50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Pilama Safaris is knowledgeable, friendly and pays attention to what the client wants from a safari
Pilama Safaris is one of the best travel companies I have engaged with. Anthony really listened to our requirements and built an itinerary that worked for us. There was time to make tweaks and refine what we wanted to do. Nothing was ever a problem, including chimpanzee tracking, where my youngest was 11.5 instead of 12 years old. Anthony quickly arranged a permit for her, and we were able to experience the chimpanzees together.
Communication was plentiful and mainly conducted over WhatsApp. Anthony very quickly became a friend!
I got a real sense that Anthony LOVES his job. He wanted to make everything wonderful for us.
And to be met by the team at the airport was so lovely.
Martin was our jeep driver and guide. He was so wonderful to be around with his calm and gentle nature. His deep knowledge of wildlife, especially birds, was a real treat for us.
We felt so looked after with Pilama Safaris.
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Don't miss the real "massaggio africano"!
The safari with Uroadventure was amazing! Our guide, Omar, with his trained eye, showed us animals we probably wouldn't have seen ourselves; with his excellent Italian, he explained every curious detail to us, and with his incredible professionalism and expertise, he got us out of awkward situations (like the jeep completely stuck in the mud), always with a smile. Erick was also very kind.
We absolutely must do it again and recommend it to everyone! Thank you again Omar!
ES
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a Lifetime in Kenya – Huge Thanks to Esteleon
We’ve just got back from the most incredible trip to Kenya organised by Esteleon, and I’m still thinking about it every day. I could honestly write pages about this trip but I’ll try to keep it to the highlights.
From the start Esther was fantastic – very organised, great communication and always quick to reply to any questions. When we arrived in Nairobi we were met by Esther’s driver and taken to the Argyle Grand Hotel, only about a 10-minute easy drive from the airport, which was perfect after a long flight. We stayed there two nights before the safari started.
For the next week we travelled with our guide Robinson, who took us through the Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha and Amboseli. What an adventure.
We were lucky enough to see the Big Five, and often incredibly close up, but what really made the trip so special was Robinson. His knowledge was amazing – he seemed to know everything about everything – but he was also warm, funny, flexible and a brilliant driver. He spotted things other guides didn’t and somehow made it feel like we were properly interacting with the animals rather than just watching them. The pace of everything felt just right and he genuinely made us feel like kings and queens of the jungle.
Two lodges we absolutely loved were Ilkeliani Camp in the Maasai Mara and The Cliff at Lake Nakuru. Both were very special places with incredibly friendly staff, beautiful settings and food that was honestly outstanding (Ilkeliani and The Cliff felt almost Michelin level at times).
Amboseli was magical too and Robinson actually knew many of the elephants by name, and bizarrely they seemed to recognise him as well. We were also specially invited to informally visit the Elephant Trust research camp which was so special and gave us a real insight into the work being done to understand elephant behaviour.
After eight amazing days on safari we took the train to Mombasa (Esther booked the tickets and Robinson dropped us at the station). The train was surprisingly modern – almost European style – and from there we were taken to Diani Beach, where we stayed at Ocean Village overlooking the most beautiful white sand and turquoise sea.
We were enjoying ourselves so much that we decided last minute to book another four-day safari with Esther to Tsavo East and West, and we’re so glad we did. Tsavo felt wilder and more raw than the other parks and on some drives we didn’t see another vehicle at all – I think we only saw one other person the entire time. It was pure heaven.
The wildlife experiences were unbelievable on all safaris. Buffalo chasing lions, a baboon eating a baby gazelle, a lion catching a zebra, cheetahs hunting, black and white rhinos, a leopard incredibly close with no other vehicles around, hippos climbing out of the river right in front of us and of course endless elephants. As first-time safari travellers we honestly couldn’t believe how much we saw. At times it genuinely felt like we were on a wildlife documentary with Robinson as our own David Attenborough.
Because of the Middle East situation we changed our return route and skipped our planned stop in Abu Dhabi, flying home via Ethiopia instead, and Esther sorted everything out smoothly.
A couple of small tips for anyone planning a similar trip: mornings and evenings can be chilly on safari so take a jumper, and definitely pack a swimsuit because by the time you get back from the early game drive it’s hot and the pool is very welcome. We hardly saw any mosquitos and the lodges spray in the evenings, so we didn’t get bitten once. It’s also nice to bring a few sweets if you want to give something to the Maasai kids near the park entrances.
