US
Email TR | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Adenture
Our 10-day tour of Kenya was perfect for my son and me. The trip covered 4 major preserves - Samburu, Nakuru, Masai Mara and Amboseli, as well as, time in the rift area at Lake Naivasha / Crescent Island. We saw the Big 5 - Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Rhino and Water Buffalo - plus hundreds of other animals and birds. Elephants, Giraffe, Impala, Gazelle, Toppi, Wildebeest, Water Buffalo, Water Bok and others were in large herds including babies. White Pelicans and Flamingos were in massive flocks. Several days were in floored tent accommodations within the preserves so you could hear the animals at night (resort was fenced). In the Lake Naivasha area where there were no predators, Giraffe and Zebra crossed the resort yard at dusk. This tour covered much of middle and southern Kenya, so you saw varied landscape (Mt. Kenya and Mt. Kilimanjaro) vegetation and life styles besides the variety in wildlife.
Kenyans were lovely, and food was excellent with many fresh fruits and vegetables. Accommodations were excellent though smaller and more personal than the 5-star International hotels. Our guide had over 20 years in the business, so he knew where and when to go on game outings and was willing to make changes to suit us. We traveled in "shoulder" season about 3 weeks before high season so there were fewer crowds everywhere and the weather was great. Not too hot and not rainy.
This trip was a great balance of value and comfort for an African Safari. We have incredible pictures and memories! However, in our experience it is not a Luxury tour to American standards. There is a lot of time in the van over pretty rough roads, long days, much standing to view game and moderate walking. Since we arranged for 2 of us in a van which could hold 6 persons, I suggest that each party carefully review the size and type of transportation, road travel times and distances and confirm schedule details with your agent. Some days are longer than the materials indicate, and lunch is on the road not at the hotel. Best to travel with one suit case and light weight sun protective clothing. A camera with optical zoom is a must.
ENJOY A TRIP OF A LIFE TIME! FEEL LIKE YOU ARE IN A NEW VERSION OF OUT OF AFTICA!
FR
Email Gérard Marie-Hélène | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wildlife and emotional excursion in Kenya Mountain, Amboseli, Nakuru, Masaï Mara
With my wife, we have chosen to go to Kenya for our 30 years wedding anniversary. We started to climb the Kenya mountain followed by safaris in Amboseli, Nakuru and Masaï Mara for 12 days trip. The experience was great and we would like to highlight the following:
We chose Beaconsafaris as our agent for the stay due to their excellent service when designing the trip. A big thank you to Robert and his team for always following up on our queries and responding quickly on all matters with flexibility and keeping a good balance in the schedule. The service during our trip was also excellent with very good support and smooth transition.
The team for the trek were right sized, supporting us with kindness allowing us to succeed to reach the top of the mountain at 4985 meters.
The safari driver and guide, was very friendly and kind and drove us comfortably and safely to interesting watching spots for the animals. He also had very good knowledge of the area and the animals we saw. He also facilitated contact with a Masai community that we will keep in our memory.
We were able to watch the "Big five" and so many other animals. The natural beauty and the "authenticity" of the experience were very different from visiting a zoo. Among others, we will remember the elephants bath in front of the Kilimanjaro at Amboseli, the sunset in Nakuru with the buffalos and rhinoceros, a leopard hunting scene in Masai mara,…
We chose a Toyota Land Cruiser, very much appreciated for his capacity to get through « everywhere » and it is sometimes necessary ;-).
The lodges were very confortable contributing to the very good experience with a special mark for the Flamingo Hill camp in Nakuru.
Overall, we can highly recommend Beaconsafaris as your partner in designing and arranging your Kenya/Safari vacation. If you chose the Kenya mountain trek, do not compromise with the recommended equipments.
IT
Email Pierluigi | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Feeling the real wildlife, silence of nature, sounds of animals, lights of sky, smell of earth
Excellent nature. Very nice people. Kelvin was a super driver and guide, very nice person. Excellent and perfect accomodations. Very good food. Great experience...
TH
Email Chotirot Chalaruk | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A wonderful experience to see such creature in a wild
An experience guide-driver deliver a great trip. So wonderful weather in July. Food was so great at Flamingo Hill camp with professional and friendly staff. Zebra Plain Marra Camp in contrast food was so plain but local staff are trying do to everything to make you comfortable.
More than my expectations
CO
Email Diego Higuera | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Kenya is a good place to visit wildlife
The best of Kenya are its natural parks and its ancestral tribes, it is a country to visit, and safaris are available at good prices.
US
Email Ryan Hutchison | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
So happy I had The opportunity to see animals in their natural habitat
This company was fantastic. The price was incredibly reasonable. I only had 2 days available for a safari. So I did the 2 day 1 night safari. However, in hindsite I would have changed my schedule to make it a 2 night 3 day. The guides were fantastic, accommodation great. I am a solo traveler who was in a budget. This exceeded my expecations.
IN
Email Kaushik Mitra | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wildlife is a great host for the human guests.
Masai Mara, the name itself holds its own identity around the globe. It's a paradise for wildlife lovers. This was the very sentences which used to ring in my head before entering beautiful Kenya. And if I was to rate Kenya after my visit, on a scale of 5 then I would have given 6, leaving besides the bitter experience with our tour operator #tourkenyasafariheights, just because of them my rating would go down to 2.
Before travelling to Kenya, I and my friend searched on internet several times about tour operators conducting safaris. From them we shortlisted a few and ultimately finalized #tourkenyasafariheights. The agreed with the price us on all the criteria demanded by us without any terms and conditions.
