20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great Experience, Very Professional
We did a 3-day, 2-night safari to Masai Mara from Nairobi. Everything was as planned and the staff and driver were very professional, timely and communicative. Peter was constantly in touch to ensure we had a good experience, and our driver to and from Nairobi was helpful and responsive to everything we asked to do. The Mara was beautiful and we would definitely book again through Africa Flash Mc Tours.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exciting 5 Star Safari Experience with Spot Kenya Safaris
Maurice was super quick in responding to our initial contact and came up with a very thoughtful and exciting plan. From airport pickup, through hotel booking to everyday transportation, we didn't need to worry about anything and really enjoyed the safari with improved excitement every day.
It's worth mentioning that our driver Aaron is a really qualified, responsible and experienced guide, and he was always trying his best to make sure we see the most exciting scenes. He also has profound knowledge in wildlife and local customs, from which we kept learning things every day.
I strongly recommend Spot Kenya Safaris to everyone who is thinking of going.
SE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The perfect safari experience; it just cant be better
From the first contact via email until leaving Kenya, the quality of everything provided by Aardwolf Africa was just perfect. Efficient, professional and extremely friendly. But most of all, all the details on the trip were perfect. The selection of the hotels/lodges, the rangers, the transportation, ... It was all executed in perfect detail.
I have heard so many stories about safari's, I can only say that if you put your trip in the hands of this company, you will experience the most amazing safari that you can imagine. It has been the best trip of my life.
ES
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A reliable company
We were on a safari trip for our honeymoon with Ancient Wild Safaris at the beginning of July. We have to say that Mike was really helpful from the beginning. We changed the itinerary several times until it was perfect for us and he was very understanding and gave us good advice.
Our guide, Charles, is a really good man with a really nice character. He took care of everything during the trip so we didn't find any trouble. He explained us the animals behaviour and answered all our questions happily.
Talking about accommodation, the tented camps and hotels were good enough for us (similar to a 2-3 star hotel in Spain). If you are looking for luxury lodgings you should request it.
In our opinion, Ancient Wild Safaris is a reliable company and we highly recommend it.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Perfect Adventure
The friendly Team of Hekima Safaris prepared a perfect adventure for us. With them, everything was very easy and we didn't have to care about anything. We always had the feeling that the trip was thoroughly planned. Our guid knew his way around and spoke English very well. He even made a couple of extra stops when we asked him to.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Masai Mara trip (2 nights, 3 days)
I was picked up from my house in Nakuru and driven to meet the tour group in Naivasha. This was very convenient as I did not want to have to travel to Nairobi. Overall, the trip was very exciting and our driver made sure we saw as much as possible in the national park. However, I felt the driver could have been a bit more friendly. I do think that the experience really depends on your driver. Our tour group was a combination of people from all different safari companies which surprised me. Often we were not sure of the exact schedule. However, I did have a very enjoyable experience and highly recommend visiting the Mara.
TR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A different adventure for us
We met with Rama and our guide Gaston; at the time in the morning. Along the way Mikumi National park; we had no trouble..Gaston was very Professional, experienced and very kind..Mikumi is about 4-5 hours from Dar..so you can a little tired during the trip..But when we arrived to Vuma Hills Lounge we stayed , our tiredness over..I definitely recommend Vuma Hills..we stayed 2 nights.. otherwise the game drive was very fantastic.. It was like being a dream or a documantery..We saw a leopard, crocodile, hippo, gnu, impala, elephant, giraffe, zebra, baboon, ,boar, jackal and many animals. Also in the loung the funny bushbabies...
This experience, was very different and like an adventure for us.. We really enjoyed it with Gecko.. Thanks for everything..
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Only go with Elias if you can!
I found from the tours I did it was very guide dependent.
If you got a good guide it was a great tour.
I think the problem I saw with the tours were :
Time management, I think some of these trips need to leave earlier and have their supermarket shopping already organized on the first day so you don't spend most of the day shopping and then when you make it to the attraction then it is rushed, especially end of day game drives.
I think in the Northern the craft market and supermarket should disappear, and the bus should go straight to Africat, and then a proper game drive through its premises should occur, before a trip to the Leopard. People fly from across the world and the 1st day experience isn't good and compares badly to the Southern tour. Otherwise drive straight to Etosha and spend more time there instead. Its way too slow and boring compared to say the Southern tour.
For eg Africat, we arrived way too late at this attraction, then we had a rushed game drive where the local guide spend 15min talking about the game park we were not going to (why not arrive earlier at this place and go on a proper game drive through the premises as it has heaps of cool animals), then spend 30min talking about 2 termite mounds while the sun keeps setting. On the way to the Leopard, there were heaps of amazing animals and they refused to stop for pics!! The leopard was a bit of a zoo attraction which was rushed and the Cheetahs were old and in bad condition. Then my top went "missing" from the game car when in the visitor centre. The camp site was way too far from where all the animals were as well.
The next day to Etosha we also arrived late and had a rushed game drive. Its was more about scoring points on animals sighting then enjoying the park.
The next thing which I thought was unprofessional, was the tour guide slept with one of the clients on the 2nd day in the tents near us!!! It was then I couldn't really take the tour seriously anymore.
Optionals were pumped hard, as they receive commission for it and 2 out of the 3 tours were really focused on it too much to the point of obsessiveness. Especially pushing high price ones, which I was not interested, in the end I just booked it myself as the guide wasn't interested in booking the one I wanted.
On 2 occasions, when lunch was in the itinerary I received no lunch at all. So I had to go buy my own lunch.
The Botswana Delta visit is a nice place, but there are not actually many animals there, its a fishing lodge. I think a better location should be selected.
I think the tour company should focus more on delivering animal and national park experiences, if it calls itself a "Safari" company, it is more of the tour company.
The HQ are very polite but I think some of the guides are bit out of control and need some management. Apparently a lot of the younger ones just pick and choose which tour they want in which would give them the most tips and optional bonuses and use excuses to cancel tours they don't like.
I think they should be doing it because that's what they love to do, and you can see that come across in certain guides clearly.
I think the best tour they offer is the Southern tour. The Northern ones need some work. I would select another route for Botswana from what I experienced sticking to the National Parks. We added a bit more of the national parks and it made that tour a bit better because we were a smaller group.
I think if some of the things didn't happen on some of these tours which I mentioned I wouldn't be as critical...
IL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We had a great orgenized Safari with very good guides
Our Safari included 6 days in Kenya and Tanzania. John is very helpfull and quick to answer.
We had two Safari guides (Kenya and Tanzania) both were very experienced and knowlagable,
with well spoken english.
We chose to stay in tented lodges selected by CTC-John, just outside the reservations. It didn't matter at all, because once you in the car, animals are all around and the fun begins. and the lodeges were good and clean.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing trip in Kenya
We booked a private Kenya tour with KWSS and had a great time there last month. Our driver/guide Ken was absolutely great! He took good care of us and showed us as much as possible. Mr Otieno was very patient and he arranged really nice accommodations and itinerary for us. We visited Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, Lake Bogoria and Masai Mara and each place is just beautiful. We recommend KWSS if you want a quality yet affordable trip.