Kenya completely blew us away and with Esther organising everything and Robinson guiding us it couldn’t have been better.
If you’re thinking about a safari in Kenya, just do it. A huge thank you to Esther for organising everything so smoothly and especially to Robinson for making the safari so unforgettable. We feel very lucky to have experienced Kenya this way.
TW
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very thoughtful, professional, well planed in both Kenya and Tanzania.
Dominic was a very thoughtful, well organized planer for our 13 days trip in Kenya and Tanzania.
We enjoyed the trip very much, and our guides, Freddie in Kenya and Joseph in Tanzania both were very professional in Safari (we collected big fives and Cheetah, at the same time they taught us so many knowledges regards to the animal ), driving on route, and keeping us safe( was flooding at Serengeti and we need to cross the river safely).
We will definitely reach Kentau for our next trip for safari.
CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
We just finished our amazing safari in Africa, and it was truly an unforgettable experience.
A huge thank you to our guide Harun—he was incredibly professional and knowledgeable. He took us to see so many wild animals, and shared so much interesting information about the animals and the great migration. We couldn’t have asked for a better guide.
We also want to praise our chef Ali, who prepared delicious and carefully made meals for us every single day. The food was so good that I even gained weight after the trip!
Both of them took great care of us and always paid attention to our health and comfort throughout the journey.
This has been the most wonderful trip, and we really hope to come back next year around June or July for the great migration.
Highly recommended!
CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Awesome tour operator
I had a fantastic safari with Big Mama Safari Adventures in Tanzania, featuring unforgettable wildlife encounters and stunning scenery. The team was professional and knowledgeable, making the experience enjoyable. I highly recommend them for an authentic Tanzanian safari.
CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Best tour company in Ethiopia
I had an amazing experience traveling with Peak Ethiopia Tours. Chuchu organized everything perfectly from the airport pickup to the city tour in Addis Ababa. He is very friendly, professional, and knowledgeable about Ethiopian culture and history. I felt safe and comfortable during the whole trip. I highly recommend Peak Ethiopia Tours to anyone visiting Ethiopia.
SK
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unique experience with huge added value
We were on three day safari starting from Kampala including gorilla tracking and relaxing on lake buniyoni. Gorilla tracking is really very unique. It was very well organized and we enjoyed it a lot. Once in a life time experience.
During quite long time in the car to move from Kampala to Bwindi, we had a chance to see local life and the real added value was our guide Francis, who is very knowledgeable and he answered all the questions either about local life or nature. It was a real pleasure.
Thank you Francis
CH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
11 Days Safari - Extranight in Serengeti
Our 11-day safari was absolutely fantastic and truly unforgettable. Even though the rainy season had already begun, we experienced so many incredible moments and wildlife sightings, including all of the Big Five within just a few hours.
Whenever unexpected situations arose, Fiona was always there for us. From the very beginning of the planning process, long before the trip started, she communicated openly with us and always responded quickly. We immediately felt that she genuinely cares about her clients and about creating a supportive and trustworthy relationship.
Our driver and guide in Kenya, Brian “Mufasa,” impressed us with his exceptional driving skills and incredible endurance. At times, heavy rains and flooded roads made the journey more challenging, but he handled everything calmly and professionally. It became an adventure that felt truly authentic. Just as memorable as the many amazing wildlife sightings we experienced.
We would also like to thank Reuben, who guided us through the breathtaking Serengeti National Park. His driving skills were simply outstanding, better than anything we had experienced before. Calm, confident, and highly experienced, he always radiated a wonderful “Hakuna Matata” spirit that made us feel safe and relaxed throughout the journey. He generously shared his extensive knowledge about the animals and the ecosystem with us, sometimes even consulting his wildlife guidebook so we could identify what we were seeing together. We especially appreciated his genuine interest in exchanging thoughts and knowledge with us.
Thank you all for this priceless experience and for the countless touching and unforgettable moments.
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent care given to my wife and myself on a fantastic trip!
From the moment we were picked up at the airport to our departure a week later we were exceptionally cared for. The accommodations were wonderful and our driver Lawerence bent over backwards to make sure we had a pleasurable time. We felt safe with his driving and he was skilled at finding elusive animals. We saw all of the big 5 (multiple times over) as well as the ugly 5. This was a trip of a lifetime and I’m so glad we used Up Country Adventures! I’d recommend them to anyone looking for an incredible African safari.