Our Mission and Values
Our name was inspired by the hidden beauty of Empakaai Crater, where Flamingos regularly flock for feeding. It reflects the intent of our company to provide access not only to the most popular places in Tanzania’s Northern Circuit, but also to the hidden wonders off the beaten path in this incredible country. In doing so, we hope to promote a fuller understanding and a more complete experience.
Customer Satisfaction
We provide high quality services to our customers at all times. We do our utmost to satisfy the interests and requests of each individual customer. We are strong believers in transparency and honesty.
Team Work and Employee Empowerment
Our staff are a tight-knit team. We respect, trust, and support each other. We believe in fostering employee participation in the decision-making of the company, and supporting the professional and personal development of each employee.
Local Development
We build our business on local resources. First, we employ local staff and help them to develop their skills. Second, we co-operate with the local community to provide our services. Third, we give priority to local suppliers to purchase products in order to encourage the development of local business.
Our Team
All of our safari and trekking guides are licensed and very experienced. They have already been working as tour guides for safaris in the Northern Circuit for several years and participate in guide training. Moreover, as local citizens they are familiar with the secrets of the areas you plan to visit and will provide you with valuable insights into local life. In addition to their native tribal language and Swahili, our guides are fluent in English and French. We also have access to a pool of guide assistants that speak various other languages.
Not only in operations but also in management functions Soaring Flamingo is predominantly run by local staff. Creating ownership is important to us and all of our employees have an active say in important company decisions. Also, through shareholding, our employees hold a significant stake (46%) of the company and are interested and involved in its results and its development.
Our Vehicles
The comfort of our customers is important to us and we do everything possible to ensure that you can truly enjoy your journey with us. That’s why we use modern equipment specially designed for this purpose. Our safari vehicles are custom made 4×4 Toyota Land Cruisers with the possibility of opening the roof and big windows for better wildlife viewing. They are equipped with Wi-Fi and electrical outlets to allow you to charge your mobile phones and cameras along the journey. And, since going on safari makes you hungry, we ensure your comfort by providing snacks, water, and tea.
Accommodation
We do not have our own accommodation but work regularly with partners who guarantee comfort and security for our travelers in their accommodation.
We offer all ranges of accommodation, from the basic guesthouse to the luxury camp, through camping, homestay accommodation or even the immersive night in the village of a tribe (among the Maasai, for example). Our choices of accommodation are based on sustainable environmental criteria (such as hot water supply thanks to solar panels) but also social (decent accommodation offered to our driver-guides) and economic (favoring small structures owned and/or employing locals rather than funding accommodation owned by overseas-based companies.
Sustainable development
Since its creation in 2007, Soaring Flamingo has based its activities as much as possible on local resources since, apart from employing and developing the skills of locally recruited staff, it cooperates with the local community to provide its services (guides, etc.) and obtains its supplies primarily from local suppliers in order to encourage the development of regional businesses.
Beyond these actions which are part of its DNA, Soaring Flamingo supports various projects related to the protection of the environment or the education of children, in particular through its partnership with the social enterprise Green Venture and with the NGO Children of Amani.