35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Professional service, that catered for all our needs.
The professional staff of Taste Kilimanjaro Adventures went out of their way to help, support and encourage us on this expedition. All the arrangements and planning that was done before our arrival in Tanzania was on par with any of the larger operators. From collecting us at the airport, booking us into a very nice hotel, inspecting equipment, to catering for us on the mountain, and ensuring our comfort, and looking after our health and safety all went seamless.
This is truly a strong team with good values.
HU
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Very good organisation, nice and friendly staff,many many animals and very good food.
I had very great time travelling from Kasane to Maun. We spent three nights in chobe national park and 2 nights in moremi game reserve. I saw a lot of animals such as lions ( at least 50) leopard ( 2) , elephants ( at least 300), hundreds of buffalos and thousands of antilopd.
The guid was prophy and we always found the animals we were looking for. Our bush chief, Washer, always waited us back with nice foods.
I recommend you the tour3 with N'tee and his staff.
I will come back with some friends for sure.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fun and Professional
Everything was amazing. We did three national parks and saw every animal we wanted to see and more! Very professional and fun company.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Bateleur - A genuine, reliable, expert company with a family friendly approach and brilliant staff
We contacted Newton after a friend’s great experience on a Safari booked through Bateleur Eagle Safari’s. Our first contact with Newton was relaxed and friendly as we were novice first time Safari trekkers we had so many questions and queries and he dealt with every single one, none too much trouble. He and his team discussed which animals were important to us to see, what we wanted from the holiday and any special events. It was our 25th wedding anniversary whilst on the Kenyan Safari and as a family of 4 adults, Mum, Dad and two sons in their early 20’s, we needed two rooms at every venue and wanted very good quality accommodation and our own personal guide and big jeep with the raised roof for 16 nights!
Nothing was too much trouble and after 6 different itinerary’s that Newton did tirelessly we finalised our special anniversary safari – payment was easy and relaxed with no pressure dates and the odd change like adding a Balloon Safari was never an issue.
We arrived at 10pm and knew were meeting Dan or Philip from Newton’s team. He helped us and drove us from Nairobi airport to The Eka Hotel – fabulous staff and a great breakfast. Then the adventure commenced – we met Jack our guide for the entire 16 nights Safari and in our own 8 seater Toyota Landcruiser – 6 suitcases packed and we were off to Amboselli Serena Lodge for 2 nights. Jack was amazing, funny, helpful, knowledgeable and so friendly.
Amboselli took in 4 Game drives – AMAZING – Mount Kilimanjaro, Elephants, Lions, Hippos in abundance and on our main game drive day we witnessed our first live kill! A lonely hyena was spotted by Jack our driver, roof up and standing taking photos we saw 2 lone male lions walking towards us. They spotted the hyena so we videoed and photographed the two lions stalk, creep, attack and kill the hyena – yards from us – Jack had our car quietly parked in a prime slot…….what an experience on day 3 of our Safari. The BIG FIVE was on our check list – our first game reserve, Elephants, Lions, Hippo’s & Buffalo all ticked off the list.
Next stop Samburu in the north – a long journey, so Newton arranged a stop-over in Nairobi at The Tamarind Tree Hotel to visit Restaurant Carnivore for an amazing food experience. Hotel again outstanding and what a treat experience.
Off to Samburu and The Ashnil Samburu for lunch – what an unbelievable location and our lodge rooms on the river’s edge. Met with an outdoor poolside lunch followed by our first game drive. Jack again as our personal driver/guide was amazing, knowing all the best areas and viewing spots in the reserve. Our aim here after an amazing Amboselli experience was the last missing BIG FIVE, namely a Leopard.
Jack knew this and after a short time, we were speeding across the plains to find a lone Leopard walking and seemingly stalking a prey. We tracked the Leopard for almost an hour criss-crossing – great photos and videos finally seeing it jump up into a tree and lie down high above the plains – The last BIG FIVE ticked off and only our second reserve. What an experience.
We thought we’d seen it all, but Jack had heard talk of a pride of Lions, and after a drive to find them we were lucky enough to see around a dozen Lionesses and baby cubs stalking Warthogs. Following them, walking past our jeep just feet away! Don’t forget loads more Elephants, Monkeys, Antelope, Birds – everywhere you look a wild creature just metres away at times.
