20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wisdom
Excellent tour guide, provided lots of insight about the various animals we encountered, and made the whole day a lot of fun.
FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Really funny and gave lany information!
Moloko was the perfet tour guide, we saw many animals and really had fun. Thanks a lot for the experience I would recommend it 100%!
FR
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Dreams come true!
Makasa helps make your dreams come true. Zara, Anne, and Selma from Makasa provided so much information and showed great patience with our endless questions that we felt completely comfortable booking with them. They really know the country, the people who live there, and the right partners to work with. True professionals!
Amazing breathtaking adventurous holidays with my husband and 2 (adult) children. This all thanks to our guides during our trip. Our gentil guide Godwin in Moshi, who showed us for a couple of days the real life there, explained the culture of Tanzania, and showed the treasures of the region (waterfall, local market, coffee plantation…) before he brought us to the Amini Africa Masaai Lodge. The time spent at the Masaai Lodge is an experience we will never forget. The heart-warming welcome, their smiling and happy faces, their willingness to share their traditions, culture and answer all your questions are just a glance of how beautiful this experience really was. Myriam at the bar and shop was always there to help us. At said shop you can buy beautiful handmade jewelry, baskets, dreamcatchers, belts and all sorts of objects made from beads in all kinds of colors. We were incredibly lucky to have Sabore and Leyasek as guides during our days at the Masaai lodge. Bush breakfast, mini safari and a touching visit to the Africa Amini Life clinic, schools, sewing shop, Masaai garage…these two great warriors gave us fantastic days with their enthusiastic stories. We experienced such great and hilarious moments of laughing together. At those special moments you do not need anything more, this is pure happiness. We really thought that that was it, that the holidays could not get any better. But that was without counting on Augustino, our private Safari guide, who showed up at the Masaai Lodge to bring us to the different parcs for 9 days. He made us directly feel comfortable by starting to sing, “in the jungle the mighty jungle….”, setting us immediately in the mood to see some animals. Augustino made our already fantastic journey even more spectacular. He is a “google button” himself for all birds and animals’ names we saw during our Safari in Tarangire parc, Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro and more. We have been so incredibly lucky with what nature showed us and with his experience we were able to see so many animals that we even started a list to make sure this was not a dream. The days at Serengeti lodge Kimbilio lodge were an experience on its own. With Kotema as camp manager who made us feel so very welcome. All was very well organized. We had some great chats, and soccer games together. Jeremy, from the “entertainment, food and beverages department” (As he called it) made us laugh a lot. It was also very enjoyable that the guide was able to sit with us for all meals. We really felt like a family there. Our guide made sure that our breakfast or lunch was always served on a spectacular site with great view and we even danced all together in the middle of Serengeti! The lodges itself are very luxurious which I, to be honest, never expected, food was great (during our whole trip we loved the food). You could hear the zebra’s and wildebeest nearby our tent. We even heard a lion and hyena’s fighting for the kill during the evening and night, but we felt safe at Kimbilio. After visiting the spectacular and beautiful crater we asked Augustino on the way back to the airport if there was a possibility to eat local food instead of our lunchboxes (we did not pack them in the morning). He brought us to a very special place, not seeable from the outsight, within a banana plantation, where a local, delicious lunch was cooked for us. So very tasteful and a finishing touch on our trip. We are very grateful to have met such incredible, nice and amazing people and on top of that to be so lucky to see the Big 5 as well thanks to Augustino!
A sweater is very useful for the silly nights and a scarf is Andy when the roads are a bit dusty.
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience, a memorable safari of a lifetime!!
The whole experience with the Safari Masai Mara was unparalleled. On the very first day, we got to see a huge rhino and a cheetah up close. The guide was very professional and experienced - he knew where to go when. The way they have paid attention to every need is really commendable. In a word, service, safety, and experience - everything is 5 stars.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Tour operator was extremely helpful, booking an amazing itinerary, and responding to our questions
The whole trip was amazing. The highlights of our trip were spending time with the gorillas and the ~5 hour mountain hike. We didn’t realize that we would be so close to the gorillas! The hike was incredible, but probably at the high end of intermediate. I would recommend training before taking on Mt Bisoke. We enjoyed a beautiful view of the mountain peak and a large caldera at the top. Would recommend spacing activities out as it does take 3+ hours to go from one destination to the next and taking a lot of snacks with you.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Shanjoy Tours and Safaris kept us safe!
If you are reading my review to decide if you should take an African safari or not, I am not going to waste your time describing how beautiful and majestic the wildlife, landscapes and people we saw were. TRUST ME, everyone and everything we observed on our trip was a 1000-times more amazing than what we ever expected!
The folks at Shanjoy Tours and Safaris kept us safe and went out of their way to accommodate us when things, beyond their control, didn't go as planned!
When we touched down in Nairobi, our bags didn't. We were grateful that our hosts of Shanjoy Tours waited over three hours for us to exit the airport after clearing the Passport/Visa check point and reporting our luggage lost to the one poor guy who was working the lost bags booth. Yes, we waited in two very long lines!
Before we got to our hotel around midnight, we were told we needed to leave Nairobi earlier than planned the following morning due to the Gen Z protests. Sleeping in wasn't an option.
