Reviews

Sort By: Date Most Helpful Rating 121-130 of 222 Reviews
Knut and Anne   –  
Myanmar MM
Visited: October 2018 Reviewed: Oct 25, 2018

Email Knut and Anne  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Adventure of a lifetime
5/5

Our three-day Masai Mara safari experience was everything we hoped and more. Booking, communications, transport and logistics - everything was smooth and according to our needs and wishes. Our guide Sami was fantastic - an endless source of knowledge and stories, and with a very pleasant personality. He went out of his way to give us the best and most varied experience, and made sure we got the best view whenever we stopped for a closer look. We were extremely happy to have him as our guide.
Another highlight was the early morning balloon ride with subsequent champagne breakfast. It was nothing short of spectacular to see from above the herds of wildebeest and zebras make their way across the savannah on their way back to the Serengeti (we caught the tail end of the migration). Totally recommend it.
The accommodation at Ashnil Lodge was fine, with friendly staff; the food was good, though not fantastic.
We also went for the "optional visit to a Masai village" on our way back, but would not recommend it: a rip-off and total tourist trap.
All in all: our safari with Classic Journeys Africa was the adventure of a lifetime.

Lidia Hartley...your favourite “Pumba”   –  
Canada CA
Visited: September 2018 Reviewed: Oct 24, 2018

Email Lidia Hartley...your favourite “Pumba”  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Classic Journeys and their amazing staff strive for excellence and exceeded our expectations !!
5/5

Classic Journeys was nothing short of “Amazing” to deal with. They helped us put together a “trip of a lifetime” to Africa and selected top notch accommodations while in Kenya and Tanzania, that exceeded our expectations! Charles & Newton in the office helped to customize a private 4 person Safari & were always prompt in responding to our requests and questions...no matter what time of day. They always gave us good advice and suggestions. The guide they assigned to us while in Tanzania was Jonas who we instantly “fell in love” with!! Jonas was born to be a Safari Guide and spent long game drive days with us while in the Serengeti ensuring our safety at all times and having the utmost respect for the beautiful landscape and the animals that live there. It appeared to us that Classic Journeys selects their guides with this in mind. While in the Masi Mara, Sammy was our wonderful guide! With his passion for photography, Sammy was able to take us to places and help us take pictures that look like they are right out of National Geographic magazine!! Not to mention...Sammy tracking down a black Rino for 2 days to fulfill our “big five” sightings!!! While Jonas...found us 3 crossings of the wildeebestes in the “great migration”...an unforgettable experience of a lifetime as well as sharing laughter over the “2 tailed zebra” and the “5 legged elephant”lol

Kelli Klaus   –  
Kenya KE
Visited: October 2018 Reviewed: Oct 18, 2018

Email Kelli Klaus  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Magical Experience
5/5

Everything about Classic Journeys Africa Maasai Mara tour was above expectations! Our tour guide was prompt and his knowledge of Kenya and the safari were extensive! The lodging was accommodating, and our schedule was flexible even within just 2 short days at the Mara. Of course the adventure out on the open savannah can not disappoint in and of itself. God's handiwork captivates you! I could go on many more Classic Journey safari's and I hope to!

Sonja Chamberlain   –  
Canada CA
Visited: September 2018 Reviewed: Oct 1, 2018

Email Sonja Chamberlain  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Exceptional service, phenominal experience
5/5

