Africa Remote Safaris (Kenya)
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 1999)
- Member Of:
- IATA, ETT, Eco Tourism Society Kenya & East African wildlife Club
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $100 to $450 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Xavier Jerry | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar
"Our family of 6 traveled to Kenya and Tanzania for a 12 day Kenya, Tanzania Safari with an extension to Zanzibar two weeks ago.. It was absolutely amazing. Our guide was Hamza in Tanzania and Simon in Kenya .The best guides we have ever had and we have traveled to many countries. There was not one subject that they were not knowledgeable about. He made the trip so memorable. Simon was so flexible and when he picked us up in the mornings to head out, he was talking nonstop to tell us so much about everything we were seeing. There was so much to see in Maasai Mara including the Big 5 and Maasai people. He made sure we saw it all.. He truly has a gift in the touring business, you feel as if your leaving your best friend when the trip is over. When we left Kenya for Tanzania and got to the airport in Arusha, Hamza spotted us before we saw him and of course, we asked him, how did you recognize us? He even went as far as to get the local Laibon to meet us in Ngorongoro . We also enjoyed our stay at Ndutu Camp where the staff had a birthday surprise for our 13 year old son.
Zanzibar was fantastic. We spent three nights at Blue bay beach club and also managed to do some tours in Stone town. Our guide in stone was Musa recommended by Africa Remote Safaris. The night before we left to return home, Musa did our names in Zanzibari Arabic frame, They were beautiful, He showed us a picture of the Presidents Face he had done for the The President of Zanzibar! Amy from Africa Remote Safaris planned our trip and she was amazing, planning everything as he thought we would like based on what I told her. She did an Outstanding job and literally sent our Itineraries by next day in a beautifully done spiral bound personally book for each family that was going on the trip, soooooooo impressed and she even got the guide we requested!!!! I can’t say enough about this trip and Africa Remote Safaris, we will definitely use again!!! We experienced a very different culture in going to Zanzibar(We could have stayed longer) and that’s what we wanted, a Very different exotic trip and thats what we got!!!! Again our accommodations we top notch, staying in the truly authentic Camps and Lodges like four Seasons Serengeti, they were sooooo Luxurious, Plan on taking another suitcase or buying one there because you will buy more things to bring home than any other trip because of all the Handicrafts there, especially in Zanzibar!!!
NZ
Email Edwin | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Maasai mara and Serengeti
Had an absolute amazing time on safari with Africa remote safaris. They were excellent. Got picked up from the airport when we arrived and transferred to very nice accommodation. Travelling through on safari there were no problems at all. Vans and Jeeps were perfect safari viewing vehicles and the guides and cooks were amazing! Extremely impressed by the all round service, would definitely recommend.
CA
Email David | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Beware - Unilateral changes in Itinerary, last minute flight changes, hotels not reserved
We booked a 10 day safari to Kenya and Tanzania followed by 4 days in Zanzibar. We were a group of four. Upon arrival, we were picked up at the airport and transported to our hotel, only to find out there was no reservation for us and the hotel was full. This required us to move to another hotel (much inferior in quality). The next morning, a representative of Africa Remote met us and indicated that the payments we had made one month earlier were still being held by their credit card agency and we would have to pay for the night's hotel plus US $160 (cash) for that day's entrance into Nakuru Nat'l Park - but that they would refund the money to our credit card. This they did but because we are not American, we do not travel with a lot of U.S. cash. We were told the money we paid should soon be available and everything would be O.K. Not so. When traveling from the Masai Mara to Amboseli Nat'l Park, we passed through Nairobi and were told the same representative needed to see us again. This time, were told we were required to pay the entrance fees into Amboseli - another $160 cash. Our U.S. cash reserves were getting very low at this time. We were assured everything would be O.K. once we crossed into Tanzania. The next day when we met our Tanzanian, guide we asked if all fees were paid. His response was that we were to pay the entrance fees for the parks. It took him over an hour to clarify our situation with the Nairobi office, but still we had to pay the entrance fee to Tarangire Nat'l Park. All these fees were eventually refunded. This is when things really started to go wrong. On our drive from Tarangire to Ndutu Tented Camp, our guide received a text message from the office that advised him to stop early at a 1 star (at best) roadside hotel until he could complete some necessary banking the next day. In other words, our accommodation at Ndutu had not been reserved or paid for. We wasted half a day at this hotel with absolutely nothing to see or do. The next day, we set off again and had to wait over 2 hours while our guide completed the banking. This resulted in a very late drive over some questionable tracks after the sun had set. To say it was nerve racking is an understatement. On our way out of Ndutu, it was obvious that no accommodation had been booked for the night. We had paid in advance to stay at the Rhino Lodge but ended up in the Bouganvillea Lodge (very pleasant, but cheaper) after our guide had a heated exchange with his office. What a surprise in the morning when we found out we had to pay for the night at the hotel ($186). That day was our flight to Zanzibar, which, at the request of Africa Remote, we