Kikwetu CEO, guide and happy clients after a tour
Kikwetu Cultural Adventures
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2011)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $80 to $600 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
MX
Email Ingrid | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent advice, support and customer service on a custom made safari inside and outside Africa
This is the second time I am writing a review of my experience of traveling with Kikwetu Cultural Adventures. Last year, Ken Benson and his team organized an 80 day custom made safari through 7 African countries for me with such outstanding logistics and customer service throughout the safari, that this year I decided to turn again to Ken and his team to ask for his professional assistance in organizing a half-around-the-world tour for me.
I am 71 years old and decided that it was now or never for me to travel to some parts of the world which always have exerted a lot of attraction over me. I communicated to Ken via e-mail my ideas of where I wanted to go and how long I wanted to stay in each place and asked him to arrange flight connection, ground transportation, accommodation, sightseeing, etc. It turned out to be the safari of a lifetime:
31 days and 7500 km by road through rural and religious Ethiopia.
One week in Nairobi with visits to museums and galleries, the Sheldrick’s elephant orphanage,
a hike through Hell’s Gate close to Naivasha, Kibera slum and a very enjoyable walking tour through down town Nairobi which is especially recommendable on a Sunday.
Flight from Nairobi to Nampula and ground transportation to Nacala, Mozambique.
From Nacala, I had arranged for a freighter travel to Singapore with a stop over in Mauritius Island, but with three weeks on my hands while waiting for another freighter to come along and take me back home to Mexico across the Indian and the Pacific Ocean, Ken arranged for a 12 day safari in Indonesia, visiting Central and East Java, Sulawesi and Bali, and one week in Malaysia with highlights in Georgetown, Ipoh and Malacca.
My journey lasted 122 days and whenever network connections were available, Ken kept track of my travels and was in contact with me and/or the subcontracted provider to make sure, that everything went according to program and schedule.
It was a most gratifying experience and I want to thank Ken, Livingstone, Paul and the rest of Kikwetu Cultural Adventures for having made one more of my dreams come true.
There is no doubt in my mind that, if you are interested in a truly custom made safari inside Africa and in neighboring countries, Kikwetu Cultural Adventures is the best choice for getting what you are looking for with regard to advice, support, customer service and price.
IN
Email Kanika | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An Excellent Adventure of a Lifetime!
OUR TRIP TO KENYA!!!
We had the most beautiful holiday planned for us by the team of Kikwetu Cultural Adventures!!
A haven of wildlife, we had the most enriching experiences of our lives travelling across Kenya.
After all, it’s not every day that you see the king of the jungle being the target of prey by a herd of wild buffaloes or herds of Elephants from the littlest to the largest rushing to get their spot to bathe in the swamp or Lion cubs enjoying snuggling with their mum on a splendid calm morning or flocks of pink Flamingos’ gracefully adorning the edges of the lake...the list is never ending. Gazelles, Impalas, Giraffes, Zebras, Wilder beast, Cheetahs, Monkeys, Rhinos, birds a many...what splendid variety of wildlife one witnessed.
Laudable is the way our driver & guide Msagha took us through it all under tough weather conditions. The trip was planned to near perfection & our Safari to Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru & Amboseli ended with a trip to the fine beach of Watamu. The hospitality was great with comfortable accommodation and delicious food!!
Kudos to Kenneth, David, Msagha & Paul for having arranged it so beautifully for us.
A big thank you! We are sure to come back soon for more!!!
From all of us
Kanika Gulzar Amanat
Mumbai, India
Email Steve Hansen | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Outstanding service and awesome adventure
I feel lucky that I picked Kikwetu to provide a safari for 8 days. I was travelling with my wife and 2 young children and I think that I had sent about 100 emails to different companies. Kenneth from Kikwetu was the only one that took into consideration my young children and devised an itinerary that would ensure a great time for my whole family.
After about another 80 emails backwards and forwards with Kenneth. I decided to book with him.
I am so glad I did because we had an amazing time.
Livingstone our driver and guide was awesome. Driving safely to get us to the parks. And on game drives he worked hard to find animals for us. He seemed as excited as us when we found a cheetah with a fresh kill.
All the accommodation booked for us was awesome, great service and putting us right in the action.
The airline lost 2 of our bags on the flight into Kenya and Kenneth personally picked up our bags and brought them to us in the middle of our safari. Now that is service, he didn’t want us to miss anytime on safari. Thanks Kenneth it was much appreciated.
Do yourself a favour and book with Kikwetu you will be in good hands.
PT
Email Marta Barata | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Family magical moments
Kikwetu was incredible - they made us feel safe, lucky, special and gave us the most amazing moments of our lifes. Masagha (Livingstone) is someone that we feel like a fridnd today, as well as kenneth - is impossible dont feel the best for someone that care so good of me and my family. I’m working on coming back as soon as I can but only with kikwetu.
