A MUST-DO EXPERIENCE with the BEST company! - We could not have asked for a better experience for our Tanzania safari! So incredibly grateful to have learned about off the beaten path, because honestly, our safari would only have been half as good, at best, with any other company. Incredibly special shoutout to our guide, wild wild Wilson. He is one of the smartest people I have ever met - there was not a single question about wildlife, reproduction, animal behavior, trees, and so on, that he could not answer! To top it off, he took his time to explain things in detail and it is obvious he has a passion for what he does. Every time we were near another safari vehicle, I was reminded of how fortunate we were to have Wilson and this company, because you just don't see the same enthusiasm anywhere else. Wilson was relaxed, had a positive attitude, and was flexible with our plans throughout the week. We saw all of the big 5, multiple times, and much much more. My expectations were not met - they were exceeded! I also very much enjoyed being on safari during the wildebeest migration. The planning experience is also very flexible, and you can decide which type of camps you would like to stay at within the parks (a more intimate tent camp or a more luxuary stay). I highly encourage the intimate camping, because you still had appropriate amenities and you got to experience the culture, the environment, and be up close and personal with your wildlife experience (i.e. lions walking through the camps!) The feel of this company is very family-oriented, and they treat you like family. Shoutout to Salim, Amina, and Rebecca - incredible hosts and planners! Amina checked in on us and took her time to receive any feedback we may have after the trip. When (not if), we go back to Tanzania, it will no doubt be with this company again and again!

Five star+++++ - We can’t imagine that the trip could have been any better. The guides were world class, the accommodations, magnificent the staff at each place, so kind and welcoming, nature unbelievably beautiful. Off the beaten path is by far the best tour company who’s ever worked with traveling anywhere around the globe.

Amazing time all around with Off The Beaten Path! - Off the beaten path safaris was such an amazing experience! Our guide, Humphrey (Boghart) had such a great sense of humor and such a depth of info about the mammals, migration, and an eye for finding them and identifying gender, pointing out unique characteristics and just a GREAT driver! He navigated those roads after the rains with his eyes closed! And I didn’t even mention the day we spent at Olduvai Gorge and learned about the archeological significance of this region! Such a wonderful time! We loved Off the Beaten Path Safaris!

Thanks to OTBPS for making a dream come true!! - This was a lifelong dream that actually came true!! Salim and Wilson, our guides, were wonderful and were very educated about the animals as well as their habitats and behaviors. They also were very accommodating and fun—we played music in the jeep, sang and hiked and investigated the area just outside one other towns. Fun hike with gorgeous views and better yet was Wilson waiting with a cold glass of wine after our hike! These guides really geared an entire day to us getting out and moving and enjoying the outdoors as well as meeting some of the locals just as a little break from the safari (at our request). The only thing we missed was meeting other campers and eating lunch with them on the Serengeti and visiting a tribe and learning about their cultures, cooking with them and engaging in the tribal dances. Make sure you make time for this! I think the safari is much more dynamic with a group, however this was a very memorable and cherished Mom- Daughter trip that was a definite "bucket list item" and was simply magnificent! Accommodations: All tent camps were beautiful, some better than others, however overall were very nice, clean with friendly, accommodating staff. and delicious food! We went to Zanzibar for some rest and relaxation. after the safari...... The hotel in Zanzibar (Zanzibar Serena) was lovely with great accommodations, on the beach, right in the heart of Stone Town walking distance to everything! The food, as well as the staff, were lovely, helpful, polite and very accommodating to our requests. The grounds were well maintained and guarded Of course we would recommend (OTBPS) to our friends and already have!!! Best safari in town!!

Beautiful Tanzania with Amazing People. - I could not recommend a better company to serve your safari. We went on a 12 day, 11 night custom safari and experienced so much. From the big five, to smaller creatures, to over 370 species of birds. Salim, Humphrey, Joel, and Kennedy treated us so well and we’re so knowledgeable. Every day was better than the last. The accommodations were top notch and the wildlife was a treat. My favorites were Ndutu Conservation Area and the Serengeti National Park. We regularly met other guests who did not have guides/drivers as engaged and connected as ours and it showed. Our guides knew information about bugs, geology, plants, animals, birds, local indigenous tribes… EVERYTHING. Would recommend 10/10 times.

