Taking you to the exotic African wild!
Morning Star Tours & Travel
- Located In:
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2018)
- Member Of:
- IATA, KATO, AMREF & TOSK
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $134 to $806 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
absolutely unforgettable eight days exploring Tanzania and the Masai Mara
We absolutely loved our safari experience! From the initial planning to the very last day, everything was wonderfully organized, and we couldn't be happier with our decision to book with this company.
Planning & Organization
A special thank you to Dennis, who helped us organize our entire trip. He was incredibly helpful, patient, and responsive throughout the process. The pricing was very transparent, and he provided plenty of accommodation options to suit our preferences and budget. I asked him to adjust our itinerary several times, and he always made the changes very quickly and without any hesitation.
We booked relatively last minute (about 1–2 months in advance) during the high season, so unfortunately, many of our preferred luxury lodges were already fully booked. My advice would be to plan well in advance, especially if you're looking for luxury accommodations at a reasonable price, as the best options sell out very quickly!
We chose an 8-day private safari combining Tanzania and Kenya's Masai Mara, starting in Arusha and finishing in Nairobi.
Another thing we really appreciated was that this is a locally owned, Nairobi-based company. It felt great to support a local business rather than booking through a large international operator.
Tanzania Safari – Our Incredible Guide, Jackson!
Our guide in Tanzania was Jackson, and I honestly cannot praise him enough. He was, without a doubt, the best safari guide we've ever had, and we've traveled extensively!
What made Jackson truly exceptional was not only his incredible knowledge and experience but also his genuine passion for wildlife and nature. He had an extraordinary eye for spotting animals, often noticing things we would never have seen ourselves. He always knew how to position the vehicle for the best possible views while being extremely respectful of the animals, their environment, and other safari vehicles.
His enthusiasm was contagious! Every time we spotted an animal, he seemed just as excited as we were, almost as if he were seeing it for the first time. It was so refreshing to see someone who genuinely loves what he does, and it made the entire experience even more special.
He was also an incredibly careful driver, always making us feel safe and comfortable. He never rushed us, happily accommodated bathroom breaks whenever needed, and made sure we could enjoy every moment at our own pace. He even cleaned the safari vehicle every single day!
Beyond his professionalism, Jackson was such a humble, kind, and genuinely wonderful person. His dedication, attention to detail, and positive energy made our safari truly magical. Thanks to his incredible guiding skills, we managed to see both the Big Five and the Ugly Five within our first three days!
If you're booking a safari in Tanzania, I cannot recommend requesting Jackson enough. He truly sets an exceptionally high standard for what a safari guide should be.
Kenya Safari – Masai Mara with Timothy
After crossing the border into Kenya, we continued our safari with Timothy.
Timothy was also a kind, professional, and experienced guide. He clearly knew the Masai Mara very well and was particularly skilled at finding big cats and positioning the vehicle for some fantastic wildlife sightings.
We also appreciated his flexibility. On one occasion, we asked to return to the lodge earlier so we could relax and enjoy the pool, and he was very understanding and happy to accommodate our request. He never made us feel rushed and respected our preferences throughout the trip.
While we had a very good experience with Timothy, Jackson had set an exceptionally high standard during the Tanzanian part of our safari. His extraordinary attention to detail, genuine enthusiasm, and personal approach made him particularly memorable. Both guides contributed to a wonderful trip, but Jackson was truly in a league of his own.
Safari Vehicles & Comfort
The safari vehicles were excellent! They were spacious, comfortable, and perfectly suited for wildlife viewing, with plenty of room to move around and enjoy the scenery.
They also had a refrigerator, which was very convenient for keeping our drinks and snacks cool, plenty of charging ports for our phones and cameras, and lots of practical storage space for drinks and personal belongings.
Overall Experience
We had an absolutely unforgettable eight days exploring Tanzania and the Masai Mara. The wildlife sightings were incredible, the organization was smooth, and the entire experience exceeded our expectations.
