31 December 2024

Tanzania local tour operator recommendations

TLDR: Any recommendations for local Tanzanian tour operators? (northern circuit)

Dear Mammalwatching community,

First of all I want to thank you for your excellent reports which I have been enjoying for many years. They have been of great value for planning trips!

Now my father and I are planning a trip to North-Tanzania (hopefully June 2025). He is a biologist and I have a FGASA safari guiding qualification in South Africa. We are interested in all mammals so are looking for a guide that can also help us look for the rarer mammals (not just chase big 5) and is knowledgeable about birds. However, my mother and brother who are more ‘recreational safari goers’ are also joining so we want to create an itinerary that suits everyone’s interests and needs.

We would prefer to work with a local operator and in that way directly support the local community and not pay an European markup to an European agency.

Could anyone recommend a local agency that they have had a great tip with?

Thank you! 

Joost K

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Joost
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9 Comments

  • 31 December 2024
    Steve Babbs

    What are your particular targets? Lake Manara, Tarangire and Arusha NP are very easy to do independently.

    • 5 January 2025
      Joost

      Thank you Steve! I think we will work with a tour operator as we are creating a itinerary including the Serengeti, Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Hadza tribe and Kilimanjaro

  • 31 December 2024
    Moses Swanson the XVI

    Thompson safari’s is my usual go to when I was 6-9. But I am not so sure about the prices. They do fund local communities with the money so you should be good on that department.

  • 1 January 2025
    Miles Foster

    Hi, Joost,

    my wife, Ingrid, and I are off to Northern Tanzania in March. We always use UK-based Safari Consultants to plan Africa trips as they are so experienced and knowledgeable it significantly reduces the amount of research we need to do. Of course, that’s not what you want. But for this trip they have booked a private local guide through Nomad Africa – no doubt you know them. I don’t, but I trust Safari Consultants and they know that we have very high standards when it comes to guides and they highly recommend them. So we’ll see. But they might be worth considering for your own trip. I will try to let you know how it goes though by then you will have made your decison, no doubt.

    Regards, Miles

  • 4 January 2025
    Charles Foley

    I always use Dorobo Safaris for trips in Tanzania. They have great guides, go to places that are way off the beaten path, and do a huge amount for conservation. They are also the only ones who can organise a trip to stay with the Hadza, which I highly recommend.

    • 5 January 2025
      Joost

      Thank you Charles! Great to hear your recommendations and will definitely make sure we take your book with us 🙂

    • 5 January 2025
      Joost

      Dear Charles, I have one more question if that is okay with you.We’re considering 2 full days in Tarangire and 5 in the Serengeti (next to the other planned destinations). Do you think that is enough for the Tarangire ecosystem or is a 3D Tarangire 5D Serengeti split more sensible? Asking you since you are the big mammal day record holder and Tarangire expert 🙂

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