Twinkle Star Tours & Safaris Limited Staff Photo
Twinkle Star Tours & Safaris
- Located In:
-
United States
Taiwan
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2017)
- Member Of:
- KATO, Eco Tourism Kenya & KTB
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $60 to $500 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
CN
Email YAN | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A travel agency that won't let you down.
Twinkle Star is a very professional travel agency. In the early stage of communication, they provided professional opinions and the most favorable prices. They responded promptly and emphasized the spirit of the contract. Manager James will personally pick up and drop off at the airport, giving instructions on precautions. Our dedicated Guide (John) is very professional with 27 years of Safari experience. He can predict the path of animals in advance, understand their habits, and is also a very enthusiastic and interesting. He has many interesting experiences, is passionate about his work, and has a good service attitude, giving us a great Safari experience. In short, Twinkle Star is definitely the best choice for you to travel to Kenya, with extremely high cost performance. I will recommend them to every friend who comes to ask for my opinion.
CN
Email BO | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An unforgettable Safari trip in Africa!
I was very happy to choose Twinkle star after comparing many tourist companys and James arranged a fantastic 10-days safari trip for us. And booked the hotel according to our requirements. I would like to commend our driver Robbert, who is a very good driver and professional guide. On the premise of ensuring our safety, he does not disturb the animals and respects and loves every animal. I think this is an advantage that many travel agency guides do not have at present. I'd like to give Robbert a five star praise！
Standing on the vast plains, watching elephants, giraffes, and zebras grazing peacefully, I felt the primal beauty of nature. As the sunset, overlooking the lions hunting on the plains from the cliff edge, I developed a deeper respect for the cycle of life and the power of nature. This trip was not just about observing wildlife and scenic beauty,it was a spiritual adventure and a growth journey. It taught me to cherish every moment filled with surprises and joy.
I feel that time has passed very fast, looking forward to the next trip to Africa!
US
Email John C. and Margaret A. | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Twinkle Star Tours and Safaris amazing tour of Kenya and Tanzania
We just returned from a seven-week trip to southern and eastern Africa that was capped off by a twelve-day private combo circuit of Kenya and Tanzania. James and Twinkle Star Tours and Safaris offered a tour that was what we wanted and were willing to modify two of the days for additional sites and activities. James was most accommodating in helping us plan the trip. We traveled to the Rift lakes in Kenya and Masai Mara, then crossed the border to the Serengeti, Olduvai Gorge, and Ngorongoro before returning to Amboseli and Nairobi. James provided us with two excellent guides who were both knowledgeable and experienced (Joseph in Kenya and Roger in Tanzania) and appropriate vehicles that easily travelled the countryside. Roger and Joseph’s ability to spot birds and animals and to identify them added greatly to the experience. Roger’s sense of humor was especially delightful.
We waited all too long before traveling to Africa and hope to return. We highly recommend James and Twinkle Star to others wanting to experience that amazing land.
US
Email IR from MA | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well organized, interesting itinerary and a knowledgeable guide
The initial communication with Twinkle Star was very good. All questions and concerns were quickly answered. There was a mix-up about our arrival time that caused us some stress when we were not met as planned but that worked out ok. Our guide/driver was friendly and knowledgeable. The itinerary was followed closely. The only animal on our list that we didn't see was a leopard. The most exciting were lions feeding on a buffalo carcass surrounded by hyaenas waiting for the leftovers. The accommodations were clean and comfortable. The meals were mostly buffet with many food choices. I had no problem finding vegetarian options. All the different camps seemed to have the same food. The boxed lunches were also satisfactory. This is the only travel of this kind we have done so don't have anything to compare, but we enjoyed the experience. When researching Kenyan safaris Twinkle Star was competitive in price. We arrived home exhausted but since having time to rest and review and share our photos we only remember how much fun we had. It met our expectations.
We knew there would be a lot of time spent travelling between parks. Seeing Kenya outside the parks is part of the experience. But it was even more than anticipated. One drive was 12 hours instead of the 7-hour estimate. The two seatbelts in the middle row of the Landcruiser didn't work so when outside the parks we had to use the back which was not as comfortable.
FYI - Tipping was a problem that we weren't prepared for. US dollars seemed to be preferred over Kenyan shillings. Having small bills would have been helpful. We overtipped at times and sometimes didn't tip at all. Sometimes the tip could be added by credit card to the hotel bill.
