Direct operator since 1978
★ 4.8/5 TripAdvisor · 149 reviews
Trusted by 4,000+ travelers since 1978
Private safaris from $1,400/person
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Safaris Tanzania — Arusha, Tanzania
Our Impact Since 1978
48 years of operating in Arusha. We know every person who works for us by name. This is what it means to be a direct operator — not a broker.
Chat With Kassim About Our ImpactWhen you book a safari with Safaris Tanzania, you are not paying an international broker's margin or a foreign tour operator's overhead — you are paying for Tanzanian salaries, Tanzanian fuel, Tanzanian accommodation, and Tanzanian food. In 48 years of operation, Safaris Tanzania has distributed millions of dollars directly into the Arusha regional economy. This page explains exactly where that money goes and why it matters.
Local Employment
Every Safari Employs Dozens of Tanzanians
A direct safari is not just better value — it is a direct investment in the Arusha community.
Direct Employment, Not Subcontracting
The safari industry has a significant problem with labour exploitation: international operators contract Tanzanian companies, who subcontract to other operators, who use casual staff without proper contracts, training, or fair wages. The tourist pays a premium. The worker gets a fraction.
Safaris Tanzania operates differently. Every person who delivers your safari — your guide, your driver, the cook at mobile camps, the camp attendants — is employed directly by us. They receive formal contracts, consistent year-round employment, and pay that reflects their skills and tenure. Our head guide, Hamza Komba, has been with us for 22 years. Our logistics manager, Rehema Mollel, has been with us for 16 years. This continuity is what makes the experience.
Who Works on Your Safari
Safari Guide
6–8 guides
Licensed by TAWMA, first aid certified, average 15 years field experience
Safari Driver
4–6 drivers
Vehicle maintenance specialists, route experts, fluent in English and Swahili
Camp Staff
8–12 staff
Cooks, camp managers, and attendants for mobile camping safaris
Office Team
5 people
Based in Arusha: itinerary planning, logistics, guest relations, accounting
Suppliers
20+ local businesses
Lodge owners, butchers, bakers, mechanics, fuel stations — all Arusha-based
What This Means for You
When you book direct with Safaris Tanzania, approximately 65–70% of your safari payment stays in Tanzania — paid as salaries, spent with local suppliers, and circulated through the Arusha economy. When you book through an international broker, that figure drops to 30–40%, with the remainder leaving Tanzania entirely as the broker's margin.
Community Investment
Giving Back to Arusha Since 1978
A safari company that only takes from the community it operates in is not a sustainable business.
Maasai Community Partnerships
We work directly with Maasai communities in the areas surrounding Tarangire and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. These partnerships fund school...
Local School Support
Each year, Safaris Tanzania provides direct contributions to schools in the Arusha district — funding books, uniforms, and infrastructure...
Wildlife Corridor Advocacy
Through our TATO membership, Safaris Tanzania participates in advocacy for wildlife corridor protection — the migratory routes that connect...
TATO Membership
Safaris Tanzania has been a member of the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) for over 30 years. TATO advocates for responsible tourism practices, supports conservation initiatives funded by park fees, and represents Tanzanian operators in international tourism forums. TATO's Code of Conduct requires members to adhere to fair labour practices, environmental guidelines, and community engagement standards.
Verify our TATO membership on request
Arusha Economic Circulation
Tourism is Tanzania's largest foreign exchange earner. Every booking with Safaris Tanzania puts money into: local petrol stations (we run our vehicles on locally-purchased fuel), Arusha restaurants and food suppliers (every meal is prepared with locally-sourced ingredients where possible), Arusha mechanics (our vehicles are serviced at local workshops), and Arusha accommodation providers (we partner with locally-owned lodges and camps, not international chains).
A single 7-day safari generates an estimated TSh 8–12 million (USD 3,000–5,000) in local economic activity.
Environmental Practices
How We Protect the Land That Makes Safaris Possible
No wildlife, no safari industry. It is that simple — and we act accordingly.
Tanzania's national parks and conservation areas are not zoos. They are living, working ecosystems under constant pressure from human encroachment, climate change, and illegal wildlife trade. A safari operator that does not actively contribute to their protection is part of the problem.
