AE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Private Safari with small kids
Our experience with Axis Safari was overall mixed, with some very positive aspects but also some important issues.
The biggest positive was undoubtedly our guide, John Mwangi. Our first interaction with the initial guide was unfortunately very poor, and after just a few minutes we asked Axis to change the guide. Axis accepted our request and arranged for John to take over, which we appreciated.
John was excellent throughout the safari. He was knowledgeable, professional and particularly good at finding special wildlife encounters and positioning the vehicle at the right moments. Thanks to him, we had some truly memorable experiences, including an incredible leopard sighting.
The PrideInn Mara was also a very pleasant part of the experience. The food was good, and the staff were friendly and attentive.
The main disappointment was the safari vehicle. From the beginning, we had specifically requested a vehicle with canvas-covered rear windows, as we were travelling privately with two young children. When John took over, his vehicle did not have canvas-covered windows. We therefore asked Axis to keep both requirements: a different guide and a vehicle with canvas.
Axis ultimately arranged for John to exchange vehicles with the initial guide, meaning we ended up using the initial guide’s vehicle — the same vehicle we had arrived in. We had only spent around five minutes in that vehicle initially, so we did not have the opportunity to properly assess its condition at that point. We chose to keep it because it was the only vehicle with canvas that Axis was able to make available to us.
Unfortunately, over the following minutes, we discovered several issues with the vehicle. Most importantly, the majority of the seat belts were not functioning properly, which we found unacceptable when travelling with young children. There were also other maintenance issues, including charging ports that did not work and windows and doors that were not functioning properly. In addition, the vehicle was not particularly comfortable, which was disappointing given that this was a private safari and we spent many hours in the vehicle each day.
To be fair, Axis was responsive to our requests and did make efforts to accommodate the change of guide and our requirement for a canvas-covered vehicle. However, we feel that the standard of the vehicle, both in terms of safety and comfort, was below what we expected from a private safari.
Overall, John was excellent and made a significant difference to our experience, and PrideInn Mara was also very good. Unfortunately, the initial guide experience and, in particular, the condition and comfort of the vehicle prevented us from giving Axis a fully positive review.
DZ
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Average
Overall, the safari itself was a good experience, and the communication team was professional, responsive, and helpful throughout the process.
Unfortunately, the safari driver was the main negative point of our experience. He did not even offer us a bottle of water during the trip, despite the fact that we were traveling with a small child. According to the agreement, food, snacks, or at least drinks were supposed to be included.
What made this even more disappointing was seeing that many other safari vehicles were clearly providing drinks and refreshments to their guests.
Because of this lack of basic care and hospitality from the driver, I am not sure I would choose the same agency again for my next safari trip, even though the communication team and the overall organization were good.
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Lake Manyara National Park by Kellie Hicks
A lot of the park was covered by the expansion of the lake. Many of the animals described in the brochure that I hope to see no longer lived there.
CH
Great safari experience, but not without issues
Overall, I had a great safari experience, although unfortunately not every part of the trip was as positive.
From the very beginning, communication with Glory was great. She was always quick to respond, helpful and made the whole booking process very easy.
I booked a 4-day camping safari. The campsites were good and the tents were equipped with small mattresses and sleeping bags. One thing I was a little disappointed about was that the first night wasn’t actually spent in a tent, even though my itinerary stated three nights of camping. It wasn’t a huge issue for me, but it was different from what I had booked and expected.
Also: bring more warm clothes than you think you’ll need! Especially around Ngorongoro, the nights can get very cold.
The food throughout the safari was always really good and there was more than enough. Of course, some meals were quite similar, but for four days of camping there is really nothing to complain about. A big thank you to our chef Ritschard for taking such good care of us!
As for the safari itself, we saw an incredible amount of wildlife and had some amazing moments.
Unfortunately, the part that significantly affected my experience was our guide, Lawrence.
Throughout the trip, I repeatedly felt ignored and not taken seriously by him. There were many situations where I would ask a question and simply receive no answer. It became so noticeable that it actually turned into an inside joke within our group: when I asked something and got ignored, one of the guys would repeat the exact same question — and suddenly get an answer.
I addressed this directly with Lawrence several times during the safari. Unfortunately, his response was basically just “okay”, and nothing changed afterwards.
I also felt that we sometimes received surprisingly little information from him. For example, when staying at campsites with wild animals around, we had to repeatedly ask for basic information about whether it was safe to walk to the toilets alone at night and what precautions we should take. Whenever something was questioned or we asked for more clarification, his reaction often felt dismissive.
There were also a few situations involving the animals that made some of us uncomfortable. At times, members of the group had to point out that we felt we were getting too close to animals. There were also one or two occasions where we drove off-road even though nobody in our group had asked for this.
