NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
For the second time with Makasa and fantastic again!!!
For the second time with Makasa and fantastic again!!!
In 2024, together with my three teenagers, I took a wonderful two-week trip through Tanzania with Makasa. For my boys and me, that was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I have since been to Tanzania five times: that first special trip with my boys and the other four trips together with my partner.
During our most recent trip, my partner and I decided just two weeks before departure that we would actually like to go on a short safari. Because of my amazing experience in 2024, I immediately contacted Makasa again. Despite the high season and the short preparation time, they put together a fantastic 6-day, 5-night safari for us.
From Arusha, we first drove to Ol Doinyo Lengai and Lake Natron. The vast landscapes, Maasai villages, flamingos, and Lake Natron made a huge impression. The hike to the waterfalls with a Maasai guide was also absolutely worthwhile.
Afterwards, we drove via a beautiful northern route to the north of the Serengeti. We stayed two nights at Kimbilio Bologonja, a nice and small-scale camp, and then one night at Lobo, which was a bit more luxurious and in a beautiful location. Both accommodations were very welcoming, with incredibly friendly staff, delicious food, and comfortable safari tents. And after a long day on safari, a hot shower in the middle of the Serengeti was wonderful!
Our guide, Humphrey, made a very important contribution to this trip. A fantastic guide: professional, with immense knowledge of animals and nature, a great sense of humor, and above all, a wonderful positive energy. With him, we went in search of the famous Great Migration – and what an experience!
Despite the high season, Humphrey consistently managed to find routes where we hardly encountered any other jeeps. We regularly drove through the endless Serengeti with the feeling that we were completely alone. That true "Out of Africa" feeling was one of the most beautiful parts of this safari for us.
Organizationally, everything was also perfectly arranged from A to Z. When we were unable to arrange our flight from the Serengeti ourselves, Selma from Makasa acted incredibly fast and ensured it was arranged after all.
By now, we have visited many different national parks in Tanzania and gained experience with multiple organizations. That is precisely why I can say with conviction that Makasa was the best choice for us: personal, reliable, professional, and flexible.
After my fantastic experience in 2024, my expectations were high. The fact that Makasa has given us such a special trip again—and with just two weeks of preparation time during the high season—says it all.
Highly recommended. I can't wait to plan something wonderful in Tanzania with Makasa again in the future!!!
(automatic translation from Dutch)
PT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing
Amazing! It was very easy to talk to Axis to explain my doubts before the tour, via email and WhatsApp. The day the tour started, at the office everyone was very nice, they gave us T-shirt’s with the company logo for us to use at the safari.
We did 6 days Safari. (Maasai Mara, Nakuru, Amboseli) and choose the mid range/mid luxury, the hotels were amazing with good facilities and food.
Our tour driver,Tom, he was amazing! Our trip was 100% better because of him. He is a very knowledgeable man, very wise and very careful while driving. We felt very safe. He has a lot of knowledge about every single animal and he knows the parks very very well. He did everything in his power for us to have the best experience and he didn’t rest until we saw the Big Five!
I totally recomend Axis, specially Tom!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Benson was full of knowledge, very welcoming and kind, and really great at his job!
We had a fantastic safari with Ndutu Green Explorers. We did 3 nights and 4 days, covering the Serengeti Nat. park, Lake Manyara, and Ngorongoro Crater. Our guide, Benson, was not only super kind but he was very knowledgeable and told us so much about the animals and the areas we were covering. He was such a pleasure to spend these 4 days with! The accommodations we stayed at were all very comfortable with great food and hospitality. We saw the big 5 and many more, thanks to Benson. It was such a great price for the amount that we got to do/ see. We are so happy we booked our honeymoon with Ndutu Green explorers and would recommend to anyone !
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Major Treks & Safaris delivered an absolutely amazing experience.
My first safari experience, and honestly, I couldn’t have asked for a better one!
I went to Tarangire National Park with Major Treks and Safaris, and it was such an unforgettable experience.
I had never been on safari before, so I didn’t really know what to expect, but from the moment we started the game drive, I was completely amazed.
Seeing the animals in their natural habitat was something I had only seen in pictures and documentaries before. We were lucky enough to see so many animals, including four of the Big Five.
Every time we spotted something new, I felt like a little kid again.
My guide Luis and driver Silva were a huge part of what made the experience so special. They were knowledgeable, patient, and made sure i didn’t miss the animals that were sometimes difficult to spot. I learned so much throughout the day while still having so much fun.
