Reviews

Sort By: Date Most Helpful Rating 21-30 of 89 Reviews
Giovanni Scepi   –  
Italy IT
Visited: April 2024 Reviewed: May 28, 2024

Email Giovanni Scepi  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

A growing tour operator that deserves trust
5/5

We selected this Tour Operator for a good balance between price and professionalism - probably there are more experienced companies but we wanted to give a chance to a smaller one. Willingness to do good, improve and grow; great communication and reliability. Patrick has always been ready to support and respond to queries; Joseph is a great driver even in difficult conditions (muddy roads). The tour was well structured and allowed us to see many animals despite the rainy season.

Erika oliveros   –  
Canada CA
Visited: February 2024 Reviewed: Mar 30, 2024

Email Erika oliveros  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Trip of a Lifetime!
5/5

Found Shanjoy thru random search here in this website. They are very responsive from Day 0 to end. I highly recommend them especially if you are going to Tanzania (i love our guide Elly as he was so passionate in his job and we learned a lot). 10/10 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Amy   –  
United States US
Visited: February 2024 Reviewed: Mar 22, 2024

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

The review below is the personal opinion of Amy and not that of SafariBookings.
Worst experience ever, zero competent, zero respect to me, just for the money and tips
1/5

One star is for the animals! Don’t book with them, the worst tour guide ever!! The good reviews here are very short, most just says they are nice people, that’s not competent for a guide, you need an experienced guide to know where animals are. OMG where do I even start:
1> the tour guide Joseph, worst guide ever, he’s not even a descent human being. He’s constantly on the phone, talking to others, others calling him, and when we stop I take pictures of animals, he takes out his notebook, either writing down something or on the phone. First I thought he’s talking to others to know where animals are, so I asked him. He said no, he’s clearly doing something else on this side.
2> his knowledge for animal is just non-exist! He doesn’t know what the big 5s are, doesn’t know where cheetah is, he drives to the same area everyday. And you would expect a tour guide tell you a little history about the park, different animals, etc. NOPE, absolutely nothing, he drives quietly and when we see animals he stops, let me take pictures, go.
3> we would spend hours in the car just Joseph and I and there’s no talking at all! Can you believe it! And it’s becoming very awkward so one time I tried to make a conversation, so I asked him “hey what brand of phone people use here in Kenya?”, he goes, “oh you Americans use iPhone! You are rich!”, I was like errr no everyone uses iPhone it’s very common there, carriers give deals, you can get a 24 months contract for a phone. Do you know what he said, he goes "you should sign up for a new contract and give me your phone!" wow wordless… unbelievable. Another time, I told him I want to see cheetah, he goes “cheetah are hard to see, I want $100 tips if we see cheetah.” WOW after that I gave up, i dont want to talk to him at all.
4> and on the last day, his car broke. smoke came out of the engine, we wasted half day staying in a lodge fixing his car
4 days I spent in Kenya, didnt see much at all. last day, we finally found 2 cheetah, this guy refuse to stay longer because he wants to stay under the shade. and he doesnt want to move closer because he wants to stay under the shade.
I can go on, and on. this company and this tourguide ruined my Kenya experience. Please stay away! i will post the same review on other Safari platforms. I hope more people can see it. It’s not a cheap trip, please choose wisely!!

Reply from Shanjoy Tours and Safaris
Reply from Shanjoy Tours and Safaris
Posted on Jun 24, 2024

I do confirm that Amy booked a safari with us and I personally took her to the Mara and handed her to Joseph, one of our senior guides. We had a lot of communication before she came about her safari and choice of hotels, and since she was a solo traveller using high-end hotels that were very expensive, her safari cost was higher than normal.

Joseph spoke on the phone a lot; he admitted it, but some calls were necessary since her radio call was not working well.

Amy saw many animals, including a group of over 15 lions and two leopards, eating alone with no other vehicles nearby. This one is not mentioned anywhere. The reason she says Joseph was not going near Cheetah is because we have a 5-vehicle rule in Mara Triangle, and so the first vehicle had to leave and will go back when others have seen the animals. Joseph was going away to give others a chance, but she wanted to stay and not move.

It is normal to have car breakdowns or get stuck while on safari, and this is what happened. The car was fixed, but not for the half-day she mentioned.
She could tell me to change hotels for her, which was not possible at the time, saying there were no animals or saying she saw the same thing. She gave the two guides a difficult time during game drives, which was not good. We do game drives without expecting anything, as the wild does not guarantee sightings.

It is regrettable she felt that we ruined her safari. However, we must appreciate that the wild does not guarantee any animals to be sighted, and hotels cannot be changed at a minute's notice. Once an itinerary has been booked and the hotels paid, any changes come with additional costs, which the client must be prepared to incur. Amy did not want to incur the cost of changing the hotel, despite having recommended the hotel which we booked.

This is my first client to ever complain about us and I regret it. I wish to ensure that all our clients get the best from their safari.

Elizabeth   –  
United Kingdom UK
Visited: February 2024 Reviewed: Feb 27, 2024

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

An unforgettable and truly amazing trip, thanks to the team at Shanjoy
5/5

Patrick and his team at Shanjoy were excellent from start to finish, and I would 100% recommend them. They really care about making your holiday great - I made a change to the itinerary before going, and also added on an additional game drive for the final day at quite late notice - we had a late flight from Nairobi so I was keen to make the most of it. Joseph (our guide in Kenya) and Harun (our guide across the border in Tanzania) were both phenomenal and made every effort to make the experience amazing.

