BR
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Good for the ones that want a hassle free hotel reservation
Safari365 knows suppliers and can provide you with good options of hotels and local activities. However their influence to make adjustments (example we took a train for 4 nights at my mothers birthday and our cabine was ar the first car meaning that to reach the restaurant or smaking longe we had to cross the entire train about 25 cars... Luckly we managed to have the staff moving us to another car and also make a note on my mothers birthday) or understand your specific needs to fine tune itineraries is very poor.
As per consultants - the exclusive one in Brazil is very arrogant and talks to you as if you did not know what an airplane is and have never left home before leaving the core aspects that should be addressed out of the loop.
We managed to be supported by a South African consultant after requesting for a change. Clive is very friendly but yet, did not add much in terms of adjusting our itinerary and was kind to reply my message when asking for a change on hotels/City with Google and YouTube links with tips for activities where we were (??? Really??). Details such as the fact that electricity is an issue and South africa has to follow a schedule in which everybody stays in the dar at least 3 hours a day, were never shared in advance.
Again - I did not feel supported with qualified information on the itinerary preparativos not had I a 24x7 assistance. Actually, still waiting to understand if our shark dive activity that was cancelled due to a storm will ever be reimbursed. Not to mention the safari we missed due to poor logistics abd pick up time at the airport.
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Reliable, flexible and a good experience.
We went on a four day safari through Akagera National Park. The organization and communication was problem-free and very reliable. Our expectations were exceeded. A spontaneous change of plan due to a participant's illness was possible without any problems. It was a fantastic tour and a great experience. We would book with mega wild safari again at any time.
Thank you very much Anne and Irere!
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very friendly, accomodating,good local knowledge, know a lot about the country and his people
The communication was very appreciative, Patient and cheerful. They have answered all questions. The trip was worth the money. Great and comfortable accommodations, very tasty food and service. All wishes were taken into account.
The whole trip touched my heart. The wonderful wilderness and all the animals have impressed me very much.
Thank you so much for this wonderful time.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Surreal experience
Overall: Amazing experience and African Big Cats Safaris is 100% recommended!
Service & communication: The whole African Big Cats team was amazing: Justice, Naomi, Emanuel, and our fabulous guide Endeni. All super responsive, helpful, flexible, and kind. We were able to tailor our safari to what we wanted to do, going beyond the default packages they have. We could also choose the hotels/lodges/camps where we wanted to stay out of the numerous options they offered. Overall great service!
Safari: Simply an incredible experience! We did a mid-range safari including 1 day in Tarangire, 3 days in Serengeti (total of 4 game drives due to travel time), and 1 day in Ngorongoro. We saw so many animals from day 1, some very close, crossing right in front of us. After day 2, we didn't even know what else we could expect considering how much we had already seen. But Endeni managed to blow us away every single day with new things to see. We loved having Endeni as our guide. He is super respectful with animals and people in the other cars (e.g. not blocking the view for other tourists), and he's always willing to help others. He knows everything about the animals, the parks, and the country's history. He knows different languages (spoke Spanish to us), and is keen to learn even more. He drives super safely. And he's funny, we laughed quite a bit with him!
Accommodation & food: The hotels/lodges we went to were perfect. Great service, great infrastructure, even when in a camping lodge (more like glamping!). The food was delicious as well every single day: buffet for breakfast and dinner, and actual cooked food for most lunches during the safari.
UA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An amazing experience as a solo female traveler. Absolutely perfect!
I went on a 4 day tour with Peter (gorilla tracking at Bwindi + Queen Elizabeth park). The program is perfectly elaborated, I had lots of activities every day and also enough of time to rest. The lodges chosen by Peter were beautiful (I def want to go back). He’s a respectful and easygoing person and he genuinely cares about his clients. As a female solo traveler I felt safe and taken care of. I recommend Buyaga Safaris and definitely would go on a trip with then again!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Moses was a fantastic guide, would 100% recommend him!
