35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Balu Travel exceeded my expectations - and they are very high - 10 stars
This summer, my family visited the Masai Mara Reserve for a safari with Balu Travel Limited, so our 8-year-old son could experience wild animals in their natural habitat, and we had such an incredible experience.
Upon our arrival at Nairobi International, the Balu team met us at the airport and transported us to our hotel. This was a no-hassle experience which started the trip on a wonderful note. After a long flight and landing in a strange international airport for the first time, it was awesome to walk outside and have someone meet you right where you were. We stayed overnight at Hotel Boulevard. This hotel was one of about 5 recommended by Balu and it was a great choice. The hotel had all the toiletries and a very attentive front desk staff. There is a restaurant on site.
I was in constant communication with Mr. Morris, who always answered my many many questions – thoroughly. He told me exactly what time our guide would pick us up the next morning.
The next day, our tour guide, Mr. Isaac, picked us up from the hotel at about 6AM and transported us via our private tour bus to the Masai Mara.
When we got to our luxury hotel, ‘Jambo Mara Lodge,’ we were welcomed with watermelon juice and a wet warm rag to wipe and refresh ourselves. The staff provided exceptional service, and we were escorted to the restaurant because we were on time for lunch. We were then escorted to our personal glass cottage. The meals we ate there for the duration of our time were wonderful as we enjoyed African dining at its finest. The water/juices were safe to drink. The spreads and varieties of food – for every meal – was awesome. It was all displayed so elegantly, and tastefully. The staff was so wonderful, pleasant and helpful – attending to our every need.
Later that afternoon, we embarked on our first ever -Game Drive (safari) where we saw a wide array of animals in their natural habitat including gazelles, impalas, zebras, wilde beasts, vultures, elephants, baboons, and lions. That was a taste of great things to come.
On day 2, we started our game drive at 7:30AM, and we shared our anticipated animal encounter list with Isaac, and he said he will take us to the various animals. First up, we saw a lion and lioness up close, along with other tour trucks, as they gave us a dating and mating show. The experience was amazing, and Isaac told us that this can happen many, many times a day. From there, Isaac took us where we saw a giraffe tower (many giraffes together-tallest animal in the world). We also saw cheetahs, cranes, ostriches, warthogs, meercats, water buffalos, hippos, crocodiles, and many more lions, gazelles, impalas, zebras, wilde beasts, giraffes, and many others. Many of the animals walked alongside our vehicle on the tour trail, and this was very exciting to behold. We always felt safe with Isaac and focused on enjoying the experience.
Around midday, we found a balanitis tree in an open area where we had our first bush lunch with many wild animals in the background. This was in the Serengeti Park in an area were Kenya borders Tanzania. The feeling we experienced during this moment was phenomenal. We were able to call family back home as far as the Caribbean (via what’s app - video) and share the experience with them.
After lunch, we continued our game drive where we saw many more animals. We were taken to see Crocodiles and hippos, where a special ranger took us along the bank of a river to see them. This was one of the animals my son wanted to see. This is an experience we will never forget.
We enjoyed every bit of our game drives.
Now I will talk about our tour guide – Isaac. I do not have enough positive words to describe Isaac. This man was exactly what we needed. On the way to the Maasi Mara, he introduced us to the local music and had us dancing and learning Swahili very early on the trip. Isaac is down to earth, warm, friendly, caring and just downright awesome. He bonded with my 8-year-old in a way that makes this mother’s heart so happy. Isaac is now part of our extended family. We gave him a list of the animals we wanted to see and (I still don’t know how) but he knew how to maneuver that great span of Safari and find the animals we wanted to see. There are no road or directional signs on the safari. It is amazing to see how he knew where to go.
We had so many questions, he answered them all, he went above and beyond each time. He was always on time to start our days. He left no stone unturned for us. He was obviously known and respected by his peers (he seemed to know everybody, and everybody knew and respected him). Our tour guide- Isaac was very knowledgeable, friendly, and professional. I could not ask for a better experience than we had with him. We were sad when the safari ended, and my son cried.
As a reference point, we are a family of 3 - 2 parents and an 8-year-old boy. We travelled from Tampa Fl, went through London, to get to Jomo Kenyatta Airport in Nairobi – Kenya. I was anxious leading up to the travel date. This was a whole new world for us and the media can be cruel. The places we stayed at were top class. I remember contacting one of the hotels and asking if they provide towels and toiletries. I needed to know how to pack. They provided everything – from shower caps to bedroom slippers, toothbrushes and Jambo Mara even had robes. The experience we had was better than most top-class hotels in the US.
If you are reading this and are apprehensive in choosing a company, choose Balu Travel. Morris took care of all the details, and it was a seamless transaction. I had no issues – NO ISSUES. From the time we exited the airport, until Isaac dropped off at our hotel in Nairobi, we were taken care of to the utmost degree. We have no reservations with recommending Balu Travel – there is nothing they could have done better – it was the best.
