Elevate Your Escapes
Splendid Vacations
- Office In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2023)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $120 to $900 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
CN
Email Michelle | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An Unforgettable Safari Experience with Exceptional Service
My husband and I were visiting Kenya for the first time to do a safari. Brenda's professional responses and thoughtful communication made us feel at ease before the trip. We are also very grateful for our guide and driver, Julius, who took us to Nakuru Lake and Masai Mara National Reserve. He seemed to have an extraordinary sense of smell, as we managed to spot 16 lions, which was unbelievable! On the last day, as we were heading from Masai Mara to Nairobi airport, we encountered a huge traffic jam. Without Julius, I think we might have missed our flight. We were very lucky to have such a great operator and service for our first safari experience.
AE
Email Vidya Shyam | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best
We were able to see Big 5, Wilde Beest Migration, Live Hunt of Wildebeest by Lion , Leopard, Cheetah and so much more at Mara all Thanks to our Tour Guide Alex . He was so enthusiastic and energetic to show us Big5 and everything that Mara camp can offer.
We were also able to see Mt.Kilimanjaro clearly , watch the herd of elephants and zebras cross our path , able to click good pics of Elephants with the back drop of Mt.Kilimanjaro- all thanks to our another Tour Guide James.
We got very food Vegetarian meals at all
Hotels . The chef at Zebra Plains Mara Camp took extra effort and care and cooked us special Vegetarian Picnic lunch as our kids were not fond of menu items. Our night View of Sky at Tulia Amboseli was marvellous. We saw Milky way galaxy and so many sparkling stars for the first time in life.
Balloon Safari was also well arranged and we all enjoyed it thoroughly.
Totally it was an unforgettable beautiful trip for us and kids.
US
Email Nishanthi Perera | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
They were very knowledgeable and went out of their way to so we can have a memorable experience
We had an amazing 8-day safari through Kenya and Tanzania with Splendid Vacations, covering Lake Nakuru, Masai Mara, Serengeti (North & Central), Ngorongoro, and Amboseli. The entire experience was seamless and unforgettable!
Alice did a fantastic job planning the trip—super responsive, patient, and detail-oriented. All our accommodations were excellent, blending comfort with the authentic safari feel.
Special thanks to our guides, Masila (Kenya) and Tony (Tanzania), for their incredible wildlife knowledge and perfect positioning for photography. Thanks to them, we saw the Big Five, cheetah kills, the Great Migration, and so much more.
Highly recommend Splendid Vacations—they made our dream safari a reality!
An Unforgettable 8-Day Adventure with Splendid Vacations
We booked an 8-day Kenya and Tanzania safari with Splendid Vacations, covering Lake Nakuru, Masai Mara, Northern and Central Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and ending in Amboseli. The experience was absolutely amazing from start to finish.
Alice did a superb job organizing and tailoring the itinerary to suit our preferences. She was extremely patient, responsive, prompt in communication, and incredibly accommodating. Her efforts resulted in a seamless, well-coordinated safari across both Kenya and Tanzania.
Our accommodations included:
• Sopa Lodge (Lake Nakuru)
• Zebra Plains Camp (Masai Mara)
• Tanzania Bush Camp (Northern Serengeti)
• Mewe Tented Camp (Central Serengeti)
• Country Lodge Karatu (Ngorongoro)
• Oilepo Amboseli (Amboseli)
Each place offered impeccable rooms, delicious food, and exceptional service. The mix of hotels and bush camps created the perfect balance between comfort and authentic safari adventure.
Alice promptly addressed every request or clarification we had, both before and during our trip, which added to our confidence and comfort throughout the journey.
Special thanks to our amazing guides/game drivers: Masila in Kenya and Tony in Tanzania. Their excellent driving skills, deep knowledge of wildlife, and thoughtful attention ensured we had the best possible sightings. They consistently positioned the vehicle perfectly for photography and went above and beyond to make our game drives unforgettable.
Thanks to them, we saw the Big Five and countless other animals up close in their natural habitats.