A big thank you to Major Treks and Safaris for making my very first safari such a beautiful and memorable experience. I will definitely be recommending you to anyone looking to experience a safari in Tanzania! ❤️
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best tour guide ever!!!
David was really lovely and professional. He communicated with us when he would arrive to come pick us up. We went as a group and were really excited, he gave us a brief overview of how the day will be including what to expect with the elephant sanctuary and the giraffe centre. He answered all our questions and was very patient with us. You can ask him any questions about any animal and he has an answer for you. We managed to see 4 out of the big 5 due to his sheer determination to spot the animals. We had the best time, he even dropped us off at Lavington Mall at the end of the experience. Thank you David for your professionalism and expertise! If we ever get the opportunity to go on another safari, we will book here again.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An outstanding trip to Tanzania; Kilimanjaro and safari
I engaged Nyamera Treks and Safaris on the recommendation of a very large, well-respected African tour organization that felt Nyamera would meet my needs.
They definitely did.
I let them know I would like to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro and do a fairly extensive safari to follow.
From the very first communication, Gift Living (co-owner with George Temba) was swiftly responsive and informative to my many questions. Unlike many people, I arranged this trip in less than two months, but the company made it easy for me.
I stayed two nights in a modest hotel (by my request), and did some low-key acclimation walking for two days. Do take time to take the waterfall and coffee making tour on one of your pre-hike afternoons, if you can.
Once I met my Kilimanjaro guide, Jackson, I had access to his expertise and guidance. For example, he determined that I would need a heavier jacket and mountain pants, and accompanied me to a place that rented to me for a very reasonable fee.
I am a fast climber with lots of experience up to 14,000 to 14,500 feet. With acclimation in mind, Gift set me up for a seven-day expedition. I thought this was probably too slow for me, but I understand the need to err on the side of caution.
Thankfully, Jackson recognized my fitness and abilities, and we ended up summiting and exiting the park after just three and a half days (first day was a half day). I really appreciate the trust in me and willingness to be flexible according to my abilities.
As I'd anticipated, my skills and fitness carried me fairly easily to base camp (Barrafu) 15,000 feet. Jackson and I summited, stayed up top, and made it back to base camp in 8 hours. The climb from base camp to Stella Point is very, very steep and challenging, given the continuously dwindling air supply. I found the last 6/10ths of a mile to the top also very slow and grueling; there's not much air at 19,000 feet!
We left the summit and went all the way down to exit the park in late afternoon.
The guidance and skills of Jackson were outstanding. The food and meal service were excellent; my only caveat is that there was much too much of it, for me! That's much better than not enough, of course.
I couldn't ask for a better Kilimanjaro experience and I applaud the whole team for making it happen.
~~
On Safari, I flew to the northern Serengeti from Kilimanjaro airport in Arusha. I expected a slow introduction to the wildlife, but in just the first afternoon my eyes were stuffed with incredible sightings. Thinking back, it almost seems as if the wildlife was wall-to-wall in the northern Serengeti.
George accompanied me with Peter, the guide. Peter was deeply knowledgeable about not just the wildlife, but the ecosystem, geology, politics and other factors that make Tanzania's parks so special.
The central Serengeti was not as densely populate with wildlife, but if anything, the show was better. Ngorongoro Crater was much the same, and allowed me to check the last animal off my list of hoped-for sightings, both black and white rhinos. The final day's short drive through Tarangiri National Park gave me the opportunity to see some animals I didn't even expect to see, such as mongoose.
The accommodations at safari lodges were spectacularly luxurious, clean and stunningly beautiful. I have literally never traveled in such posh circumstances. If I have any advice, go with another person! I loved the lodges and town hotels, but it would have been even more fun with a companion.
Be advised that in between "game drives," there is a good deal of commuting on wash-boarded, dusty roads between regions and lodges. Again, having a companion or two will serve you, making those hours pass more swiftly.
As I suggested to George, I do wish there were a "tips included" option for safari and Kili packages both. I of course loved the friendliness and helpfulness of all staff, porters, etc., and I fully wanted to compensate them generously. That was, for me, somewhat confusing. I had to visit ATMs several times, and I was never really sure of appropriate tip amounts or protocols for whom I should be tipping, and for what.
Again, this is not about me not wanting to tip generously, but rather about my stress at not really knowing how best to do that. A friend told me that cruise ships often offer a "tips included" package, whereby the clients pay up front, and the company handles distribution. I think this would be most welcome, except perhaps tipping main players such as guides.
