SE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
5-Star Safari Adventure with a Truly Outstanding Guide
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5-Star Safari Adventure with a Truly Outstanding Guide
Review of 3-Day Private Safari to Lake Manyara, Tarangire & Ngorongoro
Pending review
We travelled in early February as a family of five (my wife and I with our three kids aged 12, 9 and 1) together with my brother and his wife, and we had an absolutely wonderful safari experience with Goldfinch Adventure.
From the very beginning, communication with Goldfinch Adventure was excellent. The planning process took several weeks because I wanted to make sure we chose the right national parks and accommodations that suited our family, especially travelling with young children. They were always very quick to respond to my messages and answered all my questions clearly. Even after we had almost finalized the itinerary, I made several changes — each time they quickly provided updated quotes and different accommodation options. Their communication and patience were truly 5-star and made the whole decision process easy and stress-free.
The safari itself was perfectly organised from start to finish — transport, food, accommodations and daily planning all ran smoothly. We visited in early February and the weather was beautiful, which made the experience even more enjoyable.
Our guide Peter was amazing. With around 30 years of experience, it honestly felt like travelling with Morgan Freeman! His storytelling about the animals, nature and parks made every drive special. He answered all our questions — especially the many questions from the kids — with patience and enthusiasm. Even when we didn’t see animals for a while, his knowledge and stories made it feel like a live National Geographic episode.
We visited Tarangire National Park, often called the “elephant paradise,” and it truly lived up to its name. The park is huge and incredibly beautiful, with landscapes that change between forest-like areas and open savannah. We saw elephants, giraffes, zebras, lions and even cheetahs. One of our days in Tarangire included an open safari vehicle, which was an experience by itself and highly recommended.
What we also really appreciated was the crowd size. In Tarangire especially, there were moments when it felt like we were completely alone in the park. It gave a true off-road safari feeling and made the experience feel wild and authentic. In Ngorongoro there are naturally more jeeps due to the size and popularity of the crater, which is understandable.
We spent a full day in Ngorongoro Crater, which was absolutely breathtaking. The crater itself is an amazing sight. We were lucky to see a lot of lions — at one point they were just meters away from our vehicle, which was incredible. We also saw rhinos, although they were further away in the distance. Overall, we managed to see 4 out of the Big Five, which we really appreciated.
The accommodations were fantastic. Elephant Springs in Tarangire was beautiful — we even heard a lion roaring from our balcony at night, which was unforgettable. Our next stay at Best View Lake Manyara truly lived up to its name, with one of the most stunning views I have ever seen.
We had two half days in Tarangire and a full day in Ngorongoro, which felt like a perfect balance for our family. Everything throughout the trip was smooth, well-organised and enjoyable.
We had a truly memorable safari and would happily recommend Goldfinch Adventure to anyone looking for a well-organised, family-friendly and unforgettable safari experience.
ID
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We had an absolutely amazing time on our Kenyan safari! Thanks to our fantastic driver and guide, we
We had an absolutely amazing time on our Kenyan safari! Thanks to our fantastic driver and guide, we were able to see the Big Four up close: giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, and elephants. It was a dream come true to see these magnificent animals in their natural habitat.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a lifetime
I recommend Afrikan Accent Adventures very highly, it truly was a trip of a lifetime. They were professional and responsive from initial contact all the way through to departure and the level of service they provided has been absolutely stellar. To provide a comprehensive review, I have covered each element of the trip below.
Booking process
Following our initial contact, Hellen worked with us to create a bespoke itinerary that had the perfect balance of safari adventure and beach relaxation. The itinerary was fully customisable and could be tailored to fit our specific requirements and budget. Hellen set out a number of add on options that we could choose from and we were able to adjust these as much as we wanted.
All of this was done prior to any obligation to pay, which was much appreciated as Hellen clearly put a lot of work in to making the perfect itinerary for us.
Once the itinerary was decided, we were provided with a comprehensive digital itinerary to check everything was in order before we confirmed our booking. This was a really handy document as it included a lot a background details and the accommodation which was useful for us to refer back to when getting ready for the trip.
Furthermore, I let Hellen know that I was planning to propose to my girlfriend during the safari trip. Hellen and the team did everything they could to ensure that this was special and a moment to remember. The proposal itself was fantastically organised (a simple sundowner in the Masai Mara) and the team even arranged a special meal with our safari lodge that evening to finish off the day. More importantly, Hellen and Nico (our driver) were very discreet about the proposal plans which meant it came as a very happy surprise to my girlfriend!
