AE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Super Safari, Great Team Supporting you
This past October we went on our first safari and what a great choice was Spirit of Kenya. From the planning with the great support of Vanessa, the ground team when we landed was courteous and quick to get us on our journey and the guide Derick was the best making us feel secure and entertain.
Choice of hotels and stops was on point, we did a 5d/4n and was good enough for us.
If you want a safe choice, go with spirit of Kenya… more info on the trip you can find it at boricuaslivingabroad blog
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It is a budget safari, but worth it!
I booked the 6-day shared group safari (Masai Mara, Nakuru NP, Amboseli NP) in a 4x4 Jeep based on an offer I found on safaribookings.com. I booked it through communication with the manager of Jocky Tours by E-Mail. In the beginning I was worried, if this way was "official" enough, but at the end everything was how I booked it.
The tour itself was a great adventure! Thanks to our experienced guide and driver Sir Charles (who visibly enjoyed searching for the animals himself), we saw many animals, even a leopard, a cheetah and a rhino. I was very happy, that we did not waste a lot of time (as it can sometimes happen on such tours) and really spent a lot of time on game drives!
As we were traveling in the rainy season, it was of great advantage to be sitting in a 4x4 Jeep. Our talented driver managed to get out of even the deepest mud! I would prefer the Jeep over the busses, which are also offered as cheaper option. As space in the Jeep is limited, we left our additional suitcases at our hotel in Nairobi (Ibis Styles).
The safari was a budget safari, so we knew that it might not be luxurious. The vehicle was not new, but overall in a good condition. However my biggest point of criticism is, that many seats did not have functioning seat belts. As traffic in Kenya is quite dangerous, I think that they should replace them to offer tourists a safe trip!
2 out of 3 accomodations exceeded my expectations for a budget safari! However the tent in the first camp at Masai Mara was in a quite poor condition, with big holes in the tent and many holes in the mosquito net. Therefore I would recommend to bring your own mosquito net and repellents and to take malaria prophylaxis.
Meals were all included and most of the rather local dishes were really delicious!
As for the optional activities during the trip, I can recommend the visit of the Masai village next to Masai Mara (20 dollars). You get an insight in their daily life and they tell a little bit about their culture. Of course they also try to sell souvenirs. In the meantime, I can't recommend the boat tour on Lake Naivasha, as it was quite expensive (20 dollars) and not that interesting.
Overall, it was a great trip that I really enjoyed and which I can recommend! The tour has a good price/performance ratio!
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Committed
The journey with Moran tours was good. We really appreciate that there was an honest commitment for us to have a great time and we did. We were super lucky to see many mammals and that the weather was in our side. Thanks
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An Adventure of a Lifetime
I went on a one-week Tuma Africa Safari with my family, exploring four incredible national parks with Tumaini as our guide. Tumaini is incredibly knowledgeable about the Tanzanian wildlife and landscape, and was able to answer every single question we asked, as well as provide us with lots of additional information and interesting facts. He is an extremely kind and thoughtful guide, and went above and beyond to ensure that my family was always comfortable. He speaks very good English, so we never felt that we were struggling to communicate due to a language barrier. He is passionate about what he does, and his enthusiasm is contagious. Tumaini is also a fun person with a great sense of humor, and we had a wonderful time getting to know him over the course of our trip.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Can’t wait to see you again
I don’t even know where to begin. Our trip to South Africa was life-changing. We can’t wait to go back as we never wanted to leave. This was the trip of a lifetime for us. We made several great new friends, from several different countries, including South Africa. Our safari guides were the best and our guide at CapeTown and Winelands was also the best I have no complaints at all.
