Guide Richard at Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge
Lenchada Safaris
- Office In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2015)
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $50 to $400 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Andrew | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Worst ever experience
As expats in Kenya, we have taken many safari trips, and the recent one to Masai Mara with Lenchada was unfortunately our worst ever experience. We chose this company out of their overwhelmingly good reviews on safaribookings.com. That probably means that most of their drivers are excellent. But our driver, named Tony, was an exception by a large margin.
Tony clearly hates his job and was cold and rude to us throughout the trip. Every time we met at the beginning of a game drive, he never greeted us and only responded to our greeting with a node. He never helped with our luggage either. During game drives, he never asked us or even notified us before starting the vehicle after a stop, never caring if we wanted to stay for longer. In several cases this interrupted our ongoing photography of animals, and sometimes even worse—the abrupt move of the vehicle on the bumpy road of Masai Mara caused us to fall on the seat. All three of us hit our knees on the armrest of the seats for a few times, and we all got bruises. Having paid a little more to take a private tour rather than a shared one, we expected that we could customize the game drives to a reasonable extent. When we tried to communicate with him about our preferences in animal viewing, however, Tony responded impatiently with cold words such as “You have to be patient,” “I have to follow instructions from the radio.”
And his words about following the radio turned out to be a lie, because his vehicle was not equipped with a radio! A radio is important for any safari trip, and especially for Masai Mara, since the natural reserve is simply too large. Even during the migration season, most part of Masai Mara at any given time would still be empty, and without a radio, on which dozens of drivers share their findings real-time, you will very likely end up not finding anything interesting for a whole hour. Two of the three of us fell asleep for around twenty to thirty minutes during the game drive. In the past we have taken safari trips in less renowned destinations and during low seasons, but the experiences have never been so boring for us that we fell asleep. It may be unbelievable that this happened in Masai Mara during the migration season, but when you don’t see any noteworthy animal for dozens of minutes it would be hard to stay awake. We did get to see some big cats, but that was only possible when we luckily encountered another vehicle that had radio, whose driver kindly shared the information, and our vehicle then made a U-turn to go back in the opposite direction for some fifteen minutes to get to the spot. With a radio we would probably have spent thirty minutes less to get there.
When we realized this problem, we contacted Alex, the managing person of Lenchada. Alex was responsive and attentive. He apologized for our experience, clarified that the driver’s practice of not carrying radio to a game drive is intolerable and against the company’s rules, and told us that he will soon make a thorough check on all the vehicles of his company to make sure that they must have radios. For us, however, the only thing he could offer as a remedy was to extend our final game drive by departing the lodge one hour earlier than planned. We appreciated his supportive attitude and accepted the offer, understanding that it was probably already all he could do within his capability. Tony was late, cutting the extended game-drive time from one hour to less than forty minutes. But the length of the trip turned out not a big issue, because during that extended final game drive, we again fell asleep, for the simple reason that the vehicle still didn’t have radio and we still had not much to see most of the time.
Although Tony had no radio, he attempted to cheat us by saying that he had one. It was only during the second day of the trip, when we heard him responding to another driver asking about information on animal spotting, saying in Swahili “Sina redio” (I don’t have a radio) that we realized he had been lying. When we contacted Alex about this concern, Alex hosted a three-way phone call with us and Tony. To our surprise, in the phone call Tony lied to his boss and insisted that he had a radio which he simply turned off because it was noisy. On our way back to Nairobi, Tony even blamed us for telling his boss about the radio issue, and still insisted that he has radio. When we pointed to the antenna holder in the front of his vehicle, where there was no antenna at all, he said that for some vehicles the antenna is in the back. But one only needs to get off the vehicle and look at its back to know that there’s no antenna there either. For so many times, Tony lied through his teeth.
Tony also told us that because of our complaint, he was going to lose his job. Due to his repetitive blatant lies, we would not believe in what he said. But if what he said is indeed true, that would be an indication that Lenchada really cared about their customers and promptly fired this unprofessional, dishonest, and rude employee. Such a person should simply not be allowed to work in this industry.
In other aspects of our trip that are unrelated to the driver, our experience was mostly positive. For example, the lodge was a good balance of quality and price. It is way cheaper than any accommodation inside Masai Mara, yet it’s only a ten-minute drive to the gate. Since their boss Alex is a responsible and honest person, and since there are many good reviews out there, choosing Lenchada for your safari may still be a good idea. But you have to make sure that your driver is not Tony, otherwise all those good reviews will be totally irrelevant to your actual experience.
IE
Email Alan Carr | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great safari and saw tons of wildlife but operations need some work
3.5 stars - Overall the tour was great. If you are looking for a budget safari this is for you.
