. I also want to recognize the Cook – Elivas, and the Waiter – Novatus. Elivas’s food prep had good flavor, and it was always specific to our needs for the trek. Novatus was a porter/waiter, he woke us up early daily with hot water, coffee, tea, and had a great attitude in serving food at all times.

By the way, I also appreciated your transparency on the range for tipping each member of the crew; it certainly took the pressure off for me. And we were happy to do more than the suggested ranges. We were humbled by the crew’s service, and how they approached their work daily with dignity and grace.

Advice:  Plan early and follow AWR recommendations.

Thomas R., Marangu Trek + Safari, September 2023

I appreciated Tom being flexible with the group on lunch break and logistics. He was also really great about helping us take pics using the binoculars, and patient with us when we wanted to stop and look/take photos. He was also great in teaching us Swahili words, and even spoke some German! He was great!

Highlights were: Seeing baby cub lions w/2 lionesses; lions crossing the road and brushing by our jeep; zebras on the road and close to the jeep; impalas.

AWR was well organized and good communications.

Dorothy C., Tanzania Safari, July 2023

We had a wonderful trip. The number of animals that we saw in natural settings up close was remarkable. Your suggestion of Tarangire was perfect. The density of animals, weather and topography was perfect. We believe the duration was perfect (6 nights). All the properties were good. The views and animals were perfect.

Highlights: Seeing tons of Giraffes up close (at under 5 feet) for an extended period of time was the highlight for me.  Tarangire National Park, Honeyguide Camp, Ngorogoro Crater & Neptune Lodge.  Your suggestion of Tarangire was very good. We did see a migration on the western corridor. It was great working with you.

If folks have more time, I would add Zanzibar to the itinerary as opposed to extending the Safari.

Sandeep P., 7-Day Safari, July 2023

Tom was excellent. Very friendly and extremely knowledgeable.

Highlights:

• Seeing all these amazing animals, roaming freely, clearly not too afraid of humans (not sure if it’s good or bad).
• Walking to the restaurant at the camp site and seeing zebras, wildebeest and baboons just feet away!
• How welcoming and warm and friendly the people of Tanzania are.

I would definitely recommend both the Kili trek and safari to everyone. Favorite part of the trip was really both trek and safari. When the porters sang to our group, that was super nice. Food was excellent. They made sure we ate when we had no appetite.

The porters and guides were great. Porters were there for us if we were looking around for something. They washed my pants. Coy carried my pack summit night when he saw me struggling. We had great tents. Our group was 4, and we all made it to the top. Can’t think of any improvements. Great company. Thank you Robin and AWR. Will recommend you.

Gina G., Kilimanjaro Climb + Safari, September 2018

Our guide Jackson was excellent – couldn’t have asked for a more proficient leader for the porters and our overall trip. We were so impressed with this group of happy porters.

Our safari was excellent. We had seriously the best safari ever. Saw everything within Tarangire, and the other parks were just icing on the cake. Amazing. Even saw the python, cheetahs, black rhino, a fresh kill in Ngorongoro crater, and lions producing the next generation. Serious thumbs up. Our safari guide was also definitely a solid 10. He even got us to the airport on a very tight schedule

AWR was excellent. We have already spread the word about this company.

The experience overall was life changing. We had never been to the African continent, and this trip was over the top amazing. Love the Tanzanian people. Kilimanjaro is more of a mountain in every way than you expect. More beautiful, more challenging, more spectacular, more intriguing, more surprising.  Loved every minute. Trip of a lifetime. Thank you – we love Jackson and his entire crew. Superior to others we have heard about. Thank you!

Ruth M., Kilimanjaro Climb, August 2018

It was an amazing trip! All of us had a fantastic time and we will remember the experience for the rest of our lives! Jackson was an awesome guide.  He took charge of the situations and took care of us.  He’s an amazing leader and he worked really well with all the porters. AWR and Robin were very helpful and the arrangements/ partners you work with in Tanzania  were great! The whole trip was awesome from just walking around Moshi to trekking, food, summitting. But the best part was the view from the summit! Thank you!

Jerome C., Kilimanjaro Climb, August 2018

The whole group on our Kili trip was excellent; however, these people seemed like standouts:

1) Dismas (Chief Guide): Dismas was an absolute professional from start to finish on the mountain. His knowledge and communications skills were excellent and he clearly knew the mountain cold (no pun intended). I’d refer friends to him for any future trip to Kili. He was totally instrumental in how great our experience was.
2) Amor (Assistant Guide): Like Dismas, a total professional, great communicator, and excellent representative of AWR. It sounds like Amor works as a Chief Guide on certain trips, which is no surprise. I think we would have been more than pleased with him as a Chief Guide as well.
3) Salim / Obama (Chef / Asst Chef): Both excellent and very nice. They catered to many in the group’s minor dietary requests.
4) Kevin / Jackson (Waiters & Porters): Totally amazing guys. Their positivity and communication each day added so much to the trip. I’m not sure the upward mobility opportunities for people in these types of roles, but they’re very deserving, and their English is quite strong.

It was a great trip and experience!

David F., Kilimanjaro Climb, August 2018

Trip was awesome! Our guides on Kilimanjaro were Jackson and Zep. They were wonderful. Food was wonderful but we couldn’t eat very much. We did tell our chef the food was really good. Our porters were fun and we really appreciated Salim…he brought us anything we needed. Our safari guide was Joseph. He was an excellent driver and guide. Courteous and personable! Was well informed and entertaining. AWR made the arrangements easy to understand and I like that AWR has a Airline travel partner to help facilitate air travel. Our favorite part of the trip was meeting people and learning about the culture.

