Serene East Africa Ltd. management staff
Serene East Africa Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2009)
- Member Of:
- Kenya Association of Tour Operators
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $130 to $495 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Anthony K | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very good experience all the way - Amboseli, Tsavo West/East, Diani Beach
My wife and I had a wonderful 6 nights private safari organised by Serene East Africa Safaris. We visited Amboseli (AA Lodge), Tsavo West (Kilaguni Lodge), Tsavo East (Ashnil Aruba Lodge) and Diani Beach (Diani Sea Resort, 3 nights). All the accommodation was superb with Kilaguni Lodge outstanding. The Diani Sea Resort all-inclusive package was also outstanding. While at Diani, we went on a day trip to Wasini Island where we saw dolphins and went snorkelling in the coral reef, and also visited the Shimoni slave caves. This was all included in the package, including our flight back from Diani to Nairobi!
Lucy and her team were superb throughout, from the moment of initial contact to our departure. Everything was seamlessly organised with no surprises or disappointments. There was constant communication on WhatsApp or email and questions are answered quickly. We had a superb guide, Kennedy, who was patient and easy going. We were received and dropped at the airport. I liked the all-inclusive nature of the safari, you barely need to spend any more money again.
On the parks themselves, Amboseli was beautiful especially with the imposing Mount Kilimanjaro in the background, with plenty of elephants, loads of different species of birds, some lions, etc. Tsavo East/West are really vast and consequently sparsely populated, although still boasting plenty of elephants, giraffes, zebras. Diani beach was beautiful with a warm sea!
I would definitely recommend Serene East Africa and I would use them again.
US
Email Isabel | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic Trip!
Lucy was amazing to coordinate the trip with and was so accommodating of a few changes we made during the process. My four friends and I planned for a six day safari and ended up adding on a three day Diani Beach extension and it was so worth it. The trip was pretty much seamless. Lucy picked us up from the airport and we were with our wonderful driver Simon or at one of the camps/hotel the rest of the time. The game drives were wonderful (we saw every kind of animal out there besides a leopard) and all but one of the accommodations wildly exceeded our expectations. The food was fantastic but do be warned at if you order any drink (including water) at a restaurant, it is not covered in the sum you pay to Serene East Africa Safaris. If you want a wonderful experience in Kenya you will not be disappointed with this company.
CA
Email Sandy Christie | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing and friendly service and follow up. I highly recommend Serene East Africa Safaris.
We decided earlier this summer that we wanted to do a safari to Kenya and after looking at many safari outfitters and contacting several, I settled on Serene East Africa Safaris and am so very glad that I did.
When I first contacted Lucy I explained to her that my wife has advanced Alzheimer's and is in a wheelchair with limited mobility and asked if she would be able to put a safari together for us. She said it would be absolutely no problem and she would make sure that any lodges she suggested would all have wheelchair accessible facilities and would make sure that everything else was also tailored to my wife's needs.
Lucy was an absolute pleasure to do business with and right from the get go she took care of everything in a low key manner, suggesting an itinerary but at the same time being very open to any changes I preferred. For example, she initially put Lake Naivasha on the itinerary as well as Lake Nakuru but I preferred to pass on this and stay an extra day at Masai Mara. Staying at Fairmont lodge the extra day and omitting Naivasha meant one less travel day for my wife and we also wanted to make sure we spent enough time in the Mara. I received an email back within minutes saying that was no problem whatsoever and to consider it done.
Everything from booking, to choosing lodge options and paying online went very smoothly as did the pick up at the airport. Lucy put together an amazing trip for us that was filled with awe and excitement. The photos and videos we took will hopefully help my wife to remember things about the trip long after the actual events have faded from her memory.
After our flight from London the night before our two daughters, along with my wife and I, opted to fly from Nairobi to Masai Mara instead of driving. It worked well for us and I recommend it as an option to anyone considering it. We arrived at the lodge very fresh which may not have been the case if we had driven down with our guide Linus. Linus took us to the airport then drove to the lodge with our luggage and we met with him later that afternoon. Linus was the most helpful, knowledgeable and interesting guide anyone could hope for and we struck an instant rapport with him. For the four days that we spent at Fairmont Masa we were also accompanied by James, our Masai assistant guide and spotter. What a wonderful addition he was to our tour and his sense of humor and knowledge were a joy to be around. When we left the Masai Mara, saying goodbye to him was like saying goodbye to an old friend. We may never meet again but we will forever remember him and the knowledge of his country that he shared with us.
