On Safari in the Mara
The Safari Partners
- Located In:
-
Canada
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2010)
- Member Of:
- IATA, ACTA & TOPAC
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $300 to $1,000 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
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Email Roxanne (Rocky) | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The Adventure of a Lifetime
Planning a trip to Africa is daunting for a woman going solo and after months of researching tour companies on the internet, I settled on Safari Partners due to the great reviews from fellow travelers.
They did not disappoint. Jen found the tours -Tanzania and Rwanda- to suit my budget, time frame and trip expectations and Chris took over from there and became the "guru" for all things Africa. Everything was arranged from airport pickups, meals, lodging, money guidance, help with booking, airfare...on, and on. Every single detail was arranged before arriving in Africa. It went off without a single hiccup and I had the trip of a lifetime. Tanzania will fill your senses with the big 5 wild life (especially the elusive big cats and magnificent elephants)and sleeping in amazing tents with Masai scouts on point to keep the wildlife at bay. But Rwanda is so very very special. Beautiful country, beautiful people, the genocide museum will leave you humbled and shaken but as my driver said, you must start with it to get the "sadness" out of the way before you meet the glorious Silverback gorilla and his family. Truly the most unforgettable experience of my life...trekking gorillas. I encourage you to go because the money you spend on the permit goes to the gorillas 24/7 protection of the species and their habitat. It is a reverent experience -gorillas allowing humans into their "living room" to share an hour with them. You can trust Safari Partners to handle all the details so you can experience Africa the way it is meant to be experienced and savored.
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Email Harry W | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Flawless arrangements for a fabulous, over-the-top trip
My wife and I had been booked on another company's group tour for 4 months, but a month and a half before we were to leave, it was cancelled, due to lack of participants. Since we had been really looking forward to a safari, we looked around for alternatives; contacting four other tour companies. Due to Chris' s intimate knowledge of Africa, his flexibility to work with various budgets and ability to deliver a great experience at good value, we selected Safari Partners. He explained the differences between national park safaris and conservancy safaris (there are less tourists in conservancies and the camps are smaller and generally deluxe tented). So in 10 days, with Chris's guidance we had pulled together what sounded like a trip that would meet our needs.
And we had an absolutely fantastic time in Africa. Everything worked out just as Chris planned it. We were met and chauffeured around at each destination without fail.
We were very spoiled in both camps in Kenya. Everything was over the top. From the invariably nice, helpful and very knowledgeable staff and guides to the deluxe accommodation, good food and excellent sightings on the game drives. It was very special.
In Samburu we stayed at the Elephant Bedroom Camp - aptly named as there was an almost resident group of seven or so, that wandered through the camp day and night. Staff would move guests to the main tent if you were eating at the riverbank as the elephants came through, and you could hear them wandering by your tent at night. It was very hot in Oct., so the plunge pool on the deck outside every tent was a great place to get cool. Buffet breakfast at the riverbank, lunch there or under the awning of the main tent and dinner was always very good food for the 3 days we were there.
We stayed at Encounter Mara in the Maasai Mara for 4 days and each day there were fabulous game sightings at really close quarters. For 2 nights we were the only ones in camp and and every day had Nabaala our Maasai guide to ourselves. He was very knowledgeable about every bird, mammal or reptile and amazingly we never got stuck nor had a puncture going down and up the rocky riverbanks. We had 8 game drives including a night drive over that time, and saw everything in mammals that we could have hoped to see except rhinos.
Typically we would be wakened with tea, coffee or hot chocolate and biscuits at 5:30am to be off on the drive at 6:15am. At 8:30 or 9:00 we would stop for a picnic breakfast of coffee, tea, juice, cereal, fruit, yogourt, muffins/scotch egg and jams looking out over the savannah at the nearby antelope, wildebeest and zebra. Then there would be a couple of hours in camp for reading, going down to the hide/blind at the river before a gourmet lunch at 1pm. Then a couple of hours for rest and relaxation before tea at 4pm and a game drive at 4:30. Another great dinner meal would be served after the game drive in front of a campfire at about 8pm, with a drink or two or three and then off to bed, and looking forward to what game would be seen tomorrow. The Mara is at a higher altitude, and despite the summer heat during the day, it could get chilly in the morning and evening zipping around in the open jeep. So we were especially glad of the supplied, quilted, waterproof ponchos in the jeep and the two hot water bottles placed in our bed every night. Nothing was too much trouble at Encounter Mara.
