Reviews of Ikuka Safari Camp

"Great people.

Brilliant rooms: great views, spacious, good facilities, hot water and still feels fresh and new.

Food was imaginative and very well presented." See all these reviews: 9n in Tanzania

"We were thrilled to be met at the airstrip by our favorite guide, Festo. He had been our guide 5 years ago at a different camp. We love his vast knowledge and passion for the wildlife, as well as his humor. We headed up the hill to spectacular views from the lodge and our room.

The banda was spacious and had plenty of storage, and the deck offered complete privacy. There was a deep plunge pool, but found it a little too chilly to enjoy. The lighting wasn't bright enough in the evening for reading, but we kept so busy that there really wasn't time to read. While the banda was fully open during the day, at night they zip down a tent around the bed. To use the bathroom at night, one had to unzip the tent opening and navigate a step to reach it.

Food was good and plentiful. Lunch was a buffet of delicious salads and hot entrees. The communal dinner was served plated, and a manager and at least one guide joined the guests each evening. The open bar had a list of interesting craft cocktails available.

Wildlife sightings were memorable! We watched elephants chasing lions, a leopard trapped in a tree with his impala kill by a group of lions waiting on the ground below, lions feasting on zebra, buffalo, and giraffe. Birders would enjoy the sightings of Giant Eagle owls that our guide found several times.

This was our second visit to Ruaha, and we enjoy it because of the lack of crowds and great wildlife." See all these reviews: 15n in Tanzania

"Quite a change from our last camp, Beho Beho, but it only gets better with the variety. High up on a ridge and a more casual atmosphere, Mark, the owner, and staff will greet you and make sure any accessory you didn’t contemplate you might need is at hand. Staff and guides join you which was wonderful. Lilly (Lillian) a true goddess who makes Ikuka conform to the laws of physics and humans, including knowing exactly when we needed a cold Zero Coke! And don't try to carry anything back to your cottage - you are certainly allowed to have it there, just not to carry it by yourself! Staff appear out of nowhere to accompany you.

Our guide, Festo, was a master of his guide craft for large animals and bird life. Respect that knowledge and if you have questions ask him, not your seatmate. Cats abound here and watching a young leopard move from one tree to the next to pull out his stashed kill was astonishing. We spent another morning watching a serval and the next day more leopards. Mongoose everywhere, baboons, vervet monkey, eland, serval, ostrich, buffalo, giraffe, including nursing babies, hyrax, zebra, including nursing babies, hyena, elephant, including nursing babies, black backed jackal, oribi, kudu, tiny dik dik that look like dogs and so many baobab trees (unlike Selous.) Apparently the history of low numbers of elephants allowed the baobab seeds to sprout and grow

A bush walk with Mark and his expertise is a life experience you will never forget. You can tell your friends how exciting it was even if you don’t run into a pack of starving lions; and you will be rewarded with a great bush breakfast at the end.

The food is fantastic in quantities that overwhelm. Lunch is buffet and dinner is sit down with everyone at a long table, inclusive of guests, staff and guides. (Should you prefer to eat any meal in your cottage, you only have to mention it.) We met a family from Britain that was so much fun, so intelligent, witty and diverse we wanted to adopt them!

The accommodations are huge tent - cottages overlooking the hill. The bed areas enclose at night separate from the bathroom/shower areas, patios and sitting room. Hot water bottles warm the beds and tea and coffee arrive at dawn. Taking an early morning or after dinner shower is not for the faint hearted as the breeze blows in off the ridge and makes it a bit if a challenge. “Bush Baby” hot water bottles are handed to you for your morning drives to keep you warm. There is a pool by the bar and dining area and a “loo with a view.”

We never wanted for anything at Ikuka except for more time to stay." See all these reviews: 18n in Tanzania; 2n in Kenya

"Accommodation: Good with an outstanding view down from the ridge to the plain. Not quite as well designed as some as the bathroom area is outside the zipped tent - that together with change of levels (small steps up and down) across the sitting, bed, bathroom and deck areas made moving around a little tricky at times.

Food and drink: The food was super - but requires some self control not to overdo it. Wines were also good.

