50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very good 2 way contact before the safari and a well organised comprehensive tour of the Maasai Mara
From the moment I sent my request for information Doyen Safaris (Kennedy) was very quick to reply and was able to provide answers to all my questions. As this was my first visit to Kenya and my itinerary was not confirmed I requested several variations on my initial specification and Kennedy responded quickly and thoroughly to each request. As I was booking with less than 2 weeks before the safari the quick responses were just what I wanted. Some companies made their initial contact with me over 48 hours after my initial query which was not good enough to satisfy my demands.
The cost of the package was competitive and the itinerary was very clear. The international money transfer for the deposit went smoothly and the balance was paid in US $ on the day of departure.
Kennedy met us at the hotel on the morning of the Safari and introduced us to Richard who was to be our driver for the 3 days. We were soon onboard the transport bound for the Maasai Mara. The three days were filled with unforgettable experiences and Richard was a great driver and guide. He made sure that we witnessed as much of the sights and spectacles as possible. The accommodation and food at Miti Mingi camp was as advertised on their website. The picnic under a tree in the middle of the Mara was very enjoyable.
On our return to Nairobi we met Kennedy who was keen to know if the safari had been to our satisfaction and so that he could get feedback on our trip, there were a few very minor points which he said that he would address.
Overall a great experience and the many email conversations before arriving in Kenya supported by the attention to detail by Doyen Safaris made it an unforgettable experience. I have no hesitation in recommending their services.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Well rounded
I recently took the Amboseli 2day, 1night tour with Africa Flash Mc Tours and had an excellent experience. Whilst the destination meeting expectations is a huge part of the trip, the customer service can really add or destroy the experience. In this case I must say that Leonard was an excellent guide and ambassador for his country. Africa Flash Mc Tours really went out of their way to respond to all my questions immediately and were very solution focused. Nothing got in the way of finding a solution for me.
As it was I ended up being a solo traveler and not only did they not increase the cost to me, they also didn’t cancel based on no other travelers taking part. That is dedication to customer service. Leonard knew that I was obsessed with seeing Mount Kilimanjaro from the Kenyan side and eventhough this is not guaranteed as there might be cloud cover, the moment he saw Kili “peeping out” from above the clouds he pointed it out to me. What a sight!!
We stopped at a Maasai village which I’m glad we did, however, I did find it a little “commercialized”… That could be from the basis that I am from Africa and had on some level romanticized what it would be like. I expected it to be a far more “remote” experience.
Leonard was very knowledgeable across a lot of different subjects which made it really special for me. We discussed from wildlife, to nature, culture, personalities regardless of nationality, the origin of different nationalities across the world, Corinne Hoffman’s book “The White Maasai” etc… Leonard was attentive and picked up on the things that would make a difference to me and then made sure I experienced them – for example climbing up a hill to a truly special view point….. no tourist trap experiences.
In closing, as a woman travelling alone, security is of the utmost importance and at all times I felt safe with Leonard on the Africa Flash Mc Tour. I cannot wait to have another trip with them.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The Migration crossing the Mara River
Wild Compass Tours in California worked with The Untamed Portfolio group to put together a fantastic photography tour of the Wildebeest migration. The tour was beyond my expectations with not only the river crossings, but also seeing and photographing the "Big Five" animals. The Serena Lodges in Nairobi and Maasai Mara are the best Kenya has to offer and were great. The cost of our tour was very reasonable and can't be beat. I highly recommend Wild Compass PhotographicTours and The Untamed Portfolio.
NZ
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Chris organised out safari which was way above our expectations in both accomadation and excitement
Our driver was Johna he was easy to get on with and great sense of humour,great in getting us close to the action and good photo positions.Driving through towns and small villages was very interesting seeing how locals live.Ol Ppajeta,Sambura,Aberdares were all great with excellent game drives seeing big five the number one for my wife and i was Maasai Mara this place is unbelievable and a must see with lion prides,leopards,cheetas,black and white rhino ect in great numbers. the road being rough in parts is well worth it.So thank you Beacon Safari and Johna for giving us an adventure we will never forget. Thankyou
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
African Adventure in Tanzania
Our 7 day safari in Tanzania with Wildebeest Safari exceeded expectations.
From the initial enquiry, through to booking and even on safari, everything was seamless.
I would highly recommend Wildebeest Safari to anyone and recommend our driver/guide Steve.
His experience, knowledge and willingness to cater to our request added to our experience.
The accommodation provided on safari was of the highest quality.
JP
Exellent and well-organized safari.
I thoroughly enjoyed the service provided by Karibu Safaris. We got to see all the Big 5 and many more animals. The tented camp we stayed aｔ ,"Elephant Springs", was well kept and very comfortable. The meals provided throughout the experience were excellent.