had paid $280 each in May of 2015 - we were told it was necessary to pay early because the flights sell out. We had asked for the flight itinerary and when we passed through Nairobi were told that we were flying Precision Air at 1:15 from Arusha's domestic airport. At 9:00 a.m. we finally got our flight itinerary. We were now flying Fast Jet at 12:30 from Kilimanjero airport - over 2 1/2 hours driving away. They had booked us at the last minute on a Low Cost carrier (the tickets cost them less than $124 each -in other words, they made a lot of money). Our driver drove at breakneck speed to get us to the airport. We made it to the check in counter with less than 2 minutes to spare. Then we found out our flight not only had a 6 hour layover in Dar es Salaam, but we were charged luggage fees for each flight segment (another $ 70). Upon arrival late in the evening in Zanzibar, there was no one to meet us as had been promised. We made our way by taxi to the hotel listed on our itinerary (Pongwe Beach Hotel) only to find, once again, that no reservation had been made. Fortunately, the manager was very accommodating, had room for us and said he would work everything out the next day. He got an e-mail in the morning telling him to expect our arrival and "customer to pay". In other words, they had not paid for this hotel either. The manager tried to contact Africa Remote by e-mail and phone but had no luck. We ended up paying for this hotel for the three nights we stayed ($600). Pongwe Beach Hotel is a gem! Pongwe Beach even arranged our transfer and stay at our next destination in Stone Town. Africa Remote ended up owing us a considerable amount of money. It took them almost a month to process a refund. We are lucky because we had the resources to weather this situation. It might not be so for other travelers. Even though the two guides we had were excellent (Simon in Kenya and Hamza in Tanzania) the front office ruined this experience. We wasted time in hotels, while they were banking and sitting in an airport departure lounge. They caused us far more stress than any other trip that I have taken - and I have traveled to over 90 countries. I would never recommend this company!
CA
Email Rob | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Exceptional , breathtaking experience!
I went for 3 days Masai Mara camp trip and had an amazing time!
Nobody can beat their prices and service and you get exactly what you paid for and was promised.
I had one full day(!) game drive and it's unforgettable experience!
The accommodation, the camp, food was really surprisingly good for budget safari.
Special thanks for Naphtally, the guy is really hard working professional with high work standards, help and respect for clients. He picked me up himself at 4am to drop me to the airport, making sure I will be on time!
There can be delay with email communication, but consider it is african reality and sometimes they are not able to reach you right away.
You can go ahead and book the trip with them, your money is secure and you will get professional service and amazing time in Africa!
Email Larry | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Africa Remote Safaris are the best companion in ones tour experience
We have just ended our Safari in Tanzania. 8 Days Tarangire/Eyasi/Serengeti , Ngorongoro and Amboseli. Our guide for the Safari Hamza – was outstanding. Very knowledgeable, very flexible and accommodating for our extra side trips. He was easy to understand , had a wonderful personality and was professional the entire trip. Such a wonderful ambassador for Tanzania. Also, our main contact "Steve #1", was very good at accommodating us and making sure we were safe and taken care of. Truly a great resource for Africa Remote Safaris . We also crossed into Kenya to Amboseli , Paul, the guide, driver, and "greeter were also good as in the very short time we were with him, he was very professional, efficient and knowledgeable. In fact, all of the drivers were great. This is our second Safari experience and it was great. Will likely take another in the future."
I would definately recommend our guide Hamza and Africa Remote Safaris.
QA
Email David D-Iver | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great Safari Experience1
"Steve Biko did an outstanding job Overall an excellent trip, well carried out. Outstanding services the driver guides in Kenya and overland from Isbania to Serengeti and Ngorongoro made a great impression. Both (Simon and Waziri) were standouts. The transfer reps all did an excellent job particularly since, we arrived on the late night Turkish airlines flight at 2am.
. All accommodations except for Arusha were excellent. Memories of the Swahili culture ranks first but a close second in our minds will be the choice of camps and lodges. The Ol Joto house in Naivasha offers a peaceful and intimate refuge from the bustle of Nairobi city.
In Maasai mara our reaction to the Bateleur Camp upgraded from Kichwa Tembo was that it was the best Luxury tented accommodation ever. Little did we realize each subsequent camp in Serengeti(Mbalageti), Ngorongoro(Tloma lodge), Lake Manyara and Tarangire (Roika) would top that, except for the last in Arusha. We were there at an important moment in Tanzania’s development during election time and the various viewpoints in different towns reflects the promise and challenges facing the country. Some thought the shock of health care systems could be better absorbed later in the itinerary, however, the geography preempts that alternative. Always room for improvement so we would offer the following Biggest disappointment was the Ol Duvai gorge nothing really much to see here. Not all of the guides were understandable. They all seemed intelligent and knowledgeable but were lacking in delivery of a dialogue. Some speak in a droning monologue that is difficult to follow and includes blinding detail that is soon forgotten. Two glitches that were remedied: The Safari van in Kenya had an impossible seating arrangement but that was corrected overnight to our complete satisfaction.