Amanda C., Kilimanjaro + Safari, July 2018

Would definitely recommend Adventures Within Reach with a 10. All of the parks we visited were great although Selous was very hot but well worth seeing. Accommodations were very good at all locations.  Our trip to Northern Tanzania 2 years ago was very good also. Really enjoyed the bush plane flights that got us around the Southern Circuit.  Very scenic and efficient and cut out a lot of driving and only way we would do an Africa trip in the future.

Richard N., Southern Tanzania Circuit, July 2018

Kilimanjaro is beautiful and so is Tanzania. We were thoroughly impressed with the country, its natural beauty and the people. We have not stopped recommending this as a “must-do” trip to our dear friends and family. In all, our trip was 10/10 on all accounts.

Deepak L., Custom Kilimanjaro + Tanzania Adventure, June 2018

Just wanted to reach out to tell you what a wonderful trip we had all around. Our guide kibacha  absolutely could not have been better. He seemed to have eyes in the back of his head.  If he was talking to one of us he would always be looking out and keeping an eye on the others noticing slippery areas etc. We felt completely safe and secure under his guidance and he got us to the top!!!! The other guys in the porters were polite and kind and accommodating. The food was delicious and well we all marveled that we had the biggest tents of any camp that we stayed in!!!! On safari we had a godlissen as our guide. Again he was absolutely wonderful personable and accommodating. Endoro lodge was amazing Truly the nicest hotel that I think any of us have ever stayed in!!! Safari was excellent we saw most of the animals that you can see in the crater. Also want to mention when my nieces husband had to go down the mountain due to stomach virus after two days they took very very good care of him. John checked in on him regularly at Bristol cottages and gave him updates as to how we were progressing on the climb. It was the trip of a lifetime and we were all truly so very happy!!!! Thank you!!!

Deb and John M., Custom Kilimanjaro Climb + Safari, March 2018

Our trip to Tanzania and Kilimanjaro was perfect. Our guide was the one and only “King of the Mountain” Mr. Reginald Moshi (“Reggie’). Our assistant guide was Mr. Charles Meja, a highly experienced and friendly man. Both Reggie and Charles are EXCELLENT. We have so many great memories of our days and nights on the mountain.  The terrain varies so much and is so beautiful.  The Barranco Wall was especially fun.  And, of course, the final climb to Stella Point and Uhuru Summit.  We are very appreciative to Reggie, Charles and the entire crew.  They all made this adventure fun, safe and rewarding.  We enjoyed many interesting conversation with them on the way. Thank you again.

Rick C., Custom Kilimanjaro and Tanzania Adventure, March 2018

We had an incredible journey that will not soon escape our memories – from start to finish.  I think we’ll be telling these stories for many years to come.

The climb to Uhuru Peak was breathtaking!  It was not quite as difficult as I had expected, though the final ascent was not easy, either.  We had a great time getting to know our guides and everyone else on the support team, sharing many stories and laughs and swapping questions and answers about our home cultures.

Our guides, Rashid (lead) and Abu and Chaz (assistants), were FANTASTIC!  I could not have asked for better guides nor would I have wanted to do this monumental climb with anyone else – if I were to do this a second time, I would request them in a heartbeat.  The guides dedication to our safety, security, and success did not go unnoticed and could not have been more on point.

The food that was prepared and service that was delivered by Amusa and Jimmy was OUTSTANDING!  We had restaurant quality food and service at every meal (and they did it on the side of a mountain!).

The 18 porters that we had were instrumental in making this trip as unforgettable as it was.  Our group was/is very appreciative of the time they took to set up our camp, tear down our camp, and carry all of our belongings.  The porters are truly the unsung heroes.

Heading to the safari with Joseph was a pleasure.  Joseph was as helpful as Rashid in answering questions, teaching us about the areas we were driving through, and accommodating our requests to stop for souvenirs, etc.  The animal, geographic, and cultural/historical knowledge that Joseph brought to the trip really put his part of the trip over the edge to be phenomenal and we couldn’t have been happier with it.

Thank you for everything you did to set up this amazing experience!

Tyler L., Custom Kilimanjaro Climb + Safari, December 2017

I loved my trip with AWR last february, and I finally got around to finishing my Africa video… I don’t know if you can use it somehow, given it is a copyrighted song so probably can’t be used for advertising. But if there is a link for travelers to share videos, I could post it there.

Shana B., Kilimanjaro Climb, February 2017
Check out Shana’s video HERE

Just a quick note to let you know we had a great time in Tanzania. Crees, our guide, did a great job and we got to see so many animals and observe their behavior. We even spotted 2 rhinos in the crater from the lookout on the rim as we scanned the area with a pair of binoculars!!

Thank you very much for putting together a well thought out itinerary and working with us to link both our itineraries. The transition at Kogatende was smooth. The lodges were comfortable and the safari experience exceeded our expectations ?

I really appreciate your detailed responses to the many questions I had which helped a great deal with our preparation for the trip.

We look forward to doing more trips with y’all.

