20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An amazing experience from start to finish!
We had an amazing safari trip thanks to Spirit of Kenya! Because of my work, I only had about a little over a month or so to plan this trip from the time I decided I wanted to go to the time we landed in Nairobi. It wouldn't have been possible without the amazing help from Vanessa, our main contact and trip consultant. She made it super easy for me to customize our trip and made sure everything was taken care of before we arrived in Nairobi (and very promptly answered every silly question that I had!).
Vanessa gave an excellent selection of options for each area that we stayed in (Amboseli, Naivasha, Nakuru, and Maasai Mara) at different price points, which made it easy to try to get the most out of my budget for the trip. We stayed at a nice mix of mid-range and luxury accomodations which all had slightly different vibes, and we were extremely happy with all of them - Kibo Safari Camp in Amboseli, Naivasha Sopa Lodge in Naivasha, Flamingo Hill Tented Camp in Nakuru, and finally Amani Mara in Maasai Mara (absolutely worth splurging on!). It was also easy to book add-ons with her -- we opted for the open sided 4x4 jeep (absolutely would recommend this), as well as a hot air balloon ride and Maasai Village tour while we were in Maasai Mara (both of which were definitely worth it). We were very grateful to have Vanessa as our consultant!
Our guide for our trip was Shumo, and he was fantastic! He was super knowledgeable about all the parks we visited, and knew the best places to look for animals. We easily saw the Big 5 (and then some) with him! He also suggested good last minute edits to our game drive schedule that were excellent and obviously well informed - after a long and bumpy drive to Maasai Mara, he suggested we do the nature walk hosted by Amani Mara instead of an afternoon game drive (which we loved -- it was so nice to get out and walk around after the long drive). He also mentioned that Amani Mara did night safaris, so we did a long morning game drive instead of an all-day game drive one day in order to make sure we had enough down time before our night safari! (which was an excellent suggestion -- we loved it!) He was always super communicative about our planned schedule each day. We really enjoyed our time chatting with him as well. Thank you, Shumo!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Efficient and understanding
Great overall experience.
Strong communication, service met expectations and good value.
Intense safari with unique experiences.
FR
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about South Luangwa National Park by Philippe
Very interesting place with a lot of different ecosystems. Bird's and obviously the marvelous leopard. Plan a stay of at least 3 or 4 days because he is not always easy to see !
CH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Awesome. God had fun and a sense of humor when creating the country, it's animals and birds.
The safaris by African Paradis Safaris LTD were awesome, 9 of 10. Each park had its own beauty and we saw all the game possible, in incredible quantity. Our guide, Lawrence Muthee, was knowledgeable and ensured that we were always cared for and saw the best possible. Each lodge that we stayed in was a 4* or better. The tent was "gampling" and fun. At no time did we feel any concerns, except that we may not tip enough. I tried to pick a favorite park but couldn't. If we had to shorten our trip, we might skip Lake Naishava. The cultural visit to the Maasai village was another highlight. When we return, we will use the same company and guide. We took an upgrade with a balloon ride. It was worth the added expense. We visited Tsavo East, Amboseli, Lake Naishava, Maasai Mara, Lake Nokuru, Aberdare, and Samburu. Everyone we met was eager to be of assistance.
We went to Zimbabwe and took a game drive there. It was 2 on a scale of 1-10. The Falls was huge and nice, but, after you've seen the water fall down, it's anti-climatic. Not worth the expense. Not much else to do or see.
FR
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Very friendly country
Amazing game drive, a lot of animals, big cat's and birds. Very pleasant atmosphere everybody helpful, whether the guide, the staff in the hotel or passenger in the bus.
