Come As Guests, Leave As Family.
Odyssey Safaris
- Located In:
-
United States
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2002)
- Member Of:
- APTA, ATA & KPSGA
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $400 to $600 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
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Email Shirley | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our Odyssey Safari was a great value, well planned and included everything we wanted to do and see.
The key to a successful safari is your driver and guide, a small and compatible group and a company that works with you from planning to getting you back safely. Odyssey Safaris met this criteria. Once we decided which Safari to take, everything fell into place. Mark and Lucy were quick to respond to any question we had. Our accommodations were excellent, the lodges, food and settings. We traveled by Toyota 4 wheel drive, no mini vans. There were 6 of us, never having met before, but compatible. Our guide, Charles, kept us on schedule, whether on game drives, driving from one park to another ,or optional tours. He also knew the history of Kenya. He had a good sense of humor. He knew the names of all animals and could find them and always stop for our photos. He kept plenty of water in the vehicle for us. The roads in Kenya are not too good, so expect some bumps. You will get a list of what and what not to take. I recommend a pair of rubber shoes,( keen, or similar) that can be washed and worn the next day, NOT sandals. Take less clothing . we stayed in each lodge 2 nights making it easy to get clothes washed. Get 6 people and go together. It is an awesome adventure. Odyssey safaris will treat you well. remember ==some bumpy roads in Kenya. Oh, and yes, a great value compared to some other companies that take you to the same places for twice as much money.
CA
Email Judith | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Another Amazing Safari
We had travelled with Odyssey before, so when I went to book our Great Migration safari, I knew what I wanted - tweaking their base safari to cover a few things I had noticed and wanted time for. They were very agreeable, and arranged everything, even coordinating between ourselves and the 2 friends we were travelling with. One of our friends added an extra stay to the end of the itinerary and that was booked with ease. They even arranged a pleasant surprise for us in the form of very upgraded accommodations for two nights. Our driver/guide was terrific, and knowledgeable. 5/5 stars, would travel again.
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Email Ellen | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent value; wonderful trip
I had a wonderful experience with this trip. The travel was seamless, the staff helpful, the lodgings lovely, the food excellent, the wildlife terrific. You will be driving a great deal - some days upwards if 5-6 hrs. But I'm not sure how else you could see as much as we see; if you have back issues it could be problematic, but if you're ok with it and make sure to take care of yourself (stretch, etc.) you'll just love love love the experience. I'm very grateful.
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Experience level: first safari
Fabulous vacation; wonderful adventure
This was my favorite trip to date along with Tibet, which was also fabulous for different experiences. The entire trip was wonderful. Mark, with Odyssey Safaris, was great to work with. He was always easy to reach and so helpful with setting up our tour and answering questions. Could not have asked for anyone better. The trip to Kenya was outstanding even though the flights from the USA to Kenya were long. Everything flowed smoothly from the time we were met at the airport in Nairobi to the time we departed Nairobi. We felt safe the entire time. The lodges/tented camps were amazing with great meals and wonderful service. The people were all so friendly. Erastus, our guide and driver, was the best. We were four gals on an 8 day private safari and he had a great sense of humor and made the trip a lot of fun. He also had a great eye for spotting animals and thus we saw different animals & birds on each of our game drives. We saw 4 of the big 5; missed our leopard by 2 minutes but saw a cheetah! All other animals you would hope to see were everywhere in their glory! I would recommend everyone check out Odyssey Safaris if you are looking for a wonderful tour with easy and great planning, scheduling, lodging, meals, service, amazing game drives and an overall amazing experience.
CA
Email Carolyn Gilbert, Trenton, Ontario | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well organized, professional organization that cares about their clients and the animals.
From Day one when we signed up through a Groupon, we were impressed with the professionalism and consideration given by Mark Cahill and his staff. We initially were concerned about safety issues but every step of the trip was super organized and at no time did we feel our safety was at risk. Accommodations and meals were excellent and the wildlife viewing is out of this world. The guides did their best to ensure a safe trip but one with the most wildlife and daily outings. My husband became ill during our trip but with their concern for his well-being and his privacy, he was well looked after and able to continue the trip for the duration. If I am fortunate enough to travel to Africa again, I would certainly not hesitate to book with Odyssey Safaris in the future.