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Just a unique and beautiful country with such welcoming people wherever we went
We travelled to Namibia on a 16 night itinerary organised perfectly by Lilly Fleischmann from Great Explorations Namibia. The trip was just fantastic with a mix of Windhoek for a couple of days, then south to Bagatelle Kalahari lodge, then to the Sossulvelei area to view the amazing dunes. Next stop was Swapakomund for an overnight stay before leaving for Damaraland and a 2 night very luxurious stay at Camp Kipwe. Another 2 nights at Grootberg showed us another part of Damaraland before travelling to Etosha for 2 nights at Okonkuejo lodge and one night at Halili lodge right in the park. There was abundant wildlife esp around the waterholes and the floodlit waterholes esp at Halili was just superb with 10 rhinos coming down to drink about 10pm. Next was Onguma camp just outside Etosha with a memorable sundowner game drive. Finally a superb stay at Okinjima reserve with an upgrade to the Bush camp facility which is just perfect. We were self driving and the vehicle supplied by Namibia2Go was perfect for us and managed all the roads, even some pretty rough "african roads" with ease. To end we had a last night in Windhoek with a memorable dinner at the Stellenbosch restaurant where we had probably the best steaks you could find anywhere in the world paired with a fabulous bottle of red wine to complement the food. We felt totally safe in Namibia all the time and definitely recommend the country to any travellers looking for a combination of scenery, wildlife, food and culture. It has it all in abundance. Also we would completely recommend Lilly who did all our lodge bookings and car hire and furnished us with excellent trip notes to help us navigate successfully without getting lost once.
ES
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Land of beauty and adventure
Our 3-week trip to Namibia, organized by Lilly from Great Explorations Namibia, was an unforgettable experience that we would highly recommend to anyone with a love for adventure.
We contacted Lilly several months in advance, and she proved to be an outstanding organizer. Her first-hand knowledge of Namibia was invaluable in setting up a holiday for success
She listened to our wishes and put together a tailor-made package that exceeded our expectations
The accommodations Lilly booked for us, which included both campsites and lodges, were excellent. The food at most places we stayed was outstanding, and the accommodations were wonderful throughout the trip
Namibia's landscapes are breathtaking, with enormous sand dunes, towering mountain ranges, awesome canyons, and fascinating wildlife
We were able to experience incredibly diverse landscapes and locations
The wildlife of Namibia is composed of its flora and fauna, including a wealth of small mammals.
We were particularly thrilled to see the desert-adapted elephants striding along the dusty earth.
Lilly's support was invaluable throughout the trip. When we faced challenges, such as a cancelled flight, she helped us determine what to do around potentially rearranging the tour schedule, with good cheer and humour
Her proactive approach and efficiency in dealing with all our requests were highly appreciated
In conclusion, our trip to Namibia was a wonderful experience. The landscapes were stunning, the wildlife was abundant, and the people were kind and helpful. Lilly's organization and support made the trip smooth and enjoyable. We will definitely contact her again for a future trip to Africa. Well done, Lilly!
RO
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
wonderful
First of all, people are very welcoming, warm and nice.
Second, the nature is amazing and very various, from the wonderful beaches of Zanzibar to the lush vegetation of Kilimanjaro. Also, wildlife is well preserved and masai culture in very interesting.
Hope we'll return in Tanzania!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
It was like the garden of Eden
This has been a trip in the making prior to Covid so I wondered if it would ever eventuate. To say I was excited to reach Kenya was a big understatement!
I had such high expectations for my trip but was still completely blown away.
Kenya is so beautiful and to see the Maasai Mara was incredible. We saw so much wildlife. We loved our stay at Mara Eden and will always dream of going back there.
Jane our tour operator was so lovely to work with and so accommodating. Making sure we safely got to our destinations coming all the way from Africa.
This trip will be in heart forever
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience
The safari with Meru Slopes was a great experience. Animals and landscape are stunning!
The five-day tour across Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro left little to be desired. The guide Andrew drove the jeep very safely and calmly through the roads of the Serengeti and was a pleasant guide. He spotted the animals immediately at long distances and told us interesting details about them, but also gave us the necessary peace and quiet to marvel at the natural wonders.
The cook, Moshi, was always in a good mood and prepared delicious food. I missed more traditional Tanzanian food, but "tourist" food is probably part of the activity and important for other tourists.
The tents were in very good condition, the sleeping bag warm and the mattress comfortable. The sanitary facilities were also good and very clean! Electricity in the car did not work, but there were always free sockets in the camp. The transportation back to Arusha worked perfectly and the driver was already waiting for us.
What was missing: Toilet paper, or rather I hadn't thought to bring any with me.