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Email Kaushik Mitra | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wildlife is a great host for the human guests.
Masai Mara, the name itself holds its own identity around the globe. It's a paradise for wildlife lovers. This was the very sentences which used to ring in my head before entering beautiful Kenya. And if I was to rate Kenya after my visit, on a scale of 5 then I would have given 6, leaving besides the bitter experience with our tour operator #tourkenyasafariheights, just because of them my rating would go down to 2.
Before travelling to Kenya, I and my friend searched on internet several times about tour operators conducting safaris. From them we shortlisted a few and ultimately finalized #tourkenyasafariheights. The agreed with the price us on all the criteria demanded by us without any terms and conditions.
It was a 6N7D tour which included as promised by #tourkenyasafariheights :
Day 1: Nairobi - Maasai Mara National Reserve
At 07:30 to 08:00, you will be picked up from your hotel and depart for the Maasai Mara National Reserve via the viewpoint of the Great Rift Valley and Narok Town for refueling and lunch. Afterward, you will proceed to the game reserve, arriving at the camp at 14:00. You will then have a little siesta and proceed on the first introduction game viewing at Maasai Mara National Reserve. You will return back to Masai ole moran
Day 2: Maasai Mara National Reserve
After breakfast, you will proceed on a full day game viewing within the reserve. The landscape is scenic savannah grassland on rolling hills. Maasai Mara National Reserve is the best park for game viewing in Kenya as it has an extensive road and track network which allows for close range viewing and photography. After the game viewing, you can have a break for your picnic lunch at the hippo pool, looking out for hippos and crocodiles. The dinner will be served and you will stay overnight at the Masai ole moran
Day 3: Maasai Mara National Reserve - Nakuru
Early in the morning, you will have a pre-breakfast game drive. After breakfast, you will depart the Mara Region for Nakuru and have lunch en-route with scenic views of Mount Longonot and Lake Naivasha from afar on the main highway. The dinner and overnight stay will at Flamingo Hill Camp
Day 4: Lake Nakuru National Park - Amboseli National Park
After breakfast, you will proceed on a game drive at Lake Nakuru National Park, known for its prolific birdlife including flamingoes. The park contains a sanctuary for the conservation of white rhinos while species like Cape buffalos and waterbucks can be seen near the shoreline. Afterward, you will drive to Amboseli National Park arriving late in the evening with game viewing en route to the camp. The dinner and overnight stay will be at Kibo Safari Camp
Day 5: Amboseli National Park
You will have a full day of game drives in this park which contains swampy grounds in which elephants and hippos bathe in abundance. A variety of plains game, antelopes, and birds can also be seen. You can also see Mount Kilimanjaro’s peak if weather conditions permit. Tour Kenya Safari Heights will cater for your picnic lunch before returning to Kibo Safari Camp
Day 6: Amboseli National Park - Nairobi
In the early morning, you will have a game viewing activity and then return to the LODGE for a full breakfast. Later on, you will be transferred back to Nairobi.
But, what was delivered to us was very different. Not a single pre-breakfast game drive was given to us and all the accommodations as promised by the #tourkenyasafariheights were changed. We used to stay @ about 45-30 mins distance from the main park entrance,because of which I felt time was wasted and I could have enjoyed more. Whereas the accommodations which were promised are very near to the entrance of the parks/inside the parks.
Everyday inbetween 2 parks the car driver of #tourkenyasafariheights would float new names of hotel in which they would provide accommodations for us. Which was really depressing and disturbing at the same time. Because of such uncertainties we failed to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the mountains and the lakes on our way.
Furthermore, I would like to mention that #tourkenyasafariheights had promised through messages on on our personal number. That #tourkenyasafariheights would provide lodging at a proper place for us at @Nairobi on the day we arrived and on the day we would depart. Which would be included in the package. It was very disappointing that on the day we arrived they provided accommodations for us @ hotel sunrise which is a pathetic hotel, location is not good. And on the day we arrived @Nairobi after completion of the tour , #tourkenyasafariheights refused to provide any accommodations which was further more disappointing in a foreign land.
Finally, I would suggest to tourists/travellers arriving 1st time. It is just because of the nature's own gift to the land that inspite of such irregularities I would suggest you to visit the place again and again. But be careful with such tour operators and ensure your bookings personally with the hotels which are promised initially by such tour operators.
HK
Email Yang Yi | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Active and vibrant
The safari tour is too expensive and the animals in the nature reserve are not that exciting. The road is dirty and too many people on the way are selling stuff in a forceful way.
NL
Email Marjorie Ginoux | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Not my best experience but nice to see big animals in real life
Tsavo east and west + Amboseli / Lansdcapes were nice but very dry in many places so no animals as it was desertic.
Compare to my souvenir 13 years ago, (only 2 nights in Nairobi) this new experience to let my kids discover Kenya was really poor. Only possible to see one lion's family from closeby. A lot of driving with no animals in the parks.
