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
MY
Email Adam P | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A Safari come true
As a family, we've been planning an African safari for years. Since this would also be the first time deposits and payments were required before arrival, I carefully reviewed proposals from 6-7 established names that came highly recommended. After exhaustive review over many weeks, our decision for Tazama Africa Holidays boiled down to 3 things: 1) Antony's itinerary was more original than the rest 2)It provided real value on the ground in actual safari time, not days spent on the road or in cities, and 3) Antony came through with every ridiculous verification I asked for, from booking confirmations to pics of vehicles, without questions, any time of day, fully transparent. The moment of truth came when all 5 of us arrived for our two week safari; deposit paid months before to secure accommodation and full payment day before arrival. Antony and his staff delivered everything they promised in the itinerary beyond our expectation. We were delighted with the range of accommodation from wilderness tents to dream lodges, efficient, seamless travel and transfers, and most importantly we saw first-hand action every day on safari and learnt so much that Samburu, Nakuru, Olpejeta, Maasai Mara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro, came alive for us. Every day something exciting and unexpected on safari - lost count of the numerous animal and bird species, saw hunts, kills, herds migrating, newborns - very little we missed and a lot more than we bargained for. Before the safari, I admit I was sceptical about the perfect reviews Tazama had received, but having experienced it first-hand now, I realize its because of Antony's tireless energy to ensure his customers have the best experience possible and he never takes us for granted, even though we had already paid in full. Talking to others on safari where we stayed, we realized too that we were indeed experiencing a safari well above par. This was without a doubt our most expensive holiday even before a thousand dollars in tips alone (yes, we've even been to Norway) but it was worth every penny we spent.
Email Katya | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable Experience
My family and I went on a 2 week safari across Kenya and Tanzania. Tazama Africa exceeded all expectations from start to finish, and Antony's personable manner and contagious enthusiasm made the experience even more special. From selecting safari locations and accommodation to timing game drives and animal spotting, it was evident that Antony went over and above to ensure we had a successful safari. Across the 2 weeks we saw a huge variety of species (over 70) including giraffes, lions, leopards, elephants, cheetahs, hyenas, rhinos, zebras, buffalo, hippos, baboons, impalas, gazelles, serval cat to name a few. Despite having a longer safari than most, we never ceased to be amazed by each game drive and the 2 weeks passed much too quickly. Agostino, our Tanzanian guide, was incredibly knowledgeable and his unbelievably sharp eyesight allowed us to observe numerous animals that we would certainly not have spotted without him. I cannot fault a single thing about this experience and I will treasure the memories (and photos) from this holiday. Thank you so much Antony, Agostino and the rest of the team for taking such great care of us over the last 2 weeks - you have my highest recommendation.
DE
Email Viviane | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Dream vacation!
We chose Tazama Holidays for taking care of our honeymoon and dream trip to Kenya, first because of the company’s great reviews; second because of the always open and reassuring conversations with Anthony, the owner; third because of the fair quote he gave us for a 13-day Safari trip. I have to say that it wasn’t easy to put my honeymoon in the hands of somebody I had never seen, since we are used to always planning every small detail of our trips ourselves. But oh my, I don’t regret I booked my dream trip (of which I have been dreaming about since I’m 13 years’ old) with Tazama.
Following Anthony’s expertise, we decided to do Samburu, Olpejeta Conservancy, Lake Nakuru, Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Amboseli and Tsavo West.
Anthony made sure that we had comfortable and beautiful hotels, to which we were always excited to go back to at the end of the game drives. We couldn’t believe the quality of the hotels. He also made sure we had a honeymoon treatment in every new destination, meaning we received many loving surprises in the hotels, from wine bottles to beds covered in roses. He also organized the most amazing sundown at a conservancy in Masai Mara, knowing that we were dying to book a sundowner!
We were lucky enough to also have Anthony as our guide and driver. He conducted us in safety through rough roads, mud and water. Considering the condition of some roads inside and outside the parks (it rained quite a bit through some days), we were impressed how he always kept the car so clean for us everyday.
Anthony is also an excellent certified guide, whose knowledge and patience earned us the most memorable moments! In Samburu, for example, while other cars left, Anthony insisted we stayed with a seemingly sleeping leopard. I don’t know how he does it, but it’s like he knew something would happen. A few minutes later, we saw the leopard roar and attack a dik dik! We were the only ones who witnessed that on that day. Other amazing moments: we watched lionesses communicate, elephants having a mud bath, a buffalo challenge lions’ territory, the five famous cheetah “brothers” of Masai Mara hunt, elephants trumpeting, a leopard on top of a tree eating a kill, hippos playing, baby cheetahs and the cutest baby leopard!
Anthony’s expertise of the animals will also give you the best views to the animals. It’s like he knows their next steps, and he positions the car in a way that, at first, might not make sense, but then you get marveled that the animals cross right in front of you or pass by just next to you. That’s called a guide’s experience.
Anthony is very committed to his job, and you can see in details that he is just not doing a job, he WANTS us to have the best experience we can have, and he always does his best for it. For example, we were so impressed when, in Tsavo West, he called our room in the hotel to rush us to the car to go see a leopard with a kill up on a tree. This was around 2pm and we only had a scheduled game drive for 4pm. We stayed with the leopard for about 30 min, and we still did the normal game drive at 4. Anthony didn’t want us to miss on anything. Many times he would hear something on the radio and rush for us to see something amazing, no matter how far.
Apart from being an amazing guide, who taught us so much during the whole trip about animal behavior, curiosities, and life in Kenya, Anthony is an amazing human being. You can see it in the way that he helps other drivers, and cares about the tourists in other cars, always making sure no tourists’ views were blocked and placing the car in a way that we could have the best views as well as others around us. When my husband fell ill towards the end of the trip, Anthony also made sure he was given the medical attention he needed, and made himself available for us 24/7. He also constantly asked about how my foot was doing, since I stepped on a needle plant on the first day of our vacation.
