Email Suzie | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
A place not to be missed
I travelled to Kenya in February 2024.
Flew from Manchester to Heathrow to Nairobi to Mombasa. Experience at Nairobi airport wasn't great. It would have been nice to have been told that I had to pick my bag up at Nairobi airport before catching my connecting flight to Mombasa. More details as to where to catch the flight to Mombasa would have also been good.
Mombasa was an interesting place with lots of history. Spent 3 nights here before heading to Diani beach. Lovely beaches and spent time relaxing. Good bars and restaurants all along the coastal area. Bora Bora was a good place to visit. Had breakfast with a giraffe which was something special.
From Diani beach I went on a 4 night safari with Kenya Bush Expeditions. Went to Tsavo East, Tsavo West and Amboseli National Parks. I wasn't that keen on doing a safari but the rest of my family wanted to do it. Well I'm glad I did it. It was certainly an experience I wouldn't have wanted to miss. Saw so many animals and some really close up.
After the safari I went to Nairobi to finish off the holiday. Nairobi was much cooler which was good from my point of view.
There is lots to see here. Went on another safari! Nairobi National Park. Much smaller than the other National Parks but still well worth a visit. Karen Blixon museum was interesting. The tour guide was very good and there's lots of shopping.
I would really like to go to Kenya again as there is still so much to see.
IS
Email Thorvaldur S. Helgason | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A magical place where culture and wildlife meet.
I travelled to Kenya in January and spent a week in Nairobi with friends and a week traveling solo. I can honestly say that this was the most amazing trip I've ever had in my life. The culture of Nairobi was unlike anything I've ever seen in a big city. The blend of vibrant urbanism, huge skyscrapers and bustling African markets and the close proximity to nature was perfect. The only drawback being how busy the city is and the lack of public transportation. The highlight of Nairobi were the food in Boho Eatery, the Giraffe center and the nightlife at The Alchemist. During my travels I initally went for a 3-day safari to Maasai Mara with Balu Travel Ltd. Since I was traveling by myself I opted to join another group and I couldn't have been luckier with the group, young people around my age from many different countries. Francis, the bushman, was the perfect guide for the safari, professional, knowledgable and fun to be around. I stayed at Emayian Luxury Camp which was one of the most luxurious hotel experiences I've ever had and the staff there and facilities were top notch. But the most amazing thing by far were the animals themselves. I saw all of the big five, apart from the rhino; lions, elephants, panther, leopard, buffalos, along with giraffes, zebras, pumbas, crocodiles and many more! Seeing these animals in their natural habitat is a sight I will remember as long as I live. After the safari I travelled to the coast, spent a few days by Diani Beach and one day in Mombasa which was also an amazing city and completely different from Nairobi. However, it was a bit too hot there for my Icelandic blood. All in all I couldn't recommend Kenya more as a destination, the culture is vibrant, the food is wonderful and cheap, the nature and wildlife are among the most beautiful in the world and the people are some of the friendliest I've ever met. I will definitely be coming again!
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Email Jeff Jezzard | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Breathtaking and a must see for any nature lover!
Our experience was absolutely amazing. I would recommend the experience and Spirit of Kenya to anyone and everyone. Our driver Kennedy was fantastic. Super friendly, knowledgeable, accommodating and helpful. We made a great friendship with Ken.
The lodging choices were great, we loved them all. The staff at all of the places were fantastic. We especially liked the Lake Nakuru lodge and the PrideInn Tents. The restaurants were great and we loved the bar staff.
The hot air ballon ride was the highlight of our trip. The ride itself was amazing but we loved the breakfast and mimosas afterwards.
We saw all of the major animals and more, was shocked at all of the wildlife, they were everywhere.
Working with yourself and the booking staff was super easy and seamless and made the experience great.
JO
Email Lina Y | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kind people and amazing safaris!