Email Scott | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great trip with an awesome driver (Joel)
We visited a number of parks and the experience in the parks was amazing. Our driver Joel was awesome and very knowledgeable. Accommodation was a good quality. Just be sure to confirm with James whether you wish to do a private or group tour. Also try to get confirmation of the hotels you will stay in before you get to Kenya. We had an issue with one hotel, where we were told on the day we arrived at the hotel that the hotel we chose was not available so we were staying somewhere else. Not a big issue and James updated our accommodation at another park as compensation. However, was a shock when we arrived at the hotel as we were not informed. Overall was an amazing experience.
Reply from Twinkle Star Tours & Safaris
Posted on Sep 3, 2019Jambo Scott,
Thank you for choosing Kenya as your holiday destination.
Thank you also for acknowledging Twinkle Star Tours and Safaris for ensuring you had a wonderful experience of a lifetime.
We apologize for the issue of the hotel.
Thank you for your thankful note and appreciating Joel, your driver guide who made your holiday safari fantastic.
Twinkle Star Tours and Safaris Welcomes you back for another safari-(Karibu Tena).
Asante Sana
SE
Email Marina and Linnea | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We could not have asked for a better experience
We booked a 3-day trip to Masai Mara through Twinkle Star. We got excellent help from James who made sure we got exactly what we were asking for. He even contacted us afterwards to make sure we were satisfied with the trip. Our guide Miqal picked us up in Nairobi and from the first minute we felt really welcomed. This whole trip was totally living up to our expectations thanks to Miqal who genuinely cared about giving us the best experience we could ever dream of. We had the greatest time and we will definately be choosing this company again.
Reply from Twinkle Star Tours & Safaris
Posted on Feb 10, 2020Jambo Marina,
(3 DAYS MASAI MARA SAFARI)
Thank you for rating the services we provided, 5/5*
We are glad that you found the experience you wanted from us.
Thank you for appreciating James, who planned and made your safari dream come true.
Thank you also for acknowledging our driver-guide, Michael(migal) and appreciating the services he gave you by taking care of you every time.
Us from Twinkle Star Tours Team, we really want to say thank you and we welcome you again for another safari.
Asante Sana.
Regards,
Benson Mutinda
Tour Manager
US
Email Evans | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful and Memorable
Hi James , I know it is long since i came back from Kenya. Our safari was short due to the Covid 19 that has just started but we are happy that the three days we took safari to Masai Mara was memorable. Our plan was to do mountain climbing but to the pandemic we had to take flight back home. We are also happy that we were not tested positive and we are well just hopping to come back to Kenya soon. We were happy with the accommodation and transport arrangement and we promised to come with bigger team. Debra, Tera and Nicole and I can not wait to see you soon. Evans
Reply from Twinkle Star Tours & Safaris
Posted on Jun 3, 2020Jambo Evans,
Thank you for reviewing your experience you had with us.
Your safari was wonderful and going on well as planned but cut short by Corona Virus. We are really sorry for that.
We hope to see you again in Kenya after everything resumes to normal.
Stay home, stay safe
Regards,
Benson.
US
Email Danielle Funk | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing 17 day private Bush & Beach tour - Kenya & Tanzania
We recently returned from a 17 day bush and beach tour organized by James Oketch from Twinkle Star Tours, and we had an AMAZING trip!
After searching around and not really knowing where to begin, we decided to book this trip through Twinkle Star Tours as James was very responsive to our questions right from the beginning. We started planning this trip during the end of 2019, and as 2020 - and COVID - arrived our plans were, of course, up in the air with Kenya being closed to visitors. James was in touch with us the entire time and was willing to allow us to change the trip to 2021 with no fees, but when Kenya opened up we decided to go this year.
Our trip began with our arrival in Nairobi, we then spent time in Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, Masai Mara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, Zanzibar, and Amboseli before returning to Nairobi.
Due to COVID, our trip details had to be changed a number of times. Many of the places were were scheduled to stay in were still not open, so James had to rebook our lodgings. He was always very communicative in this and in most cases we were actually upgraded to nicer lodgings! We also had to move our trip to Zanzibar to the middle of the trip instead of the end due to Tanzania not allowing flights from Kenya, and James handled all of this rebooking for us as well. Having him handle all of these changes was so relieving.