My first safari experience was fantastic! The whole experience was so smooth from start to finish. Moses was our guide and he was amazing! He got us so close to the animals and ensured he had the jeep in the perfect spot for photos. He also gave us all the facts about all the animals. The places we stayed were great of you want a real authentic safari experience. Going to the Masai village was amazing followed by spending 20 minutes in the school - wow what an experience! Overall I have loved my safari and am in awe of the whole experience!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Moses was amazing from start to finish! Would request him if I ever come back!
Great value for money. Alex was a great help to begin with the information and questions we had. The tour starts at 8am but collection from airport was pretty much anytime! We stayed in budget accommodation which was ok and you got what you paid for! The first 2 nights at Masai Mara are great just for the experience! Moses was fantastic on the safari, getting us up close to the animals and telling us so much information! Any question you had he would answer! We saw the big 5! The tent experience was good and Helen at Lenchada was lovely, so were the others! We visited the Masai village with George, who also was great and explained everything! We got to visit the Masai school too, which was fantastic! (Always give a small donation, they rely on this to keep the school going).
At Nakuru again Moses was great, so were the staff at the hotel - good facilities here! Loved Nakuru national park - again Moses shared his knowledge and we had an excellent time!
We stopped a few times along the way and had lunch etc, good for souvenirs!! We had all meals throughout the tour! Mainly rice and chicken, but good meals!
Upgrade to the jeep, do not do the bus unless it’s private! The jeep is a much more realistic experience! Also ask for Moses!!
RU
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Their so kind and welcoming
They are so friendly and welcoming, I even planning another trip with them for sure , God bless you
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Above expectations: exceptional guide and planning support
In short: I found Gametrackers to be a very strong local company to help you plan an exceptional safari: excellent throughout, from the planning phase all the way to the actual safari. I will recommend it any family member or friend considering a safari, and would definitely choose them if I return to Kenya to do another safari. More details below.
====
1) PLANNING
When I started planning a safari in Kenya, I wasn't sure which company to go with - there are MANY operators. I reached out to 10-15 companies listed in well-known guidebooks such as Lonely Planet and Rough Guide to review a few proposals/quotes based on my initial thoughts for a 2-week trip. Gametrackers already stood out at that point: Stacey was responsive, understood my requirements well (we wanted to put together a highly customized itinerary), provided good advice, and was VERY patient (we went through quite a few iterations of the itinerary).
I was able to pay by credit card in USD through a local portal called Pesa Pal.
A safari is expensive and this was no exception, but I found the rates Gametrackers quoted fair, without the very high mark-ups I saw from other operators (especially those who are NOT based in Kenya). Gametrackers was also one of the few operators able to provide a clear breakdown of the cost - this was very helpful in ensuring our trip stayed within the budget we had assigned.
2) SAFARI
I think a huge factor in the experience is the guide who will take you to all the parks you have chosen (e.g. Masai Mara, Amboseli, Lake Nakuru etc.). We got VERY lucky as we got Zachariah (Zack), a Bronze-certified guide (see KPSGA) who has been a guide for 18 years. He was very dedicated, knowledgeable, patient, friendly, and fun. He always made sure we had the best possible experience and spared no effort for us to see animals (e.g., we were able to see multiple white rhinos and a (rare) black rhino in Nakuru, we watched a cheetah eating a Thompson gazelle a few meters away in Masai Mara, we witnessed 2 lions mating...) and patiently answered all our questions on wildlife or Kenya.
Most days, he was driving pretty much the whole day on full day game drives so we have more time in the parks themselves as driving back to the lodge for lunch would waste a lot of time in our opinion (and he agreed).
We were sad to part ways in Diani where our safari ended and can't thank him enough for helping us create memories for life.
Asante!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A safari that exceeded expectations every day
Booking a safari through Martin at Earthwings was efficient, and he was incredibly accommodating and responsive. The safari exceeded all expectations, as he worked to get us in the right spot for the best viewing every single time, while also respecting other tours and the animals themselves. We managed to see big cats every single day of the trip, eating prey and hunting. Martin was a sheer professional from his first email to dropping me at the airport with plenty of time to spare. I will absolutely be recommending Earthwings to my friends and family for their future safaris.