Staff generally: Slightly less good than Siwandu on attendance in the room, but generally more refined in the dining area. Staff were friendly and absolutely charming - a real pleasure to chat with.

Guiding: Our guide Geofrey was exceptionally knowledgeable and very good at predicting what the wildlife was likely to do next, meaning we were often uniquely well placed to view.

Vehicles and game drives: Very good - the vehicle was more comfortable and the roads much better than in Selous so that longer drives were quite possible.

Game viewing: Really excellent for elephant and lions as well as several very good sightings with leopards and a young serval. Geofrey's skill meant we were in position to see lions and leopard hunting. Although not great birders, there were some spectacular and colourful birds especially around the river environment. Some wonderful vistas with mixed herds of impala, water buck, zebra and elephant which created a marvellous atmosphere." See all these reviews: 7n in Tanzania

"We stayed at Ikuka mid-July 2019 for 3 nights. We loved Ruaha for the uncrowded wildlife viewing it offered, and Ikuka knows how to make that happen. We had a phenomenal guide (Festo, aka "professor" by other guides) who grew up in the Ruaha bush and knows it.

The location of the lodge on an escarpment makes for incredible views from beautiful huts, each very private, all handbuilt by Mark and Chloe the owners. Their presence - and lack of big business - are clearly felt throughout.

The location with its view is about 20 min from the riverbed, but the drive back and forth did not get tiring. The large population of baobob trees add depth to the landscape. We will likely return in February just to see the area green. If you go, do take a walking safari for a half-day with Mark or one of the guides." See all these reviews: 7n in Tanzania; 3n in Zanzibar

"Ikuka is a wonderful place - the camp is beautiful - the rooms very large, luxurious and secluded - the staff brilliant - food great

The wildlife is very good (lions, leopards, hippos, many elephants etc - no hippo in Ruaha) - not as many animals as the serengeti but much quieter" See all these reviews: 6n in Zanzibar; 5n in Tanzania

"All the people - the owner, the managers, the guides, and all the staff were super helpful, friendly, welcoming, and everyone had good English.

The bungalows are very private, very large and light, very well appointed. Zero complaints.

Our guide was so good (knowledgeable, very good English, very nice guy)! We had 8 safaris in 4 days, and we had a great time on every trip.

Some of the excellence of the safaris is due to Ruaha Park, of course. We saw 3 groups of lions, a leopard, many elephants and giraffes, so many birds (our guide was an excellent spotter, too)." See all these reviews: 9n in Tanzania

"Mark and his team were very good and extremely friendly.

The food was plentiful but a bit stodgy.

We were disappointed that there were no walking safaris because of the onset of the wet season.

Our guide, Festo, was most knowledgeable and with help we spotted 70 different species of birds.

A really great location" See all these reviews: 9n in Tanzania

"From the moment the plane landed and we were welcomed by Festo, our guide, with chocolate biscuits and a huge smile, we knew we were in safe and knowledgeable hands.We had a hugely enjoyable drive to the lodge seeing lots of birds and game en route. The long green grasses and baobab trees looked beautiful and it was a perfect temperature.

Mark and his team work really well together and there is a very happy atmosphere. We loved being welcomed on return from game drives by the team smiling and waving. The pool was wonderfully cool but does have a funny smell.

Some nights were chilly and we were glad of hot water bottles. The laundry were brilliant as all my husbands clothes were soaking wet as his suitcase had been left in the rain at Dar es Salaam airport. All meals were excellent, we had to ask for smaller portions as three huge course and cake for tea was too much for us!
Our room was good with stunning views, but we found being zipped in overnight as opposed to mosquito nets was a bore as whoever went to the loo in the night woke the other up!

Festo, our guide throughout, was excellent. We would stay at Ikuka again to be with Festo. He has great knowledge and experience and is also a brilliant mimic, birds, animals and Italian guests! Wonderful Great eagle owls and pale spotted owls very special. We are considering returning to Ikuka next February." See all these reviews: 10n in Tanzania; 5n in Zanzibar

"Amazing location, game drives with Festo were perfect, the people wonderful and the food super yummi." See all these reviews: 9n in Tanzania