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
Email Sarah | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
3 days in Kenyan paradise
We had an UNFORGETTABLE 3-day safari with Antony and our driver Charles!
The communication and the organization (round trip from Nairobi included) went perfectly, we enjoyed every minutes of the trip.
We stayed at Ilkeliani Mara Camp which is a wonderful place and had a tent in front of the river, waking up with monkeys and mongooses.
We highly recommend Antony and his team!
CZ
Email Adela | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect safari without any glitch
Everything was perfect and I can only recommend Tazama. From the communication with Anthony while planning the safari and before the arrival to very last day, everything was so smooth I couldnt believe it. Our driver/guide Charles was great, he showed us the big five and was very knowledgeable about the animals which we really appreciated. And we were usually the fastest car on the road outside the parks;)
The only little negative was, that Charles-guide/driver was obviously in different time zone, but after a couple of days, we synced. He was on African standard time (usual time + 15 minutes ;)), but we got used really quickly and used his time even after we left Kenya :-D
I recommend Tazama very much!
PL
Email Marysia | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best time with Tazama
I've traveled a lot but this is the first time I want to put my comment on TripAdvisor. From the deep of my heart I truly recommend Tazama Africa holidays. There are no words to describe our experience. That was worth every dollar. We met Antony who became our friend. It was a pleasure to spend with him those 4 days. He did amazing job. After long research I'm sure we chose the best!
Gabriela
US
Email Eric | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible Safari Experience
My wife and our friends just finished a 7 day safari with Tazama Safaris, guided by Antony. It was, in a word, incredible. Antony, the owner of the company and our guide, was the consummate professional. Below are some notes on our safari.
The Wildlife Experience: We saw it all. In fact, in one day in Masai Mara, we saw all of the Big Five. We also saw five cheetahs and a hippo up close. We witnessed two lion mating sessions and two (failed) lion hunts. Despite knowing that there is a fair amount of luck involved in which animals you get to see, we would jokingly tell Antony at the beginning of each game drive that we needed to see a leopard (or a cheetah or a rhino). Without fail, we saw each of those animals within a couple hours after making the request. Once it was clear which animal we were interested in, he was active on the radio communicating with drivers across the park. He was almost as excited to see each of the animals as we were, even though he has been to the parks countless times. He casually mentioned toward the end of the safari that he has served as a guide and driver for professional photographers from BBC and National Geographic, so he has lots of experience finding the animals. I cannot guarantee that anyone will be as lucky as we were, but I can wholeheartedly recommend Antony as a dedicated guide that prioritizes your safari experience.
Guide: Antony was a very gracious and polite guide. He was very friendly and social with us, but also knew when to let us rest and relax on the long rides between parks. He has a strong knowledge of the animals and their habits and was able to answer all of our questions. At a couple of the lodges, he asked the staff if we could have breakfast early, so as to get on the drives as soon as possible.
Communication: Antony was responsive to emails. He responded with a personalized itinerary and quote within 24 hours, even though he was busy leading a safari himself. It was clear he had read the email closely, as his itinerary was exactly in line with our preferences. Before we began the safari, Antony went over the itinerary again with us to verify it. Throughout the trip, Antony was very considerate of our preferences. He offered suggestions—which we always took—but he was willing to be flexible based on our needs.
Payment: We paid via credit card in two installments. At first I was leery of paying through PesaPal, but it is quite common in Kenya. My credit card company would not let the initial payment through, but after I notified them via email, there were no issues.
Value: Antony’s quote came in significantly cheaper than another quote I received, even though both had the same lodges/camps. We all felt that the lodges were very nice for the price we paid. We were glad we paid extra for the Land Cruiser, as the roads can be bumpy and rough. He does offer a van safari at a lower price though.
If you are looking for a great value safari led by an exceptional guide, I highly recommend Tazama Safaris. It was the quintessential safari experience, and I would not have changed a thing.
LV
Email Andrejs P | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing journey that we will never forget!
It’s rare when I post any reviews, but this time I do it because everything about our journey was just perfect thanks to Antony and Edward. Right from the beginning I felt that special attitude to us, very quick replies to emails from Antony, custom tailored safari program. Our guide Edward was amazing, he told us so many interesting things about Kenya. His knowledge about wild animals is extraordinary, he literally knows every little bird in every park. All the places we’ve visited exceed our expectations in terms of comfort and hospitality. Food was so tasty that we could not believe that we were in the middle of savanna and not in a fancy restaurant :) We have seen so many beautiful animals, took thousands of great pictures and videos and simply had one of the best travels we ever had. I’m sure that we will come back soon. Thank you once again, Antony&Edward! We already miss you and Kenya!
IT
Email Daisy | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Supreme Safari
From the very first moment I contacted Antony, the owner of this tour operator, I felt I could trust him. He always replied to my emails quickly and gave me good advices to deal with the safari I'd chosen. Moreover, even when there was a very small problem he showed his honest attitude: one of the lodges I was initially destined was full, so Antony upgraded me in a better one for free! He offered me free transfer from and back to the airport, making me save some money (a single transfer is 20- 25 $ from Nairobi). The minivan was very comfortable, clean and with new tyres, there's so little difference from a jeep (maybe you might just feel cooler!) The distances from a park to another one are quite long and exhausting in Kenya, but I always felt safe and in good hands thanks to his high skilled driver.
