Reviews of Smile With Us Tours in Africa

Unrivaled professionalism and service

My wife and I took a private one day fly in fly out safari from Zanzibar to Nyerere National Park (used to be called Selous Game Reserve) during the latter portion of rainy season, mid-May. Firstly, our amazing experience began with a request for a quote. Within 1 hour we had a quote and a deeply detailed layout of our trip from the pickup point at our resort in Nungwi beach to Nyerere and then back to our resort. I had a few questions for Jacob, my contact, through email which were promptly answered. So within 48 hours I confidently booked with Smile With Us Tours. Payment through PesaPal (a Tanzanian PayPal of sorts) was quick and easy. On the day before our safari, the taxi driver (Nurdin) contacted us through WhatsApp to confirm our pickup and drop off. Nurdin was so very kind and willing to share his knowledge of his home with us. Most importantly, he was a safe driver. On the day of the Safari we woke up early and met Nurdin who took us to the small departure gates that housed flights to Safari airstrips. The plane was a ~30 passenger double prop plane. The landing at Nyerere (as it is on any dirt runway in a small plane) is not as cushioned as a large international flight might be, but don’t let that deter you. It is such a cool experience! At the end of the runway awaits some nice restrooms, a line of safari trucks, and the entrance to Nyerere National Park. Stepping off the plane, we were immediately greeted with a huge smile by our fantastic tour guide Eric. Eric began by familiarizing us with our 6 seater safari truck. Our safari truck was loaded with a cooler full of ice waters that was easily accessible throughout the trip. The dew that morning had left the seats a little damp, but before we even had the chance to mention it, Eric solved that problem by covering our seats with plastic panchos that were also available for rainy days. When entering the park, we stopped by the park rangers station where we picked up an extra tour guide who was learning the ropes in their tour guide school named Jameson “Jimmy”. Of course, Eric made sure it was ok with us before we added Jimmy as an additional passenger. Despite being in the park during rainy season, when the foliage is dense and the animals more difficult to see, we had no issue getting many up close encounters with ALMOST all (sneaky lions) of the animals on our list. The guides from different companies are constantly on the radios trying to coordinate their movements to make sure you see the most animals. We were blown away with the variety of animals we saw and our favorites were the wildebeest, hippos, water buffalo, and the baby elephants! If you like giraffes, you are in for a treat! You will see more giraffes than you ever thought possible. You may even be sick of seeing giraffes at the conclusion of your trip! Nyerere is a gem of a park as it contains many different “biomes” like savannah, wetlands, and dense jungle. Even in the rainy season, it displayed a dry grass savannah with herds of zebra and impala with the occasional wildebeest. 15 minutes later we were driving through a thicket of large, vined trees where a group of baboons were dropping fruits to a small harem of female elephants and their feisty young calves. Fifteen more minutes passed and we reached a sprawling riverbed where hippos and crocodiles were plentiful. In the morning we had a 20 minute break where all of the safari trucks gathered near the river for coffee, tea, and Tanzanian fried bread (andazi). During the afternoon we stopped for lunch near a lake infested with more hippos than you can possibly begin to count. The lunch area had several metal gazebos where you can get out of the sun and very nice restrooms that were totally unexpected out in the bush. We ate a dish of chicken in curry on a bed of rice with a side of melon. We finished the tour chasing after lion and hyena tracks, but to no avail. We were close though, as evidenced by several piles of giraffe bones scattered near our search area. Eric and Jimmy both created such an unforgettable experience for me and my wife and I know they are continuing to do the same for all of their tour customers. The return flight to Zanzibar was peaceful and Nurdin was waiting for us as we walked out of the airport to take us back to our resort in Nungwi. In all, we left our resort at 0400 and returned around 1730 in the evening. If you want a special safari experience but don’t know if a multi-day trek is for you, I would highly suggest this opportunity. Of note, the price of all the tours is a steal for the experience. However, the difference between a private tour and a group tour is arguably negligible. I would highly suggest a private tour if you feel that way too! Also of note, while tipping is not mandatory, these guides are extremely skilled at navigating rough terrain, communicating with other guides, and teaching you about their animals, all while using multiple different languages. These gentlemen (from several companies) take pride in their trade and are unbelievably service oriented. They deserve a good tip so make sure to bring some Tanzanian cash! Safaribookings.com is a terrific site and when my wife and I return to East Africa I will be using them to find my next safari adventure. Hopefully that tour is guided by the hardworking people at Smile With Us Tours!

