Steven Mbwambo Managing Director Kima Safaris LTD
Kima Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2010)
- Member Of:
- TATO, TTB, TALA & TANAPA
- Tour Types:
- Customizable private tours and fixed group tours
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $3,469 to $18,733 per person per day (MXN, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Nigel | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Irresponsible; callous; unapologetic; indifferent to fact we paid for a service he could not deliver
Sold safari itinerary that proved to be undeliverable.
Driven in land cruiser with several major defects, many of which were significant safety risks.
The most harrowing part of the journey was during 14-hour drive from Makumi to Selous (which should have taken no more than 7 hours).
Just after 7pm on this drive, the headlights on the vehicle failed. It was dark and very remote where it happened.
The road was potholed and riven (a truck had been stuck in the mud earlier and we had waited an hour while villagers dug it out before we could pass).
The driver resorted to holding his mobile phone out of the window in his right hand,to shine the light from his screen on to road. His left hand held the wheel and he drove one-handed, with very little light from his phone, with hazard lights on.
The journey was completed agonisingly slowly in this dangerous one-handed fashion.
Because of the rain, it was also hard to distinguish the road from water on both sides.
We both thought we would die.
The following day we saw Steven, the company owner, at the river safari where he was with a group (from the hotel where we had been staying). He was in a more superior vehicle.
We were rightly angry. We tried to tell him about some of our experience of the tour, but he offered not one word of sympathy, still less any apology or acceptance of responsibility.
When we said our lives had been endangered, he said we should take it as an adventure! I am in my 70s and my wife is nearly 70. We do not need this kind of adventure at this stage in our lives. We are well-travelled and had ‘slummed it’ in our twenties.
When my wife mentioned that the hand rail came off when she held on to it as the vehicle tipped at 45degrees going through a rut, Steven said that it was probably because of her weight!!!
We pointed out to him that it was his responsibility to provide us with a vehicle that was fit-for-purpose. He responded that it was the rain that posed a problem to our journey having taken so long.
This is just an account of the worst part of the tour.
We bought a 4-day safari (84 hours) but spent spent a total of 31.5 hours travelling in the vehicle, with a mere 8 hours on actual safari in the two parks, Makumi and Selous.
We paid USD1800 and were provided with an unroadworthy, not fit-for-purpose vehicle.
The accommodation was changed at the last minute on the first day and we were put up in a place with no fan, air-conditioning or hot water.
The accommodation at Selous did have a fan, but no hot water for a shower after our gruelling journey or for an early morning shower. (They did provide hot water later in the day but no hot shower before our walking Safari before breakfast.)
It was a terrifying experience.
Clearly not value for money.
Email Stephanie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent
I appreciate what Steve did for my children which are aged 15,13,4 and 2. He made the whole 3 day experience a wonderful one, on the drive safari my 2 Yr old was restless so he had him on his lap for 5 mins in the reserve to calm him, when we pulled over by a giraffe family, My 13 Yr old who has adhd was in front with Steve and he called him his co-pilot. He pulled over several times for us to stretch our legs provided biscuits and sweets for the kids and even bought bananas on return journey for us all. This was my 3rd Safari and the best yet. Thank you Steve for the wonderful experience. Ps big kisses from all my kids.x
Email Sarah John | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Absolutely Fabulous. Steven was totally tremendous throughout our Safari experience.
Kima Safari’s was excellent. Steven was a great guide, he did everything possible to make our Safari a fantastic experience. He was so attentative with the 2 youngest passengers ages 4 and 2. He called my 13 yr old grandson his Co-pilot, I would highly recommend Kima Safari’s. Thankyou so so much Steve for a most memorable time. You’re the best!!!xx
Email Adam | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent
1st Safari and 1 I will treasure forever, I had the most amazing experience and will definately return to do another. We had a boat Safari on the 1st day, drive Safari on 2nd day and me and my girlfriend did a walk Safari on our last morning, our journey to Kinga Lodge was long but fun as there had been lots of rain so it was like a wild drive experience, our driver Steve had it all down to a fine art. A very experienced driver with an absolute perfect manner. Good job Steve. Next time can I try the wild roads lol.