Preethi S., Custom Safari, November 2017

We had the very best guides on the mountain!  Dismas was our lead guide and his 9 years’ experience really showed through his leadership with his team.  They all respected him and everything ran very smooth.  They all seemed happy to be on the trek and to ensure we had a good trip and all made it to the summit.  Dismas has a wealth of knowledge and a confidence that made me feel very comfortable and that I was in good hands.  Nassoro, our assistant guide was also very good.  He was so helpful throughout the trip and they both made sure we had everything we needed and answered all our crazy questions.  Nassoro willingly took many pictures and videos of us throughout the trip that are priceless!  I felt very comfortable with both guides and we’ll be friends for life.

For the Kili Trek, it would be my birthday party and the summit day.  I normally don’t like to celebrate my birthday but knowing that I would be on Mt. Kilimanjaro for this one, I wanted to celebrate it to the fullest and that’s what we did!  I brought up some hats, blowers and cupcakes for the three of us and all the porters and guides but what I didn’t know was that they knew it was my birthday and they surprised me with a cake and songs.  Our cook Geoffrey, baked it on the mountain! It was the best birthday anyone could have and everyone seemed to have a great time and was fully engaged.  But nothing tops the reason for the trek, the summit day.  It was life changing for me and something I will never forget.  Dismas, Nassoro, Temas, Diana, Blaze and I got through it together and had the very best day.  It was tough, spectacular, fun, spiritual and more all in one.  But it wouldn’t have been the same without the awesome 6 days leading up to the summit day.  I think you can tell, I really really enjoyed the entire trek!!  The safari was more than I expected and seeing so many animals up so close was unbelievable.  All three places were nice but my favorites were The Tarangire Safari Lodge and the Halisi Camp in the Serengeti. Waking up the last morning at the Tarangire Safari Lodge to the sounds of lions so close to the outside of our hut was scary, exciting and crazy!  Loved every minute of it!

We had an unbelievable adventure and I say thank you and your team for making this happen for all of us!

Patryce H., 7-Day Kilimanjaro Lemosho Trek + 5-Day Safari, September-October 2017

On Kilimanjaro, Dismiss was our guide and Nasorro Shabani Mawala was our assistant guide. Both were amazing — Dismiss had a vast amount of experience and knowledge of the mountain, and our health along the way. Both were very professional and became close friends. We saw many guides along the way and were convinced that we had two of the best. We had great weather, no health problems. Food was excellent and the company was as well. All 3 of us summitted.

On safari, Vincent was also extremely knowledgeable. He knew a tremendous amount regarding all animals and he also knew where to find them, when others did not. His vision and spotting were amazing.

I’ve traveled to 6 continents and been on many travels and tours. This was the best! Summitting Kili was a highlight, of course, but seeing cheetahs and rhino’s as well as other animals in abundance was a certain highlight. I also really enjoyed tent camping at Halisi Camp in the Serengeti and hut camping at the end as well. Hearing the animals and seeing them right next to us at night was a highlight.

Blaze B., CA, USA
7-Day Kilimanjaro Lemosho Trek + 5-Day Safari, September-October 2017

Dismas was our guide. We would rate him excellent, a 10, and we would also rate Nassoro, his assistant, a 10. Steve loved the Barranco Wall. I loved the first day in the forest listening to the monkeys chattering. The best part of our trip was the whole team — the guides, cooks, and porters were all wonderful.

Yes, it is harder than we thought. Rockier and steeper than we had trained for. The distances are deceptive. It takes a lot more energy and time than we thought to go a short distance. I would prepare future climbers to train hard. A toilet tent is the best purchase you can make. Trust the guides implicitly. Bring a lot of money for tips! The bike tour was dangerous and terrifying!

Tanzanians are very warm, gracious and friendly. We were treated so well by everyone. Deo our driver was wonderful. We would love someday to return for a safari.

Thank you Robin and Dan. You are excellent at your job and we would love to work with you again. You impressed us with how quickly you responded to our questions!

Mary D., OR, USA
7-Day Kilimanjaro Machame Trek, September 2017

Our Kilimanjaro guides, Jackson and Said were Above Excellent!! They did a phenomenal job, and we highly recommend them.

Each day we experienced something new and amazing that will forever be with us. [Mt. Kilimanjaro] From the start, our briefing with Jackson and how comfortable and at ease he made us feel. The planning & preparing for the next day’s trek. The children waving as we drove through towns. How welcoming the hotel operators, local people, and shop keepers in Moshi were. Being above the clouds. Seeing the millions and millions of stars clearly! To the “water for washing”. The sounds of the camping zippers and the great outdoor feeling. The views, upon views, upon views. The porters singing and welcoming us to their country. Those unforgettable switch-backs. [Safari Tarangire, and Ngorongoro Crater] Completely took our breaths away, to be so close and experience the zebras, giraffes, elephants, monkeys, impalas, buffaloes, tigers, birds, All of it!!

Brunetta C., NY, USA
6-Day Kilimanjaro Rongai Trek + 2-Day Safari, August 2017

My guide was Abu, and he was exceptional. Safety was most obviously their #1 priority, and that was very reassuring. It was honestly the BEST adventure I’ve ever been on. All 12 of us reached the summit.

The Machame Route is extremely beautiful. The scenery was incredible, and I enjoyed the challenging terrain. The Summit day was far from easy, but a challenge that I loved pushing myself to do. I was extremely happy with all parts of the package which you put together for me. Hire the private toilet… Buy the WARMEST sleeping bag. Take warmer clothes than you think you’ll need!

Thank you so, so much for organizing such a wonderful tour. It was exceptional, and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute!

Leigh R., Australia
7-Day Kilimanjaro Machame Trek, August 2017

The trip was amazing. It was above and beyond what I had expected or anticipated.

