50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic, don’t book with anyone else!
My daughter bought this for my 60th birthday as a surprise. Wow, how amazing it truly was. Throughout the whole process, Wesley and Geoff kept in contact with my daughter via WhatsApp. She had many questions and they always answered straight away.
I was nervous as I’m usually the person that books these things, but I needn’t have worried as Pascal picked us up from Nairobi Airport in a beautiful air-conditioned minivan (just us two!) and took us to a really beautiful hotel. The following morning we were greeted by Simon our guide for the week. Oh my goodness, what a guide he is there is nothing that man doesn’t know about the wildlife, birds, plants and history of Kenya.
Simon went out of his way to ensure we have the very best time and that we would see all the animals we wanted to see! His local knowledge is superb and he knew just where to go to find the animals we were looking for. He became like part of our family.
Every single accommodation we stayed in was superb!!
I left a part of my heart in Kenya. It was everything I dreamed it would be and more thanks to Family Leisure!
Can’t think of a better way to safari!
We did a 5 day mid range safari to Serengeti, Ngorongoro, mantra and Tarangire with Suricata and couldn’t be more pleased . Ayman Mongi at the office was my contact who helped me with the quote - he was always very prompt to reply and provided all answers clearly. Best part was our guide Damian , who is the GOAT when it comes to his personality ,communication and his knowledge of the animals and birds on Tanzania . He knew them by heart , was a virtual dictionary of the parks! He made sure we saw the Big 5, ugly 5 and more! Or safari vehicle was in tip top shape , was very comfortable . The food provided during safari was hot (no sandwich boxes here), and was tasty. The accommodations were good, but main highlight was their Suricata Boma lodge , which was on banks of Lake Manyara and was an excellent property! It punches way above its weight- the staff are extremely kind and helpful, food is excellent. Overall we highly recommend Suricata, especially Damian!
FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Available at any moment.
You will find that David is immediately very responsive to any questions you have, from the prebooking stage right through to the final day of the safari. He was very accommodating upon our arrival, making everything easy. He successfully coordinated our safari remotely without a hitch, covering both Kenya and Tanzania. As for the guides, they tend not to talk much, but they are happy to answer questions if you want more information. Don’t hesitate to try the optional activities and mention them early in the planning process, as they are well worth it. The accommodation was generally decent, considering it was a budget safari. Expect a bit more waiting around in Tanzania than in Kenya when it comes to logistics, though it’s nothing major. I would recommend this tour operator without hesitation. David is a true professional.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Masai Mara, Nakuru and Amboseli tour
We had an incredible safari in Kenya with Axis Safari from start to finish. Everything was exceptionally well organised, and the entire trip ran so smoothly, allowing us to relax and fully enjoy the experience.
A special mention has to go to our driver, Mo, who was absolutely fantastic. He was incredibly knowledgeable about the wildlife and the local area, and his experience really made a difference. He always seemed to know exactly where to go and consistently found the best spots for amazing wildlife sightings and unforgettable photo opportunities.
The organisation and attention to detail from Axis Safari was amazing. We saw an incredible variety of wildlife, and every day brought something new and exciting. We couldn't have asked for a better safari experience and would highly recommend Axis Safari—especially if you're lucky enough to have Mo as your guide!
DE
An unforgettable journey through Rwanda & Uganda!
Our journey through Rwanda and Uganda was simply unforgettable and without a doubt one of the greatest adventures we’ve ever had!
The Golden Monkey trek in Rwanda was a great way to start the trip, and visiting the Genocide Memorial was deeply moving. Although it was an emotional experience, it is an absolute must for anyone visiting Rwanda.
The highlight of our journey was, of course, the Gorilla Trekking in Uganda. Our guide, Sulait, used his excellent local connections to arrange a fantastic gorilla family for us to visit. Being just a few meters away from a gorilla family with a newborn baby is a moment we will cherish forever. We were also incredibly lucky during the Chimpanzee Trekking—we found ourselves right in the middle of a chimpanzee family within just 20 minutes!
The safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park was equally amazing. We spotted lions, elephants, several species of antelope, a leopard, African buffalo, and many other animals. Sulait had arranged for a local ranger to join us, whose extensive knowledge of the wildlife and ecosystem made the experience even more fascinating.
The entire trip was exceptionally well organized. The accommodations were carefully chosen, and everyone we met was friendly, professional, and helpful. From the very first day to the last, we always felt well looked after.
Throughout the entire tour, we were accompanied by our guide, Sulait, who was incredibly kind, funny, and entertaining. He is an excellent and very safe driver, so we always felt completely comfortable on the road. Whether it was finding delicious local restaurants for lunch or stopping whenever we wanted to take photos, Sulait took care of everything and always made sure we had the best possible experience. Thank you Sulait, we couldn’t have asked for a better guide!
We would book this tour again without hesitation and wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone looking for an unforgettable adventure in East Africa!
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Africa Safari Classics, headed by Maurice, was at every stage honest, responsive, organized,reliable
Africa Safari Classics, headed by Maurice Nzwii, was at every stage honest, responsive, organized, and reliable.
This was an amazing experience. Maurice of Africa Safari Classics created the whole itinerary and made sure every step of the way was fully planned out and went smoothly. Everything was astounding. Our trip was magical!
Leading up to the trip, I had a lot of questions about preparations and other things, and Maurice answered them all promptly and helpfully.
Our initial flight was cancelled just weeks before our trip so we had to arrive two days earlier than planned. Without missing a beat, Maurice reserved places for us to stay and created fascinating additional days and incorporated ideas from my family.
