ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing
Very resolutive, they make you an affordable route of safaris with the best guides, the experience was really incredible, and we were very satisfied.
Honour mention to our wonderful guides, Francis and Brian, who came with us in every moment. They located the animals in the wild really quick, even if they were far or almost impossible to see. They carried us to the animals as near as permited, and they explained us a lot of interesting data about the the animals too. Also they were really nice and helpful, specially with some managements as the check in in the hotels, changing money to dollars in Nairobi or buying a sim card for having internet in the tour.
We loved all the parks and reserves, they all have incredible views and a lot of animals living their lifes and in general very easy to see. It was amazing. Specially the reserved we enjoyed the most was the Masai Mara, it was absolutely stunning, and we loved every moment we stay and every animal we saw.
In the other hand, we accorded some hotels to complement our stay in the several parks, and they changed us all but one the 4 hotels, in general the changes were not so bad but in one case it was a camp hotel wich we didnt like as much as the one we have accorded with the company; said that, the hotels were in general amazing, with all the facilities needed, and the guides helped us a lot with the incidence previously commented.
In conclusion, an incredible experience. Dont hesitate about taking Francis and Brian for guiding you, because they transformed a very good experience in the best tour that you can experience.
MY
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Legitimate trustworthy company. Peter is an extraordinary guide, a walking dictionary!
First of all, this is a legitimate company with TRA license (tourism regulatory Authority). If you are traveling from other country, you have my confidence that you are not scammed.
Pre trip booking (1 year prior to my trip)
- Came across this company via safari booking. Their review was 5/5 perfect. The person in charge Denis was very responsive. He was very patient and attentive. He offered very good opinion on the places that I plan to go considering that I am bringing my young kids. We also did almost 40min of video call. As a traveller from another part of the world, that really gave me a good confidence in their company.
- I made the booking and paid $2000 as booking fees.
Within 6 months prior to trip
- I intermittently communicate with him to ensure everything went well. Denis even updated me that the government had increased park fees. Minor changes made to the accommodation given prior to that. No big issues for me.
1month prior to trip. (This is where conflict arose)
- I constantly messaging him and asking him for confirmation. Despite completed the deposit, I was not given a proper invoice. I asked him whether things had been confirmed and demanded a complete finalized itinerary, however, Denis was not as responsive as before. He would ask me to calm down and relax as everything is going well. However, he doesn’t understand that as traveller, we want black and white confirmation, not verbal confirmation.
- At one point, I couldn’t get Denis to reply me even though he had read my message for more than 24hours. I thought I was scammed. I googled everything about the company, (TripAdvisor, google, safari booking), nothing seems to be wrong except that the last review was in 2023. I tried calling him and couldn’t get through. I was so agitated and angry. I even engaged other company for new qoutation and to help contact Denis with local phone. However, they couldn’t get him as well.
- After about a day, (around 3days prior to my trip), he replied and apologized for his mistake that he didn’t prioritize my request. However, I lost trust in him. I requested him to show me all invoice of accommodation and personally called to the hotel to confirm it. After confirming that the bookings are made and payment done, then only I could relax and trust the process.
During the trip.
- I was personally welcomed by him at Paul’s cafe beside the airport. He introduce me his driver Guide Peter. Everything went extremely well after that.
- Denis promised me that he will make my trip memorable with Peter as my guide. And he did! Peter was the best we could ever had!
- Denis even helped me to convert some of my USD to KSH. He tried to get me a bean bag (photography) and ensuring every goes well.
- Denis even suggested to change one of our mara accommodation to Julia’s river camp (cheaper, more authentic Safari tent) to reduce cost as he thinks we will spend most of the time in safari rather than camp. I totally agree!
About Peter, our beloved guide.
- I call him the walking dictionary of Kenya wildlife and history. I’ve never met such a knowledgeable guide. He practically knows so much about kenya birds, facts about animals and he always confirmed with his book.
- He has an eye of the eagle. He spots small animal from far. He relentlessly try to find new species of animals especially birds to show us as he knew I was a photographer.
- He would always find a good spot to park so that I could get a good shot of the animal. Most importantly, he could anticipate where the animal will move.
- Even though we were almost late to get out of the park, he would purposely drive to another site to show us leopard (although rush) as he knew leopard was difficult to be found.
- By day 5 of trip, we already completed our big 5, special 5 and many other animals. However, still he would try his best to show us other species or try to find the other big cats.
- He is very humble, kind to my kids (whom they love him so much). He shares a lot of his past experience and many facts about Kenya.
- Whoever gets Peter as a guide is really fortunate!
Final thoughts: (at the point of writing)
- African vacation Safaris is a legitimate company. Definitely not a scam. They are registered under TRA.
- Peter is an extraordinary guide. He is a gem.
- Denis is a reliable person in charge. However, there are many things he could improve to gain the confidence from consumer.