Austin

Hands down the best tour ever!

Absolutely incredible experience with Stephano from Smile With Us Tours on our 3-day safari, especially our unforgettable day in Mikumi National Park! Stephano is hands-down one of the best guides we’ve ever had—knowledgeable, calm under pressure, and full of passion for wildlife and Tanzanian culture. Despite it being rainy season—which always brings a few surprises—he handled every challenge with total professionalism and an easygoing attitude that kept the day flowing smoothly. We were thrilled to spot 3 of the Big Five (elephants, buffalo, and lions!) amidst the lush green scenery of Mikumi. The park itself is a hidden gem, especially during the wet season when the landscape bursts into vibrant life. Herds of zebra and wildebeest grazed the plains, giraffes moved elegantly through the trees, and hippos wallowed happily in flooded pools. After our game drive, Stephano took us on a fascinating visit to a Maasai village—a truly eye-opening cultural experience. The warmth and hospitality of the Maasai people, their traditions, and their songs and dances added such depth to our trip. It was humbling and unforgettable. We ended the day at Camp Bastian, a charming eco-lodge tucked into the forest with great food, friendly staff, and a relaxing atmosphere to unwind after an action-packed day. This safari was the perfect mix of adventure, nature, and culture, all made possible by Stephano’s expert guiding. Smile With Us Tours exceeded all expectations—we couldn’t recommend them more highly.

Andy

Well organized safari at a reasonable price,good communication, helpful information and good guidanc

Was very enjoyed safari having a lot of adventures, good communication,service at point and good guidance

Lucy

In love in safari))

we had a 3 day safari (tarangiri, ngorongoro and manyara). picked up from the airport and taken to the place of overnight stay. love the safari, I recommend taking more days to see more animals. seen at arm's length: giraffes, elephants, zebras, buffaloes, lions, monkeys ... it's just incredible)) very nice guide Fredy, it was as comfortable as possible with him ... he tried to show us all the animals that are in the parks (we saw a rhinoceros even ... about 150 meters away (they were looking for him all over the park). my top recommendations for smile with us. good customer reference

Natalia

Fantastic, superior customer service

We have just returned from a trip to Zanzibar and used "Smile with us Tours" for a 3 day 2 nights Safari in the Nyerere national reserve. From our first contact with Jacob it was so easy to work out what we wanted to do, agree an itinerary and get it all booked up. 1st class communication from end to end. We paid a deposit and then the balanced on the day of our trip. Every single part of the trip went as planned, top class service all the way, initial collection at our hotel, transfer to the airport for the short 30 min flight from Zanzibar airport to the reserve on the mainland, collected by our guide for the trip Mr Marufu (Mr Famous.) We had a safari jeep to ourselves. Mr Marufu was a fantastic guide, loads of information about the flora and fauna and of course all the animals. We set off from the landing strip and as we had an early start to catch the flight we headed to a camp near by for breakfast, a very nice surprise and an extremley good breakfast. After that we headed into the reserve for our first game drive - exciting times! animals everywhere, water buffalo, giraffe, zebra, impala, warthogs .... the list goes on and on We chose to stay at the Selous Impala tented lodge, we were not disappointed with our choice, a fantastic lodge 5* service and facilities Day 1 was a game drive till lunch time, rest in the afternoon at the lodge and an evening / dusk game drive then back to camp for dinner Day 2 game drive all day, lunch out on the drive sat overlooking a lake watching the animals and life go by - an amazing experience Day 3 walking drive in the bush and a river trip followed by a rest up at another lodge outside the reserve ahead of our flight back to Zanzibar. We cannot thank Jacob and Smile with us tours for arranging a fantastic memorable trip!

Michael & Sharon

Amaizing

They met my expectations in ways i did not imagine

Kanyoti

Hasan and Jacob were amazing operators. Very knowledgeable and helpful. We Recommend them!

The whole trip was really amazing. Hasan knew exactly where to go, all the different spots and routes to find us the best animals and get the pictures and videos for a unforgettable trip. I was able to plan a surprise engagement with Hasan and Jacob, and everything went perfectly.

Ramsey

Outstanding tour operator offering the opportunity to get a once in a lifetime experience!