• Kenya highlights:
• A cheetah with its prey
• Two lions with a hippo kill
• A leopard feasting on its prey
• Numerous white rhinos
• Several lion prides
• Special mention to Masila for his tireless efforts in tracking and finding the elusive leopard
• Tanzania highlights:
• Witnessing the Great Migration
• Lion prides with playful cubs
• A cheetah with its cub and a fresh kill, up close
• Flocks of flamingos
Overall, we had a phenomenal safari experience. We highly recommend Splendid Vacations to anyone planning their next African adventure. The trip was excellent value for the quality of service, attention to detail, and unforgettable memories created. We would absolutely book with Splendid again for our next safari!
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Email Steven | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Ran into organizational problems
I am afraid our eight-day trip with Splendid Vacations wasn’t the five-star experience that the majority of other customers have had. Our driver, John, was very good, and we saw a lot of of animals; however, the company’s scheduling was often off-the-mark. For example, the planned 5 AM pick up time for our hot air balloon ride was changed to hours earlier, resulting in a significant lack of sleep, to say the least.
But the absolute worst situation occurred on our last day, where Splendid Vacations alerted me with less than 24-hours notice that our next day’s afternoon flight from Amboseli to Nairobi didn’t have enough passengers to warrant the trip (did no one realize this anytime sooner?!) I had to scramble to reorganize things, which caused us to lose out on our Masai village visit, and forced us to find something else to do in Nairobi following what was now an early morning flight (and we had already spent a full day touring Nairobi at the start of our trip).
We ended up touring Nairobi National Park in a land cruiser that had a pop-up roof which suddenly collapsed several times, barely missing my wife’s head at one point. The driver seemed inept at taking care of things, and also had a personality that made us feel like we were on our way to a funeral! Even though Splendid Vacations moved some things around, we ended up settling for lunch at the same place we had eaten a week earlier, and I’m sure I ended up taking a loss on a lot of of prepaid money as a result of all this.
Reply from Splendid Vacations
Posted on Jul 12, 2025Thank you for your feedback! We're delighted to hear that you had a wonderful experience on your safari with John.
However, we would like to take this opportunity to clarify a few essential points regarding the above review:
Early Pick-Up for the Balloon Safari
In the Masai Mara region, there are several balloon safari companies, each with its own standard operating procedures that are beyond our control. The specific pick-up time for the balloon safari is determined by the location from which clients are flying in, the Masai Mara, and the hotel where you are staying. In our client's case, they were flying from the Mara North area, which necessitated an early morning pick-up. It's worth noting that the day before the balloon ride, the balloon company sent a team member to our client's hotel to conduct a comprehensive briefing. During this briefing, they discussed the pick-up times, safety precautions, and the amenities that would be provided during the balloon ride, ensuring that our clients were well-informed and comfortable.
Scheduling of the Domestic Flight
We had arranged a domestic flight for our clients from Amboseli to Nairobi's Wilson Airport on the final day of their trip, initially scheduled for 3:30 PM. Unfortunately, we received an email from the airline the day before, stating that they could not meet the required minimum of four passengers for this flight. As a result, they rescheduled it to an earlier morning flight departing Amboseli at 8:10 AM and arriving at Nairobi at 9:00 AM. We promptly notified our client of this change to ensure they were fully aware of the new flight schedule. However, we offered an alternative plan: forgoing the early morning flight and driving back to Nairobi instead. This option would have allowed our clients to enjoy additional time exploring Amboseli Park and visiting a Maasai Village without feeling rushed, given that their flight back home was scheduled late at night that day.
However, our clients opted to take the rescheduled flight. As a gesture of goodwill, we provided our clients with a complimentary tour of Nairobi National Park and lunch to avoid staying at the airport for a long time waiting for their flight back home.
In our ongoing efforts to enhance our clients' experiences, we have raised concerns with the domestic airlines regarding their policies. We are advocating for a revision of their operating procedures in scenarios where the number of passengers fails to meet the minimum requirements for flights.
We appreciate your understanding and support as we strive to improve our services.