My guide on Kilimanjaro was Albert. He gets a 10. Very intense man, runs a tight ship. The entire crew was wonderful and I want to believe they were all happy with their rewards at the end of the journey. Kilimanjaro is harder than you think. 3/3 reached the summit. The other 2 guys were 2 young German boys half my age, ha!

The Safari guide for the 3 day Safari I took with my wife was Alfred. Excellent guy. My wife Cristina was on a separate 5 day safari with Joseph and she loved him. Would give Joseph and Alfred both a 10.

George N., GA, USA
7-Day Kilimanjaro Machame Trek + 5-Day Safari + 3-Day Safari, August 2017

We had a great time climbing Kilimanjaro. Our guide was Reggie and we would give him a 10 rating. 3 of the 4 climbers in our group made it to the top and we would give give AWR a recommendation of 10. Our favorite part of the trip was reaching the summit and then the celebration afterwards.

Vic D., CA, USA
7-Day Kilimanjaro Machame Trek, August 2017

We had an excellent trip. Everything worked out perfectly. It was the best decision to go for the 5 day safari instead of 3 day. Serengeti was amazing in it’s vastness, beauty and animals. Our guide was Vincent, he was very good. Knowledgeable about the place and animals, friendly, 4 of us hit it off well. He took us to some good spots in Serengeti off the beaten path to see lions up close.

We liked the kati kati camp food was good and stay was comfortable in spite of being in the middle of nowhere. Enjoyed the Balloon ride as well. Ngorongoro farm house was a really good stay, comfortable clean and beautiful location. African Tulip was excellent.

Stories – In Kati Kati, we woke up middle of the night and saw a big wild buffalo next to the tent. We were very luck to see a chase, a lioness hunting a Gazelle. That was beautiful and did not seem violent.

Tanzania surprised us, very beautiful, people are friendly and relaxed. Will go back. Overall we had a trip of a lifetime and stories, for that we thank you, Vincent and others involved for making it happen.

Anil J., CA, USA
5-Day Safari, August 2017

We loved the hike and seeing the park up close.  Everything went really well.  Thank you so much for all your help!

Cindy V., NV, USA
1-Day Short Kilimanjaro Trek, July 2017

The trip – WONDERFUL!  The sights, the locations, and most especially the people we met made this Adventure a memory of a lifetime to carry and to tell others to contact Adventures Within Reach when it is their turn! Our Kilimanjaro lead guide Abuu and his Assistant Gerald were off the scale you gave – I would give them 1000 on a scale of 1 to 10 they were so good to us.  Friendly, helpful, fun to interact with, wise and very experienced, they anticipated needs, led the porters with decisions always in good humor and were so encouraging to us the final day of climbing.  Our guide Vincent on the Safari was very knowledgeable and pointed out things we never saw – and we DID see four of the Big five missing only the Rhino, and spotted four leopards in trees and one VERY close up Cheetah.

Chris P., MA, USA
5-Day Group Safari + Private 6-Day Rongai Route Kilimanjaro Trek, June-July 2017

Both the Kilimanjaro trek and Safari in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater (caldera actually) were literally dreams come true for me. I’m an environmental scientist and started my career as a field research biologist. As a child, I was already reading books about African wildlife and would watch nature shows on TV of the Tanzanian plains and forests with my Dad every week. I read an article about Mt. Kilimanjaro in a National Geographic magazine as a young adult and made it my goal to climb it. Later, I learned about the disappearance of the glaciers due to climate change and felt even more of an urgency. In 2006, I spent four months in Southern Africa as a research assistant then traveling through seven countries but Tanzania was still “calling”. So, my initial goals were made decades ago, and for various “life” reasons, pursuing them was postponed, but they were accomplished, the dreams realized, this past October (2016) at age 49!

Brenda B., CA, USA
7-Day Group Machame Route Kilimanjaro Trek + 5-Day Group Safari, October 2016

10 doesn’t even begin to share the number I would give to the staff from the Adventures Within Reach. The staff at Endoro [Lodge] were very kind and considerate especially given the late hour [of my arrival]. [M]y guide Rama . . . made my safari an amazing experience. I tell everyone how he could spot a dot in the ground and know that it was a rhino. He did that all during our safari. He was always willing to explain things to us even when he must have been exhausted. I loved every minute. [I] ended up loving [Serengeti Halisi Camp]. I loved looking out on my balcony [at Rhino Lodge] and seeing Water Buffalo and Waterbuck.

Carolyn S., USA
5-Day Safari, July 2016

Meghan and I had such an incredible journey through Africa! I want to thank Adventures Within Reach for making it possible. All of our drivers and guides are every special individuals that enormously contributed to our experience. They are professional, kind, informative, and above all extremely interested in our well being and safety. Everything was very well organized and designed. Thank you again for all your attentiveness to our bookings. I will be a customer of Adventures Within Reach again as well as recommend this company to our friends.

Ashley P., CA, USA
4-Day Rwanda Gorilla Trek+ 6-Day Rongai Route + 5-Day Safari, June 2016

The guides/porters on the hike and safari were wonderful.  I could not say more positive things about the crew with Tanzania Journeys.  They just really took care of us!

Lisa G., USA
6-Day Rongai Route + 2-Day Safari, February 2016

We loved it all! The safari was very special though, since it is a unique experience.  We felt secure throughout the entire trip. Everything was planned for our convenience. It was a perfect experience.