CH
Email Regula | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Best Safari-Tour-Guide ever; many many thanks to Steven
The safari was perfect in every sense; Steven, our guide from Kima Safari, has a keen eye and sees everything, including the leopard and the most diverse and unusual birds. Tarangire, Ngorongoro and Serengeti...it couldn't have been more beautiful. We saw the big five, very close, even a rhino family in Ngorongoro; leopard and cheetah in the Serengeti and an incredible number of hippos, buffalo, wildebeest, zebras, lions, elephants, gazelles of all kinds, crocodiles, hyenas, warthogs, giraffes and more. Many thanks for the incredibly beautiful trip and the perfect company. We will come back very soon....
FR
Email Brice Florent | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful experience that exceeded expectations.
We had the most wonderful experience on our trip. We booked the safari at the eve for the next day, and Steven worked his magic to make it all come together at affordable prices.
From the moment that our guide picked us from our hotel and briefed us about the journey, it was clear that everything was well-organized and would be executed to perfection.
Our guide Emmanuel was not only knowledgeable but also incredibly kind, friendly, and patient. He went above and beyond, considering we had just one day in the Selous Park. He made sure we witnessed as much wildlife as possible, creating unforgettable memories.
Our accommodations for the night were exceptional, providing a comfortable and charming retreat after an exhilarating day of exploring. What made this trip even more special were the additional activities, like the boat safari and forest walk, which added diversity to our adventure.
Thank’s to Kima for this safari experience that exceeded our expectations !
CH
Email Yvonne | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kima Safaris guarantees impressive safari experiences
Four of us spent 10 days with Steven from Kima Safaris in southern Tanzania (Mikumi, Uzungwa and Ruaha National Parks). The whole trip was excellently organized - everything went 100%. The lodges we stayed in were great with excellent food. Thanks to Steven's many years of experience, he knows the parks like the back of his hand and knows exactly how and where the animals move. So we were able to enjoy a lot of extremely impressive animal observations and learned a lot about the way of life of the animals and the connections between the different ecosystems. Steven is also a safe and skilful driver and a personable and humorous conversationalist. We can 100% recommend Kima Safaris!
(automatic translation from German)
SE
Email Anina | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing first safari trip to southern Tanzania
It was my first safari ever and I was not disappointed. Our personalized program included stays at Mikumi, Udzungwa and Ruaha nationalparks - all of them a little less know yet beautiful. Everything was well organized and Steven was there to assist us in every aspect. We stayed in beautiful lodges and enjoyed good food. The safari itself was fantastic. We were able to see a lot of animals including rarer ones as hyenas and leopard aswell as magical scenes for example bathing elephants. Stevens extensive knowledge about wildlife and Tanzania made us realize the beauty of the nature around us and his knowledge about the parks guaranteed successful game drives.
Overall an amazing safari! Would totally recommend!
NO
Email Mathias | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The man who knows everyone, and the one everybody needs in their safari
Steve organized train, transport to-, and from the train-station, accommodations, and water for us.
Steve cooperated with other guides, so we could witness all the exotic wildlife Mikumi national park had to offer.
Steve is an expert in his field, and shared facts and stories from 10 years of experience.
With Steve’s eyesight of an eagle, he saw wildlife in the horizon. If we didn’t hear from the guides, Steve would see something.
We got to experience elephants, giraffes, impalas, zebras, and even lion female, male and cubs up close, only a few meters from the car!
DE
Email Federica and Lisanne | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
All in all a great experience!
The booking via the website worked really well. Peter from Kima Safari always responded quickly. We would recommend asking again shortly before the start of the safari when, where and how exactly it starts, as we had a communication problem between the agency and the guide. In general, you should not approach things with the German punctuality, because the Tanzanian clock ticks differently :)
In the end, we had a great safari and our guide Fikiri was super nice and pleasant. He patiently showed and explained everything to us and we had an unforgettable experience. We can highly recommend him as a guide. The long drive from Dar es Salaam to the national park was also interesting and you could see a lot of the life of the locals. Fikiri always had good music on!
