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Email Georg | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Extremly friendly people, fascinating wildlife, beautiful scenery
We had our Safari in early May. So the number of tourists was low, which created a very relaxed atmosphere with a superb service. All facilities were open and well staffed. Beacon Tours had selected top level lodges. The peak temperature in Nairobi, Masai Mara and Nakuru Park was 25 degrees which was very comfortable. In four days we watched the fig four (only leopards kept hiding) from short distance. About 30 lions, 50 buffalos, 50 girafes, 30 elephants,hundreds of antilopes, impalas, zebras, white and dark rhinos, hippos, cheetas, monkeys, ostrichs, others birds....
ALL people were very friendly and helpful. We had the impression that a whole country was working on giving us the best vacation experience of our lifes.
PK
Email Mosharraf Hussain | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beautiful country of Africa which can be compared to any beautiful country in the world
We, a party of 3 adults travelled to Kenya on 01 May 2023 and returned on 10 May 2023. We principally had 2 main plans - a 4-day safari in Masai Mara and a 4-day trip to Diani beach near Mombasa.
Safari day 1 was spent in Nakuru lakeside in Sarova Lionhill Game Lodge which was is of the best resorts ever for us. Nestled on a mountain overlooking the lake Nakuru it had the most scenic views. Game drive from the resort was fantastic with white rhinos, buffalos, gazelles, flamingos, baboons, etc.
Masai Mara savannah is a place to visit at least once everyone's lifetime. Although we were in a lean season (which is better as less tourists) the number of animals were fewer than peak season from July to September but it worked better for us as we could more spend more time at key places. We saw all the big five including lion kill, leopard kill and more...
Our tour guide Solomon from Explorer Kenya Safaris was very courteous, knowledgeable, knew Masai Mara like the back of his hand so he could take us to all the happening places with ease.
ES
Email Cristina Panizo | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience
100% recommended trip. Kenya is an amazing destination for wildlife sightseeing. Our experience with the tour operator was very nice, especially thanks to the guide, Kikitu
FR
Email Thibaud Jouin | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing landscape, animals!
Nice trip!
We enjoy it, the organization was good
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.
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.
KR
Email Seong Ho | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
incredible wildlife in Kenya
I visited several national parks to enjoy wildlife which was incredible. They all had precious resources of wildlife which may be important properties of Kenya. Regarding tourism, the accommodation and access to the tourist attractive spots are very important. The quality of accommodation inside the parks should be improved as good as the one in Southeast Asian countries. The roads near the parks should be paved. I suppose there will be more and more tourists visiting Kenya, so we as the citizens of the world should keep these pearls of nature as one of the best parks in the world.
US
Email Sean W Ryan | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
This was a fascinating experience, both in terms of nature and in culture!
The trip to Masai Mara was incredible, filled with amazing animals and wondrous scenery, especially at sunrise. The guide was conscientious about keeping us in the vehicle for our safety, but there were times when he would go off the trails, which did raise some objections among our group. I took the five day tour, but I would recommend a three-day safari instead. The only real bad part of it was the camp, and really only when we tried to sleep--the mosquito nets were ineffective, and on the second night, the power was out (I use a CPAP when I sleep, so this was a real problem for me), and as a result, I did not sleep well until the third night when we got to stay in a hotel.
I and other members of our group found the meeting in the Masai tribe very interesting but a bit problematic: When we were offered a chance to visit their village, we were charged a fee, which they told us was to support the village. We accepted this, but then we were confronted with peddlers in the village and railroaded into making a donation to the school we visited. This can strike a western tourist as dishonest, and it may help avoid awkward confrontations if these things are also mentioned upfront instead of sprung on us at different stages of the visit.
PT
Email Miguel António Soares de Oliveira Maia | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderful experience.
I have the opportunity to see the big five animals in Kenya.
I love the Amboseli view of Kilimanjaro, it looks like lion king movie scenario.
The ballon safari in Masai Mara was a amazing experience.
DK
Email SLUSE Group | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
5 day budget safari
We booked a private tour as a group of 7 students for five days with the following itinerary:
Day 1: Nairobi -> Masai Mara Stay at Goshen Camp
+ Great Rift Valley overlook
+ Best accommodation, though rustic
Day 2: Full day game drive Masai Mara
+ 10/10 game drive
+ Picnic lunch at Mara river (expect to tip park ranger who gives tour)
Day 3: Lake Nakuru stay at Metfam resort
+ Fanciest accommodation with pool
- Masai Mara Village is a tourist trap where you pay admittance. Not our idea of a safari experience
+Completed our big 5
Day 4: Lake Naivasha
+ Boat ride to see hippos is very exciting, but negotiate the rate.
- Crescent Island is a total rip off. No animals to be seen on the island. Had to fight for a refund.
- Both the boat ride and walk on the island are operated by two separate tour companies NOT Hyrax tours. Be warned! Hyrax will not hold any responsibility for these third-party operators.
Day 5: Hell's Gate stay at Taphe Guest Resort
+ Excellent biking experience, though don't expect to see more than Zebras, Gazelles and Wildebeests.
- Gorge hike will cost you an additional fee (starting at 3000 KSH) tours are guided by local crooks who try to scam tourists by saying the gorge is closed unless you pay entrance. There is even a stop at their local market on your hike.
+ That being said, the hike is exceptional and impossible to complete without a guide.
- Worst accommodation, half built hotel and food was questionable.
Our guide Ben was an outstanding driver and always working to make sure we saw all of the animals we wanted to see up close. He had over 19 years of experience. He was a pro driver on the backroads and we always felt safe with him watching our belongings. Most of all Ben was charismatic and loved to have fun and interact with the group! Although, don't expect to have in depth conversation or extra info about the animals or Kenya.
The food on the trip was average by Kenyan standards and always a buffet style. Accommodations were definitely budget, but you get what you pay for. In all we got to see the same exact animals and have a more unique and adventurous experience, we wouldn't change a thing!
Many thanks to Emmah for helping organize the tour and aiding us with our visa paperwork. Hyrax safari was very communicative and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to a friend or budget conscious traveler.
