65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
19 day pearl of Africa safari
Very prompt, helpful responses to emails. Great help in fitting in everything we wanted to do. Good advice and good record keeping. The accommodation was all first class and yet varied in style which made it more interesting. Our guide, Karim, was amazingly knowledgeable and he looked after us very carefully making sure we were always safe. He had a good sense of humour and was lovely to spend time with. The safari game parks were all slightly different in landscape, animals and birds and Karim explained all this to us. We met many people in the local communities and saw various community projects which helped us understand more about life in Uganda. We had a wonderful time that we will always treasure, and thank you for making it possible for us.
AT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic!
Once in a lifetime experience. Have seen big five and had a good time. Well organised. Good experience camping in wildlife and good fresh cooked food. They even served vergeterian options if you ask before.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
What a great trip to Rwanda
Golden Rwanda was awesome. The operator, Frank, set up the whole 12 day trip and accommodations with only 2 days of notice. There’s no way I could have done all this on my own. The guide they provided, Liza Fabrice, could not have been better. Liza is so friendly and knowledgeable; we had great conversations every day and he was able to translate with ease between Kinyarwandan & English & French flawlessly. Everywhere we went people knew him and his friendships became mine. He was able to explain the ins and outs of Rwanda’s culture and history and present, to name the animals we would see, to explain and give context to what we came across , to give good advice on everything from food safety to shopping to etiquette. He’s also a great driver. And a great guy. He even lent me books on topics we talked about. I mean come on! So awesome.
Another special example, I am a musician and so he was able to connect me with musicians and take me to shows I’d never have found. When I found a famous Congolese musician I wanted lessons with he was able to call them , communicate in French and arrange a meeting. Amazing.
Best of all, when something went wrong, Liza was able to step up and handle the situation immediately, keeping any potential stress off of me, and then Frank & Golden Rwanda went the extra mile to make things even better than they would have been otherwise so that nothing was ever disrupted. That’s the sign of a true professional and a great company.
I’d like to personally thank Frank & Liza Fabrice both and I encourage anyone thinking about travelling to the continent to visit Rwanda & check out Golden Rwanda
AE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Splendid Safari! I cannot wait to go back for another visit
We are a group of 5 friends and we booked a 4 days and 3 nights trip with Migration Venture Africa to Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. We did not regret the decision to use the company because all our expectations were met and surpassed. We had the most amazing time of our lives.
Our guide Anderson, made the safari amazing, enjoyable, educative, and fun. He was so easy to talk to that we developed a friendship with him by the end of the four days. We saw a lot of animals including all the members of the big five.
We stayed at amazing properties. I cannot wait to go back for another visit with Migration Venture Africa.
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Close encounter with silverback gorilla
I did a 9 days tour with silverback expeditions covering Rwanda (Kigali and the golden monkesys) and Uganda (Bwindi, kibale , queen elizabeth, murchison falls and Ziwa sanctuary ). Everything was extremely well organized both in terms of planning as well as the actual tour itself. The guide John was a fantastic human being and an outstanding guide, always very respectful. Vehicles used were comfortable and modern.
Special thanks to Jane who planned this once in a lifetime experience for us. I will come back for Congo!!
BR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great experience
We have a great time at the Safari, our Guide Dula was a great diver and guide an F
Philipe our cook was really great too. Highly recommend.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable 3 Days Kenya Safari
Unforgettable 3 days Kenya safari for our group. They took good care of every detail to ensure that our group of 5 people got the best Kenya safari experience with our small budget. The Masai Mara JEEP Tour and accommodation at AA Lodge were amazing. Though we experienced heavy rainfall in Masai Mara on our travel date. The jeep safari was second-to-none. I recommend the use of Bon Voyage Safaris company, your wildlife adventure in Kenya trip is guaranteed and will find value for your money.
CN
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The best trip ever organised for me
From the offset the communication with Darren was very smooth. Fast, reactive and to the point. We told him where and when we would land and depart from. We told him what we absolutely wanted to see (Victoria Falls...) and the things that one goes to Africa for (safaris...). We spoke about our budget range and our needs (shared room, vegetarian meals...). From there he organised the smoothest and most interesting trip i may have had. And i am a fairly well traveled person.
Connections between various locations were very smooth. Each location had something different to offer with its own personality. Over our 10 days trip across South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana .. we never felt tired of moving, never waited for too long between 2 trips. Each lodge and location had something very unique to offer and every lodge was a different experience. People were lovely and the team working with Darren in various locations, picking up travelers and making their trip the smooth experience we lived are all great individuals.
Only praises for Darren and his team. If you are going to Africa be certain you will have the experience of a life time with them. We certainly did !