An experience like no other, I am forever changed by it. - From the moment we arrived at the airport at Mt. Kilimanjaro, the client services we’re absolutely exceptional. All 5 of our different accommodations were superb and the food was delicious. Of course we came to see the animals so all of the great food and super camp staff was just a bonus! As soon as we got off the plane in Kogatende in the Serengeti it was obvious that our guides were in a class of their own. We were the only clients greeted with a champagne welcome! We were immediately off the see the wildlife and it was a magical experience within 10 minutes of taking off in the jeeps. We saw elephants, zebra, giraffe, hyenas and wildebeest just on the way to first camp! We watched many heart pounding scenes including a large wildebeest crossing on the Mara River. It was hard to believe that I was seeing this with my own eyes. There were so many scenes I experienced, I felt as though I was living in a a National Geographic documentary. Over the course of the safari, all of our guides were able to deliver every single animal we came to see, save only 1 for next time, the rare and endangered black rhino. My group was mostly veterinarians. The guides were encyclopedic in their knowledge of animals and the plants. We asked questions that perhaps non-veterinarians may not ask and all of our questions were answered in great detail. The guides know the animals well and know where to take you and when to take you for maximum animal exposure. As much as we vets love animals our safari did not end there. Salim and his group were able to allow us to have access to some of the indigenous tribes that live near the Ngorongoro crater. It was such a unique experience to interact with people so different from ourselves and we are truly appreciative of them allowing us into their lives for a day. We thought it funny that they asked us more questions about how we live then we asked them! On a final note Salim custom caters this amazing trip to his clients. We were able to visit a dog rescue in Arusha, that in addition to what we all know rescues do, has the mission to educate the residents of Arusha on rabies and the need to get all street dogs vaccinated to save human lives. It is a tireless job. We also took toys and school supplies to an orphanage. It was such a good feeling to see those kids react with deep gratitude when we gave them the items we brought. Off the Beaten Path Safaris supports these organizations in their community of Arusha. Going on Safari is a trip of a lifetime. I highly recommend you put your trust and dreams in Off the Beaten Path Safaris. You will not be disappointed!

An adventure unlike any other - A trip of a lifetime! An African safari with Off The Beaten Path Safaris was the most amazing experience I have ever had. Salim and his staff made sure that we were all taken care of every moment of our trip. We camped in the bush with tents that had the comforts of flushable toilets, showers, sinks with running water, extremely comfortable beds, dining and lounge areas and so much more. The staff that ran the camps were so friendly and kind. They made sure that we had everything we needed. Salim and his crew were extremely knowledgeable about the Serengeti and always knew where to go to find the animals to get the best opportunity to get amazing photos. They were always determined to get the best angle for viewing and photography and we were never disappointed by their efforts. We were treated to amazing food for breakfast and lunch in the bush and had a trip in a hot air balloon viewing all of the animals below. I could go on and on about this incredible adventure but I will end by saying that the thing that made it extra special was the attention to detail and the care each one of us were given by every member of the Off The Beaten Path Safari staff. We came as guests but left as family.