Visiting Kenya is an absolute must if you love nature and wild safaris. The people are so kind and friendly. I travelled solo to many tourist attractions and villages, and felt safe throughout. They warned me of possible theft incidences especially in the capital Nairobi, hence, I was being careful with my belongings (as I would in any other country) so nothing happened. Safaris were an absolute delight, but make sure of the following: a) do your homework on when is the best time to travel for best experience, b) make sure you check the accommodation from different websites/ reviews/ images, again for better experience. My travel agent Beast Spoor, whom I was lucky to have selected, made it memorable! Thank you so much and looking forward to coming back soon!
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Email Barry | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Wild and wonderful
A great country to experience wildlife and local tribal customs. The scenery goes from Savannah to dense forested bush with soaring snow capped mountain ranges . Safaris are safe and comfortable.
DE
Email Kevin Thienelt | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
You Need to Discover
We had a Great Trip…2 Day Tsavo East was the Perfect Trip for us
IT
Email Giorgia | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Peaceful and surprising
Amazing experience and great guide! I definitely recommend it
EE
Email Margit | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Travelling in Kenya requires an open mind!
Wildlife - stunning! You will most probably see more than you expected. NB! Not recommendable for people who need more than 1-2 bathrooms stops per day.
Booking a safari tour - be ready that the tour will take place in principle, but not as agreed. You will learn afterwards what does the tour include, what is mandatory/optional, how many people will be there in the group (can be also 8 despite "max 7" in the tour description), how much does which part of the tour cost, in which minivan you will be, etc. Before the booking is confirmed, answers to various questions are received quickly (and you will even be looked up via WhatsApp), but when an issue arises during your safari, you will not get hold of anybody, and no solution will be there either... Your seat may not necessarily have a safety belt (and the ride on these roads really demands it!). At the end you are just very happy that you are back in Nairobi!
Booking an accommodation - the booking may work, but also be ready that it does not work (it gets cancelled, you will be advised to cancel it, you are offered lucrative alternatives - say 'no' to these!) and you will need to find quickly a new one for you.
Booking a beach trip on your own - domestic flights perfectly ok and with a good service. Online boarding pass, however, needs to be changed into another boarding pass at the counter. Diani beach is marvelous!
Paying with cash - works in principle, but be ready that when paying with larger bills than the item costs, you will not get back anything, because "Sorry, sir/madam, I don't have any small bills". Whenever possible, use MPesa.
Transportation - use Uber. Works very well.
Roads - there are hard-cover roads where the ride is smooth, but outside the capital, be ready for roads that 'check your internal organs'.
Cleanliness - clean in safari park, inside shopping malls, buildings, hotel areas, beach, else not...
Airport security - be ready for several check-points where you need to 'unpack' your watch, phone, laptop, etc. for one single trip, incl. domestic ones.
People are friendly.
Enjoy coconut, avocado and mango - they are truly exceptionally fresh and delicious.
PT
Email João Fonseca | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
I felt like I was in the Lion King, best place I’ve ever been
I visited 2 places in Kenya, the Nakuru Lake and Maasai Mara, in February.
It was an amazing experience, I would say it was the best trip of my life. We saw pretty much all the animals except the leopard, although we were very close to see one twice.
The amount of wildlife is amazing and not only the animals but also the landscape is truly beautiful.
We did our trip through Seremara Safaris, an amazing company which provided us the best driver with a lot of knowledge about literally everything, so it was very enriching in all senses.
Truly recommend!
João
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Email Carol Landry | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kenya is an amazing place!
We had a wonderful time in Kenya. Our safari guide with Wildebeest Safaris (good value) was so good at finding all of the animals to see in the three national parks (Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, and Masai Mara) we visited. Seeing these animals in their natural environments was so amazing. Our stay in the lodges (Amboseli Serena, Sarova Lion Hill, & Mara Serena) was very nice with other visitors from all over the world. I would suggest staying in each park for two nights since the travel in between is long (unless you fly). We also stayed in Nairobi (Fairview Hotel was beautiful) for a couple of days (National Museum, Karen Blixen house & downtown walking tour) which was very interesting. If you can visit Kenya I highly recommend it!