I understand that safari guides have a lot of experience and know the parks far better than tourists do, but for me, respecting the animals and their space is an important part of the experience as well.
It’s unfortunate because there were so many great aspects to this safari, and I want to emphasize that my criticism of the guide does not reflect my experience with the entire company.
After the safari, I shared my concerns about Lawrence privately with the company. I was apologized to and told that the matter would be addressed, which I appreciate. However, I was also repeatedly asked not to include this negative experience in my public review because it could affect the company. I understand their position, but I believe an honest review should reflect both the p
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great tour. Driver is very knowledgeable
Great experience. Unique life experiences. Coach and driver is very good with great knowledge.
PH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
He was great!
I was hoping to see more animals, but it was still an incredible adventure and definitely a core memory for me! 🦁❤️
I also really appreciated how safety-conscious the team was throughout the experience. They made sure we stayed safely inside the vehicle and maintained a safe distance from the animals at all times. It made the experience feel secure while still allowing us to enjoy being so close to wildlife.
Overall, it was a memorable experience, and I’m glad I got to do it!
ES
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Kruger National Park by José Manuel Sanchez
Compared to other parks I've visited, I didn't like it at all.
LU
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very poor organization- not recommended
I recently concluded a 3 days safari from Arusha to Serengeti and Ngorongoro. I have booked a mid range safari - lodge stay.
The Organization of the safari was very poor. Firstly, the operator did not explain to us that the transfer was included from and to the airport in ANY date, not only the start and end data of the safari, which made us spend over 80 euros in taxi for no reason.
Secondly, we booked a lodge stay and we were in the car with other 5 customers who booked public camp stays ( lower price range). Even if we paid more, we had less privileges than they. Firstly they were in accommodations very close to the finish point of the game drive. On the contrary, the operator booked us lodges that were located over 1hr from the camp, so we had to wake up at least 2hrs before the people staying in public camp and spend at least 2 extra hours/day in the car just from/to de lodge, which was very tiring. In addition, the car was always FULLY packed with camping equipment, including equipment for the cook which served mainly the camping folks, which made the ways very uncomfortable. For that reason, our car was VERY slow, as it was very heavy. Also, having the camp people together with lodge people caused many useless and unnecessary stops on the way, to pick up equipment, pick up the food, the cook, drop him off, and many others. We stayed up to 1 hr from our safari time just waiting for the camping people.
In general it was very “free style”, not organized so I would not recommend Everlasting safari for your safari in Tanzania if you want a stress free and comfortable experience as this was for sure not the case for us. The safari if self was good but this is mainly because the park themselves provide the environment and entertainment.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Good and Not Good
THE GOOD: The trip was well organized, booking was smooth, and communication with the salesperson was excellent. The vehicle was in good condition, and the hotel/camp was comfortable. Overall, it felt like good value for the money.
NOT SO GOOD: Unfortunately, our guide fell short. While he met the bare minimum requirements, he was completely unengaging and unfriendly. This was not our first safari, so we weren't expecting a National Geographic-level expert, but he offered no proactive information or context, giving only brief, one-sentence answers. Even trying to figure out where we were driving next felt like a struggle. Language was not an issue, as his English was fine.
OVERALL: Because a guide makes or breaks a safari experience, I cannot recommend Kentau Safari based on this trip.
PL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Accommodations issues, saved only by a great driver
If you book with Peak Season Africa Safaris, do not trust their "free upgrades"—it is likely a trick to cut costs and downgrade your stay. Check all their recommendations on booking and google.
Steven will be replying fast and confident but it's all a selling pitch.
We booked for 9 days, 11k USD safari, around 6months in advance. Right after sending prepayment, we were told our desired lodge was unavailable and were offered "upgrades at no extra cost". We were explicitly promised Deluxe Rooms at Mara Sweet Acacia in writing. Instead, we were dumped into their absolute worst, filthy tents (1-2 star quality at best). Only after aggressive escalation were we moved to mediocre cottages—still nowhere near the Deluxe standard we paid for and agreed on.
Mara Sweet Acacia is a total 3-star tourist trap falling apart at the seams: broken kettles, showerheads barely working at 30% pressure, towels on dusty shelves and overall walls looking like from third world.
Emayian had nice food, style and service, but the wind noise in the tents made sleep impossible. Only Kibo Camp in Amboseli delivered what was expected.
The Bright Spot: Patrick
The driver, Patrick, was knowledgeable, skilled, and worked hard to give us a great game-viewing experience. He deserves all the praise, but he cannot fix a dishonest agency approach.
Summary
The agency sold us high-end promises and pocketed the difference by booking inferior sweet accacia lodge while advertising it as 5* upgrade.