Jack S., Illinois, US
3-Day Short Serengeti Fly-In Safari + 5-Days Zanzibar, January 2016

[My f]avorite part is the porters and guides (especially Rashid), they encourage[d] us in many ways, slowly and patiently stayed with us during the summit. I made it to the summit despite my altitude sickness, thanks to Rashid and Ramadan. [T]he food was great too. [E]verything was perfect in my trip.

Nisha B., Singapore
7-Day Machame Trek, February 2016

The bike ride was a wonderful way to see things other than the main streets of Moshi and was a great way to become familiar with our surroundings and the wonderful folks in Moshi.  Abdul was a wonderful guide – knowledgeable of the town, very safe, and willing to answer our many questions.

Carolyn G., USA
1-Day Biking in Moshi, February 2016

[The Moshi bike trip] was a highlight of my trip. Abdul was an awesome guide and took us places few travelers have been. In fact I gave the bike ride information to our guide with IMG and a high recommendation for future travelers. The lunch was an added bonus.

Vicki M., US
1-Day Biking in Moshi, February 2016

I would definitely recommend both the Kili trek and safari to everyone. Favorite part of the trip was really both trek and safari. When the porters sang to our group, that was super nice. Food was excellent. They made sure we ate when we had no appetite.
The porters and guides were great. Porters were there for us if we were looking around for something. They washed my pants. Coy carried my pack summit night when he saw me struggling. We had great tents. Our group was 4, and we all made it to the top. Can’t think of any improvements. Great company. Thank you Robin and AWR. Will recommend you.

Gina G., Kilimanjaro Climb + Safari, September 2018

Our guide Jackson was excellent – couldn’t have asked for a more proficient leader for the porters and our overall trip. We were so impressed with this group of happy porters.

Our safari was excellent. We had seriously the best safari ever. Saw everything within Tarangire, and the other parks were just icing on the cake. Amazing. Even saw the python, cheetahs, black rhino, a fresh kill in Ngorongoro crater, and lions producing the next generation. Serious thumbs up. Our safari guide was also definitely a solid 10. He even got us to the airport on a very tight schedule

AWR was excellent. We have already spread the word about this company.

The experience overall was life changing. We had never been to the African continent, and this trip was over the top amazing. Love the Tanzanian people. Kilimanjaro is more of a mountain in every way than you expect. More beautiful, more challenging, more spectacular, more intriguing, more surprising.  Loved every minute. Trip of a lifetime. Thank you – we love Jackson and his entire crew. Superior to others we have heard about. Thank you!

Ruth M., Kilimanjaro Climb, August 2018

It was an amazing trip! All of us had a fantastic time and we will remember the experience for the rest of our lives! Jackson was an awesome guide.  He took charge of the situations and took care of us.  He’s an amazing leader and he worked really well with all the porters. AWR and Robin were very helpful and the arrangements/ partners you work with in Tanzania  were great! The whole trip was awesome from just walking around Moshi to trekking, food, summitting. But the best part was the view from the summit! Thank you!

Jerome C., Kilimanjaro Climb, August 2018

The whole group on our Kili trip was excellent; however, these people seemed like standouts:

1) Dismas (Chief Guide): Dismas was an absolute professional from start to finish on the mountain. His knowledge and communications skills were excellent and he clearly knew the mountain cold (no pun intended). I’d refer friends to him for any future trip to Kili. He was totally instrumental in how great our experience was.
2) Amor (Assistant Guide): Like Dismas, a total professional, great communicator, and excellent representative of AWR. It sounds like Amor works as a Chief Guide on certain trips, which is no surprise. I think we would have been more than pleased with him as a Chief Guide as well.
3) Salim / Obama (Chef / Asst Chef): Both excellent and very nice. They catered to many in the group’s minor dietary requests.
4) Kevin / Jackson (Waiters & Porters): Totally amazing guys. Their positivity and communication each day added so much to the trip. I’m not sure the upward mobility opportunities for people in these types of roles, but they’re very deserving, and their English is quite strong.

It was a great trip and experience!

David F., Kilimanjaro Climb, August 2018

Trip was awesome! Our guides on Kilimanjaro were Jackson and Zep. They were wonderful. Food was wonderful but we couldn’t eat very much. We did tell our chef the food was really good. Our porters were fun and we really appreciated Salim…he brought us anything we needed. Our safari guide was Joseph. He was an excellent driver and guide. Courteous and personable! Was well informed and entertaining. AWR made the arrangements easy to understand and I like that AWR has a Airline travel partner to help facilitate air travel. Our favorite part of the trip was meeting people and learning about the culture.

Amanda C., Kilimanjaro + Safari, July 2018

Would definitely recommend Adventures Within Reach with a 10. All of the parks we visited were great although Selous was very hot but well worth seeing. Accommodations were very good at all locations.  Our trip to Northern Tanzania 2 years ago was very good also. Really enjoyed the bush plane flights that got us around the Southern Circuit.  Very scenic and efficient and cut out a lot of driving and only way we would do an Africa trip in the future.

Richard N., Southern Tanzania Circuit, July 2018

Kilimanjaro is beautiful and so is Tanzania. We were thoroughly impressed with the country, its natural beauty and the people. We have not stopped recommending this as a “must-do” trip to our dear friends and family. In all, our trip was 10/10 on all accounts.