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Email RandyM | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a lifetime
After receiving quotes from many safari companies and after reading many reviews, we chose Odyssey Safaris. Mark Cahill offered a private safari that matched everything we said we wanted to see. He got us good flights and helped to resolve a last minute flight change due to an American Airline cancellation. Lucy and Beatrice made sure we were fully prepared for the trip. Our accommodations were great at all locations. The food was great and plentiful. We saw rhinos, leopards, cheetahs, lions, hyenas, and a multitude of grazers. We saw the great migration and river crossings at the Mara River. We spent three nights in Masai Mara, two nights in the Serengeti, two nights at the Ngorongoro Crater, one night in Lake Manyara. On the last day we visited Arusha National Park before traveling to the airport. Our Kenyan guide, Erastus, and our Tanzanian guide, Tadei, were exceptional. They got to where the animals were and made sure we had perfect spots to do our viewing. They were very attentive to our needs and our desires. Many thanks to everyone involved in making this a perfect trip.
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Email Jack and Connie | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The trip of a lifetime, amazing!!!!! We would highly recommend it to others!
The four different accomodations we stayed at were excellent, very clean! The staff members were very friendly and knowledgeable. With all the food being inclusive, it was fabulous and you could have as much as you wanted. We saw so many animals in their natural habitat, it was really breathtaking !The sunsets were beautiful! And one of our trips to Amboseli National Park was situated at the foot of snowcapped Mount Kilimanjaro! What a spectacular sight! The weather was very comfortable and we had no problems with mosquitoes! Of particular note was our individual guide, Erastas. He was extremely accommodating, taking care of all our needs. There were many bathroom stops along the way. There was an 86 year old woman in our jeep and he took extra care to ensure her comfort. It was impressive, He was very well informed regarding the wildlife we observed and he was willing to answer any questions we had. He coordinated well with the other guides to ensure that we got maximum exposure to as many animals as possible. Additionally and perhaps more importantly he was a perfect gentleman and a friendly companion! He is a credit to your organization. Thank you for such a great experience. We will never forget it! And our pictures are awesome!
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Email Sally Lazaro | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Odyssey Safari was more than I even hoped for. Every detail was taken care of and excellent!
The Safari from beginning to end was more than I even hoped for. Every detail was taken care of. The staff accommodations and everything in between was first class. As an American it was top of the line in Kenya Africa the way I wanted it to be. The Safaris did not disappoint. Saw all these different animals in their environment which was breathtaking. Many of the animals even crossed our paths.
I highly recommend this tour to anyone that is interested in the Safari. You will not be disappointed in any area of the trip.
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Email jennifer | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
unfortunate experience *updated*
Update February 2nd, 2017:
The owner of the company called me with concerns about my review, so I will clarify that further.
I said the food was not good, which was too blanket a statement. There was a buffet for every meal, and most people could find something in it that appealed to them. There was always a certain amount of Indian food, as Kenya has a large East Indian population. I wouldn't go expecting gourmet offerings, but the food was satisfactory. Mark (the owner) said he eats fruits and vegetables every time he goes there, but it seemed to me like no one wanted to risk it on my trip.
As for options that cost more, I was referring to side trips that are offered if you have the time.
Another point I didn't make in my review was to be sure to bring extra cash-like at least $250. There are many things you will need it for, and they gladly take American dollars, so no need to change money.
Original review:
My experience with Odyssey started out well: I though they had good communications and returned my emails and calls promptly. Where it all fell apart was when they had a problem with the return ticket and did not give me accurate and timely information. This caused me a lot of anxiety and anger, because they were not honest and forthcoming about what was happening. It turned out fine in that I did get home, but my feelings about the trip are tainted.
The tour itself seemed to be ok, with a lot of driving and very little rest or down time. Also, the food was not good. Many of the options are not really available at all, and most cost extra money.
I would caution anyone interested in this company to be aware of every detail stated in the package, and keep a careful eye on arrival times and any changes that are made.
Reply from Odyssey Safaris
Posted on Feb 2, 2017Thanks for taking my call today to discuss your trip and review. I appreciate your frustration with the return flight situation which was out of our control. I think we both understand that we were honest with what was happening, but had we been more thorough with information this would have alleviated any anxiety. For that we are sorry.
With regards to the food, thank you for your discussion regarding that comment. I hope you are able to add an update to this review with more detail. If I can summarize our discussion the food was satisfactory but because of some concerns arising from comments from health care professionals in the United States, there was anxiety about eating fruits and vegetables that couldn't be peeled. We don't feel this is accurate and I appreciate you sharing this with us so we can address this with travelers in the future. I hope we can see you in Africa again!
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Email Kyle S. | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great Experience
Our recent trip to Kenya with Odyssey Safari's was a delight. We saw the Big Five, the guides (especially Eliud) were fantastic, and the hotels were wonderful. For anyone looking to get a taste of Kenya and African Wildlife I highly recommend booking with Odyssey.