TW
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
I highly recommended
Our safari trip to Tanzania was unforgettable. Our guides took excellent care of us, handling every detail and even quickly fixing our vehicle when it broke down. The warmth of the local people added to the experience. We were incredibly fortunate to see a diverse array of wildlife, including elephants, giraffes, lions, and cheetahs. This journey showcased the best of Tanzanian hospitality and nature, leaving us with cherished memories.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
I Would Not Use This Company Again
I reached out to Apodiformes Adventures to book a private three day tour that included two nights in Amboseli National Park including 4 game drives over three days, transportation from Diani Beach to Mombasa train station, train tickets to Emali station (near Ambolseli), and finally transportation to Nairobi. Peter quickly responded and I started communicating with him to work out the details. After a few days of emails and what's app texts back and forth we agreed upon the details. One of the conditions was that we could pay with a credit card which we did for the initial deposit. Later however, he said he wanted to balance to be paid in cash in USD on arrival. I told him that wasn't possible because we were going to be in Africa for several weeks prior to this tour and didn't want to carry that much cash with us. Eventually he agreed to let us pay in credit card but insisted on an additional fee that wasn't previously agreed upon. This wasn't a deal breaker but in was the first in several instances where things weren't quite as initially stated.
Getting to the Mombasa train station and onto the train was an absolute fiasco. Our driver was supposed to pick us up at our hotel in Diani beach at 5am on Saturday in order to catch the 8am train. At 5am the driver was not there. This is where it gets tricky because at 5am (in the pitch black of night) there was a driver waiting at the hotel apparently arranged by the hotel. We got into his car and started driving. About :30min into the trip I asked him about the train tickets. He was confused because he thought he was taking us to the airport. At this point, I wasn't able to get a strong enough cell signal to call or text Peter, but the driver was able to finally get him on the phone. There was a lot of back and forth (and yelling) in Swahili over several calls that I didn't understand.
Once we did get to the train station, the plan was to wait for the other driver who we were told was an hour late getting to the hotel in Diani and he would come and give us the train tickets. This was not a good solution. First off security at the train station did not want us hanging around the parking lot. They said we had to either go thru the initial security check or leave. The train station was extremely chaotic. There were hundreds of people pushing and yelling and trying to get thru and we couldn't find any workers who spoke English to help us and I still wasn't able to use my phone. Peter and the other driver were trying to call me but none of the calls or texts were coming thru.
Eventually we did find a security guard who spoke enough English and was willing to help us. He took us thru security despite us not having tickets or a confirmation, and got Peter on the phone using his own phone. Peter then sent him copies of the ticket confirmation. He then whisked us into the lobby and told us to wait while he went and printed the tickets. Great! He came back gave us the tickets and pointed us to get in line. We waited in the line but when we got up front we were denied because Peter sent the guard the wrong ticket confirmation! The guard was gone and we were back to square one without tickets.
Keep in mind that the station is complete mayhem. At this point we tried to buy new tickets but the train was sold out. I was able to convince a ticket agent however to look up our names and reprint the tickets. This was much harder then it sounds but eventually they were able to do this but we had to pay an additional re-printing fee.
The original agreement included the transportation to the station and the train tickets, but we ended up having to pay the driver and the ticket re-print fee which was 30% of the price. When I asked Peter to reimburse us for these expenses he refused to do so basically blaming me saying it was my fault even though his drive wasn't on time.
We were met in Emali by David who would be our guide in Amboseli. David was wonderful. We thoroughly enjoyed ever minute with him especially the game drives.
We spent 2 nights at the Kibo Safari Camp and were supposed to do 4 game drives. One on the Saturday of arrival, two on Sunday, and one on Monday morning before heading to Nairobi by auto. However on Monday morning we were picked up in a vehicle (with a different driver) not suited for safari, so we headed to Nairobi without doing that fourth game drive. This wasn't a huge deal, but it was part of the agreement and payment. I never heard anything from Peter about this. In fact I never heard from Peter again after we arrived in Emali on the train. No follow up. I even waited three weeks to write this review to see if he or anyone from Apodiformes would contact me. Nothing.
This was not my first trip to Africa so I understand that stuff happens and things can go sideways. You have to be flexible. I get that, but the reason for this negative review is the lack of communication and follow up. The bottom line for me is that they over promised and under delivered which ended up costing us extra money out of pocket. I would not recommend Apodiformes Adventures.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Just Amazing
In April this year we visited kenya 🇰🇪, our plan was to visit Masai Mara but due to flooding, we couldn’t finish our trip , we were evacuated back to Nairobi.
