BE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A highly professional and well-organised tour operator who answers Evert question fast
We had an amazing experience on our 12-day trip through Uganda! It was perfectly organised from start to finish. Before the trip, we could turn to the organisers with all our questions, and we always received quick and helpful answers. This made the whole planning process smooth and stress-free.
A special mention goes to our guide, who was simply fantastic! He took care of everything, drove us around safely, organised all the activities and made sure we had the best possible experience throughout the journey. His knowledge, enthusiasm and dedication really made the trip extra special.
Every single day was a new adventure and brought a completely different experience. The safaris were incredible, and all the other activities were absolutely worth it. Uganda surprised us in the best possible way, and we enjoyed every moment of it.
We would recommend this trip to absolutely everyone! It was an unforgettable experience, full of amazing memories and beautiful places. It will be very hard for any future trip to ever match or surpass this one!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Good Communication and Planning Support
4.5/5 I contacted Mournic Adventures to assist me with the logistical side and bookings for a trip from Nairobi Kenya to experience a safari in Amboseli and then the beach at Diani for myself and my partner. Overall, we had a great experience with the company planning our 5-day long safari trip to Kenya. From the initial planning stages through the trip itself, communication was excellent, the team, namely Victor, was responsive and helpful, and the overall service represented good value for the money. I didn't have a great deal of time and wanted to maximize it to experience more than one side of the country. The itinerary provided a wonderful opportunity to experience nature and wildlife, then to visit the coast and enjoy relaxing time at the beach. We appreciated the effort that went into coordinating the various details of the trip including hotel pickup in Nairobi, transfer to the safari lodge and resort, multiple game drives, all meals, train booking, and airport drop off.
There were, however, a few areas where the experience fell short of expectations. Unfortunately, the meals provided during the picnic on one of our game drives did not accommodate the dietary restrictions we communicated in advance. I do not eat meat and the boxed lunch contained a cold chicken leg and some snacks. There were some other small snacks in the box but I felt it could've been better. If I can provide feedback on this, I would suggest being very careful about dietary restrictions. I do not eat meat by choice, but has it been something I were allergic to it could have been a medical issue rather than an inconvenience. If food cooked food is served, store in a lunch bag that keeps it warm. Provide food that is prepared that same day where possible so that it is fresh. Also, On one day, transportation between destinations also took considerably longer than anticipated, which affected our schedule. The itinerary said 3-4 hours by train which ended up being 5 and did account for the 2 hour trip to the train station and 1 additional hour from the stop to the resort. We expected to arrive in time for lunch but unfortunately missed it.
Despite these shortcomings, the company did a good job overall, and I really appreciated their communication throughout the entire booking process and trip, organization, and service throughout the planning process. Our drivers/guide were always on time, friendly, and knowledgeable, the properties where we stayed were nice, clean, and has wonderful staff. With better attention to dietary requirements/restrictions, accommodation preferences, and more accurate transportation time estimates, the experience could have been even better. Overall, I would say it was a positive experience and hope these areas can be improved for future travelers. I would recommend Mournic Adventures and would use their services again with the recommendations that all parties do their due diligence to confirm all details.
Many thanks to Victor, Brian, and Macdonald!!!
DK
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Nice tour
We really enjoyed the tour! The tour operator was quick to respond and very easy to get in touch with, and the itinerary was very well planned with a great route.
There were just a couple of things that could have been better. We were promised an English-speaking driver, but unfortunately, we got a driver we couldn’t communicate with, who also didn’t know which hotel we were supposed to be dropped off at. It would also have been helpful to have a clearer description of the tour, including the correct hotel names.
Apart from these issues, it was a really great experience! A special thank you to the crew on the traditional boat – they were absolutely fantastic and made the experience truly memorable. We would definitely recommend this tour!
FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Next to all the big 5, in a day, amazing !
It was a once in a lifetime experience.
Thank you for our guide. At first he did not talked a lot or seemed quite welcoming. But when we arrived next to the animals he was the best! Always finding the best spot for pictures.
The only bad thing is that we couldn't be with our friends. They got in an other car so we couldn't do the safari together.
It was an amazing day. We could see all the big 5 in a day ❤️
BE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Freeingo: When an Amazing Safari in Kenya Meets a Disappointing Return to the Serengeti (4/5)
Freeingo is a good safari company offering very competitive prices, flexibility and responsive customer service. However, we finished our nine-day Kenya–Tanzania safari with mixed feelings, as the Tanzanian part fell significantly short of what had been agreed.