PT
Email Paulo Pina | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Safari
After convincing myself I would like to go on a safari adventure, I had to find a country and a travel agency.
After my research, I chose Kenya. The agency was what was left to choose. I searched the internet and found “Safaribooking”. This was the most complete site, as they have all the information you need.
I sent some price requests and from the beginning Kikwetu Cultural Adventures, including Kenneth, sent me the promptest replies. They respond quicky and efficiently in a very professional way.
I was a little afraid to make payments to a company I had never worked with, but after contacting some customers and Kenneth himself I realized I was dealing with honest people.
Until the day of our arrival, they have always given me all the information I requested.
From our arrival at Nairobi to our last day in Kenya, our guide – Livingstone Masagha – was amazing.
He is an excellent person, always ready to help us and worried about our well-being. Always searching for the wild animals we liked the most.
We started at Amboseli National Park, then Lake Naivasha and finally Masai Mara National Reserve. The latter the best.
This was an amazing vacation and a trip to remember.
I am alrealy organizing my next trip to Kenya and hope I will get to know other African countries, always with Kenneth helping me in the next safari adventures.
I truly recommend this agency. Do not search another…
FR
Email Bettina S. | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing 6 days Safari in Kenia to Amboseli, Nakuru and Massai Mara
We had an unforgettable 6 days Safari during the rainy season in Kenia. Kenneth was a great support in getting everything arranged, always available in case of questions and very flexible to adapt the planning of our safari to our wishes. Going to Kenia during the rainy season is an adventure and we would do it again, specially if we have a driver and guide like Linvingstone. He was great, he drove us everywhere very safely and managed to get through plenty of obstacles on our way. Without him, we would have never get this done. He was our driver all days long, as well during the gamedrives and his experience allowed us to see plenty of animals (elephants, rhinos, buffalos, lions, hippos, a python, hyanas, incredible birds, and much more...) His stories and our exchange with him about Kenia were excellent and made this trip an unforgettable moment in our life. Thanks to him once more for all his positive mindset and all he showed and shared with us. In case we come back, we surely would redo a safaris with him and Kikwetu.
US
Email Susan Y. | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Kenneth, a real find, responded quickly to each communication and quickly understood our desires.
Massai Mara and Nairobi Adventure
Excellent visit tailor made by Kenneth. Massai Mara with hard working Chris, guide/driver, produced leopard, lion, 5 cheeta brothers,a black rhino, elephants, giraffes, antelope relatives, beautiful birds. Interesting cultural visit with Massai people. In Nairobi visit to HIV+ women producing income for themselves through craft production and to sound studio for disadvantaged youth to record their music and launch into music world. Also excellent Art Gallery at National Museum and Karen Blixen home. Kenneth was completely responsive in planning all aspects. He listened, suggested and found what we wanted to see. Highly recommended. Met all expectations.
BE
Email Axel | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Thanks Kikwetu for taking so well care of us
We selected Kikwetu among other Kenyan agencies after smooth email and WhatsApp exchanges with Kenneth, tailoring our itinerary and lodge preferences. Our guide Livingstone provided excellent wildlife spotting in the National Parks and pleasant drives through the country side, with interesting conversations. We opted for a second week on lovely Wasini Island, and Kikwetu organised further transport to Mombasa and train tickets back to Nairobi. Thanks Kikwetu for taking so well care of us. We can warmly recommend this Team to other families.
HK
Email Christine | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Generally, the company service is good, helpful, solved problems in Kenya but no good in Tanzania.
Kenya
1. The driver was a good man, friendly, helpful, met the safari rundown, & solved the sudden big problems.
2. Our safari tour was joyful, and could meet our expectation.
3. The car was not so good, a Toyota van re-constructed, sitting were uncomfortable inside, esp. the first row space in middle was too narrow, couldn't spread our knee towards, too suffering in long distance.
4. The accommodation was quite OK, but the shower pressure & hot water was weak, no good.
Tanzania
1. The driver was puffed up with pride, bad manner, not friendly during his guide way.
shortened the safari tour timing and early returned back.
2. The packed lunch were served much, out of our expectation.
3. The scene and animals viewing was good, met our expectation.
4. Two times of accommodation were changed, not matched to the itinerary.
5. The tent living place was no good, the inside grounding was uneven & rough, ease hurt the feet, and the tent bound was not well protected, and much frightened the safety.
PT
Email Hugo | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fullfilled all that was agreed.
We asked for a half day tour in NNP, with a very early pick up at the hotel.
We were amongst the first ones in, just before sun rise.
Our driver/guide was very punctual, helpful with explanations and tried his best to show us all the highlights of the Park.
Kikwetu Cultural Adventures managed to give us exactly what we asked for. Comparing to the other companies we inqruired, they achived the best quality/price ratio.
I Will definitely recommend them to friends and family.