Africa Safari Classics sent people to meet us and shepherd us through every step of the way. Every aspect of our journey exceeded expectations: From the guides who drove us in the city, to the safari guides, hotel accommodations, airport transfers, game drives, and all activities throughout our trip.
In Nairobi, we saw fascinating things, went to wonderful restaurants, and our guides, Charles and Patrick, clearly cultivated relationships at cultural places where we reaped the benefits.
Maurice created a safari itinerary in both Kenya and Tanzania that was breathtaking. Each place we visited flowed smoothly into the next and explored a different aspect of the safari experience, highlighting distinct animals and habitats. Each place we stayed was unique, beautiful, and wonderful, with its own flavor and flair and staffed with helpful and friendly people.
The local transport was wonderful, with our drivers/guides making sure everything went seamlessly. We felt confident in the drivers at all times. When we requested it, they also arranged for us to visit a Massai village. In addition, they brought us to the start of each domestic flight, and we felt taken care of at all times.
Our safaris were breathtaking. We must have been overwhelmingly lucky, but the wide array of wildlife we saw had to be due at least in part to the expertise and connectedness of the guides. It was so fascinating that our young grandchildren, ages eight and ten, were always engaged and excited.
The accommodations and food at each lodge and camp were fabulous. The game drives were amazingly fun and stimulating. I actually had trouble believing the wide array of wildlife we saw.
Our safari guides George, Boni, Athuman & Bihal were highly professional. We appreciated the quality of their insights and the expertise of their guiding. They showed great initiative in finding unique animals for us to see. In addition, they were friendly, cooperative, and provided great customer care. When my daughter needed extra care, they took her to a doctor, bought her medication, made sure she had comforting and helpful food, and was comfortable in her lodgings. Each of the guides was amazing.
We asked Maurice to also arrange after our safari, for us to stay at Lamu, a historic and lovely island. Our accommodations were again lovely and Maurice arranged for us to be met by people to help us transfer between plane, boat, and hotel. Some of the highlights included attending a Swahili cooking class and a beautiful sunset sail. As well as swimming in the amazingly warm Indian Ocean!
When we returned to Nairobi, we were met at Wilson Airport by our city driver and brought to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for our flight home. It was a huge help to have someone shepherd us through that whole process.
The value for the money was much better than other places we consulted.
My husband agrees with me on all of this.
If we could give more than five stars we would.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent service with professionalism
Had a great experience with Pavilion Safari and Tours. Our guide was very professional, and communication was always timely and smooth. We are especially grateful to our tour guides, Moses and Ruben. They were both excellent safari guides—proactive in searching for animals, great at finding the best viewing spots, and always flexible in adjusting the schedule based on our needs. Additionally, we were very impressed by how helpful and trustworthy the team was when we accidentally left valuable jewelry at a hotel—they quickly arranged for another driver to pick it up and sent it back to us based on our schedule. We really appreciate their support and would definitely recommend them.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Everything was perfect
The guide, Khalifa, was friendly and competent. He also acted as an intermediary between the company and the hotels.
Rose was very helpful in preparing for our trip. She gave us excellent recommendations and patiently answered all our questions.
A flawless performance that resulted in a wonderful trip
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great, Friendly company, will do anything to help!
Booked Holiday through UK holiday experts Virikson Holidays, booked 5 day safari covering 4 different parks, from start to finish fantastic trip, great team, from introduction to transit to and from parks was great, well equipped vehicle, our driver Jimmy was exceptional and would support in all we need, we had drinks on tab in transit and lunch and on the go was great. Would highly recommend Benjamin and his team for any Safari trips.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A true bucket list experience thanks to Laurence!
I’m a traveler who has been to 61 countries all around the world, and this safari in Tanzania was, arguably, one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. A huge part of it is thanks to Laurence. His determination, persistence, and ability to spot wildlife ensured that we saw not only all of the Big Five, but so much more.
I had three guides during my 5-day safari. Luca was nice and professional while Pascal was incredibly knowledgeable and patiently answered all my questions about the animals, geography, as well as the culture and politics of this beautiful country.
But it was Laurence who made this safari spectacular! On our first day in Serengeti, we saw an incredible pride of lions, buffalos, giraffes, zebras, elephants, hippos, a beautiful leopard, and all kinds of antelopes and birds. By the second day, the only animal we were still hoping to find was the cheetah. After hours of searching, we still hadn't seen one. While many guides might have given up, Laurence stayed completely focused. I could see him scanning the horizon while constantly communicating over the radio with other guides. One word I kept recognizing was "Wachini... Wachini...", which turned out to be the word for cheetahs. Thanks to Laurence's determination, with less than an hour left before we had to leave, he finally located a mother cheetah with four cubs napping under a tree. They were incredibly close to our jeep, and we were even able to take selfies with them through the roof of the vehicle! Just spectacular!
The next day in Ngorongoro, we encountered a similar situation. We had seen everything except rhinos. Once again, I could hear Laurence talking on the radio, and the one word I kept recognizing was "Pembe... Pembe...", which of course means rhino. Eventually, he received word that two rhinos had been seen far from our location. He gave us the choice of continuing with a relaxed game drive or making a determined effort to reach the rhinos before they disappeared. We all chose to go for it. Laurence quickly and expertly navigated the rough, unpaved roads, getting us to what felt like the other side of the crater, and just before the rhinos disappeared over the horizon, we were rewarded with the incredible sight of a rhino pair strolling along!
On a safari, a great guide can make all the difference. I truly believe we saw all the Big Five and more because of Laurence's exceptional wildlife spotting skills and his determination to help us find every animal we hoped to see. If you're planning a safari and want to maximize your chances of seeing the Big Five, I highly recommend requesting Laurence. His dedication, enthusiasm, and persistence made this a true bucket list experience!