Arrival and Nairobi
When we arrived we were picked up straight outside of the airport and dropped off at our hotel by our dedicated driver. The process was super easy which is exactly what you need after a long flight.
Hellen met us the next day for the formal briefing to start our trip. This was very useful and included lots of practical guidance (including Kenyan culture on tipping and bartering in souvenir shops) which was invaluable for first time visitors to the country who didn’t necessarily know the ‘tricks of the trade’.
We were then driven to David’s Nairobi city tour which was exceptional. This was organised in the afternoon so we had the morning to relax and recover from our flight at the hotel. The tour was comprehensive and featured some of the main sights as well as a tour around the areas lesser explored by tourists which gave an authentic experience of life in Nairobi.
The following day, it was time to start our safari.
The Safari
As part of our trip, we arranged a c.10 day safari trip covering the Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, Amboseli and Tsavo regions of Kenya.
We were collected from our Nairobi hotel and were greeted by Hellen and Nico. They provided us with some free gifts (safari hats, personalised metal water bottles and Masai blankets) which were a great touch and helped us get into the safari mood.
The vehicle itself was a customised Toyota Land Cruiser and we had exclusive use of this throughout our trip. The vehicle was spacious, comfortable and more than a match for the rough terrain we encountered on safari. It’s worth noting that the vehicle could reach areas that some of the other vehicles we saw on safari (e.g. minibuses) could not which meant we could get a better view of the animals. The vehicle featured all the creature comforts including a drinking water dispenser, cool box and fully reclining seats, useful for a quick nap on the drives between parks.
The real star of the show was our driver, Nico, who made our trip unforgettable. He was extremely knowledgeable about the various animals, birds and plants we saw on our trip. His clear passion for his job was infectious and we learned so much about the animals, the landscape and Kenyan culture during our time with him. He also played his role in the proposal perfectly, setting up the sundowner and acting as our personal photographer and DJ whilst I did the proposal. We’ll never forget his choice of ‘smooth music’!
We saw all of the Big Five animals and even more including Cheetahs, hippos, crocodiles and flamingoes. Nico had a particular skill of parking the jeep to get the best view of the animals and line up the perfect photos.
The accommodations were also top tier and Hellen was clearly working hard behind the scenes to secure us room upgrades throughout the trip. A particular highlight was Zebra Plains River Camp where the staff were exceptionally friendly and welcoming, nothing was too much trouble for them.
The team also arranged some additional activities which were varied and made a nice change of pace to the standard game drives. Particular highlights included the nature walk in the Masai Mara, the Crescent Island boat trip / walking safari, and the bike ride in Hells Gate National Park. I’d also highly recommend the visit to the Masai Village to learn more about the traditional Masai culture. The people were so welcoming and even let us take shelter with them during a particularly sudden downpour!
Beach break
Finally we spent 3 days at the Neptune Paradise Resort at Diani Beach. We were driven there directly from Tsavo East by our guide and Afrikan Accent even arranged airport transfers for us to the Diani Beach airport for our flight back to Nairobi. The whole process was smooth and efficient. I would recommend arranging the beach extension directly through Afrikan Accent as they dealt with all of the logistics which meant we could focus on relaxing at the end of the safari.
There are also various optional activities (including dolphin sighting trips and Mombassa city tours) which the team can arrange. We didn’t have time on this occasion to do any of these, but it was good to have the option.
Summary
Overall, Afrikan Accent Adventures did everything they could to make our safari holiday an unforgettable experience. They dealt with pretty much every aspect of our holiday excluding flights and the process couldn’t have been smoother. The price was also very competitive. I highly recommend them if you are looking to do an East African safari.
KR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
They were very friendly and thoughtful
The day before the tour started, we had a pre-meeting. As Asians, we were naturally a bit concerned about our safety, but they truly understood our worries. They even gave us a city tour that wasn't even part of the official itinerary! We were so grateful for that extra care.
Throughout the trip, they were professional and kind. It was truly the best experience of my entire Africa tour!
NL
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
An excellent organisation with clear and professional communication for a great safari.
