NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A true connect to nature experience: impressive landscape, fabulous horses, and super team!
Communications were easy, Helen is very responsive. The trip certainly lived up to our expectations and more. We saw far more animals, zebra, oryx, springbock, vultures, aardwolf, then we had expected. Horses were looked after very well, the guide troughout the day individually checked how everybody was doing, which was great.
We'll never forget this adventure!
IN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Such an Amazing Trip via ToKenya
We can't thank ToKenya enough for putting together such an amazing trip. There was not a single problem from the time we left home for Africa and returned 14 days later. That is saying volumes when traveling so far and with a large family.
Once we landed in Nairobi we were greeted with the most fantastic guides. The guides stayed with us the entire trip. I loved that because the guide really got to know you and your family. Our guides name was Peter and must say he had the difficult task of making a rowdy family happy!
He was ever so patient and polite. He answered all questions with a warm smile on his face. Julius was the icing on the cake for us. I can't even begin to tell you about the beauty of Kenya. The people were so warm and welcoming. Of all the different lodging we had the Mt. Kenyan Lodge was my favorite. I would suggest spending a few extra days there. The game drives were incredible. If you ever take a trip to Kenya please call ToKenya. You will not be disappointed.
FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A superb stay in the middle of the savannah
We booked 5 days and 4 nights with Bespoke. Shabani the manager, immediately made every effort to find the best price with the best services (we wanted to have a French guide to not miss anything and understand during this stay and we wanted to sleep in a tent to limit the costs)
Two people were waiting for us at the airport to head to the office to organize the start of the safari the next day.
We met Mudy, a young and very friendly guide with whom we laughed a lot.
We were able to observe full of animals, he is very professional! We also shared this experience with a chef (mushi) who made excellent dishes, the products were all very fresh we really enjoyed ourselves. Thank you Chef!
We recommend this small company for your next safari with your eyes closed! We would have liked to stay for weeks in Tanzania but all good things have an end;)
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
I learned so much about animals and their behaviors because of Wyclef’s knowledge.
Wyclef is phenomenal! He helped us spot and see so much on our Kenyan safari. He always took advantage of every opportunity to explain what we were seeing and he was always accommodating when there was a situation where we wanted to spend a few extra minutes with a lion family or a leopard. I highly recommend this very knowledgeable man to make your trip special. I have a lifetime of memories because of his willingness to spend the time spotting different animals and explaining their behaviors to me.
KR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
This operator just took my money and didn't make a refund until now. Operating skills very poor too.
I would just write facts here. It is your option to judge.
In brief, this operator
1) Took my money(entrance fee) and made me pay twice. Didn't make my refund until now.
2) Didn't inform me about changes within the tour
3) Didn't pay hotel in advance
4) Doesn't keep promises
1. Just took my money and didn't make a refund
I met Cate(Operator) at my hotel before my trip to Masai Mara. I paid the remaining deposits to her, including Masai Mara entrance fee(280USD for 2 pax). However, when I arrived at the national park, the park rangers said no entrance fee was paid. I had to call her(several attempts since she didn't pick up the phone) and she said the queue for the bank was too long so I should pay the rangers 280USD and she would pay back my money once I get back to Nairobi. I told her to tranfer the money directly to my Mara hotel but she said that was not possible. I had no other choice so I paid the rangers 280USD and went for my tour.
Cate promised me to meet me at Wilson airport once I get back, but she didn't show up. (She was in Tanzania) I needed to keep calling her and check how things were going. (Why would I use a tour operator if I needed to do EVERYTHING by myself?) She promised me (again) that she would send someone to my hotel in Nairobi and give me back my money. She didn't. I came back home after my trip and requested online refund. She said she will but kept ignoring my emails and said she needs a month due to funding issues. (She obviously used my money elsewhere) So I waited with patience but she decided to ignore my email again. She knows that she owes me my deposit(she stated that in her own email) but keeps on refusing to pay me back.
2. Not a professional operator.
- This operator must have done hundreds of excursions but never notified me regarding which domestic airport I should book for Masai Mara. I used skycanner and searched an airport and booked it in advance, but Cate said it was another airport few weeks before my trip. Shouldn't I be notified?
- Due to booking a different airport, my hotel was changed to a more expensive hotel. However, since this was my honeymoon, I wanted to have a private game drive. That was why I booked this tour in the first place because it was all private. However, I found out that my game drive was shared by 6 people. I understand what happened with the hotel but nothing was informed. I needed to call her(again) to check.
She insists that she is making nothing from this tour due to a more expensive hotel, but this wouldn't have happened if she informed me about the aiport.
- When I was checking out at Masai Mara Hotel(Serena Lodge), they said my balance was not paid. I paid everything to Cate, but the operator didn't pay the lodge in advance. I needed to call her(again) and check what was going on. The operator was on his/her way to pay and I needed to wait until I was free to go. I had a flight coming up so wasn't comfortable with waiting.
I strongly recommend you to look for another operator. This is how this operator does business.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An outstanding adventure from start to finish!
From the first email exchange I knew this would be the trip of a lifetime. Aenea designed the perfect safari for us. Our guide was knowledgeable and friendly. The accommodations were first class and each lodge we stayed in was more beautiful than the previous one, which was already amazing. We saw more animals than I imagined possible, from the big 5 to the wildebeest migration! Although this was our first safari, it won't be our last.
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Selous Game Reserve by Marianne Nabaloum
We booked a three day safari at Selous Game Reerve with Hippocamp adventure rufiji river and we spent one of the best moments in our life.
Everything was perfect: the agency, the camp, the wildlife, food, transportation, and specially the guide who was the best who could have to live the great expérience.
He wasn't only a guide. He was always availabe and wanted to be sure that every minutes of out trip was good for us.
He constantly get managed to find all animals to satisfy us.
He was helpfully, always smiling and very professionnal.
We were very sad to leave him after three days.
Donatus was very reactive by email to give us all informations from France before the safari.
Mickael picked up us at the hotel at Dar es Salam with the 4×4 and we drove directly to the camp during 6 hours.
And we arrived, we have been welcomed by the staff.
All food and water is including expect soft drinks and alcohool.
The first day we made a boat safari on the rufiji river during 2 hours. There, we met hippos, crocodiles and a lot of birds.
The sunset was beautiful.
The day after, we made the safari in the reserve near the camp. We spent all the day from 8 am to 6pm.
We saw girafes, hippos, waldos, crocodiles, elephants, zebras, antilopas , birds, monkeys, lions, buffalos.
The landscapes were so beautiful that you have the feeling to be on another planet.
The last day, very early in the morning, we did a walking safari with a traditional hunter, Didi. It was an amazing meeting. Very impressive and unforgettable.
After the safari, we spendt 7 days at Zanzibar, so the agency was very nice to book the tickets boats and to leave us at the port.
The bungalow where we spendt 2 nights was very clean and confortable.
The electricity is cut off the night from 10 pm to 7 am.
To conclude, it was a big experience for all of us and we are glad to have it in these conditions and with this agency.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Masai Mara National Reserve by Sharon
It met every expectation.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Lake Nakuru National Park by Sharon
It met every expectation.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Hell's Gate National Park by Sharon
It met every expectation.