Beacon Safaris Team in Masai Mara
Beacon Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2010)
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $50 to $200 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a Lifetime
Jambo! We used Beacon Safaris for our 10 day Kenyan safari in late December 2016, and it was the best vacation that we have ever taken. From our first online contact with Beacon Safaris, Robert was always there to quickly answer our questions and offer suggestions. He put together a custom safari that covered a varied mix of luxury tent camps and luxury lodges in several national parks and reserves. He also made recommendations about optional adventures not normally included in the standard package. These included a boat ride on Lake Naivasha, a walking safari on Crescent Island, a biking tour in Hells Gate, and a balloon ride in Masai Mara. The highlight of the trip was Eustus, our driver and guide. He began and ended every day with a handshake greeting and big smile. He was always customer focused and intent on making it a trip of a lifetime. He laughed at our jokes and comments even though he had probably heard similar lines dozens of time before and he made us feel special. He could spot animals more than several hundred yards away and even though he consistently put us in a position to get the best views and pictures – we always felt safe. Partly due to luck but mostly due to Eustus’ tracking expertise, we saw the Big Five several times on our tour – in fact, throughout our day in Masai Mara, we were able to get within a few yards of each one of the Big Five multiple times. What great pictures and memories! Eustus was an expert on the animals, the habitat, and the history of the region. He also informed us about the customs, politics, and economics related to Kenya. If you have a chance to choose your guide, make sure that Eustus is at the top of your list.
SA
Email Santosh | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
tour was successful due to Robert professionalism & David as very good guide making all efforts
Communications - Robert was prompt though occasionally had to remind about changed itinerary & dates.
Commercial Dealing - Professional & fair .
Accommodation - All accommodations were as per commitment as per expectations . For Arc lodge ; rooms could have been close to observation deck .
Vehicle - Could have been more comfortable with adjustable seats & good upholstery.
Guide - David is good driver . Makes all efforts . Disciplined. Has knowledge about animals , birds .
Overall Safari tour was up to expectation except that we did not get chance to see a leopard though David made efforts .
While planning tour to Kenya ; one may avoid going Lake Nakaru . One must take tour at Lake Naivasha .
Email Rich And Sophie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Safari at Amazing Price
My wife and I contacted Robert through safari bookings website and were amazed at how fast of a response we received compared to other companies. Robert was very professional and created a package tailored to our needs. We decided to spend 5 days in the Maasai Mara instead of losing time by travelling to many parks. We found the price to be cheaper compared to the travel agents we originally tried back in the UK and we were able to use the saved money to put towards a nicer camp. We ended up choosing Camp Ilkeliani on the edge of the Maasai Mara it was the perfect place to chill in the day and the food was excellent ( I would recommend checking it out). Robert advised us that our driver and guide would be Anthony. Anthony picked us up from Nairobi airport and we began our long drive to the camp. He made us feel very welcome and told us lots of interesting facts about Kenya on our drive.
On our game drives Anthony was very knowledgeable about all the animals especially the big 5 which we were lucky enough to see. It took us 4 days to find a leopard and Anthony takes it very personally if you are struggling to find certain animals as he knows how much it means to see all the animals.
I would definitely recommend Beacon Safaris to anyone. They were highly professional from the moment of contact to the moment we were dropped back at the airport.
Thanks Rober and Anthony for making our dream safari.
Please feel free to contact me if you would like to know about my experience with Beacon safaris as I would be more than happy to help.
US
Email Cindy-Happy Camper | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a lifetime...all above expectations!
We booked with Robert who was very thorough and patiently answered ALL our questions!
Ashton was our guide and driver, and talk about patient and knowledgeable! He answered constant, non-stop questions from all 4 of us. He arranged a side village trip in Amboseli that was fascinating and found a side trip to the Giraffe Centre so that we could pet a Giraffe. Ashton deserves a medal!
The Camps were all very impressive with a private bath and shower in each tent. The food was very good too and the pools were very nice. All the camps were well kept, clean and very friendly!
