CA
The best experience I've ever had, physically and emotionally
Words can not express how grateful I am for African traits.
I did the 7 day lemosho route to the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro.
I would strongly advise anyone and everyone to go with African traits. This company went over and beyond for me multiple times, especially before, during and after my hike was finished. I first learned about this company through word of other people who went with them. I am from Canada and wanted to go through a local company in Africa. I had many options but my decision was easily made with African traits. A few months before I departed for my adventure in Africa I had been messaging Godfrey Willy on many questions and specifics. My first was the price, I am a 22 year old who needed to have a reasonable price. For my experience on mount Kilimanjaro I would have paid double, that's how much I appreciated it. Godfrey (African traits) was very professional with quick responses and detailed answers. The guides, porters and everyone else on the mountain with us were so loving, helpful and caring. Teaching me their language and all about their culture, while giving me facts about any and everything on the mountain. From animals to plants to any other facts you wanted to know. I could write a very long and detailed review but I will leave it to me achieving the top of Mount Kilimanjaro with ease of the help of my guides, and leaving the mountain with my heart full of beauty and new friendships. I would do this again and i still crave the food I ate on the mountain. If you have any questions I would love to answer any of them. Contact me on my email [email protected]
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Terrible safari with Tracks Berg Travel and KABS (kenyan adventures and beyond)
I am usually reluctant to give a poor review as sometimes circumstances arise that can make things difficult for tour operators, in this case though I have no qualms in writing this review on two companies that should quite frankly not be allowed to work in this industry. Below are the facts of what happened with our Safari, its long winded but I think it’s important to be accurate. The excuses and lies, the attempts to shift blame backwards and forwards were appalling. I don’t doubt the same excuses will be thrown up in response to my review.
We contacted Kenyan Adventures and Beyond (KABS) (owned by Doc Wilfred Omae) to organise our safari, we had used him 5 years ago, and things had gone pretty well. I paid Doc a 50% deposit several weeks before arriving in Kenya as requested so that he could secure and pay for all our accommodation. The remainder was to be paid on arrival in Kenya a few days before our safari started. Three days before the safari Doc sent Erick Muchai who introduced himself as our driver/guide for the safari to collect the remainder of our payment. Erick arrived with another man who he introduced as A###(not sure he was involved in this so will keep his name) . I paid Erick the balance in cash for the amount previously agreed, Erick had no means of giving a receipt so I had him hand write a receipt and he promised doc would send an official one (never received). Erick soon returned saying I was $50 short, on talking to Doc he told me he uses the KWS rate for exchange not the international rate, on this I did not agree but told him with a smooth safari I’d be happy to pay the $50 as a bonus.
On the day of our safari Erick arrived in a van again with A### . We were wondering whether we had a driver and guide or what, we loaded our gear and left our friends house. Around the corner about 500 meters from departure the van stopped at a Matatu stop and Erick got out of the Van and told us as he had a family emergency and could not take us on safari and that A### would be our driver(quite obviously Erick had no intention of being our guide, the first of many lies). As we had distance to make to our first park and afternoon game drive we decided to keep our questions till we got to the lodge. On arrival, I immediately sat down with the driver and asked him who Erick actually was, he produced a card for Tracks Berg Travel (owned by Erick Muchai) on asking the driver who he worked for he said Erick, clearly though the van had another companies name on it. It became apparent that Doc had subcontracted to Erick who had subcontracted to another company . The Driver had no idea of our program and had us returning a day earlier than what we had booked.
On the second night in Amboseli A### approached our dinner table with the news that the 2 nights’ accommodation had not been paid for, phone calls to Erick and Doc both came with assurances that it was sorted, when asked how it was sorted I continually got "don’t worry its sorted" over and over and was cut off several times, a complete loss of appetite and a sleepless night followed. As we were about to depart the lodge in the morning we were informed the accommodation bill still had not been paid. The lodge manager very kindly let us go and said he would pursue KABS for payment, at this time also A### informed us that he only had money for 1 more days’ park fees in Tsavo West. At this point we made the decision we would not dip into our pocket as we felt that we would never see that money again, and we would return to Nairobi if we had to and pursue the matter through the police.
Erick was blaming Doc for not sending money, Doc was blaming Erick for subcontracting further (I have the emails detailing all this). Erick also would not agree that as he had accepted the contract and a large pile of cash from us already that he was responsible for getting money from Doc and would not spend any of that money for our accommodation, neither taking any responsibility and blaming each other we had no way to turn, it reeked of a very well-orchestrated scam.
On arrival in Tsavo West I enquired if that accommodation there and the accom at Tsavo East had been paid for, I was told by lodge staff that it had been.
After leaving Tsavo west, the driver had no money for park fees so more phone calls were made and we waited in Voi for quite some time for money to come through to pay for our entry into Tsavo east. Eventually only enough money for 1 day’s entry not the 3 days came through. Each day the driver left the Park (thankfully the park left us in the lodge) and waited for money so that he could pay park fees.
