Going to the Serengeti and day-trekking Kilimanjaro with Livingstone Safari was a fantastic journey I won't soon forget.
Livingstone personally accompanied me on a day excursion to Kilimanjaro, a tough 6 hour hike to the first base camp. He was happy to answer my questions about not only the mountain and its animal inhabitants, but also about Tanzania in general, and what life was like there. With a strong customer service attitude, Livingstone viewed me as his client and ensured I was taken care of.
His handpicked safari driver, Ombeni, was phenomenal. Ombeni was incredibly knowledgeable about animals big and small, and exactly where to take me to see them. He truly brought the whole experience to life for me. Between Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangerie, Ndutu, and Olduvi, it’s breathtaking how much you’re able to see. In addition to viewing the big five: very close to lions, elephants, leopards, and buffalo, and rhino from a distance, we saw a huge array of other animals. These included cheetahs, giraffes, hippos, zebras, antelope, baboons, impalas, gazelles, hyenas, crowned cranes, and the world-renowned migration of the wildebeest.
The trip opened my eyes in a way I didn’t think possible, and Livingstone Safari played a huge part in making that happen.
A few things to keep in mind, which aren’t any fault of Livingstone, but you should be aware of:
1) Paying Online- this will incur a 3% charge for you and 2% for Livingstone. While you won’t have this challenge if bringing cash, you’ll have to consider if you want to take the risk carrying that much physical currency. There was also an option to wire transfer, but it didn’t work with Bank of America.
2) Be Aware of Park Permit System- when going between Ngorongoro and Serengeti, which are next to each other, permits are required, and you technically aren’t allowed to cross in between them until one permit expires. As you look at your itinerary, including where you’re staying, keep this on your radar and actively discuss with Livingstone if you want to be in Ngorongoro or Serengeti on a given day.
3) Camps/Lodges Won’t Always Have Fans- when you’re in the middle of the national parks, while the camp/lodge amenities are quite good given your location, note a number of them don’t have electricity running after 10pm for fans/AC. It was fine, but something you should take account of.
Overall, it was a wonderful experience, and I’d highly recommend using Livingstone for your safari adventure.