Deepak L., Custom Kilimanjaro + Tanzania Adventure, June 2018

Just wanted to reach out to tell you what a wonderful trip we had all around. Our guide kibacha  absolutely could not have been better. He seemed to have eyes in the back of his head.  If he was talking to one of us he would always be looking out and keeping an eye on the others noticing slippery areas etc. We felt completely safe and secure under his guidance and he got us to the top!!!! The other guys in the porters were polite and kind and accommodating. The food was delicious and well we all marveled that we had the biggest tents of any camp that we stayed in!!!! On safari we had a godlissen as our guide. Again he was absolutely wonderful personable and accommodating. Endoro lodge was amazing Truly the nicest hotel that I think any of us have ever stayed in!!! Safari was excellent we saw most of the animals that you can see in the crater. Also want to mention when my nieces husband had to go down the mountain due to stomach virus after two days they took very very good care of him. John checked in on him regularly at Bristol cottages and gave him updates as to how we were progressing on the climb. It was the trip of a lifetime and we were all truly so very happy!!!! Thank you!!!

Deb and John M., Custom Kilimanjaro Climb + Safari, March 2018

Our trip to Tanzania and Kilimanjaro was perfect. Our guide was the one and only “King of the Mountain” Mr. Reginald Moshi (“Reggie’). Our assistant guide was Mr. Charles Meja, a highly experienced and friendly man. Both Reggie and Charles are EXCELLENT. We have so many great memories of our days and nights on the mountain.  The terrain varies so much and is so beautiful.  The Barranco Wall was especially fun.  And, of course, the final climb to Stella Point and Uhuru Summit.  We are very appreciative to Reggie, Charles and the entire crew.  They all made this adventure fun, safe and rewarding.  We enjoyed many interesting conversation with them on the way. Thank you again.

Rick C., Custom Kilimanjaro and Tanzania Adventure, March 2018

We had an incredible journey that will not soon escape our memories – from start to finish.  I think we’ll be telling these stories for many years to come.

The climb to Uhuru Peak was breathtaking!  It was not quite as difficult as I had expected, though the final ascent was not easy, either.  We had a great time getting to know our guides and everyone else on the support team, sharing many stories and laughs and swapping questions and answers about our home cultures.

Our guides, Rashid (lead) and Abu and Chaz (assistants), were FANTASTIC!  I could not have asked for better guides nor would I have wanted to do this monumental climb with anyone else – if I were to do this a second time, I would request them in a heartbeat.  The guides dedication to our safety, security, and success did not go unnoticed and could not have been more on point.

The food that was prepared and service that was delivered by Amusa and Jimmy was OUTSTANDING!  We had restaurant quality food and service at every meal (and they did it on the side of a mountain!).

The 18 porters that we had were instrumental in making this trip as unforgettable as it was.  Our group was/is very appreciative of the time they took to set up our camp, tear down our camp, and carry all of our belongings.  The porters are truly the unsung heroes.

Heading to the safari with Joseph was a pleasure.  Joseph was as helpful as Rashid in answering questions, teaching us about the areas we were driving through, and accommodating our requests to stop for souvenirs, etc.  The animal, geographic, and cultural/historical knowledge that Joseph brought to the trip really put his part of the trip over the edge to be phenomenal and we couldn’t have been happier with it.

Thank you for everything you did to set up this amazing experience!

Tyler L., Custom Kilimanjaro Climb + Safari, December 2017

I loved my trip with AWR last february, and I finally got around to finishing my Africa video… I don’t know if you can use it somehow, given it is a copyrighted song so probably can’t be used for advertising. But if there is a link for travelers to share videos, I could post it there.

Shana B., Kilimanjaro Climb, February 2017
Check out Shana’s video HERE

Just a quick note to let you know we had a great time in Tanzania. Crees, our guide, did a great job and we got to see so many animals and observe their behavior. We even spotted 2 rhinos in the crater from the lookout on the rim as we scanned the area with a pair of binoculars!!

Thank you very much for putting together a well thought out itinerary and working with us to link both our itineraries. The transition at Kogatende was smooth. The lodges were comfortable and the safari experience exceeded our expectations ?

I really appreciate your detailed responses to the many questions I had which helped a great deal with our preparation for the trip.

We look forward to doing more trips with y’all.

Preethi S., Custom Safari, November 2017

We had the very best guides on the mountain!  Dismas was our lead guide and his 9 years’ experience really showed through his leadership with his team.  They all respected him and everything ran very smooth.  They all seemed happy to be on the trek and to ensure we had a good trip and all made it to the summit.  Dismas has a wealth of knowledge and a confidence that made me feel very comfortable and that I was in good hands.  Nassoro, our assistant guide was also very good.  He was so helpful throughout the trip and they both made sure we had everything we needed and answered all our crazy questions.  Nassoro willingly took many pictures and videos of us throughout the trip that are priceless!  I felt very comfortable with both guides and we’ll be friends for life.

For the Kili Trek, it would be my birthday party and the summit day.  I normally don’t like to celebrate my birthday but knowing that I would be on Mt. Kilimanjaro for this one, I wanted to celebrate it to the fullest and that’s what we did!  I brought up some hats, blowers and cupcakes for the three of us and all the porters and guides but what I didn’t know was that they knew it was my birthday and they surprised me with a cake and songs.  Our cook Geoffrey, baked it on the mountain! It was the best birthday anyone could have and everyone seemed to have a great time and was fully engaged.  But nothing tops the reason for the trek, the summit day.  It was life changing for me and something I will never forget.  Dismas, Nassoro, Temas, Diana, Blaze and I got through it together and had the very best day.  It was tough, spectacular, fun, spiritual and more all in one.  But it wouldn’t have been the same without the awesome 6 days leading up to the summit day.  I think you can tell, I really really enjoyed the entire trek!!  The safari was more than I expected and seeing so many animals up so close was unbelievable.  All three places were nice but my favorites were The Tarangire Safari Lodge and the Halisi Camp in the Serengeti. Waking up the last morning at the Tarangire Safari Lodge to the sounds of lions so close to the outside of our hut was scary, exciting and crazy!  Loved every minute of it!

