Our guide was amazing, felt welcomed and safe. Be sure to bring bug spray and portable battery. Make sure to have some cash to buy beautiful jewelry from the massai community markets
Val
IN
Visited:
February 2019
Reviewed: Mar 20, 2019
Email Val
| 50-65 years of age
| Experience level: over 5 safaris
Could have been better if Not for the condition of the roads and the Cramped Safari Vehicle
4 / 5
4
/5
4 / 5
3 / 5
4 / 5
3 / 5
We took a 5 day safari visiting a night each in Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru and 2 nights in Masai Mara. We booked through Karibu
Safaris and I must say we were very happy corresponding with Robert, and he was so prompt in Replying. We were over all happy with
the safari but for the following:
- Our plan was changed with the excuse that someone missed their flights. Am sure this was not true. It was Ok for us but then I had an ailing mom back in India and left the day to day hotel contacts and programmes back home incase of emmergency. Thank god nothing happpened.
-The Vehicle with just the two of us was pretty comfortable on the 1st day, but then the next day we were 6, and the 3rd day there were two more and the small vehicle was cramped to capacity. If you are above 6 foot tall you would find it very difficult to sit in the vehicle with more than 6 people.
- At Masai Mara, without prior notice, we were changed from the
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Mara Springs Camp to Lenchada Resort. It was very basic, but comfortable, thank heavens, food was also good. Here again we were told the hotel is full, but am sure it wasnt.
-We were not very happy with the Hotel in Naivasha - The Taphe Guest House, we changed two rooms, TV didnt work, no sockets to charge, the bathroom was shabby and nothing worked properly, no free water, food was average.
-Would have preferred a better hotel in Lake Nakura - The City Max hotel was OK, but the room was stuffy with no fan. We opened the windows but was invaded by mosquitos. We went early Feb but I honestly feel this hotel should have a fan in the room.
- Worst of all, for almost 100 kms into Masai Mara, the roads were non existent, the dust, the bumpy ride is something I would never forget. Looks like the chinese are poking their nose in Kenya and instead of doing the road up in bits and pieces, scraped up all the Tar once and for all. It was a hectic and terrible ride in and out of Masai Mara.
-The Masai Village is a rip off, and the people there are greedy. Dont go there unless you want to waste your dollars.
And finally an advice to Single women, beware of your over friendly driver. In our case, the driver dropped us at our Nairobi Hotel and went all the way back to Lake Naivasha to tempt a Single Dutch lady traveller into going with him to a bar for a drink and then soliciting some fun. He was disappointed his offer was turned down and kept asking her if she hasnt cheated with her husband. This was shocking to us as the fellow seemed such a quiet chap and never opened his mouth ! He told the dutch lady, all single ladys like fun, but then,he shouldnt presume !
On the whole I found the Karibu safari reliable, safe.... and would recommend. They offered me complimentary airport-Hotel in Nairobi- airport transfers and I paid a nominal deposit by paypal and the balance on arrival which worked out fine. I did a 5 hour walking tour of Nairobi City for USD 10 per person and enjoyed it. I stayed at the Best Wester Meridian in Nairobi for USD 70 a DBL incl of breakfast and taxes and would strongly recommend. Lovely rooms, superb and safe location, lovely breakfast and walking distance to Malls and supermarkets. Nice very cheap places to eat next to the hotel.
Megan
CA
Visited:
February 2019
Reviewed: Mar 11, 2019
Email Megan
| 50-65 years of age
| Experience level: first safari
Wonderful
4 / 5
4
/5
5 / 5
4 / 5
4 / 5
4 / 5
Our family of 5 recently did the 6 day safari with Becon safari. The
communication and booking through Robert was excellent and prompt. We were
picked up in Nairobi, went to Ambosili, Massi Mara and Lake Nakuru. The
accommodation and meals were very good.
Our guide was an excellent driver, polite, friendly enough, found and
showed the big 5, and many other wild animals, which in itself was
fantastic! He also spoke to the front desk at one of the lodges and
promptly got us a room when ours wasn't ready at check in, which was very
much appreciated after a long day of travel.
Beacon Safari was easy to book, took care of all the details, and a good company to go through if thinking of going to Kenya.