Then of course, feeding the beautiful Rothchild giraffes at Giraffe Manor in Nairobi was one of the major highlights of the trip for us. The Manor itself was very gracious and gentile, but it was truly wonderful to feed the giraffes as they poked their heads into your second floor bedroom windows or into the breakfast room windows. And if you were confident enough, you could have them slurp, with their long black tongues, a food pellet from your lips.
Five nights in Zanzibar gave us time to relax, snorkel and reminisce about the animals and experiences on safari. The Tembo House Hotel in Stone Town was charming and historic. Dreams of Zanzibar was a large all-inclusive that gave you what you would expect in a four star Caribbean-type hotel, but amidst the laid-back beauty and amazing colours of the Indian Ocean.
Safari Partners arranged a flawless, over-the-top, trip and we would totally recommend them to anyone thinking of going to Africa. We will use them when we return to Africa, as we had such a great experience with them the first time.
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20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Extremely Satisfied After a Trip of a Lifetime!
I was a bit nervous to plan our honeymoon with someone I had never met before. I had looked around at local travel agents, but they really didn't have any expertise in Africa and I knew that we'd end up on some cookie-cutter trip. Chris is a true expert and has traveled to Africa several times. And let me tell you, he knows his stuff! I actually called him and spoke to him for a while before booking with him. He was so upfront with things and he ended up planning an incredible trip for us. (He's really nice too) I had told him that we wanted to hike with the mountain gorillas in either Rwanda or Uganda, and that we also wanted to go to Kenya and Tanzania. We wanted to do a mix of basic camping, tented camps, and lodging. He hooked it all up and checked in with us as he pieced it all together. He even suggested that we ended our trip in Zanzibar- and I'm so glad we did. It was a relaxing way to wind down after an adventurous 2 1/2 weeks. When I say that there was not one glitch during the total 3 weeks we were there, I truly mean it! We flew into Rwanda and we were immediately greeted by two extremely kind gentlemen who brought us straight to our hotel and gave us a run down of our schedule for the next three days we'd be there. The hotel was gorgeous. We were assigned to another driver that following morning and he came right on time and took care of us throughout our time in Rwanda. He was so great, I hated to leave him! He brought us back to the airport for our flight to Nairobi. Again, all our flight details were handed to us and we didn't have to worry about anything! Got picked up in Nairobi by another professional young woman who was so organized. She knew our entire agenda and went through it with us. Chris put us in a beautiful hotel in Nairobi where we felt very safe. Food was yummy too! During our trip in Kenya, we had a wonderful guide. He worked SO hard and was so professional. Everything was about us. He wanted to make sure we saw every animal, and he busted his behind until we did just that. We felt safe, and well taken care of! We stayed in tented camps in Kenya, and they were incredible! Even our journey from Kenya to Tanzania went so smoothly (I was a little nervous about the transportation). When we arrived in Tanzania, we were picked up for our 5 day camping tour. The guide and cook we traveled with were so sweet and they treated us like royalty. The cook worked so hard to prepare our meals, and his food was soooo good! When it was time to head to Zanzibar, we took a small flight (all arranged by Chris) and it was such a smooth transition.
We felt safe the entire time we were in Africa, and at every location. We never had to question anything. There was not one moment of confusion or miscommunication, not one issue with reservations, or transportation, nothing! To be honest, I was expecting something to go wrong, as things typically do when traveling for a long period of time.
Our trip was unforgettable. Rwanda may have been my favorite part of the trip. The country is beautiful, the people are friendly and hardworking, and seeing the gorillas was a dream come true. With that said, Kenya and Tanzania were a must see- truly breathtaking!
I would most definitely recommend The Safari Partners! You won't be sorry!!