We chose this trip because we had visited Tanzania three years earlier and wanted to explore more, while also visiting Kenya to see rhinos, which we had missed on our previous safari. After requesting numerous quotes and almost organizing the entire trip ourselves, we chose Freeingo because they offered the best price among the flexible, well-rated companies. We appreciated their willingness to tailor the itinerary to our budget and wishes.
1. Kenya: An Excellent Experience (5/5)
Samburu and Ol Pejeta
The pickup in Nairobi was perfectly organized, and our experience in Samburu was excellent. We saw several of the Special Five and a leopard that passed right next to our vehicle. Our young guide was enthusiastic, knowledgeable and excellent at spotting wildlife and positioning the car.
Ol Pejeta was another highlight, and we would strongly recommend spending a day there if seeing rhinos is a priority. However, we had an unfortunate experience at The Stables camp: despite Freeingo having arranged an extra room for our driver, the staff demanded an additional $70 for him to use it. Consequently, he had no lunch or dinner and had to sleep outside the conservancy. Freeingo told us they would address this issue.
Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha
We would suggest spending only one day at Lake Nakuru. The park seemed relatively empty, although the Rothschild giraffes are worth seeing.
An additional morning game drive had been included in our itinerary, but our guide informed us that returning to the park was impossible because the additional entry had not been booked. After contacting Freeingo, they quickly arranged an alternative: Lake Naivasha.
This turned out to be a wonderful surprise. The walking safari allowed us to get close to giraffes, zebras, ostriches and other wildlife while learning about the animals. It was one of our favourite experiences in Kenya. The local team and our driver were once again excellent, informative and flexible.
Masai Mara
The Masai Mara was outstanding. The camp staff and our guide were flexible enough to arrange breakfast at 5:45 a.m., allowing us to leave at sunrise and maximize our chances of seeing active wildlife, particularly predators hunting.
Although we did not witness a successful hunt, our guide did everything possible: starting early, returning late, covering considerable distances and knowing where to position the vehicle. He was also very knowledgeable and continuously explained the animals and their behaviour. If you get "Ian" as your guide, consider yourself lucky!
Even the drive through the Mara Triangle towards the Isebania border crossing was rewarding. Although we could not stop for an official game drive, we saw plenty of wildlife and witnessed part of the Great Migration.
Overall, the Kenyan part was excellent. Our guide's dedication and flexibility made a real difference.
2. Tanzania: A Disappointing Return to the Serengeti (2/5)
We returned to Tanzania specifically because of our wonderful previous experience in the Serengeti. We wanted to explore more of the park, see the Great Migration and hopefully spot big cats. Our itinerary included an afternoon game drive on arrival, a full day in the park and a final morning game drive before heading towards Arusha.
We clearly explained to our driver that we wanted to start early and finish late whenever possible. Unfortunately, the experience was very different from what we had expected.
The first afternoon was reasonably successful. We tried to locate a wildebeest river crossing, although the driver did not seem particularly proactive. On our way back, we unexpectedly encountered many elephants crossing and playing in the Mara River, followed by three cheetahs searching for prey. These were incredible sightings, but the driver was remarkably unresponsive and did not reposition the vehicle effectively to follow the cheetahs. We eventually had to insist that he move to improve our view.
The second day: a morning lost
The main problems started when we were informed that we had to enter Central Serengeti late in the morning. This contradicted our agreed itinerary, which explicitly included a morning game drive in Northern Serengeti before travelling towards Central Serengeti.
As a result, we lost the entire morning driving outside the park. We eventually accepted the change because there was no practical alternative, on the understanding that we would have an early game drive on our final morning the day after.
Unfortunately, once inside the park, the guiding was equally disappointing. Our driver spent hours following other vehicles at approximately 20–30 km/h, almost constantly stopping to communicate with other drivers, despite having access to radio information. He seemed to lack any clear idea of where to go or how to actively search for wildlife.
We did see some lion families, but the experience felt more like following a queue of safari vehicles in a relatively restricted area than actively exploring the wilderness. The idea is to drive to see the animals where they are, not only in a sector closer to the camp. This is unacceptable.
The final morning: another missed game drive
We were particularly disappointed when our driver informed us the evening before that an early breakfast and departure were not possible because the camp staff did not want to get up early to prepare breakfast.
We even proposed doing a one- or two-hour game drive before returning for breakfast, as the exit gate was only around 1.5–2 hours away. This was also rejected, with the explanation that breakfast was essential for the driver.
Our disappointment turned to complete frustration when we saw another group at the same camp having an early quick breakfast and leaving for a game drive at sunrise. Clearly, an early departure was possible after all.
