3 Days Mikumi & Udzungwa National Park + masai culture

Kumekucha Africa Tour & Safari is Tanzanian owned and operated. We booked them after exhaustive research into the different tour operators, and were not disappointed. You can trust them to give you an unforgettable experience. They were in great contact with us in advance of the trip, and even allowed for a last minute 1 day delay that we required. You might be mistrustful of the quality of this tour because it is far cheaper...but I assure you the food, lodging, and guide are all top quality. Our guide, Hamad, arrived exactly on time to pick us up from our Dar Es Salaam hotel. He drove us to breakfast and then on to Morogoro. The vehicle was clean and his driving was great: safe but not slow. The ride was 6 hours in total before reaching the park, and it wasn't entirely comfortable, so be prepared. Hamad took us to lunch and then into Mikumi National Park. Through long experience and keeping in touch with other guides, he was able to efficiently direct us to all the wildlife. He paid close attention to what we found interesting and focused on keeping us happy. For example, he pointed out a bird and saw that neither my wife nor I cared about birds. He didn't mention birds again. Later, my wife pointed out a bird herself, saying it was 'beautiful." Hamad pointed out 'beautiful birds' to my wife when he saw them after that give details amazing. Every detail of the trip was handled by Kumekucha. He checked us into our hotel (see separate review of TanSwiss Lodge) and helped us order food and ensured we were comfortable throughout our time with him. After two days touring Mikumi, we had seen all the animals that live in the area. We took a drive up to Udzungwa to hike the rain forest trails. This drive was long and bumpy. It made for an incredibly long 3rd day, but I think if you are so close to this much natural beauty, it is a shame to skip it. Hamad checked us in with a guide for the Udzungwi National Park, fed us breakfast, and sent us on our way. The full waterfall hike is about 10k, and a pretty demanding hike. The views of the waterfall and the surrounding landscape are worth it. We saw monkeys and lizards, spiders, a snake, and even a couple of crabs. CRABS! The ride back to Dar Es Salaam from Udzungwi took 8 hours. The inevitable traffic near the city tested our worn out patience. Hamad had been driving for 3 straight days but was all smiles and encouragement. He delivered us to our hotel safe and sound and tired and satisfied. Be patient with the processes. You'll need to check in to the parks, have your ID recorded, pages stamped. You'll be stopped at roadside checks. Traffic in the city will stop for minutes at a time. But Kumekucha will get you where you're going so relax and enjoy yourself.