I would recommend anyone to book with Beacon Safaris and request both Robert and Ashton!
FI
Email Visa | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
5-day Safari in Maasai Mara and Lake Nakuru
Me and wife wanted to do something special for our honeymoon and decided to go for a Safari in Kenya and later head to the coast. We live in Finland and firstly thought to organize our honeymoon through local travel agencies. However, since the offers seemed so overpriced we decided to organize it on our own. We went through several trip alternatives and related reviews on Safaribookings and I ended up contacting two safari operators. Robert at Beacon Safaris was very responsive and helpful when we pondered where to go and for how long. Initially, we thought of going to Amboseli and the Tsavos, and end the trip at the coast. This was because we had been told and read online that wildlife is scarce in Maasai Mara in January and because we were going to the coast anyway for the latter part of our trip. Yet, as I told Robert that we were keen to see the Big Five, especially lions, elephants and leopards, Robert encouraged us to go to Maasai Mara and Lake Nakuru instead.
And what a great recommendation it was! We definitely got lucky to spot the Big Five 5 already in Maasai Mara, but we also had an excellent tour guide, Eric, who really went the extra mile for us. He genuinely wanted us to see the Big Five and knew where to look for the rarest wildlife, i.e. leopard and black rhino. We also saw cheetahs and hyenas in addition to the more common gazelles, zebras, giraffes, wilderbeest and ostriches. These were then accompanied with spotting the white rhino in Lake Nakuru, several birds and monkeys. In both national reserves we saw lions from close distance and witnessed them passing by our Jeep in Lake Nakuru. Moreover, not only did Eric know where to spot animals, he also knew a ton of facts about them and was very nice, responsive and social throughout the whole trip. And as our Safari came to end he made sure we got into the right plane at Wilson Airport since we had booked that also on our own.
The entire experience with Beacon Safaris was very pleasant and all our queries before booking were answered. The communication also remained on par once he made the initial payments and at no point had we the impression that something would be wrong with our booking. After the safari, we also reached out to Robert to organize a city tour and dinner between our flights on our way home which he also nicely organized.
The Sarova lodges in Maasai Mara and Lake Nakuru were nice and the food in both places was delicious.
Finally, the migration to and from Maasai Mara in the european summer months does not mean there are no animals in Maasai Mara, but it mostly concerns the wilderbeest. The big five is there also in the dry season and since the grass is low it is even easier to spot animals. Moreover, there is less water available hence an experecienced tour guide such as Eric knows where animals go for drinking during the day.
We sincerely thank Beacon Safaris for making this a trip to remember! We think we took a risk by organizing the entire trip own on our, but it paid off handsomely!
CA
Email Karen | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great experience!
Jonathon was our guide and he was excellent! We saw much more wildlife than we had ever expected. :)
The ride from Nairobi to the camp is a bit rough, as there wasn't air conditioning in the van, and the roads are pretty bad in spots, but we were on a very tight budget, so beggars can't be choosers! The drive also provided a very authentic experience, with plenty of opportunity to see the villages and how the people live. The camp was lovely and the food was excellent! The only thing we would have done differently would be to take a flight back to Nairobi rather than drive back. Fantastic adventure!!
US
Email Tim | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
What a Great Safari with Beacon
Two friends who work with me in Middle East and I just completed a 4 day safari to Masai Mara and Lake Nokuru reserves. We researched a number of tour companies and chose Beacon. Everything about our trip turned out great. We requested a private tour for the three of us. Robert, our tour contact, was very prompt with a proposal. He then made a couple of requested adjustments after our feedback, and was always in returning e-mail questions. He met us at our hotel with our guide on the morning of our departure. I am always concerned when I make advance deposits for service, but both our payment and the promised service occurred flawlessly. We chose higher end tent camp and hotel accommodations, and they really were first rate. We were pleasantly surprised by the service, quality of food, and accommodations at these "camps" at the reserves.
