50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Overall, very average. Lacking atmosphere and not comfortable.
Rather expensive for what felt like a very average experience. Accommodation was as expected and quite nice. Food was also ok, nothing special.
Vehicle very old, rattly and not very comfortable. One of the oldest we saw. Which was a shame given how long you spend it it every day.
The driver was similar to an Uber driver, hard to communicate in English and lacking detail or any excitement at all. Gave up asking any questions.
The overall experience felt disappointing and lacking given the mid to high range price. Recommend keeping options open.
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Adequate
I have headed this review ‘adequate’ as I feel Big Apes should have prepared me more for my trip. It was by chance I found out when reading about Uganda, that I needed a visa. Thankfully these are very easy to obtain on line however if I hadn’t read this, there would have been a delay at the airport. Also, I had not been advised to take gloves for the trek because of the thorny shrubbery I would be walking through. My fellow trekkers were better prepared and I felt at a disadvantage. Similarly I did not know I needed a photocopy of my passport for each trek. Thankfully my driver Ben was able to sort this and I hope he was reimbursed. Being aware of these small matters would have been greatly appreciated. After the confirmation of my booking I did not hear anything until I emailed the company two weeks before my departure when I received an acknowledgment and advised of what time I would be collected from my hotel.
However, after the comments above I cannot praise my driver enough. Ben was polite, courteous and professional and looked after me throughout the whole of my visit. He made sure everything was sorted and even managed to arrange an alternative activity after I fell one day and could not trek the next. I cannot praise him enough.
JP
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
The response is quick.
I was quite anxious about choosing a local tour, as it is difficult to determine whether a company is trustworthy. Given the circumstances—and despite the time difference between Japan and Kenya—I chose this company because they were incredibly responsive whenever I reached out and answered my questions immediately. However, the tour didn't use the company's own vehicles; instead, it brought together people who had signed up through various different companies. The members were staying at different hotels, which made the rounds very time-consuming. The driver often failed to arrive on schedule, resulting in a waste of time. Although an ample supply of water was supposed to be provided during the tour, it was not replenished for two days, and requests to have it restocked were ignored. I think the tour itself was fairly ordinary. However, the failure to provide a water supply strikes me as a major oversight. While I assume this was the fault of the subcontractor chosen by the company, it raises the question: what would the experience have been like if they had selected a provider that owned its own vehicles?
ES
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Service could be improved, vague planning.
The driver was excellent, and the hotels, while simple, were decent.
However, regarding the 4-day Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru itinerary: it states that you’ll see Lake Naivasha from a viewpoint, but that doesn't actually happen—you drive past it on the road, but there isn't even a stop.
Also, we only spent three hours in Nakuru Park, even though the entrance fee is $95.
The picnic lunch provided during the safari is quite meager—just a piece of bread, a piece of chicken, and some fruit to last the whole day.
On the days we were scheduled to stop at a roadside restaurant for lunch, the stop happened at 11:30 AM 😅.
All in all, the parks were great and the staff were pleasant, but the service itself leaves a lot to be desired.
(automatic translation from Spanish)
ES
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Safari Ok but itinerary was not fully followed
Overall the safari itself and the guide were good, but in the 5 days safari itinerary it was mentioned 2 days in northern Serengeti, including lunch there. But in the middle of the safari they communicated to me that it was not possible. So I had to deal with them for a fix while trying to enjoy the safari, which is the last thing you want to do. I read similar comments on the reviews. At the end we managed to make changes waking up at 5AM and rushing it. I just recommend to ask for specific times and locations, so you don't have to deal with it on the road. The safari itself was great since I saw most of the things I wanted to see.
PL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Accommodations issues, saved only by a great driver
If you book with Peak Season Africa Safaris, do not trust their "free upgrades"—it is likely a trick to cut costs and downgrade your stay. Check all their recommendations on booking and google.
Steven will be replying fast and confident but it's all a selling pitch.
We booked for 9 days, 11k USD safari, around 6months in advance. Right after sending prepayment, we were told our desired lodge was unavailable and were offered "upgrades at no extra cost". We were explicitly promised Deluxe Rooms at Mara Sweet Acacia in writing. Instead, we were dumped into their absolute worst, filthy tents (1-2 star quality at best). Only after aggressive escalation were we moved to mediocre cottages—still nowhere near the Deluxe standard we paid for and agreed on.
Mara Sweet Acacia is a total 3-star tourist trap falling apart at the seams: broken kettles, showerheads barely working at 30% pressure, towels on dusty shelves and overall walls looking like from third world.
Emayian had nice food, style and service, but the wind noise in the tents made sleep impossible. Only Kibo Camp in Amboseli delivered what was expected.
The Bright Spot: Patrick
The driver, Patrick, was knowledgeable, skilled, and worked hard to give us a great game-viewing experience. He deserves all the praise, but he cannot fix a dishonest agency approach.
Summary
The agency sold us high-end promises and pocketed the difference by booking inferior sweet accacia lodge while advertising it as 5* upgrade.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Good and Not Good
THE GOOD: The trip was well organized, booking was smooth, and communication with the salesperson was excellent. The vehicle was in good condition, and the hotel/camp was comfortable. Overall, it felt like good value for the money.
NOT SO GOOD: Unfortunately, our guide fell short. While he met the bare minimum requirements, he was completely unengaging and unfriendly. This was not our first safari, so we weren't expecting a National Geographic-level expert, but he offered no proactive information or context, giving only brief, one-sentence answers. Even trying to figure out where we were driving next felt like a struggle. Language was not an issue, as his English was fine.
OVERALL: Because a guide makes or breaks a safari experience, I cannot recommend Kentau Safari based on this trip.
LU
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very poor organization- not recommended
I recently concluded a 3 days safari from Arusha to Serengeti and Ngorongoro. I have booked a mid range safari - lodge stay.
The Organization of the safari was very poor. Firstly, the operator did not explain to us that the transfer was included from and to the airport in ANY date, not only the start and end data of the safari, which made us spend over 80 euros in taxi for no reason.
Secondly, we booked a lodge stay and we were in the car with other 5 customers who booked public camp stays ( lower price range). Even if we paid more, we had less privileges than they. Firstly they were in accommodations very close to the finish point of the game drive. On the contrary, the operator booked us lodges that were located over 1hr from the camp, so we had to wake up at least 2hrs before the people staying in public camp and spend at least 2 extra hours/day in the car just from/to de lodge, which was very tiring. In addition, the car was always FULLY packed with camping equipment, including equipment for the cook which served mainly the camping folks, which made the ways very uncomfortable. For that reason, our car was VERY slow, as it was very heavy. Also, having the camp people together with lodge people caused many useless and unnecessary stops on the way, to pick up equipment, pick up the food, the cook, drop him off, and many others. We stayed up to 1 hr from our safari time just waiting for the camping people.
In general it was very “free style”, not organized so I would not recommend Everlasting safari for your safari in Tanzania if you want a stress free and comfortable experience as this was for sure not the case for us. The safari if self was good but this is mainly because the park themselves provide the environment and entertainment.
ES
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Kruger National Park by José Manuel Sanchez
Compared to other parks I've visited, I didn't like it at all.
PH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
He was great!
I was hoping to see more animals, but it was still an incredible adventure and definitely a core memory for me! 🦁❤️
I also really appreciated how safety-conscious the team was throughout the experience. They made sure we stayed safely inside the vehicle and maintained a safe distance from the animals at all times. It made the experience feel secure while still allowing us to enjoy being so close to wildlife.
Overall, it was a memorable experience, and I’m glad I got to do it!