Email Paul McLean | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beautiful country with great people
We booked our stay in Kenya with Spirit of Kenya (who were excellent throughout), we stayed the first night in from London in the Sankara Nairobi which is a super nice hotel about 25 minutes from the airport. The next morning we were picked up by our excellent driver (from Spirit of Kenya, who was with us for the next six days) Mike, who took us from Nariobi to Amboseli National Park where we stayed at the Tortilis Camp. The Tortilis in probably the best place we stayed in Kenya, which, given we were in (glamping style) tent, says a lot about the people who run it, the food and the general vibe. In the National Park we saw a lot of elephant, bird life (flamingos), antelope, giraffe and we also saw some lion. We stayed at Amboseli for a couple of days (which was enough to see everything). From Amboseli, we drove to Lake Naivasha to stay at the Enashipai Resort & Spa (6hrs drive). This was the worst place we stayed in Kenya, mainly due to the food, room and the rest of the hotel was fine, but we'd come out of such a good experience and Tortilis and found the place wanting. We stayed one night; in the afternoon of our arrival we did a boat trip round the lake. The main attraction I think is the hippos, but honestly, you could give the whole place a miss in our view. The next morning we left on another five hour drive to Masai Mara and the Governors Camp. Governors Camp is one of the older (oldest?) camps at Mara - it's a little tired, but the food and people were great and there an wildlife rooming through the camp (elephants, giraffe, wathog, monkeys and meerkats while we were there) so we had a very good experience. In Mara we did a full day safari and saw a huge amount of animals - the big ones we didn't see were Leopard and Rhino. I'm told Rhino are a very rare spot at Mara, but Leopard you can get lucky with.
After a couple of days we left for Nairobi (to the Sankara), where we stayed a night and then left from Wilson Airport to Dinai Beach. Dinai Beach was great, and a totally different vibe to safari surrounds. Here we stayed at Waterlovers -nice boutique hotel (10 rooms?) with great food and other amenities (no gym though). We had a great time here for 3 days and enjoyed not driving around at all.
Overall, we really enjoyed Kenya, the people are great, the food we had was excellent, we weren't too threatened by bugs (there are a lot flying things on safari), the hotels we stayed at were really good, and we saw a lot of wild animals. If I had limited time (seven days), I'd go straight to Mara for the safari piece (and fly in there, to avoid the drives on very ropey roads), spend two days and then spend the rest of the time at Dinai.
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Email Michael | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A once-in-a-lifetime experience
Going on a Kenya safari is an unparalleled adventure that fully immerses you in the breathtaking African wilderness. Picture yourself experiencing the awe-inspiring roar of lions and encountering majestic elephants, towering giraffes, and graceful zebras up close on a thrilling game drive. Additionally, you can also engage with the friendly Maasai people, gain insight into their customs, and appreciate their one-of-a-kind way of life. Whether you witness the spectacular wildebeest migration or observe the Big Five in Maasai Mara, a Kenya safari guarantees unforgettable memories that will stay with you forever.
DE
Email Janine Mewha | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Welcoming and beautiful.
Our driver Yassin from Hyvens was so knowledgeable and accomodating. We were travelling with three children and the itinerary was perfect. All hotels were fabulous with excellent rooms, food and service. The whole experience was memorable and eye opening. The highlight was the morning sighting of a hunt on an early safari.
AE
Email Isabela | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Mind blowing
The scenery and wild life are absolutely amazing. The trip was in April (the wettest period) but the weather was gorgeous.
At Masai Mara, you can see many animals in one day, we were lucky enough to see the big five.
Make sure you ask the operator the kind of vehicle they will use on the Safari. This makes a difference.
QA
Email Elene | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Out of Africa Wildlife beauty
Going to Kenya on Safari is a must if you love to see animals in the wild. I visited the Masai Mara which to me was worth it- I was able to see most animals except for the Rhino and the Lion. I saw several Lionesses but not a Lion. Seeing the animals in the vast expansion of the park was priceless. We also drove to the border of Tanzania and along the Mara river where we saw Hippos and Crocs just hanging out. The final visit was Lake Nakuru where I was lucky to see both the white and black Rhino but I do not recommend this stop. It feels more like a drive-in Zoo, its a much smaller park and you do not get the sense of vastness as in Masai Mara. You can still see many giraffes, Zebras and war hogs but in comparison to Masai Mara not worth it. The lake is also far and the flamingos you don't really see. On safari the packed lunches and picnics are disappointing, wether low or mid-range budget. This is for sure an aspect they need to improve. We had some vehicles problems that delayer our trip considerably but the tour operator managed to get us to our destination by hopping on other tours.
The people in the country were very nice and welcoming. There is a good food scene in Nairobi with lots of modern fusions and foodie places to explore. I particularly enjoyed visiting the Karen Blixen museum having read the book and seeing the movie I wanted to visit the site. There are many areas in Nairobi where you can shop and mingle with the locals, we did not feel unsafe at any moment and found everyone very kind.
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Email Stephanie Johnson | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beautiful country!
Beautiful country. My family was greeted with warmth and enjoyed our tour. highly recommend.
Email Rachel Neil | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The experience of a Kenyan safari couldnt have been anymore magical.
We did a budget safari, the accommodation was VERY budget, the food was bland, the drinks were warm but WOW the safari was magical.
A Kenyan safari has been on my bucket list for over 30 years and this experience excelled in every way. The guide was amazing, we saw a giraffe running, a young lion devouring a buffalo 10 meters from us, we had a hippo run to beat us getting to the river bank, we saw a baby rhino playing with his mummy, 2 lions mating, a herd of elephants walk in front of us then 2 babies come running out of the bush to keep up with them and so much more.
We went to Masia Mara, Lake Nakuru and Embossili - all 3 different and amazing in their own way.
The people are full on as they want to sell you every piece of rubbish possible, but there is also beautiful workman ship too.
Nairobi a big dirty busy city but a gateway to an experience you will never forget.
We went beginning of MArch and was dry but thankfully the last few days it rained (we had also gone to Mombassa to a 5 star resort for 5 days) so when back in Nairobi we felt happy to see the rain as the animals needed it so badly.
I will never forget this amazing trip and cannot recommend it enough PS you do not need to take US dollar lol!
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Email Bjarni Hardarson | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great country and friendly people
My hike to mount Kenya was great and my guide and his team perfect
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Email Anna Bessone | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Alive
This country is beautiful. The safari was amazing, our guide knew everything about the bush, and share his knowledge of animals in a really lovely way. Thank you so much for the experience.
IL
Email Yehuda | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
beautiful country, great variety of flora and faunx
We enjoyed very much the safari, thanks to an excellent guide. People were very nice but insisting too much to sell you their merchandise.
