CH
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Marvelous trip thanks to Lion King
We made a marvelous Safari! The organization was perfect. Gama, our guide, give us the chance to discover the african nature. He was very prepared in fauna and flora and ready to answer all our questions. Thank for the amazing experience to lion King
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Highly disappointed in our guide!
My partner and I hired Apodiformes Adventures as our guide group for our 5 day Safari in Kenya during the end of July through beginning of August, 2024. Overall our experience with the company was ok, but there were a number of things that came up during our trip that were less than ideal. I have never written a critical review before but felt obliged to do so after reading the review from a group that hired Apodiformes a week or two prior to us, which mirrored our trip to a near uncanny level. As a point of reference, this is my tenth trip to Africa, second trip to Kenya, and I’ve spent a cumulative 8+ months working around the continent. The challenges of running a tour business are not lost on me, but there are certain items that could be easily remedied, and tour guides should be held to standard.
First, we had outstanding communication with the company during the planning process of the trip and were very pleased with the level of attention to detail provided by Fred who handled our booking. We received notice of the name of our guide the day prior to arrival and arranged a pickup at 7:30 am. Our guide assigned was Ken who picked us up and took us to the parking lot of a nearby shopping center 15 minutes from our hotel to meet up with the representative from Apodiformes and pay the second half of our fees in cash. This is something that could easily have been handled in the hotel lobby from the standpoint of making things feel more “professional” but not a big deal. We then started traveling to our destination of the Masai Mara where we were anticipating a half day game drive to start the trip. When we were first picked up from the hotel I noticed that the back tire of the vehicle was very low, but not fully flat. An hour into the drive, we pulled over into a side street and a guy began to change the tire. During this time, Ken never mentioned that we needed to get the tire fixed or even that we would be stopping. While this only took about 45 min to an hour, this cut into the time of our game drive and is something that easily could have been remedied the day prior to pickup since it was clearly noticed, or at least we could have been notified of when we first started the day and we would have been very understanding. These vehicles take a beating and things often break, it is understandable.
On the way to the Mara and throughout the vast majority of our trip, Ken was continuously on his phone with various calls and texts to the level that if I were to ask a question after he got off the phone, his phone would ring again before I could even get the question out. I’ll not belabor the point, but Ken would answer questions when directly asked (at times with a one word answer) but would very rarely offer information, guidance or discuss plans unless we brought it up first. This was the theme throughout the course of the trip.
Eventually we made it to the Mara and had a great evening drive. To his credit, Ken is an incredible driver. He was always able to get us right in the action, was able to communicate well with the other drivers, and could find us a variety of wildlife. I really appreciate his efforts in making all that happen and led to us overall having a positive experience on the various game drives.
Our first night stay we were told that the lodge we were to be staying at overbooked and that we would be moved to a new lodge – not a big deal however this was not communicated until we were almost at the replacement lodge. Overall the accommodations were good and seemed to be of similar quality to the intended location, but just raised an eyebrow. Either way, the accommodations that night were ok.
The next few days followed this general course with limited communication from Ken minus a few good conversations we were able to engage him in with some prodding. We were never really asked about our preferences, what we wanted to do/see, but when we directly asked he was accommodating and was generally good natured.
On our 4th of 5 days when we arrived at our last lodge we were told that we could have lunch and then go on the intended boat ride. Of note, the boat tour included a 45 minute walking tour through a preserve off-trail which neither Ken nor the staff let us know about. Thank goodness we wore boots rather than the sandals we were considering wearing because it was a “boat tour”. When we met up with Ken for the boat ride he told us something about a “terrible problem” that had happened to the vehicle and that it would need to be in the shop, meaning he could no longer drive us. He arranged a driver the following day to “take us back to Nairobi in the morning,” not mentioning the fact that we were planning to go to Hells Gate for a tour before returning. Because we had assumed we were getting back in the vehicle after lunch we had not fully cleaned/removed our goods from the safari vehicle, I thought that I had left my hat and asked him about it. He said he would give it the the driver for the next day and though I found the hat in my bag the following day, he never messaged or communicated that he did not find it in the vehicle. Given that the previous group on the review boards experienced the same “sudden vehicle trouble”, this is either a habit of Ken or Apodiformes in order to free the vehicle up a day early.
The driver who picked us up the following day was AWESOME. Great guy, very personable, super helpful. Went out of his way to help us have a good experience and even drove us around Nairobi looking for fabrics. A+ overall. Of note: His vehicle was a standard hatchback van and not a safari vehicle, so if we had planned on a driving safari through Hells Gate the following day rather than opting for a bicycle tour, this would have significantly diminished the experience. Finally, we had been told on the first day that the rep from the company would meet with us back at the hotel when we returned to Nairobi to close the loop, but never heard from them again after the first day. I was hoping to provide this feedback to them in person but did not get the opportunity.
My purpose of posting this review is to note that overall, we had a good time because my partner and I enjoyed each other’s company in the beautiful natural wonders that Kenya has to offer, and all of the lodges and parks we visited had outstanding staff that were exceedingly warm and welcoming. It seems that Apodiformis Adventures has a few quality improvement points to work on with their team. While I much prefer to provide feedback directly to companies rather than posting on a public forum, the similarities to the previously posted experience tell me that this is something systemic that needs to be addressed.