Pros
- saw loads of wildlife
- tour guides David and Evans were helpful and informative (Evans especially)
- accommodation was clean and very comfortable
- food was very tasty
Cons
- the tour charged us a 5% FX fee which is outrageous (extra 25 USD)
- long periods of driving with no breaks or snacks (6/7 hours)
- we had to ask for bathroom breaks
- couple of other hidden charges that weren’t clear (bicycles in hells gate were extra and so was Masai Mara village tour)
- hot springs were in our itinerary and we never went
Fine
I had to share my room with a stranger. So I contacted the safari company in may ways. What they did was just ignoring me. I think that is not the way.
By the wat the tour guys were great!
Email Svenja Alexandra Reincke | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great camp, delicious food but guide was just a driver and did not explain anything.
Good communication and very punctual. Excellent food throughout especially at the camp. No water was provided however even though this was supposed to be included. Beautiful camp but guide was utterly useless - very good driver but he did not explain anything at all so really disappointing.
AR
Email Sandra | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very reliable, great experience and helpful with my questions
The booking was very good, very helpful in the process and all questions asked. The guide Moses was amazing! He's an excellent driver, who took us to the best spots even through mud and rain to get the best pictures, he knows a lot and gave us good information. He was also reliable, flexible with everyone's schedule but knowing the main timing needs, helped with everything needed, took us to local places and he's known and respected by local communities so this is always a green flag for me. He managed the weather amazingly well in rainy season and my experience was amazing thanks to him and John. Super nice people, friendly and professional.
The price was higher than with other agencies for the exact same package so I found that a bit discouraging when I found out but other than that every service was very good quality and no suprises: everything that was not included was clear since the start. Accommodation was great, food was good and overall I'm 100% satisfied and happy to have done it.
NL
Email Ron | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Safari is budget; experience is exclusive.
Booked via Trip Advisor. Went smooth and all was planned perfect. We were picked up at our hotel in downtown Nairobi and droppen at our car and driver. What I can say about our driver. Steve was a very good guide and an experienced driver. We had to return early and he showed flexibility and delivered us a the airport on time.
US
Email Carol | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic tour guide!
Post
Overall, my safari experience was a mix of highs and lows, sprinkled with valuable lessons for future travelers. Here's my detailed review:
Before delving into the adventure, a vital tip: When booking through TripAdvisor, be aware that there are both luxury and budget options available. I mistakenly chose the budget option without realizing there was another tier. For those seeking a more lavish experience, it's advisable to book directly through Lenchada.
Here's what I wish I knew beforehand:
* During the safari, you'll rarely leave the vehicle, so there's no need for specialized "safari" clothing or hiking shoes.
Day 1:
Positives:
* Promptly picked up from our hotel at 7:00 AM, we arrived at the Lenchada tented camp around 2:45 PM, making a single stop for sightseeing, souvenirs, and restroom use along the way.
* The evening game drive in Maasai Mara was a highlight, lasting about 2.5-3 hours and offering sightings of three of the "Big 5" animals.
* Despite the long drive, the abundance of wildlife and stunning photos made it worthwhile.
Negatives:
* The camp's electricity was only available from 5:30 - 7:00 AM & 6:30 - 10:00 PM in the dining hall via a generator, making charging inconvenient. No outlets in room and lights only work during generator operating hours.
* Hot water in the tent's bathroom was inconsistent, despite assurances of continuous availability.
Day 2:
Positives:
* Full-day safari in Maasai Mara, lasting about 10 hours.
* Unique a sighting of a pride of lions (17!)
Negatives:
* Woke up at 5:30 to charge camera/phones but generator had issues and didn’t work until 6:00 am when we had to leave for the day.
* Lunch consisted of unrefrigerated items (6+ hrs - lunch meat, yogurt & chicken), leading to concerns about food safety as a non local. Limited restroom availability also influenced the decision to not partake.
* Some periods of the safari felt slow, with minimal wildlife sightings as we hunted for specific game or travel from location to location; no one’s fault - nature provides and can’t be rushed.
Day 3:
Positives:
* We had the option to visit a Maasai Village before departing for a travel day ($20 per person), providing unique cultural insights and experiences.
* Interaction with the locals and participation in traditional activities added depth to the safari experience.
Negatives:
* The visit to the Maasai Village included high pressure sales tactics to purchase goods from villagers. Instead of enhancing the experience, I felt swindled and disheartened detracting from the positive aspects of the trip.
* Discomfort from flies and cow manure was unavoidable at the village site.
Day 4:
Positives:
* An early start at 6:30 AM took us to Lake Nakuru, where we completed the "Big 5" sightings with memorable encounters with rhinos, flamingos, and a RARE leopard sighting!