We will never forget his experience and will be forever grateful to Balu Travel and by extension – Isaac.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent guide with attention to detail
We had a wonderful experience with Laxatrails. From the time of booking, Peter
was in close contact and available to answer all questions. All transfers and hotels were perfectly organised. John, our guide was excellent, making sure we saw so many animals and looking after us throughout the trip.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
From start to finish our entire experience was excellent!
We did an 8 day tour in Kenya with Real Africa Travel in July 2025 and visited 5 national parks with a group of 9 (ages 12-47). From start to finish our whole trip was amazing. Tim was great to work with in the planning stages. His response time to my many questions was always less than 24 hours. He really helped us figure out what would and wouldn't work for the trip we wanted and offered many helpful suggestions. He and his team were on hand to greet us arriving on 3 different flights (including the one landing at 1 am) in Nairobi. Our drivers/guides, Mike and Roman were very wonderful. The vehicles were well maintained and we felt very safe the entire time we were in Kenya. Having traveled to developing countries before I came expecting there could be delays, changes of plans, and un expected hiccups during the trip. I was pleasantly surprised when this wasn't the case. Everything went according to plan and Mike and Roman were always on time. Both have been guides for over 10 years and their love of their country, the animals and their job was obvious. They shared tons of knowledge about the animals and landscape but also answered our questions about Kenyan culture, economic growth, and political shifts. Their answers about the countries current struggles and their hopes for it's future were honest and insightful. We were very happy we chose Kenya for our safari both for the country's emphasis ecotourism and the wildlife viewing opportunities. We saw a lion hunt and a cheetah hunt! We saw countless elephants, giraffes, zebras, 4 different species of antelope, hyenas, warthogs, baboons, monkeys, water buffalo, rhinos, flamingos, hippos, crocodiles, ostriches and more. I highly recommend Real Africa Travel
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing 7-day safari!
Aug 2025 • Couples
We planned a 7-day safari with Splendor Safari and we couldn’t have done a better choice! Isak (our guide) was extremely friendly and his experience was amazing - thanks to him we got to see so many animals (the famous big five) and we had breathtaking encounters. We built a life time memories that we will never forget! Absolutely recommended.
IL
under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable experience
I had an amazing time on the safari trip! Our guide, John, was incredibly sweet and wise, knowing how to answer all of our questions and dealing with our family silliness. We drove in the car that was very comfortable and was stocked with drinks in the fridge for us, the open roof was amazing, allowing us to have a much better experience, and the fact that the car had charging spots was a life saviour. I enjoyed the trip very much and I hope more people will get the opportunity to experience it like I did, especially when John is your guide you are promised for an unforgettable trip!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The complete attention to detail and to us, made us feel like royalty!
From the moment we started planning our safari, we had Jessica’s full attention. From the preferences survey to the advice on the actual travel; to the personal discussions about what we wanted from our safari, I felt like we had a completely personalized and top-notch experience. Our camps and guides were way beyond my expectations. I truly felt like royalty from the time I stepped off the plane until we got back in the plane to head home.
KR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
My best experience that I've ever met
Driving across the Serengeti plains with Furaha Tours was the best experience of my life.
Our amazing guide, Laizer, was not only experienced at spotting animals but also had a great sense of humor that taught us how to always find a reason to smile. No matter what challenges we faced, it never felt difficult knowing that Laizer was by our side.
I believe this is a choice you absolutely won't regret. I would definitely want to go with Furaha again on my next trip.
SK
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kenya safari 2025
My wife and I visited it for safari game drives. We organized the entire vacation ourselves through online bookings. We traveled the whole country from Mombasa to Masai Mara. We spent two days in the capital Nairobi from here we visited the Naivasha Lake with hippos and many animals. In Nairobi we had booked a 3 day safari game drive to Masai Mara via Toto Tembo Safaris. Masai Mara was the greatest experience and exceeded all our expectations. We saw 4 animals of BIG FIVE, great migration, Mara river with hippos and crocos, Masai village with Goerge and his family :) .... big, big experiences. Finally, we spent a week at Diani Beach. In one sentence, Kenya is a diverse country with nice people (Hakuna Matata, Jambo Rafiki). We had a one negative perception of the constantly annoying locals, who pestered us with their offers at every turn... but it is the true Africa.
NO
Simply awesome
We had a great time with a very experienced driver. Made sure we got to see the action wherever it was. Kind and calm guide, with a sense of humor. The safari package we got was absolutely to our expectations. We went for a more affordrable package, and boy did we get value for money. 3 days i think is more than enough for a safari.
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible Wildlife and Landscapes Coupled with Extreme Poverty and Gentle People
Riveting Ugandan safari experience following the footsteps of Dian Fossey. Grateful to have found Safaris by Jon who drove, guided, explained, educated, enthralled while navigating Murchison Falls National Park, Rhino reserves, Nile adventures, Kibale National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Lake Victoria and so much more.
Early morning game drives soothe the soul. As light brushes the sky, animals and birds waken along with John's voice, "Elephant on the road."
Gorilla Trekking worth every step. Giraffes against an early morning sky on game drives at Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth National Park. Rhinos resting and nursing under the shade of a tree. Colorful birds everywhere. Shoebill storks so prehistoric in the marshes of Lake Victoria. Chimpanzees flying through the treetops.
