65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Out of This World Safari Experience with Seven by Far
My husband and I just finished the vacation of a lifetime going on Safari in Kenya and Tanzania including a visit to Zanzibar with the company Seven by Far. I can’t say enough about how outstanding our experience was. I had contacted several safari companies through safaribookings.com. I received several proposals for itineraries visiting different parks. Seven by Far stood out from the rest with a more detailed explanation of the safari. The proposal included the lodges and hotels and how many nights with links to see the lodgings and the national parks. It included a price quote and detailed exactly what was included. When I had questions Sylvester responded in a timely manner addressing all of my issues. It was explained to me this was a private tour, so just my husband and myself which I didn’t realize. Sylvester detailed how long a drive between each park and exactly each game drive. I felt we had more than enough positive feedback and information to make the decision to choose Seven by Far. We had to postpone our trip for a year due to my health issues and that was never a problem.
Our plane arrived at 3:00 am in the very early morning to Nairobi and we had our representative from Seven by Far waiting for us to drive us to our hotel. It was a beautiful hotel and we were told Sylvester would meet us in the morning for our safari briefing. We felt we were in good hands. Sylvester came with Sylvia to go over our plans and revamp some changes as I had booked more days before flying home. Sylvester was accommodating and added Tanzania to our safari. It was originally only Kenya. He also added Zanzibar for a relaxing beach stay at the end. We were set to leave the next day. He sent over the best new itinerary and came the next day with our guide Hassan. They went over everything! We were soon off on the most amazing experience. Hassan was a knowledgeable guide with a genuine love for the animals and he was a world of knowledge so we were seeing animals and learning so much. Everyday was unbelievable! I can’t put into words how amazing each day was. We got to know Hassan and believed we had the best guide ever! Our time had to come to an end with Hassan as we were to get a new guide for Tanzania. It seemed a little sad but from the start Abel took over in Tanzania and we know we had another amazing guide with a totally different personality and a passion for the animals and showing them to us. The guide you get makes all the difference in the world. Both our guides were excellent drivers and passionate about their work. Each had their own style and personality and a world of knowledge.
Each day proved we had made the best decision going with Sylvester and his company Seven by Far. The game drives were amazing with lots of animal sightings. A representative of Seven by Far met us after our flight to transport us to our Zanzibar hotel. We had a relaxing four days there then flew back to Nairobi for our flight home however we had one more day and Sylvester planned the last day with visits to the Giraffe Center, lunch at Carnivore Restaurant, and a visit to the Karen Blixen Museum. Sylvester met us at Carnivore and it felt like a wonderful send off from our out of this world, over the top experience. We loved our guide the last day. We had so much fun with him and he took good care of us and getting us to the airport for the flight home. It felt like saying goodbye to family! Our safari was 15 days and we had a day at the beginning in Nairobi, 4 days at the beach in Zanzibar, and a day at the end in Nairobi for a total of 21 days and Sylvester planned it all.
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Reliable, trustworthy, knowledgeable and fun! The best guide you could hope for.
Our two-week journey through Uganda was an absolute joy, all thanks to our incredible tour guide, Dan. He was kind, funny, and trustworthy, making everything run seamlessly. His passion for Uganda's wonders and his deep knowledge enriched our experience every day. Thanks to Dan we laughed a lot, learned so much, and felt truly cared for. He went above and beyond, and we can't recommend him enough.
I can't express enough gratitude to Dan. I wholeheartedly recommend his services to anyone considering a journey to Uganda. Thanks to him, our adventure was nothing short of magical. In a world where travel experiences can sometimes be unpredictable, Dan was a constant source of reliability and reassurance. We always felt safe and well-cared for, and his warm and friendly demeanor made us feel like we were exploring Uganda with an old friend. His kindness, easygoing nature, sense of humor, and unwavering trustworthiness made every moment of our trip an absolute delight. He took care of every detail, from accommodations to transportation, allowing us to focus solely on soaking in the wonders of Uganda. He was, without a doubt, the best guide we could have hoped for!!!!
Thank you so much for everything Dan!!
CA
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent Experience
I was part of a large group and the tour guides were excellent in ensuring that we all had a memorable experience. I have wanted to go on a safari for a long time and Afrishare made it a very positive and memorable experience. The meals they served were excellent with more than enough food. The vehicles were comfortable and made it easy to see the animals. And we did see an abundance of animals. This was an experience I won't forget.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a Life time !!
It was a family trip and our first time visit to Africa. It was a 10 day trip that we had planned including arrival and departure day. Special thanks to Filipa who took care of the itinerary. All communications were kept by email so no information was lost. She was also happy to talk to us on phone when we requested. She would come back quickly with answers.
We went to Amboseli, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru and finally to Maasai Mara. We had asked for a Hot air balloon tour and it was organised at Maasai Mara. We also visited the Maasai village. Tulia camp at Amboseli was wonderful with the night under the sky - amazing to see the Milky way !! All the accommodations were very good and hospitality in all of them very excellent. The staff were caring and we were looked after very well.
Also, special thanks to Ibrahim our guide and driver who had very good knowledge of animals and birds and would spot them and explain a bit more about them. He made sure we saw the Big 5. He was very accommodating and made adjustments with the day plans as convenient to us and also making sure we could see more animals during the game drive. He was very well aware of traffic on our way back via the rift valley and had ample time before our return flight.
Tips- Travelling with family, the journey between Amboseli to Lake Naivasha is a long one. It was tiring and our guide suggested resting on the day and we covered both lakes Naivasha and Nakuru the following day, slightly off the itinerary but surely a useful one as we were more ready to go around at ease.