We booked a three day safari to Ngorogoro, Terengine and Lake Manyare, and had the time of our life. Our online communication was smooth and professional and the tour was perfectly organised from the beginning to the moment we got back to our hotel in Zanzibar. First of all we were picked up on time from our hotel, had flight tickets already booked for us and a great driver (Laurian) waiting for us at Arusha Airport. We had three days of an unforgettable experience, slept in a good hotel, had good food and lunch on the sites prepared and we got lots of interesting background information from the driver. Besides that, the atmosphere was relaxed and with humor. The way back to our hotel in Zanzibar was all perfectly well arranged as well. Thank you, it was a great experience and you almost felt like family!
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great experience! Everything was amazing!
My experience was incredible! Victor, the director, ensured every day that all my needs were met. Traveling alone, I felt safe, receiving a message every evening asking if everything was according to my desires. The communication, the hotels, the parks, the price, everything was perfect! Unforgettable trip!
LK
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Best company for safari in kenya
The communication with paul was very nice and straight to the point. All the details were as we had talked and no any surprises or any changes. Our guide was so knowledgeable on all the parks we visited and he was very friendly. The accomodations were on top notch and the staffs were always welcoming. All in all we can always recommend the company to anyone visiting kenya.
NL
Fantastic and professional tour operator who’s organized everything very carefully and very well.
Our safari plan was for three days in different locations with two nights in a wonderful Lodge all inclusive.
The communication with Erick the owner, was incredible since the first time. He answered all the questions and he did it quickly. We compare the plan with another operator and Serengeti Savana Adventure was the best in price and services.
CH
An authentic, tailored 10-day Ethiopia experience beyond our expecations
I honestly cannot remember the last time I experienced so much in just 10 days (Lalibela, Omo Valley, Addis, Danakil, Tigray)! Among numerous providers, I came across SimienEcoTours through my own research. From the initial contact to travel planning, preparation, and execution, everything was 100% perfect. As a frequent traveler, this has been my best experience with a travel agency so far.
But let me start from the beginning:
My travel buddy and I only had 10 days but wanted to see as much as possible within that time. We had very little idea of what would actually be feasible. Franziska worked closely with us to design our (rather ambitious) tailor-made itinerary. We especially appreciated the transparent and friendly communication, the efficiency, and the excellent availability (via email as well as phone).
What happened after we booked is ultimately the main reason why we recommend this agency so highly. In the past, once a trip was booked, we usually had little to no contact with the agency until departure. Simien Ecotours, however, prepared us step by step for the journey. The word “attentive” describes the agency very well. From general information about the host country, entry requirements (visa), and a packing list, to setting up a WhatsApp group that included Franziska, Marco (the managing director), our guide, our drivers in the different destinations, and the team members working behind the scenes on logistics — everything was thoughtfully organized.
Perfectly prepared, we traveled to Ethiopia, where we were warmly welcomed at the airport. I was especially grateful for the seamless support with importing my drone. This would not have been possible without the agency (and after the trip, I can confidently say I would have missed my drone very much if I hadn’t been able to bring it).
Our guide, Hailu, accompanied us throughout the entire journey, including domestic flights, so we never had to worry about airport transfers, check-in procedures, or logistics. Hailu is an open-minded and thoughtful person who truly loves his work and his country. We always felt comfortable with and around him. Spontaneous requests or adjustments to the program were never a problem. His English was excellent. What impressed us most was his knowledge — especially about his homeland, but also far beyond that. We learned so much from him and took away countless insights.
You know a guide is exceptional when a certain sense of melancholy sets in while saying goodbye at the airport at the end of the trip.
It is also very important to mention our drivers. In the different regions, we had different local drivers. Most importantly: every single driver drove safely, carefully, and at an appropriate speed. At no point did we feel unsafe. The drivers were always courteous and ultimately much more than “just” drivers.
Overall, the trip was perfectly organized from A to Z. There were not even minor waiting times or issues anywhere. It was a perfect, authentic travel experience far away from tourist crowds.
We would love to end with some constructive criticism - but quite honestly, we simply cannot think of anything. Thanks for everything to the entire team!
Sven and Zoran
NO
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent safari operator
Maurine very helpful and professional on planning the safari, competitive pricing, and Moses did a great job as driver/guide. Staying at 3 different luxury lodges in Masai Mara gave a varied and brilliant experience for our 4 days safari. Saw all the amazing animals we wanted to see