50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Unreliable
After reading the majority of positive reviews about Wildebeest Safari's, I decided to book a three day safari to Masai Mara with them. Two years ago I went on a combined Kenya&Tanzania, and having had a very positive experience on the Tanzanian side and not a great one on the Kenyan side, decided to try again.
Warning bells sounded when noah tried to charge me extra for an airport pick up and drop off, when pointed out the ad on safari bookings stated it was included, he relented and said it would be complimentary.
I was aware of the group joining tour strategy, ie various tour operators book guests that get put in a pool and divided on the morning of travel to various vehicles. I was allocated to a vehicle driven by josh.Josh, although new at the job( 2 months ) was lovely, professional and very helpful in what was a difficult situation regarding accommodation. I had previously stayed at a budget camp and requested an upgrade to a mid range lodge ( Simba and Oryx) with an amount agreed on. At lunch, it was apparent this wasn't communicated. Josh called Noah, who I believed confirmed the booking.The first evening,I was dropped off there .Sadly it became apparent no booking arrangement was made. They could not make a last minute booking either as they had full occupancy. Josh had to drive back and pick me up at 8pm. He managed to make a last minute arrangement at a camp that hadn't even been discussed as a budget option.Josh attempted calling Noah repeatedly with no response(he later stated he was in Tanzania). Sadly a night without hot water after a long drive was not fun
The following night , the manager of Simba and Oryx, James, also got involved. He contacted Noah to pay the fee for the one remaining night( this was more than Noah had quoted and i believe why the booking hadn't been procured- i paid the amount quoted).
The vehicle unfortunately developed problem with the steering wheel ( rotated 180 degrees) which necessitated being transferred to a taxi in the CBD to take me to the airport.
This review is about Wildebeest safaris. Josh, James, Simba & Oryx and the Masai Mara were all wonderful.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great Experience With an Amazing Guide
We really had the time of our lives with Martin our guide on the recently concluded trip. We could not have been more happier with Martin because he is experienced and an expert in guiding trips. We saw many different animals and had a blast learning about them from Martin. Accommodation in the lodges was pleasurable and restful. We loved the huge spacious tent rooms in most properties and being served by great people.
This definitely the best trip ever
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best day ever!!
We saw loads of animals, the tour guide (Buffalo Soldier) was very interesting, the length of the tour was perfect and the lunch at the cafe was really delicious! 10/10, great value for money bearing in mind lunch and travel to and from the park is included in the price. I would definitely recommend and I hope to come back again one day.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fun and helpful
Would recommend. Very nice tour, felt safe throughout the trip. Had the luck yo see many animals. Staff was friendly and had
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Magnificent Trip to Mabamba to see the elusive Shoebill
I went on a day-long birding trip with Shoebill Safaris to Mabamba swamps and Entebbe to spot the elusive Shoebill.
The trip was only for the day, but it will last very long in my memory. Being able to see the prehistoric Shoebill stood deadly still amongst the papyrus was truly magnificent- Shoebill safaris are definitely deserved of their name!
Firstly, Allen was very pleasant and easy to talk to and always responded to my messages swiftly (sometimes within minutes of me sending a message!). Shoebill Safaris were very flexible, initially I wanted to book the trip for a few days after my first inquiry, and Allen was very quick to organise everything. But then, due to an unexpected event I had to postpone the trip by a fortnight, which was equally easy to do with Shoebill.
Spending time at the swamps was so magical- you really feel like you're transported into a completely different Uganda. But I saw much more than just the shoebill, as I was able to see a plethora of other bird species in and around the swamps.
Then afterwards, to make the most of a trip to Entebbe, I was taken to the botanical gardens, where I saw yet even more bird species and got to enjoy the company of the vervet and colobus monkeys!
They set me up with a very knowledgeable guide Gerald who was exceptionally friendly and helpful. He even came to my accommodation the night before the trip just to make sure he knew exactly where it was (because it is not a well-known hotel) so that he could arrive on time in the morning without delay.
For a complete beginner, I definitely had a successful birding trip, which was principally due to Gerald's vast and impressive knowledge of the local avifauna. He was very apt at identifying all the birds we saw, even when he wasn't the one using the binoculars!!
Throughout the trip, Gerald made sure that I was comfortable and went out of his way to ensure that I made the most of my experience: whether organising lunch at a local restaurant so that I could enjoy the traditional food and fresh tilapia of Lake Victoria, buying fruits beforehand so that I didn't go hungry, or organising an extra walk around the swamps to try and spot some more birds - I really felt looked after.
Overall, I had such a tremendous and wonderful trip to Mabamba and Entebbe, and I have Shoebill Safaris to thank. Although there were some companies that were offering the experience at a slightly cheaper price (by about $10 or so), I still decided to go with Shoebill because of the warm customer service I received which was continued throughout the rest of my trip.
If you want to have a memorable experience with a knowledgeable and hospitable company- you don't need to look any further!!
NO
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Highly professional operator really caring about it’s customers
We were a party of 14 (age between 1- and 61 years) and although our expectations were high, the experience exceeded it all by far. We went to Ngorongoro and Serengeti for 5 days. The scenary was increadible and getting so close to the wildlife is something we will never forget. We saw all the animals we wanted at close range - including the big5, and unexpectedly came across the start of the big migration.
From the first day we contacted Benson we felt in good hands. Very helpful and supportive front desk, a personal involvement from the owner, and friendly and extremely knowledgable guides in Yonas and Zablon, resulted in 6 days without any problems where all went according to plan. Accomodations picked by Benson was lovely and the food at the lodges superb. The only regret is that we should have had more days in order to better enjoy the great facilities at the lodges.
SA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Totally recommend this tour agency
I booked the four-day safari tour and it was just indescribably beautiful, our guide Stanley and our cook were super nice, funny, courteous and very experienced. We had a lot of fun together and saw a lot of different animals. Khalid is a gifted chef who really conjured up incredibly delicious menus for us at every meal, whether it was breakfast, lunch or dinner. The organization of the safari was also outstanding. Thank you Innocent for that. I really recommend this company to anyone looking to book a safari.
Professional , very friendly and caring a Safari very well organized
When researching I came across Telly Safaris with excellent reviews. So I contacted Mohamed, a very pleasant and caring gentleman His partner , William as well.
We were a family of 9 (done safaris before)
This trip was well organized and went smoothly
We were in 2 trucks with Aaron and Simon ( guides). They are extremely knowledgeable and caring and friendly- excellent
Mohamed even fixed our trip to Zanzibar- that too was par excellence The guide there Malleem was very learned and friendly
We all had a very memorable Safari. —so thank you Mohamed
under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well knowledged, clearly has pride in his job
Tour was amazing
Very affordable
Would recommend to everybody
MX
under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
THE MOST AMAZING EXPERIENCE I'VE HAD.
I did the máchame route to the peak of Kilimanjaro with my Dad and Isaack, our guide. It was a fantastic experience of 6 days in total, Isaak is a great guide, and gave us a lot of tips, from equipment and medicine needed to the hike itself. The tents where we slept were always ready at the time we arrived and the food is amazing. He kept encouraging us during the summit night (the most challenging part of the hike). I’m general everything was amazing and I recommend a lot going with him, he has the experience of getting to the summit more than 300 times. Many thanks to Isaack and the team of porters that helped us do an amazing and unique experience.
