Taking you to the exotic African wild!
Morning Star Tours & Travel
- Office In:
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2018)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $134 to $806 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
US
Email Sarah | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Seamless booking process, absolutely wonderful tour and incredible guide! Book now!
Every single part of our safari, from my initial inquiry to the completion of our trip was absolutely wonderful. Dennis made the whole process of scheduling our safari seamless. I sent an inquiry with what I was looking for and within 24 hours I received back a detailed itinerary with cost breakdown. I imagine we could have added, subtracted or changed things, but what Dennis came up with was everything we were hoping to experience and more, so we booked the initial itinerary he sent. Payment was done through an online system and was quite simple as well. Dennis was always very attentive to any questions that I had and kept us updated throughout the process.
I can’t say enough positive things about the safari experience itself. Our guide, James, made sure that we had an amazing time from the moment he picked us up from the hotel. We were celebrating a birthday on day 2 of our safari, and James went above and beyond to make it a special day from sunup to sundown. We did the balloon safari in the morning, and everyone worked together to help keep it a secret from the birthday boy right up until the moment we arrived to take off. That evening, they had arranged a special birthday celebration at the lodge. The entirety of the trip, but especially that day, is something we will certainly never forget. Throughout our safari, James made sure that we saw everything we were hoping to see and more. We were fortunate not only to see the Big 5, the small 5 and the ugly 5, but we got to witness mating lions as well as lions and hyenas enjoying a fresh hunt. He shared so much knowledge about the animals and their habitat and his passion and excitement for it was contagious.
The lodges we stayed at were excellent, and the staff at all of them were extremely kind, helpful and welcoming. We particularly enjoyed the Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge where we encountered many animals just outside our door.
I can’t say enough positive things about Morningstar Safaris. If you are contemplating a safari, do it, you won’t regret it. I highly recommend booking through Morningstar, they not only met but far exceeded any and all of our expectations. James is truly an amazing safari guide and Morningstar is lucky to have him. He made sure that when we left him for the evening, we always did it with smiles on our faces. We have been home for 2 weeks, and still talk about the trip almost daily. Pull the trigger, book the trip and get ready for an adventure of a lifetime.
Dennis and James, thank you so much for this experience.
Sarah & Nelly
CA
Email Alexis | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great trip!
We booked with Morning Star for a mother/daughter trip (30y/o -60y/o) to Kenya from Canada for the 11 day Safari/beach combo.
Dennis sent a very thorough, detailed quote of what to expect on our trip including a breakdown of the price. For us, we booked due to the attention to detail in the quote and the affordability compared to others we received. We easily communicated through WhatsApp and he was always quick to respond.
We had Rono as our driver/guide for the safari, we felt safe and well taken care of. He was knowledgeable and answered all our questions. We always had water available.
For us, the trip was exciting and adventurous. It was a lot of driving and moving around to new locations(early mornings), but we were able to see lots of animals because of this! Our hotels were basic, but generally comfortable, always had a hot shower. Staff were friendly and accommodating.
IT
Email Cesare bevilacqua | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Very professional !
Since the beginning everything’s were solve with professionality and experience our tour was a luxury safari that meet all our expectations
Alice from the office and Alex ( best driver in Africa ) on the road they were all time care our needs.
CA
Email Reinhard Kahlke | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
First Class Tour Operator
I enjoyed my Wildlife Safari and Beach combo with Morning Star Tours. Dennis was super organized and delivered what the tour description promised. I saw lots of amazing wildlife and had many memorable experiences in the national parks and on the Indian Ocean. Alex, my tour guide and driver, was knowledgeable, personable, a safe driver and always on time. This tour was the highlight of my travels to Kenya. I do not hesitate to recommend Morning Star to others.
CA
Email Cheryl Lakkis | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Thanks to Dennis, Musau and the Morningstar team, this was a "dream come true!"
Morningstar is a company who really know how to create a perfect adventure.
Dennis put together an itinerary that was packed full of great adventures(The Rift Valley, Maasai Mara, a balloon ride in the Mara, Naivasha, Nakuru, Amboseli and then off to Diani Sea Resort for a week of fun and sun)and kept all of my interests in account. He didn't skip a single thing.
I travelled solo from Canada and had a lot that I wanted to see.
My first night I stayed at the Sarova Pan-African hotel where they had me booked in a new area of the hotel that was for women only. My room was very beautiful and I could tell they went above and beyond to create a space specifically for women. Such a nice start to my solo adventure.
Day 1 of my safari I was picked up by my tour guide Musau(Willy) to start our drive to Maasai Mara. Such a patient gentleman, a very skilled driver,...and always on time(unlike me
HU
Email Krisztina Voros | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best tour ever!
I highly recommend this small business! We went to Kenya for a 3 days private safari tour with Maasai village visit! It was our fantastic 3 days. Ronno, our driver tried everything to give us the best experience during the safari! The accommodation at Enchoro Wildlife Camp provided an unforgettable experience!
