CA
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Morningstar Tours was amazing.
It took us about a year to plan our safari vacation. The most difficult part was selecting a tour operator from the hundreds available. Ultimately we chose Morningstar Tours as it had a Kenya/Tanzania safari that was very appealing (length of time, places we wanted to visit and the things we wanted to do).
1. We were very fortunate to have Alice Moraa as our agent/co-ordinator. She readily answered all of our questions, addressed our concerns, provided pertinent information with regard to visas, what to pack etc., provided us with a detailed itinerary so we knew where we would be and what we would be doing and a timeline, made suggestions and most importantly, we were able to communicate with her 24/7 and her response time was very quick. As we arrived a few days prior to the start of our safari, Alice recommended visiting the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (elephant orphanage), The Giraffe Centre and dining at The Carnivore Restaurant. She made all the arrangements and we enjoyed that day immensely. 2. It is extremely important to have a good driver/guide. In Kenya, we had Augustine. He was so friendly, helpful and accommodating and had a good sense of humour. His English was good and we learned SO much from him about the animals, terrain, history and culture. His driving skills were very impressive! Augustine just seemed to sense where the animals would be and without binoculars, he could spot a camouflaged lion or cheetah that was over 100 metres away. His eyesight is incredible! As we drove by The Great Rift Valley on narrow 2 lane highway, we found ourselves stuck in a massive traffic jam with dozens of transport trucks backed up for kilometres. I thought we’d be stuck there for hours. Somehow, with inches to spare on either side of our jeep, Augustine managed to maneuver around vehicles and we were able to take a side dirt road through a tiny village. A few other jeeps followed. Anyway, the inhabitants were displeased with the amount of dirt stirred up and blocked the road with boulders. Augustine, being very diplomatic, negotiated a payment agreement with them and they removed the blockade and let us pass. That was an interesting situation. When we were flying back to Nairobi from Amboseli, our flight departure time was changed at the last minute and Augustine had barely an hour to get us to the airport from our camp. The drive was at least an hour away on very bumpy dirt roads but once again, Augustine came through and got us to the airport in 40 minutes! Request Augustine as your driver in Kenya. 3. in Tanzania we had Tony who was also a very good guide/driver. 4. Accommodations: we stayed at the Argyle Grand Hotel in Nairobi for 3 nights prior to our safari and 1 night after our safari ended. We liked the fact that the hotel was only 10 minutes from the airport. We enjoyed their buffet restaurant, and the rooms were nice. We were very pleased with our “glamping” accommodations . We stayed at Lake Nakuru Lodge, Pride Inn Mara Camp, Untamed Migration Camp, Ngorongoro Tortilis Camp and Kibo Safari Camp. Each camp was unique, clean and well-equipped and the staff was warm, welcoming and helpful. The food and box lunches were good. I loved how each camp’s staff was so proud of their camp and were sincerely honoured that we had chosen to stay at their camp. 4. We found the jeeps to be very comfortable (we were just 2 couples and the driver/guide). We never realized how rough and bumpy the roads were and how dusty it could be. It was fun, like being on a ride. The jeeps take an incredible amount of abuse but are checked after each safari. That being said, we did experience some issues. On one occasion, Ephraim (Tanzania) experienced difficulty starting the jeep. We contacted Alice and voiced our concerns as we didn’t want to get stranded somewhere. She immediately made arrangements for us to have a new driver/guide and jeep. On another occasion, as we were witnessing the wildebeest migration across the Mara River), we got a flat tire. Within minutes, several other guide/drivers stopped to offer assistance. It was truly heart-warming to see how the guides have this culture of helping each other. Also, one day Augustine had to stop to let the radiator cool down so he could add water to it. None of these incidences spoiled our game drives as we just embraced it as part of our African adventures. We would recommend that Morningstar consider purchasing a few newer (2020 or newer) jeeps to add to their fleets to mitigate these issues. In one jeep, the charging ports didn’t always work and we found the windows were a little sticky, a little hard to slide or roll up and down (because of the dust in the tracks?). 5. A safari may not be for you if you suffer from motion sickness, are unable to handle being in a jeep for several hours a day (we usually went on 2 game drives each day and were on the move from park to park so we spent 8-10 hours a day in the jeep), unlike some people who have a hotel as a
home base and just venture out once a day for a 3-4 hour game drive), or have bladder issues. Our drivers stopped every couple of hours so we could have a break. 6. We experienced perfect weather, no rain and 24C-30C temperatures during the day, we wore shorts every day and didn’t need to use insect repellant or use the mosquito net at night while sleeping. 6. We only needed money for tipping, drinks, and for any souvenirs we wished to purchase as everything else was prepaid. We always had lots of bottled water in our jeep so no need to bring a water bottle. I would recommend that you bring binoculars, a power bank to charge your phone and make sure you have an outlet adapter. We bought headlamps but didn’t need them as the camps are well lit and the staff escort you at night (if you’re in an unfenced camp like we were). 7. We visited Nairobi, Nairobi Nat’l Park, Lake Naivasha & Crescent Island (highly recommend), Lake Nakuru, Masai Mara (the migration), Northern and Central Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater (it’s actually a caldera) and Amboseli. 8. I would also
recommend that you fly from national park to national park as it takes a long time to drive a short distance. The drive from Central Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater was particularly long (roads are really, really
bad). We did fly from Amboseli back to Nairobi (40 min flight versus a 6-7 hour drive). Overall: We were happy with Morningstar and impressed with Alice Moraa and Augustine’s services. We got to see all The Big Five several times and saw SO many animals very close up. We were a little disappointed with Ngorongoro. Visiting a caldera is very cool and interesting but we didn’t see as many animals there and they were usually far away. The other parks were fantastic though. A safari is truly a unique and nice in a lifetime experience which is worth every penny. Visiting a zoo is now going to be very under-whelming. 😝 To witness animals roaming freely in their natural habitats is nothing short of amazing!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing
We had an amazing and unforgettable safari experience in the Masai Mara, made even better by our knowledgeable and friendly guide, Ben.