I feel I should make special mention of the staff at the Fairmont. Absolutely splendid people who went out of their way to make sure everything was good and to offer help with my wife. A special shout out to Phillip who was assigned to help transport my wife in her wheelchair to and from our accommodation for the duration of our stay. Nothing was ever too much trouble for him and everything was always done with a smile and a friendly word. We spent a lot of time in conversation and I appreciate him teaching me a lot about Kenya, its people and its customs.
After the Mara we visited Lake Nakuru with its pink flamingos and stayed at Sopa Lodge for just one night, another great recommendation by Lucy. From there we spent a night in Nairobi to allow my wife to relax before going to Amboseli. Ole Tukai Lodge truly enchanted us. It was probably the oldest of the three lodges we stayed at but the ambience along with elephants outside the grounds and magnificent views of Mount Kilimanjaro made it almost feel like a setting for an Ernest Hemmingway novel.
When we got back to Nairobi we spent a night there and next day went to the giraffe center, did a bit of souvenir shopping and then had a delicious lunch with Linus, Lucy and her nephew.
I couldn't complete this review without another comment about Linus. What a wonderful addition he is to Serene East Africa. He was so incredibly helpful and patient with my wife and helping her in and out of the Toyota Landcruiser several times a day and loading/unloading her wheelchair. I realise it is a part of his job to do this but he always went the extra mile and couldn't do enough to help. As I told Lucy, if ever we are lucky enough to return to Kenya on another safari, we want Linus as our guide. He also got us up close to lions, cheetahs, rhinos, a leopard and many elephants so we felt incredibly lucky to see all the big five. He put us into position to get the dream photos of elephants in the foreground with Kilimanjaro behind and showed us such a number of animals that I never thought I'd see except on National Geographic.
Thanks to Lucy. Ann, Linus and James for everything they did to create and put into practice such a memorable safari for us. I do not hesitate to recommend their company and services to friends and/or anyone who is inquiring about doing a Kenya safari. If I'm lucky enough to ever visit Kenya again I won't have to do any research as we will definitely be going with Serene East Africa Safaris
Sandy Christie
Email Eduardo R | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful experience from beginning to end!
We just came back from a week in Kenya in a Safari with Serene East Africa Safaris. We were 2 couples and it was our first approach to Africa and safaris so we wanted to make sure we chose the right operator. We definitively did, the booking process was easy and it was quick to reach an agreement on the cost and parks to visit. The payment process gave some problems in the beginning but Peter sorted it out in 1-2 days. They also reply fast to the e-mails and when you raise any problems they make sure you feel good and relaxed that it will be sorted out. I was vert strict to settle what was included and what not, and some special requests. It was all settled and we were never asked for extra costs, a totally different experience to what we had in other countries. Here, they really just want you to enjoy your stay in Africa and come back.
Peter visited us to welcome us to Nairobi and we were introduced to our driver, Danson. He was very close and friendly the whole time, always had water and soft drinks for us, made some jokes and informed us about the animals we were watching. I would totally recommend him as your driver. He is contact with other drivers in the area to know when Lions, Cheetahs and other animals are spotted…The 4x4 jeep was really good and comfortable during the safari. The last day in Nairobi we used a Van to visit the Elephant Orphanage and Giraffe centre, and even though it is not bad, I would 100% recommend upgrading to a jeep for your safari.
In our safari we spent a week in Lake Nakuru, Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha and Amboseli national Park. I would 100% recommend to everybody to visit Lake Nakuru and Masai Mara, they are amazing places and we had the opportunity to see Rhinos and a leopard in Lake Nakuru, and many Lions, Cheetahs, hyenas, Jackal , etc… in Masai Mara. Lake Naivasha was an intermediate point in our trip to relax and watch hippos in the lake, as well as a short visit outside the fence to see them at night, arranged in our hotel, but I don’t think it is a must for a Kenyan safari. Amboseli is great if you are an elephant lover, you will never see so many together and so close, and experience how they interact with each others. We also saw some Hyenas, cheetahs and lions, although not as close as in Masai Mara. Definitively the Leopard, the 5 cheetahs we saw together and the rhinos were the highlight.
