CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Kampala Day Tour
Started a city tour of Kampala with a more-or-less on time pickup (no easy feat with Kampala traffic!). Matthew was courteous, fun, and knowledgeable. Lots of flexibility in the itinerary as well. A stress free and relaxed way to see Kampala!
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
The best family safari to the Maasai Mara with every little detail taken care of!
In December 2021, I reached out to Pauline of Tembea Europa via her Instagram page to book our very first Kenyan safari as a family (my husband and I and our two daughters aged 4 & 6). She organized every little detail including things we wouldn’t have known. From the luxury Land Cruiser transport from Nairobi to Maasai Mara including the morning and evening game drives, to the luxury exclusive resort, Al carte meals, bush breakfast, activities for the kids and so much more. This was one of our best trips ever and we will definitely book our next trips to Kenya with her. She took care of everything, she was pleasant and an excellent communicator which made this trip worthwhile and so much fun!
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
5 star service all the way!
The Zohar team are amazing at what they do and made our safari dreams live up to expectations and more! From the moment I connected with Lilian I felt valued, informed and excited for our adventures to come. We exchanged A LOT of emails as I had a bunch of questions and Lilian was extremely responsive and helpful, providing a variety of options to custom-tailor our safari to our budget and expectations. We opted for some higher-end camps (loooved Lemala Nanyukie, what a dream!) and had a very comfortable experience. We arrived into Arusha a day and a half before departing on Safari and promptly met David at the airport at 3am with fresh watermelon juice, snacks and warm towels waiting for us. The next day, Lilian even took the time to stop by and meet with us and go over the details of what to expect on our safari. Our guide, Solo (Solomon) was ultra professional and friendly and so good at what he does. After only our first day we’d seen 4 of the big 5 and only a couple days in we’d found the 5th! His keen eye discovered many animals so far away it was truly a skill to behold. Unfortunately, on the second day of our Safari, I fell victim to motion sickness from the bumpy ride around Nduku and Solo kindly rushed us back to the camp to relax and reset for the next day. From then forward, understanding my challenge, he was very careful to keep the ride as smooth and possible and allowed me to ride alongside him up front and all was good for the rest of the trip! He was also very accommodating to our preferred schedule and morning departures. Oh, and did I mention he even washed the vehicle every single evening?! The bush lunches he prepared and the final sunset drive through the Serengeti with sparkling wine to toast our adventures was magical. Our last activity booked with Zohar was our flight from the Serengeti to accommodations we had booked ourselves but were having trouble connecting with our hotel about and Zohar kindly connected on our behalf to make sure everything was in order, even though it wasn’t their issue. 5 star service all the way! Do not hesitate to book with Zohar!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We had an excellent vacation thanks to Image Travel Limited!
We had an excellent vacation thanks to Image Travel Limited! Mwanje was very responsive as we booked and throughout our trip! We are very grateful that Mwanje worked with us to create a travel package that aligned well with our interests. We would highly recommend going through Image Travel Limited!
Accommodations in Amboseli, the Mara, Nakuru, and Naivasha were excellent. We were fortunate to have phenomenal guides and saw extraordinary wildlife and scenery.
DK
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
5 day budget safari
We booked a private tour as a group of 7 students for five days with the following itinerary:
Day 1: Nairobi -> Masai Mara Stay at Goshen Camp
+ Great Rift Valley overlook
+ Best accommodation, though rustic
Day 2: Full day game drive Masai Mara
+ 10/10 game drive
+ Picnic lunch at Mara river (expect to tip park ranger who gives tour)
Day 3: Lake Nakuru stay at Metfam resort
+ Fanciest accommodation with pool
- Masai Mara Village is a tourist trap where you pay admittance. Not our idea of a safari experience
+Completed our big 5
Day 4: Lake Naivasha
+ Boat ride to see hippos is very exciting, but negotiate the rate.
- Crescent Island is a total rip off. No animals to be seen on the island. Had to fight for a refund.
- Both the boat ride and walk on the island are operated by two separate tour companies NOT Hyrax tours. Be warned! Hyrax will not hold any responsibility for these third-party operators.
Day 5: Hell's Gate stay at Taphe Guest Resort
+ Excellent biking experience, though don't expect to see more than Zebras, Gazelles and Wildebeests.
- Gorge hike will cost you an additional fee (starting at 3000 KSH) tours are guided by local crooks who try to scam tourists by saying the gorge is closed unless you pay entrance. There is even a stop at their local market on your hike.
+ That being said, the hike is exceptional and impossible to complete without a guide.
- Worst accommodation, half built hotel and food was questionable.
Our guide Ben was an outstanding driver and always working to make sure we saw all of the animals we wanted to see up close. He had over 19 years of experience. He was a pro driver on the backroads and we always felt safe with him watching our belongings. Most of all Ben was charismatic and loved to have fun and interact with the group! Although, don't expect to have in depth conversation or extra info about the animals or Kenya.
The food on the trip was average by Kenyan standards and always a buffet style. Accommodations were definitely budget, but you get what you pay for. In all we got to see the same exact animals and have a more unique and adventurous experience, we wouldn't change a thing!
Many thanks to Emmah for helping organize the tour and aiding us with our visa paperwork. Hyrax safari was very communicative and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to a friend or budget conscious traveler.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beautiful
Mikumi National Park was amazingly beautiful with great opportunities to view the various wildlife. Our guide, Godfrey, was very knowledgeable about the area and provided us with a wonderful experience. I highly recommend Kihondo Travel.
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best Vacation Ever
We were three women traveling together. From start to finish we felt safe and respected on our Safari. We traveled throughout Tanzania and stayed in lodging camps. out trip was amazing, our guide, George, was knowledgeable, funny, helpful and just a good human! We saw amazingly wildlife, had wonderful meals and met many interesting people. I recommend them without reservation!
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent service
My wife and I took a private safari, driving from Moshi to Tarangire, Serengeti, and then Ngorongoro on the way back. Our guide Jerry Bennett was excellent! Native English speaker, with degree in biology field, and manifest interest in wildlife large and small, as well as the flora. Thoroughly enjoyable!
We drove in a modified Toyota Land Cruiser with pop-top roof, which was the standard vehicle for almost all the safaris we saw on the way. Total mileage was 1800 km, most of which is on washboarded dirt roads, so you might want to bring extra padding!
Lodging depends on choice and availability. In Serengeti we stayed at Tukaone camp, which is a glamping setup using large tents, with flush toilets and running water. At Ngorongoro we stayed at Serena Safari lodge, which is a luxury hotel, including balconies overlooking the crater. Food was excellent.
Kili-Tanzanite is a small local company, but Andrew's service was excellent, and he dealt promptly and efficiently with any issues that arose. I highly recommend this company.
Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Driver was on time. Bus was very clean. Driver provided detailed information about tour timeline.
Would recommend to other travelers.
Will book again.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
They made it happen!
At age 60 with bad knees, Aardvark Expeditions was able to make it possible for me to reach the summit with no problems and no delays. The team all the way from the tour operator Philemon, all the way through the Guide, the Cook and the porters were all excellent and attentive to my needs. They even anticipated needs that I didn’t even know I had. The planning and security from the moment I arrived at the airport all the way through my drop off back at the airport was taken care of with excellent courtesy. While on the climb to the summit, the food was fantastic my guide, Freddie was available and attentive to all that was required to attend the goal which was to get me to the summit. I was successful! Bottom line …they got me there.