* Brief hippo boat ride allowed for unique photos not available in the previous parks visited.
Negatives:
* The shortage of meat during lunch due to multiple groups converging at the same time was disappointing, impacting the overall dining experience.
* The presence of mosquitoes at Chambai Safari Hotel posed a problem, affecting the comfort of our stay - leave windows closed if at all possible (no a/c in room).
* Staff advised dinner at 7pm at arrival but then woke us in our rooms at 5pm to get our order and advise that dinner would be at 8 pm - dinner did not arrive until roughly 8:30 while we sat and waited as the only diners.
Day 5:
Positives:
* We enjoyed a scenic walk in Hell’s Gate with sightings of zebras and giraffes along the way.
* Visited geothermal generation station which I found very interesting!
* A quick but satisfying lunch capped off our safari adventure before being dropped off at the hotel around 2:30 PM.
In conclusion, while the safari experience was fantastic and filled with unforgettable moments, there were notable drawbacks. Positives: Staff throughout all of our stays were kind and helpful. The vehicle was in fantastic condition, immaculate, and had one window for every person which was great (especially for those of us who get car sick). During the safari, there were no constraints to getting the perfect photo, I always felt like I was right in the action either by looking out the window or over the pop up top! Our guide did everything to get us into the position to see the best animals and was in constant communication with other guides via radio and cellphone to ensure the best experience for every group. The relationships between guides was impressive and enhanced the experience, we would have missed the pride of lions and leopard otherwise! As far as drawbacks, the food was repetitive and very limited in selection, accommodations (specifically the hotels) lacked basic amenities such as functional TVs. Additionally, better communication regarding restroom breaks, lunch times, drive times, arrival times, etc. would have made for a better experience but truly, I couldn’t have asked for a better guide to get us right into the action of it all!
Guide: 4.5/5
Animal Sightings: 10/5
Accommodations: 3/5
Food: 2/5
DE
Email Dominique | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great tour
I did the 3 day budget safari to Maasai Mara and had David as my guide. It was my first safari and an amazing experience. David was a great driver / guide who was knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. The only thing I would say that could be improved is communication- what the plan is for the day, when we will be eating etc.
The parks had an abundance of wildlife (saw many of the big 5 apart from a rhino and leopard). The vehicle was in good condition (Land Cruiser) and the accommodation was really comfortable - I wad expecting a lot worse for the budget option. The passengers of our car had been spread across 3 accommodations which where quite far apart. Due to the bad roads it took approx. 45 min. to pick up/drop off everyone. Thus, one thing I had wished for is that the people you are in an accommodation with are also the ones in your car - to avoid unnecessar in the morning and evening (loosing precious time to see the wildlife). Alternatively a meeting point just outside the national reserve could be introduced where passengers of the car could be swapped according to the tour operators/accomodations.
If you want a more detailed description, then you can read my travel blog entry for this safari: https://findpenguins.com/6jjjgruit3szw/footprint/65c92fec1d1a40-06088084
CA
Email James B | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Decent company and good safari (for budget)
We did the 4 day budget safari to Maasai Mara, and Nakuru and had David as our guide. It was our first safari and an amazing experience. David was a great driver / guide who was knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. The only thing I would say that could be improved is communication- what the plan is for the day, when we will be eating etc.
The parks had an abundance of wildlife (saw all the big 5 apart from a leopard). The vehicle was in good condition (Land Cruiser) and the accommodation was really comfortable- we were expecting a lot worse considering we opted for the budget option. One thing to remember is the driving required to get to the places as we had a 4 day safari but in reality only did 1 full day and 2 half days of animal viewing.
Something to note is the vehicles essentially fill up with people from many different companies so if you’re booking a group tour, I would recommend just trying to get the best deal. We had done the research and chose this company due to good reviews however in our car of 7 people, there were people from 3 different companies. This was a bit disappointing. Also the communication with the owner wasn't great (we only got sent the pre safari info the night before (after having to ask for it to be sent) which didn't leave time to get any items we were missing.
Our guide David was nice and friendly. Once area for improvement would be communicating the plans a bit more (we would often drive for a few hours in the morning before being told what we were doing / when we would stop that day).
Also, I would recommend going in dry season as it is a lot easier to see animals (we struggled at times as it had rained a lot).
IT
Email Simone | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience!!
Our tour included 2 days in Masai Mara, 1 in Nakuru and 2 in Amboseli.
All the trip was well organised in every services. 4 stars only because when we arrived at agency departur they changed our lodge without any previous advice. Despite this inconveniente the new camp/lodges were nice too.
Denis was the best driver that we could have. He’s kind and avaibale for everythings you need. With him we saw the big 5 and other more animals without any problems to the jeep.
I recommend him!!