Cherish Africa Safaris Team
Cherish Africa Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2023)
- Member Of:
- IATA, SATOA, Magical Kenya & TRA
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $130 to $800 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Zach T | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceptional Experience With a Knowledgeable Guide
The 7-Day Mid-Range Kenya Safari with Cherish Africa Safaris was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, where I had the opportunity to see all the best sights across Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, Maasai Mara, and Lake Naivasha.
When selecting a safari, I wanted to explore as many parks as possible within a 7-day window and, ideally, book with a smaller operator, believing they might be more invested in delivering an exceptional experience. This team exceeded my expectations—particularly Francis, a guide with over 20 years of safari experience, whose knowledge and patience ensured I saw all the wildlife each park had to offer.
Here’s what you should know:
You will encounter an incredibly broad array of animals across these parks, each with its unique geography and concentration of species. I won’t spoil it for you, but we managed to see the Big 5, the Ugly 5, and every animal in between. Trust Francis when he advises patience or tells you it’s time to move on. He is in constant radio communication with other guides and has a deep understanding of animal behavior, so you’ll quickly triangulate on rare sightings.
The pre-booking logistics were seamless. Communication was done via WhatsApp, and the booking process was straightforward. Pesapal is the payment platform used, and while I had some trouble using certain credit cards, don't worry—it’s legitimate. The Cherish Africa team was responsive and helped me troubleshoot any issues.
The accommodations and food at each stop were comfortable and authentic. Each lodge had its own unique charm, and I was pleasantly surprised each time. I booked somewhat last minute, so at Lake Naivasha, I wasn’t able to stay at the intended lodge and had to stay at a local hotel instead. However, that was understandable from my perspective.
The only drawback of trying to visit four parks in seven days is that it obviously involves long drives between parks, in addition to the hours spent in the vehicle during game drives. This would be the case with any safari operator, but depending on your age and comfort in a land cruiser, you may want to opt for a longer safari duration or visit one fewer park. I had read many reviews about attempting four parks in one week, so I was prepared (and excited) for the long days.
Overall, Cherish Africa Safaris delivered a well-rounded safari with excellent value, and I would highly recommend them to anyone!
CA
Email Krishna H | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent at organizing Safari
Very positive experience of going on safari with Cherish Africa Safaris!
Esther was patient and proactive in answering all questions before booking. I selected Cherish after checking with almost 10 different operators. They understood the requirements, were good on delivering at very competitive price.
Vehicle and all accommodations were excellent. Especially Sopa lodge in Naivasha and Nakuru. Only miss was accommodation in Masai Mara was outside the park and not in. But in the end it did not make a big difference.
Lastly, crucial things tour guide and animals one gets to see on safari. Francis was an excellent guide throughout the safari. He was good at coordinating with other guides and locating animals, willing to spend enough time to photograph and stopping vehicle at right places to click the photographs. It was fun to ride along and chat with him during loong drives between the parks. He coordinated with restaurants proactively to arrange food in time to optimize time in the parks.
Great experience overall, thanks Cherish, Esther and Francis.
One tip: select and focus in visiting 2 places only if you are there for photography and trip is for one week. While it is possible to visit 4 places( Masai Mara, Amboseli, Nakuru and Naivasha) it is very exhausting and involves a lot of time on roads with heavy traffic driving for hours. In the end it feels rushed without exploring the park properly.
Email Brin | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well curated tour.
We had an unforgettable 8 day tour including Ol Pejta, Lake Nakuru, Maasai Mara, Hell's Gate NP and Amboselii with Francis. We were pleasantly suprised with the amount of wildlife in early January. Francis is well respected amongst other game drivers which helps during the drives.
Francis was very knowledgeable and experienced. He also gave us a great insight into Kenyan life and politics. The accomadation felt luxury despite booking a mid range. Staff were very responsive in the booking phase especially from Australia. I would not be phased by the lower volume of reviews for this independent local company.
We would most definately recommend Francis and his team at Cherish Africa to our peers.
CH
Email Rosa Maria | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
well organized safari with competent driver
the communication with Esther from Cherish safaris was top.We felt good the whole time!
Email Meg | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Well organised, great value and good vibes
Cherish were an amazing company. We did the five day safari to Amboseli, Tsavo East and West. We were completely looked after the whole time from having water in the car, meals and accomodation sorted seamlessly and an amazing safari experience. Our guide Francis shared information about Kenya beyond the national parks. He was a complete expert about the animals within the parks and chose the best positions to see the animals up close by knowing how the animals would move. He also gave great tips on where to take the best photos and knew where the lighting would be good. We saw leopards, lions, elephants, hippos, buffalos, cheetahs, wildebeest, zebras, giraffes, a tsavo cat and many more. Frances was fun and happy to be around. Our accommodation was amazing with great views, food and facilities. Frances gave us the option to tailor parts of the trip including having a packed lunch in the park, which we loved. The vehicle was very comfortable and we always felt safe. Would recommend 1000/10
AE
Email Antoine | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great safari, amazing experience !
We had a fantastic safari, the tour and the driver of the safari was really good, we had the chance to see the big 5 in just a day, and all the safari was a dream. They also helped us to organize an unforgettable birthday for my girlfriend, thanks for helping us organizing this!
Email Russel | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Brilliant
My first trip to Kenya and couldn't have picked a better company, I wanted to photograph birds and Francis was a great help.
Book with them again.
AE
Email Harshada Shetty | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very good
Always available, pretty clear with their itinerary and even the guide was really good, he set our expectations right.
Good service with reasonable price
The operator was good from the beginning with smooth communication. The accommodation we had planned to stay at was full, but they immediately suggested an alternative hotel. The room was clean. Also, the price was reasonable.
Thank you for the wonderful experience given to us.
LU
Email Aran | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent, informative, good natured, accommodating and helpful,
I had a truly unforgettable experience, everything was very easy and straight forward. I saw the animals up close and in an incredible way. I always felt comfortable and had a great experience with the driver. I cannot recommend enough. My experience with the company was also great as I booked late and got very quick information, feedback and confirmation. They also checked in regularly. Outstanding experience overall.