DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A once-in-a-lifetime trip that stays with you for a lifetime.
From the very beginning, planning the trip was an absolute breeze. We wanted a private safari tailored to our wishes, and the team made everything super easy and fast. Tabitha and the rest of the Team were wonderfully responsive, listened closely to what we wanted, and accommodated our every request before we even set off.
Once on the road, everything ran just as smoothly. Our guide, Andrew, was a standout—he knows the parks inside and out, and his patience and sharp eyes helped us spot so many incredible animals up close. Beyond his tracking skills, he was just a warm, wonderful companion who made us feel safe and well looked after every single day.
If you are planning a trip to Kenya, we can warmly recommend Axis Africa Safaris and Andrew!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent and safe experience in the wild
Excellent service and communication from the team and always reliable and went the extra mile for us. Would recommend
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding tour company
Four of us have just returned from a 10 day safari in Tanzania and we could not have asked for a more thoughtful, experienced and professional company than African Big Cats. From our first day of enquiry to our last day on tour they were amazing to work with, tailoring our itinerary to our personal interests, responding immediately to any enquiries before and during our tour and providing the most excellent professional guide in Endeni. We felt safe and exceedingly well taken care of. Our lodgings along the way were 5 star in every way, thoughtfully located with amazing views and great service. We looked forward to our food and rest at the end of the day knowing it was going to be amazing.
We saw every creature imaginable including the Big 5. Our guide, with 15 years experience, loved his country, the people and the animals. We learnt a great deal from him. He was always thoughtful to our needs and levels of interest, taking care that we were comfortable and moving at the pace we desired.
The owner of Big Cats met with us personally at the start of the trip to go over our itinerary. This is a Tanzanian based local company who love what they do. They are superbly professional. The entire trip was excellent value for money and I would not hesitate to recommend this company for providing a once in a lifetime experience in Tanzania.
Thank you so much, African Big Cats, for making our dream Safari come true.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect, timely individualized organization; providing & indulging all needs and requests.
Our family of five had an incredibly memorable and personalized safari experience. The communication with them was always clear, timely and provided us an array of options. We traveled with our three 30ish adult children who had vegan cuisine requests, extreme sports requests and different people arriving and leaving on different dates. In other words, it was like herding cats. Compass Odyssey put together a safari itinerary that encompassed four different lodges which were all very well appointed, providing unique lodging experiences and wildlife experiences. Highlights were staying at the Hide and being able to experience the The Dove’s Nest tree house and our helicopter flights to the Okavanga Delta. Also the recommendation for doing a charter flight instead of driving six hours through rough roads was excellent. We met people that were tired and exhausted because they drove, while we were fresh and enjoying drinks and an afternoon game drive. Also, having Ruth accompanning us (babysitting us) through a large part of the first part of the trip was invaluable in navigating country crossings, guiding us through what we would experiencing and ensuring every detail was always on time and ensuring we booked the extreme sports with safe and reputable providers. We loved the trip. Excellent value for the very bougie and once in a lifetime safari experience.
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Truly Amazing
We had a seven days safari with the agency which was really carefully planned and executed. Our guide David was awesome and with loads of information about the parks and animals.
I recommend Tropical Wild Expeditions.
AT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Everything went smoothly, thank you Steve!
Steve was an excellent guide! He was very knowledgeable and had a lot of stories and jokes to tell during the long driving days and made time fly. He prioritized finding animals we hadn't seen yet to make sure we would get the full experience. The highlight was seeing 6 rhinos in the crater on our last day thanks to Steve's timing and persistence!
On the first night we landed late in Kilimanjaro and found the driver easily at the airport and got to our hotel smoothly. Then we accidentally overslept due to our own bad planning and 3hr turnaround but the guides knocked to wake us up and didnt rush us, made sure we had food in our bellies and didnt make us feel too bad for delaying, which we really appreciated. The rest of the trip was like that - any hiccups were easily sorted and fixed, like the hot air balloon company was not clear but Steve figured out our booking on the fly, and the logistics of many groups going in different directions seems crazy but they managed everyone's different itineraries perfectly. I was not sure what to expect from booking something like this online from abroad but everything worked out amazing!