During this trip I learnt a lot, saw amazing animals, enjoyed unforgettable landscapes, met wonderful people, slept in fabulous lodges and ate healthy food. An experience that I will never forget. Thanks Antony, thanks Tazama Africa Holidays!
HK
Email Jan Porter | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Service above and beyond
Our trip to Kenya was no doubt a special and enjoyable one thanks primarily to the wonderful service provided by Tazama. At the initial booking process, Antony Gittau promptly responded to our questions and tailored our itinerary based on our requests. Upon arrival in Nairobi, we were promptly met by Lydia and our guide Antony (same name but different person) and gave us a good background about some Kenyan traditions and what we would be expecting throughout the following 6 days. The 6 days we spent around Kenya totally surpassed our expectations. The accommodations suggested by Tazama had amazing facilities and service. The game drives we went on allowed us to see the best of Kenya. All the people in Tazama showed a respect for the environment that was commendable and should be emulated by all other tour operators. I definitely recommend them.
DE
Email Christiane, Christian, Melina | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great impressions
It was a very great adventure, Antony was a great driver and he showed us the big five at our Game Drives. Tazama Africa Holidays was a very good partner for us they made all our whishes possible.The accomodations were a dream, luxury and the meals were fantastic. We had a lot of special wishes line the dates of the beginning and the end and the place where we wanted to be picked up and all was possible and no Problem.
We enjoyed the journey very much
and would book every time again
with Tazama Africa Holidays.
Email Pris | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A great local company - thanks Antony for the unforgettable trip!
I'm a research freak and I like planning things to a T. When I started planning this trip I did lots of research, and I spoke to around 10 different companies. Tazama really stood out from the rest due to two reasons. 1, how quickly Antony responded and 2, the quote was reasonably priced. I also like the itinerary and the choice of accommodation that they offered. Everything was very well planned.
When we arrived we were disappointed to find out that the Antony we had been speaking to was not available (since his son was in the hospital which was perfectly understandable), so he sent another Antony to take care of us. Yet the trip still turned out to be great! Antony was always on time, has lots of knowledge about the animals and the culture, and he always knows where to take us, to makes sure we see everything. The 4x4 is my favourite - it was very comfortable, very clean and it was good fun to be driven around in that.
On the last day they even took us to the Giraffe Centre and treated us to dinner at Carnivore, which wasn't included in the trip as we discussed. What a surprise! Thanks for the arrangement :)
I love Kenya - love the safari, the culture, the people and everything. We will definitely be back and when we do, we will certainly speak to Tazama again.
Email Collins | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
“An outstanding 8 days safari with Antony and Tazama Africa Holidays “
After months of research, I finally decided to book a safari with Tazama Africa Holidays for our "Bucket List" trip. From the start our communication with Antony was easy and pleasant, he really worked hard to get us the trip we wanted, he is thoughtful and paid close attention to what our needs were. He revised the itinerary a few times with our input, until it was precisely what we wanted, and within our budget. I felt very comfortable using Tazama Africa Holidays which is important when you are spending a good amount of money for a 8days safari.Trying to plan something from a distance, with a stranger in another country is intimidating, but working with Antony was like working with a friend, which truly put us at ease.
A little bit of surprise came in when we met Antony and said he will be the safari guide for the whole safari.
The safari itself fantastic as we are still smiling, downloading movies and more than 3000 photos. It was unbelievable, one cannot imagine the things we saw.We came across 2 large male lion brothers when departing back to Nairobi and We followed them for an hour, chuffing and roaring as they communicated. The behavior was extremely interesting, and we were so close to them, that my heart started pounding (and I'm not easily frightened) about a 20-25 foot distance.
All of our days were filled with really interesting encounters, a giant African rock python, African hunting dogs (very rare) and a female elephant so close that Antony didn't turn the vehicle off since she was charging.We kind of snuck up on her eating in Tsavo West. We saw so much; Lions, hippos, zebras,giraffes ,elephant,leopards ,cheetahs,buffaloes,crocodiles,hyenas,ostriches,warthogs, rhinos and much more.
The safari was absolutely unforgettable thanks to Antony our driver. He is very knowledgeable, smart, knows his animals and their territories, he was also very accommodating to us and was flexible on his timing. We were in good hands with Antony, we felt safe, comfortable and most of all we had the time of our lives, really an incredible trip. He knew where to locate and spot the animals, as well as an expert on the wildlife itself, especially the birds, so many huge birds in the reserves and Antony knew what all of them were - impressive knowledge.
Note that having traveled to so many African countries,I rank Antony as one of the most experienced safari guides in Africa.
His knowledge left me in suspense because I didn’t believe such a young person can have such knowledge.
Do not hesitate booking with Tazama Africa Holidays if you are searching for a tour company. I am a skeptic at heart, and always will be. I do not ever trust blindly without extensive research, but at some point you need to book a safari with someone, right? My instinct told me Antony is a trustworthy man after emails back and forth with him, and I am happy to report my instincts paid off. Great trip, great animal sightings, and especially a great company to put my trust in, I would use Tazama Africa Holidays again in the near future .
Asante Sana Tazama Africa holidays and more so Antony , hope to meet again in the future.