I came to feel like I'd made swift friendships on the climb and safari, especially with Jackson, George and Peter. They all worked hard to ensure I had an incredibly memorable experience and I cannot recommend Nyamera highly enough.
To reiterate my few suggestions:
* Travel with at least one companion
* Expect some long days in transit
* In the absence of a "tips included" policy, I would suggest bringing at least $2,000-$3,000 in cash to cover the myriad tipping situations you will encounter. And talk to previous travelers to learn more about how they handled gratuities.
Overall, a fantastic experience. Thanks to everyone at Nyamera!
TW
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The Perfect Safari
I first found Antonio Safaris because of all the positive reviews, so I decided to give them a try. Now that ours is over, I can totally understand why, and I'm here to leave another good review :D
First of all, we really appreciated Naomi’s help throughout the planning process. We first contacted her six months before the trip, and she always replied quickly. Even with the time difference, we never felt that any message was missed. Everything she sent us was clear and easy to understand, and she was very patient in adjusting the itinerary several times according to our budget, number of days, and preferences. The payment information was also transparent, which made us feel reassured throughout the whole process. she also checked in to make sure we had arrived safely, and everything went very smoothly.
And a huge thanks to our guide, Evans. He is genuinely passionate about wildlife. He clearly shared our excitement whenever we spotted animals, gave us plenty of time to take photos, and shared lots of knowledge about the wildlife.
Evans was always punctual, efficient in choosing routes, and very easy to trust. He made sure we didn’t miss anything while still paying close attention to safety and respecting the animals, which we truly appreciated.
During the long drives, he also chatted with us casually about Kenyan culture, industries, and history. Those interesting conversations made the trip feel meaningful beyond just the game drives and helped us understand the country much better.
We’re very grateful to the whole team for taking such good care of us throughout these six days. I would highly recommend Antonio Safaris to anyone considering, and I would definitely love to book with them again in the future.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
High Neck Safaris was an awesome experience!
High Neck Safaris was excellent to work with. The experience was great, from the initial contact, through tour planning and all the way through top the final day of the safari. Our guide was Silva- he was an EXCELLENT guide. Very personable, easy going and very knowledgeable. Silva knew exactly where to go for us to see so many different species. He had an innate sense of where we needed to be at different time to see different things- whether it was upclose encounters with lions or being there at just the right time to watch the wildebeest river crossing, Silva always seemed to know where we need to be at the right time.
All of the overnight lodging locations were great, and the food was great also. The box lunches became a little monotonous as the trip went on- but beyond that all of the places we stayed and food were good.
I can't say enough good things about Silva- he was such a wonderful guide. After spending 8 days with Silva, I and the rest of our group now consider him a friend. Hopefully that will explain how much we appreciated his knowledge and enjoyed our time with him.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Services! Kudos
Had an amazing Mt. Longonot hike and team-building experience with Marula Horizon Safaris! Everything was well organized, fun, and professionally handled. Great team, great service, and unforgettable memories. Highly recommended!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding Safari Experience Across Kenya
We recently completed an incredible safari with Axis Africa Safari covering Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha and Amboseli, and it was truly magical.
From the outset, Jackline made the entire experience seamless. She put together an excellent itinerary, selected outstanding lodges and camps, and managed every logistical detail flawlessly, including our airport pickup. Everything ran smoothly from start to finish.
A special mention must go to our guide Peter Kapino, who was nothing short of exceptional and played a huge role in making this safari such a success. Peter combines deep knowledge, experience and genuine passion for Kenya's wildlife and ecosystems. His understanding of animal behaviour patterns, keen eye for spotting wildlife, and profound respect for the rich and sensitive biodiversity of the parks were evident every day.
Thanks to Peter's expertise and determination, we were fortunate enough to see the entire Big Five, including the elusive leopard not once but twice. His vehicle positioning was consistently outstanding, ensuring we always had the best possible views while remaining respectful of the animals and their environment.It was his persistence and tenacity that helped us spot a big cat in Amboseli, something we know is far from guaranteed.
Travelling with my elderly father, I particularly appreciated Peter's patience and thoughtfulness. He was attentive to his needs, coordinated effectively with local guides, and ensured activities were conducted at a comfortable pace without compromising the experience.
The itinerary was well planned, maximising game-drive time while still allowing us to enjoy the lodges and camps without feeling rushed. Axis and Peter were also highly flexible and accommodating whenever we had special requests.
If you're considering a safari in Kenya, I highly recommend Axis. The combination of initial planning and Peter Kapino's outstanding guiding made this a truly unforgettable journey
Highly recommended