Over all from start to finish, the journey with Spirit of Kenya was excellent and would recommend them.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Nothing less than AWESOME!
This was a life long dream to go on an African Safari with my son. After countless set backs (covid..) my son and I traveled to South Africa. Ilana was amazing in helping us plan this trip, right from start to finish. After some discussion and suggestions from Ilana, we chose the Umkumbe safari in the Sabie Sands Game reserve followed by a trip to Cape Town. Ilana was very communicative and quick to reply to any inquiry, even though there was a time difference. The cost was so reasonable compared to other tour operators. The quality of the trip was outstanding, Ilana booked all our transportation, hotels/stay, food and all the services were high quality, not once did I experience that Africa Travel Portfolio was cutting corners. I highly recommend using this tour operator for your bucket list trip, you will not be disappointed. Thank you Africa Travel Portfolio! You made our dream come true.
MA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent service and assistance
The safaris were great in good conditions with the Nature Path travels. A good assistance and guidance. Zekyel is very professional and friendly. Thanks again for this best experience ever!
CY
under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Gorgeous
A Remarkable Safari Adventure: Exceptional Guide and Lodges!
My friend and I embarked on a remarkable 4-day/3-night safari that left us with nothing but praise. Our driver and guide, Gabriel, was exceptionally devoted to ensuring our experience was unforgettable. Not only was he friendly and amiable, but also displayed impressive driving skills. Thanks to his expertise, we were fortunate enough to encounter all the animals we had ever dreamt of seeing, and even more!
The lodges provided during the safari were labeled as mid-range, but truth be told, they exceeded our expectations. The service and cuisine were exceptional in all aspects. Particularly, the camping tent in Serengeti surpassed all our desires; it was splendid, featuring comfortable beds and a private shower and toilet.
Throughout our journey, we had complete confidence in the team handling our safari. Their prompt and friendly email responses before the trip reassured us that we were in good hands. Astonishingly, we managed to book the safari with only a short three days' notice, a testament to their efficiency.
We are sincerely grateful for the everlasting memories this trip has created. Without a doubt, we wholeheartedly recommend booking your safari with these remarkable individuals!
CH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
5 big stars for the big 5
We spent 5 days with our guide Isaya and visited the 2 national parks Tarangiri and Serengeti and the conservation area of Ngorongoro. We had the opportunity to see the big 5 and also many other animals, even those that are really difficult to see. We were lucky, but our guide, who's also a great driver, made everything he could in order to make this possible.
He also explainen us so many details about plants and animals, about how they live, hunt, defend and reproduce themselves. The overnights in Serengeti and close to Ngorongoro were amazing. Beautiful places, great rooms and incredibly friendly personnel! Asante sana!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Responds fast and does an amazing job!
My first ever bucket list accomplishment was made possible by Suricata Safaris. They are the one and only company you need to trust with your safari.
I opted for the lodging over the camping because of my back injury. For one, Tulia Boutique is nice but still needs some work. (For instance, my first room had a bathroom that was leaking ever so slowly and the bed felt moist from a quick sanitizing spray, is what I would like to think it was.) 3rd night was spent at Angata Tented Lodges and that was a nice experience out in the Serengeti. 4th night was spent in the Rhino lodge which was good, but needs some improvements as well. (The dining area is NICE. The hot water is shared between adjoining rooms. I found a cockroach in my shoe in the morning which was a.. surprise to say the least.) The 2nd and last nights were spent in their exclusive Suricata Boma Lodge which will bump the price up quite significantly when it is fully open to guests who book with them. (For me, it was almost like a test run.) I got a whole bungaloo to myself. It felt like a honeymoon paradise on Lake Manyara. Just. Absolutely. Stunning.
Our tour guide was Golden, who was just amazing. He was always on the lookout and was full of knowledge. Throughout the entire trip, we would be with a huge group watching a lion or even a hunt. But then Golden would deviate from that group and take us to somewhere else, which at first we found questionable. But man, we learned really quick to trust this guy. We had SOOO many encounters with the wildlife that it is hard to write about it all. He was so knowledgeable and so electrifying with the way he explained everything. My top 3 experiences in order is 1. Seeing an alpha male lion on top of the rocks not even 15 meters away. 2. Me spotting a rhino in the crater and 3. Seeing a lioness in the middle of her hunt. All were made possible by Golden.
Moussa is a gem. He is the cook that will follow you around, especially if you are camping. He concocts these dishes that, quite frankly, beat the lodge in terms of taste. Everything was so good despite the limitations he had with carrying equipment and cooking in camp site spots. (Please. Buy him a beer or two whenever he is cooking) While other companies gave their tourists and safari goers boxed lunches, we always had a hot lunch with us with things like rice, chicken, veggies, etc.
Tarangire, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro Crater are the only necessary spots you need to go to. Unless you feel compelled to be alone, please join a group or go with friends. It makes the experiences so much better and I thoroughly enjoyed the random group I became friends with over the time. You roll the dice with the group, as I was the only one lodging and 5 of the group camped. But even the time driving in the car was so much fun and exciting.
I highly recommend Suricata. They made the experience go from excellent to stellar. If I come back.. or better yet, when I come back, I will be sure to book with this company again.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Top coordinating for a group
We were a group of 29 and the safari was so well arranged that all cars and hotels were greatly coordinated, our guides were so keen on all the animal species and took time to explain some things, we really did have value for money