Bush lunch in Maasai Mara National Reserve
Tazama Africa Holidays
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2012)
- Member Of:
- AMREF, Eco Tourism & Tour Operators Society of Kenya
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $200 to $1,200 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
LV
Email Andrejs Kostenko | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
In November, we had an excellent private safari with Tazama Africa Holidays in Kenya
At the begining, a safari in Kenya was only part of our entire trip, which lasted one month. I personally prepared our first trip to Africa during the year and I discovered in detail every small thing of my trip. I always do that.
Thus, it was decided which parks we want to visit in Kenya and what exactly we want to see there. It was also decided how long time we have for safari in Kenya. I created a detailed plan / scenario with all my wishes and preferences and sent it to so many companies with good reviews. It was VERY important for us that our first safari would be successful. BTW, that is our dream (elephants grazing mt. Kilimanjaro, caves from the cartoon "The Lion King", animals as in national geographic). It was important that we had a chance to see all the TOP animals as close as possible. It was important to see Mount Kilimanjaro and elephants in the background of this mountain. It was important that our guide tried to do EVERYTHING so that we saw all the natural beauties, saw as many animals as possible, follow our prepared plan (itinerary) for this safari.
I contacted with many companies that matched my budget. In the end, there were only 3 companies and Tazama Holidays (which went beyond my budget). I can only note one thing, that it is very difficult to do I get out of my budget, but Antony (manager of Tazama Holidays) was the most convincing.
To each email he answered to me very quickly, informatively and reasonably. He was the only one who promised that I would definitely not be disappointed, our dreams will come true, we will have the best safari that can only be organized in the given weather conditions. Antony promised that all company guides with each client work as a VIP client and that all our wishes will be taken into account and implemented, unless weather conditions do not fit.
We decided to go a little beyond our budget and give the chance to Tazama Holidays.
I am a very demanding person and I always want to see EVERYTHING and as much as possible. All to the maximum.
From the first day of the safari, we felt like VIP clients. Our guide - Martin at the beginning gave me my printed detailed plan with all my wishes and requirements. He also said that if suddenly I feel that something is going wrong, I need to tell him about it.
I must say that everything went according to plan. Not a single promise was broken. All that was planned came true. Even more so, in one of the parks we were a little late, and next we had a long trip to the next lodge. But even so, Martin did not even comment we were late. He is simply a professional and he do his job very professionally and efficiently.
Our safari started at Amboseli Park. The camp that Antony recommended was very cool. We liked everything there completely: location, camp itself, food, amenities, the house where we lived and viewpoint to mt. Kilimanjaro.
Martin tried to do the best for us to see the most beautiful sunset, sunrise, see different animals on the background of Kilimanjaro, made everything so that we could get our dream photos. We were just delighted. As a result, we saw in this park everything that was planned and everything what we wanted. A bit no luck with the cats, but we expected to see them in Masai Mara.
After Amboseli there was also the Hells gate NP with safaris on bicycles, as well as relaxation in hot springs and Cresent island.
All this was just amazing. We got everything that we planned and everything how we wanted it to see or feel. Next was Masai Mara for 2.5 days.
I just can’t convey in words how much, thanks to Martin, we liked this park. Martin felt like a fish in water in this park. He knew everything about this park. He could answer to any question about animals and about the park. Martin was excellent.
He asked us what else we would like to see when we have already seen almost everything. He was no in hurry to return to the lodge from a safari for rest, he always waited for our wishes and execute them.
In the end, our safari ended and Martin took us to the bus station, from which we had a bus to Uganda.
We were happy that we choose Tazama Holidays. Believe me, this company deservedly gets this review.
We got everything we wanted and even more, since Antony helped us with many bus tickets. Before the safari and during the safari, we asked Antony to help us with the purchase of bus tickets. He reserved and bought tickets for us absolutely without any commission, and that was very pleasant. Also on the last day, when we returned from Uganda to Nairobi, Antony's people (Purity) met us at the bus station and drive us to the Giraffe Center, and in the evening of the same day they took us to the restaurant and from there to the airport. And all this was included in the safari price. I mean transfer into Nairobi.
I will add also that all the time of our safari, Antony was in touch and it was clear that he was very interested in making his customers happy. And this, from my point of view, is very important.
I recommend Tazama Holidays. Our experience with them (Antony, Martin, Purity) was brilliant.
A few words about Antony:
1. Professional. Since the photographer himself knows the places in the parks for great photos.
2. Always keeps his word. All that he promised, he did everything. And even more.
3. He take care of his clients and appreciate them. Each client as a VIP.
4. Great organizer and manager.
A few words about the Martin guide:
1. Very informative
2. Each client is a VIP for him.
3. Сommunicable, not obsessive.
4. Professional.
PS: Thank you guys for our first and best safari. You made all the best and you completed your task. :)
DE
Email Viviane | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Dream vacation!
