Peak Planet is the BEST tour operator for a Kilimanjaro summit or Safari. I just returned yesterday…read morefrom a private (my nephew and me) 9-day Lemosha Route climb (7 days on the mountain) and a 3-day luxury safari.
Ethics- There are a few less expensive operators, but we quickly learned how they were cutting corners. It was heartbreaking to see how these lesser operators treat their porters. In contrast, Peak Planet employees were happy, and strong, and praised the company they worked for openly as they described how Peak Planet even helped them during the pandemic when there were NO touring clients. The guides had experience with other operators prior to Peak Planet and said that Peak Planet was superior.
Value- Excellent. With Peak Planet, you get knowledgeable guides, medical assessments, quality equipment ie. a tent, a private clean porta-potty tent, optional rental gear (we rented Altox O2 and one sleeping bag), and the most committed enthusiastic crew for safe successful summiting without the price tag of those household name operators.
Communication- Excellent. I emailed Ben a few times from home. He was quick and appropriate with his responses. Once we arrived in Tanzania, everything went exactly as planned. The driver met us at the airport and drove us to the hotel. The following day we met Tumaini, Peak Planet's operations manager in Tanzania. He introduced us to our guides and gave us an extensive briefing. Our guides, Emanuel and Chacha spoke English very well and communicated with us every step of the way. They constantly checked in to see how we were feeling and briefed us daily on the next day's plan including how we should dress for the mountain weather. They often stopped on the trail to share their knowledge of plants and animals. We developed a real friendship with our guides.
Safety- Peak Planet is very safe. We made sure we locked our car doors to and from the airport and while traveling to and from the safari parks. We also had a few layers of money belts since you carry a lot of cash (for tipping) when en route. However, you don't have to worry about it while hiking Kili. You leave it in the manager's safe at the initial hotel with a copied check-in receipt. Your bags are carefully watched by Peak's Planet's porters for other group invasions. On summit day, a porter is posted to guard your tent's belongings at the busy base camp. As far as Acute Mountain Sickness, the guides are knowledgeable, and attentive, and won't let you get into any trouble. We rented one Altox O2 to take with us on summit day, but we did not need to break it out. I liked having it, just in case.
Food- This is an area I knew I would struggle with. I am very picky. My nephew is of average adventure in the palate. Our cook was excellent. He made delicious fresh food. I am not used to the rich foods and the portions he made. I lost my appetite pretty quickly but Chef was accommodating because I could only eat soups, bananas, toast, and fruit juice. My nephew continued to enjoy all the dishes. Portions were HUGE. Chef made the sweetest gesture with a congratulatory decorated cake and sparkling juice for our summit.
Luxury Safari- Our guide, Victor, was very knowledgeable and had a great eye to find all the animals. He was a very skilled driver and followed the rules to protect animals and habitats. The Lion's Paw resort was extraordinary. The accommodations nestled on the top of Ngorongoro Crater were luxurious with breathtaking views and excellent food and service. On our last night, we stayed at Ang'ata Tarangire Camp. Unfortunately, their water truck didn't arrive as expected so we were unable to shower, or even flush the toilet. I understand that with remote access, things like this can occur, but it was the night before we had a dusty safari and a more than 24 hr flight back to Los Angeles. We had to lean in hard to our flexibility. I do not consider Ang'ata Tarangire Camp to be a luxury accommodation, but you can't beat the location.
Summary- Go with Peak Planet!