Bush lunch in Maasai Mara National Reserve
Tazama Africa Holidays
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2012)
- Member Of:
- AMREF, Eco Tourism & Tour Operators Society of Kenya
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $200 to $1,200 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
HR
Email Mihai | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Outstanding organization - Antony from Tazama Holidays created a wonderful safari experience for us.
I have over 20 years of tour guiding and tour leading experience all over the world and this was my fifth time on a Safari in Kenya. Needles to say, I wanted this to be a perfect experience to share with my wife and my friends who were visiting Africa for the first time. Antony and Tazama Holidays delivered above all expectations.
Communication was fast and to the point at all times - Antony never took more than 24 hours to reply to my emails, even when he was leading another Safari. Also, in the week before the trip, we connected on WhatsApp and this way we could iron out all last minute details very efficiently.
He suggested and made changes to the initial itinerary in order to deliver an even better experience based on our requests - this happened seamless. He re-quoted the itinerary several times without skipping a beat based on my change requests.
While Antony, the owner of Tazama Holidays, led our safari himself and we felt very fortunate about this, we met with other Tazama groups during our journey and the travelers seemed very happy with their guides. He always made sure the hotels took great care of us, giving us great tents or rooms. For the few experiences we had where he did not guide us himself, he made sure to choose the local guides very carefully.
The car was spotless every time we got in for a game drive, the cooler always fully stocked with water, he was always friendly and positive and gave us great insights not only in the wildlife we saw but also in the life of the people of the Kenyan villages we drove by.
Antony is a great wildlife spotter and ha a very good knowledge for all the parks we visited. I was used to the way Safari guides use their radio to share information on the animals spotted so their clients can see the great Kenyan wildlife and Antony made good use of this feature - if you have been to Kenya before you are probably used to this - a whole bunch of safari cars gathered together to see a pride of lions, or a cheetah, etc. Antony, though surprised me a few times by seemingly driving the opposite direction from everybody else, sometimes even turning the radio off and then, suddenly, we would be the first car on the spot for a great sighting - the best of all was spotting a leopard in Samburu, an old male, that had not been spotted in over 5 months. He seemed to have a 6th sense for these things.
At the end of the trip we asked him for arranging a dinner for us in Nairobi since our flight was around midnight. I was familiar with Carnivores in Nairobi having a relationship with all Safari operators, being taken there several times over the years at the end of my trips and I find it quite touristy. I mentioned this to Antony and he assisted us with finding another venue - we ended up having dinner at the Talisman restaurant instead - a fantastic and unexpected fine dining experience in Kenya. We all loved the choice and can only recommend it for other travelers.
All being said, I cannot praise Antony and Tazama Holidays enough for making this experience so wonderful for us.
Thank you Antony!
TW
Email LEE | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent Africa experience
I finished my family Africa safari travel with excellent experience.
First, thanks to good communication with Anthony. On-time & right answer to my question, it let me feel solid confidence about this far-far-away traveling plan. To my family, C/P value is not my 1st priority, but this company if could be trusted and reliable. Finally, Tazama Holidays proved it.
Second, thanks to our driver & tour guide Alex. In these 6days/5nights travel, he drives carefully all the way, even from one-site to another-site 6~7 hours driving. About searching animals, he can precisely forecast animal next walking path to let them pass beside the car. That is exciting experience to my family. At last, he is a funny and nice person, which make us feel comfortable all the way.
Thanks for everything
DE
Email Dominik & Liza | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Safari with the best driver and great organization
We highly recommend to book the safari tour with Tazama African Holiday!
We travelled Kenya for our Honeymoon, and had a 7-day tour with the greatest tour guide Alex. He was a real professional! He had the deepest knowledge about each and every animal, he went above and beyond to help us catch all the animals and see them at best angles! Alex could spot and show us amazing scenes of wild life (the cheetah with 2 little ones eating a gazelle, which was the highlight of the trip! )
Our guide was very punctual and helpful, very sociable and fun! He was a very safe driver! He was willing to tell us all about Kenya, local people and traditions, introduced us to local culture and traditions! He helped us with all arrangements apart from game drives and gave us great advice!
We absolutely loved it! Thank you for making our honeymoon so unforgettable!
US
Email Sophie | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
True professional
We had to make last minute changes due to the weather and unforeseen circumstances. Antony reacted immediately and rearranged everything the way I asked.
Sharing our experience with other guests in the camp, I know that other companies do not deliver the same level of service. Antony cares about his company reputation and clients experience. It’s when the unpredictable happens that you can tell the level of professionalism and I can say Tazama deserves its 5 stars rating.
