Reviews

Average User Rating
4.9/5

Rating Breakdown
  • 5 star 223
  • 4 star 19
  • 3 star 3
  • 2 star 1
  • 1 star 3

Sort By: Date Most Helpful Rating 1-10 of 249 Reviews
Samarth Singh   –  
India IN
Visited: March 2023 Reviewed: Apr 1, 2023

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

Highly recommended!
5/5

Last month we booked a tour to Kenya with Hyrax safaris. We covered Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and Masaai Mara. Our experience with Hyrax was amazing. Their team of experienced professionals is passionate about creating memorable experiences for their clients, and their attention to detail and commitment to customer satisfaction is unparalleled. During our tour, Roselyne, the owner of Hyrax Safaris, was incredibly helpful in planning our trip and took care of all the minute details, allowing us to relax and enjoy the experience. Even while our tour was ongoing, Roselyne was very fast in responding to any communication, demonstrating her dedication to ensuring our trip was smooth and enjoyable.

Undoubtedly, one of the highlights of our tour was our guide, Dan. He is a true professional who goes above and beyond to ensure that his clients have a safe and enjoyable trip. His impressive knowledge of the area, wildlife, and culture was evident as he shared his insights and answered our questions with enthusiasm. Dan's speed and efficiency in navigating through the terrain allowed us to make the most of our time and experience the stunning landscapes and wildlife. Thanks to his expertise, we were lucky enough to spot a Black rhino within three minutes of entering the reserve.

We were also impressed with Denis, our guide on the last day, who was very knowledgeable and pleasant. He gave us a detailed city tour, covering all the important places in the city of Nairobi.

Overall, we highly recommend Hyrax Safaris to anyone looking for a well-planned and guided tour in Kenya and Masaai Mara. Roselyne's amazing planning and coordination skills, combined with Dan's outstanding guidance, make for an exceptional experience. If you are planning a trip to Kenya, we would highly recommend asking Roselyne if she can get Dan for you as your guide as he truly made our trip unforgettable.

Rohit   –  
United Arab Emirates AE
Visited: August 2018 Reviewed: Aug 14, 2018

Email Rohit  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

The review below is the personal opinion of Rohit and not that of SafariBookings.
Pathetic..Waste of Money and Time
1/5

Unorganised and unprofeasional. Dont use the service else you will end up wasting your time and money. We experienced of disappointment

1. Driver didnt paid for the lunch om the way to Masai mara from Nairobi.
2. Driver didnt paid for the park entrt fees and was caught by ranger and we wasted our first day of safari
3. We were transferred to a different tent with no attached shower at midnight and also they were fighting with us when we said we will not go to a different tent. It was not safe to be at there at that time
4. I ordered cake for my wife but they forgot to make it and are yet to refund me the money
5. We are vegetarian an we confirmed that since beginning and yet we were given Nin-veg food.
6. Our Vehicle did not had radio , so following the rest was out of question.


Overall it was a terrible experience wherein nobody was there to take our call and listen our problem. The agency did not bother to take our call.
There was another girl from Mexico who joined us on third day and she experienced the same.

Neeta   –  
Germany DE
Visited: December 2023 Reviewed: Dec 19, 2023

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

very cooperative, responsive and professional
4/5

Firstly, about Hyrax safari. We would like to thank them for their service. Special thanks to Irene for helping us plan the safari and being very responsive and cooperative.

Secondly about our guide Jim. Thanks a lot for your services. He was very cooperative, patient and knowledgeable about animals. He was an excellent driver and got us out of some crazy traffic and roads safely. He was also very flexible and patient with time and accommodated all our requests. He gave us all the time we wanted with the animals and did not rush us in anyway. In conclusion, he made sure we got the most out of our time and and was very professional.

Lastly, few hiccups to mention for Hyrax safari.
1)maybe vehicles could be slightly better condition. We had some trouble 1-2 times with it.
2) All accomodations were excellent. Just one surprise was that the Amboseli Sopa lodge was about about 45 mins away from the gate, which one should consider if they want to do early morning game drive and see the sunrise in the park.
3) Timings mentioned in the itinerary are kind of a ball park and you should generally consider 2-3 hours buffer while traveling.
All in all, Hyrax Safari completely met our expectations and our safari experience was amazing!

Sebastian   –  
India IN
Visited: November 2023 Reviewed: Nov 19, 2023

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

The review below is the personal opinion of Sebastian and not that of SafariBookings.
Freddy was very informative and accommodating but not that flexible when it came to schedules.
3/5

I enjoyed my time at the Masai. The place was breathtaking, animals everywhere (we saw more than 20 lions!) and the hotel was spectacular! But I wouldn’t say it was a great value for money for various reasons. We had to skip lunch the first day because the restaurant we stopped at ran out of food. I was promised water but didn’t receive any until the last day. There was also an activity that I had to give up since the driver said it was optional and wasn’t paid for then later found out that it was paid for but it was too late to go. And it was supposed to be a 3 day safari when actually it was just a day and a half. I would recommend checking what time the park is actually open and confirming the schedule for when you will go for a game drive before booking.