I had made some other enquiries of larger companies and found they were quite one-size-fits-all, but the service from Shanjoy was personalised and thoughtful,. Even a little thing like helping us find a replacement camera charger on the first morning wasn't too much trouble, and made the whole trip so smooth from start to finish. Everything was on time, communication was great and the trip was great value for money (some of our experiences were priceless).

Mr Richard   –  
United Kingdom UK
Visited: February 2024 Reviewed: Feb 27, 2024

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

Absolutely brilliant tour operator, big enough to cope, small enough to care.
5/5

Patrick and his team were brilliant throughout and worked tirelessly to make sure we had a great time. We had lots of little things we needed to change and they accommodated every one of them as we went with a real personalised service. Our Kenyan guide Joseph was fantastic, with over 20 years of experience, he knew the parks backwards which made a real difference to having a great safari.

We had a week visiting Kenya and Tanzania and were delighted with the service, care and expertise. The guides and Patrick were always on time, fully reliable and were great companions on our trip. Even when we hit a few car problems from the roads, they were able to resolve them in record time and keep things moving.

Couldn't be happier with Shanjoy tours and would definitely thoroughly recommend them for their knowledge, service, trustworthiness and flexibility.

Mr Roland Marko   –  
Hungary HU
Visited: February 2024 Reviewed: Feb 12, 2024

Email Mr Roland Marko  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

Patrick was like a good friend!!! Professional service!
5/5

We went to Kenya with my wife and we had a really good experience with Patrick. He is an extremely good guide and friendly man. We enjoyed every single moments. Basically our tour was a cultural one, but we combined it with a safari. Thank you Patrick, hopefully see you soon!

Laura Mestres   –  
Spain ES
Visited: January 2024 Reviewed: Feb 2, 2024

Email Laura Mestres  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Local operator, great service!
5/5

After an exhaustive search, Shanjoy was the company chosen due to the fluid communication I had at all times and its ability to adapt to my requirements.
It was an unforgettable 10 days of safari. A unique experience that I highly recommend. Especially if it can be done in the low season, as was our case.
Thanks to Patrick and his entire team for their professionalism and a special mention to our driver in Kenya, Joseph, whose driving skills were magnificent!

Ivette Falto-Heck   –  
United States US
Visited: December 2023 Reviewed: Jan 4, 2024

Email Ivette Falto-Heck  |  65+ years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Exceptional
5/5

Our African safari was an incredible experience. All four of us really enjoyed it and stated that this was our best family vacation ever. Being out there in nature and surrounded by wild animals in their habitat was an extraordinary experience. Shanjoy Tours and Safari did a fantastic job from the beginning to the end: providing us with tour info, answering our questions, providing options, then taking care of our every need, listening to our desires, driving us around, showing us the best at every site, etc., etc.
Patrick was excellent in arranging everything for us and welcoming us to Africa. Joseph, our driver and guide in Kenya, was terrific. Maneuvering through brought roads, taking us to the right places to see the wildlife, listening to our needs, and driving us from place to place, for many hours every day. Hasan, our driver and guide in Tasmania, was as good.
All of them were friendly, funny, welcoming, professional, and helpful. They took great care of us and showed us the best Kenya and Tasmania had to offer. We just had to lay back, relax, and enjoy the ride.
The people of Kenya and Tasmania are the nicest, friendliest, and helpful humans I have ever met. The national parks and places Joseph and Hasan took us were amazing and beautiful, full of wildlife and gorgeous landscapes. Joseph and Hasan provided us with great insight into what we were seeing, the names and types of animals and vegetation, the history of the area, cultural details, etc. We learned so much during our trip besides enjoying the safaris and tours.
We saw so many animals in different settings and a lot of babies. Our experience was indescribably wonderful. The lodging was good and varied as well. The food was surprisingly tasty and varied. The balloon over Maasi Mara ride was so much fun.
We cannot recommend Shanjoy Tours and Safari enough. And we cannot thank Patrick, Joseph, and Hasan enough. They just did a fantastic and professional job. We were extremely pleased with our experience and interaction with them and will forever be grateful for their kindness, friendship, and help. We loved our trip.
Go to safari with these guys You will love it, too!
Thanks, Shanjoy!

Ryan A.   –  
Germany DE
Visited: December 2023 Reviewed: Dec 22, 2023

Email Ryan A.  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Friendly and experienced, just what you need for a safari!
5/5

We had an amazing experience with Shanjoy tours, i already started to recommend to my friends and family. Simple to plan, experienced tour guides, and Patrick the owner is very kind. If you are looking for a safari, book here!

Lauren   –  
United States US
Visited: November 2023 Reviewed: Dec 13, 2023

Email Lauren  |  65+ years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

Excellent, good value, friendly tour company
5/5

We researched multiple companies and chose Shanjoy because they were very responsive and competitively priced. We did a safari that combined reserves in Kenya and Tanzania and Patrick was very patient about customizing it for us. From our arrival in Nairobi, Patrick and Joseph made sure we were well taken care of. They are both excellent wildlife spotters as well as very nice people. We felt as though we were traveling with friends. Hassan was our guide for the Tanzania portion of the trip and he was also great. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Shanjoy.

Average User Rating
4.8/5
Rating Breakdown
  • 5 star 85
  • 4 star 2
  • 3 star 1
  • 2 star 0
  • 1 star 1
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