An amazing country
Loved everything about the trip with the following exceptions..........Too many guide changes. Wanted Eric start to finish, the others were limited in their communication and social skills............Some days were just to much driving, at least 2 were just travel days only...........Be honest about the bucket showers in your description of certain facilities and also, if I were a birder, I would have been very disappointed that there were no Flamingo's, as you prominently display in your advertising. These reasons are why I gave an overall 4 Star rating instead of 5....... I would also like to note that I was happy to give my business to Kenyan and Tanzanian business owners, as opposed to safari companies owned outside of Africa.
Brief safari in Kenya
We visited Kenya for a few days before going to Tanzania. We spent some time in Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru and Masai Mara Park. All safaris were excellent and although I had heard a lot about Tanzania surpassing Kenya in wildlife, we had similar experiences. Fantastic landscape, lots of wild animals and birds, and excellent service from Serene East Africa Safaris. I recommend a 4x4 Jeep and not a van, because the roads are not in good condition. Finally, we visited Mombasa, which really did not meet our expectations, we found Zanzibar much better.
RU
Email Alexey Vasyutinskiy | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect place to see at least once in ur life.
Great landscapes. Amazing animals. Unbelievable wildlife. But at the same time very poor people around.
Email Em | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Magical land of migration and wildlife adventures with layers of Kenyan culture along the road.
ACZ excelled in all areas. Martin was an amazing driver & guide. Wildlife viewing quality exceeded expections and full of special moments we will never forget. Migration herds in the Mara even more impressive than you can imagine. Accommodation sites were all perfect for a genuine African safari experience without lacking western levels of comfort and allowing us to explore all the diverse ecosystems Kenya has to provide.
US
Email Les J Bohlen | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A wildlife Lover's Dream.
I loved our Safaris. Our guide was great. Our budget tent accommodations were okay. You can't be a picky eater if you're going to stay full while in Kenya. We were offered a lot of beans and rice and vegetables. We saw the big five in our first day. I have to admit that the drive to and from Safaris where eye-opening experiences. The traffic is horrible and there is a lot of poverty to be seen. I wasn't prepared for that. We did have some rain while we are there. But for the most part it was dry and dusty. I've been called a bit of a whiner for not being ready for some of these conditions. It is truly something you need to consider before you go. But in the end, the Safari experience will be worth it.
ES
Email Rebecca | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great for a first time family safari combined with other activities
We had a great family holiday with our 2 teenagers. Loved the experience of travelling on road through Kenyan towns with our guide David who worked tirelessly to ensure we had a good time and could fit in as much game viewing as possible. The van (which we had for ourselves only) was well maintained with comfy seats which helps on the very bumpy approach road to Masai Mara. David even washed the windows in the evening to ensure we had good viewing the next day. A really nice touch! Accomodations good (although if returning I would try to stay inside Mara not on the outside, but with 4 of us we were working to a budget) , and the company promptly changed it where it did not match the description in our intenary. Our cook Moses produced good meals and breakfast was much more ample than expected . Fresh eggs or pancakes (or both) every day! We loved Lake Nakuru, so scenic, we hadn't been sure whether to include this but so glad we did. We saw lions, and a rhino cross right in front of us, aswell as heaps of beautiful birds, and monkeys in the trees. Masai Mara a little busy at that time of year, but wow , we saw a pride of 12 lions along with cheetah munching its recent conquest. We also saw zebra and wilderbeest crossing the Mara river. We loved Elsamere at Lake Naivasha, go there if you can, to stay or just for a visit and tea on the lawn. Wonderful service and beautiful spot. We also enjoyed Green Crater lake walk and lunch right on the very peaceful lake at the end. Great value for money with this company and we would definitely use them again if we return on safari.
beautiful experience
I had a good price/value experience and had a lot of "care" from the person I have contacted by email. The safari was amazing the accommodation quite wild as I chose a cheap level. I would definitely recommend!
IT
Email Chiara Giussani | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience!
Our driver Jose was an excellent person and very professional. We really liked the company and its knowledge and culture.
I want also to say that the organisation and the servises provided were satisfying and well scheduled.
All the accomodations were fine, clean and in good proportion of quality/price.
We really liked the Kibo at the Amboseli park.
The only suggestion I may say is to overnight at Lake Nakuru instead of lake Navasha. It would have been a better solution in my opinion also for logistic reasons.
Nevermind we did it great, it is just a personal suggestion for the future to come.
I will reccomend your agency to my friends and if we come back or visit other places closed to Kenya I will ask you for a safari trip organisation.
US
Email David Etzler | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Good experience, carefully select your safari company
We definitely had a good time on our excursion into the Masai Mara, and were able to observe all kinds of wildlife. Our driver, Peter, was good, and made sure that we were able to see things that many missed. However, our company, African Breeze Tours, stated that there would be a maximum of 6 persons to a vehicle. Ours had seven, and sometimes it became a problem with a space to stand and see. We were scheduled into an ecocamp, and were actually in Rhino camp. I understand that if a place is overbooked, they have to use another location. This one was good, except the power was only on for a few hours a day. I use a powered device for sleeping (apnea) and wasn't able to use it. Another problem with the place is that they wash the utensils and dishes in local cold water, and don't have a way to sterilize them. Some of us, including me, came down with severe intestinal issues. We were always careful to use bottled water for drinking and brushing, so it didn't come from our hygiene...
African Breeze tours wanted cash at the point of departure. I don't hand over many hundreds of dollars to someone on the street. I insisted on credit card, and they finally acquiesced.
If you have a bad back, this may not be an activity for you. I was able to keep mine in check, but it was difficult on the roads, or lack thereof... I wouldn't want Kenya to pave these roads, but perhaps grade them once a year or so...
If we had the agreed maximum number of people, and a more careful cooking/cleaning staff, the trip would have been excellent.
Email David | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A great experience
Recently, I went to Kenya to take a vacation. The highlights are of course to see those wild animals in Africa.
I took a "6 days 5 nights Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Amboseli" with a company called "Africa Flash McTours & Travel". The manager, Mr. Peter Macharia, did a great job, looking after his customers, although there are circumstances that are a bit beyond his control.
A convincing example is that all the tour companies appear to have a system that tourists are told to hop on different buses at a set of places where they stop for lunch. This system initially confused me a lot as I thought that I would be always staying with one group, once a group has been arranged by a particular company prior to the beginning of your program. But, that was not the case. So, to me what Peter did most impressively was that one day, when he could not organize any other driver to pick me up from Nairobi to Amboseli, he sent in a car to just take me there. Of course, a single passenger would cost his company slightly more than letting his customers sharing with others. But, to me this is the convincing moment that his is a trustable manager.
I also want to mention is passing that a young driver in his own company, John, has done a great job! His English is excellent and he appeared to try to do his job properly, rather than trying to "cut corners".
