65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
exceptional
A great experience with local company, excellent value for money for anyone coming from overseas for a kenyan safari tour
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our 7-day honeymoon was a dream come true
Our 7-day honeymoon was a dream come true, full of unforgettable wildlife encounters. From the moment we landed, the adventure began. Our game drives took us through the stunning landscapes of Lake Manyara, where we were greeted by herds of giraffes and zebras grazing peacefully by the water’s edge. The vibrant birdlife there was a photographer's paradise, with flocks of flamingos painting the lake pink.
But the Serengeti scene was wow!! Our game drives took us deep into the heart of the savanna, and we were lucky enough to witness the raw beauty of nature. From lions lounging in the shade to cheetahs gracefully sprinting across the plains and huge wildebeest herds migrating to their calving site, every turn seemed to bring a new spectacle. The highlight, though, was waking up to elephants right outside our tent, their massive silhouettes moving through the morning mist. It was a breathtaking moment that felt like we were living in a wildlife documentary.
One of the most surreal experiences was our hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti. We floated silently above herds of wildebeest and gazelles, watching the sun rise over the endless horizon. The view was like something out of a dream.
Then we ventured to the Ngorongoro Crater, where the wildlife seemed to come from every direction. We saw rhinos, buffalo, and more lions than we could count. The crater's natural beauty and its abundance of wildlife made it feel like we had stepped into another world, where the animals ruled the land and we were just lucky to witness their world. Every game drive brought new thrills, and every animal encounter felt like a privilege.
It was the perfect way to start our journey together. Asante sana Zara Tour
Sarah & Sid
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing Experience - Guide, Hotels, and Itinerary!
We organized a private safari for four people through Makini for 7 days and 6 nights. Nancy was wonderful in helping us plan and organize the trip, helped to choose excellent lodging and was responsive and helpful with questions leading up to the trip and checked on us during the trip. She even had our vehicle fridge stocked with beer and wine which was a nice treat.
The first day we were picked up right in time from the airport and had a lovely tour of Arusha seeing some local markets and a great museum. Some of the stops seemed designed to get us as tourists to purchase tanzanite, spices, or local art items. Remember haggling at these markets should you choose to purchase is expected. Then we had a good protons the day to relax at our hotel which was beautiful and get adjusted to the time and unwind from two days of flying.
Our guide Godfrey met us the second morning and he was fantastic throughout the entire trip. I genuinely don’t understand how he spotted some of the animals he did. We could not believe how many sightings we had. Godfrey was knowledgeable about the land, the wildlife, and knew all of the trails around the Serengeti and Ndutu so well. He also seemed to know and be friendly with most of the other guides and would get heads ip on the radio or phone when there was significant activity which I’m confident led to how many big sightings we were able to enjoy.
Our trip took us through Tarangire, the Serengeti, Ndutu, and the Ngorongoro Crater. In our 6 days actually on game drives we saw a ton of lions including cubs and an attempt at mating, leopards, many cheetahs, cape buffalo, hyenas, warthogs, elephants, giraffe, zebra, black backed and golden jackals, black rhinoceros, antelopes, baboons, dikdiks, gazelles, hippopotamuses, impalas, vervet monkeys, agama lizard, dung beetle, Nile crocodile, eland, topi, bushbuck, hartebeast, wildcat, and of course the incredible wildebeest migration. Godfrey even spotted a wildebeest in labor and we were able to watch her give birth and see a new wildebeest take its first steps which was a highlight of the trip. The size and scope of the migration is truly indescribable. We didn’t do a balloon tour but I’d bet it we old have been incredible in seeing the migration in large scale from above.
In terms of birds we saw greater and lesser flamingo, helmeted Guinea fowl, kori bustards, ostrich, fish eagles, tawny eagles, vultures, marabou storks, grey crowned crane, African golden-weaver, black headed heron, secretary birds, hammerkop, and more.
We stayed at the Arusha Farmhouse, Suricata Boma Lodge, Misako Luxury Camp, Safari Haven Migration Camp, and Ngorongoro Marera View Lodge. The food on the trip was exceptional. There were delicious hot lunches packed for us each day.
Not sure how this worked out, but we didn’t even see a mosquito the entire trip. The price we were quoted and paid was unbeatable. Makinindid an exceptional job for a great price- I would highly recommend to go with Makini.
PK
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beyond the Plains Safari team from John to Dennis and everyone in between were amazing.
My Kenya safari experience with Beyond the Plains Safari through Rough Guides was amazing. The experience from the first Park to the best Safari Park helped build up the momentum and expectations. From the beginning when I reached out to them until I returned back home John was there to help, respond and accommodate our needs/requirements. He helped us build the best itinerary based on how we wanted to pace it and what we wanted to do, selecting the right hotels and stops along the way. Our driver and guide Dennis was amazing! His expertise in driving in the most difficult of conditions and his brazen chase of the animals got us to see the most number of animals every single day. Every day we saw many of the big five as well as a number of other animals enhancing our experience. His knowledge of the animals and the area was fantastic, he helped me with comfort stops as many times and places as requested. The weather was hot and dusty but the safari experience by far made us forget our surroundings. The hotels - though non-airconditioned - were amazing as well from the ambience, to the room comfort to the fantastic food. The service and staff of each and every hotel were exceptional. Most hotels also give you the animal experience enhancing the safari. And ofcourse the shopping was great too! Just one tip if you have a day or even half a day in Nairobi then look for the Masai Market which is help each day of the week in a different shopping mall parking lot and you will get most things much cheaper there compared to the souvenir shops along the way.
Big shout out to the team of Beyond the Plains Safari Kenya team!
50-65 years of age
Afro Dawn gave us an amazing 3 days in Victoria Falls. Our guide Last was just brilliant!
AfroDawn put together a 3 day package for us in Zimbabwe. They listened to our requests and provided exactly the experience we were looking for.
Our guide Last was amazing - very knowledgeable about the local area, providing us with lots of information. Last was always very punctual which meant we could relax and enjoy our holiday. Communication with AfroDawn was excellent, they immediately answered any questions we had. Overall we would highly recommend AfroDawn for any vacations to Zimbabwe 🇿🇼
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent, organized, and authentic - a wonderful safari experience!
Nkollo Tours organized an excellent and well-priced 5 day/ 4 night safari for our group of 8, including 6 adults and 2 children (ages 10 months and 3 years old). Communication was prompt and clear, and Allan made multiple quotes and changes to fit with our groups interests and needs. Car seats were provided, along with complimentary pre- and post- safari accommodations and airport transfers. Our driver Emmanual was fantastic. Not only was he a skilled and safe driver with multiple years of experience, but he had a kind and welcoming temperament that made us feel like family. He was also a wealth of information on all the animals we saw (including the Big 5) and the cultural and historical questions we had. He was also great with the kids and we never felt rushed, or pressured in anyway. We did do that add on Masaai boma visit, which unfortunately has very clearly been shaped by tourism with heavy pressure to buy souvenirs, so not sure we would do that part again, but outside of that we couldn't have asked for a better safari experience. Highly recommend Nkollo tours, Allan, and Emmanual to provide a personalized and exceptional safari experience and can vouch for their ability to accommodate small children.