We had an unbelievable adventure and I say thank you and your team for making this happen for all of us!

Patryce H., 7-Day Kilimanjaro Lemosho Trek + 5-Day Safari, September-October 2017

On Kilimanjaro, Dismiss was our guide and Nasorro Shabani Mawala was our assistant guide. Both were amazing — Dismiss had a vast amount of experience and knowledge of the mountain, and our health along the way. Both were very professional and became close friends. We saw many guides along the way and were convinced that we had two of the best. We had great weather, no health problems. Food was excellent and the company was as well. All 3 of us summitted.

On safari, Vincent was also extremely knowledgeable. He knew a tremendous amount regarding all animals and he also knew where to find them, when others did not. His vision and spotting were amazing.

I’ve traveled to 6 continents and been on many travels and tours. This was the best! Summitting Kili was a highlight, of course, but seeing cheetahs and rhino’s as well as other animals in abundance was a certain highlight. I also really enjoyed tent camping at Halisi Camp in the Serengeti and hut camping at the end as well. Hearing the animals and seeing them right next to us at night was a highlight.

Blaze B., CA, USA
7-Day Kilimanjaro Lemosho Trek + 5-Day Safari, September-October 2017

Dismas was our guide. We would rate him excellent, a 10, and we would also rate Nassoro, his assistant, a 10. Steve loved the Barranco Wall. I loved the first day in the forest listening to the monkeys chattering. The best part of our trip was the whole team — the guides, cooks, and porters were all wonderful.

Yes, it is harder than we thought. Rockier and steeper than we had trained for. The distances are deceptive. It takes a lot more energy and time than we thought to go a short distance. I would prepare future climbers to train hard. A toilet tent is the best purchase you can make. Trust the guides implicitly. Bring a lot of money for tips! The bike tour was dangerous and terrifying!

Tanzanians are very warm, gracious and friendly. We were treated so well by everyone. Deo our driver was wonderful. We would love someday to return for a safari.

Thank you Robin and Dan. You are excellent at your job and we would love to work with you again. You impressed us with how quickly you responded to our questions!

Mary D., OR, USA
7-Day Kilimanjaro Machame Trek, September 2017

Our Kilimanjaro guides, Jackson and Said were Above Excellent!! They did a phenomenal job, and we highly recommend them.

Each day we experienced something new and amazing that will forever be with us. [Mt. Kilimanjaro] From the start, our briefing with Jackson and how comfortable and at ease he made us feel. The planning & preparing for the next day’s trek. The children waving as we drove through towns. How welcoming the hotel operators, local people, and shop keepers in Moshi were. Being above the clouds. Seeing the millions and millions of stars clearly! To the “water for washing”. The sounds of the camping zippers and the great outdoor feeling. The views, upon views, upon views. The porters singing and welcoming us to their country. Those unforgettable switch-backs. [Safari Tarangire, and Ngorongoro Crater] Completely took our breaths away, to be so close and experience the zebras, giraffes, elephants, monkeys, impalas, buffaloes, tigers, birds, All of it!!

Brunetta C., NY, USA
6-Day Kilimanjaro Rongai Trek + 2-Day Safari, August 2017

My guide was Abu, and he was exceptional. Safety was most obviously their #1 priority, and that was very reassuring. It was honestly the BEST adventure I’ve ever been on. All 12 of us reached the summit.

The Machame Route is extremely beautiful. The scenery was incredible, and I enjoyed the challenging terrain. The Summit day was far from easy, but a challenge that I loved pushing myself to do. I was extremely happy with all parts of the package which you put together for me. Hire the private toilet… Buy the WARMEST sleeping bag. Take warmer clothes than you think you’ll need!

Thank you so, so much for organizing such a wonderful tour. It was exceptional, and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute!

Leigh R., Australia
7-Day Kilimanjaro Machame Trek, August 2017

The trip was amazing. It was above and beyond what I had expected or anticipated.

My guide on Kilimanjaro was Albert. He gets a 10. Very intense man, runs a tight ship. The entire crew was wonderful and I want to believe they were all happy with their rewards at the end of the journey. Kilimanjaro is harder than you think. 3/3 reached the summit. The other 2 guys were 2 young German boys half my age, ha!

The Safari guide for the 3 day Safari I took with my wife was Alfred. Excellent guy. My wife Cristina was on a separate 5 day safari with Joseph and she loved him. Would give Joseph and Alfred both a 10.

George N., GA, USA
7-Day Kilimanjaro Machame Trek + 5-Day Safari + 3-Day Safari, August 2017

We had a great time climbing Kilimanjaro. Our guide was Reggie and we would give him a 10 rating. 3 of the 4 climbers in our group made it to the top and we would give give AWR a recommendation of 10. Our favorite part of the trip was reaching the summit and then the celebration afterwards.

