US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Guide was very flexible and accommodating to my wishes and need to change plans.
Guide made great efforts to communicate with me and met all my expectations
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Poor organisation and not true to their word
This trip was so bad that I don't know where to start. Firstly, they provided us with the wrong price online. When we went to the shop in Nairobi, they told us we had to pay extra because we were not Kenyan residents. They knew we were from the UK when we asked for a quote.
Secondly, it was the worst organised trip ever. We booked a 3 day/2 night trip in Masai Mara, and after reading about different trips, we were promised an afternoon game drive on day 1, full day game drive on day 2 and morning game driver on day 3. We were told to meet up with our driver outside the shop on Sunday at 6:45am and no later! We arrived at 6:30am on the Sunday and there was nobody in sight, nor was the office open. We stood outside in the cold for an one hour hoping that someone would come. After 30 minutes there was a random person with a bonfire adventure top on. When we spoke to him, he told us that we were not his driver and there were no more drivers today. It took us an additional 30 minutes and numerous phone calls to get in touch with our driver. He told us to walk 10 minutes to get to his car.
When we got to the car, it was not a 4x4 as promised, it was a small old-aged van that carried 7 people in the back. We told him what we were promised and he said that the company doesn't have any. We then had to wait for 2 hours because someone was running late. By the time we left, we had 7 people in the car and you literally had hardly any room for your legs.
We knew the journey would be long but because how bad the vehicle was, it was like a rollercoaster. No suspension at all.
Our hotel, Simba Oryx, was incredible! Both the room and the food. I could not recommend it more. Its worth noting though that the hotel was included in the costs but totally separately run so you book any hotel through any safari agency.
When we arrived at our hotel, it was already 4pm and he said the park closes at 6pm. As others were staying in different places, he said he would be back in 30 minutes. He arrived at 5:15 and by the time we got to the safari, we had to get park tickets and so didn't enter until 5:50. We literally drove around for 10 minutes.
The second day, he was late in the morning, picked everyone else up after us. This was after saying he would pick us up first. He gave us a different reason for why he was late to another couple and we ended up missing the run rise.
Now what annoyed me today was day 3. We were promised a morning game drive. Instead he took us to the Masai Village. I explained that this was not the plan but nobody else spoke up and he said that this is always the programme. They expect everyone who comes to the village to pay around $20 per person. I told them that I had paid for everything upfront (and it wasn't cheap!) so there was no way I was paying.
We left the mara at around 11am. Total waste of a day.
In summary, I ended up paying for one day of safari in an uncomfortable over-crowded vehicle. The company is a joke to deal with and don't stick to any promises. Do yourself a favour and stay away from Bonfire Adventures!
A fantastic ride across the desert
Everything was extremely good. The ride was amazing, the food great, the horses good and the experience of sleeping under the stars was different. The organisers could not have been more helpful and fun.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
The created our dream vacation, by far exceeded even our wildest dreams. Great team, will be back
The level of experience and knowledge that this team has been second to none. We have nothing but praises for them.. Prompt response, nicely tailored tour that was beyond our expectations. It was almost as if the tour was custom made for each member of the family
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Simply AMAZING
I could not have been happier with the safari experience that our guide Michael provided us!! From the locations we visited to the lodges we stayed at and the food and drinks we enjoyed, it was absolutely the trip of a lifetime.
It was Michaels personality and expertise, however, that truly made this safari the most incredible experience I could have ever hoped for. I cannot wait to get back to Africa again, and there is no other guide that I would consider for my next safari!!!
Thank you Michael, from the bottom of my heart, for showing us how incredible your wonderful country is, and for giving me memories that will last a lifetime!!!!
NO
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
4 DAYS OF PURE BEAUTY AND EXCELLENT SERVICES
My husband and I were picked at the airport by the driver. The communication was fast and clear. Rose is passionate about her job and she custom-made a safari to meet our needs. During the 4 days, we stayed in budget camps and we loved the experience. Richard, our driver was patient and competent. He ensured we saw the big five, especially the leopard, which is a shy. Hyrax Safaris has a wonderful team. I have already recommended them to my friends and colleagues. I will book with them again.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Obed was knowledgeable, kind, and dedicated to making every detail of our trip amazing!
We were so excited to go on our first-ever gorilla trek, but budget was a huge limiting factor. Obed worked with our budget to make sure that we got the experience we were looking for without overspending. Our "budget" hotel was perfectly comfortable, and the attention we received from the safari planners was amazing. We were very impressed with their dedication to our trip being incredible! Would definitely recommend working with Kumbukumbu Tours!
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
18 Day Safari Experience Beyond Expections!
We more than received our money's worth with Hallmark Travel Planners! Levis, our planner, listened to our wants and he did an excellent job communicating all info we needed, coordinating travel, lodging and guides in five countries, not to mention how patient he was with our questions. Our last day he even took us to the airport, instead of the guide. Levis took no chance that a lodge or camp would disappoint, and changed one poorly reported resort for a well-known resort. We are in our sixties and wanted to experience a genuine safari in comfort, AND WE DID! We were met at airports by our guides and never had to be concerned the rest of the trip. They met our every need including bottled water. Our guides were amazing, informative, helpful, protective, and a lot of fun. Our guides each had an uncanny ability to put us on some unusual wildlife sights even surprising our guides.We saw a rare cerval cat, but also experienced 5 cheetah brothers attack 2 wildebeasts, 5 lion brothers with 4 dead cape buffalo. We saw numerous lioness stalkings and chasing warthogs, antelope and wildebeast. Our planner and guides were great! I knew I had chosen the right comany. Thank you so much, Levis and Hallmark Travel Co.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Stress free
I would normally have booked our accommodation direct but our trip to Roam Private Game Reserve was Organised by Natasha at SunSafaris. I found Natasha very responsive and professional. She was quick to respond to questions and proactive in asking after us following our visit. I would certainly recommend working with Natasha and visiting Roam for a 2 or 3 night Karoo experience.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Effortless
When I started looking in to safaris for my honeymoon I had no idea which, of the hundreds, would be best. Mark at Taga helped me navigate all the different camps and lodges and quickly replied to every email I sent making us feel happy and secure with our choice.