A huge thank you to Dennis for the excellent planning, Timothy for the wonderful wildlife sightings in Kenya, and especially Jackson, who truly made this trip one of the most memorable travel experiences we've ever had.
We would happily recommend this company to anyone planning a private safari in East Africa, especially those who appreciate personalized service, flexibility, transparent pricing, and the opportunity to support a locally owned business.
And if you have the chance to have Jackson as your guide in Tanzania, consider yourself very lucky! He is truly exceptional!
Email Emily | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Quick, easy, clear and friendly communication
This was our first ever safari and what a fantastic experience it was from start to finish. All communication from the tour operator was clear and transparent. Winnie checked in on us throughout our stay and was always very prompt with her responses.
We stayed at Entim Camp in the Masai Mara and The Cliff in Lake Nakuru. All bookings were handled by the tour operator and there were no issues upon arrival.
Our driver Augustine was fantastic. He was friendly, always on time and extremely knowledgeable. We learnt so much about Kenya, the people, the animals, the land. He had excellent animal tracking skills and we were often the first car at the sighting. We saw so much more than we expected to and that was all down to him.
We would 100% recommend booking through Morning Star. They are extremely reliable and made the whole process smooth and easy. You will have an amazing trip and make memories to last a lifetime!
HK
Email Natalie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A perfectly planned Kenya & Tanzania safari with outstanding guides
We just finished an unforgettable trip through Kenya and Tanzania with Morning Star Safaris, and we cannot recommend them enough.
From the very first message, Joysharon was incredibly responsive and thoughtful. She handled everything quickly — even mid-trip changes like switching drivers and adjusting our route were sorted out without any stress. She even arranged a free upgrade to a beautiful riverside camp in the Maasai Mara, and prepared a lovely birthday surprise for us, which made the whole trip feel truly personal.
In Kenya, our guide John was outstanding. On our very first day in the Maasai Mara he managed to show us all of the Big Five — including a rare black rhino — and we were even lucky enough to witness a cheetah hunt. The sunrise hot-air balloon ride over the Mara was another once-in-a-lifetime moment.
In Tanzania, our guide Hassan amazed us with his knowledge. He could identify and explain every little animal we passed, from birds and reptiles to the smallest creatures, and shared so much about the animals' habits as well as local culture and history. Thanks to him we saw a white rhino and — the absolute highlight of our trip — two spectacular wildebeest river crossings.
Everything, from the camps and food to the transfers and cross-border arrangements, was arranged seamlessly. If you are planning a safari in East Africa, go with Morning Star Safaris and ask for John and Hassan. You will not regret it!
NL
Email Anna | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We had a wonderful trip, and everything was very well organized
Everything was great from the very beginning, starting with planning our itinerary (a big thank you to Winnie for her patience and help in putting together the perfect tour!). And, of course, our guide and driver, John, was absolutely wonderful! He was friendly, professional, well-organized, and always made sure we had the best possible experience. We were lucky enough to see not only the Big Five but also many other amazing animals in the area. The entire trip was an unforgettable experience, and we couldn’t have asked for a better way to discover Kenya. Highly recommended!
CH
Email Alice | under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very fun and enjoyable
Very good tour, guide was very kind and helped us find the big five
Recommend this tour
Email Rachel & Dan | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing communication and smooth trip!
We used Morning Star to book our honeymoon to Kenya and they did not disappoint! The communication with Doreen during the booking process and during our trip was amazing we felt so well looked after and she really made our whole trip super easy.
Our safari guide Stephen in Amboseli was on time and delivered a great experience. James, our safari guide in the Masai Mara was outstanding. He brought great vibes, knowledge and really went above and beyond to set up a great coffee spot in the Masai Mara as he knew we would love it! The staff at Kibo Lodge and Mara Maisha were so friendly and welcoming we loved our stay at both lodges. And our final stay at Swahili beach was the perfect end to a brilliant honeymoon.
Thank you Doreen, Stephen and James!
Email theresa | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
AMAZING!