NL
Email Jochen | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Excellent and delivered as promised!
One word: excellent! Anthony responds to e-mail blazingly fast. Also, driver Sammy was the best. They share some thoughts about itineraries and what works best to get the most out of your trip. What's been agreed is delivered and so much more! Great experience and I would definitely book again!
Email Samantha | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Don't hesitate!
We have just finshed a 2 night safari tour to the Maasai Mara with our guide Giddy, everthing from start to finish was just amazing.
Booking was simple and efficient, Antony is always quick to repsond and is really helpful.
We were met at our hotel in Narobi and driven the the Maasai Mara and afterwards dropped off at Lake Nakuru. Giddy is a really good driver and has an endless amount of knowledge, he managed to answer every question we asked.
The accomadation at Ilkeliani Camp was fantastic, food delicious and staff really attentive.
The safari itself was out of this world and we were in the park all 3 days. Giddy made sure we saw as much as possible in the time we were there.
I could not fauly anything about this experience.
US
Email Eric | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing safari with Tazama!
I just completed a 6d/5nt safari (Amboseli, Lake Nukuru, Masai Mara) with Tazama Africa Holidays. It went far above any expectations I may have had beginning with the planning and booking process. The owner Antony responded to all my inquiries within minutes no matter the time of day. Pricing was very reasonable and the ease of paying with credit card via Pesapal was an added bonus.
The safari itself was amazing thanks to my incredibly kind and knowledgeable guide David. He knew exactly where to go to see all the animals there were to see and he always seemed to stay one step ahead of everyone else. I saw many more animals than I ever expected. He truly made it a trip of a lifetime and I can't thank him enough!
The recommended camps were a wonderful experience in themselves.
I would not hesitate to recommend Tazama Africa Holidays and I will use them again for any future Safari's!
US
Email Jonathan | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Deal on a Impressive Private Safari with a Very Knowledgable Guide
My wife and I completed a 5-day/4-night safari with Tazama, spending 2 days on Maasai Mara, 1 day at Lake Nakuru, and 1 day at Sweetwater Camp at Ol Pejeta Conservancy where we saw lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, giraffes, rhinos, hippos, ostrich, all sorts of antelope, hyena, baboons, and more. In my opinion, there are 3 things that really define the trip: (1) your guide, (2) your lodging, and (3) your vehicle for the safari.
(1) We were absolutely thrilled with Reuben for a number of reasons. (i) Reuben has an eagle eye: oftentimes, he would spot an animal that barely has half a head over grass, shout out, 'there's a lion/leopard/hyena/etc' and then we'd turn around and head off road for a better view. (ii) Reuben knows the park extremely well after 22 years of being a guide: many times, there were no other jeeps around, and we'd be the only ones around a number of Big 5 animals without any other tourists rushing us or blocking our views. Even more so, he's regularly in contact with other experienced drivers, and when those drivers spot a rare animal and describe the location, Reuben knows exactly where on the Mara that would be (even though it's huge and has no real names or signs or many landmarks), and we'd be off to the races to see that animal. It was amazing. (iii) My wife and I could be ... well, slow ... sometimes in the morning. We tend to prefer travels that are less rushed. And while Reuben was always ready at the stated time, he also never rushed or pressured us if we were running late or wanted to spend a little extra time enjoying breakfast, though he said it would be different if in a group so that everyone's time is naturally respected (partly why we did a private safari and not a group one). (iv) Finally, I love talking about the world and delving into more personal conversations. Reuben allows the customer to dictate conversation topics: if you want a quiet ride, he'll give you one. If you ask questions, he's knowledgable and happy to talk. He also knows a TON about the animals, the various Kenyan tribes, and general world knowledge.
(2) I have some photos of the lodges and food below. We were very happy with all the choices. One thing of note: you should check the weather before you go and dress appropriately or request certain types of lodging. The tented lodges can be a bit chilly at night, though they add heat pads to the beds and a ton of blankets, but getting up, we could have used some warmer pajamas. Overall though, the food was wonderful and the lodges really really cute. Serena's at Lake Nokuru especially stood out for incredible food, warm lodging, and an amazing atmosphere.
(3) We were given a choice of a land cruiser or minivan. Make sure you choose the land cruiser: Not only is it more comfortable (for potentially bumpy roads and on the safari), but the 4-wheel drive allows you to go more offroad and into the bush on safari.
Happy to recommend Tazama for safaris. Being an online agency based in Africa, the prices are far cheaper than American travel agencies, but the experience is still very very high end. An incredible deal for the price.