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Email Brian Harvey | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The Perfect Safari Experience
My wife and I contemplated a safari trip and wanted to maximize the wildlife experience and exposure to East African culture while respecting the impact to the environment, and contributing to the East African community in some notable way. I'm thrilled to report that the Safari Partners - and Chris Ronneseth specifically - exceeded all of our expectations in this regard. Our experience was truly amazing - and managed to somehow exceed our own expectations for everything we hoped to see and experience while in Tanzania.
The Safari Partners recommended the Asilia group camps for all of our African safari - and these people absolutely understand their business - I was very impressed with how "locked down" their entire process was (from pickups to dropoffs, organization of all of our activities, meals, etc). We were very impressed with their commitment to the environment, the local communities they operate in, etc - this was a real plus for us in understanding our impact in coming to Africa and made us appreciate the decision to leverage Asilia even more. The guides were top notch at all 3 camps we visited, (Oliver's, The Highlands and Kimondo Mobile Camp) and the 3 recommended by Safari Partners offered a terrific cross section of experiences that resulted in us seeing the big 5, 3 of the dangerous 5 (the only 3 in Africa) and basically everything we had hoped we would see. The camps were beautiful and each very different. And despite truly remote experiences in the middle of the "safari action", there was still some room to be pampered with cold drinks, and beautifully prepared meals. We came to love the morning wake up call - with staff bringing a tray with hot coffee/tea and a few cookies to slowly start your day. The "Sundowner" was another tradition we came to appreciate - stopping to view the sunset over the African plains or hillsides while enjoying a cold beverage and snack - what memories!
Our personal favourite camp was Oliver's with the tent location and wildlife viewing, the inclusion of night game drives and walking safari's, our tent, etc. We really enjoyed everything going on there. We also particularly enjoyed the organized cultural visit to the Maasai village and the interaction with the people there at The Highlands camp - That was a very unique experience. And of course our stay at Kimondo within the Serengeti offered such a vast wildlife experience and variety of ecosystems, it is tough not to have a soft spot for that location.
Overall, I feel we had the perfect trip - and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend The Safari Partners and the Asilia camps if anyone ever asks me about a trip to Africa. We would also highly recommend you take advantage of a stopover from North America on your way to Africa. We took a few days in Amsterdam and it provided just the right break to get acclimatized to the time zone changes, and be well rested before you head into Africa for the main attraction.
The reviews are real - Check them out.
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Email Bas | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic East Africa safari experience
After looking for reputable safari providers, I found The Safari Partners and contacted Chris about some of my wishes for my first Safari. After discussing the options, I selected the East Africa Express safari, going to 5 different parks in 10 days, making sure I experienced as much of East Africa as I could. I traveled by myself and ended up in a wonderful, small, group of people with whom I spent the next 10 days traveling, eating, and enjoying the experience. After the pick-up in Nairobi, the Boma hotel was a nice place to recover from the long trip and get ready for the start of the park visits. As soon as we entered the Masai Mara, we saw an abundance of wildlife, including 4 of the big 5 within the first 2 hours. The Ashnil camp in the heart of the Mara was a great experience, and ideally situated for the many game drives over the next 2 days. Moving on to Lake Victoria was a quiet and idyllic break from the game drives, I highly recommend visiting the fishing village of Mwabulugu, a short boat ride away from Speke Bay Lodge, a very nice lodge, especially since they are now on the electrical grid. Do try to get a hut near the lake, the ones further away from the lake get unbearably warm during the night, even with a floor or table fan. We were fortunate that our next stop, the Serengeti Sopa lodge was overbooked and we were upgraded to the Pioneer camp, an experience I won't soon forget. This camp is a treat in every sense, can't recommend it enough, and the Serengeti game drives were wonderful. Onwards to the Ngorongoro crater, which, while a lot dustier than the previous areas, provides a unique environment well worth exploring. Visiting a Masai village on the outskirts of the crater and jumping with the Masai was a great experience also. The Sopa Lodge at the rim of the crater was enormous, very much a mass-tourist experience, but well-situated, with large rooms and good facilities. The next and final stop was Tarangire national park, home of the Baobab tree and once again an abundance of wildlife. The Sopa lodge here was a much smaller scale than the one by the crater, but otherwise very similar in appearance and facilities.