From planning to execution, Morningstar's tour was smooth and seamless. When i sent inquiries here on safaribooking, Dennis from Morningstar was the very first to reply. And even though i was highly anxious and had plenty of questions, Dennis was calm, patient and accomodating and reassured me through all the planning. Our guide Willy in Kenya and our guide Jackson in Tanzania were both very skilled drivers and very knowledgeable guides. My husband who loves watching wildlife documentaries peppered them with questions but both Willy and Jackson had all the answers. They even talked about about cars with him. Willy worked hard to ensure we saw all big 4 and all 5 uglies and even drove fast so we could watch a leopard cross the savanna carrying her cub. Jackson found us the black rhino to complete the big 5 and he had great instinct that we were able to see one last great migration even though its already October. We also had so much fun with both Willy and Jackson because they had great sense of humor. They made us safe and taken care of and both were at our side through the border crossing to ensure we crossed without any issue. Our trip was amazing because of all of them. I've already recommended them to a few friends who asked about our trip
CA
Email Sandee Thomas | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Morningstar Tours was amazing.
It took us about a year to plan our safari vacation. The most difficult part was selecting a tour operator from the hundreds available. Ultimately we chose Morningstar Tours as it had a Kenya/Tanzania safari that was very appealing (length of time, places we wanted to visit and the things we wanted to do).
1. We were very fortunate to have Alice Moraa as our agent/co-ordinator. She readily answered all of our questions, addressed our concerns, provided pertinent information with regard to visas, what to pack etc., provided us with a detailed itinerary so we knew where we would be and what we would be doing and a timeline, made suggestions and most importantly, we were able to communicate with her 24/7 and her response time was very quick. As we arrived a few days prior to the start of our safari, Alice recommended visiting the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (elephant orphanage), The Giraffe Centre and dining at The Carnivore Restaurant. She made all the arrangements and we enjoyed that day immensely. 2. It is extremely important to have a good driver/guide. In Kenya, we had Augustine. He was so friendly, helpful and accommodating and had a good sense of humour. His English was good and we learned SO much from him about the animals, terrain, history and culture. His driving skills were very impressive! Augustine just seemed to sense where the animals would be and without binoculars, he could spot a camouflaged lion or cheetah that was over 100 metres away. His eyesight is incredible! As we drove by The Great Rift Valley on narrow 2 lane highway, we found ourselves stuck in a massive traffic jam with dozens of transport trucks backed up for kilometres. I thought we’d be stuck there for hours. Somehow, with inches to spare on either side of our jeep, Augustine managed to maneuver around vehicles and we were able to take a side dirt road through a tiny village. A few other jeeps followed. Anyway, the inhabitants were displeased with the amount of dirt stirred up and blocked the road with boulders. Augustine, being very diplomatic, negotiated a payment agreement with them and they removed the blockade and let us pass. That was an interesting situation. When we were flying back to Nairobi from Amboseli, our flight departure time was changed at the last minute and Augustine had barely an hour to get us to the airport from our camp. The drive was at least an hour away on very bumpy dirt roads but once again, Augustine came through and got us to the airport in 40 minutes! Request Augustine as your driver in Kenya. 3. in Tanzania we had Tony who was also a very good guide/driver. 4. Accommodations: we stayed at the Argyle Grand Hotel in Nairobi for 3 nights prior to our safari and 1 night after our safari ended. We liked the fact that the hotel was only 10 minutes from the airport. We enjoyed their buffet restaurant, and the rooms were nice. We were very pleased with our “glamping” accommodations . We stayed at Lake Nakuru Lodge, Pride Inn Mara Camp, Untamed Migration Camp, Ngorongoro Tortilis Camp and Kibo Safari Camp. Each camp was unique, clean and well-equipped and the staff was warm, welcoming and helpful. The food and box lunches were good. I loved how each camp’s staff was so proud of their camp and were sincerely honoured that we had chosen to stay at their camp. 4. We found the jeeps to be very comfortable (we were just 2 couples and the driver/guide). We never realized how rough and bumpy the roads were and how dusty it could be. It was fun, like being on a ride. The jeeps take an incredible amount of abuse