Email Cynthia | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Professional, well planned and reliable 6-day safari in Kenya
As a sole traveler, I was searching for a safe, reliable and tailored trip in Kenya a Splendid Vacations delivered exactly that.
From the very beginning until the end of our safari trip, Alice was incredibly supportive and responsive – always ready to answer any questions and help accommodating every request I made.
My driver-guide John was one of the most experienced and knowledgeable in the company, and the responsible for the smooth and wonderful trip. I never felt more safe. We were incredibly lucky cheetahs in a hunt – an unforgettable moment for both of us!
Highly recommend Splendid Vacations to anyone looking for a professional, friendly, and well-organized safari experience.
Email Jade Fernandes | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Absolutely unforgettable safari experience!
We recently returned from the most amazing safari adventure, all thanks to Splendid Vacations! From our very first consultation to the booking process and the actual safari itself, everything was seamless and so well organised.
A huge shoutout to our wonderful tour consultant, Alice, who was simply fantastic. She was always available to answer our endless questions, patiently helping us fine-tune every detail. She put together an itinerary that was exactly what we dreamed of — and more!
Our game drivers were equally incredible. In Kenya, we had Caleb, and in Tanzania, Erick. Both were absolute pros — friendly, knowledgeable, and knew exactly where to find the animals. Thanks to them, we saw the Big 5 and so many other animals up close in their natural habitat. The highlight was definitely the balloon safari over the Masai Mara and watching the lions ravish their morning kill up close.
The accommodations — a mix of hotels and bush camps — were perfect, each one adding to the authentic safari feel while still being comfortable and welcoming.
We can’t thank Splendid Vacations enough for making this dream trip a reality. If you’re considering a safari, we wholeheartedly recommend them — you’ll be in excellent hands from start to finish!
VN
Email Hien Luc | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well-organized itinerary, thoughtful and realible services
The itinerary was well-designed with a wide range of activities, while still balancing sightseeing and relaxation time. The drivers’ communication network was highly efficient, which allowed us to visit all the Big Seven.
Warm, reliable, and professional
We had an amazing experience with Splendid Vacations!
From the very beginning until the end of our safari trip, Alice was incredibly supportive and responsive – always ready to answer any questions and help with every detail.
Our driver-guide Willy was very experienced and knowledgeable, making the whole journey smooth and enjoyable. We were incredibly lucky to see the Big 5 on our very first safari – an unforgettable moment for all of us!
Highly recommend Splendid Vacations to anyone looking for a professional, friendly, and well-organized safari experience.
US
Email John | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Thoughtful, Accommodating, Friendly and Insightful
We went on the 6-day tour of Kenya going to Tsavo West, Amboseli, Lake Naivasha and Masai Mara. Private tour with my wife and I, and of course with expert driver and tour guide Masila! He was funny, knowledgable about animals, parks and general cultural tidbits while also keeping things light "Hakuna Matata" style. Looking back, not only did we see basically everything we wanted to see, but the hotels were also fantastic. Kilaguni Serena in Tsavo West had an epic view of a watering hole where I stayed for hours watching animal groups come and go with so many interesting interactions - one of the highlights of the trip for me. The hotel in Lake Naivasha was both stunning, from an architectural perspective, but it was also filled with Zebras, Giraffes, Monkeys and even Hippos at night - it was magical. The best animal viewing, in my opinion, was in Masai Mara, where we were lucky to see a leopard eating a recent killin a tree with a pack of 4 lions underneath stalking the leopard while hyenas ran around in the background - super cool. Masila did a great job of navigating the park to help us find Lions, Cheetahs, etc while also being more humane regarding animal interactions - giving them space to ensure they felt safe, which we liked. The entire trip was easy to plan thanks to Maryanne and everything ran smoothly, even with a few add-ons to fill up the last day where we had a very late flight out of Nairobi (Giraffe Center next to Giraffe Manor and also dinner at a nice hotel). One warning would be that the drives in-between the parks were a bit longer than expected (4-5 hours), but seeing the country through different viewpoints and in different climates added to the experience. Overall we were very happy with the experience and it's great value for the services provided - would absolutely go back to Splendid for our next safari adventure.