Outstanding experience! I went on a solo safari trip with Smile With Us Tours in January 2023. The experience was super from the beginning to the end. Everything was very well organized to meet my wishes, and I felt so taken care of from the moment I was picked up from my hotel in Zanzibar. At arrival in Nyerere National Park (the plane landed while giraffes and other exotic animals were walking by the runway!), I was met by the most welcoming and genuine guide, Eric. He made sure I had many moments I will remember for life during my two days game drive with him. He put in all his effort to find the animals, we got up really close with them, and he was full of knowledge. I saw hippos, lions, zebras, elephants, African wild dogs, hyena, buffalos, crocodiles, giraffes, warthogs, baboons, black face monkey, impalas, waterbuck, wildebeest and more. I am so thankful for everything he did for me to give me the best experience possible. I also did a safari walk and a river safari where I got to see even more animals, birds and learned about animal tracks, herbs, plants and trees, and about surviving in the wilderness. My accommodation during my stay was at Selous Jimbiza Camp. Here I was met by a very welcoming staff. I was treated as a queen, the food was great, the crocodile and elephant bread the chef made were impressive, and I felt safe both day and night. I totally recommend Smile With Us Tours, and would love to go on a tour with them again!

Monica

Excellent - ultimate experience and great value for money

We can find no fault at all with smile with us safari tour. From beginning to end they were exceptional. Great communicators and our guide Kassim was brilliant. He discovered our love of birds and went out of his way to find all bird species as well as the big animals. Nothing was too much trouble. A private trip for just us at a price that would be cheap for a group tour. And Kassim went out of his way to make sure we were not in the rat run of safari jeeps all chasing the same animals…. We were nearly always alone and saw absolutely everything and at really close range! An absolutely faultless trip - we cannot thank you enough for making memories to last a lifetime

Hilary

Very organized from start to finish

Had a terrific time doing the Mikumi and Selous 4 day safari. Great communication. Would highly recommend.

Colby

Fantastic! Surreal experience, like a dream!

Our adventure with Smile With Us Tours Africa was simply out of the ordinary. Jacob’s helpfulness in answering all our questions in the booking phase, to helping storing our luggage whilst we were away was second to none. Nurdin came to pick us up directly from our hotel at 4am to drive us to the airport, he was punctual, welcoming and extremely polite. Our exceptional guide Maarufu was waiting for us when the plane arrived in Mtemere airstrip. Maarufu really made our trip, he was extremely knowledgable of the animals and area as well as super friendly and great fun! We started the stay with breakfast in a lodge outside Nyerere National Park. This was followed by a “Walking Safari” accompanied by a Maasai. We learnt about the different trees, plants and animals droppings of the bush - a really useful background prior to the game drives. The Maasai also demonstrated and let us attempt to make fire the traditional way. Before lunch, we embarked on a “Boat Safari” during which we were able to see crocodiles, hippos and many birds. After lunch, we left with Maarufu on our first game drive. After a brief discussion we agreed to travel along the highway for an hour with the goal of finding lions that had been spotted earlier. On the road, we met giraffes, impalas, pumbas, buffaloes and even elephants! After about an hour and a half, and Maarufu’s expert guidance, the ultimate reward, a large family of lions with lots of cubs. The dream! The lions came so close to the car to find shade that we could have reached out and touched them! The drive back to the lodge was full of more animals everywhere we looked. We spent the evening and night at Selous Impala Camp. The tents were very comfortable, the service very attentive and the food delicious. The next morning we left at sunrise for a “Bush Breakfast”. Maarufu used his expertise to track the elephant footprints and to locate a family of elephants with many baby elephants. We had breakfast by one of the park’s many lakes, a unique and memorable moment. We continued the safari before returning for lunch at the lodge, before leaving for Mtemere airstrip, still spotting a number of animals on the way. Throughout the Safari, Maarufu knew how to find the animals, bring the car as close as possible without scaring them so that we could be as close as possible to them. He also have us a lot of information about the animals and how the entire ecosystem works. It is important to note that we were provided with an open top Jeep, entirely open on the sides, that was just for us. This was very different from the occasional others companies we saw which had a mixture of people crammed into the car, or no open sides. Thank you to Jacob and the whole team for organising a wonderful two days and especially Maarufu for making it truly unforgettable, making us laugh and smile non stop and guiding us to all the animals of the Selous!

Elliot

Great communication making the trip easy and wonderful!!

I couldn’t have been happier with Smile with us Tours. From getting a quote to invoicing, etc., they were always very quick and professional to respond and answer any questions I had along the way. They also were less expensive than any other safari I got quoted and the experience was top notch! I didn’t have to stress or worry - they took care of everything and my family had a wonderful time, especially with their knowledgeable guide who went out of his way to see ALL the animals. :) 100% recommend their company.