- 1. He needs to be more responsive with his message no matter how busy he is. Don’t ever blue tick your costumer and go MIA for 24hours especially 72hours prior to trip. It’s very stressful. Pick up your calls, even Peter couldn’t contact you during the trip. LOL
- 2. Provide your company licensing, proper detail invoice, confirmation letter from the accommodation booked. If you could do that, I am sure you can gain much confidence from your costumers.
- 3. Prioritize your costumer especially the trip is near. Don’t confirm things at last minute. Do it a month before.
Overall, I still strongly recommend African Vacation Safaris as your trusted company for Kenya Safaris. 5/5 despite some minor unnecessary miscommunication.
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Kruger safari experience
We have ve appreciated the great experience and passion of the guide that makes our safari experience unforgettable. He was able to show us animals that which would have been impossible to see without an expert guide. We also learnd a lot about animals habits and curiosities related to the park and the species that live there. Thanks also to flexibility of the agency, we have been able to re-arrange our safari schedule despite the issue faced with our flight schedule. On top to the Kruger park Safari we did, with the same agency, a very well organized and complete tour of the panoramic route!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Exceptional service from start to finish!
From the first message we sent, Christina was fast to reply and answered all of our concerns. She gave us all of the relevant information and helped make the booking process simple. The programs offered by Christina were tailored to our liking and she spent time and effort to make sure we got what we wanted on the tour.
On arrival our guide Fano met us at the airport with a smile and helped us change our money. Over the next 9 days of our tour we were treated with the best service we could have asked for. Fano was always on time, ready and prepared to take us on our adventures, he was very good at giving us the information about the places we visited and gave us different options to explore. His local knowledge was invaluable and his driving skill made us feel very safe and comfortable. Our tour included many long journeys by car, but they were always pleasant thanks to Fano. He would tell us all about the local culture and point out interesting things as we passed by. He was always very positive and has a great sense of humour.
Christina was quick to react to a change in circumstances when our departing flight changed. She arranged a driver for us on our last day so we could continue to explore rather than waiting in the airport all day.
To summarise we don’t think it’s possible to find better service as they really went above and beyond. We loved Madagascar so much, we will visit again and we will not hesitate to book with 261 EXP.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
James communicated well and was ready to help when we were stuck.
This is my second time using Urbann vacations and I am happy the second experience was better than the first. Although the hotel mishandled us because we arrived early, they tried to make up for it.
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Try it and you'll have an amazing experience
I had some doubt at the beginning as I book myself and not through agencies... The most beautiful surprise sine the beginning in submitting me the safary trip tour, changing and adapting it due to my request of modification even during the safary itself.
No complain at all but, simple huge thanking to all the staff from the back office till our magnificent driver James who was not only a driver but a teacher and became a friend.
We visited not a country but a magnificent Pearl in the African continent
PT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable Safari Experience
We had an unforgettable safari with Floridi as our guide. He made the entire experience fun, safe, and deeply enriching. His knowledge of the wildlife and the landscapes was truly impressive, and he always made sure we had the best possible views. Floridi spotted animals we would have never noticed ourselves and shared his passion through stories and explanations that brought the whole experience to life.
Floridi went above and beyond to make the trip special, and we couldn’t have asked for a better guide.
Thank you to Safari Soles for organizing such a memorable adventure, highly recommend!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The perfect people to organise a once in a lifetime adventure
Thank you, we had an absolutely amazing safari experience from start to finish. Everything was seamless – from the first enquiry through to the very last day, every detail was thoughtfully planned and executed. The itinerary was spectacular in every way: breathtaking landscapes, incredible wildlife encounters, beautiful and varied accomodation, and attentive staff who made us feel so well cared for.
We never had to worry about logistics or timing – everything just flowed perfectly, allowing us to relax and immerse ourselves fully in the adventure. It was beyond our expectations.
We can’t thank you enough for creating such an unforgettable journey.
Highly recommended to anyone wanting a truly world-class African safari.
NL
An Unforgettable Tanzanian Adventure!
Golden Trips organised an incredible 7-day Kilimanjaro trek (Lemosho route) and a 3-day safari for us. The entire experience was fantastic and well-executed. Overall, good value for money.
Planning: The planning process was smooth. Leticia was very responsive and patiently answered all our questions while creating the itinerary.
Kilimanjaro Trek: The 7-day trek was an unforgettable experience. Our guides, Bob and Noah, were exceptional—supportive, informative, and dedicated to getting us to the summit. We were consistently impressed by the quality and quantity of the food provided (thanks, Cheeks).
As moderately fit trekkers, we found the route manageable, but Summit Night is a true test of perseverance. Our guides' motivation was essential in helping us reach Uhuru Peak. A huge shoutout to the team of porters - Denis, Alex, Dito, Joshua, Sam, Erinest, Mashal, Bayo and Ruga - the successful climb would not have been possible without all your hard work.
Safari: Our 3-day safari covered Tarangire, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro Crater. Our guide, Deo, was fantastic. His knowledge and ability to spot wildlife were top-notch, and we saw 4 of the Big 5.