It was a 6N7D tour which included as promised by #tourkenyasafariheights :
Day 1: Nairobi - Maasai Mara National Reserve
At 07:30 to 08:00, you will be picked up from your hotel and depart for the Maasai Mara National Reserve via the viewpoint of the Great Rift Valley and Narok Town for refueling and lunch. Afterward, you will proceed to the game reserve, arriving at the camp at 14:00. You will then have a little siesta and proceed on the first introduction game viewing at Maasai Mara National Reserve. You will return back to Masai ole moran
Day 2: Maasai Mara National Reserve
After breakfast, you will proceed on a full day game viewing within the reserve. The landscape is scenic savannah grassland on rolling hills. Maasai Mara National Reserve is the best park for game viewing in Kenya as it has an extensive road and track network which allows for close range viewing and photography. After the game viewing, you can have a break for your picnic lunch at the hippo pool, looking out for hippos and crocodiles. The dinner will be served and you will stay overnight at the Masai ole moran
Day 3: Maasai Mara National Reserve - Nakuru
Early in the morning, you will have a pre-breakfast game drive. After breakfast, you will depart the Mara Region for Nakuru and have lunch en-route with scenic views of Mount Longonot and Lake Naivasha from afar on the main highway. The dinner and overnight stay will at Flamingo Hill Camp
Day 4: Lake Nakuru National Park - Amboseli National Park
After breakfast, you will proceed on a game drive at Lake Nakuru National Park, known for its prolific birdlife including flamingoes. The park contains a sanctuary for the conservation of white rhinos while species like Cape buffalos and waterbucks can be seen near the shoreline. Afterward, you will drive to Amboseli National Park arriving late in the evening with game viewing en route to the camp. The dinner and overnight stay will be at Kibo Safari Camp
Day 5: Amboseli National Park
You will have a full day of game drives in this park which contains swampy grounds in which elephants and hippos bathe in abundance. A variety of plains game, antelopes, and birds can also be seen. You can also see Mount Kilimanjaro’s peak if weather conditions permit. Tour Kenya Safari Heights will cater for your picnic lunch before returning to Kibo Safari Camp
Day 6: Amboseli National Park - Nairobi
In the early morning, you will have a game viewing activity and then return to the LODGE for a full breakfast. Later on, you will be transferred back to Nairobi.
But, what was delivered to us was very different. Not a single pre-breakfast game drive was given to us and all the accommodations as promised by the #tourkenyasafariheights were changed. We used to stay @ about 45-30 mins distance from the main park entrance,because of which I felt time was wasted and I could have enjoyed more. Whereas the accommodations which were promised are very near to the entrance of the parks/inside the parks.
Everyday inbetween 2 parks the car driver of #tourkenyasafariheights would float new names of hotel in which they would provide accommodations for us. Which was really depressing and disturbing at the same time. Because of such uncertainties we failed to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the mountains and the lakes on our way.
Furthermore, I would like to mention that #tourkenyasafariheights had promised through messages on on our personal number. That #tourkenyasafariheights would provide lodging at a proper place for us at @Nairobi on the day we arrived and on the day we would depart. Which would be included in the package. It was very disappointing that on the day we arrived they provided accommodations for us @ hotel sunrise which is a pathetic hotel, location is not good. And on the day we arrived @Nairobi after completion of the tour , #tourkenyasafariheights refused to provide any accommodations which was further more disappointing in a foreign land.
Finally, I would suggest to tourists/travellers arriving 1st time. It is just because of the nature's own gift to the land that inspite of such irregularities I would suggest you to visit the place again and again. But be careful with such tour operators and ensure your bookings personally with the hotels which are promised initially by such tour operators.
BG
Email Svetlin Siderov | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing
I spent 10 days in Kenya,I saw most of the parks and so many animals,Everything was perfect( accommodations, food, transportation, guide).
Wildlife was incredible can not be described, must be seen. Obligatory you should visit this place.
Thanks to my tour operator "Kichaka Tours and Travel"
IT
Email Mara Lorenzini | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing safari!
The safari and all the animals were amazing. We managed to see almost every animal in our 6 days safari. Masai Mara was my favorite park. The accomodation wasn't luxury at all in the tended camp but we had all the minimum services and the food was good. I think this is part of the experience. Our driver was super skilled, always connected to other drives to communicate where the animals were. The agency (budget holiday safari) is very serious and we respected the program. Amazing experience
HK
Email Katie Tang | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Falling in Love with Kenya
I was a bit worried before my trip to Kenya, wasn't sure about the culture, the food, the place, the tour operators etc. Though upon meeting our guide and driver, I immediately knew that this will be a good trip!
The weather is a bit cooler than we thought, we did not bring enough clothes, so we were freezing in some nights. But generally the hotel will provide enough blankets for us to get thru the night, which is fine.
The accommodations were much better than I thought they would be, and the services were always top notch. All the people in Kenya seems to be happy all the time, we were greeted with big smiles everywhere we go. The food inside the hotel were absolutely amazing!
We went to 4 different places for game drives (Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, Amboseli) , and they were all pretty good! Although we did not see all the big five (we missed the leopard), but we saw a Cheetah climbing a tree during the sunset time, which made up the loss we have. And hey, this just gives me an extra reason to come back to Kenya!
Our guide Francis was very lovely. He was super attentive, polite, knowledgeable, and have eyesight like eagle. He can spot animals miles away, and we were just so amazed all the time!
A big shout out to our tour operator Heritage of African Jungles Tours & Travel, they were super professional, organized, and attentive. Naomi who was the owner, made sure that we were very well taken care of thru out the tour, and even before our tour started, she was super responsive on e-mails, and is always happy to answer any questions from us.
I'm already planning my next trip to Kenya.