Kristen Foote

Wonderful service! Would recommend Smile With Us Tours, to any one looking for a Safari experience!

We were not quite sure what to expect, as this was our first safari experience but Smile With Us Tours eased any apprehension we had. Jacob was very timely in responses and answered all of our questions. The price was reasonable and the service was very professional. We did a tour in Mikumi and Selous with Matata, who was an excellent guide! He was not only knowledgable but also very passionate, which really added to our overall experience. He went out of his way to make sure we saw any and all animals possible, e.g. giraffes, hippos, elephants, zebras, hyenas, baboons, crocodiles, lions, elusive serval cats ect. We even saw a leopard kill but missed seeing the leopard. All of the people we met along the way were very welcoming and we are so grateful to have had this experience. We definitely recommend this company to any future safari goers!

Sheena

Excellent 5-Day Mikumi NP, Udzungwa and Nyerere NP Safari Package with Smile With Us

We are a family of 4 and enjoyed a wonderful 5 night safari visiting Mikumi, Udzungwa and Nyerere. It was our first safari. Communication and organization of the trip was excellent and very individually. Every single part of the trip went as planned, top class service all the way. First day early morning pick up from Dar by our tour guide Erick, an excellent guide and warm hearted young man. The ride was in a comfortable big 4x4 land cruiser top up roof. When coming to Mikumi park Erick was very knowledgeable where to spot zebras, wildebeests, impalas, buffalos, giraffes, baboons, elephants and lions. First night our accommodation was inside Mikumi. Day two we did a morning game where we saw a lions only two meters away from our land rover. After this we went to Udzungwa mountains and did a guided hiking tour to Sanje waterfalls which took 3 hours. The swim in plunge pools was lovely. At night we stayed in camp Bastian, a beautiful camp with lovely accommodation and fine food. We loved it. Day 3 we drove to Nyerere national park and stayed in the very special Neyere tented camp. After arrival we embarked on a guided boat safari. We saw many hippos, birds and crocodiles in their natural habitat. Day 4 we joined for a two hour bush walk where a bushman and great story teller explained about animals and plants. We learned and laughed a lot. After this we went for a full day game. Erick knew exactly where to go to see the wild animals. We even saw wild dogs and hyena. On day five we flew back to Zanzibar. All was very well organized, the flight tickets to Zanzibar as well as the pickup from the airport to our hotel. Thank you Smile! We had an incredible time and couldn’t have been happier with you.

Andrea, Nura, Faris and Abdalla

Memorable

If you come to Zanzibar please do not miss out on doing this safari. The animals in the wild, and the beautiful scenery will forever be part of our memories. They just walk to your hotel reception and pick you up and bring you back. Very secure. Amazing experience!!! Once in a lifetime! The driver, Eddy was very very kind.

Joao magalhaes

Kilimanjaro and Safari

Just finished my Kilimanjaro 6 days hike through the Machame route + 4 days of safari with Smile with us tours in Africa. Have to say, was not expecting the level of professionalism and dedication of the team to meet all our needs and demands. Food was excellent, crew was experienced, in both instances (hike & safari) 7+ years of experience, some even 15 years experience! I personally felt I was in good hands all the time, safe and well informed about all that was happening. Have nothing to say against, professional team, recommend!

Petru

Best Safari

The Tour was perfekt and Salum was the best Guide ever. He found all lions

Bernd

Canceled safari by operator

We booked our safari two months in advance. 4 days before the date we got a request from the tour operator to re-schedule the date due to organization issues. We managed, re-arranged our schedule. After that it was extremely difficult to communicate to the operator, we received no info, no replies to emails. Complete incommunicado. We only hope that we will receive back the deposit we paid - the safari never happened. We could still give five star even after a canceled safari as we can understand if there are unforseen technical difficulties during organizing a tour - but at least, talk to your client! Not communicating, not answering emails for days just a few days before a scheduled and then re-scheduled safari, leaving the client in uncertainty deserves nothing but one star.

Barna

Smile with us Tours do their job with Passion,Quality and Love!

The Company is very well organized and extremely professional in Safari experience. I found very easy to organized the safari tour with my family. The smile team knows what they’re doing and they’re open/friendly which makes easy to communicate with them. With Smile tours, me and my family made our long time dream came true...The big five

Florence