Savannah Woods Safaris

Savannah Woods Safaris – 6-Day Safari (Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru & Amboseli)

I chose Savannah Woods Safaris because I wanted to support a smaller, local company, and the communication with Lucy beforehand was excellent. Looking back, however, this might have been a mistake.

I had booked a 7-person group safari, but in reality, we were mixed together with people from different companies, and many of us stayed in completely different accommodations. At times, there were even eight of us in the vehicle, which made it quite cramped. Because we were all staying in different lodges, we lost a lot of time every day picking up and dropping off people — it often felt more like a hop-on hop-off bus than a group safari. Guests were frequently exchanged along the way, which made it difficult to build any real connection within the group.

Unfortunately, I got a stomach issue already at the first lodge (Jambo Mara), which lasted for two days. The two other guests staying at the same place also felt sick afterwards, so I suspect the food or hygiene might have been an issue. Lucy did check in once during the trip, but after that, I didn’t hear from her again.

Our driver – I hesitate to call him a “guide” – was careful and drove safely, but he seemed rather bored and disengaged. We received very little information about the animals, and often started so late in the morning that we missed most of the early wildlife activity.

The Masai Mara itself was spectacular and definitely worth visiting; the hot air balloon ride was a real highlight. However, since the guides all share sightings among themselves, we probably would have seen the same animals even with any other tour operator.

Lake Nakuru, on the other hand, was disappointing and involved a lot of unnecessary driving for very little reward. I would personally skip it next time. Amboseli can be stunning, especially early in the morning when Mount Kilimanjaro is clear — unfortunately, we arrived too late to enjoy that view.

On a positive note, the Amboseli Sopa Lodge was fantastic — a truly beautiful place to stay.

In hindsight, I would rather book with a larger, more established company, or even through a European operator, to ensure better organization and reliability. It’s really important to confirm that all travelers in the group are on the same itinerary and staying in the same accommodations; otherwise, you lose a lot of valuable time waiting around.

I can’t recommend Savannah Woods Safaris based on my experience. No one ever asked me for feedback afterwards, and after the booking was completed, I felt pretty much left on my own — which was disappointing, especially as a solo female traveler.