When we arrived at our hotel, we were met by another Shanjoy host (I wish I knew all their names) who patiently helped me make arrangements for another Shanjoy guide to pick up our luggage at the airport the following day. Since we were starting our safari the next morning, there was no chance we could retrieve our luggage the following night at the airport.
After check in, we took much-needed showers, slept about four hours, ate breakfast, met our guide David in the lobby, and jumped into his Land Cruiser. And like that, off we went for an amazing journey! Before we entered the parks, David took us to a couple shopping malls outside the city so that we could buy new clothes and toiletries.
The parks we visited-- Masai Mara National Reserve, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Nakuru National Park, Amboseli National Park and Central Serengeti National Park-- were otherworldly! The wildlife was breathtaking! Our lodging and the food at all of the resorts we stayed were first rate! But most of all, we will never forget the grace and hospitality of the people of Kenya and Tanzania.
Our trip did end sooner than expected (only a few hours) when more Gen Z protests broke out throughout Kenya on our final day. Elijah, our experienced guide, planned a route that took us away from the blocked roads, fires and deadly clashes between the protesters and police. To be honest, we were concerned, but Elijah's composure was calming, especially when a smoky Nairobi silhouette appeared on the horizon, reminding us of images of 9/11.
My wife and I would certainly return to visit Nairobi and take another safari with Shanjoy! If you book your trip with them, be sure to read all the materials they send, buy the recommended travel insurance and secure your travel visas with plenty of time. Also pack extra clothes on your carry on!
Thank you Shanjoy Tours who went above and beyond for us; keeping us safe, returning our luggage to us under an acacia tree in the middle of a lion-filled African plain, and arranging an incredible trip that we will never forget!
CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The communication was very efficient, the service was very good, the guide was very responsible and very nice, I am very grateful to this team.
I searched for many local tour operators on safaribooking, and finally chose Lappet Faced Safaris because the early communication with them was very efficient, the response was very fast, and they understood my needs very well. The payment method was also very reasonable, the price was also very suitable, and when I asked to change the hotel, they also informed me of the price very quickly, and I got some very good hotels. We kept in touch during our departure and landing in Tanzania and customs.
During the trip, our guide Mike was a guide with ten years of experience. He had very good eyesight and could see animals from a long distance. We saw a lot of elephants, giraffes and zebras in Tarangire on the first day, and we got close to lions in the Serengeti and saw tens of thousands of wildebeests gathering. We stayed in the super beautiful Lion Paw Hotel in Ngorongoro Crater. And Lappet Faced Safaris also told the hotel that we were on a honeymoon trip, and the hotel also prepared a surprise for us very considerately, which was really heartwarming.
I look forward to taking our children to the African savannah again in the future.
(automatic translation from Chinese)
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a lifetime
This was an amazing experience. Lion King handle every aspect of the trip. We stayed in amazing lodges and camps. Our guide Mkwanda had all the expertise and experience that made this an unforgettable experience that we will have for a lifetime. Keeping us away from the crowds while providing us those up close wildlife encounters everyone is looking for in a trip such as this.
Can't possibly say enough good things about this company and more specifically our guide Mkwanda. Would 100 percent recommend this company and even more specifically Mkwanda as a guide to anyone looking for an amazing safari experience in Tanzania.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Top notch communication and organization
Our experience with Family Leisure got off to an impressive start as they were the first to reply to our post. They immediately provided us with a proposed itinerary, including accommodation and all logistics. When I requested that we add a stay on the coast and asked for a suggestion as to how to return to Nairobi, they provided options and offered to do all the booking for us.
They continued to stay in communication as our arrival in Kenya approached. Then Geoffrey and Wisley came to see us off at the hotel and gave us some nice gifts.
Simon, our driver and guide, was highly knowledgeable and professional throughout. Our kids, ages 10 and 12, got to see all the animals they had been hoping for, some VERY close up.
We are so grateful to Simon and the whole Family Leisure organization for making our week in Kenya an experience we will never forget.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Outstanding, customized safari trips with a personal touch unmatched by the bigger travel companies!
We just completed our second trip with Kusini Safaris, this time to Uganda and Rwanda for chimpanzee and mountain gorilla trekking. As we experienced the first time with Paul, this trip was outstanding and proceeded flawlessly! I have no reservations about giving this company a 5-star rating and fully recommending them to anyone interested in a customized African safari. We generally start with a basic outline of where we want to go and what we want to see. From there Paul does a super job collaboratively building a fully detailed itinerary based upon his knowledge and experience of African safaris. He is very open about refining the trip based on affordability, timing, personal interests, etc.. The camps/lodges that Paul selected this trip (Papa’s Camp, Primate, Clouds, and Sabyinyo) were first class and we couldn’t have been more satisfied with the level of service, hospitality, food and comfort. Paul appears to be well-connected with the in-country African tour operators and has always selected outstanding companies. There was never a moment where we didn’t have someone ready to meet us the airports, lodges and even at the country borders during segment transitions. It certainly contributes to the stress-free and safe feeling you have while traveling in this part of the world. Paul will also provide a lot of informal tips and recommendations to make sure your trip goes perfectly. And by the way, the actual primate treks were out of this world and have created timeless memories we will never forget! When we go back to Africa some day in the future, there’s no doubt we will be using Kusini Safaris for a third time!