Day 7 and we drive to Olpejeta Conservancy and the Sweetwaters Serena Lodges – yet another 5 Star experience – a different reserve – Conservation at its heart – Monkey Sanctuary visit arranged and the last two Northern White Rhino’s in the world, the Rhino sanctuary plus 4 game drives. Rooms amazing at what a view out on a plain filled with Zebra’s, Antelope in our garden and Rhino’s. Here you see the memorial stones to so many Rhino’s killed by poachers – an thought provoking moment and makes you sad to see how wild animals have been treated for their horns.
Jack managed to show just how good of a driver he is, with another live kill. This time another pride of female lions stalking a family of 5 Warthogs – slowly slowly approaching our jeep, the Warthogs unaware in the long grass. With our cameras and videos recording the lead Lioness attacks… one Warthog caught before she sees another. Two killed, the remaining three scatter – the pride of Lionesses run – babies included for a fight for food and a feast of nature in real life up close and personal. Our second of three live kills and to add to it we saw the elusive striped hyena twice.
2 great days and nights here are a different experience, with the conservation as paramount but what Newton did arrange privately was a NIGHT DRIVE – what an experience with our own private guides picked up at the hotel – so much better than a hotel trip – we saw in the dark another Leopard, striped Hyena, Elephants, a pride of Lions and a town of Hyena’s in a spot only the conservation can drive to! 20-30 all out of their hideouts together – you don’t get that on the hotel trip!!
Day 9 – our 25th Anniversary and a drive to Lake Nakuru and the amazing Cliff Hotel for two nights. What a special place – high up with individual tent lodges with spectacular views, food is superb and a wonderful bar, staff amazing but to top it all off a special Sundowner experience followed by a private poolside dinner and our room decorated in rose petals in heart shapes and scattered in our room – all organised by Newton and his team. The drives here again are so different with the huge lake and forests – the landscape and animals just as amazing – the perfect romantic Safari stop-over.
After 2 nights of bliss we move for a two location Masia Mara treat to include a Balloon Safari. First stop the Loyk Mara a totally unfenced tented lodge experience with Masai tribe guards carrying spears and knives. You won’t find much better than here for a real life live among the animal’s venue. Lodges are luxurious, foods amazing again but the atmosphere is just so different. After 6pm you need your own personal Masai tribal guard to escort you from lodge to restaurant/bar because during our stay we had Giraffe’s, Hippo’s & more walking through and next to the lodges through the night. The Masai guys are amazing and to see animals comfortable to mix with us was something else. During dinner we had a fantastic 20 minute Masai tribal dance performed in front of us – the same guys serving us drinks, food and escorting us – they become part of your trip and were unbelievable. And here at Loyk we witnessed our third live kill – CHEETAH’s - two males we followed over a river bed to a herd Thompson Gazelle’s where we witnessed a high speed dominant kill followed by a close up of them enjoying their feast.
The second Masai Mara stop was Mara Serena – a cliff top type location totally different to Loyk Mara – spectacular views – a pool to dip in where as you bathe and relax you watch a Pumba (warthog) stroll past feet away. As with all Serena’s its buffet food rather than a menu choice. Changing venues gave you different food experiences and locations – everything top notch.
The early morning Balloon Safari Newton organised off hotel was unbelievable – what a once in a lifetime type trip – quietly drifting feet above the Mara, watching the Elephants grazing as the sun rises, the sound of the burner only – photographic heaven – an hour trip that leaves you speechless. A MUST DO at least once and let Newton book it, not the hotel. You start further out and see more. After the exciting landing in the middle of nowhere you have a full cooked breakfast with unlimited fizz and the Ballon Captain issues you all with certificates – memories to last forever.
The Masai Mara just before the ‘Great Migration’ is a breathless expanse of reserve. Long grass hides the animals in places, then open ground for miles – The Mara river full of crocodiles and Buffalos & Zebra’s drinking and of course the odd unfortunate victim being eaten by a ‘float’ of 20-30 hungry crocodiles. Jack once again parking the jeep in the perfect spot to take photographic memories.
