CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Everything is possible in Kenya
Richard is an outstanding and highly professional guide. During our trip, we not only witnessed lions on a hunt, spotted the Big Five of Africa, and caught a rare glimpse of a serval, but he also taught us to respect nature with his great sense of humour. He also gave me a very lovely Maasai name- Namunyak. We truly cherish this journey and hope to come back again someday.
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An absolutely unforgettable tour - professional, friendly, and fully tailored to our wishes.
We had an unforgettable time. The employees from Eyes of Tanzania were all very kind, nice and friendly, helpful and polite. It was very professional, and they accommodated all of our requests. They were a big reason why the tour became an unforgettable experience for both of us. Definately worth every Penny. Overexeeded all our expectations. Thanks to the whole Eyes of Tansania Team Rose, Daines, Kevin, Gaston, the Porters and Chef.
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Meru and Kora National Parks
I was looking for a very specific safari itinerary in Kenya which had to include a day in the very remote Kora National Park. The reason behind this requirement is of my personal connection with Christian the lion that was bought from Harrods and subsequently rehabilitated into the wild in Kora by George Adamson in the early 1970s.
I had contacted several reputable safari providers with my requirements. Only Banok Safaris were willing and able to meet my needs. Banok answered all my questions promptly and honestly. They provided me with several accommodation options in Meru National Park which would be the base from where I would travel to Kora (there is no accommodation in Kora) and suitable 3 to 5 day itineraries with a fully detailed quote for each.
Having chosen an itinerary and booked flights, Banok also arranged 1 night hotel stay near Nairobi Airport on the day before the start of the safari due to the late arrival into Nairobi which is a 6/7 hour journey to Meru. I was met at Nairobi Airport by a representative of Banok and transferred to the hotel. The next morning I met my Safari guide Jackson, for the journey to Ikweta Safari Lodge in Meru.
Ikweta is a very pleasant and comfortable lodge. My day in Kora was amazing with a visit to Kambi Ya Simba (Camp of the Lions) which is where George Adamson lived and rehabilitated lions including Christian. Visited George Adamsons grave, the Tana River and Kora Inselbergs Rocks.
The other 4 days were spent in bush drives in Meru which is teeming with wild life including the big 5.
I would whole heartedly and without hesitation recommend Banok Safaris. The service provided was outstanding both in listening to my requirements and catering to those requirements and made the whole booking process simple and straightforward. My guide, Jackson was excellent and knowledgeable and made the experience unique.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Local and professional
We had a great experience with Safari Soles from start to finish. Julieth was prompt and communicative from initial contact. She helped us customize the perfect, private safari for our group. The actual safari experience was also great. We were fortunate enough to have Baltazary as our guide. His positive, friendly and flexible demeanor set the tone for the trip. He shared his deep knowledge of the wildlife and nature and went the extra mile to keep the truck super clean after some very dusty days. He did his very best to give us ideal viewing positions and is an excellent driver. Safari Soles truly fulfilled a once in a lifetime experience! I highly recommend and would 100% choose Safari Soles for future trips to Tanzania!
FR
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Elefantastic
A 4-day , 3-night trip to Chobe - including 1 night in Savuti - with Tony and his team. It was a fantastic experience ! We saw so much wildlife
Tony is an excellent guide - passionate and patient - and he knew exactly where to find the best viewing spots.
The camp was great, with confortable tents : thanks to Ben for the organization and the hot shower !
Thanks also to the amazing Chef Ronald for his « protocole « and excellent meals !
In short, everything was wonderful : humor, good spirits and, above all , professionalism.
I recommend it 100 % !
Corinne, Fred, Polo, Catherine
CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
What a wonderful Safari experience!
Whistling is an excellent safari company. The whole team is friendly, responsive and highly professional.
We would like to give our highest recommendation to our safari guide Gabriel!
He is incredibly skilled at spotting wildlife, with extensive knowledge about all the animals. He managed to find every single animal we hoped to see during our trip. Gabriel is warm, thoughtful and always considerate of our needs. It was such a wonderful safari experience thanks to him. We highly recommend him!
CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An unforgettable adventure in Kenya
Our tour in Kenya is unforgettable and amazing. We had a 10-day safari trip from samburu to Nakuru to masai Mara to naivasha and finally amboseli. What we recommended most is samburu because we saw various animals in samburu and the view in samburu is awesome. Our guide is Evans. He is experienced and detailed. Whatever the animal we want to see he will try his best to meet us.
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
We feel scammed by Blends of Africa
Our experience with Blends of Africa was by far the worst travel experience we have ever had.
We paid the FULL safari amount well in advance. Despite this, the safari collapsed after only two days and we ultimately lost the entire amount we had paid.
Day 1 already went badly. Our driver, Erastus, took a wrong route, causing a delay of around three hours. Because of this, we could no longer continue as planned and were forced to arrange and pay for alternative accommodation ourselves.
