Classic Journeys Africa
- Located In:
-
United States
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2010)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $280 to $600 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
CH
Email Ladina | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
We had an amazing trip and an absolutely carefree vacation
We went on a trip to Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Amboseli, Tsavo West and Diani Beach.
Classic journey did an excellent job in organising the whole trip. The choice of Nationalparks and Hotels/Camps was excellent - every place has its very own charm and is worth the visit! Everything was very well organised from the pick-up in Nairobi to the drop-off at the airstrip in Ukunda.
A special thanks goes to Sami, our guide! Even while driving, he spottet most of the animals before we did :) he knows the flora & fauna, is an exceptional driver and has a good sense of humour. Thanks for taking us on this adventure ;)
CN
Email Ran | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
We expected more animal-watching
We booked 4 day trip to Masa Mara. According to the schedule, we will have afternoon safari on first day, full day safari on 2nd and 3rd day , morning safari on the 4th day. Below are our actual activities:
1st day: We arrive hotel at 2.30pm. Our guide arrange a walk near the hotel with the hotel staff for us from 4.30-6.00. We didn't go for the game drive as the schedule said.
2nd day: We went hot air ballon. After the breakfast of balloon, other company have their guide pick them us at the breakfast place. We have no one to pick us up. The ballon company ask us where is out driver we have no idea. They try to call the hotel and the driver but he can't get in touch with the driver. He was not at hotel by then. So the ballon company let us share the car with others. After send them back to their hotel, then send us back to ours. We arrive our hotel at about 12, our car was not at the hotel, nor the driver. We talk with another guide from Classic Journey, he said our driver told him we would like to start the game drive by 4pm which is never the plan. The driver back to hotel at about 12.30 and we had game drive 1.30pm - 5.30 pm.
3rd day: We departure about 6pm, had picnic breakfast & lunch and back about 4pm.
4th day: No game drive in the morning. Check out at about 8am and back to Nairobi.
CA
Email Sonja Chamberlain | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceptional service, phenominal experience
Our 3 week tour in September included my husband and I and my sister and brother-in-law and we spent approximately a week in Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar. Our interaction with Classic Journeys started long before our actual tour. Charles and Newton were extremely prompt and thorough in responding to any enquiries or issues we had. Their expertise and commitment to customer service was stellar. They were there and always available to ensure that every detail of our 3 week tour ran smoothly -- which it did; not a single hick-up. From the time that Matthew picked us up at the airport, we knew we were in good hands. Because there were four of us, we were able to splurge on a private land cruiser and guide for the safari portion of our tour. I would highly recommend a private vehicle because that way you are not climbing over strangers to get a photograph of an animal. The guides, Sammy in Kenya and Jonas in Tanzania were exceptional. Jonas, in particular, went out of his way to ensure that we saw the things we wanted to see. His extensive knowledge of Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti was evident, and his knowledge of the animals and their behaviour made it possible for him to anticipate where the best viewing spots would be. Jonas spent some very long days with us on game drives (in some cases 12 - 14 hours), and the drives were never disappointing! Rather than racing from one spot to the next (like a lot of the other jeeps), Jonas's approach was to "watch and wait". As a result, we were able to see a cheetah hunt a ghazel, a lion stalk and hunt a zebra, and 3 massive river crossings of wildebeests and Zebras across the Mara River, as part of the Great Migration. Those were experiences that will last a lifetime. And yes, we did see (and have hundreds of photographs) of the Big Five. The illusive rhinoceros, we saw on our last game drive, thanks to Sammy's persistence in finding one of the few remaining rhinos in the Massai Mara. I got a chance to see lots of lions, so I went home happy! Both Sammy and Jonas were very respectful in how they approached the animals, which was not always the case with some of the other tour company jeeps we encountered. The lodges that Charles and Newton had selected for our tour were incredible! Each one offered superior accommodation and excellent food. All of the rooms had spectacular views. A "glamping" stay at the Chaka Camp is not to be missed! But, the most amazing spot was the Tulia Unique Beach Resort in Zanzibar, a small boutique resort and spa that offers world class luxury. Thank you Classic Journeys for making this trip of a lifetime possible -- it was an experience that exceeded all of our expectations. We would heartily recommend you to all of our family and friends.
US
Email Peggy Thompson | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fabulous tour arranged by FABULOUS tour company!
I booked this trip for myself and four friends. Having never been Africa before, I did a lot of research and contacted almost 30 companies to pick one for this once-in-a-lifetime trip. We dealt with Charles at Classic Journeys and were pleasantly surprised by the EXCELLENT service that Classic Journeys provided. We had a 17 day safari / tour, including 4 days in Zanzibar. After a day in Nairobi and the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage and the Giraffe Center (both were "must do's" if you haven't been here), we went to Amboselli, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti and the Masa Mara. Highlight was the hot air balloon ride that they arranged. Our guides were ALL exceptional. My travelers are all major animal and bird lovers, and the guides knew each and every species. We saw over 200 different birds, and most of the major animals. Communication was great and we never had to worry, especially about border crossings. I said a "once-in-a-lifetime trip" but we plan on using Classic Journeys again to go to the west coast (Naimibia) within the next two years. I don't need to contact anyone else -- they came through with flying colors, and were reasonable in cost for all that we got. THANK YOU TO CLASSIC JOURNEYS FOR MAKING THIS DREAM TRIP A REALITY!!!