Jason
CN
Visited:
February 2019
Reviewed: Mar 5, 2019
Email Jason
| 35-50 years of age
| Experience level: first safari
Excellent 6 day safari
4 / 5
4
/5
5 / 5
4 / 5
5 / 5
4 / 5
All was fantastic. The driver /guide (primarily a driver) was great. Accommodation ranged from fair (permanent tents) to very good for hotel nights. "Head office" were sometimes slow to provide information, booked documents, and there were a few items that people were not sent all all - which the driver was able to sort out after phoning head office several times. I suppose the clue is in the name, "Budget safaris", I WOULD book this trip again!
Jason Chitty
CN
Visited:
February 2019
Reviewed: Mar 5, 2019
The six day safari was just fantastic. The accommodation ranged from "fair" (permanent tents) to "very good" for a few hotel nights.
Wildlife, scenery was perfect! Transportation was also of an acceptable/good standard - driver/guide also very helpful and informative (but primarily a driver). Highlights was seeing all the "big 5' in one day!! The "central booking" office had to be constantly chased up for some of the information - but when called "budget safaris" you get what you expect I suppose. All in all, i would do the trip again!!
Jack Para
US
Visited:
February 2019
Reviewed: Mar 3, 2019
Email Jack Para
| 35-50 years of age
| Experience level: first safari
It was a very good experience.
4 / 5
4
/5
5 / 5
3 / 5
4 / 5
2 / 5
Safari was good, but make sure you book the right camp. They have confirmed for me Lanchada camp which is the one I have asked when booking, but some guy called Sam booked the camp in Goshen camp to pocket more money which is very very bad. I had to spend one night at Goshen then moved to Lanchada for the second night. Driver/guide Lawrence is very good. Please don’t go to Goshen camp where the food or tents are very bad. I had food poisoning because of expired bread and cheese.
Mathew
DK
Visited:
December 2018
Reviewed: Mar 2, 2019
Email Mathew
| 20-35 years of age
| Experience level: first safari
Fantastic adventure
4 / 5
4
/5
4 / 5
4 / 5
5 / 5
4 / 5
We had a fantastisk wildlife adventure and we got to experience 'the big five'. The weather, accommodation and food were excellent as well!
Karan Bhalla
CA
Visited:
February 2019
Reviewed: Feb 28, 2019
We saw big five good weather
Masimara national park is the best in all respect scenery and good vibes
Transportation was reasonabley good
Best of the tour was our Guide Morius very good he make sure we are comfortable and must see big five and he was sussecfull doing so
Katherine Robins
GB
Visited:
January 2019
Reviewed: Feb 19, 2019
The wildlife was magnificent, exciting to see the animals so close up
4 / 5
4
/5
5 / 5
5 / 5
5 / 5
5 / 5
The safari worked so well as all the arrangements are in place so accommodation ,food transport were fine . Some of the tracks were rough but that is Kenya!The guide was an excellent spotter & pointed out the animals well before we saw them & also explained about their social way of living. The highlights were the elephant groups & their interaction.
Isabelle
BE
Visited:
January 2019
Reviewed: Feb 19, 2019
Email Isabelle
| 50-65 years of age
| Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A good value for money ratio, nothing more
4 / 5
4
/5
4 / 5
3 / 5
4 / 5
0 / 5
The accomodation was ok, apart from the mosquito nets full of holes, totally inefficient. The food was good! The first guide we had didn't stop long enough to observe the animals quietly, hardly ever turned off the engine of the van, and was all the time busy with the radio (which is good to spot the animals and share with the other vans, but not all day long!! Very noisy! ) The second guide was much calmer, gave many explanations and showed an interest in sharing his incredible knowledge!
We did a marathon game drive (not as planned) a full day instead of splitting on two days (as planned) with an early morning game drive the second one, which would have been less exhausting, less haste and hence more enjoyable (and also, I suspect the objective of the agency was to save the entrance fee just for one morning; the entrance fee is valid 24 hours)
Although it is written down in black and white, the programme is "flexible", which has both advantages and disadvantages. Read more
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At the end we took a bus with a company (Tahmed) partner of the agency: very bad experience: the staffmember on board (not the driver) was very rude after I said I didn't need a taxi at the arrival, and kept looking at my daughter (23) as if she was a piece of meat! Very unpleasant!
Otherwise, it's pretty well organised, the staff on the camp sites are really sweet and quick to react to meet your needs.