Safari in Tanzania with an agency: paying in advance?

Hi there, We're in the middle of planning a safari in Tanzania for October. I've reached out to most of the local agencies recommended on VF and others: Greatzone's offer really caught our attention because it matches our wishes, they have a responsive team, and the price is lower than other agencies. The price difference is quite noticeable, so I'm wondering about the quality of their services—any thoughts??

Also, is it possible to avoid paying the full amount for the safari in advance? It seems excessive to ask for full payment a month ahead and it doesn’t feel very secure... Is this the case with all agencies??

Thanks for your advice!

Good evening,

Paying the balance 1 month before departure is logical and normal. If you’d booked in France with NF, Look, etc., the process would’ve been the same—and you wouldn’t even be asking the question!

Have a great trip.

Hi,

In France, I wouldn’t have thought twice about it because I’d have legal recourse if something went wrong... but in this case, sending $2000 to Africa gives me zero protection. That’s why I’d love to hear your thoughts on how reliable the agency Greatzone is. Thanks!

Hi there,

I can’t give you any info on this tour operator, sorry. How do you need to pay? By bank transfer to an account or directly to the tour operator (like Western Union payment)? If it’s to an account, you shouldn’t have any issues, and you’ll have a record of your transfer. I’ve made this kind of payment several times for Kenya—I’ve never had any problems. I just did it again for a Kenya safari and 4 days in Zanzibar for September. Once the tour operator received my payment, I got an immediate confirmation from them.

Hope you get more details and have a fantastic trip to Tanzania!

Best regards.

Hi there,

I’ve heard that Greatzone isn’t a bad company, but sometimes they outsource their services. That means your guide will accompany you but delegate the day to a local guide, for example, one specialized in Tarangire Park. That’s actually great, but at the end of the day, these local guides might ask for their payment directly from the clients. That said, this info is something to check, as there are also rumors between companies!

If you want, you can DM me the rate they’re offering and the itinerary they’ve planned, and I’ll let you know if it seems reasonable. But yeah, watch out for low prices—there are costs involved: park entry, camp, food, the vehicle. Where are they cutting corners? The condition of the vehicle, employee salaries?

Thanks for your replies!

Just to let you know, we ended up going with Greatzone and only paid a 20% deposit. So far, the manager has been great with planning the safari! I’ll post a little recap when we get back at the end of October!

Awesome! It’s getting closer, so I hope you have a fantastic trip.

Good evening,

Great news!!! After checking out their website (it's really nice), it seems like a solid tour operator. I hope you have a fantastic trip. I’d love to read your travel journal when you get back.

Best regards.

Hi! If we book with a local agency and they ask for the same thing as you, I get just as stressed. With us, it’s Miles to Smile, and we’re always afraid it might be a scam.

Hi,

So why not go with a French agency...??? Leaving stressed isn’t exactly conducive to a peaceful vacation...

...

Hi, For Corto Safaris, I confirm—I did the Kilimanjaro with them and they were top-notch. Fred