20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Memories to last a lifetime
The perfect name for this company, goodness did it deliver!
We chose the 7 day safari, setting off from Nairobi then on to Amboseli, Lake Naivasha, Nukuru and the Masai Mara. Pickup from the airport was a breeze and we knew we were going to be looked after.
From finding Amazing Memories on a safari comparison site, they responded to our enquiries very quickly and thoroughly. The quote was very competitive and Anne was brilliant at fitting the itinerary around our flights and additional activities we requested.
Stop 1 - Amboseli National Park. We stayed at the Kibo Safari Camp. The accomodation and food were outstanding and the staff were all utterly lovely. The road to this camp was incredibly dusty and bumpy but the camp made up for it! Amboseli National Park was brilliant for our game drives, we saw so much! Outstanding sunsets too.
Stop 2 - Lake Naivasha, then Nakuru. The drive here was long, but seeing the Rift Valley was incredible! We really enjoyed the Hippo Boat Ride on the lake - our guide was lovely and we had some great chats with him. Was wonderful to see fish eagles up close! We did feel like there was the expectation that we would also take part in the walking safari here and it was a little awkward when we declined but I don't think it should be assumed that tourists are going to be in a position to spend lots of money in addition to what they've already paid for as part of their tour. We arrived in Nakuru for an evening game drive which produced some great wildlife sightings and sunsets. Unfortunately we were taken to the wrong accomodation and were part way through unpacking when there was a knock at the door and we were told that we needed to leave. It was already 7:30pm and dark and we were slightly worried about what this meant for us. Our guide was extremely apologetic and I could tell he was also slightly nervous at the prospect of venturing back into the park after hours. This unexpected night safari however produced some fantastic wildlife encounters - we saw hippos and lions at very close range! We finally arrived at Flamingo Hill Camp just in time to catch the end of dinner, and enjoyed a lovely meal. The owner of the camp is fab and we had a great chat with him. Accomodation was lovely although we didn't spend much time here. Nakuru park is very different to Amboseli, it's very green and lush and we saw lots of wildlife here.
Stop 3 - Masai Mara. Another long drive but again worth it! Some amazing wildlife sightings here and we loved the game drives! We stayed at Mara Simba Lodge and again the accomodation, food and staff were fantastic. We loved eating our meals overlooking the river and the enormous crocodiles who live there! We wanted to do the sunrise balloon over the Masai Mara and all I would say, is that if you have the funds to do this, then definitely make this part of your trip. It was beyond stunning and we saw hyenas hunting baby topi from the balloon. It is incredibly special to be floating above the wildlife, and the champagne breakfast afterwards was perfect. The memories will live with us forever. We got on so well with our guide for this part of the day, his enthusiasm was infectious and we forgot how tired we all were from the 4am start! The game drives in the Masai Mara were our favourite, there was so much to see, including the wildebeast heading for the Serengeti and we loved our riverside walk to see the hippos and crocodiles too.
Due to our flight times, we spent our final night in the Crowne Plaza Hotel by Nairobi Airport. Anne arranged this for us and we were very grateful!
Peter was our guide and he was very knowledgable and looked after us so very well. We loved getting to know him and he always greeted us with a smile and made sure we saw everything! We did feel like he could have perhaps stepped in when we were being harrassed by sellers along the way, but we respect that it is a way of life in Kenya, it just takes a lot of getting used to and did make us feel uncomfortable. Peter is a great driver too, I'm not sure I could have done those distances every day and still been smiling at the end of it after all the bumpy roads! Peter - thank you so much for everything :)
Things to consider for your trip:
- Take a scarf or something to cover your nose and mouth on the non-tarmac roads, the dust is something else!
- Take more money than you think you need. Tipping is official and we thought we'd budgeted enough but ran out more quickly than expected due to the need to tip for things we didn't actually ask for. ATMs are hard to come by and I don't think we would have felt comfortable using them in any case.
- You will be mobbed when you stop by vendors trying to sell things to you. Although we fully respect that this is a way of life here, it can make you feel very uncomfortable
- If you opt for the safari minivan, be prepared for when the roads get bumpy. It is quite the experience. Our guide referred to it as an African Massage and we can safely say we've had enough of them to last us a lifetime!
- When you are driving between parks, you will stop at carefully chosen Curios Shops. The toilets are always right at the back of these shops and there is the expectation that you will buy something from each shop, so take this into account when budgeting.
- Be prepared for cold mornings/evenings and hot days! Pack something for all eventualities.
Overall this was quite simply one of the most incredible holidays we have ever been on, and the memories will stay with us forever. Thank you to everyone that made this trip so special.
NO
Mikumi safari with Tomas
Very good service and guide! They did everything they could to make our safari perfect. Will highly recommend
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great value, well looked after, ran smoothly, friendly.
Our tour guide Isaac was friendly polite and great all round. Answered all our questions and was great at finding animals. The tour was only four days but we saw everything we thought we might, and a lot more. Accommodation was basic but good and overall value was amazing.
NO
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Amazing trip!
We had an amazing trip with Thomas and Noel. Thomas managed to arrange our trip on short notice and communicated quickly. During our safari he told us a lot of information about the different types of animals. Thanks a lot for an unforgettable trip. We all enjoyed it.