The only reason I didn't give 5 stars was due to our driver. He was friendly enough and tried his best - driving over 100kms on our second day - but lacked the ability to interact with the clients on a scale that I have experienced on other safaris - this may have been due to an insufficient English language skills. It may also have been because we were in the back of a large mini-van and hearing was sometimes difficult. He also had a habit of driving close to other cars which meant 'eating' a lot of dust. It would have been easy to pull back a bit (say 50 metres) and avoid the dust. I understand he was sometimes in a hurry to get to rare animals (eg, rhino, cheetahs) when it was radioed through and I appreciate this. Also, he tended to drive off before we had finished photographing and on other safaris I have done the driver always made sure that we were ready to go.
The van we used had 8 people in it despite being promised that there would only be 7, with a window each. I suspect this was done to enhance profits. Admittedly I did change my dates a few times so maybe they had a good reason for this. This did not affect our safari so much as there were a couple of older ladies who had been on various safaris before and they were mostly happy to view from the windows. Make sure you are promised only 7 as it could get crowded at the top of the pop-up-top.
I think Karibu Safaris has a lot of promise. The driver we had just needs a few training tips and he will be fine. I would not hesitate to book them again.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great Family Safari
I was a bit worried about booking with a group that did not have an office in the US and while there were some inconveniences, they were minor and were offset by the great service. The schedule of pick-ups, events, drop-offs were on time and as described in the plan. All of the drivers, tour guides, cooks, and service staff were wonderful. Rochelle at Kruger Tours worked hard to arrange a safari that worked for my family.
We went on the Tydon Camp Safari which is a true tented encampment. There are two Tydon camps, one right outside the gates of Sabi Sand and it has about 10 or so tents, a nice pool and lounge area, a large campfire area and a large eating area and library. The second camp, referred to as the "bush" camp, is inside Sabi Sands. It is smaller, more intimate version of the bigger camp but feels more rugged. There is not a pool in the bush camp and the fire area, lounge area, and food/library boma is much smaller, but the tents are identical (more on that in a second). There is access to a pool that is part of a small estate belonging to the owner of the land that the bush camp leases. The pool is right next door and is an easy walk.
The bush camp has four tents that support 8 guests, 1 guide and 3 cooks/service ladies who also reside at the camp. There were four of us in our family, my husband and our two adult kids, and we really clicked with the other four guest so that made it really special. That is a good thing because a lot of time is spent together. The tents are fabulous. Comfortable beds, carpeted, AC and heat, with a very nice bathroom. They are well appointed similar to a hotel room but still have the spirit of being in the bush. The routine is pretty much the same as with most safaris - get up way early and grab a cup of coffee, load up in the land rover, drive around looking for animals, come back and eat breakfast, relax, eat lunch, head out again in the land rover, come back, have drinks around the fire, eat dinner (in this case outside around the fire - way cool), have some more drinks around the fire and head off to bed. Dinner is a traditional African meal served on trays set up around the campfire accompanied by pudding for dessert. In addition to traditional vehicle safaris, Tydon offers a safari walk - not really for game viewing - more hands on type learning about animals, conservation, poop, tracks, that sort of thing. One of my favorite events and I really recommend it if that is your sort of thing.
Why the bush camp - well, its actually in the bush. It feels really exciting and at the same time it feels relatively safe. (There is an electrified wire around the camp and no wandering outside is allowed.) A few gazelle type grazers are often in the camp along with a few monkeys, but the wire kept out the elephants and buffalo and the cats didn't seem interested. There is no drive to get to the safari area - you wake up and you are in it. After lunch, you look out over the water hole and watch elephants come for their afternoon drink. One of the other guest hollers for you to grab your camera, that there is a Journey of Giraffe grazing right outside the tents area.
So now for the downside - Tydon has a relatively small area in Sabi that they are allowed to safari on and I became very familiar with the area. And while that made it feel special, it also felt limiting. We saw lots of animals but I wish they had more space. I believe that leopard is typically encountered at least once on a 5 day safari but we did not see any cats at Sabi. I am not a "check off the big 5" safari person but I think no cats would disappoint some folks. Even with the limited space, on the morning that we headed back to Joburg, I was wanting to be with the group that headed out on safari.
All in all, we absolutely loved South Africa, the adventure, the facilities and especially the staff and other guests. I recommend both Tydon and Kruger Park Tours. They are a great!
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Queen Elizabeth National Park by JDA-Wildlif
We enjoyed crossing the equator and look a cruise on the Kazinga channel. The accomadations at Mweya Safari lodge were great - amazing laundry service !!!! Outstanding staff!!! They have a beautiful pool for afternoon swimming and cocktails.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Lake Mburo National Park by JDA-Wildlif
We went on a walking safari. Saw Zibras. Enjoyed a boat cruise.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Kibale National Park by JDA-Wildlif
Loved tracking the chimps !!! The rooms at the Primate Lodge were beautiful, the food was very good. We went to the Bigodi Swamp which was great for bird watching and saw monkeys.