US
Email Kris | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Important to be Aware
The people selling you the tour (agency) and driver running the actual tour (operator) are rarely the same company so:
- agencies do a great job presenting you a professional itinerary , however…
- communication is lacking between the agency and the operator
- different parties in the jeep may have different itineraries
- the driver is stuck having to reset customer expectations during the tour based on his schedule, which is frustrating
Best way to look out for yourself… have a detailed conversation with the driver, before leaving, on what you expect to happen and when. Where you are staying each night. List all activities and who is paying for each.
During my tour, logistics and schedules were a nightmare. However, all game drives and activities were run well. It was just frustrating having to figure things out during the tour.
CN
Email Junjie Huang | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
plz do homework, get well prepared
Good, people are nice
But it would be better to get more prepared,see more reviews and ask someone profesional before you choose the safari company
HR
Email Jasen | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beautiful landscape and animals
Nice parks and animals, scenery is great, safaries are the best part of Keny
CN
Email Yang Changyang | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
actually so boring
if you wanna a good trip，tip the driver first.he decide what you can see
IT
Email Momi Giampaolo | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Nice place for safari but stay away from beaches!
Had a nice experience overall, safari was decent organized: we liked almost everything but lunch box were very poor with cold chicken, driver was nice (he only would have to explain a bit more once we are experiencing the safari).
We had a problem with one of our transfers from Mombasa to Nairobi (was supposed to be by first cass train and it was paid 10 months in advance to Silas) but the day before we had to buy a flight ticket by ourselves just to avoid to join a 10 hour bus! By the way Silas recognized us some money back.
The rest of the organization was just perfect!
We really appreciate the animals and the experience, the structures we stayed, we only think that kenyan people are not a very welcoming (I am not saying they are not polite!!) ….. most of them are just doing their job to get money without any kind of care or love…. we experienced some (just 4/5) of them which really liked their job, and it was very clear: they were just adorable!!!
Now the very bad thing about the coastline: ladies and gentlemen get ready to be constantly bothered by people for every kind of thing… the just try to make you pay for something, also to walk behind you just to make sure their friends won’t bother you while walking on the beach!
The beach in Watamu was full of plastic, it was everywhere!!!!! That’s unacceptable!
Outside of the hotel (we stayed in Watamu and Diani Beach) is just a mess: people driving like crazy, roads are destroyed, people constantly try to approach you for some money or trying to sell something, very very disappointing and stressful.
Our vacation was ruined by people who live there, the same people that prefer bother tourists than find a job and try to make their country a welcoming destination!
We got back with one big certain: WE WILL NOT BE BACK IN KENYA ANYMORE!
HK
Email Yang Yi | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Active and vibrant
The safari tour is too expensive and the animals in the nature reserve are not that exciting. The road is dirty and too many people on the way are selling stuff in a forceful way.
NL
Email Marjorie Ginoux | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Not my best experience but nice to see big animals in real life
Tsavo east and west + Amboseli / Lansdcapes were nice but very dry in many places so no animals as it was desertic.
Compare to my souvenir 13 years ago, (only 2 nights in Nairobi) this new experience to let my kids discover Kenya was really poor. Only possible to see one lion's family from closeby. A lot of driving with no animals in the parks.
Kenyan people see you as only m a way to make money and give you pay same price as in Europe. They really abuse on the price they want you to pay and when you see the difference in fixed price shops... When I spend a lot of money in my travel all inclusive, I don't expect to spend so much extra money when I go to Africa... 50Ksh a coffee in one place and 250Ksh at the next stop for the same instant coffee. And also, as a single woman, not feeling safe outside the hotels or without the guide in the safari.
+ The tour organizer made a big story and refused to let my 3 days safari continue because 1/3rd of the amount was still to pay after 1 day safari. Like if I will fly away for the safari... We were late starting the safari and he really made me feel like a thief, breaking my holiday feeling.
It could be a beautiful place to visit but I did not like how European are threaten. We are not all stupid tourists full of money...
NL
Email Carla | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Full of animals
The tour in the masai mara was amazing also the guide was the best but we paid for a luxury camp and it was EMPTY, even though the personal was super kind, the food was reheated and they didn't even have a cold beer when we asked for. the wine was also open for we don't know how many days, and we end up paying for something that was very below our expectations. Fortunately the guide was the best, so that's why I'm putting 3 stars.
PT
Email Geoffrey Black | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
good animal viewing but roads and general environment poor
Wildlife - good viewing but most only visible on the roads, where they are almost "tame"
Guide was great. Indeed all Kenyans were nice to us.
Roads in the parks terrible limiting getting around and detracting from the pleasure of being there. A very rough ride!
Roads to get around also very crowded with terrible traffic jams, mainly due to large trucks.
Due to the inability to cross into Tanzania there were long drives to and from the parks, via Nairobi
Accommodations variable
Nairobi is a polluted crowded city with terrible traffic jams and no redeeming features
in terms of souvenirs, poor quality and very expensive with most not in ebony (although sold as ebony)
Email Amélie Daubresse | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Alright but too touristic
Our guide did not even introduced himself when we met him. Basically I would say that he was a driver more than a guide. We didn't lean anything about the wildlife of the reserve and the communication was very poor.
the guides went out of the road to see the lions closer, which is forbidden. We didn't appreciate that at all since it was very disrespectful of the wildlife and of the animals.
The food was alright.
A bit disappointed to do the same as all the tourists in the reserve.
