65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A great experience of the best of Uganda--Not cheap, but you don't want cheap in Uganda!
The owner put together a very comprehensive two-weeks-plus that hit all the highlights that are must-see and filled in the inevitable dead zones with some pretty good stuff. Our driver and the owner were reliable which is important. We had some miscommunications due to Ethiopian Airlines constantly changing our flights which left us stranded at the end of the trip with a blank day-and-a-half--but Likana came through with additional activities and updated transport. I really do NOT recommend Ethiopian--fly Qatar. Our driver David was very serious and organized and kept us on track with a little bit of humor and generally looked after us. The lodges were outstanding and we ended with a huge bang at Wildwaters Lodge in the middle of the Nile and rafting! Things to keep in mind--tipping demands are relentless. Every cool place you go you will be required to have someone other than your actual guide, usually many someones and all expect tips. Bring lots of cash and get lots of smaller denominations before you leave Kampala. Second, Kampala is a waste of time so don't bother with touring it. Third, Uganda is not generally hot. It can be actually pretty chilly especially at night (Lake Bunyonyi springs to mind) and heat is not a thing. Bring some sweaters. Ugandans are friendly and cheerful, but this is a VERY poor country.
IE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unforgettable adventure in East Africa
We did the 8 Days Wonders of Kenya and Tanzania tour in June. This was one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life and I would highly recommend Spirit of Kenya when booking a safari adventure. Victor designed our trip and went above and beyond to make sure every single detail was perfect. He couldn't have done more for us and answered every email promptly, ensuring we were 100% pleased with our itinerary and even guided us through our visa process and any travel queries we had. He is so knowledgeable and helped us with every aspect of the trip. From the moment we arrived in Kenya, we were looked after by our wonderful guides - Kennedy in Kenya and Habibu in Tanzania. Both drivers/guides were superb. They were excellent drivers - very important in the often difficult driving conditions in the bush! They were extremely knowledgeable and ensured that we got the best sightings. They were also warm and friendly and we really enjoyed their company.
Regarding accommodation, we went with the 'Standard' offerings, which were perfect - think glamping! A particular mention to Olengoti Camp in the Masai Mara - this was our favourite!
All in all, I would not hesitate to recommend Spirit of Kenya to anyone planning a safari in East Africa. Superb experience from start to finish. Already planning our next adventure with them!
Asante Sana :)
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing
First and foremost I would like to say thanks to wildmist adventures for doing a great job during our trip to Queen Elizabeth national park. The trip was so fun and we visited hot springs and the three crater lakes.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Professional, Reliable, and Seemless Travel experience by Ranger Buck Safaris
Maria from Ranger Buck Safaris helped plan a Custom SA Trip which included Victoria falls, Safari in Sabi Sands, Kruger and Cape town. The accomodations and Tours were excellent and very well organized. Marie took great care to talk and understand our requirements. The quote was fast and met our requirements. Maria was very professional, honest, and patient. We spent 2 weeks traveling and everything was taken care of from VIP Escorts to Amazing safaris and Accomodations.
We travel a lot and this was our best vacation to date. Thank you Maria and Ranger Buck!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Not the best communication from the operator
The operator wasn’t great at communicating throughout the experience. Before the start of the trek, he had my arrival day wrong and I had to meet him shortly after I arrived (the night before the start of the trek as per his recommendation too). He only told me I was just on my own for the trip that night and no one else was on the tour.
The trek itself was good and the porters were lovely. They were friendly and very helpful. Hygiene is something that could definitely improved as they did provide a hot tub of water for washing but no soap or hand sanitizer at all throughout the trip. Also did not have napkins at all for meals.
Now for the walking part, the pace seemed good but there were times we were taking long breaks for no reason and I had to move around to stop from tightening up again. They were also obsessed with taking photos either their company banner in every single sign and user my phones the camera. They also did push to send the photos right away when all I wanted was to disconnect during the few days of trekking.
We made good pace and when I asked if I wanted to do 7 days instead of the 8 day Kenosha route instead, I said I enjoyed the outdoors so I wanted 8. Later it was decided without letting me know that we were doing 7. I didn’t know we were summiting until the afternoon before. They said it’s because of bad weather that they pushed it up but other people I met along the route said they had fine weather the next day. The only compensation I got for that was they paid for my accommodation the night we got back (which I had to push for).
We did summit and I do appreciate that. But after the summit. I had noticed I had frostbite in my fingers and asked for hot water for my frostbite (same as the washing water I’d usually get). I was told there was no water left and I’ll have to wait until the next camp.
Lastly in terms of tipping the operator told me one thing and the guide suggested another (which was waay off each other) it made for a really awkward tipping ceremony which again I only found out was occurring in the day it was happening.
As much as I enjoyed the trek. There were quite a few things that tainted and took away from the experience.
CH
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Everything perfect!
The safari was perfectly organized. Ton, the owner of Netherken, has always responded very quickly.
We hit the jackpot with our driver Mahmud. His experience, his reliability, his driving skills and his knowledge impressed us. The safari was an unforgettable experience for the whole family.
Serena Lodge in Amboseli was amazing. Ngulia Lodge was very well located, the food was average. Voi lodge had a great view and the food was good.
We recommend to take the train from Nairobi to Emali if you start the safari in Amboseli and finish in Mombasa. The Higway is a nightmare.
6 out of 5 stars for Netherken!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Good safari but organization could be better
I did 4 day tour (2 days in the Serengeti, 1 in Ngorongoro and 1 in Taragire). The first 3 were great and the wildlife and landscape amazing! The organization was lacking though and I wasn’t really told which order I was doing the tour and what to pack for which night (I wasn’t told to leave my stuff at the game lodge and we’ll come back to it later but later meant in the last night). Also the people in our car were staying in different venues meaning in the mornings we lost a lot of time waiting for them to be picked up. This is crucial especially with only limited windows in each park
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Julius was extremely friendly & knowledgable.
The tour was outstanding. Julius took us right where all the action was. We saw lions, giraffes, wildabeasts, zebras, elephants, a cheetah & even a leopard.
Wow! It was an incredible time.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great company
Our driver/guide, Rasheed made the safari even better than we could have hoped for. He was so friendly and his knowledge of the wildlife was amazing.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great communication, always responded to our emails/messages promptly.
Really well organised, our guide/driver (Rasheed) was brilliant with great knowledge of all the wildlife.