Otherwise, our guide Steve also helped us with coordinating logistics and finding the best prices and always could find us a washroom easily when needed. The tents and camp were comfortable and even on honeymoon it was a lot of fun and a great experience. We enjoyed the hot air balloon and enjoyed delicious home cooking from Sampson every day. All in all we had a blast!
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing
We had a wonderful experience at the Tsavo East Safari. Especially because of the excellent service from Steve and his driver Evan’s Steve was very friendly, polite, attentive, and professional throughout. He made sure everything was taken care of and served us with a great attitude and a smile. His excellent customer service really made our experience enjoyable. There was no rush to move on. Highly recommended.
We also used Steve’s services to visit the Old Town and we got him to stop over where my wife spent her childhood
Once again our heartfelt appreciation for the exceptional experience
TN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An unforgettable experience
An exceptional safari from start to finish! Osmane is a passionate, friendly and very attentive guide. The driver was also brilliant, very professional and always smiling. A top-class team. I’d recommend them 100 per cent!
Good safari, but let down by organisation, communication and the condition of our vehicle
We did a 6-day safari with Judeson, visiting the Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Amboseli. Overall, we saw some incredible wildlife and had some really memorable experiences, but a lack of communication, professionalism and organisation issues throughout the trip unfortunately affected our experience.
The start of the trip
We were told we would be picked up at around 6:40am and expected the long car journey to Masai Mara would begin from the moment we were collected. Instead, we were taken to an office where we waited for around an hour for Laurine, with very little to no communication about what was happening, why we were waiting or how long we would be waiting. We had woken up very early and were already tired, so spending the first hour of the trip sitting in an office, unsure of what was happening, was a disappointing start. We appreciate that delays can happen, but simply keeping us informed would have made a big difference. Hopefully this is something they can improve on.
Organisation and communication
Unfortunately, the lack of communication was a recurring theme throughout the trip. On Day 3, we were told we would be picked up at 7am to head towards Lake Nakuru. However, we ended up waiting around an hour for three other couples to complete the Maasai cultural tour before we could leave. We then waited for another 30 minutes even after they had all arrived, again without being told why. This was particularly frustrating because we had already done the cultural tour ourselves on the first day, after arriving at our camp near the Masai Mara, so nobody had to wait for us.
The extra waiting time could have been used to sleep, start the journey earlier, or potentially have more time at our next destination. Alternatively, we could have done the cultural tour with the rest of the group on Day 3.
Because of the 2 hour delay in the morning of Day 3, we only stayed in Lake Nakuru for about 2 hours. We felt this could have been handled much better, particularly if we had simply been told in advance that we would be waiting for another couple.
Another instance was that at the end of the trip, our driver randomly stopped at a gas station and told us to get out of the car for an Uber to take us home in Nairobi. This type of last minute and hectic communication was consistent throughout the trip.
Lack of communication and organisation was an issue during longer drives too. We were rarely told beforehand how long the journeys would take, how many stops we would make in order to stretch our legs or take toilet breaks, or when we would be stopping. Having a clearer itinerary and better communication about timings would have made the trip feel much more organised.
The safari vehicle
The vehicle was probably our biggest concern. The jeep was incredibly old and, on one occasion, was expelling smoke. We expected a mini fridge in the jeep as stated in our quote document, but our vehicle didn't have one. We experienced many tyre changes during the trip and the jeep even broke down at one point due to a broken spring. Having looked at other vehicles on game drives, this car looked like the oldest and was at points the slowest.
More seriously, on one occasion the vehicle broke down completely and we had to hitch a ride with another safari vehicle back to the accommodation. Interestingly, this gave us a very clear comparison between the two vehicles. The temporary replacement vehicle was noticeably newer, more robust and much better equipped. It was less dusty, had air conditioning and even had a fridge. The contrast made us realise just how basic and uncomfortable our vehicle had been.