CA
Email Real Tremblay | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
In the end, satisfied with the overall expérience.
Lodging and food were appreciated. Landcruiser in Tanzania was way over it’s usefull and safe life i.e. So old that there were no headrests!
Guide Moses in Kenya very sharp and dedicated. Guide in Tanzania inexperienced and too eager to please all in party at once. Did not spot anything on his on.
Visit of Massai village turned out to be stressfull for all in party as we were submitted to pressure and intimidation by the villagers. They were after our money, all our money and gang-up on us after we were separated from each
Email Peet and Leani | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience!!!
Our expectations with this company were exceeded in every aspect. Prompt, clear communication throughout the entire process and trip. All accommodation was of exceptional standards - each unique in it's own way. Besides being very well informed and having lots of knowledge on his country and it's wide variety of wildlife, our guide, Charles, was always punctual and friendly. He made an effort to make our trip even more memorable and was the perfect person to guide us on this Kenyan journey. Kenya is breathtakingly beautiful and it's people very friendly, we felt welcome and safe all the way.
Email Charlotte Coppenhall | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An unforgettable trip of a lifetime, filled with all our dreams plus more!
From the very start, the communication with the team from Classic Journeys Africa was outstanding. I asked many questions and changed the itinerary so that it was tailored to us. This was never a problem, and Charles Kiviu and his team responded to every question promptly (usually within a few hours) and adapted things until they were perfect for us.
Wow, what an experience. Although a little nervous as we had never used this company nor safaribookings.com before, we needn’t have ever worried. We were picked up on time from our airport hotel in Nairobi. We were given an itinerary and we were able to pay our remaining balance in cash as requested. All completed safely and honestly. Off we went for the first part of our adventure. Everything was explained throughout, and our guide Charles (unsure on surname, sorry!) was outstanding from start to finish. Plenty of comfort breaks when needed, he helped us with buying some drinks and snacks for the journey ahead and even gave us some local currency to spend in the shop when we didn’t have any. We felt safe in his hands from start to finish, and he truly was such a lovely, kind person. We went to the Masai Village (beware it is a little overpriced/we didn’t realise we could have haggled) but a wonderful experience. Then onto Amboseli. We had an evening drive here and then a full day drive the following day. Our guide and driver Charles personalised this for us and noted our love of photography. He thought about the best photo opportunities and stayed until sunset to allow us to capture special moments. He arranged for lunch to be packed with us so no need to return to the lodge. Lots and lots of elephants, incredible to see with the back drop of Mount Kilimanjaro.
We then took a long drive to Lake Nakuru, stopping off at The Rift Valley and Lake Navaisha on the way. Stunning to see! A boat ride beside hippos and walking with giraffes - unforgettable. We arrived late at Nakuru due to bad traffic and a road closure. Charles stayed calm throughout, drove incredibly well through the traffic to get us there as quickly as possible. He reminded us that we can take things at our pace and see everything we want to, no need to rush. Lake Nakuru was very pretty, and we managed to see both white and black rhinos alongside many other animals including the endangered Rothschild giraffes. We even had a baboon jump into our jeep and sit alongside us!
We then made our way to the Masai Mara. A dream of ours, and it certainly lived up to expectations and more! Charles ensured that we saw everything possible. The Mara River Crossing of the great migration was wonderful to see, and Charles ensured we had the best, clear view. Two lionesses hunting and manage a successful kill was something we never thought we would see, but Charles just knew the mums would be close by after we found four lion cubs sleeping under a tree. Cheetahs, elephants, rhino, buffalo, giraffes, hyena, lionesses and lions, baboons, hippos, crocodiles, a variety of birds, wildebeest in their thousands, a variety of deer, and to finish our trip, a leopard and her cub walked beside us. Charles listened to me when I said the leopard is my favourite animal, but I have never been lucky enough to find one. We spent our last day enjoying the surroundings and the animals we passed, but his main aim was to make my dream come true. We were close in the morning, but the leopard disappeared. But early afternoon, Charles knew they were nearby as he found their kill in the tree. I can never thank him enough for that experience. Our final day also enabled us to have another memorable moment- a hot air balloon ride over the Masai Mara with breakfast amongst the animals. This was stunning and definitely something I would recommend.
Overall, I cannot recommended Classic Journeys Africa enough. They did everything they promised, and ensured we had the best time. This was a private tour, and I would definitely suggest this. Other couples we talked to at our lodges had 3+ different couples in their jeeps (with a different company) and did not get to do everything / see what they wanted to as everyone had to be pleased.
Thank you to both of the Charles’ we had contact with. You both went above and beyond. Their English is perfect which made conversation easy. Kenya is a wonderful country filled with the nicest people. We were so lucky that we chose this company to make our dreams come true.
Thank you so much.
Full review with photos will soon be updated on charmeetsworld.com
US
Email Zimbalist Chalk | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
THE BEST
I had the time of my life. I will be back and will also bring more items to the children of Kenya. I brought books, pen, pencils and some cloths. I enjoyed my time seeing the wildlife in its natural environment. I have already talked with others about going to Kenya and suggested your company as a source of transportation and guide.
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Email Bjorg | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
IT fullfilled our expectations!
The trip was excellent. Our guide Charles is a very good guide and a good driver.
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Email Elisabeth vatne-Lund | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
fantastic experience
lovely place to live, good food and the best guide ever, Jackson :) He found a lot of animals and fantastic experience with all the animals !
I will tell others about it !!!!