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.
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.
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
All animals seen and good driving skills from out driver Castro
The safari was according to out expectations and we saw all big five animals. Our driver Castro had very good driving skills and spotted all animals easily.
On the other side our initial plan was changed upon arrival. Some more information about the animals would be appreciated.
They dont accept old dollar notes for payment
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing
The whole trip was amazing. We really had a very good time with our guide, Castro. He was always the first to be in the right place to see the animals during safaris. And he has very good driving skills!
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very knowledgeable and patient.
We used this service for transfers to and from airport to our lodge. So easy. Very knowledgeable. So patient - stopping to take wildlife and other photos along the way. Would highly recommend!
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Trustworthy, reliable, great!
We traveled twice with Ivan some time ago (as you can see above) and found him to be very reliable, nice, helpful and very competent. Even when I transferred him a considerable amount for gorilla permits from here, the trust was not disappointed. He knows his way around Uganda and there, so to speak, "God and the world". It was a lot of fun with him and we would not hesitate to travel with him again, especially since we are still in contact and he is always available to answer any questions. So, in my opinion, nothing changes.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing safari
My girlfriend and I did the 5 day safari in Tarangire, Serengeti & Ngorongoro and absolutely loved it. Our guide Simon was super friendly and so knowledgable. He knew everything about all the animals we saw (and there were so many) including the birds. Our cook Dennis was also very friendly and kept us well fed throughout the trip. We also did the hot air balloon ride at sunrise which was stunning. Hope we can come back soon!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderful and professional
We booked our trip with African Paradise Safaris because their itinerary was the closest to what we wanted. We were extremely pleased with the experience. John Peter, who managed the booking, was very responsive and flexible when we suggested changes to itineraries. He was very patient with all of the questions we had. Our driver John was great - we spent 14 days total with him and I don’t think we got tired of each other! He’s an excellent driver and also a lot of fun - we had lots of smiles and laughs. Highly recommend APS for booking a safari!
IE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic "bucket list" experience
"Bucket list" experience you should do more than once. This was the holiday of lifetime. We saw all the "Big 5" including an elephant with twins, three rhinos in the Serengeti (I'm told this is very unusual), cheetahs hunting using our vehicle for cover and monkeys who stole part of our lunch. The accommodation was very good and our guide (Gasper) superb. Highly recommended. Our family of 5 including 3 teenagers will definitely be on safari again.
NO
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great wildlife, but disappointing tour operator
We did a small safari tour over 3 days, where we slept in tents. Our experience was very two sided.
Pros:
1-The animals and nature we got to see was incredible. We saw almost all the animals we were hoping for.
2-The cook was amazing, considering his working conditions in public camping sites. Every single meal was really tasty, and had a good variety. He was always polite and explained in detail which food he served.
3-The tents were as expected for two adults in terms of size and weather resistance, but the campsite toilets and showers were dirty and lacking toilet paper. There were also too many tourists per toilet.
4-We have beverages in the jeep (water and soda) every day.
5-Two person per row in the jeep allowed everyone to have their own window.
6-The cars used for transport to and from the airport were in good condition
Cons:
1-The lodge where we stayed before and after the safari was very low-budget. The shower had only cold or burning hot water, and the water pressure was way too low. No hand towels were provided, and we had to ask for a second shower towel both stays. The breakfast was decent and the staff was polite. The room had poor sound isolation, so we were kept awake by other guests.
2-Our guide/driver (James or Jimmy) was often driving very erratically, so that it was often difficult for us to take good videos or photos of the animals. Sometimes he wouldn't stop when all of us saw animals we wanted to photograph.He was often giving information while we took pictures, but he kept demanding our response whenever we were busy with experiencing the wildlife. The way he approached different tourist in the jeep seemed unprofessional to us. When the tour was over, he didn't even bother helping with our bags, or even say goodbye. This was after we had paid the tip that was suggested by Hillary.
3-The driver should have a microphone, because it is almost impossible to hear his voice while the engine is running, especially if you are sitting in the back of the jeep.
4-Our contact at the lodge (Mr. Ally or Ali) gave us a very unenthusiastic introduction to our tour, where he said that we "must" pay a tip of 15 USD per day per person, even though Hillary's email said it was a recommendation. Only after we said this, he changed his choice of words. After the safari was over we met him again. Then he asked "give us a 5-star review on Tripadvisor, both of you today". We told him we would review the experience from home, but he kept asking to do it immediately. The only purpose was to keep Surikata Safari on top of the list at Tripadvisor, rather than honest feedback. Future tourists should keep this in mind when you read all the 5-star reviews. We had some extra time on our last day in Arusha where we said we wanted to relax. Instead he kept pushing for us to pay for more tours. The transport to the airport was 45 - 60 minutes delayed.
Overall what we suggest especially to couples is that to choose a mid-range (more luxurious) option compared to the one with tents. Then you might not be annoyed by some of the things we have listed.