US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
good company!
We did two nights with Umubano tours in Rwanda to do gorilla trekking. They answered emails very quickly from the beginning, and I appreciated that I could pay my remainder with credit card on arrival. We stopped by the genocide museum in Kigali (a must). Our driver was great! We stopped along the way for a bit stop and he took us to a very cheap local stand to buy potatoes and chicken skewers. We stayed at Hotel Muhabura - nothing fantastic - but cheap.
The trek itself was great. We had a medium hike - about one hour. All uphill, but not too bad. The problem we once we reached the gorillas. There is a bunch of stinging nettle. It's impossible to avoid as you move about looking at the gorillas. It's so painful to touch. I wish I would have worn a rain jacket as an extra layer between me and the stinging nettle. It was quite literally awesome and terribly painful at the same time. It's a once in a lifetime amazing thing to do though!
No complaints - and I would recommend the company.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Highly recommend for their professionalism and quality of driver/ guide
We spent five days in mid August in the Masai Mara. We had already booked our accommodation but wanted a private driver/ guide for the duration of our stay. There are so many companies who provide these services, it was a challenge to choose one. Particularly because we wanted value for money without selecting the most expensive or the least expensive (which we assumed indicated a compromise of quality - perhaps unfair of us). We had to be picked up in Nakuru and dropped off five days later at Nairobi airport. Waymark were reasonable with their quote for a van and professional to deal with. For these reasons, we chose Waymark for our trip.
We could not have been happier. Although they sent us images of a new van in their email correspondence and provided an older van, there was nothing else to fault them on. Duncan, our driver and guide was a legend. He drove very well, was always punctual and polite, had a great sense of humour and got us to all the best sightings each day. Despite being an older van, it served us well. It was very reliable and comfortable. There was nothing more we needed for our purposes.
All in all, I would highly recommend Waymark for their professionalism, reliability and excellent driver and guide. A wonderful first experience in the Masai Mara.
SE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Jungle Safaris made my safari unforgettable!
I spent four fantastic days with Jungle Safaris Ltd. during a visit in Uganda. A short safari one may think although those four days came to give me some of my most treasured memories.
My guide Paul met up with me in Masaka where I was staying during my visit and we started our journey towards Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. This is a long ride south west but going through high peaks and valleys with nature not seen anywhere makes it a lot shorter and totally worth the "African massage" you experience on some of the smaller roads leading into the forest base.
We arrived in Buhoma, close to headquarters of the park, late in the afternoon checking in to Buhoma community bandas.
After dinner with Paul, tired from all the impressions, I went to bed early to be rested for tomorrows adventure, meeting wild mountain gorillas...
There was an early start at the head quarters getting briefed about how to and not to act during our track into the forest. Feeling the exitement rise (really, really rise) we sat off into the forest. After about two hours we encountered the Rushegura family and had the luxury of spending one hour amongst these amazing creatures. I told Paul afterwords that the feeling of meeting these our relatives is so hard to explain, you just have to experience it. The thought of having gorilla babies playing by my feet can still make me giggle and feel all warm inside.
After a shower in my outside-in-nature bathroom (just lovely) Paul took me on a forest walk in what it seemed, almost untouched nature.
Being the person that I am I later found myself get caught up having a beer together with some of the elderly men of the community discussing all kinds of topics from our different point of views.
Paul and I then had dinner while watching the moon rise above the forest edge and after a great sleep, mainly dreaming about gorillas, we departed for Queen Elisabeth National Park.
Along the way, as Paul being an ornitologist, I got the chance to be shown a lot of birds, species not existing in my part of the world. During a short stop I also got the opportunity to see hundreds, problaby thousands of beautiful butterflies in different colours and sizes all gathered up close to a small pond along the road. During this one day I had a close encounter with elephants, buffalos, hippos and various antelopes. I also made a boat ride on the Kazinga channel seing hippos, lions, more elephants and buffalos, crocodiles and many more birds and also passing a local fishing community. Moving into the mainland, standing on top of the boat, I felt as the most free woman in the world, and as one with the environment somehow.
We had dinner at Mweya Lodge which I still tell everyone, including Paul, was the best dinner I have ever had. Sitting outside on a cliff listening to the savannah sounds, the animals down the water hole somehow does that...
The morning after we departed during sunrise and it is true, there is hardly anything more beautiful than a African sunrise. A morning game drive was made which ended with breakfast with view overlooking a saltlake.
After a drive through luscious teaplantations and again, nature not seen anywhere, I found myself suddenly back in Masaka, back in reality...
Imagine experiencing all this in only four short days!? Together with Paul, who is truly a fantastic guide, I had the most amazing time that I will remember and treasure for the rest of my life!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very good experience with Kay Adventure Tours
My wife and I booked a 6-day safari in Kenya and Tanzania through Kay Adventure Tours. Moureen was very good with helping us customize our itinerary and ensure we were well prepared for our trip. We were surprised by how luxurious some of our accommodations were (e.g. the Kati Kati Lodge in the Serengeti was absolutely lovely). Thank you very much, Moureen!
US
Experience level: first safari
Kenya in All Its Glory with Simon
Odyssey Safari met all my expectations as a "first time to Africa & Kenya" journey. The accommodations were good and in many cases excellent. The price was very reasonable. The best part of my trip had to be the excellent guide, Simon. He listened to our requests and really knew where to see as many animals as possible.
He took pride in his country and relayed wonderful information about our environment and the animals of Kenya. He was a skilled and patient driver and a pleasure to interact with on even the most challenging experiences (flat tire - fixed in 15 minutes and on our way.) I would highly recommend Odyssey Safaris to anyone who wants the best experiences with a special request for Simon.
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Cleverness and smartness inclouded
organized by Christina, realized by Abdul ...
was a realy nice trip and sure it is a good teamplay of Christina and Abdul.
Only the locations of the lodges could have been better situated, so that driving time
could be reduced. That is the one and only point that keeps me from rating "excellent".
Abdul organized and managed, even with this little mistake, our group in a perfect way,
so that we could see all the expected animals and would have been at every place in time
to get the best connection or boot. Cleverness and smartness is at Destination Jungle inclouded.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very helpful
It think the safari all in all was very good. Breakfast and dinner was very very good, but lunch was a little dry. The driver was really nice and really good at driving. But he was not a very good guide. He didn't really tell any stories about the animals, which was rather disappointing.
Also it was a bit boring to go to lake manyara, because we were expecting to see some flamingos.
Other than that, the safari was very satisfactory.
FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Overall great experience
We customized a tour with AA based on our preferences, and also changed part of the plans midway and our guide, Steve, was very accomodating and friendly.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Really good
The safaris was really good. A really good driver and cook. We was a bit disapointed about Lake Manyara because it was not the flamingo season.
DK
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Experience, Recommended!
I took a five days / four nights safari with SED to Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Lake Manyara with my girlfriend. It was an amazing experience - we saw all the animals (elephants, rhino, lions, leopard, cheetah, and all the others) and in sooo many numbers that it blew me away. At one point we'd almost 20 lions around us - totally awesome.
Our guide/driver Anton knows the parks like the back of his hand and is also very knowledgeable about the animals. The camps we stayed were perfect, and kudos to SED for the "unlimited game drive" - we made Anton drive us from sunrise til sunset.
The safari was an unforgettable experience and Laizer and the SED Team deliver a personalized experience and good value for money. Recommended!