20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable first Safari experience
We had an amazing 6-day safari through the Maasai Mara, Amboseli and Lake Nakuru with Gabriel as our guide. He has an incredible knowledge of the animals and the parks and was always happy to answer all our questions.
He was also very friendly, patient and attentive throughout the whole trip. He always made sure to position the vehicle in the best possible spot to give us a great view of the animals, even when there were lots of other cars around. He really went above and beyond, and thanks to him we managed to see all of the Big Five!
Gabriel made our first safari experience truly unforgettable, and we couldn’t have asked for a better guide.
We were also very happy with Splendid Vacations and the organisation of the trip. They were always responsive and did a great job tailoring the safari to exactly what we wanted, especially Alice, who was incredibly helpful throughout the planning.
We would definitely recommend Gabriel, Alice and Splendid Vacations!
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Experience. 100% Recommend
We had an unforgettable 6-day/5-night adventure through Kenya, with 2 nights in the Masai Mara, 1 night at Lake Nakuru, and 2 nights in Amboseli.
Before booking, we contacted more than 15 tour operators on SafariBookings, and ultimately chose Splendid Vacations because they were very responsive and able to accommodate our requests.
Alice was fantastic, always available and quick to respond, making sure the itinerary was exactly what we were looking for.
Our guide Gabriel was simply outstanding. His knowledge of wildlife and the parks is incredible, he knows the parks so well that he never needed a map. He answered every question we had, explained everything we were seeing, and positioned the car so that we could have the best possible experience.
Beyond being an exceptional guide, Gabriel is also a genuinely great guy: polite, friendly, patient and extremely pleasant to spend time with — something that really matters when you are sharing a safari vehicle for 10 hours a day!
Alice and Gabriel also helped when we had an issue with our luggage. Our checked bag was lost on the flight to Kenya, and Alice personally went to the airport to retrieve it for us. While Gabriel drove us to Nairobi to collect it on the way between the parks.
We could not recommend Gabriel, Alice and Splendid Vacations more!
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic
Excellent professional organization and compliments to our driver, Martin.
IT
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Good expertise
Good organization . Very good tour guide competitive, never tired, always available available to explore
CH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing safari experience - into the wild
During the planning and booking process Filipa helped by answering any question and tailor the Safari to our wishes. During our visit we were fortunate to see lots of animals and enjoyed the game drives in a comfortable 4x4 car with open roof. If we had to pick a highlight it would be the first full day in Masai Mara with the early hot air balloon. Big recommendation to add the balloon flight to your itinerary! That being said, we loved every bit of it and were sad we had to leave. Special thanks in particular to Shuma (our guide) who looked after us exceptionally for the entire journey.
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The Guide Who Saved My Trip
I had the absolute trip of a lifetime with Arre Tours. I initially had booked with another tour guide but they were such a disappointment, and I'm so relieved I canceled with them and booked with Arre instead!
Arre is a guide like no other. His love for life and adventure is contagious. He's punctual, professional, and he's passionate about what he does and giving guests the absolute best experience possible. Over the course of two days, we visited key sights in Axum like Stelae Park, St. Mary of Zion Church, King Ezana's Tomb, and saw breathtaking landscapes. Nothing felt rushed or performative. He also included extra experiences beyond the itinerary, and those became some of the most enjoyable parts of my time in Axum.
What impressed me most was the level of care he brought to the experience. Arre consistently looked out for me, made sure my needs were met, and did so naturally and without any fuss. He had a way with people that put you instantly at ease, and it was obvious from the start that his real priority was making sure I truly enjoyed my time — and that, I certainly did!
I’m already planning another trip to Ethiopia, and the fact that I intend to book Arre Tours again says everything. Next time, I hope to book with him for other places I’m dying to see, like the Danakil Depression, the Tigray churches, and Gondar.
Arre is the real deal, and I'd recommend him to anyone without a second thought.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding from start to finish—expert guides, wonderful camps and an unforgettable adventure
This was our first safari, and we couldn't be happier with our choice to go with Lion King.
Our guide (Flugence) was amazing - really knowledgeable about all of the animals and birds, the parks, Tanzania and its people, and perhaps more importantly, excellent company for 10 days. He had a remarkable ability to find and spot all of the animals we wanted to see - and plenty more besides. One of the highlights was his skill in finding exactly the right place and time for us to catch the wildebeest crossing the river in the Northern Serengeti.
Flugence was also a excellent driver - we always felt completely safe no matter how challenging the roads became. He was really patient too: we were never rushed and he spent a lot of time in the evening helping us sort photos, identify all of the birds and animals we'd seen, and learn and practice our Swahili. We couldn't fault Flugence at all, and will definitely ask for him again when we return.
All of the accommodation was very good, but the two tented camps we stayed at in the Serengeti were particularly special - Embalakai Serengeti (Hippo Camp) and Serengeti Classic View Camp (Kogatende). Both of these had great locations and well furnished tents, the food was amazing, the staff super helpful and friendly, and lovely to see animals so close to the camp.
After visiting the parks, we did the night hike up Ol Doinyo Lengai - this was definitely more challenging than we anticipated (especially coming down), but a great experience, and the amazing views from the top of the volcano were well worth the effort. Our guide for the hike (Yohanna) was amazing - very patient, with plenty of rests and encouragement, and paced us perfectly to reach the top at sunrise.
Finally, we can't fault the organisation and service from Lion King - communication was great, everything was smoothly organised, and the whole holiday went off without a hitch. Dietary requirements (gluten free vegetarian food) had been clearly communicated to all accommodation in advance and flawlessly catered for (with more variety and choice than most places we have visited). Although it was a more expensive holiday than we'd normally take, it was excellent value - we're very happy to recommend them and hope to use them again in the future.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Alex was beyond incredible!!
Alex was our driver for our trip and he was perfect for our group! We were two families with a total of 3 teenagers and Alex was a hit with everyone. He was so knowledgeable about the area the animal where to go and answered all of our crazy questions, including personal ones. He was constantly on the phone talking with other drivers to make sure that we were able to see anything and everything possible. So kind and such a pleasure to be around. After our Safari, we went on for another week to a different destination and literally talked about Alex every single day. Would have been the same without him! Thank you Alex!!!
