20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Once in a lifetime experience
7 days, 6 nights safari
Arrived early morning and got free transfer to our niarobi hotel.
Accommodation was basic, but very much fit for purpose and allowed easy access into the nature reserves (which is what you are here for!), electricity is in short supply in some of these areas so a battery bank is recommended as they only turn on the power for a few hours. Other than that the staff at each place were fantastic and we enjoyed each stay.
Food was simple, but very nice at each stop and accommodation. Primarily consisted of rice, potato, two types of vegetable, a meat dish and fruit for dessert.
Packed lunches were available vegetarian and gluten free!
Transport was well driven and comfortable. Our driver Martin was incredibly knowledgeable about Kenya and the animals we saw. He couldn't do enough for us.
Side trips:
Boat trip was ok , didn't see much wildlife and was $20 per person, BUT the hotel we sailed from fed the hippos in the lake which was incredible!
Cycling tour of hells Gate was beautiful with a gradual downhill for about 1.5 hours, then a gradual uphill climb back. You get to see zebras, giraffes and warthogs up close and see pride rock that lion King was based on.
Massai village was a fantastic experience, incredibly welcoming and interesting, with tours of there houses and traditional dance. Highly recommended.
National parks are incredible. It's the reason you go to these areas and they do not disappoint.
Expect your itinerary to change as a lot of people we met had last minute changes. Also there are NO evening game drives contrary to the itinerary.
In terms of value for money, I couldn't recommend this more, but roll with the changes, a lot of them the tour company has no choice about as they are doing it on a budget.
It's a trip of a lifetime.
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Professional and passionate
We climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with Mafie Adventures in August 2023. We chose 6-day Machame route. This route is characterised by wonderful and diverse environments and landscapes and permits decent acclimatisation. Mafie Adventures and Erastus welcomed us at the bus station and picked us up from the hotel the day after. The hiking was definetely worthwile, aslo thanks to the professional and very experienced guides, Wilfred and Oliver, who really helped us throurghout the climb.
Furthermore, equipment was good and the food was plenty and delicious. Everyone in our group (8 porters+2 guides+1 cook) was welcoming and caring. I highly recommend Mafie Adventures for climbing Mount Kilimanjaro also considering the competitive price compared to other companies that provide the same service. Also, it is a local company based in Arusha and we believe it's a good way to support local business instead of foreign companies working in Tanzania.
Some few general suggestions for future travellers:
- Tipping is important and considered almost mandatory (for all companies not just Mafie). Make sure you understand how tipping works before arriving
- Best choice is to fly to Kilimanjaro airport
- Ask for what equipment is included or not in order to avoid carrying unnecessary staff that will overload the porters
Good Luck!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing and unforgettable trip of a lifetime!
We couldn’t recommend Spirit of Kenya more! They were brilliant from booking with Andre- was speedy and had great knowledge to the unforgettable experience we had with our guide Antony!
He explained everything, had amazing knowledge and showed us what Kenya had to offer. We were very lucky to see the Big 5 and The Great Migration and much much more. We had a trip of a lifetime and didn’t have to worry about anything from start to finish.
The accommodation and food was amazing. We will never forget this experience! We also did a beach extension which was lovely and relaxing! We would definitely recommend Spirit of Kenya!
IN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Super responsive and incredibly well organized safari!
What an incredible safari experience! Seeing the big 5 and other animals in their natural habitats from such close quarters was unforgettable.
We were a group of 10 people of different age groups and Jocky Tours was very helpful in customizing the itinerary, food, and accommodations to fit all our requests. The entire tour was very well organized and everything from airport pick up, park entry fees, picnic lunches, accommodations, etc was fully taken care of. We had 2 jeeps and our guides Johnny and Alex were great at spotting the animals and getting us the best views. We also learnt a lot about the animals from Johnny and his spot quizzes
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Caring!!
We booked our overland tour through African Travels, as we had a great experience with African Travels before and we trusted them with our 31 day adventure. The communication pre-, during and post- safari was very complete and very kind. African Travels was always available when we needed support and even reached out proactively to ask if we managed to book a taxi from our last campsite to the airport. The East African Overland Safari is an amazing safari that I'm happy they offer and I'm sure most of their tours will be great experiences, which we yet have to experience. Wouldn't hesitate to book through African Travels again!!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Terrific 3 Day Tour with Nhlalala (and Khongi in particular)
Our 3-day Kruger Safari and Panorama Route adventure with Nhlalala Tours was truly unforgettable. A special shout-out to our driver, Khongi, who made this journey exceptional.
We enjoyed our stay at the scenic Hippo Hollow and the guided drives into Kruger National Park were fantastic! We spotted four of the Big Five and many more animals. The spots Khongi chose as rest stops were also spot on. The vehicle was safe, he was on time, and he was great company throughout the trip.
Nhlalala Tours provided a well-planned itinerary that suited our limited time. If you prefer spontaneity, consider adding extra days. For us, it was a perfect fit.
In conclusion, Nhlalala Tours delivers an outstanding Kruger Safari. Highly recommended! Kudos to Norman, Khongi, and the whole team for a remarkable experience.
AE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderful 7days of my life
I just wanted to take a moment to thank you Andre for the wonderful itineary and answered all of our questions with patience and enthusiasm.
We are ever so grateful for the wonderful guide"Maurice Ambetsa”(Mbabu)you gave us!
He went above and beyond to make sure that we had an incredible experience and for that we are truly thankful.
He has amaing knowledge on animal,we enjoyed every moment of the tour.
He made sure that every aspect was well taken care of and we can’t thank enough for his generosity and efforts.
highly recommend to use them for your safari experience and ask for Mbabu.
CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Communication was top notch, it was accommodating to all my needs, interests and in overall very e
Communication was top notch, it was accommodating to all my needs, interests and in overall very easy to do business with. Thanks Geoffrey and the entire team. In addition, great itineraries and guides based on my interests and desires. Definitely, I will use Osnet Tours and Travel again and again, I'll 100% recommend.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic, great communication
The tour was fantastic. I was recommended by a friend and was not disappointed. Very easy to arrange, very quick to respond to any messages and queries and a great day out.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
One of the best things we have ever done
From start to finish it was brilliant
Rochelle was so helpful and explained everything well
We did a 2 night safari at both Kruger and Sabi Sands
The trip out from Johannesburg was using a company called City bug and the were very comfortable
We were met by our game ranger Frans who was from Katambora Safaris who drove us into Kruger and to our first camp
After a bit of lunch off we went on our afternoon game drive
I cannot recommend this guy enough, his passion for animals and conservation was evident and we learned so much. That afternoon we saw so many animals including elephants giraffes zebra Gdu hippo buffalo and so many more and as we were heading back to the lodge saw an amazing pack of wild dogs with their pups
After a comfortable night we set off for another drive with Frans and he found us more of all the above and lions and also the elusive Leopard!
We then transferred to Sabi sands in Umkumbe River Lodge which was amazing
After lunch we went out for an afternoon/ evening game drive and they found us Rhino to complete the big five and more lions
Stopping for drinks with the sunset was so memorable and driving through the reserve was excellent and back for a very nice meal
All the staff at the lodge we lovely and the room was beautiful, they even decorated our bed with flowers for our anniversary
Another early morning game drive with a coffee stop and loads more animals then back to the lodge for a delicious breakfast
After checking out we were picked up by our driver for the Panoramic tour stopping at gorges, gods window and potholes for outstanding scenery. Then back to Johannesburg
Outstanding brilliant and highly recommended