Thanks to his expertise and keen eye, we saw all of the Big Five and learned fascinating insights about the wildlife and the area.
Ben looked after us wonderfully, and we highly recommend him to anyone planning a Masai Mara safari!
SI
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best choice
We were lucky enough to see the Big 5, all of them from very close up! But beyond the incredible wildlife, what really impressed us was how well organized everything was and how amazing the food was — you can hardly imagine how they manage to prepare such great meals out there. We were especially lucky to have Felix as our guide, together with Chef Salimu and Sous-Chef Godwin. An absolutely top-notch team that made the whole experience even more special!
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amiri was the best and funniest guide you could think of. You will have the best time with him!
Starting of with how perfect the trip was. Suricata managed everything perfect you don‘t need to worry about anything. The guides all of them are the most kind and funniest persons it‘s always fun with them and they know everything about the parks and animals. I was shocked about how good the food was. The cooks know definitely know what there are doing. I did the group Camping safari and I met a lot of cool people . The trip couldn‘t be better. Easiest 10/10
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Easy to work with, good at logistics, and good local knowledge.
This was my first trip to East Africa, and Dav made it very easy. Communication was prompt and clear while booming my tour, and they were able to tailor a package to my interests. My guide Isaac was prompt and courteous at every step, did a great job navigating some crazy roads, and helped me find great local restaurants for authentic African food—places that you wouldn’t be able to pick out on Yelp or Google. He also seemed to know everyone we bumped into in Rwanda and Uganda, and which made it easy to deal with customs when we had to cross the border or find an ATM.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic ⚡️🔥
❤️🔥 My wife and I had an amazing experience visiting Tarangire National Park this September! 🐘🌿 Everything was perfectly arranged through @t_onetoursandsafari, with the best tour guide who truly knows his stuff! 👏🏽🤗
It was an unforgettable adventure! 🇹🇿❤️🔥 Highly recommended! 💯
#TarangireNationalPark #TanzaniaSafari #T_ONEToursAndSafari #SafariExperience
AT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great operator and great experience!
An Unforgettable Safari with Safari Soles – Highly Recommended!
We spent 5 incredible days on safari with Safari Soles: 1 day in Tarangire National Park, 3 days in the Serengeti, and 1 day in the Ngorongoro Crater. The entire experience was absolutely perfect from start to finish!
Everything was wonderfully organized, from the booking process and communication beforehand to all the information provided in advance, the airport transfers, and the entire safari itself. Everything ran smoothly, and we always felt that our wishes and preferences were taken into account. Safari Soles offers a truly personalized experience, tailoring the trip perfectly to your individual needs and making sure you get the safari of your dreams.
However, the absolute highlight of our trip was undoubtedly our guide, Rama, whom we would especially like to mention. He was not only an incredibly experienced and knowledgeable guide but also a genuinely wonderful person. Since you spend so many hours every day with your guide, having the right person makes all the difference to your safari experience – and Rama made ours truly unforgettable.
He was always helpful, answered all our questions, and shared so much fascinating knowledge about Tanzania, its wildlife, the local culture, and the different regions we visited. We felt completely safe, comfortable, and well taken care of every single moment. He always listened to our wishes, made us feel at ease, and went above and beyond to make our dreams come true.
Thanks to Rama, our safari became even more special than we could have imagined. We are incredibly grateful for this experience and can wholeheartedly recommend Safari Soles to anyone planning a safari in Tanzania. If you have the chance to travel with Rama, you are in the very best hands!
An unforgettable adventure that will stay with us forever!
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very Nice Safari Trip!
Everything was perfect! Our guide Izak was very kind, always showed us the best spots, found many animals, good driver and overall a very good guide.
Lodges were very good, felt very comfortable in all of them.
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Lovely trip to Amboseli National Park
We had a wonderful 2-day trip to Amboseli National Park with amazing wildlife sightings and a great stay at the beautiful Amboseli Sopa Lodge. Our guide Elias was very polite and patient, he made everything possible for us to see as much wildlife as possible. We also had a clear view at the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Food at the lodge was excellent. We highly recommend Jungleroam Safaris.
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Thank you for all your help
Good service from beginning to end. Thank you so much. And see you next time