Great first trip to Tanzania! - We recently took a trip Tanzania (first trip to Africa for three of the four of us), and had a fabulous experience with Off the Beaten Path Safaris! Our daughter, who had always wanted to visit Africa, took part in a volunteer program in Arusha and convinced the rest of us (mom, dad, brother) to join her for a safari when she finished up. OTBP came recommended by a friend, and we took the plunge without really doing much further research. It was a great choice - we had a fantastic time! Salim (the owner) and Humphrey (our guide) were both super knowledgeable and very kind, and took excellent care of us throughout the whole trip. Salim picked us up at the airport and delivered us to the Mount Meru Game Lodge, a peaceful, relaxing place to stay after a long flight. In a way, the safari started there as it has a small reserve right on the property with buffalo, 'zonkeys' (cross between a zebra and donkey), two species of monkey, and lots of great birds. We loved watching the animals from our breakfast table in the morning. While waiting a day or two for our daughter to finish up in Arusha, we also took advantage of Salim's kind offer to drive us up to the Kilimanjaro foothills for a great hike and a chance to meet some of the local coffee and banana farmers. One of the best things about our trip was the opportunity to meet some of the local people and see how they live. We then spent the next 9-10 days on safari, visiting multiple national parks/conservation areas - Arusha, Ngorongoro, Tarangire, Serengeti, with some additional side trips for hiking and visiting some of the local tribal groups and villages. A few highlights/notes: - Salim and Humphrey are great! Humphrey was incredibly knowledgeable about the parks and the animals and could answer every single question we threw at him. It was also obvious that he loves what he is doing and has a passion for wildlife and the environment. You spend a lot of time with your guides on these safaris, and we were so happy to have a chance to spend this time with Salim and Humphrey. Both also made extra trips for us into Arusha to pick up our daughter and to help her finish up her volunteer program, which we greatly appreciated. - Arusha National Park is well worth a visit. I think a lot of people skip this park since it smaller and right near town, but we loved it and were glad we went. We took a hike with an (armed) park ranger and had a chance to see animals up close and on foot, which was very special - it literally took my breath away when we came over a rise and saw a herd of buffalo right across a small stream from us. - All the lodges and tent camps OPB chose for us were great! - Safaris involve a lot of driving. This was, honestly, a big concern to us going in (we are mostly hiking people), but it ended up being well worth it. We saw amazing animals every single day. This included the 'big five', as well as countless others including literally thousands (millions?) of wildebeest. One thing about spending a full 9 days on safari was the chance to see a variety of animal behaviors and to spend a lot of time just watching in one place rather than rushing around. - Lunches out in the bush are fantastic. When it was time for lunch, Humphrey would find a secluding, safe, spot to park the vehicle and then serve up a hot lunch. Sitting on lawn chairs on the Serengeti, eating lunch, while watching some lions have their own lunch (a wildebeest) was an amazing experience. We finished our time in Tanzania with a few days in Zanzibar, which we all also greatly enjoyed. OTBP made all of the arrangement (including transportation to/from the airport to our hotel etc) which made everything really easy for us. We did not do a lot of touring on Zanzibar, but greatly enjoyed out just chilling out and going for long walks every day on the beach and through the local town. In short, we had a super time, our two-and-a-half weeks in Tanzania flew by, and OTBP was fantastic! We are looking forward to coming back some day and exploring other parts of Tanzania!

Life Changing Experience - This was the most incredible adventure ever! It included visiting Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti National Park, and a wonderful visit to Zanzibar. Our guide and company owner, Mrindoko Salim, did an excellent job in every aspect of our Safari. I was impressed with his communication, preparation, assurance of our safety, knowledge of all aspects of the environment and wildlife, and follow-up upon our arrival to Zanzibar. He arranged for transportation for all transfers from the moment we landed in Tanzania and in Zanzibar. I could not say more than it was a job well done. I have already spoken to friends and relatives who are now desiring to also come on safari. Thank you my brother Mrindoko. I’ve made a friend for life. Oh, and the meals at the luxury tented camps and other contractors were amazing. The chef and other staff at the camps were wonderfully welcoming. Hakuna Matata!!!