Our 3 week tour in September included my husband and I and my sister and brother-in-law and we spent approximately a week in Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar. Our interaction with Classic Journeys started long before our actual tour. Charles and Newton were extremely prompt and thorough in responding to any enquiries or issues we had. Their expertise and commitment to customer service was stellar. They were there and always available to ensure that every detail of our 3 week tour ran smoothly -- which it did; not a single hick-up. From the time that Matthew picked us up at the airport, we knew we were in good hands. Because there were four of us, we were able to splurge on a private land cruiser and guide for the safari portion of our tour. I would highly recommend a private vehicle because that way you are not climbing over strangers to get a photograph of an animal. The guides, Sammy in Kenya and Jonas in Tanzania were exceptional. Jonas, in particular, went out of his way to ensure that we saw the things we wanted to see. His extensive knowledge of Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti was evident, and his knowledge of the animals and their behaviour made it possible for him to anticipate where the best viewing spots would be. Jonas spent some very long days with us on game drives (in some cases 12 - 14 hours), and the drives were never disappointing! Rather than racing from one spot to the next (like a lot of the other jeeps), Jonas's approach was to "watch and wait". As a result, we were able to see a cheetah hunt a ghazel, a lion stalk and hunt a zebra, and 3 massive river crossings of wildebeests and Zebras across the Mara River, as part of the Great Migration. Those were experiences that will last a lifetime. And yes, we did see (and have hundreds of photographs) of the Big Five. The illusive rhinoceros, we saw on our last game drive, thanks to Sammy's persistence in finding one of the few remaining rhinos in the Massai Mara. I got a chance to see lots of lions, so I went home happy! Both Sammy and Jonas were very respectful in how they approached the animals, which was not always the case with some of the other tour company jeeps we encountered. The lodges that Charles and Newton had selected for our tour were incredible! Each one offered superior accommodation and excellent food. All of the rooms had spectacular views. A "glamping" stay at the Chaka Camp is not to be missed! But, the most amazing spot was the Tulia Unique Beach Resort in Zanzibar, a small boutique resort and spa that offers world class luxury. Thank you Classic Journeys for making this trip of a lifetime possible -- it was an experience that exceeded all of our expectations. We would heartily recommend you to all of our family and friends.

Andrea   –  
Germany DE
Visited: August 2018 Reviewed: Oct 1, 2018

Email Andrea  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

very friendly, nice people, they were looking for us very good, good planing, good organisation,
5/5

Our driver Geoffrey was a person with much experience, he fitted very good to our wish, having a tour less strenghtening. He showed us good palaces for animal watching and was always there, when we needed him. He was also driving very good. The Sands at Shale Island was also a very nice place with very nice people, we enjoyed it very much an will choose Classic Journeys again. Charles and Mattew did a good job -thamk you very much.

Sofi   –  
Argentina AR
Visited: August 2018 Reviewed: Sep 11, 2018

Email Sofi  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

amazing experience !
5/5

We had a 2 week safari through kenya , Tanzania and Zanzíbar with classic journeys and are very happy about it ! Communication was very easy while planning the trip and charles didn’t have a problem changing the schedule and accommodations a million times so it would look like exactly as we wanted.
Everything went as planned and promised .
Both our guides lived up to our expectations in terms of being knowledgeable and trying to meet all of our needs. They managed to find all the big five!
I would definitively recommend classic journeys !

Pachlhofer, Gerold   –  
Germany DE
Visited: August 2018 Reviewed: Sep 6, 2018

Email Pachlhofer, Gerold  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

Very good and reliable communication and handling
4/5

Communication excellent Safari Tour with good Driver All lodges were good

Vijay   –  
United States US
Visited: August 2018 Reviewed: Aug 23, 2018

Email Vijay  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Flexible, friendly and knowledgeable.
5/5

We had a great time visiting Kenya and its parks thanks to Classic Journeys. They created a customized itinerary for us, and made sure to arrange great accommodations for us. We got booked to the best lodges and the best rooms in each of the lodges. The guides/drivers were very knowledgeable and friendly.

Charles and his team made sure we had all the information we needed prior to us landing in Kenya, and were available when needed. I would highly recommend Classic Journeys.

Charlotte Coppenhall   –  
United Kingdom UK
Visited: August 2018 Reviewed: Aug 23, 2018

Email Charlotte Coppenhall  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

An unforgettable trip of a lifetime, filled with all our dreams plus more!
5/5

From the very start, the communication with the team from Classic Journeys Africa was outstanding. I asked many questions and changed the itinerary so that it was tailored to us. This was never a problem, and Charles Kiviu and his team responded to every question promptly (usually within a few hours) and adapted things until they were perfect for us.