When we later reported the situation to the Tourism Police Unit (TPU) in Kenya, the police told us that, in their view, this appeared to have been a deliberate delaying tactic rather than simply an innocent navigation mistake.
Day 2 we did make it to Masai Mara, but we had to pay the park fees ourselves: USD 800, even though these fees were already included in the amount we had paid to Blends of Africa.
Robert, also referred to as Bob, repeatedly told us that there was a “cash-flow issue” and assured us that everything would be sorted out. Mary was also involved in the communication and organisation.
Throughout the trip, the driver repeatedly called Robert for instructions and updates. By this stage, our trust in the situation had deteriorated so badly that when we returned to Nairobi, we deliberately did not tell the driver exactly where we wanted to be dropped off until the last moment.
We were supposed to continue into Tanzania and be handed over to another driver/operator. However, on day 3 we travelled towards the border but ultimately did NOT cross into Tanzania. Instead, we turned around and headed back towards Nairobi because the Tanzania part of the safari could not continue as planned.
On the way back, we once again had to arrange and pay for accommodation ourselves.
Day 4 we arrived back in Nairobi. Even after dropping us off, the driver continued calling Robert.
At that point the safari was completely over.
In summary:
Day 1: around three hours of delay after the driver took a wrong route, followed by us having to arrange and pay for our own hotel.
Day 2: Masai Mara did go ahead, but we had to pay USD 800 in park fees ourselves, despite already having paid these fees to Blends of Africa.
Day 3: instead of crossing into Tanzania and continuing the safari, we had to turn back towards Nairobi and once again arrange and pay for our own accommodation.
Day 4: we returned to Nairobi with the safari effectively finished.
We subsequently reported the matter to the Tourism Police Unit (TPU) in Kenya.
After this, we received no meaningful follow-up from Blends of Africa.
No continuation of the safari.
No proper solution.
No refund of the money we had paid.
What makes this especially unacceptable is that Blends of Africa already had our full payment. Yet we repeatedly had to use our own money to cover services that were already included in our package.
Robert/Bob acknowledged the cash-flow issue in writing and made several promises about reimbursements. In the end, however, we were left with a safari that was barely delivered, additional costs we had to pay ourselves, and the loss of the money we had already transferred to Blends of Africa.
This was not simply a disappointing safari or poor customer service. We were left stranded during an international trip after having paid the entire safari in full in advance.
Based on our experience, we would not recommend Blends of Africa to anyone.
We would strongly advise travellers not to book a safari with Blends of Africa and not to pay them large amounts in advance.
We would never travel with Blends of Africa again.
FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ An unforgettable safari experience in Kenya & Tanzania
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ An unforgettable safari experience in Kenya & Tanzania
We had an amazing safari experience with Pedaso Safaris, travelling through Kenya and Tanzania. From the very beginning, David was extremely responsive, helpful and patient, always replying to our messages quickly and making sure everything was well organised throughout the trip.
The highlight was, of course, the incredible wildlife and landscapes. We were lucky enough to see the Big Five, as well as giraffes, zebras, cheetahs, wildebeest, elephants, lions and so many other animals. Seeing these animals in their natural environment, surrounded by the beautiful landscapes of Kenya and Tanzania, was truly unforgettable.
We particularly loved our guide in Tanzania. He was patient, knowledgeable and genuinely passionate about wildlife. Every day, he carefully explained our schedule and, most importantly, took the time to look for animals with us, rather than simply rushing from one location to another or following the radio to chase sightings. This made the experience feel much more personal and authentic.
The mid-range accommodations were also very good, comfortable and well located, especially considering the long days spent on safari.
Overall, this was a wonderful adventure and a trip we will remember for a very long time. Thank you to David and the whole Pedaso Safaris team for making our Kenya & Tanzania safari such a special experience! 🦁🦒🐘🦓
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fast-responding, friendly, and professional.
I've had a great experience with Savanna Sojourns Safari. All the communications with Maria, via WhatsApp where timely, friendly and professional. The camp which was allocated to us was great (Ntulele camp), and the guide/spotter (Manu) was *extraordinary*.
Manu was well-prepared, friendly, flexible, he spotted the best animals and sights for us. We were able to spot the big five, including a black Rhino, which is a rarity.
He showed great professional ethics, talking and sharing with other guides in the reserve. Educating us in the do's and dont's of a Safari. He would always have an interesting story and details about wildlife. But, at the same time, he was also humble. He consulted his book, or the phone, in cases where he needed extra support in giving us the right information. I appreciate that. I prefer a guide who can acknowledge that he does not remember/know one or two details and consults the book, rather than a guide who pretends to know everything.
All in all, the experience of a lifetime!
Advise: you also must be open and flexible. Times, schedules, details are dynamic. I am aware of that, so I could enjoy the trip, but it needs some flexibility from your side with times, expectations, etc. Just relax, trust and enjoy the amazing Masai Mara!