Incredible lifetime experience with the best guide - My wife and I spent 7 days of our honeymoon in Tanzania based on a recommendation from our friends who helped encourage Salim Mrindoko to start his own company "Off The Beaten Path Safari". They not only spoke highly of the safari experience, but also of Salim himself who is personable, knowledgeable, and a well organized guide. My wife and I love to travel and most recently had toured India for 3 weeks (Kerala and Rajasthan--including an overnight Camel safari) so we are comfortable with more adventurous trips. However, we couldn't help but feel a little bit anxious sending payment beforehand based on a few back and forth emails with Mrindoko. Our friends assured us we were in for a treat, and all of our anxiety completely vanished when we met Mrindoko at the airport. He immediately made us feel comfortable and was very easy to get along with; we could tell that he is passionate about his company and being out on safari. He is friendly, funny, relatable, and speaks English very well. He took us to our first lodge in Arusha (not on safari yet) where we could rest after long travel and get ready to take a small airplane the following day out to Ndutu where we would begin the adventure. Mrindoko explained some logistics over lunch, and informed us that we would be meeting his associate, Charles, who would be taking us out on the safari. While were hoping to tour with Mrindoko, it turned out we would be completely delighted with Charles. The next day Mrindoko took us to the small Arusha airport and said farewell for the time being. The 45 min airplane ride to Ndutu was breathtaking and only helped to build up the excitement for the safari to come. When we landed we met Charles for the first time, and just like meeting Mrindoko, we immediately knew that we were in good hands with Charles, who greeted us with a big smile and helped us get oriented out in the wilderness ("the bush"). He had already set up an elegant picnic table mounted on the front of the Land Cruiser we would be spending the week riding in, complete with snacks, beer and wine, and coffee and tea. We loaded our bags, enjoyed the refreshments while he completed paper work at the airport, and after 30 minutes or so, we were off and on our first "game drive"! Now, there is a lot I could say about being on Safari in Tanzania that you can probably read other places on the internet, so here's the details that were specific to our experience with Charles and Off The Beaten Path: - We rode around in an enclosed Land Cruiser with a "pop top" that allowed you to stand up and get a shaded 360 degree view of your surroundings. Many of the vehicles are like this, but ours was brand new, and had a nice color that blended in well with the environment. - You *will* see wildlife. I was completely astonished at how abundant the wildebeest, zebras, antelope, giraffe, and elephant were. We were also lucky enough to see "the big 5" (although the Rhino kept his distance) and an incredible scene where 2 brother cheetahs engorged themselves on a meal that they could barely walk afterwards (the looked pregnant!) - The first lodge we stayed at was Kati Kati camp, which is akin to camping although the tents are sturdy and ours was furnished with a toilette, and a shower. Even though this was the most rustic of the lodges we stayed at the food and hospitality was still top notch. Even though we could hear Lions and Hyenas at night, we felt safe because of the Masai tribesmen who worked at the camp knew how to deal with any unwanted intruders without conflict. - The 3 other lodges we stayed at: Kubu Kubu in central Serengeti, Sopa Lodge in Ngorongoro Crater rim, and Farm House lodge near lake Manyara, were all much more luxurious, comfortable, and had amazing hospitality and food. We loved coming back to the lodge in the evening almost as much as we enjoyed our game drives. The only low point that I experienced the entire trip was some digestion problems. We don't think it was food related (my wife was fine the entire time and ate mostly the same things), but rather it seemed to be travel and by body being generally on high alert in a new environment. Therefore, I didn't need to take my emergency antibiotics, but in this case it was really nice to have some pepto and Imodium on hand so that I wouldn't need any emergency trips to the bathroom while out on game drive. Now, for one of the most important parts of our trip: Charles our guide. As it goes on safari, you end up spending a lot of time with your guide out on game drives and sharing meals and stories together. It was only my wife and I on our trip and Charles never felt like a third wheel. He is charming and personable, but also had a smart sense of when to respect our time alone. We shared a lot laughter with him and grew to like him as a friend. He started out his career in studying Hotel Hopsitality and Business in College and working in lodges, and it showed in his service in demeanor. Not only was Charles easy to be around, but he is incredibly knowledgeable about the wilderness, geology, and the wildlife. He shared with us that it is his true passion and that he especially liked studying birds in his later education (he helped identify probably 40-50 different types of birds while we were out on our game drives based on seeing them and hearing their calls.) He told us that he had completed the Kenya wildlife service training institute diploma in wildlife management. Not only does he know a ton about animals, but you can tell he truly cares about wildlife preservation and pursuing all of these aspects as his life long career. The highlight of our trip was when we were out on a game drive with no other vehicles in sight. From a distance we saw a herd of about 100 elephants and took some of our best photos from about 0.5 km away. Charles had an even better plan. He knew that if we were patient, we could slowly drive up to a point in front of the herd and wait for about 30 minutes for them to cross the road. It happened exactly as he knew it would, and we watched in awe as the herd crossed in front and behind our vehicle. We were all alone, just our vehicle and the elephants silently grazing as they walked within mere meters of us. It was quiet and emotional, and made me feel even if just for an hour or so, truly connected to the precious beauty and nature of our planet. It's a moment that truly made our trip "off the beaten path" and I'll never forget it. Later on in our trip we got to meet up with Mrindoko who was taking an Indian family on safari moving in the opposite direction of us just outside Ngorongoro crater. It was good to see him one last time before we finished our trip, and seeing Charles and Mrindoko together we could tell that they truly have something special going on. While I'm happy to write this review of our trip, I have no doubt that they will find success just doing what they do so well. Mrindoko has a keen eye in good people to work with, and Charles has an exceptional talent for taking folks out in the bush. I hope that we can visit them again soon.