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fantastic
We were planning on being in Namibia for a family wedding, and we did not have time for the larger 11-day tour. We wanted a custom 3-night tour of the Sossussvlei area with drop off afterwards in Swakopmund. Derek was recommended to us , and what a stroke of luck that was! Derek seamlessly and quickly put together a fabulous itinerary, with excellent accommodations at the amazing and sustainably built and managed Gondwana Desert Grace. And not only did Derek plan a fabulous trip, he also assigned the most incredible guide to take us there, Frank! Not only was Frank very knowledgeable about the area’s culture, history, wildlife, geology, etc., but he was also a very good teacher and communicated his knowledge very well. In addition, Frank was always thinking “two steps ahead” of everyone else, and his resourcefulness and problem solving skills are first class! When I lost my phone at Dead Vlei just as we got to the dead trees (and it was Frank who noticed my phone was missing - he is super sharp and doesn’t miss much!), I thought for sure my phone was gone, but Frank made a beeline back to the starting area (in very HOT weather) and checked with all the other tour guides until it turned up. He turned a near-disaster into a near-miracle! Plus we were so impressed with how kind Frank was - not just to us, but to everyone we met. He treated everyone with kindness and respect, and didn’t even think twice about always stopping to lend a helping hand. And on top of everything else, he is an A+ driver! We felt we were in such good hands!
Blue Crane’s itinerary was very comprehensive. We had time to climb Dune 45 (and slide back down!), hike to theDead Vlei, hike in and around Sestriem Canyon while also seeing the other magnificent dunes, like Big Mama and Big Daddy. We also got to see many, many animals in their natural habitat, like oryx, ostrich, desert snake, springbok, the amazing social weaver bird, etc. And we even got to do desert e-biking in the open Gondwana lands, exploring and learning about the plants and wildlife. All of these experiences were made all the more enjoyable because of Frank’s capable guidance, knowledge, and expertise.
Just one more story about Frank’s knowledge and expertise- when we hiked Dune 45, Frank gently suggested that I might want to bring my hiking sticks. I didn’t think the sticks would do much good in sand, but I agreed to bring one stick because Frank seemed so sure they would help. Within 10 minutes of climbing the Dune, I realized that Frank had been 100% correct. TWO sticks would definitely have been a huge help. When I mentioned that, Frank immediately offered to go back to the car to retrieve the other one, and thank goodness he did because I don’t think I would have made it to the top any other way!
Thanks so much, Frank and Derek,for the Sossussvlei experience of a lifetime!
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible experience and human beings! Very personal and professional
Serengeti Wakanda Tours was the best choice we could have made for our honey moon. The 6 day trip by itself was really good, but the kindness and passion of the staff that came with our group made the experience scale to a greater level.
Bartho, who was in charge of the trip and communications during reservations, made us feel very safe and confortable. He made sure that we did not lack anything during the entire trip. Although at first we were going to camp in the Serengetti, he offered us to go to an alternative accommodation since it had rained the last few days and camping was not convenient. We really appreciated that.
Dullah was the chef for the group. While other tours had boxes with sandwiches and juices, we had delicious menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. He would even do a briefing of the menu every single meal and always with a smile in his face.
Last but nos least, Hamza, our driver and expert on wildlife. What a guy! Such a humble, cheerful and hard working man. The way he explained everything to us, everything he knew about animals and the passionate way he explained everything that happened around us made us enjoy the experience to the fullest.
We are very, very thankful for the experience you guys provided us. It's been a trip we will never forget and it was with every single penny we spent! 100% recommendable.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beyond Our Wildest Dreams
Kathi at African Welcome was brilliant, working expertly and efficiently at very short notice to help us arrange the trip of a lifetime. The Safari arranged for us at Madikwe Hills lodge was beyond our wildest dreams and everything was so completely stress free as it was all taken care of by African Safaris.
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
My first safari gamedrive was a wonderful experience, excellent work Green Hippo!
We booked a 4 days trip to Tarangire and Ngorogoro after clear and fast communications with Karin. We stayed at beautiful middle class and sustainable lodges, our driver took us to the best places and was a very good guide (with very good eyes) and over all it was an unforgettable experience! Big thnX to GreenHippo