Maryam   –  
Iran IR
Visited: September 2023 Reviewed: Sep 24, 2023

Email Maryam

Great coordination and very kindly . Emma is good agent and guide is nice man called john
5/5

Kindly and nice behaviour
When i have a problem in my trip they help me

Reza   –  
Iran IR
Visited: September 2023 Reviewed: Sep 24, 2023

Email Reza  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Incridble trip with a good and very clean accommodation and a very very nice guide called john
5/5

Incredible trip, incredible nature, incredible wild life, every things was nice and in time, we saw all five big in our tripe

Simon Hao   –  
China CN
Visited: September 2023 Reviewed: Sep 22, 2023

Email Simon Hao  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Excellent attitude and service
5/5

Highly appreciated for bringing us this unforgettable journey to see magical Africa. We saw all the animals what we planned to see. We hope we can have an opportunity to visit here again and also we will recommend to more friends to become your loyal customers.

Lee   –  
South Korea KR
Visited: August 2023 Reviewed: Sep 10, 2023

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

Hyeax safaris was excellent!
5/5

They were always trying to help us during the tour. The guide, Yasin was also good and professional! I’m satisfied with all the service I received from Hyrax Safaris.

Alex   –  
United States US
Visited: July 2023 Reviewed: Jul 28, 2023

Email Alex  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

The review below is the personal opinion of Alex and not that of SafariBookings.
Look Elsewhere
1/5

My husband and I just completed a 6 day safari through Kenya from Nairobi to Mombasa with drives through Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Amboseli and a sanctuary bordering Tsavo West. We advise you stay away. When we booked the tour, our itinerary listed two game drives through Tsavo West, Tsavo was a bucket list park for both of us, so we were really excited to explore this historical place. Unfortunately on the days of Tsavo, our guide gave us the plan and we were only going to be doing game drives through a resort sanctuary, not through the national park. We felt the company completely misled us about the itinerary and what we thought paid for. Once we expressed our frustration, they told us we were now too far from the actual national park entrance to have any game drives there. This was all after being deceived a couple of days prior about the entrance fee and cost of visiting Lake Naivasha and Crescent Island. Hyrax tried to charge my husband and I $150 USD for this short, optional excursion. We told Hyrax they were overcharging and the entrance to the island wasn’t that much - we checked Crescent Island’s official website which openly lists the price, but we were told by Hyrax that they were being honest with the prices. Once we got to the lake, we took matters into our own hands with what the boat ride and entrance fee actually costs and of course - Hyrax was grossly overcharging us along with the boat company. When we brought this to their attention, they feigned ignorance to the prices or knowledge about the island’s website and listed prices. On our way out of Voi to Mombasa, we discovered they overcharged again for the train ride. They told us they charged us $5 per ticket but the tickets only costs 290KSh (About $2). We were ultimately quite disappointed and frustrated but tried our best to enjoy the animals anyways. Tourists anticipate being overcharged but not disrespected so thoroughly with an apparent professional safari. Look elsewhere.

Reply from Hyrax Safaris
Reply from Hyrax Safaris
Posted on Jul 31, 2023

Dear Alex,

Thank you for booking your safari with us.

1. Normally we don’t offer train booking services. We only assist clients upon request and include a service charge which is communicated prior to booking the tickets. We no longer offer this service for free. There is absolutely no way you would be overcharged for a train ticket since the prices are clearly indicated on the ticket and online.
We encourage our clients to book their own flights, train tickets and visas.

Remember that you were refunded $10 for the train booking.


2. Lake Naivasha boat ride and Crescent Island tour are optional activities. Charges vary from company to company. We are not in control of the market prices. We only recommend trustworthy companies. Sometimes, our recommendations may be more expensive than others, but this does not mean you have to book through us. Since a boat ride is a risky activity, we only recommend service providers that are keen on safety. We do not coerce clients to purchase any service; It is voluntary. If you find a cheaper deal elsewhere, we encourage you to take it.

We are glad you have stated that you paid for yourselves to avoid being 'ripped off'.


3. As per our conversation, you chose going to Salt Lick instead of Tsavo West. Had you changed the itinerary last minute, you would have missed your train to Mombasa. Our guide advised you based on the timings and itinerary provided by the office.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

We are committed to ensuring our clients get value for money.

We promise to continue offering practical, sound and professional advice for the safety, wellbeing and satisfaction of all our clients.