After 3 nights in Tsavo East we went to leave the lodge at 9.15am for the drive back to Nairobi and were told we could not leave as 4 nights (tsavo east and west) had not been paid, on pointing out to the lodge manager that both lodges had assured me on enquiry that it had been paid I was told that parties involved had convinced them not to further upset the clients and that payment was forthcoming, also a further $120 US in Park fees was due at 11am. This was very clever in that it robbed us of 3 days in which to bring more pressure to bear on the operator and dumped us in a very stressful last morning situation where I believe we were expected to cave in and pay for our accommodation a second time just to get the hell out of the mess.
The lodge manager at this time whilst conferring with head office learned that KABS had done this previously and had still not paid that bill hence they had no choice but to hold the driver and us.
Thankfully during this entire process a very dear Kenyan friend in Nairobi had been battling for us on the phone for hours every day, cajoling and in the finish threatening police action to get money for park fees, (she was being lied to also about the accommodation). At 10.55am payment came through and we were allowed to leave. The final note was on the journey back I put petrol in the car as the driver claimed no money and that he had already been making up shortfalls all trip.
3 days prior to the finish of our safari Doc requested a meeting on return to Nairobi to explain the problems we were experiencing, I saw this as a delaying tactic to prevent us taking action and refused the meeting requesting only the remainder of the trip be trouble free, I was assured this would be the case, again another lie.
Erick also jumped up and down and said he would be reporting KABS to the tourist police but has not responded to our enquiry on how that complaint stands or to give us a reference that we can use in our own complaint, I believe confirming that these guys have worked this together before. Searches on the web since have revealed several very poor reports on their business practices.
Both Kenyan Adventures and Beyond safaris (based in Mombasa) and Tracks Berg Travel (based in Nairobi) should not be in business but will no doubt continue their dodgy ways, best I can do is tell people to avoid them like the plague or any business they may start or associate themselves with in the future.
US
Experience level: first safari
Great experience
This was our 1st time to Kenya. We really enjoyed every moment of it. It surpassed our expectations. Our trip organizer (Kennedy) did a great job arranging everything. All my communication was through email and did not have any issues. He was very flexible with payments and quick at replying back. Our driver (Jackson) for the safari was great and was very knowledgeable. The accommodations were suitable. Food was good as well. Masai mara was a good location. Lake Nakuru - did not see as much, but good for flamingos. Lake Naivasha- great for bird life. Safety was never an issue. Overall great 1st experience.
US
Fabulous scenery. The Big Five in abundance plus wild African dogs.
I spent two weeks in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve volunteering with the biennial herbivore census through Earthwatch.org. I was trained in how to use a GPS, range finder and compass. For two straight weeks, I spent each morning, dawn till about 10:30 am, hiking through the bush alone accompanied by just one ranger with a big gun. I came within a few meters of lions, a leopard, elephants, both white and black rhino, cape buffalo, zebra and a wide range of other ungulates. The scenery is fantastic. There were many birds but I am not a birder so cannot comment on this. I slept in a tent to the sounds of lions and hyenas. I got to know Zulu rangers and workers despite our limited understanding of each other's language.This opportunity does require that you be in good enough shape to hike up to 9 or 10 miles a day at about 2.5 miles an hour plus be strong enough to get into a tree quickly with a boost from the ranger. I am 68 and a woman and was able to do this trip easily, including getting into a tree. However, I did work out for months in preparation for the trip. Well worth the effort.
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Pleasant communication and lots of smiles
Soul of Tanzania was able to give me a suitable package, since I'm traveling alone. Nico guided me through Tarangire and it was the most amazing safari I have ever done. Watch out for those elephants though.. Special thanks to Kim for organising. Would definitely recommend them!
US
Excellent services, great prices and highly recommended
Excellent communications and detailed explanation of all inquiries.
GR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience, excellent team, highly recommended!
My friend and I, being two girls, were very careful when organising our trip to Kenya. We were interested in a 3-day safari and reached out to Beacon Safaris because it was highly rated and offered interesting and well priced packages. To our pleasant surprise, they also turned out to be very fast to respond to our original query, and to all our follow-up questions.
Our guide and driver, John, was a real expert in the Safari experience and an excellent driver across the Masai Mara park, taking us to places where we were sure to see the most interesting sights. With his help, we managed to see tons of animals, including all the big five, lion cubs, baby elephants and baby giraffes! Very polite and fun, he was very keen to talk to us about the different animals we would see, their characteristics, habits and particularities, making our trip all the more interesting!
The accommodation was also excellent, with super-polite staff, really good facilities and meals. Its set up allowed for a real safari feel, given that the lights were out at 11pm, that we slept in highly catered tents and were guarded by Masai people.
Overall, Beacon Safaris has been an excellent choice for our safari, what has been an unforgettable experience which we are keen to repeat!
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
If you want to experience Tanzania, this is the organization you want to go with!!
