Incredible and very well organised honeymoon safari!
We booked with Spirit of Kenya for the 9 day "Big Kenya" safari for our honeymoon after we had to cancel last minute due to the problems in Sri Lanka. Tiago was our booking agent - helpful, clear and very responsive, even late in the evening and on weekends. It was very easy to organise our personalised safari.
We were a bit anxious to book with a local tour operator but the price was infinitely cheaper than the equivalent with a British tour operator. There was a wide range of accommodation at different price points. Transfer from the airport to our hotel was smooth. Our safari guide Shoma was a brilliant driver - he took us to all the amazing parks and best areas, took his time and as a result we saw all the animals! Leopards, cheetahs, lots of lions, elephants, black rhinos, white rhinos, wildebeest crossing. Such an incredible experience. All of the accommodation was very well organised and the itinerary perfectly planned. We were delighted with the trip.
Some tips from our experience:
- We thought we would get bored on the 9 day Big Kenya safari, but we did not - you see something different in each park!
- Skip the hotels at Lake Navaisha and stay at The Cliff in Lake Nakuru for 2 nights - amazing lodge with the best massages ever
- Definitely sign up for the hot air balloon ride over the Masai Mara - beautiful views of the sunrise over the Mara was a once in a lifetime experience. We initially didn't add it because of the price but that is the going rate in this area and it was spectacular.
- it is worth the upgrade to the Land Cruiser - better comfort and views and the seats lie flat so you can sleep on the long transfers
- we are snobs about accommodation but the lodges were very good and clean with surprisingly good food. Bit cold at night so bring some woolly pjs!
The only thing I would recommend for improvement (and I am really nit picking here) is that Spirit of Kenya let the lodges know when it is a special occasion e.g. honeymoon. We did notice other couples getting some special extras at the lodges for being on honeymoon though this was a minor point in an overall 11/10 holiday!
Thank you Tiago and Shoma for a wonderful honeymoon and exceptional service, you are a credit to Spirit of Kenya! 100% recommend Spirit of Kenya for your safari.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Dedicated
Mr. Munyua is a highly professional and reliable tour operator. He arrives on time and is very conversational and warm even at 4/5am. He is thoughtful in that he offered us refreshments free of charge. He took me and my friend to Mt Longonot National Park and we were very impressed by courtesy and his sense of professionalism even for a short excursion such as that for only two people. Highly recommend.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very professional!
We had a great time on our 3 day Safari with Chris. He’s very professional and knowledgeable and goes the extra mile to make the experience great! Thanks for everything!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent
We've had a wonderful safari with Peter, he knows biology very well and he've explained us everything about animals in Tanzania. We've seen lot of them, for example very near lions with their puppies eating a warthog or a group of four cheetas lying down in the shade of a tree. Even the accomodations were excellent and everything settlet in perfect time organizations.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Olivier with Countryside Tours was a wonderful and knowledgeable guide.
Olivier and Esther gave us a day to remember in Kigali. From the time they picked us up at the hotel to the time we were returned, they were kind, helpful and knowledgeable. We wanted a day to explore Kigali but being very unfamiliar with the city chose to use Countryside Tours and it was a great decision. They took us places we never would have discovered on our own and equally as important, dealt with driving in a city where I would never have been able to!
We went so many places and learned so many things about this beautiful city and country! Additionally, we feel like we made new friends in Rwanda. I highly recommend this tour!
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding experience
The safari was very well organized, Matthew was very comprehensive and adapted his propositions to our desires. The organization of the travel by itself (safari, transfers,...) was perfect. The suggestion for the localization of our safari (park, camp) fitted perfectly what we expected. I recommend.
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Professionell
We travelled with Matoke during 2 weeks in Uganda starting in Jinja, heading to Murchinson National Park and passing south to Ruanda border and back to Kampala. Preparation of the trip with Sven was great. Easy, quick, friendly and very reliable. The same with our guide and driver David. He is very professionell and knows every animal and plant with surname and is highly involved in all matters regarding wildlife and nature conservation. The trip was a great experience and we will book Matoke again in case we have the opportunity returning to East Africa again.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing safari experience full of surprises
Our safari with Zohar was absolutely amazing! It was part of our honeymoon & Lilian and her team made it very special in so many ways. From the pick up at the airport to the final day where we were surprised with a bottle of champagne!!! Our guide Leo had profound knowledge about wildlife and plants & could answer all questions we had during the tour. Everyday we had A delicious lunch in beautiful spots in the middle of nature. The accommodations that were chosen by Zohar were very pretty & the jeep was clean, safe & comfortable.
LU
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very professional, caring, well organised and flexible agency
In August 2022, we had the chance to do a superb Safari with Safari Chapter and especially with our guide Darius. It has been magical. The tour was well structured, the choices of the lodge was great and our guide was fantastic. He made our Safari special for us. He was always caring about us, always flexible to respond to our needs. He was 100% dedicated to our needs. Thanks to his explanation and empathy, we had a strong depth in the understanding of the country. Excellent driver, he was always in a good mood. We felt safe at all times during the trip. We loved the different landscapes, the observation of the animals, the meeting with the people, all was just perfect!!! Thank Darius for this very special moment!
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
10 days in Uganda
Easy and at hand agency to deal with. Always available to reply to questions and needs. Hedmond)
Very well organized tour, great great guide (Derrick)
The country itself has a lot to offer on top of the incredible Gorilla tracking experience.
Highly recommended agency