Our guide Mousa was outstanding. He was experienced, knowledgeable, safe, always on time, and we enjoyed his company. We toured in a land cruiser which had plenty of space, and was able to go on any of the roads/trails in the reserves. Mousa had a good radio network and rapport with other guides, and they shared information which helped locate some of the harder to find wildlife. February was a lower volume season, allowing us to get very close to the animals without large crowds. Came back with fantastic photos. The only caution I would have is do not plan your airline departure too close to the planned safari return time if flying out of Nairobi. The traffic to get across the city can be very heavy so allow plenty of time. I would like to return for another safari my family from U.S. and plan to use Beacon when I do.
US
Email Rebecca party of 4 | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fabulous exactly as described, guide sincerely interested in giving best possible experience.
Communication was excellent. Robert responded to every email within 24 hours. The experience was exactly as advertised, even better. Ashton did his very best to meet our expectations so at the end of each day we discussed the plan for the next day and he made suggestions within options available. He was excellent at even the smallest details like getting us positioned for the best pictures.
NE
Email Sara Alexis | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beyond expectations.
Beacon Safaris was a great find on my part. When I was looking for short safaris to do during our 5 days in Kenya, everything looked outrageously expensive, or just too long a trip for the time we had. I came across the website for Beacon Safaris and saw the luxury camp option for a 3-day tour of the Masai Mara. I sent an email inquiry about it and Robert responded quickly with a great itinerary for me.
I checked out the itinerary and it seemed to be exactly what I was looking for. A two-night, three-day safari, with transportation from Nairobi, as well as through the reserve, a guide, accommodation at a luxury camp ground, and all meals provided, for $600 per person. This may seem like a hefty price tag for 3 days and 2 nights but if you look at the costs of safaris across Africa, it is very reasonable. Robert even gave suggestions for hotels to stay at for ease of pick-up in the morning for our safari and we were pleasantly surprised with the hotel we chose from his selection (La Maison Royale).
Kenneth, our driver and guide, picked us up from the hotel at 7am to head to the Masai Mara from Nairobi. We had the whole vehicle and tour to ourselves, which was a nice bonus. The drive to Masai was along but scenic one, with stops to check out view points, as well as an extra stop at a Masai village to learn more about the Masai people. It was an extra cost, paid to the Masai people, with the money going towards funding their schools (which are not funded by the government), so we had no problem spending the money. It was very interesting learning about the Masai people from the Masai men who showed us around the village and even did a couple dances for us, involving us in it as well. Seeing the way they constructed houses out of mud, sticks, grass and cow dung, which they said takes 3 months to build, and last about 10 years. It was a very interesting experience, which may not have been the most authentic way to experience the Masai culture, as it was a quick visit but it was very enlightening nonetheless, and we do not regret it.
Our accommodations provided for our tour was the Ilkenani Camp Ground, which I have wrote all about here, and we were very impressed with it. There were quite a few places around the Masai Mara, but we liked the feel our camp ground had. As it was luxury, but not too commercial like some of the other ones located there.
Kenneth, our driver and guide, was so friendly and knowledgeable. He was a great driver, who had clearly a lot of experience on safaris in the Masai Mara, as well as other locations. He answered any questions we had along the way with no hesitations. He did all he could to make sure we were able to see the most that we could in our short stay, and we managed to see the Big 5 (lions, elephants, buffalo, leopard and rhino), as well as zebras, impalas, hippos, cheetahs, giraffes, ostriches, and many more I can’t even remember them all.
I would highly recommend looking into Beacon Safaris when booking your next trip to Kenya.
SE
Email Gunilla Möller-H | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The wellplanned tour gave us the very best of Kenya together with your fantastic guide/driver.
Everything worked out very well. The tour was quickly confirmed. All our questions were answered. The service was excellent. Anthony, our guide/driver, was fantastic. The camps where we stayed in Mara, Lake Nakuru and Mount Kenya were all very nice. The food delicous. We stayed two nights in Masai Mara, one night at Lake Nakuru and one night at Mount Kenya. This tour is just great. It could be worth it to extend the tour with one more night at Mount Kenya. To relax and enjoy the view from the camp. We do hope to be back !