Maurice, Your Personal 24hrs Safari Consultant
Africa Safari Classics
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2008)
- Member Of:
- ATTA, ASTA, NTA & FTA
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $250 to $450 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
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Email Zach D | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great safari in Tanzania, Kenya & Rwanda
My wife and I hired Africa Safari Classics for our honeymoon to Tanzania, Kenya and Rwanda. We'd never been to East Africa or on safari so there was a learning curve to both. Maurice did a great job taking the ideal trip we described and turning it into an itinerary that worked for us. He took to heart that we wanted to prioritize time in the bush seeing animals and cared less about fancy lodging and amenities (this was hard to get through to other outfitters when we told them it was our honeymoon). Maurice's meticulous attention to detail put us at ease leading up to and during the trip. He was always available to answer questions, checked in about how things were going, and set us up with professional, smart and fun guides for each leg of our trip. I'd definitely recommend Africa Safari Classics to friends and family.
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Email Karen D | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
African Safari Classics is a top-notch tour operator that provides seamless, personalized experience
I recently traveled to Africa for two weeks of Safari Bliss. Our group included a childhood friend and two of his friends I had never met. We only agreed to the trip because our mutual friend had been on two previous safaris arranged by Africa Safari Classics, and Maurice (who made all the arrangements) curated a personalized trip for us based on all the favorite sites our friend had visited, along with some new ones. I would have been very hesitant to "shop" for a tour company online without firsthand knowledge of the experience I might hope to have. WOW - was I ever amazed by our incredible safari experiences in Kenya, Tanzania, and our final few days of relaxation in Zanzibar. I appreciate all the effort that went into making my trip memorable.
The sequence and flow of our itinerary were excellent. We started off with a day of leisure in Nairobi at the Tamarind Tree Hotel to adjust to the time change. Tours were arranged for us at the Giraffe Centre, Karen Blixen Museum, and a bead factory. I enjoyed each of these immensely (don't miss the Giraffe Centre for some great photo ops). We set off the next day for the first of our five-day Kenyan safari drives in Amboseli, beautiful Lake Naivasha, and the Maasai Mara Game Reserve. For the next phase of our adventure, we boarded a small plane for a flight to Central Serengeti in Tanzania. Everything was ready for us, and we said goodbye to our Kenyan driver, Boni, to be met at the other end by our Tanzanian driver, David. We enjoyed four days of game drives in the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, with a stop at Olduvai Gorge. The final part of our itinerary began with a flight from Arusha to Zanzibar for three final days of relaxation at the beautiful Next Paradise Resort. Each camp and lodge was unique and provided a different perspective of the region. The accommodations were comfortable and well-chosen, each with its own flavor, enhancing the overall experience. Maurice, our tour organizer, checked in daily with our drivers to make sure we were having a wonderful time, as well as checking in with me - I call that first-class service.
From the moment we landed in Nairobi, where our driver Patrick was waiting with a sign, to the arrangements at our final destination, everything was perfectly organized. The logistics were seamless and handled in true "Hakuna Matata" stress-free style. Africa Safari Classics will always be remembered by me as a "No Worries" company that embodies the true spirit of the people at every location I visited. I was able to thoroughly enjoy every moment of my vacation.
The food was delicious and varied, catering well to different dietary needs. We had a gluten-free member of our party and preferred more vegetarian options, which were available everywhere we stayed. The game drives were thrilling, with an abundance of wildlife sightings that exceeded my expectations. We had several, what I like to refer to as "National Geographic moments" that I will never forget. We were able to locate the Big Five must-see animals as well as many more varieties and amazing birds everywhere you turned. Each day brought new and exciting encounters. One week later, I am still sorting through hundreds of stunning photographs, trying to narrow down the best of everything that captured my heart.
Something to think about when you go on a safari: You will be spending hours and hours in your vehicles driving, from location to location and on the drives themselves. The drivers you will spend all that time with make all the difference in the world. We spent our first five days with the driver that our companion had traveled with on his two previous Kenyan safaris. His name is Kasimba Boniface, a.k.a. "Boni." He brings his 36 years of guiding experience and knowledge to your adventure, from finding the hard-to-spot animals and getting you up close and personal, to helping other guides get their vehicles out of the mud. All the other drivers call him "sir," and he is known and respected everywhere he goes. What he adds every day is a jovial spirit, a giant heart, and more laughter than our vehicle could hold - I haven't laughed this hard in years (don’t even get him started on the “Shewee”). He and Maurice helped make my birthday at Zebra Plains Mara Camp the most wonderful one I have ever experienced. If your excursion includes Kenya, you have to request Boni (and make sure to ask him to give you a demonstration of how hippos handle their poo). We had a wonderful driver in Tanzania as well. David was a gentle soul with a wealth of knowledge. He was fantastic about explaining all the facts about each animal, and he knew land sizes, populations, and so many details about everything we were seeing, like a walking encyclopedia. Boni and David were exceptional guides. Their knowledge, cooperation, and initiative greatly enriched the safari experience. They were attentive to our needs and provided excellent customer care, ensuring that every aspect of the trip was enjoyable.
Thank you, Africa Safari Classics, once again for organizing such a fantastic safari. I look forward to recommending your services to others and hope to travel with you again in the future. I left a part of my heart in Africa.
Best regards,
Karen
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Email Mitsue | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Awesome Experience!
My husband and I got to experience an amazing safari trip in Kenya.
The itinerary flowed smoothly, and the camps and lodges chosen met and sometimes exceeded our expectations.
Because the plane schedule from Kenya Airways changed suddenly, we lost a night at our final destination in Seychelles which was very disappointing and frustrating.
Maurice, our safari coordinator, was gracious enough to provide a substitute stay at a bed and breakfast high star hotel.
One of the first-class tent resorts that we stayed at included Little River Camp which was ideal for honeymooners with an emphasis on personal attention to you as a visitor.
Because there were so many moving parts regarding our stay in different tents and hotels, we were anxious in determining what was next on the agenda.
In spite of the time difference between Washington DC and Kenya, Maurice always answered the phone at all hours to answer our questions and he did it without complaint or showing the frustration that he must've surely felt.
Even during our stay when we were confused about what was the next event, Maurice in his usual calm way assured and guided us along the way of the event without hesitation or frustration.
We got to experience nature in action with a lioness hunting and feeding her cubs which is something very few people get to witness!
Tony, our safari driver was the perfect guide—very thoughtful, skilled, and very attentive of our safari surroundings.
With him we saw the big famous big 5.
He always had snacks and drinks on hand, along with his silly humor, which definitely added to the experience.
And he even took us to take a dip in the Buffalo Spring which was an unexpected bonus.
We got to converse with Maasai warriors in their village and visit their homes where they explained to us their way of life, the daily tasks and what it took to become a warrior.
We saw cheetahs hunting for their prey up close and personal.
In addition, several times we saw lions. One lion was in the high grass hiding from a group of gazelles as he watched their movements.
In another case we pulled up with 1 foot of pride of 7 lions leisurely relaxing after a kill. This was very scary because we were as close to them to become their next meal if they so chose to.
We fed an elephant from the back of our tent as we watched a group of monkeys called the Monkey Menace steal some of the food from the elephant.
Our trip ended up in Seychelles at a 5 star resort where the amenities were first class in every respect at the Kempinski.
Be aware that if you are going to tip for the services, the currency may be different in each region that you plan to visit.