We chose Tazama Holidays for taking care of our honeymoon and dream trip to Kenya, first because of the company’s great reviews; second because of the always open and reassuring conversations with Anthony, the owner; third because of the fair quote he gave us for a 13-day Safari trip. I have to say that it wasn’t easy to put my honeymoon in the hands of somebody I had never seen, since we are used to always planning every small detail of our trips ourselves. But oh my, I don’t regret I booked my dream trip (of which I have been dreaming about since I’m 13 years’ old) with Tazama.
Following Anthony’s expertise, we decided to do Samburu, Olpejeta Conservancy, Lake Nakuru, Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Amboseli and Tsavo West.
Anthony made sure that we had comfortable and beautiful hotels, to which we were always excited to go back to at the end of the game drives. We couldn’t believe the quality of the hotels. He also made sure we had a honeymoon treatment in every new destination, meaning we received many loving surprises in the hotels, from wine bottles to beds covered in roses. He also organized the most amazing sundown at a conservancy in Masai Mara, knowing that we were dying to book a sundowner!
We were lucky enough to also have Anthony as our guide and driver. He conducted us in safety through rough roads, mud and water. Considering the condition of some roads inside and outside the parks (it rained quite a bit through some days), we were impressed how he always kept the car so clean for us everyday.
Anthony is also an excellent certified guide, whose knowledge and patience earned us the most memorable moments! In Samburu, for example, while other cars left, Anthony insisted we stayed with a seemingly sleeping leopard. I don’t know how he does it, but it’s like he knew something would happen. A few minutes later, we saw the leopard roar and attack a dik dik! We were the only ones who witnessed that on that day. Other amazing moments: we watched lionesses communicate, elephants having a mud bath, a buffalo challenge lions’ territory, the five famous cheetah “brothers” of Masai Mara hunt, elephants trumpeting, a leopard on top of a tree eating a kill, hippos playing, baby cheetahs and the cutest baby leopard!
Anthony’s expertise of the animals will also give you the best views to the animals. It’s like he knows their next steps, and he positions the car in a way that, at first, might not make sense, but then you get marveled that the animals cross right in front of you or pass by just next to you. That’s called a guide’s experience.
Anthony is very committed to his job, and you can see in details that he is just not doing a job, he WANTS us to have the best experience we can have, and he always does his best for it. For example, we were so impressed when, in Tsavo West, he called our room in the hotel to rush us to the car to go see a leopard with a kill up on a tree. This was around 2pm and we only had a scheduled game drive for 4pm. We stayed with the leopard for about 30 min, and we still did the normal game drive at 4. Anthony didn’t want us to miss on anything. Many times he would hear something on the radio and rush for us to see something amazing, no matter how far.
Apart from being an amazing guide, who taught us so much during the whole trip about animal behavior, curiosities, and life in Kenya, Anthony is an amazing human being. You can see it in the way that he helps other drivers, and cares about the tourists in other cars, always making sure no tourists’ views were blocked and placing the car in a way that we could have the best views as well as others around us. When my husband fell ill towards the end of the trip, Anthony also made sure he was given the medical attention he needed, and made himself available for us 24/7. He also constantly asked about how my foot was doing, since I stepped on a needle plant on the first day of our vacation.
A tip for other travelers: book directly with the company. I know it’s scary to send money to another country, to somebody you don’t know. We were a bit scared at first too, but everything worked great!
I can’t wait for our next vacations with Tazama Holidays (the company covers other African countries as well!). Thank you, Anthony, for making this the trip of our lives.
Email Katya | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable Experience
My family and I went on a 2 week safari across Kenya and Tanzania. Tazama Africa exceeded all expectations from start to finish, and Antony's personable manner and contagious enthusiasm made the experience even more special. From selecting safari locations and accommodation to timing game drives and animal spotting, it was evident that Antony went over and above to ensure we had a successful safari. Across the 2 weeks we saw a huge variety of species (over 70) including giraffes, lions, leopards, elephants, cheetahs, hyenas, rhinos, zebras, buffalo, hippos, baboons, impalas, gazelles, serval cat to name a few. Despite having a longer safari than most, we never ceased to be amazed by each game drive and the 2 weeks passed much too quickly. Agostino, our Tanzanian guide, was incredibly knowledgeable and his unbelievably sharp eyesight allowed us to observe numerous animals that we would certainly not have spotted without him. I cannot fault a single thing about this experience and I will treasure the memories (and photos) from this holiday. Thank you so much Antony, Agostino and the rest of the team for taking such great care of us over the last 2 weeks - you have my highest recommendation.