but are checked after each safari. That being said, we did experience some issues. On one occasion, Ephraim (Tanzania) experienced difficulty starting the jeep. We contacted Alice and voiced our concerns as we didn’t want to get stranded somewhere. She immediately made arrangements for us to have a new driver/guide and jeep. On another occasion, as we were witnessing the wildebeest migration across the Mara River), we got a flat tire. Within minutes, several other guide/drivers stopped to offer assistance. It was truly heart-warming to see how the guides have this culture of helping each other. Also, one day Augustine had to stop to let the radiator cool down so he could add water to it. None of these incidences spoiled our game drives as we just embraced it as part of our African adventures. We would recommend that Morningstar consider purchasing a few newer (2020 or newer) jeeps to add to their fleets to mitigate these issues. In one jeep, the charging ports didn’t always work and we found the windows were a little sticky, a little hard to slide or roll up and down (because of the dust in the tracks?). 5. A safari may not be for you if you suffer from motion sickness, are unable to handle being in a jeep for several hours a day (we usually went on 2 game drives each day and were on the move from park to park so we spent 8-10 hours a day in the jeep), unlike some people who have a hotel as a
home base and just venture out once a day for a 3-4 hour game drive), or have bladder issues. Our drivers stopped every couple of hours so we could have a break. 6. We experienced perfect weather, no rain and 24C-30C temperatures during the day, we wore shorts every day and didn’t need to use insect repellant or use the mosquito net at night while sleeping. 6. We only needed money for tipping, drinks, and for any souvenirs we wished to purchase as everything else was prepaid. We always had lots of bottled water in our jeep so no need to bring a water bottle. I would recommend that you bring binoculars, a power bank to charge your phone and make sure you have an outlet adapter. We bought headlamps but didn’t need them as the camps are well lit and the staff escort you at night (if you’re in an unfenced camp like we were). 7. We visited Nairobi, Nairobi Nat’l Park, Lake Naivasha & Crescent Island (highly recommend), Lake Nakuru, Masai Mara (the migration), Northern and Central Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater (it’s actually a caldera) and Amboseli. 8. I would also
recommend that you fly from national park to national park as it takes a long time to drive a short distance. The drive from Central Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater was particularly long (roads are really, really
bad). We did fly from Amboseli back to Nairobi (40 min flight versus a 6-7 hour drive). Overall: We were happy with Morningstar and impressed with Alice Moraa and Augustine’s services. We got to see all The Big Five several times and saw SO many animals very close up. We were a little disappointed with Ngorongoro. Visiting a caldera is very cool and interesting but we didn’t see as many animals there and they were usually far away. The other parks were fantastic though. A safari is truly a unique and nice in a lifetime experience which is worth every penny. Visiting a zoo is now going to be very under-whelming. 😝 To witness animals roaming freely in their natural habitats is nothing short of amazing!
CH
Email Roger | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very experienced and well connected
After an initial hick up that led to a somewhat frustrating start, this tour operator went out of his way to make it up to us which we tremendously appreciated. Joy was especially helpful in this. Our tour guide Timothy was experienced and gave us just the right amount of information and attention to make us feel special and at the same time preserving our private space. The safari was truly amazing and Timothy made sure we saw so many different animals. A great thank you to this dedicated tour guide.
CH
Email Kye | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent, dedicated for Customer experiences and happiness
We had 3 nights and 4 days safari tour with Timothy. We were 2 families, total 8 people (5 adults and 3 kids from 13 to 15 years old). Thanks to Timothy, we had an unforgettable time both in Masai Mara park and Lake Naturu park. He has sharp eyes for nature and warm heart for people. We saw all big 5 animals. Also saw cheeta hunting and Wildebeest/zebra crossing the river. What magical moments we have had during our trip! We cherish every moment. Thank you from our heart, Timothy.
I also want to thank to Joy for a wonderful, thoughtful organisation. We had some hiccups in the beginning of our tour but Joy and the team were very responsive, making every effort to make this trip memorable for us.
Thank you to Morning Star - we highly recommend this team
