Beacon Safaris

A complete African experience--couldn't have been better

As you know, there are dozens of Safari companies out there, and selecting one can be challenging. I chose Beacon based on a recommendation from a fellow photographer who has gone out with them twice. I am a wildlife photographer, and wanted to be able to take my time so I booked a one on one tour that included Samburu, Nakuru, and Masai Mara. I opted to take the trip that drove between destinations instead of flying. In the beginning, I thought my trip was going to be purely about photography, and I quickly discovered that this experience is about so much more. The drive times between the parks is substantial, but the experiences and things I saw along the way soon became as much of the trip as the photos of wildlife. Seeing the rawness of life there was jarring at first, but as time went on, I began to understand and develop an appreciation for what life is like for the people of this awe inspiring country. My guide Carlos was extraordinary. We had hours in the car together and discussed all aspects of life in Kenya and how things differ in the US. He took time to not just locate all the wildlife I hoped to see, but spent an equal amount of time explaining the subtleties and intricacies of surviving and thriving in this sometimes unforgiving place. We spent 8 days together and I saw everything from lizards to leopards, unusual birds, cheetahs, lions, rhinos, serval.......every animal I could have hoped for. Carlos was patient, knowledgeable, and truly enthusiastic about what he does. I can't imagine a better guide or experience. On the front end, Robert and Elaine took care of all the trip planning and details and were responsive to all my questions. My flight got changed only a week or so before I was due to arrive and I wound up with an extra day. Elaine quickly coordinated a day trip to Nairobi National along with dinner at Carnivore. These 2 details were arranged last minute, but handled seamlessly by the Beacon team and were 2 more very memorable experiences. There is nothing Beacon could have done better. Robert and Elaine coordinated the route, but Carlos and Africa created the experiences.
Thank you,
Steve