MY
Email Adam P | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A Safari come true
As a family, we've been planning an African safari for years. Since this would also be the first time deposits and payments were required before arrival, I carefully reviewed proposals from 6-7 established names that came highly recommended. After exhaustive review over many weeks, our decision for Tazama Africa Holidays boiled down to 3 things: 1) Antony's itinerary was more original than the rest 2)It provided real value on the ground in actual safari time, not days spent on the road or in cities, and 3) Antony came through with every ridiculous verification I asked for, from booking confirmations to pics of vehicles, without questions, any time of day, fully transparent. The moment of truth came when all 5 of us arrived for our two week safari; deposit paid months before to secure accommodation and full payment day before arrival. Antony and his staff delivered everything they promised in the itinerary beyond our expectation. We were delighted with the range of accommodation from wilderness tents to dream lodges, efficient, seamless travel and transfers, and most importantly we saw first-hand action every day on safari and learnt so much that Samburu, Nakuru, Olpejeta, Maasai Mara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro, came alive for us. Every day something exciting and unexpected on safari - lost count of the numerous animal and bird species, saw hunts, kills, herds migrating, newborns - very little we missed and a lot more than we bargained for. Before the safari, I admit I was sceptical about the perfect reviews Tazama had received, but having experienced it first-hand now, I realize its because of Antony's tireless energy to ensure his customers have the best experience possible and he never takes us for granted, even though we had already paid in full. Talking to others on safari where we stayed, we realized too that we were indeed experiencing a safari well above par. This was without a doubt our most expensive holiday even before a thousand dollars in tips alone (yes, we've even been to Norway) but it was worth every penny we spent.
NO
Email Olav | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very satesfied with our safari trip with Tazama Africa Holidays. A experience for lifetime.
Very quick and good comunication with Anthony and his driver. They did all they could to make this safari to a experience we never will forget.
HK
Email Charlotte L | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent and amazing
My friends and I completed a 7 day Tazama Classic Safari run by Tazama Africa Holidays in early October.
I booked the tour with Antony, who was knowledgeable, responsive and really helpful. I have got so many queries and he always reply email immediately. With his professional and high efficiency, everything run very smooth. I booked everything in February, in September before I go to Kenya, Antony told me that one of the hotel we have booked is not good, because he has been to there in July and he thinks it is not good, so he provided free upgrade to another hotel and we trusted him. At the tour we were very satisfied with all the hotels and their food, thanks to the excellent arrangement by Antony.
On the safari tour, we had Steve as our tour guide. Steve is absolutely an excellent guide; he is knowledgeable and always take care of us. We asked so many questions, asking him to stop the car or move backward when we wanted to take photos, Steve can always answer our questions and fulfill all our needs. Steve is also a good and safe driver with good driving skill. Although some of the road in National Park is uneven, we still felt comfortable with the land crusher. Our tour went very smooth and safe with Steve with us.
Steve is also a professional and experienced guide of safari. He can always find the animals and spotted them to us. With Steve's professional, we have seen all animals that we want! Some of the animals are so close that I can take photos with my mobile phone! Including the Big Five (elephants, lions, leopard, cheetah and rhinos), hyena, giraffe, hippo, crocodile, warthog (we called them Pumbaa) and even meerkat (Timon)! We are also very lucky to see a lion mother breast-feeding its baby!! Steve said this is also his first time seeing this scene! (LUCKY~~) More than that, we have watched wildebeest crossing river!!! That's really really a very unforgettable experience!
I am glad that I chose Tazama Africa Holidays, it's really worth and great. I would recommend Tazama Africa Holidays to anyone who are planning to go Kenya. I would also recommend our tour guide, Steve!
Thanks for the great memories.
US
Email Matt R. | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our heroes!
We’d originally booked with another company for our safari in August— huge mistake as they canceled on us less than 2 weeks from the start of our trip.
After frantically trying to reschedule our safari, Antony and Tazama came to the rescue! Prices are fair and Antony was very responsive, working with camps to try and find availability in peak season at such short notice. Upon arrival, Antony met with us personally to help ensure we felt comfortable with our itinerary.
Our Kenya guide Tom was phenomenal— we can’t say enough! He was always on the lookout for unique opportunities and provided us with so many great views and experiences. Other guests at camps were jealous of all we saw.
Thanks, Tazama for saving our trip. It was FANTASTIC!
US
Email Lucas | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Quick mobilization and excellent game drive!
As someone always planning things on the last minute, I was pleasantly surprised to having been able to book this amazing safari the day before we departed. Antony was attentive throughout the booking process, both through e-mail and Whatsapp, and received us in person both at departure as of arrival. The safari itself was carried out by James who was a fantastic driver and guide that got to show us so many animals and a wonderful time! All while being patient with us often being late or asking to see more and more. An unforgettable experience and I certainly recommend Tazama for a good time!
US
Email Greg B | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable Safari, Great People & Experience
From end to end the entire safari experience was great -- communication, pickup, payment, all was smooth. Antony, the company's owner, managed communication throughout and was super responsive and Tony, our guide, could not have been better. We saw so many incredible animals and learned so much about the Maasai Mara, and Kenya. I highly recommend Tazama to anyone looking for a safari option.
PL
Email Iwona | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beautiful Safari Trip
Everything was prepered professionally. The guide was very nice, friendly and helpful and knew a lot about animals. The trip was excellent.