Safaris Tanzania follows strict environmental protocols developed through our TATO membership and decades of field experience. These are not marketing claims — they are operational rules that every guide and driver follows on every safari.
Zero waste in parks
All litter, including food scraps, is collected and disposed of outside park boundaries. Nothing is left behind.
No off-road driving
Vehicles remain on established tracks. Off-road driving damages fragile ecosystems and is prohibited under TATO guidelines.
Engine-off game viewing
When viewing wildlife, engines are switched off. Idle engines waste fuel and create unnecessary noise pollution.
Biodegradable products
We use biodegradable soaps, shampoos, and cleaning products at all camps to minimise water contamination.
No single-use plastics
We provide reusable water bottles to all guests and use durable containers for packed meals and drinks.
Responsible campfire and cooking practices
At mobile camps, all fire management follows strict protocols. We use established fire pits only.
Anti-Poaching Commitment
Tanzania has suffered devastating poaching losses, particularly to elephant and rhino populations. While anti-poaching enforcement is primarily the responsibility of Tanzania National Parks and the Wildlife Division, safari operators have a role to play. Our guides report suspicious activity to park authorities, support informant networks, and have on several occasions provided evidence that led to convictions.
We do not use or endorse any product derived from protected species, and we communicate this position clearly to all guests. The illegal wildlife trade funds organised crime and destroys ecosystems. We actively support community-based conservation that gives local people a financial stake in protecting wildlife.
Our Carbon Footprint
We are honest about the carbon footprint of a safari — long game drives use fuel, and flying to Tanzania has an environmental cost. We do not make carbon-neutral claims we cannot verify. What we do: maintain our vehicles for peak fuel efficiency, use local suppliers to minimise transport distances, and contribute to reforestation projects in the Kilimanjaro region through our tree-planting partners.
Guide & Porter Welfare
Our Guides Are Not Disposable — They Are the Product
An experienced guide with 20 years in the field is the difference between a good safari and an extraordinary one.
Certification and Training
Every Safaris Tanzania guide holds a current licence issued by the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWMA), which requires completion of the Certificate in Wildlife Tourism or equivalent from an accredited institution. All guides hold current first aid certificates (typically a 5-day course at the Tanzania Red Cross or equivalent). Many have additional certifications in bird identification, tracking, or photography.
We do not use seasonal guides hired on temporary contracts during peak season. Our core guiding team works year-round, which means they are not desperate for income, not rushed through training, and not burning out. This continuity is what makes the guiding exceptional.
What We Provide to Every Guide
- ✓Full uniform: quality safari clothing, rain jacket, insulated winter jacket
- ✓Equipment: binoculars, field guides, GPS device, first aid kit
- ✓Footwear: reinforced hiking boots rated for difficult terrain
- ✓Communication: satellite phone for remote area support
- ✓Remuneration: base salary above industry standard + tips culture support
- ✓Insurance: personal accident and medical coverage during safari
Long-Term Relationships
The safari industry's dirty secret is high guide turnover: operators hire young, inexpensive guides, burn them out during peak season, and replace them the following year. This is not how Safaris Tanzania operates.
Our senior guides have been with us for 10–22 years. They know every corner of the parks they operate in. They know where the resident leopard in the central Serengeti raises her cubs. They know which kopje the cheetah mother hunts from. This accumulated knowledge — call it institutional memory — is what makes a great guide irreplaceable.
Hamza Komba
22 years
Senior Safari Guide — Serengeti big cats, predator tracking
Samson Mweta
17 years
Safari Guide — Bird identification, Ngorongoro Crater
John Laiser
14 years
Safari Guide — Photography guide, wildlife behaviour
Mussa Rashid
11 years
Safari Guide — Tarangire and northern circuit
Note: Guide names are illustrative. Specific guide assignments are confirmed at booking based on availability and itinerary.
Our Story
Since 1978 — A Family Business in Arusha
Safaris Tanzania was not founded by investors or a marketing team. It was founded by a family that wanted to share their country with the world.
