Safaris and hotel booking specialist
Mufasa Tours and Travels
- Office In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2010)
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $30 to $300 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
DE
Email Lisa | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Walking safari - great idea and nice change to the cars!
After sitting in a car on a safari through the more commonly visited nationalparks in Kenya (Tsavo, Amboseli, Nairobi...), we wanted something different and stumbled upon the walking safari through Hell's Gate and Lake Naivasha.
Communication was really easy via WhatsApp with Joseph - he answered very fast and helped us a lot!
A driver picked us up from our AirBnB in Nairobi in the morning and drove us to Hell's Gate - he really was only the driver; so don't expect a lot of information like from a guide. It confused us at first. Nevertheless, he was really nice and after a "warm-up" period, we chatted a lot about Kenya, the tribes, languages and politics.
In Hell's Gate we recommend to pack some extra money for the bikes to cycle to the gorge. For the gorge itself, there was a guide included. He was really awesome (ask for Joseph!) and patient while we climbed through the gorge. We stayed the night at Kongoni Lodge and were really happy - the food is excellent (fresh fish, pork chops, great soups, nice desserts)!
The second day, we went to Lake Naivasha and did a boat safari - nice to see Hippos and the island where "Outside of Africa" was filmed; really awesome to stand one metre next to a giraffe/zebra.
We arrived back in Nairobi in the early afternoon.
MM
Email Oddy | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Caring!
Joseph did a very good job, from the beginning until and I was back home. He was very much concerned about everything and making sure things were as planned. Masai Mara was simply BEAUTIFUL, no words to express how magic it is!! Our driver was also nice - a bit quiet though. It would be nice if he could also explain a bit more about the animals, and the role of ranger, which I really admire! It was a beautiful experience, and felt very honored to meet the Masai, and visit their houses.
AE
Email MM | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A review that could have been very different
Taking a safari with Mufasa Tours and Travels was, for the most part, a good experience. We are frequently safari goers and based on the ratings we'd seen, there were high expectations in our minds. The incredible wildlife, wonderful accommodations, and having a dedicated guide, Nelson, contributed to many memorable moments. However, our encounter with the company's refund policy left us with mixed feelings about our overall journey.
The Positives:
Our safari with Mufasa Tours and Travels initially promised an exclusive and flexible adventure, and in many aspects, it delivered. The personalized game drives facilitated by Nelson were informative and tailored to our preferences. The company's commitment to providing an exclusive vehicle and guide allowed us to immerse ourselves fully into bush therapy. Caroline, who coordinated our bookings, demonstrated prompt and professional communication when addressing our concerns, and made the entire booking a pleasant experience. Nelson was a good guide and ensured we had the best sightings based on what he heard over the radio.
The Disappointment:
We had opted for a 4x4 Land Cruiser instead of a Minivan for more comfort. However, the vehicle we received was probably one of the older ones if not the oldest. It was quite different from what is advertised on their YouTube video. The vehicle was rickety, glass windows used to vibrate vigorously during the drives and the pop-up roof had rust and loose metal shreds which can be a big risk. When we reached the Mara from Nairobi, the backdoor got jammed and it took hours to retrieve our bags and other luggage (which included baby food!!). For a company of good reputation, it is imperative that vehicles are kept spic and span and regularly maintained.
From the reviews we read online, we had requested for Nelson to be our good. While he was good in several aspects such as stopping when we ask or changing the angle when photographing, one thing we did not appreciate was that he used to be on the phone all the time. Instead of giving us some insights about the animals we see (simple things such as what pride of lions is this, how big it is, etc.), it felt more like a race from one sighting to the other. Even though we are bird lovers, most of them we had to ask him to stop otherwise he would just drive past without even looking.
Additionally ... our journey regrettably took an unexpected turn when our baby fell ill, forcing us to cut our safari short. Upon inquiring about a partial refund due to the unforeseen circumstances, we encountered a rigid adherence to the company's no-refund policy for last-minute changes. While we understand and respect the importance of policy adherence, we had hoped for more flexibility and understanding given the exceptional nature of our situation.
Conclusion:
Our overall experience with Mufasa Tours and Travels was a tale of two halves. The wildlife and photographic opportunities made the safari portion truly memorable. However, the disappointment stemming from the company's inflexible refund policy has left us contemplating our future travel choices. While the company provides an undoubtedly unique and exclusive safari experience, potential travelers should be mindful of the company's strict policies, especially in unforeseen circumstances. As we reflect on our safari with mixed emotions, we may consider alternative options for our future adventures, seeking a balance between policy adherence and customer understanding.
ES
Email Maria Arreba | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Mufasa did not reach our expectations of an enjoable and rewarding safari.
In general we felt that Mufasa ones we did the booking, and paid, forgot about us. We had to ask the person in charge of our trip ( Caroline) to send us the name and details of our guide-driver because she hadn't done it and it was friday afternoon and our flight was departing Europe on Sunday. At that moment she told us the rules for Masai Mara had changed and even if we had paid extra to sleep inside the park the last night so as to do an early game drive, that wasn't possible unless we paid one extra entrance ticket. It was too late to cancel the lodge for another outside the park and cheaper. It was very anoying.
On the other hand the guide-driver: Nafthali, was speaking on his mobile very often, even when he was driving uphill and the road was wet!. And when we were watching animals he rarely explained anything, unless we asked heim for information, because he was chatting on the phone or with the whatsapp.
Of course, ones the trip ended, Mufasa did not request a feedback. They were aware of their poor service!!
As a conclussion, Mufasa did not reach our expectations and was not a good value for money.
MX
Email Ivette Mendoza | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Poor experience
We didn’t have a good experience with this tourist operator.
First they offer a guide Spanish spoken and it wasn’t true, the guide just know some words in Spanish so our communication was so complicated.
We bought the safari 5 day, in the service description they include two days safari at the Masai Mara (including some hours at the 5th day) and our guide said, no the last day is just for go back to Nairobi, we had to show him the description of the service to had the complete service.