Vic D., CA, USA
7-Day Kilimanjaro Machame Trek, August 2017

We had an excellent trip. Everything worked out perfectly. It was the best decision to go for the 5 day safari instead of 3 day. Serengeti was amazing in it’s vastness, beauty and animals. Our guide was Vincent, he was very good. Knowledgeable about the place and animals, friendly, 4 of us hit it off well. He took us to some good spots in Serengeti off the beaten path to see lions up close.

We liked the kati kati camp food was good and stay was comfortable in spite of being in the middle of nowhere. Enjoyed the Balloon ride as well. Ngorongoro farm house was a really good stay, comfortable clean and beautiful location. African Tulip was excellent.

Stories – In Kati Kati, we woke up middle of the night and saw a big wild buffalo next to the tent. We were very luck to see a chase, a lioness hunting a Gazelle. That was beautiful and did not seem violent.

Tanzania surprised us, very beautiful, people are friendly and relaxed. Will go back. Overall we had a trip of a lifetime and stories, for that we thank you, Vincent and others involved for making it happen.

Anil J., CA, USA
5-Day Safari, August 2017

We loved the hike and seeing the park up close.  Everything went really well.  Thank you so much for all your help!

Cindy V., NV, USA
1-Day Short Kilimanjaro Trek, July 2017

The trip – WONDERFUL!  The sights, the locations, and most especially the people we met made this Adventure a memory of a lifetime to carry and to tell others to contact Adventures Within Reach when it is their turn! Our Kilimanjaro lead guide Abuu and his Assistant Gerald were off the scale you gave – I would give them 1000 on a scale of 1 to 10 they were so good to us.  Friendly, helpful, fun to interact with, wise and very experienced, they anticipated needs, led the porters with decisions always in good humor and were so encouraging to us the final day of climbing.  Our guide Vincent on the Safari was very knowledgeable and pointed out things we never saw – and we DID see four of the Big five missing only the Rhino, and spotted four leopards in trees and one VERY close up Cheetah.

Chris P., MA, USA
5-Day Group Safari + Private 6-Day Rongai Route Kilimanjaro Trek, June-July 2017

Both the Kilimanjaro trek and Safari in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater (caldera actually) were literally dreams come true for me. I’m an environmental scientist and started my career as a field research biologist. As a child, I was already reading books about African wildlife and would watch nature shows on TV of the Tanzanian plains and forests with my Dad every week. I read an article about Mt. Kilimanjaro in a National Geographic magazine as a young adult and made it my goal to climb it. Later, I learned about the disappearance of the glaciers due to climate change and felt even more of an urgency. In 2006, I spent four months in Southern Africa as a research assistant then traveling through seven countries but Tanzania was still “calling”. So, my initial goals were made decades ago, and for various “life” reasons, pursuing them was postponed, but they were accomplished, the dreams realized, this past October (2016) at age 49!

Brenda B., CA, USA
7-Day Group Machame Route Kilimanjaro Trek + 5-Day Group Safari, October 2016

10 doesn’t even begin to share the number I would give to the staff from the Adventures Within Reach. The staff at Endoro [Lodge] were very kind and considerate especially given the late hour [of my arrival]. [M]y guide Rama . . . made my safari an amazing experience. I tell everyone how he could spot a dot in the ground and know that it was a rhino. He did that all during our safari. He was always willing to explain things to us even when he must have been exhausted. I loved every minute. [I] ended up loving [Serengeti Halisi Camp]. I loved looking out on my balcony [at Rhino Lodge] and seeing Water Buffalo and Waterbuck.

Carolyn S., USA
5-Day Safari, July 2016

Meghan and I had such an incredible journey through Africa! I want to thank Adventures Within Reach for making it possible. All of our drivers and guides are every special individuals that enormously contributed to our experience. They are professional, kind, informative, and above all extremely interested in our well being and safety. Everything was very well organized and designed. Thank you again for all your attentiveness to our bookings. I will be a customer of Adventures Within Reach again as well as recommend this company to our friends.

Ashley P., CA, USA
4-Day Rwanda Gorilla Trek+ 6-Day Rongai Route + 5-Day Safari, June 2016

The guides/porters on the hike and safari were wonderful.  I could not say more positive things about the crew with Tanzania Journeys.  They just really took care of us!

Lisa G., USA
6-Day Rongai Route + 2-Day Safari, February 2016

We loved it all! The safari was very special though, since it is a unique experience.  We felt secure throughout the entire trip. Everything was planned for our convenience. It was a perfect experience.

Jack S., Illinois, US
3-Day Short Serengeti Fly-In Safari + 5-Days Zanzibar, January 2016

[My f]avorite part is the porters and guides (especially Rashid), they encourage[d] us in many ways, slowly and patiently stayed with us during the summit. I made it to the summit despite my altitude sickness, thanks to Rashid and Ramadan. [T]he food was great too. [E]verything was perfect in my trip.

Nisha B., Singapore
7-Day Machame Trek, February 2016

The bike ride was a wonderful way to see things other than the main streets of Moshi and was a great way to become familiar with our surroundings and the wonderful folks in Moshi.  Abdul was a wonderful guide – knowledgeable of the town, very safe, and willing to answer our many questions.

Carolyn G., USA
1-Day Biking in Moshi, February 2016

[The Moshi bike trip] was a highlight of my trip. Abdul was an awesome guide and took us places few travelers have been. In fact I gave the bike ride information to our guide with IMG and a high recommendation for future travelers. The lunch was an added bonus.

Vicki M., US
1-Day Biking in Moshi, February 2016