US
Email Debbie | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Comprehensive Tour Operator with Great Drivers
My husband and I along with a good friend and her husband had an eleven day safari and beach trip throughout Kenya. I went in knowing where I wanted to go mostly, and worked with Dennis at the front office. He was able to put together an itinerary that took into account what I had asked for, but also expanded it to address what my friends and husband would want to experience, considering this was their first time in Kenya and on safari. He put together a packed itinerary that hit so many things (Nairobi, Samburu, Aberdares, Naivasha, Mara and the Coast). We were always on the move with our driver, Alex. Alex was great - some amazing driving skills and good eyes. Also very sociable so always connecting with the other drivers to find the good spots and sharing perspective on life in Kenya.
The accommodations were great, the land cruiser was relatively comfortable and well stocked with water.
During the planning, Dennis was very accessible and communicative. He was willing to make small changes to the plans as I had some particular notions of what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go. Having Whats App downloaded allowed me to connect with the front office while we were traveling around Kenya, which was helpful when we were at the coast.
We greatly enjoyed working with Morningstar! The only issue I would mention is that if you have questions or concerns, speak up clearly and early. It's not a bad idea to review the itinerary with your driver/Morningstar upon arrival to make sure your understanding of what is included and what isn't is still the same and has been confirmed with the driver and the accommodations. Especially if you are going off the regular tourist track (out of the major parks).
There were a few communications transparency concerns where I think the office had everything under control, but plans had changed and we had not been updated. There were some miscommunications at the end between Morningstar and the accommodation, that seemed to have been based upon expectations and not confirmed commitments from the accommodations.
When I spoke up or contacted the office or mentioned something to Alex, a fix was often figured out (or at least they attempted to figure it out) but you need to speak up early if you have questions or concerns and don't make assumptions that just because something is stated on your itinerary, everyone involved is aware of what the initial travel itinerary was and is and has the same understanding of what's included and what isn't.
The experience we had for the money we paid was a great option and Alex was there and ready for us on time every day. He had a great energy and was flexible with our irregular requests (finding a pharmacy in Nanyuki, going to my old house in Nairobi, visiting Sarit Center/Westgate in Westlands.
US
Email Laura | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect coordination, awesome staff.
The Morningstar team was very engaging even from day 1 with the quote, communication throughout the process was very good. Dennis helped us taylor our perfect itinerary and it has been beyond awesome. Drivers and guides Willy and Jackson took us to amazing places and teach us about the animals and cultures everywhere we go. After agreeing on itinerary, we didnt have to worry about absolutely anything. They coordinate everything for you. 10/10 would recommend 100%
US
Email Blair Hunnicutt | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Couldn'tve done it without Dennis!
This was my 1st African safari, my 1st trip outside of the North American continent thus and quite the accomplishment. If anyone knows me, there are two things I love dearly: (1) THE Ohio State Buckeyes and (2) zebras. Therefore, in the case of the latter, seeing zebras on an African safari was quite the dream come true. I initially planned to go on a Kenya/Tanzania safari; however, I fell a bit behind in paying for the trip. I fell behind enough to the point where Dennis, my travel consultant could have easily cancelled my trip. Not only did Dennis NOT cancel the trip, he and his team prepared a more financially reasonable Kenya safari attending these 8 Kenyan parks: (1) Amboseli NP, (2) Lake Navaisha, (3) Samburu NR, (4) Lake Nakuru, (5) Masai Mara NR, (6) Lake Elementaita, (7) Aberdare NP, and (8) Ol Pejeta Conservancy. With the help my driver Daniel, not only did I see plenty of zebras (to whom Daniel referred to as "my friends"), I saw the entire Big Nine, Samburu/Special Five, and the Ugly Five. During the 14 day Kenya campaign, I experienced game drives in 4 different ways: (1) by car, (2) by boat, (3) on foot, and (4) via hot balloon; the different methods helped minimize the monotony on a safari. Throughout the game drives, I let Daniel know what animals I wanted to see and he made sure to take the time to see them. Overall, the lodges I stayed at were enjoyable; the highlights being Lake Navaisha Sopa Lodge (there were literal zebras running around, best ambiance), Samburu Ashnil Lodge (best dining experiences and best room), and Zebra Plains Masai Mara Lodge (best overall physical property presentation). I cannot thank Dennis, Daniel, and Morningstar Safaris enough for how well they treated me. They were well in their right to have cancelled my trip; but instead they did everything they could to make this trip a success. As a result, with better planning on my end, I anticipate planning a Tanzania safari with Dennis and Morningstar!
US
Email Allison H | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We loved James!
Morningstar did so much for us including getting us scooped up from the Nairobi Airport and getting us set off to Mombasa after our 3+ days of safari. James guided myself and family (husband and kids ages 12, 11, and 7) through Amboseli, Tsavo West, and Tsavo East. We had the most wonderful time exploring these parks with him and he was extremely knowledgeable on the animals and their habitats. He asked my children the most engaging questions while touring the parks and was quick to understand when we needed to find a quick bathroom stop for my 7 year old. We would love to explore more parks in the future with Morningstar and would love to have James as our guide again.