All in all, thank you to Chris, Safari Partners, and the local operators, African Horizons, for making my first safari a fantastic experience. I will undoubtedly return to Africa, see some of the other countries, maybe fly instead of drive between camps, and will select The Safari Partners again as my tour operator.
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Email Russell | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Superb Knowledge, Service and Communication
My wife and I are in our mid-late forties and have previously travelled twice to Africa. On those occasions we booked with another tour company. On this occasion, we decided to go with a local provider, The Safari Partners, and we're certainly glad we did.
Although we had been to Africa before, Chris (Safari Partners) was engaged with the the planning of our trip from the onset. He provided information and insight into various lodges and camps that proved invaluable. There is a line in their profile that states: "We don't strive to just sell, we consult. We listen to your needs and design the best possible travel solution for you.". This couldn't be more accurate. They are not just selling you a 'product'. There is a genuine effort and interest to determine what type of traveller you are and what kind of Africa experience you want to have and put an appropriate package together for you.
Communication was excellent. Any email queries we sent, both before and during our trip, were responded to within 24hrs. The only ones that may have taken longer required a response from someone in Africa, hence the delay. Itineraries are professionally set out, detailed and are available to view via a weblink.
Our safari (Johannesburg, Victoria Falls and Botswana) was excellent. Everything was as we discussed and went without a hitch. Even if some matter unforeseen had arisen, I would have all the confidence that Chris would see to it and find a solution. It was a very relaxing, worry-free experience.
Again, this was not our first trip to Africa, we have used other tour operators and would say that Safari Partners has been the best. They have the knowledge, communication along with a high level of service to guide you through and book your African adventure, whether you're a first timer or seasoned traveller. Highly recommended.
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Email Jeff and Luann | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Victoria Falls/Botswana Tour
We just returned from a trip to Victoria Falls and Botswana that was planned by The Safari Partners. The trip exceeded our expectations! We spent 2 nights in Victoria Falls, and 2 nights each at Chobe Game Lodge, Camp Moremi, Camp Okavanga and Leroo La Tau. The lodging, locations and guides were great. Each location was different and Safari Partners did a great job of coordinating the flights between camps. Chris at Safari Partners was great! Anytime we sent him a question, we had a response within 24 hours or less. We would definitely use Safari Partners again.
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Email Kuldip | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The best trip of my life!
Where do I begin? Chris was amazing at helping me plan this trip. I started in Tanzania and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and then a safari in Kenya at the Encounter Mara camp. This was the best trip I have ever been on and Chris really helped to ensure everything was planned perfectly. From the shuttles from the airports, to the climb to the safari everything was planned perfectly. All I had to do was show up :)
I will be using Safari Partners again no doubt about it.
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Email Victor Quiroz | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
A wonderful experience with Safari Partners
After 20 years, we finally got to take our dream trip to Africa to see the animals. The raw beauty of the land, the people, their stories and the animals were extraordinary. What made it it effortless was Chris at Safari Partners. He was recommended to me by my doctor and I would, without hesitation, recommend him to anyone who wants to experience Africa. In addition to setting up a flawless itinerary, he was a great support when my wife had a medical crises in Kenya and we had to cut short the last part of or trip (she had a blood pressure of 80/32 when she got to the ER in Nairobi).
Friends asked asked if I'd ever go back. My answer is an unqualified YES! And, I would have Safari Partners make the arrangements.
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65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our Kiboko Safari
Our 15 day Kiboko Safari ( Kenya and Tanzania ) was above and beyond our expectations. Chris did a great job co-ordinating everything for the six of us, 2 each from 3 different cities, from flights, insurance, and responding to the many questions we all had. The staff were amazing and right from greeting us at the airport we all felt comfortable and welcomed. We had three guides in total, Obama and Erick in Kenya and Emanuel in Tanzania and all shared their expertise, vast knowledge, professionalism, and fun senses of humour. The animal sightings (including watching two cheetahs bring down their prey) were more numerous and close up than we had ever imagined. We had a mix of lodges and tented camps and all were 5 star, especially enjoyed the luxury of both Ashnil and Mbuzi Mawe Tented Camps .All the food was first rate, the staff so friendly and being greeted after long drives with hot towels and cold juice was such a nice touch. It was truly the trip of a lifetime!