Consequently, we ended up with a late drive towards Naabi Hill Gate, seeing very little wildlife apart from some distant lions. To make matters worse, our driver seemed unfamiliar with the park and drove almost directly towards the exit, despite our tickets still being valid for another two hours. When he realised we were too early at the gate, he began looking for animals near the gate, where wildlife sightings are naturally very limited. We refused to waste any more time on what had become a rather absurd situation and asked to leave. Another morning had effectively been lost.
There were also inconsistencies with the park-entry arrangements. Despite our planned route through Northern and Central Serengeti, our tickets did not properly accommodate the itinerary, and we effectively had only 24 hours of access in Central Serengeti.
Overall, we lost more than a full day of meaningful safari time in Tanzania. This was particularly disappointing given our wonderful memories of the Serengeti. We know the park is extraordinary; the problem was the guiding, planning and lost time, not the destination itself.
3. Customer Service and Final Verdict
Upon our return to Arusha, Freeingo contacted us to ask for feedback. We genuinely appreciated this. They listened carefully, were understanding and seemed genuinely disappointed by the Tanzanian driver's behaviour. They appeared willing to investigate the problems and improve their service.
Nevertheless, the fact remains that the Tanzanian experience did not match the agreed itinerary. Across the nine-day trip, we estimate that we lost more than one full day of meaningful safari time, approximately one-sixth of the planned game drives. For a safari of this price and importance, this is a substantial shortfall.
Interestingly, the Kenyan part, where the guiding was excellent, was by far the best part of the trip. Given that Freeingo operates primarily in Tanzania, this was unexpected. We hope our experience was an exception rather than representative of their usual service.
Overall, Freeingo offers excellent value for money, flexibility and responsive customer service. However, we feel that only around 85% of what was agreed was actually delivered. The combination of poor guiding and lost safari time is a serious shortcoming for such an important trip.
Our advice to future travellers: Before confirming your booking, carefully check the location of every camp, the park-entry tickets, the planned routes and the arrangements for early departures. These details can make a considerable difference to your experience.
Our ratings
* General organization: 4/5
* Kenyan driver (Ian): 5/5
* Tanzanian driver: 2/5
* Wildlife sightings — Kenya: 5/5
* Wildlife sightings — Tanzania: 3/5
* Overall experience: 4/5
Freeingo has the potential to deliver an outstanding safari, and our Kenyan experience proves it. We just wish the Tanzanian part had lived up to the same standard.
NL
Very capable driver in bad weather.
We had a great drive from Kruger to Johannesburg. It rained heavily along the way, but that was no problem for our driver, Joseph.
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SE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Tiyani is Sympathetic and a good driver
SafariLink SA is a safe and professional transport operator.
CA
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
ENS provided us with a custom program which fully met our needs. The game drives were exceptional!
Our custom program with ENS required multiple back and forth discussions and Fanuley was amazing in assisting us and helping us work thru our changing itinerary needs...which were many as our group split up at the end and we extended our time in Africa. they even escorted me to the Kenya border and communicated with and set up my border crossing and connected me to my Kenyan driver. They went above and beyond in getting me safely to Kenya. Daouty our driver was excellent at spotting wildlife on our many game drives and The personal Chef David provided us with awesome meals and way too much food! The only change I would recommend would be having a clearer idea of what each day was going to look like, a brief talk on the next days agenda would have been helpful. Some of the drives were way longer and Bumpier than expected and not being aware of the times, bumpiness or stopping times for lunch etc was frustrating.
All in all was very happy with ENS and would definitely use them again!
CH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
They listened very well to what I wanted
A wonderful safari experience with a few minor organizational challenges
Overall, my safari experience was very positive and everything was generally well organized.
As I was traveling during the low season, I was grouped together with travelers who had booked through different tour operators. This meant that we often stayed at different accommodations, which sometimes resulted in quite long drives to drop everyone off and pick them up again.
However, the accommodations were very well chosen, and I felt comfortable and well taken care of throughout my trip.
The support during the safari was generally very good, although there were a few minor communication issues. For example, it wasn't always clear what time we would be leaving the following morning, and I sometimes had to ask for this information.
Despite these small inconveniences, I really enjoyed my safari and appreciated the effort that went into organizing the trip. Overall, it was a wonderful experience!
CH
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Effective
The guide was well-organized, perfect, and highly competent. The accommodations met our expectations; however, the value for money seemed high to us, as we were charged a "high-season" rate—yet we were practically the only guests in all the lodges…
My Rwandan friends confirm this!
For our future trips, we will do things differently.
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