The final two-night stop was at Lake Naivasha and Naivasha Sopa Lodges. Once again a fantastic venue with Zebra strolling around the grounds and by the pool – the room again amazing and two days doing trips like a Lake river boat safari checking out Hippo’s, to a sanctuary with a 3 week old Giraffe. On another day we visited Hell’s Gate National Park, the venue of the WRC World Rally due a few days after and seeing stages being prepared. Driving and walking high in the mountainous area where we saw the ‘Pride Rock’ from The Lion King.
Unfortunately, the last day did arrive but Newton had arranged a packed day to keep us busy before our 10pm flight – Jack drove us for the final time back to Nairobi where he took us to the Elephant Sanctuary, the Karen Blixen Museum and Giraffe Sanctuary with lunch in between meeting Newton & Mathew before Jack dropped us off at the airport. Such a sad time leaving such a wonderful country, the trip of a lifetime and memories to treasure forever but with a deep desire to return once again.
This was the greatest adventure and holiday for the 4 of us and we have been to some places. Words cannot properly explain the emotions we lived through, the laughter we had with Jack who left his family for 16 days to travel and stay at our Lodges throughout the time. The knowledge he has after 18 years as a guide was unbelievable, his enthusiasm and commitment and time spent has made him a part of our family. Newton & Mathew have just been the best throughout the booking process to the final goodbyes. We still keep in touch now we are back in England we have shared so many memories as we toured the amazing Kenya, with many photos and videos uploaded already onto the Bateleur Eagle Safari’s social media. Their commitment to making our holiday the trip of a lifetime from initial enquiries to itinerary’s, booking, payments, constant contact and assistance during the trip, the personal touches for our 25th anniversary, the extra trips and all the accommodation being top notch, you could use a better company than Bateleur Eagle Safari’s. Value for money compared to booking a normal travel agent and with all trips individual and personal, you can’t find any fault at all.
Book with total confidence and let Newton & his team take care of everything - 100% RECOMMENDED – we will definitely book through them again.
AE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Jimmy was well organised, articulate and friendly.
Our tour guide Jimmy couldn’t do enough for us! He was super organised, friendly and very knowledgable on all of the animals. The venues that we stayed in were great however, I would possibly change the apex venue to one that has a little more amenities. Overall, I wouldn’t definitely recommend this tour company to friends as the experience was easy, comfortable and one I won’t forget.
AE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Friendly, knowledgeable and a true expert in all things Safari
We went on the trip with Acis Safaris in October of 2023 and it was an incredible trip from start to finish.
The tour operator Eric Lennox was organised and helpful with anything we needed. He answered all questions quickly through WhatsApp and adapted to any changes we needed.
Our tour guide Jimmy was just excellent. He showed his expert knowledge in the Safari each day and went out of his way to ensure we got the most out of each day, especially when our travel arrangements had to change.
The trip was good value for money with food and accommodation included. All good was nice. Most accommodation was basic but had all you need. Our accommodation in Navaisha was the only disappointing accommodation due to lack of amenities, even a patch of grass to sit on would have sufficed. However, this was only one night and the rest of the accommodations were great.
Overall an unforgettable experience and I would recommendation highly to anyone thinking of using this company.
IN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
I enjoy a lot with aisliexplorer safari amazing experience given never forgot for life time
Thanks aislisafari love the quality of service and amazing experience
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
From start to finish everything was exceptional
I must say it was unforgettable experience I had in Tanzania. Our guide Noel and Joseph had a very wide knowledge of the local wildlife,culture and history of Tanzania. We had a lot of thoughts on accommodations and food but the company choose for us a very comfortable accommodations with delicious food during the whole tour.
Thank you for providing such a top-notch experience.
CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Friendly, organized, and great at scoping out animals!
We had a great experience doing a private 5 day safari with Jocky Tours. Particularly our driver Andrew was fantastic and made sure we were getting everything we wanted from the experience! Thanks for the great trip Andrew!
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Andrew was friendly and knew how to find wildlife.
We loved our Safari! We saw more animals than we could have expected and many were very close to us. The accommodations and means were great as we knew we’d picked the less expensive package.