IL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Spectacular Safari with a Great Guide
We just returned from a fantastic safari and Zanzibar beach holiday with Serengeti Smile. The safari experience was truly spectacular, especially thanks to our amazing guide Joseph. In addition to his encyclopedic knowledge of the wildlife and his eagle eye for spotting animals in the bush, Joseph enriched us with his perspectives on Tanzanian culture, history and politics—and his great sense of humor. By the end of our safari, we felt that we had made a real friend in Joseph, through many hours of conversation in transit, over meals and even drinks at a local bar in Karatu on our last safari day (at our request, thanks Joseph!).
The comprehensive itinerary was well designed, covering the awe-inspiring, diverse landscapes of Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro. While we weren't lucky enough to catch the Great Migration, we came home with countless memorable moments, including two male giraffes fighting neck-to-neck, more lions than we expected to see, a wildebeest stampede at sundown and elephants so close you could practically touch them. The quality of the accommodation and food throughout was exceptional. Many thanks to Albert for his engaged responsiveness both in the planning stages and during our trip.
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very good
The guys at Suricata are spectacular. We did a 5-day safari (4 nights) with a stay in a lodge.
Everything was excellent from the welcome, to the lodges, to the food.
We recommend booking directly with them without going through agencies.
Last mention for the guys who accompanied us and for those at the lodges: we left a piece of our heart there.
(automatic translation from Italian)
OM
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable Kenyan Adventure with Exceptional Service
Our three families (13 pax) had the most incredible trip to Kenya, exploring Masai Mara, Naivasha, and Amboseli. From start to finish, the experience was seamless and memorable, thanks to the meticulous travel arrangements and the selection of hotels.
A special mention must go to our tour operator, Judy. Her dedication and commitment were truly impressive. When Kenyan Airways left our checked-in baggage in Dubai, Judy went above and beyond to ensure it was delivered to our hotel in Masai Mara. Her assistance was invaluable, and she made what could have been a stressful situation into a smooth and manageable one.
The accommodations were excellent, and every detail was thoughtfully arranged. The landscapes were breathtaking, and the wildlife experiences were beyond our expectations.
We highly recommend this tour to anyone looking for an unforgettable Kenyan adventure. Kudos to Judy and the entire team for making our trip so special!
Helpful Tips for Future Travelers
1. If you're flying with Kenyan Airways, be mindful of your checked-in luggage. We faced a delay with our bags left in Dubai. Pack essentials in your carry-on just in case.
2. Your safari experience largely depends on your safari driver. Be choosy in that.
FI
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Really easy booking and all works
I have great safari, New experiences again and everything goes well with African Bush Explorer, good driver with good safari car, i get much good pictures and memories again👍
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Outstanding company and service ensured an unforgettable experience and the holiday of a lifetime!
My husband, son and I have just experienced the trip of a lifetime organised by Speke Uganda & Rwanda and our UK tour operator Turquoise Holidays. We spent four wonderful days gorilla trekking and seeing the golden monkeys in the Virunga National Park in Rwanda staying at the breathtakingly beautiful Virunga Lodge as our base.
We would like to give a special mention to our outstanding guides, Gerard and Africano, with our local agents Speke Holidays Uganda & Rwanda. They accompanied us from the moment we arrived at Kigali airport, throughout our trip each day until our return flight. Their warm welcome, extensive knowledge, passion for their countries and wildlife as well as their genuine care for us made this an unforgettable experience and one we will treasure for a lifetime. All of our needs and requests were fulfilled and they showed marked flexibility and understanding in ensuring our itinerary was just perfect. They are both very special people and a credit to their company and country. Our sincere gratitude will remain with them always. As we left them at the airport to return home, we sensed we would hold their presence forever in our hearts.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A very friendly professional company
Frederick was absolutely brilliant from start to finish. He was helpful and at all times answering my questions within a timely manner. What he promised he delivered on. Very good value for money. Accommodation was amazing, and the food wonderful. The driver was knowledgeable and again very friendly. Whilst on Safari driver listened to what we wanted to see and do. Cannot praise them enough. Once in a lifetime experience and glad we went with peak seasons
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Madagascar is a unique country in the world, 13 days in Madagascar in mid-July
Travel is not all about comfort but it’s all part of the adventure. We had a lot of fun on our trip, we were a group of friends of 5 people. The agency offered us a trip according to our budget, the hotel is average category, not all hotels are welcoming but the main thing is that we had everything. What I loved was the sunset over the baobab avenues, it was magical and exceptional. Thanks to our guide Gervais, and our driver Rija, funny and professional people. Thanks also to Theresia, the agency manager who is always available for us and always satisfies our requests. Madagascar we will come back for another tour :)!
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
The most professional & experienced company out there.
Classic Journeys has a personal touch like no other safari company...the fabulous game drives with the industry's most knowledgeable guides are peppered with fun and exciting extras...'sundowner' cocktails on the savannah, upclose visits to animal sanctuaries, breakfast with hippos and dinner with elephants!
A safe and elegant adventure that will change you forever. The value is unsurpassed for the activities and food/lodging included...luxury in the wild for sure. We'll be back.