For first-time safari-goers, we'd recommend focusing on 1-2 parks in 3 days, as visiting all three felt rushed. You ultimately trade time in the parks for time on the road. The Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater were our highlights.
Overall, we highly recommend Golden Trips for a memorable Tanzanian adventure.
SG
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Reactive and efficient team, but unfortunately the shared tour is outsourced
I have booked a 10-day mid-range & high-comfort shared safari and zanzibar trip with Zanzi. All the communications and booking went smoothly ahead of the trip. The team at Zanzi is reliable and responsive. On my arrival, I got picked up at the airport and a representative from the company came to meet me at the hotel, collect outstanding payment and would be my contact point in case of issue during the trip.
To my surprise, the lodges I was told I would stay at (and given in my quote 5 months prior) were changed last minute. I didn't think much about it when I was told as I didn't realise the locations were actually different! Part of my tour was to stay 1 night in north Serengeti to catch the great migration, this night was changed to be back in central Serengeti, which means that I didn't get to stay a night in the north of the park which is what I had booked and paid extra for! So we only had half day in the north part of the park and had to leave by 3pm to drive all the way back to central Serengeti, which really was a pity as I thought I would get to enjoy at least 1 full day to 1.5 day there. This is the part where it is full responsibility of Zanzi and hence the 4 stars rating.
On another night, my accommodation was changed last minute on the day itself! I was looking forward to a lodge with a view and I ended up in an ecolodge tent with no running water and only shared electricity and no reception (nothing against ecolodge, they are great if I had chosen to stay in them, but for this trip I had chosen comfort and needed connection and this was in the coldest part of the trip in Ngorongoro - knowing my aversion for cold, i would have never picked to stay in a tent there, but I wasn't given the choice!). Zanzi team reimbursed me 100USD for this (I gave it back to them in the end).
The other point that is important to note and which I was not aware of when I booked is that shared tours are not shared amongst Zanzi guests with the same itinerary! This is outsourced to another company that pools together different guests from different agencies with different itineraries and different accommodations (being it level of comfort but also localizations!). So on the first day, I was in the car with 6 other people and from day 2 to day 5 with 6 other people, which was ok. The part that was not ok with me was that every morning and every evening, we would be spending 1.5 to 2 hours picking up and dropping off everyone in their respective lodges!! It was such a waste of time to be up at 6am and by the time everyone else was picked up it would be 8am, which is very late to start game driving (needless to say we missed all the actions! and it is very frustrating when going back to your lodge in the evening and hearing everyone else has seen animals that you haven't at all!). On the first day, the driver didn't know where my lodge was, it was already dark at night and brought me to the wrong lodge! I had to take my google map out, use roaming and indicate the route to take. On 2 occasions, I arrived past 9pm to my lodge, which is past dinner time! I was still served dinner, but I had no choice as to what to eat and had to eat what they served me. Most of time, I would arrive at night in my lodge (last to be dropped off), and depart before sunrise in the morning (first to be picked up) and so didn't get to enjoy at all balcony views, sunsets or sunrises or even relaxing time post safari day. I think the frustration culminated on the last day of safari when out of the 7 people in the car, 1 person was doing a balloon ride and all of the rest had to wait for her in a parking lot until 10.30am instead of game driving!! I felt I have wasted so much time in this trip on all these logistics instead of being in the park looking for animals. This is my 3rd safari in Africa and this is the first time I am encountering this, which seems to be the way in Tanzania, so beware when booking shared tours to ask how the sharing tour works.
I think I wasn't lucky with the driver and guide we got as well: he was very young and unexperienced (doing this for 1 year only), so there were still part of the parks he didn't know well (he had issue finding another lodge I was staying at inside Serengeti too) and it was frustrating to always follow other vehicles / guides he knew instead of going our way. He clearly wasn't passionate about the wildlife and would not be driving the right way to spot animals (way too fast to be able to spot anything on certain part) or getting way too close to animals to the point of disturbing them (I was surprised these guides don't get trained on what to do / not to do with wildlife).
It was the same in Zanzibar, the guide I got on the blue safari, took starfish out of water. Even some of us told him not to do so as it was killing them, he continued!
The guide I got in Stonetown was ok only, again not passionate and not listening to her guest preference. I am a photographer and I always like spending time in markets, because there is always good opportunities for photos. I did tell her I wanted to see the fish auction, I even insisted asking whether there were specific timings not to miss it! She let the market to the end of the tour and went around in 5min and saying this was the end of the tour and she needed to go and run her errands before shops close and it was too bad that at the time we arrived there was no auction ongoing! Lunch was included in this walking tour, but instead of asking me what I wanted she ordered what she wanted to eat. She ordered fish and octopus without asking (I eat seafood so it was ok but imagine someone who is not!) and I understood later that she actually wanted to pack the fish back home for dinner for her family!
All in all, it was a nice trip (Tanzania is a beautiful country and there is so much to do and see!), but obviously there were misses and disappointing parts!