Best regards,
Roselyne

Raj   –  
Singapore SG
Visited: March 2023 Reviewed: Mar 12, 2023

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

The review below is the personal opinion of Raj and not that of SafariBookings.
Good overall but 2 bad experiences! Do your research before booking
3/5

We booked a 4D3N midrange safari to Maasai Mara and lake Nakuru with hyrax. We had a great time with Hyrax Safaris and both my parents were extremely satisfied. We saw the Big 5 and our guide Solomon went the extra mile to show us the animals. He did all he could to show us a leopard and we ended up being the first ones to see it. He was also very knowledgeable on all the animals and shared interesting facts about each animal. He was also quick to rectify any problems that came up along the way. On the first day we had a flat tyre and Solomon took care of it quickly with the help of his other Safari guide friends. He also placed my bag in the wrong camp but quickly realised and had it brought back to me without 15 minutes. With the above being said, we had 2 BAD EXPERIENCE which you should read before booking Hyrax

Roselyn agreed to provide us Jambo Mara lodge and Saravo woodlands in her original quote. After we made the down payment, she told us that saravo woodlands is no longer available and instead proposed another accommodation. However, the other accommodation is much cheaper and there was no mention of discounting the price difference until I brought it up. She also did not apologise for her lack of oversight in accepting down payment before checking availability of hotel. After I brought up the price discount, she quoted us a discount which definitely did not seem enough. True enough, when I checked the hotel price online, the discount was supposed to be greater. When I brought this up to Roselyn, she did some calculations to show us that she was right. However, in her calculations she calculated the hotel price per person instead of per room, so the total cost was higher than what it should be. I pointed this out to her but she didn’t agree. In the end, I made it a point to call the hotel and recorded our call with them showing that we were right. Afterwards Roselyn told us that the hotel told them the higher price at first and that she will check with them and in the end she gave us the correct discounted price. While I do appreciate that she finally gave us the right price, it should not have been after such measures from our part. Also, it’s extremely hard to believe that a tour company which has been booking hotels for their business does not know that hotel prices are usually quoted per room and not per person. I do suspect that it was an attempt by Hyrax to take a larger profit but I will give them the benefit of the doubt.

Secondly, before our safari Roselyn provided us with an itinerary. However, during our Safari, our guide changed the itinerary without asking us first. To be specific the change was as follows. We were originally supposed to have a pre-breakfast game drive on Day 3. However our guide changed it to Day 2 and on Day 3 we did not have the pre-breakfast game drive. Yes, in the end we got the same amount of game drive. However, I want to point out that entrance fee to Maasai Mara is on a 80 USD/24 hour basis if you are staying outside the reserve. By doing this shift, Hyrax is able to pay only 80 USD for entrance instead of 160 USD. However, they were not transparent with this information. I believe this is done so that when unsuspecting customers such as ourselves ask for the safari price breakdown, they can quote the entrance fee as being 160 USD but get away by only paying 80USD and hence have an extra 80 USD profit. We would have been okay with this had they been transparent. It is not professional to change an itinerary after we paid for it.

The above experiences might not be unique to Hyrax and might occur with any tour companies possibly. So for anyone reading this review, please do your research beforehand and do not let them get away with your money! If the review is confusing but you want to understand more, feel free to contact me.

Reply from Hyrax Safaris
Reply from Hyrax Safaris
Posted on Jun 22, 2023

Thank you for booking your safari with us. We are glad to learn that you enjoyed the safari.

We value your feedback.

We would like to address the complaints raised as follows:

1. Group joining tours are dynamic and complex. Sometimes, groups tweak the program to accommodate their collective needs and inform the guide. For instance, the group opted to visit the Masai village instead of doing the morning game drive on day 3.
It's unfortunate that our tour consultants at the office were not notified of this matter. We have learnt about it here. Had we known about this that morning, we would have liaised with the guide to ensure you go for the morning game drive as per the itinerary provided.
We encourage our clients to inform us about any changes in itineraries that were not communicated prior to the safari so that we address the issues immediately.
We have a 24/7 customer support that resolves matters as and when they arise.
We regret that this happened and take full responsibility.

2. It's unfortunate that the hotel you chose was fully booked hence our decision to provide an alternative since this was a last-minute booking. It is important to note that some hotels have offers on their websites that are cheaper than the rate provided to tour operators. This is beyond us because we can't dictate how much a hotel should charge; it's a free market.
We refunded the difference between the 2 hotels before the commencement of the safari and communicated the same.

We are transparent and endeavor to give our clients value for money.

We apologize for the inconvenience caused.

Best regards,
Roselyne

Average User Rating
4.9/5
Rating Breakdown
  • 5 star 223
  • 4 star 19
  • 3 star 3
  • 2 star 1
  • 1 star 3
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