CN
Email Johnny | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An once in a lifetime experience!
My wife and I have just finished a three-weeks tour in Kenya, a beautiful country that we both love so much. During our tour, we took a 8 days road safari with Tazama Holiday and Antony who made it an once in a lifetime experience for us. This is the rightest choice that we have ever made.
When I started my Kenya plan, it is quite difficult for me to pick up a safari company among so many named ones in Nairobi. In order to save time, I searched on Safaribookings and checked with a couple of companies whose quotation can match my budget and expectations. Tazama Holiday popped out finally because they has a very reasonable price and a very understanding owner Antony. My contact with Antony is always straight and frankly. He not only gave me his comments and suggestions on my itinerary, but also quoted in a very detailed and transparent way. Proof by facts, the safari with Tazama is incredible fantastic and value for money which will stay in my mind forever.
I am quite lucky cause Antony conducted my safari by himself with a brand-new Land Cruisier, and this made our whole journey full of fun and surprise. The accommodations he chose for us are not only comfortable but also have the best view. Whenever we had any little problems with the camp, he can always fix it up immediately through his kind relations with the camp management. My wife always likes to call Antony a problem fixer. Even more in Samburu, he gave us an update when the camp we originally booked was closed due to the flood.
Our game drives are really exciting and amazing both in the morning and the afternoon. We traced and witnessed the Special Five in Samburu, and the Big Five in Masai Mara. My wife and I prefer the giraffe and elephant, and he gave us a lot of chances to see these beautiful creatures in an unbelievable close distance and nice position, giving us complete satisfaction on our safari tour.
When Antony got to know that I will take a fly-in safari to Amboseli, he even helped me to book the air ticket with a very favorite price while not requesting me for any deposit in advance. Furthermore, he even provided us a complimentary drop-off&pick-up service to and from the Wilson airport. Antony, thank you soo much for doing me such a big favor.
Kenya is a destination that we will return for sure. Next time, maybe Tsavo West&East, Zanzibar and others. I think I will no longer trouble myself anymore. All I need to do is to just send an email to Antony, and let Tazama Holiday to arrange everything for me.
From my point of view, Tazama holiday is surely not the biggest, nor are they the No. 1 ranked company, but they are more personalized, more attentive, and more tailor-made, If you are expecting and planning a safari in this wonderful grassland, just go with Tazama!
US
Email Jose M. | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
First ever safari experience was amazing!
Jambo! Antony Gitau was extremely helpful with helping me plan and book my first ever safari. Antony was timely in his replies to my questions and made me feel very comfortable while planning my safari. I decided on a 3 day safari to Maasai Mara with lodging inside the National Reserve.
Day 1: Alex, my Safari guide, arrived at my hotel just after 7am to start our trip. The drive from Nairobi to Maasai Mara was close to 6hrs. This was perfect because it provided Alex and I the opportunity to get acquainted and for him to learn my interests for the safari. Along the way, Alex stopped at an overlook spot of the Great Rift Valley. There was a small souvenir shop were the shop owner was able to explain the history of the valley and describe the terrain features and land marks. A great opportunity to purchase a souvenir. We also stopped in the town of Narok to enjoy grilled African street corn, it was good! We finally arrived in Maasai Mara and within the first 5 we came across 5 lioness. As we made our way to Ilkeliani camp we saw elephants and Cape buffalo. Two of the Big 5 down, 3 to go. After checking into camp, we went back out for our afternoon game drive. We saw plenty of animals, giraffes, Thompson gazelle, Impalas, a Cheetah, Zebra, and a male lion. That’s 3 out of 5!
Day 2: Started this day with a balloon ride. Overall it was a great experience with a beautiful view of the African savanna. The whole ride lasted just over an hour. At the beginning of the ride we spotted 2 Leopards on a tree, 4 of 5!! The champagne breakfast at the end of the balloon ride was amazing. We had the pleasure of enjoying our champagne and breakfast while watching several giraffes eating leaves from a nearby tree. I met up with Alex after my breakfast and we continued with our game drive. Suddenly we were racing down the road, a Black Rhino was spotted! We did it! The BIG 5! Alex delivered.
Day 3: Final game drive out of Maasai Mara. We spotted plenty of Hyenas on our way out. It was a most excellent trip. My trip ended with the drive back to Nairobi and lunch at Carnivore.
Thank you Antony for arraigning my trip, Alex for delivering on my interests and being a most excellent guide and the staff at Ilkeliani Camp. If you are traveling alone or a small group, I highly recommend booking a private safari with Tazama Africa Holidays. Thank you for the memories!
Asante Sana.