A tip for other travelers: book directly with the company. I know it’s scary to send money to another country, to somebody you don’t know. We were a bit scared at first too, but everything worked great!
I can’t wait for our next vacations with Tazama Holidays (the company covers other African countries as well!). Thank you, Anthony, for making this the trip of our lives.
LV
Email Andrejs Kostenko | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
In November, we had an excellent private safari with Tazama Africa Holidays in Kenya
At the begining, a safari in Kenya was only part of our entire trip, which lasted one month. I personally prepared our first trip to Africa during the year and I discovered in detail every small thing of my trip. I always do that.
Thus, it was decided which parks we want to visit in Kenya and what exactly we want to see there. It was also decided how long time we have for safari in Kenya. I created a detailed plan / scenario with all my wishes and preferences and sent it to so many companies with good reviews. It was VERY important for us that our first safari would be successful. BTW, that is our dream (elephants grazing mt. Kilimanjaro, caves from the cartoon "The Lion King", animals as in national geographic). It was important that we had a chance to see all the TOP animals as close as possible. It was important to see Mount Kilimanjaro and elephants in the background of this mountain. It was important that our guide tried to do EVERYTHING so that we saw all the natural beauties, saw as many animals as possible, follow our prepared plan (itinerary) for this safari.
I contacted with many companies that matched my budget. In the end, there were only 3 companies and Tazama Holidays (which went beyond my budget). I can only note one thing, that it is very difficult to do I get out of my budget, but Antony (manager of Tazama Holidays) was the most convincing.
To each email he answered to me very quickly, informatively and reasonably. He was the only one who promised that I would definitely not be disappointed, our dreams will come true, we will have the best safari that can only be organized in the given weather conditions. Antony promised that all company guides with each client work as a VIP client and that all our wishes will be taken into account and implemented, unless weather conditions do not fit.
We decided to go a little beyond our budget and give the chance to Tazama Holidays.
I am a very demanding person and I always want to see EVERYTHING and as much as possible. All to the maximum.
From the first day of the safari, we felt like VIP clients. Our guide - Martin at the beginning gave me my printed detailed plan with all my wishes and requirements. He also said that if suddenly I feel that something is going wrong, I need to tell him about it.
I must say that everything went according to plan. Not a single promise was broken. All that was planned came true. Even more so, in one of the parks we were a little late, and next we had a long trip to the next lodge. But even so, Martin did not even comment we were late. He is simply a professional and he do his job very professionally and efficiently.
Our safari started at Amboseli Park. The camp that Antony recommended was very cool. We liked everything there completely: location, camp itself, food, amenities, the house where we lived and viewpoint to mt. Kilimanjaro.
Martin tried to do the best for us to see the most beautiful sunset, sunrise, see different animals on the background of Kilimanjaro, made everything so that we could get our dream photos. We were just delighted. As a result, we saw in this park everything that was planned and everything what we wanted. A bit no luck with the cats, but we expected to see them in Masai Mara.
After Amboseli there was also the Hells gate NP with safaris on bicycles, as well as relaxation in hot springs and Cresent island.
All this was just amazing. We got everything that we planned and everything how we wanted it to see or feel. Next was Masai Mara for 2.5 days.
I just can’t convey in words how much, thanks to Martin, we liked this park. Martin felt like a fish in water in this park. He knew everything about this park. He could answer to any question about animals and about the park. Martin was excellent.
He asked us what else we would like to see when we have already seen almost everything. He was no in hurry to return to the lodge from a safari for rest, he always waited for our wishes and execute them.
In the end, our safari ended and Martin took us to the bus station, from which we had a bus to Uganda.
We were happy that we choose Tazama Holidays. Believe me, this company deservedly gets this review.
We got everything we wanted and even more, since Antony helped us with many bus tickets. Before the safari and during the safari, we asked Antony to help us with the purchase of bus tickets. He reserved and bought tickets for us absolutely without any commission, and that was very pleasant. Also on the last day, when we returned from Uganda to Nairobi, Antony's people (Purity) met us at the bus station and drive us to the Giraffe Center, and in the evening of the same day they took us to the restaurant and from there to the airport. And all this was included in the safari price. I mean transfer into Nairobi.
I will add also that all the time of our safari, Antony was in touch and it was clear that he was very interested in making his customers happy. And this, from my point of view, is very important.
I recommend Tazama Holidays. Our experience with them (Antony, Martin, Purity) was brilliant.
A few words about Antony:
1. Professional. Since the photographer himself knows the places in the parks for great photos.
2. Always keeps his word. All that he promised, he did everything. And even more.
3. He take care of his clients and appreciate them. Each client as a VIP.
4. Great organizer and manager.
A few words about the Martin guide:
1. Very informative
2. Each client is a VIP for him.
3. Сommunicable, not obsessive.
4. Professional.
PS: Thank you guys for our first and best safari. You made all the best and you completed your task. :)
Email Sharon | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Simply amazing, professional, informative and breathtaking experience
From the moment we got in the very clean and equipped Landcruiser, I knew we were in for a fantastic week. Our driver and guide for the week was a wonderful man named Mwangi. He made sure we always had bottled water, as much as we needed, access to charge our phones and that we were well fed. Spending the week with him was an absolute joy. This safari more than exceeded my expectations, from the animals, to the camp sites, the food, the people we encountered along the way. Any questions we had in regards to the animals and the flora, he knew about. His knowledge was incredible and I learnt a lot from him in that week. I would 100% go again. I love Kenya!
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.
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 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.
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!
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.