NO
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Kruger National Park by Christine
The SanParks guides made our safari trips a memory for life! They were both knowledgable and helpful.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
The thrill of a lifetime
Some people have the notion that if you pay more you get more, that you get what you pay for. I'm here to assure you that with Jocky Tours at the helm, you get more than you paid for, much more.
Let me give you the backstory so you can understand the true value of Jocky Tours.
When I first contacted them, Minneh did her best to give me tailored options. Most clients seeking a Masai Mara safari experience want to go on a 3 day platform: 1st day drive to Masai and have afternoon game drive, 2nd day full day in Mara and 3rd day a short game drive or visit to village and then back to Nairobi by late afternoon on the third day.
For most this fits perfectly because they will see a good deal of the Mara and have memories of a lifetime.
Yet I wasn't going to be a "usual" customer. I was there to try and specifically get images of cheetah: images of "the gang of five" ( 5 male cheetah who hunt together) and a mom who had cubs ( 2 of the original 7 were still alive and doing well).
I was staying for several days, not just 3.
So, Minneh explained that to do it on my prefered budget, I would be with a different group and different drivers after day 2.
Not to worry. That is precisely why and how I can write a review which has greater insights into how YOUR trip may go. I saw different drivers and got a feel for the entirety of Jocky's services.
That being said, I can assure you that no matter who ends up being your guide for the trip to Masai Mara, you will have the best possible experience one can have.
The trip itself is one which takes expertise. Driving the roads going to the Masai Mara, and inside the park is very tedious. It is extremely difficult at times and requires attentiveness. The drivers all did exemplary jobs in that regard.
That may not sound like such a big deal, but trust me, it is. You won't want to spend time stuck in the mud, or turned over. One day, a driver (from another company) of a land cruiser ( and thus a much more costly safari) flipped the car on its side while negotiating the muddy roads.
The drivers I had, Isaac, John, and Albert all did OUTSTANDING jobs of navigating and keeping us from being stuck in the mud.
That is only half the equation. The other half that contributes greatly to your safari is their abilities as guides. All the drivers have radios and are vigilant to listen to, and act upon, intel as it happens.
This aspect is very important.
While no one can guarantee that you will see any animal specifically, like all the Big 5, having drivers like Isaac and John will make a world of difference in your enjoyment of the days drive.
One day, for example, John managed to put us in position to see 4 out the 5 big five. He also got us up close and personal with the gang of five cheetah males. WOW! Believe me when I tell you he does his absolute best to ensure EVERYONE in the group has the best day possible. I was fortunate enough to have two seperate days with him.
Isaac was my initial driver and he too does an OUTSTANDING job. His goal is to try and make everyone in the group HAPPY. And there is no doubt that he does just that.
One day, Isaac managed to get our group right up to the mom cheetah with her two very energetic and playful cubs. He did this TWICE in one day, in the early morning and again in the evening. I was in heaven! And judging from the rest in the group, so was everybody. We had Isaac to thank dirrectly.
On another day, Rhaheem got intel on the illusive black rhino. He managed to get us in a position to spot it, before it "wandered off" out of sight. That was the only day "we" spotted the exremely hard to spot, black rhino. So kudos to Rhaheem.
The other driver I had was Albert. His skills navigating the muddy and treacherous roads are unmatched. He like all the drivers for Jockey did his level best to have you "take it all in"....and with a glimpse of a leopard, he got us 4 out of the big 5 too.
Now, as to the accomodations. I stayed in a tented campground Lenchada Tented Campground.
This is a budget accomodation. Yet it suited my needs purfectly. It was spartan in terms of amenities, however I am there for the safari drives, not a mint on my pillow or 600 thread count satin sheets.
There was always hot water available for showering and the electric is on from 530 to 930 and again from 1830 to 2200. There are AMPLE outlets in the dining hall for you to charge camera batteries and your phone.
The food there was basic homey fare. Not fancy but DELICIOUS and plentiful.
And I mean absolutely delicious!!!
Helen and her staff does an excellent job and is "Johnny on the spot" if you need any help with your room or have dietary concerns ( like you are vegetarian, etc). They also pack the picnic lunches for your day in the Masai.
However, if you need a more "high end" accomodation, not to worry, Jocky can provide you with those type accomodations too. And you will seemlessly intigrate with a tour group.
The bottom line, though, is no matter where you stay or how much you pay, it always comes down to the knowledge and skill(s) of your driver/guide. You will be assured that with the guides/drivers from Jocky you WILL have the best possible experience one can have in the Mara. Bet on it.
I can't thank Minneh enough for all the efforts she had to put into making a tailor made experience for me, at a cost so reasonable it would make your jaw drop. Nor can I amply thank the drivers, especially Isaac and John. ( although tips do help show appreciation....so dont forget to tip your guide)
Do yourself a favour and look no further. Truly, when it comes to touring in Kenya, nobody does it better than Jocky Tours, nobody!