Our usual vehicle also wasn't properly sealed. Even with the windows closed, we could visibly see dust coming into the vehicle through large holes and gaps itself. Given how much time you spend driving on dusty roads during a safari, this became quite uncomfortable, and at times we felt unsafe. The temporary replacement vehicle that took us back to the accommodation had no such issues.
All this unfortunately meant less time looking for animals, and arriving late to national parks due to frequent stops at car mechanic shops during the journey.
We understand that safari vehicles are used extensively on rough terrain and that they won't necessarily be new, particularly on a budget safari. However, we expected the vehicle to be in a reasonable and safe condition for a six-day trip.
Lake Naivasha and additional costs
We also weren't aware that the Lake Naivasha boat ride did not include the walk on Crescent Island. This was an additional $33 per person. Every other person on our tour had this booked prior, and it was only us that were not informed of this addition. We don't have an issue with optional activities costing extra, but it would have been much better to know this beforehand. More transparency about what is and isn't included in the itinerary, and which activities have additional costs, would have helped us budget and make informed decisions.
Food
The food was fairly basic, which is understandable given that this was a budget safari. Dinner at the camps/hotels was generally okay, and packed lunches were provided for the days when we were out on game drives.
That said, the packed lunches were often very disappointing. On one day, for example, we were given three pieces of white bread with butter, along with two boiled eggs. It wasn't particularly enjoyable, especially when you're spending a full day travelling and on safari. This isn't necessarily Judeson's fault, as the food is provided by the camps/hotels, but it's worth mentioning for transparency so that future travellers know what to expect.
Tour guides and lack of organisation
We had the safari with other couples who were spanish speakers. They were therefore given a spanish tour guide, who would mainly speak in spanish rather than English. We thought it would be okay as the driver spoke English, however he rarely spoke to us during game drives as he was concentrating on the road and he relied entirely on the Spanish tour guide. This meant we had to rely on the spanish couples to translate and tell us what each of the animals were at many points during the game drives. This is poor organisation on Judesons part as we would have preferred to have had an English guide.
Maasai cultural tour
We also did a Maasai cultural tour, which was interesting and gave us the opportunity to learn more about the local community and culture. However, we found the experience uncomfortable in parts. The person conducting the tour was extremely pushy about buying souvenirs, repeatedly telling us that purchases exceeding $40 would help support local schools. At one point, we felt surrounded by people encouraging us to buy things, which became quite uncomfortable and made us feel pressured. We understand that buying souvenirs can be an important source of income for local communities, and we were happy to look around and support local sellers. However, we would have preferred to make our own decision about whether and what to buy, without feeling pressured. This wasn't something we would necessarily attribute to Jusedson themselves, but we think it is worth mentioning for future travellers. We learnt a lot from the cultural tour and appreciated the opportunity to experience it, but the sales aspect could have been handled in a much less forceful way.
The positives
Despite these issues, there were definitely some highlights. Seeing the wildlife in the Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Amboseli was an amazing experience, and we had some unforgettable moments throughout the six days. The safari itself gave us the opportunity to visit some incredible places and see animals in their natural environment, which is ultimately what we came for.
We also appreciated the opportunity to experience the Maasai cultural tour and learn more about the local community, despite the uncomfortable pressure to purchase souvenirs.
Overall
We had some genuinely amazing experiences on the safari, but the trip was let down by organisation, communication and the condition of the vehicle.
For a budget safari, we understand that there will be compromises, and we weren't expecting luxury. However, basic communication about timings, delays, additional costs and the day's itinerary would have significantly improved our experience. We also think the vehicle should be properly maintained and sealed, particularly when guests are spending so many hours travelling in it.
IE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great safari
Great Safari from Jungle roam. The camp (Wildnest) was excellent and especially them food.
The safari itself was top notch, we had an excellent driver Richie. I think we did 4 hours on day one ( worth it as sunset is when a lot of the animals are coming out) and 8 hours on day 2 and we say every animal we could have wished for. Recommend.