Recommend this company.
IE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very friendly guides, efficient and they ensure you get the best from your safari.
Our safari with Msangai Adventure was one of the best things we have ever done. The communication with Zeeshan and Eric when organising the trip was second to none. As for our guide, Emanuel, he made our 3 days in the Serengeti an unforgettable experience. He guided us to as many animals as possible, and he made sure we saw them from as close as he was allowed. His driving on the rough Serengeti roads was impressive but even more so was his knowledge of the Serengeti, the animals, the plants, and Tanzania in general. We have learned so much in the last few days.
The Tukaone Camp where we spent 2 nights was an amazing experience and we were looked after so well. The highlight of the camp experience has to be the elephants that came through the camp site on our first night there.
We could not recommend Msangai Adventure enough for the personalised Safari experience they provide.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible experience
Our Safari took place in the tarangire park, in the lake maniara and in the ngorongoro crater, and it was a wonderful experience. Thank you very much Marta who by email has always proved to be very kind, helpful and precise in giving us information and in configuring our tour in the best possible way, immediately offering us excellent facilities by price range. Our guide was also very helpful and was particularly good at helping us see the big 5, especially on the second day where we could see the lions practically next to the jeep. Soul of Tanzania super recommended!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A truly wonderful and memorable experience.
I joined my sister's and a friend's family for a 10 day camping safari across Botswana with Moonstroll safaris, and it was a truly fabulous experience. My sister did most of the organising so I can't comment too much on that aspect but they were fantastically helpful to me. I foolishly left myself a very tight transfer time in Johannesburg and missed my flight to Kasane to start the trip. Monametsi and his team went out of their way to help me catch up and join the trip a day late (after I had to take a circuitous route through Victoria Falls). They even rearranged the river cruise for me on the next day to make sure I didn't miss out.
The camping trip itself was great, with comfortable camp beds and tents and really great food, courtesy of Otata. It was quite amazing what Otata could cook up on a camp fire, including a birthday cake for my niece! All the people supporting the trip were warm and friendly, making everyone feel relaxed.
I really enjoyed being immersed within the African bush, with the sounds and smells of the animals all around you adding a certain frisson to getting up in the night for the toilet.
The game viewing itself was truly spectacular. I have been lucky enough to go on many safaris/game drives in my life and this was without doubt one of the best. My first view of wild dog as they set out for a hunting trip was a particular highlight for me. Both our guides were extremely knowledgeable, not just about the larger animals but about all of the local flora and fauna, and their love for their surroundings was evident. Ben in particular was outstanding, knowing exactly how and when to impart information and when to allow us to just sit and enjoy the sights around us. He is the best guide I have ever experienced - friendly, well organised and enthusiastic but also a calm and restful presence.
I wondered before the trip whether I would find 10 days too much, but I would quite happily have stayed for twice as long. Overall, a great experience with memories that I will treasure.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very informative and eloquent
Hello my name is Marina I dd a tour with this company .l enjoyed a lot and would love to come back no dout im coming back ..always with a vibe and interesting and informative guides and drivers
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect !
What can I say except that this safari was extraordinary, thank you safari by Z!
First of all, Majid and Mwanaidi were exemplary in their availability and patience in organizing the trip, adapting to our constraints, finding the best compromises and answering our 1001 questions!
Then on site, we were welcomed by our driver-guide Fadhili and our French-speaking guide Albert for 7 days: 1 day tarangire then 2 days serengeti, 1 day ngorongoro, to end with the discovery of the Hadzabe and Datoga tribes.
It was amazing! We saw so many animals and so close! The lions returning from the hunt, the elephant brushing against the car, the lioness and her cubs that we accompanied on the way for hundreds of meters, lunch in the middle of the elephants, not to mention the leopard, the cheetah and its prey, giraffes, buffaloes, hippos, zebras, herds of elephants, rhinos, flamingos... In short, just incredible! And we ended in style with the meeting of the Hadzabe tribe, a timeless moment.
Fadhili is a smiling, seasoned, attentive driver who always knows how to maneuver perfectly to always be in the right place in order to be able to observe the animals up close in peace, even with 10 cars around. He also knows how to adapt his driving to spare us during long journeys on damaged paths and to ensure that the 'African massage' is as gentle as possible.
Albert is a jovial, passionate, attentive French-speaking guide who knows so many things: we learned a lot about animals, Tanzania and its history, the tribes,... And who was remarkable with our 7-year-old daughter. He also knows how to adapt the organization according to our desires, but also according to the unforeseen events of nature.
The accommodations, the organization, the meals, the meetings, the sharing, everything was perfect. Really thank you all!
(automatic translation from French)
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Not the best experience
After the trip we were taken to their office like hostage to demand more money than we agreed and already paid cause they decided that they didn't make enough profit. Very poor customer service.
Be expected to pay much more than the original agreed fees as they will claim it is not included, e.g. entry fees. At one point we were asked to pay for the fuel cost!
Make sure to pay yourself entry fees as we realised we have been scammed and paid more than the entry fee. Unfortunately only realised this after the trip when we talked with out friends who visited the same attractions