The New Arusha hotel rooms were initially a problem. One room was lovely but the other two were substandard, although the hotel said they were in the same class. Basically, the better room had the bathroom and closet along the full wall while the substandard alternative used only half the wall resulting in a minute closet, no shower, a single sink and no window. They initially stated that there was nothing better but within an hour the duty manager had found two adjacent rooms on another floor that had the double sinks, separate claw bath and shower overlooking the city as well as better closet space. They graciously moved us while we were at dinner on the rooftop. Finally there is always the gouging at shops where the guides get a commission. At a couple of stops this seemed egregious but we are all seasoned travelers and work around that annoyance. Some of the others may wish to add to these comments but those are my thoughts. Good memories, thanks" I will certainly recommend this company.
AE
Email Raluca | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Everything wa perfect
We did 3 days safari in Tsavo East and West, everything was perfect. The Lodges in the middle of savanna are a dream, amazing experience.
I also highly recommend our driver Jackson, which is a wonderful person.
NO
Email Patricia Lusigi Kivali | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Tanzania Safari Report with Africa remote Safaris
My husband and I had a fabulous safari experience with Africa Remote Safaris in April 2016 for our private guided safari in Tanzania. To be honest I cannot say anything negative about our Safari experience with them. At the onset I was a little hesitant ,especially about arranging a guided tour because we definitely prefer independent, but decided that Africa was not the best place to be self guided. We made own flight arrangements. We only asked Stafford logistical questions. So from Dallas first to Amsterdam for a short stay, then Nairobi before flying to Arusha . I requested for a wildlife guide who was also a birding expert to fulfil my husband’s wishes and that is exactly what we got and far more than that we were blessed to have the delightful Waziri as our companion for your stay in Tanzania. He met us at the airport exactly on time and ,was friendly and courteous ,professional and even immediately began teaching us Swahili words and phrases. We were immediately comfortable with him and knew we had a gem. We stayed the New Safari hotel in Arusha booked through Africa Remote Safaris. Their guide came to the hotel to give us our paperwork and answered all the questions we had so as to make sure that we had everything that we needed prior to departure.
Our safari vehicle was very comfortable for the two of us and I couldn’t imagine being squashed in with as many people as I saw on some other agencies. We visted Tarangire and stayed at Roika lodge., Ngorongoro we stayed at the Rhino lodge not far from the Ngorongoro crater. We also visited Serengeti . Tarangire is a heaven for birds of all types, including many eagles and Waziri’s vast knowledge of the avian world provided us with memories to last us a lifetime. On top of the crater where another guide phoned Waziri to tell him that he had a flat tyre, Waziri graciously asked if we minded waiting and we were thrilled to stand at the viewpoint for an extra 20 minutes while he assisted. We stayed at Ngorngoro for two nights then departed for the Serengeti where we saw the Big five within just an hour of our arrival. We had been upgraded to Tanganyika wildlife camps and we loved this loved tented camp. For the entire trip Waziri was interesting, patient, cautious and when necessary good humoured. When it came to depart to that small airfield to fly back to Mt Kilimanjaro, he refused to leave until our plane had departed.
When we arrived in Arusha our Africa Remote Safaris representative named Edna was on hand to meet us and accompanied us to a day hotel so we could get lunch before our long trip home. She was once again very helpful and professional.
We found Waziri to be a treasure and will never forget our time with hims and the wildlife of Tanzania.
From our experience I highly recommend Africa Remote Safaris and their tours in Tanzania.
PL
Email Anna & Daniel | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
3 days in Maasai Mara great experience!
We had a pleasure to book 3day Maasai Mara safari in May 2016 departing from Nairobi. The service was excellent,our guide -Onesmas knew very well where to go to see the most animals, as well as was able to explain a lot of their habits. He also provided us with a tailor made visit to Maasai village where we are able to learn about this fascinating tribe. We would definitely book again !recommend
Email Robert | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The game drive was superb, but the food and lodging was poor.
Some of the food on this trip was inedible -- namely the goat stew at one of the restaurants we stopped along the way. Otherwise the food was average, but hey, I was here for the safari! Speaking of which, the safari was great. Maasai Mara is beautiful, and our driver James was safe, smart, and friendly. We saw all the highlights, and came back each night happy. The tents were okay, but the water came out brown from our shower. The food at the accomodation was average, and tea was available all day, which we liked.