We stayed at Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge, and it has an amazing location and views, the food is great and the service is really good. In Masai Mara we stayed at Mara Simba Lodge, it was really good too, I think the accommodation selection in Masai Mara is generally worse compared to the other national parks for all the safari operators , but I can say I was totally satisfied with this one, the staff was really nice and we didn’t see many mosquitoes, the room was big and comfortable too, we also saw a bush baby at night in the dining area. In Lake Naivasha we stayed in Simba Lodge too, it was cleaner that in Masai Mara, the location is spectacular, and the food service and bar is great too, you have waterbucks and zebras in the garden and Giraffes just outside the fence and Hippos at night that you can ask security to take you see safely. In Amboseli we stayed in Kibo Safari Camp, this is the only tented camp we used, and it was clean and comfortable, I thought it was a bit dark inside the tent at night , and in the morning it was a bit cold and we had to wait a bit for the solar panels to bring some hot water, it is obviously a less comfortable experience to the previous lodges, but I think it was a good stay and would recommend it too, the food is also a bit more limited than the previous lodges.
All in all, Serene East Africa safaris helped us have an amazing safari, it was comfortable , the guide was great and we always felt safe and were treated respectfully everywhere we went, even the last day we went to try typical African food in Nairobi city centre, and our guide from that day was different, but he made sure we felt safe and the food was great, and also took us to a very good place to buy souvenirs at a good price.
It has been one of the best holidays in our lives, and I can’t wait to go back on a safari to Africa.
Personally me and my partner have travelled to Asia or south America a lot, to many unique wildlife destinations and this experience is up there with them as one of the best and I would totally recommend this safari operator.
US
Email Kimberley S | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing safari that exceeded expectations
Our 6 night safari covering Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Amboseli and Diani Beach was a dream come true. From the initial quote to our sad goodbye at the end of the trip everything went very smoothly. Lucy was very easy to communicate with and answered all of my questions quickly making the booking process a very easy one. The personalized service you get with Serene including being greeted at the airport by Lucy herself was greatly appreciated. We booked a private tour and had Symon as our driver. He was amazing. He has so much knowledge about the animals, Kenya, current events or anything else you want to talk about. He never led us astray and with his guidance we had some perfect safari moments such as a lion crossing right beside our van or elephants crossing in front of Mt Kilimanjaro. Since our safari was private Symon was able to make amendments to the schedule as we went along if we wanted to stay longer in one place to contemplate the animals, or change activities around a bit. November was an excellent time to go as well, we saw so many animals out grazing (particularly in Masai Mara) or just hanging out on the side of the road. The budget accommodations included with our tour were all very nice and clean with various charms. Kenya overall was a wonderful country. The people are exceedingly friendly and the food was generally very good. The roads, however, are often dirt roads and can be very bumpy and dusty, and the stretches of paved roads between cities are filled with trucks and the emissions can be very bad. That being said we loved our safari and know we definitely made the right choice booking with Serene East Africa Safaris. I highly recommend them.
Perfect service, excellent experience
We had the perfect experience with Serenesafris. Pre visit communication with Lucy was fantastic, she was able to build in our requests and also offer great advice.
The private safari with Peter was excellent, very relaxed, off the beaten track truly serene!
We highly recommend this company and team.
DE
Email Roman | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic experience
We did a 5 nights / 6 days private safari in december 2016. Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha (each 1 night) and 3 nights Masai Mara. Everything was adjusted to fix our needs, Lucy did a perfect organisation and our driver-guide Peter simply was the best. Very professional, extremely experienced, friendly and helpful - and with a very good eye, even for the best photo-position. We saw all of the well known animals and a lot of the lesser known; the tour was perfectly organized and there were no problems whatsoever. Best price-value experience we could think of! Thanks a lot, would love to go again with this company! Would recommend this 10/10.
Communication was fast and very good, the expecations were met and the tour great.