We were climbing Mt Kilimanjaro with a group of 8. The welcoming was warm, the lodge very nice, the whole group guiding us was very friendly (every day the camp was ready at arrival and everybody was welcoming us and telling us we were doing a good job), the equipment (tents) was good, the food amazing! (3 meal courses throughout the whole week!) and the capable and patient guides made sure we all felt safe, healthy and happy during the whole week. After one week together it felt like we climbed with 48 friends in stead of 8. We felt sorry to leave the group, the mountain and the country. i would definitely recommend Herman & crew for exploring Tanzania. We hope to come back.
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Terrific, again !!
This was our third Safari. The organisation again was excellent, the driver(Fay) knows everything we asked about Wildlife(he knows to find where they are...) and all accomodations were superb! In French: Chapeau!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent budget safari, knowing before going is important
Overview:
Karibu Safari is well reviewed by many people. Competitive price for 5-day budget safari. Had a great overall experience. 5-day safari was good but could be condensed into 4-day safari (see below under "Cons"). Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, and Hell's Gate were all worth going to. If we could have done only one, we'd do Hell's Gate since you can rent a bike and bicycle next to the animals and then hike in slot canyons (see below in "Details"). Unique and very nice after so much driving. Lake Nakuru is similar to Maasai Mara in that you game driver looking for animals. Lake Naivasha you see hippos and water birds. Robert (trip coordinator) was prompt in his responses. Peter (driver) was great at finding and pointing out animals. He really cared about providing the best and most well-rounded safari experience. Note: It appeared the budget safaris were more aggressive at finding animals then the more luxury safaris.
Pros:
- We got what we paid for. We had to have our driver call our trip advisor to send him more money to buy more water since we ran out by day 5.
- Accommodations were fine with running water and electricity. The "tents" are large canvas tents with a ceiling over them and not like backpacking tents.
- Meals were fine for budget safari.
- Peter (driver) was excellent at finding and viewing animals. He provided enough time to view and take pictures, not rushing us. He really emphasized the safari experience. He was a safe driver amidst the more crazy drivers and matatu's.
- The season was excellent which was mid- to late-November. Not crowded. Although this was claimed as the rainy season, it did not rain on safari, but only when driving and near Lake Naivasha and Nairobi. Also, all the animals just had babies so we got to see baby animals of almost all animals seen!
Cons:
- The itinerary should include estimated drive times.
- The itinerary should include more details. For example, on our 4th day, we were dropped off at a hotel after our game drive at Lake Nakuru en route to Lake Naivasha. We spent the whole afternoon there (from ~12noon and on). We were disappointed because we didn't fly half way across the world to sit in a garden. It would be nice to have known this. This is where the trip could be condensed to 4-days instead of 5-days.
- Peter could have provided more information to us. When we began we didn't know exactly where we were headed, how long it would take, etc. It would have been nice to review the day's events with us each morning.
- Peter could have offered us more information on the animals, landscape, plants, etc. He did if you asked, but it would be nice for him to just tell us.
Good to know:
- All 5-day safaris are pretty much identical in what they offer and pay for. So email to find best price when you go.
- There is a lot of (bumpy) driving. Not all in our van was prepared for this.
- You may get shuffled around since they mix people with different safari lengths. We started with a van that included people who booked 5-day, 4-day, and 3-day safaris.
- You may not get a window seat (right next to window). This was not a big issue though. They pop the van top and you can stand during the safari. But if this is a concern, have the van agree to rotate seats throughout the safari.
- The meals are pretty much the same for lunch and dinner, local food (rice, lentils, veggies, usually meat, etc.). So if you don't like the food, you will need to bring your own or purchase.
- The driver is contracted by the safari company. This is important should issues arise based on itinerary or pricing of certain things.
- There can be lots of traffic leaving and coming back from Nairobi, so plan for this when booking other trips or flights.
- Sunday has less traffic so leaving on this day was great.
- We tipped the driver ~$20 USD per day for the whole vehicle. So with 7-8 people in the van, this was ~$2-3 USD per day per person. Other than that we did not tip anyone else. (Our native Kenyan hosts said that tipping is not expected most places and even if it is, it is not as much as the USA.)
Details:
- Maasai Mara Village Tour: This may or may not have been worth the $10 USD. This is quite touristy. You can get some good pictures and see them dance and sing. But you need to ask them to show you everything. For example, we asked to taste the Maasai beer as our driver said we would. If we didn't ask, they wouldn't have done this. We also asked to see the school. If we hadn't asked, they would not have done this. When they take you into the traditional home, they will try and sell you stuff then and afterward. The Maasai markets in Nairobi have more selection and you can bargain more.
- Boat Ride at Lake Naivasha: This is expensive at $20 USD per person but we thought this was more worth it than the Maasai village tour. You see hippos and many birds and it was fun to be in a boat. You can get great pictures of the African fish eagle diving for fish that the boat driver throws in to the water.
- Hell's Gate bike and hike: The bike rental was $5 USD. You don''t need a guide for this. You stay on the main road to get to the gorge. Go in the early morning to see more animals. When we rode back, there were hardly any animals. At the gorge, more people will offer to guide you. We did not take a guide, but a Maasai man ended up going with us anyway. It ended up being a necessity as the trail is not well marked. Our group of 4 tipped him 700 Kenyan shillings and shared some nuts and instant coffee.