Wow, what an experience. Although a little nervous as we had never used this company nor safaribookings.com before, we needn’t have ever worried. We were picked up on time from our airport hotel in Nairobi. We were given an itinerary and we were able to pay our remaining balance in cash as requested. All completed safely and honestly. Off we went for the first part of our adventure. Everything was explained throughout, and our guide Charles (unsure on surname, sorry!) was outstanding from start to finish. Plenty of comfort breaks when needed, he helped us with buying some drinks and snacks for the journey ahead and even gave us some local currency to spend in the shop when we didn’t have any. We felt safe in his hands from start to finish, and he truly was such a lovely, kind person. We went to the Masai Village (beware it is a little overpriced/we didn’t realise we could have haggled) but a wonderful experience. Then onto Amboseli. We had an evening drive here and then a full day drive the following day. Our guide and driver Charles personalised this for us and noted our love of photography. He thought about the best photo opportunities and stayed until sunset to allow us to capture special moments. He arranged for lunch to be packed with us so no need to return to the lodge. Lots and lots of elephants, incredible to see with the back drop of Mount Kilimanjaro.
We then took a long drive to Lake Nakuru, stopping off at The Rift Valley and Lake Navaisha on the way. Stunning to see! A boat ride beside hippos and walking with giraffes - unforgettable. We arrived late at Nakuru due to bad traffic and a road closure. Charles stayed calm throughout, drove incredibly well through the traffic to get us there as quickly as possible. He reminded us that we can take things at our pace and see everything we want to, no need to rush. Lake Nakuru was very pretty, and we managed to see both white and black rhinos alongside many other animals including the endangered Rothschild giraffes. We even had a baboon jump into our jeep and sit alongside us!
We then made our way to the Masai Mara. A dream of ours, and it certainly lived up to expectations and more! Charles ensured that we saw everything possible. The Mara River Crossing of the great migration was wonderful to see, and Charles ensured we had the best, clear view. Two lionesses hunting and manage a successful kill was something we never thought we would see, but Charles just knew the mums would be close by after we found four lion cubs sleeping under a tree. Cheetahs, elephants, rhino, buffalo, giraffes, hyena, lionesses and lions, baboons, hippos, crocodiles, a variety of birds, wildebeest in their thousands, a variety of deer, and to finish our trip, a leopard and her cub walked beside us. Charles listened to me when I said the leopard is my favourite animal, but I have never been lucky enough to find one. We spent our last day enjoying the surroundings and the animals we passed, but his main aim was to make my dream come true. We were close in the morning, but the leopard disappeared. But early afternoon, Charles knew they were nearby as he found their kill in the tree. I can never thank him enough for that experience. Our final day also enabled us to have another memorable moment- a hot air balloon ride over the Masai Mara with breakfast amongst the animals. This was stunning and definitely something I would recommend.

Overall, I cannot recommended Classic Journeys Africa enough. They did everything they promised, and ensured we had the best time. This was a private tour, and I would definitely suggest this. Other couples we talked to at our lodges had 3+ different couples in their jeeps (with a different company) and did not get to do everything / see what they wanted to as everyone had to be pleased.

Thank you to both of the Charles’ we had contact with. You both went above and beyond. Their English is perfect which made conversation easy. Kenya is a wonderful country filled with the nicest people. We were so lucky that we chose this company to make our dreams come true.

Thank you so much.

Full review with photos will soon be updated on charmeetsworld.com

Peggy Thompson   –  
United States US
Visited: July 2018 Reviewed: Aug 18, 2018

Email Peggy Thompson  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Fabulous tour arranged by FABULOUS tour company!
5/5

I booked this trip for myself and four friends. Having never been Africa before, I did a lot of research and contacted almost 30 companies to pick one for this once-in-a-lifetime trip. We dealt with Charles at Classic Journeys and were pleasantly surprised by the EXCELLENT service that Classic Journeys provided. We had a 17 day safari / tour, including 4 days in Zanzibar. After a day in Nairobi and the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage and the Giraffe Center (both were "must do's" if you haven't been here), we went to Amboselli, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti and the Masa Mara. Highlight was the hot air balloon ride that they arranged. Our guides were ALL exceptional. My travelers are all major animal and bird lovers, and the guides knew each and every species. We saw over 200 different birds, and most of the major animals. Communication was great and we never had to worry, especially about border crossings. I said a "once-in-a-lifetime trip" but we plan on using Classic Journeys again to go to the west coast (Naimibia) within the next two years. I don't need to contact anyone else -- they came through with flying colors, and were reasonable in cost for all that we got. THANK YOU TO CLASSIC JOURNEYS FOR MAKING THIS DREAM TRIP A REALITY!!!

Average User Rating
4.8/5
Rating Breakdown
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  • 1 star 1
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