We got an idea to visit Uganda , mostly to trek gorillas, we went on safari booking and azas safaris Uganda was popular for gorilla trekking , we chose 3 operators but azas was competitive and their quote was budget friendly.
We talked to prisca on WhatsApp, she planned our trip from Entebbe to Bwindi and back to Entebbe with in 3 days. It was perfect.
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very well equipped and excellent customer service .
We did 5 days delta and maromi reserve camping trip . Walking stick has an excellent team which makes the whole journey more magical. Our guide Dylos and Kenny , chef Prince and Richmond made sure that we were comfortable in all ways. Logistically everything was taken care of. We had hot shower everyday in the Bush which was a luxury. We hope to come back again and do a longer trip with the same team and definitely recommend Walking Stick everyone .
SK
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing!
Asante Bibi is simply amazing! We chose 3 days Safari tour and thanks to Asante Bibi we experienced one of the best days in our lives! Everything was greatly planned, transport, accomodation, food, Masai tribe and among other things we had an awesome guide who did his best for us to experience unforgettable days in Safari! We couldn't choose better.
The manager is super kind, trustworthy, friendly and a helpful person! Also, we recommend to take the train to Mikumi as per their advice, it's faster and super comfortable. :) Thank you so much, you're the best!
VE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
kind and responsible 🙏🏻
Totally worth it! Shebbie, the consultant, created a great schedule. Affordable price, new jeep, saw all animals, felt safe. Stayed at Suricata Boma Lodge, highly recommend!
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Perfectly organized Dream Holiday with the best Price Performance ratio
Let us begin with Jimmy, our tour guide and driver. We had a private vehicle and Jimmy was not only a safe driver and guide, he umpressend us with his Knowledge - so we could learn that much about Africa and the nature. He soon became our friend.
All accomodations were beautiful, clean and with spectacular views. The Journey far exceeded our expectations. The Impression were overwhelming and the people and the staff were so friendly and helpful. We felt safe all the time. It is not possible to describe all we experienced- you have to See it on your own with Jimmy and Trots&Safaris.
Get in contact with edison he will fulfill you every Dream.
Thanks Edison and Jimmy
Markus and Julia
AE
Outstanding.
Sebestian our tour guide made our entire trip awesome. He was through professional and took utmost care of our comfort and convenience.
He distinctively planned our tour.
Thanks Silas for crafting our trip.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Serengeti Clarity offers exceptional tours with cultural immersion and expertly guided safaris.
As a Thai-Italian couple based in London, we embarked on our honeymoon adventure in Tanzania. After extensive research, we chose Serengeti Clarity, a local tour operator owned and operated by Tanzanians, and it was the best decision we made.
From the very beginning, we communicated with Frank about our needs, budget, and style. He listened carefully and tailored our travel plan for us by starting with a 3-day, 2-night cultural experience at Osiligilai Maasai Lodge for us. This lodge, owned and operated by the Maasai people (the only lodge that the owner is Maasai), allowed us to immerse ourselves in their culture and support their community. The experience was truly enriching and authentic.
Our journey continued with a 5-day, 4-night safari tour arranged by Serengeti Clarity. Our guide, Ayubu, picked us up from our hotel and took us to Tarangire National Park. Ayubu’s knowledge and experience made our first safari unforgettable as he expertly pointed out and explained the wildlife.
Next, we spent two days in Serengeti National Park. Ayubu’s excellent time management and organization ensured we saw a wide variety of species, including the Big Five! Our final destination was Ngorongoro Crater, where, thanks to Ayubu’s patience and expertise, we witnessed lions, elephants, leopards, buffalo, rhinos, and even a cheetah family.
Traveling with Ayubu was a joy. He is attentive, helpful, and incredibly knowledgeable. His dedication to his job is evident, always going above and beyond to make our experience special.
The accommodations suggested by Serengeti Clarity were fantastic—clean, comfortable, and with delicious food. We felt pampered by the staff and even received a surprise honeymoon cake from the chef!
We are thrilled with our experience and wholeheartedly recommend Serengeti Clarity and Ayubu. Their professionalism and passion made our honeymoon extraordinary. We look forward to returning to Tanzania and will definitely choose Serengeti Clarity for our future adventures!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND KENSAI SAFARIS❤️❤️
I took my family to maasai mara and kensai staff were so helpfull to me,communication,transport,accommodation all of them was amazing i highly recommend them thank you kensai