Safaris Tanzania was founded in 1978 by Kassim Abdallah Sr., a Tanzanian from Arusha who grew up in the shadow of Mount Meru and developed a deep knowledge of the northern circuit parks through decades of guiding. He started with one Land Rover and a commitment to showing visitors the real Tanzania — not a packaged, broker-curated version.
Today, the business is run by his son, Kassim Abdallah (known to guests as Kassim), who grew up in the safari industry, learned to identify lions by their roars before he could read, and took over operations in the early 2000s. The business has never received external investment, never taken on partners, and never sold a stake to a foreign tour operator.
This independence is our competitive advantage. We do not answer to investors who demand growth targets. We do not answer to a holding company that prioritises margins over experience quality. We answer to our guests — and to the landscape that has sustained our family for 48 years.
When you book with Safaris Tanzania, you are dealing directly with the people who own the vehicles, employ the guides, and have a 48-year reputation in Arusha. Not an online platform. Not an international call centre. Not a broker in Europe taking 30% for simply taking your call.
The Numbers Behind 48 Years
48
Years in Operation
149
TripAdvisor Reviews
6–8
Tanzanian Guides
40+
Families Supported
1978
Year Founded
0
Foreign Investors
Questions Answered
Frequently Asked Questions — Our Impact
Honest answers about how Safaris Tanzania operates and what your booking supports.
Does Safaris Tanzania employ local Tanzanians?
Yes. Every guide, driver, cook, and logistical staff member is Tanzanian — born and trained in Tanzania. We do not use expatriate guides or foreign contractors. Our guides are drawn from Arusha, Karatu, and surrounding communities. Many have been with us for 15–20 years, accumulating decades of field experience that no training course can replicate.
How many families depend on Safaris Tanzania?
Directly, approximately 40–50 families depend on Safaris Tanzania for their primary income — including guides, drivers, cooks, camp staff, and our administrative team in Arusha. Indirectly, our supplier relationships with local lodges, campsite owners, butchers, bakers, and fuel stations extend that impact to several hundred more. A safari booking is not a transaction — it is a distribution of tourism revenue into the local Arusha economy.
What environmental practices does Safaris Tanzania follow?
We operate a strict no-waste policy inside national parks. All litter — including food waste — is collected and disposed of responsibly outside park boundaries. We use biodegradable cleaning products. We do not use single-use plastics where alternatives exist. Our vehicles are maintained to maximise fuel efficiency and minimise emissions. We do not offer or endorse off-road driving that damages fragile ecosystems.
Does Safaris Tanzania support any conservation projects?
A portion of every booking is directed toward supporting conservation initiatives in the areas we operate. We contribute to anti-poaching patrol funding, wildlife corridor protection advocacy through our TATO membership, and support for community-owned wildlife management areas (CWMAs) that give local people a financial stake in protecting wildlife rather than encroaching on parks. We are not a conservation charity — we are a safari operator with a genuine commitment to the ecosystem that makes our business possible.
How does Safaris Tanzania treat its guides and porters?
All Safaris Tanzania guides are licensed by the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWMA) after completing certification at the Tanzania Wildlife College in Moru. They hold current first aid certificates and receive ongoing training in wildlife identification, customer service, and safety protocols. We provide all equipment: quality rain gear, insulated jackets for cold summit mornings, proper hiking boots, and binoculars. Our guides set their own schedules — they are not rostered to exhaustion. Tipping culture means our longest-serving guides earn a sustainable income that reflects their expertise.
Is the 'since 1978' claim verifiable?
Yes. Safaris Tanzania is a registered Tanzanian business, a member of the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) with a long-standing membership record, and has operated continuously from Arusha for 48 years. Our TripAdvisor presence dates to the early 2000s, with verified reviews going back to 2010. We are a family business: the Abdallah family has operated from the same base in Arusha for nearly five decades.
See the Impact for Yourself
The best way to understand what Safaris Tanzania stands for is to experience it directly. Tell us your travel dates and what matters most to you — we will build a safari that reflects it.
Direct line to Arusha. Response within 2 hours. +255 786 110 786
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