Kenyan people see you as only m a way to make money and give you pay same price as in Europe. They really abuse on the price they want you to pay and when you see the difference in fixed price shops... When I spend a lot of money in my travel all inclusive, I don't expect to spend so much extra money when I go to Africa... 50Ksh a coffee in one place and 250Ksh at the next stop for the same instant coffee. And also, as a single woman, not feeling safe outside the hotels or without the guide in the safari.
+ The tour organizer made a big story and refused to let my 3 days safari continue because 1/3rd of the amount was still to pay after 1 day safari. Like if I will fly away for the safari... We were late starting the safari and he really made me feel like a thief, breaking my holiday feeling.
It could be a beautiful place to visit but I did not like how European are threaten. We are not all stupid tourists full of money...
NL
Email Carla | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Full of animals
The tour in the masai mara was amazing also the guide was the best but we paid for a luxury camp and it was EMPTY, even though the personal was super kind, the food was reheated and they didn't even have a cold beer when we asked for. the wine was also open for we don't know how many days, and we end up paying for something that was very below our expectations. Fortunately the guide was the best, so that's why I'm putting 3 stars.
PT
Email Geoffrey Black | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
good animal viewing but roads and general environment poor
Wildlife - good viewing but most only visible on the roads, where they are almost "tame"
Guide was great. Indeed all Kenyans were nice to us.
Roads in the parks terrible limiting getting around and detracting from the pleasure of being there. A very rough ride!
Roads to get around also very crowded with terrible traffic jams, mainly due to large trucks.
Due to the inability to cross into Tanzania there were long drives to and from the parks, via Nairobi
Accommodations variable
Nairobi is a polluted crowded city with terrible traffic jams and no redeeming features
in terms of souvenirs, poor quality and very expensive with most not in ebony (although sold as ebony)
Email Amélie Daubresse | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Alright but too touristic
Our guide did not even introduced himself when we met him. Basically I would say that he was a driver more than a guide. We didn't lean anything about the wildlife of the reserve and the communication was very poor.
the guides went out of the road to see the lions closer, which is forbidden. We didn't appreciate that at all since it was very disrespectful of the wildlife and of the animals.
The food was alright.
A bit disappointed to do the same as all the tourists in the reserve.
AE
Email Ram Kumar Bharadwaj Mantha | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Lovely Safari but not very happy with the Right Choice Tours!
Overall, the safari was good. spotted many animals in the wild. Once in a lifetime experience.
Tour Guide
Punctual, enthusiastic to show us animals in the wild but
a) he was almost all the time on his phone
b) he hardly explains anything about the places we are passing by
Tour Operator
he seemed responsive and professional. However, he changed a few things in our itinerary without informing us until we landed in Kenya. The worst was he changed the hotel he promised he would get us a reservation in and the one he booked was horrible. It was a nightmare.
SG
Email Shann Koh | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Safari experience is good but met an unfortunate scam from a local tour company
Safari experiences on wildlife, scenery and weather are good. Food are generally ok for all meals except for lunch, there is no option for lunch as it is pre-packed by the accommodation and it is always the same food despite from different accommodation. There are many different range of accommodation which I mostly enjoy except for 1 or 2 places that are too small but decent with hot shower.
The only disappointment I have is being scam by the local safari company which I paid 50% deposit (in March 2019) prior my trip (in August 2019) but the company was uncontactable, their website is down and various travel websites alerted about this company scam. I choose this safari company (Kenya Walking Safari Survivors Ltd) based on the good reviews given in your safaribooking website listing. I was pretty affected by this whole incident to be left stranded at the airport for > 6 hours and trying to make a police report and find alternative safari tour so last minute.
NL
Email LvdB | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing wildlife, excellent lodges.
The safari with Best Memory Safaris was amazing. We did a 10 day tour visiting Nakuru, Masai Mara, Lake Navaisha, Ambroseli, Tsavo West and Tsavo East (finishing on Mombasa Beach).
All lodges were great and in privileged areas with good food. The drivers/guides were very kind and thoughtful. Real great value for money. Isaac the owner of BMS was great, he helped us fantastically in getting our lost baggage back and also with an other problem we had during the trip. He is great.
Outside the national parks there is not much to do, the roads are realy bad and rubbish and dirt all around, very disappointing.
We will go back to Kenya in the future but only flying directly into the National parks. We will make the reservations with BMS again for sure.
US
Email Bryan Jameson | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Be careful with whom you book
The countryside is fantastic. The wildlife is even better. The people are polite and helpful. However, the traffic is horrible both inside and outside of the the game parks. The company with whom we booked, Bluerange Connect Ltd., did not live up to the proposed/agreed upon itinerary and there is nothing we can do about it.
Be careful.