CA
Email Carson | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible Kenya Safari
I booked a 5 night Safari with Serene East Africa Safaris for December, 2016. My main contact at the company was Lucy (management) and Simon (driver). My trip solo: started in Nairobi (airport pickup) to Amboseli (1 night), Lake Navaisha (1 night), Lake Nakuru (1 night), Masai Mara (2 nights).
Planning/ Management
Lucy was very helpful planning my safari. She asked questions about what I was interested in and helped develop a full plan of parks, lodges, and connections that would allow me to see what I wanted to across Kenya. She was easy to communicate with, responsive, and very interested in making sure I enjoyed the trip. She took time to answer in detail any questions I had and shared these in advance with the driver Simon.
Arrival/ Departure
Lucy and Simon greeted me at the airport. They took me for a nice welcome lunch and Lucy went over details again to make sure I was ready for my trip. Lucy also met with me prior to my departure to get my feedback, make sure everything was good at the airport.
Safari Itself
The safari was nothing short of incredible. All of the parks were notable and I highly recommend Kenya Wildlife Service and Masai Mara parks as they are truly incredible. Simon took me on several long game drives, making sure that I had time to see what I was interested in, spotting animals, identified different species and explained what differentiated them, and took general time to talk about both Kenya, the history, culture, and people. He also kept in touch with other drivers in order to make sure we could see some of the rarer animals. In the end, we saw the big 5 in addition to many other animals (more zebras than I can count) and some stunning landscapes.
Accommodations
Both Lake Nakuru Lodge and Kibo Safari Camp (Amboseli) were chosen for my itinerary and were incredible. I highly recommend both of these; the former is a chalet-like lodge experience and latter is tented "glamping." The food, hospitality, amenities blew away my expectations.
We also had a night at Fish Eagle Lodge (Lake Nakuru) which was relatively standard/ met my expectations and 2 nights at Ol Moran Camp which was also a tented camping experience, good but not the same level as those earlier.
Place to Place
Kenya is a complex, interesting country. The people are very welcoming, though villages and remote areas are sometimes places to reflect about how fortunate as a Canadian I am. I felt safe the entire time with my driver; note that driving on Kenya roads is a bit crazy (people constantly passing and dodging other people, jammed with large semi-trucks, etc.) but Simon was able to manage it all well. He also knew the paths back country into Masai Mara which was helpful. The road to Masai Mara I had read is quite bumpy (it is), but not unbearable. We had bottled water throughout and the vehicle was in fine condition.
All gas, accommodations, food, etc. was included in a single price in my trip which made it convenient. I recommend making sure you have small bills (US$1) for tips, as some lodges have very helpful staff and breaking larger bills can be difficult in places.
To sum up, I highly recommend a Kenya Safari and I am very glad I chose Serene to be the guide for this adventure.
SE
Email Behrouz | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very professional service, dedicated team
My wife and I had a chance to visit Kenya in mid august 2016. Lucy and her sophisticated team helped us to enjoy the beauty of Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha and Nakuru. I highly recommend Serene East Africa Safaris. They are reliable and flexible. When it comes to East Africa trip, you need to do your own research and build a knowledge that what actually you want to do. Then just give it to Lucy and let she provide some tailor made itineraries. You need to carefully review which accommodation you are choosing. The main advantage of Serene is transparency. Ask your question, you will have very clear respond. And response time also is fast.
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Email Daniel I. | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Extraordinary Experience!
What an amazing experience!! My girlfriend and I did the 4-day Massai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Naivasha safari and completely fell in love with Kenya's people, culture, wildlife and nature. Lucy helped us book the safari and made everything seamless. She answered all my questions and showed a lot of patience. Everything went as expected.
The star of the show was Martin, our driver and guide. He made our safari experience exponentially greater than it could have ever been. Very accommodating and caring... he truly cared about our experience and didn't just take us through the motions. Thanks to Martin we were able to see the Big Five and all the other animals we wanted to see. He has an encyclopedic knowledge about everything Kenyan (and African). Ask him questions about any animal, he'll give you an answer better than the National Geographic. I also enjoyed discussing Kenyan economy and politics during our long rides and breaks which he is very knowledgeable about as well.
Thank you Lucy and Martin for an unforgettable experience.
Until next time,
Daniel and Uzma