James met us at our hotel on our first morning and confirmed all of our trip details. We had three guides on our trip - one in Kenya (Peter), one in Tanzania (Hozza), and one while in Zanzibar (Abdullah). All of our guides were GREAT. I cannot say enough about how friendly, trustworthy, knowledgeable, and accommodating they all were. On safari you spend a lot of time in the car with your guide, and there wasn't a moment that we didn't feel safe or taken care of with our guides. Peter and Hozza were able to find all of the animals that we wanted to see - including the big five - and taught us so much about the animals, the land, and their beautiful countries. And Abdullah was very helpful and informative while we toured Zanzibar. James set us up with several tours while in Zanzibar, so we were able to go to Stone Town, tour a spice farm, and swim with dolphins!
I have read on here about the road conditions and driving, and I wanted to say first that you will be on some bumpy roads, but that is all part of the fun! The parks all have a maximum speed limit but those roads are not paved (for the animal's sake) so you should prepare yourself for a bit of bouncing around while you explore. We opted for the Land Cruiser instead of the minivan, and I believe that not only are they more comfortable, but they are able to get to some parts of the park that the vans would not have been able to reach. Also, as to the speed on roadways between parks - many of the company vehicles in Kenya have a speed limiter, so they absolutely cannot go more than 80kph or else the power cuts out.
The only stressful part of our trip was crossing the Kenya/Tanzania border at the land crossings two times. This had nothing to do with our tour and only had to do with the bureaucracy that is involved in crossing a border. That being said, our guides helped us navigate these crossings, including all of the extra precautions necessary due to COVID, and made the transition way smoother than had we been left to figure it out ourselves.
During our trip, we were scheduled to fly from Arusha to Zanzibar. At the last moment (after Hozza got us to the airport) we found out that the flight was moved to Kilimanjaro airport, about an hour away. Though this was frustrating news from the airline, it was great to have our guide with us to explain what was going on and to pack our suitcases back into the Land Cruiser and bring us to the correct airport.
At the end of our trip, our flight back to JFK left Nairobi late at night, so James actually set us up with a (comped) hotel in Nairobi for a couple of hours so that we could shower and change before flying home. He also met us at the hotel and brought his family along to introduce us.
Throughout the entire trip, our guides let us know that James had called to check on how it was going and to ensure that all was proceeding smoothly. James always answered my emails promptly, even when the time difference meant that he was replying after midnight his time.
I have no problem recommending James Oketch and Twinkle Star Tours, along with all of our guides, and would give him more than a 5 star rating if I could. This was a life-changing trip and was made better knowing that we had this company there to assist us with anything that could arise.
Reply from Twinkle Star Tours & Safaris
Posted on Oct 12, 202017 Days Bush and Beach Safari in Kenya, Tanzania, and Zanzibar.
Jambo Danielle Morris & Curtis Funk,
Thank you for Joining Twinkle Star Tours and Safaris on a 17 Days Kenya, Tanzania, and Zanzibar Safari and also making time to provide this wonderful safari experience.
We are glad you found your Tour Planner, James very communicative, responsive, and helpful from the beginning until you finished your safari.
Thank you for appreciating the services offered by all our three guides in Kenya (Peter), one in Tanzania (Hozza), and one while in Zanzibar (Abdullah) and also finding them very friendly, trustworthy, knowledgeable, and accommodating
Thank you for recommending the nicer lodges and tented camps booked for you.
We are happy for your recommendation and 5* review. We welcome you again to Kenya
Regards,
James Oketch
SV
Email MANUELA | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
WONDERFULL SPERIENCE 15 DAYS KENYA AN TANZANIA-GREAT MIGRATION
I have been traveling through the great natural settings of Africa for more than 30 years. I love all of its great national parks. I was in Kenya and Tanzania some time ago and this year I decided that it would be a good time to go back and make my trip coincide with the Great Migration that takes place between Serengeti and Masai Mara. I planned a 15-day trip the first half of August and wrote to several tour operators to prepare an itinerary and a budget for two people. TWINKLE STAR TOURS responded to me immediately and with a much better budget than other tour operators. During the preparation James, his contact, responded efficiently and quickly to my requests and, finally, I opted for TWINKLE STAR TOURS on this trip to Kenya and Tanzania which has been wonderful. One of the reasons why I chose TWINKLE STAR TOURS was that most of the safaris were full day so the possibility of seeing the national park and its animals better was greater. On the other hand, the chosen accommodations had good recommendations and the final price was very good.
The scheduled tour was as follows: SAMBURU (Kenya), LAKE NAKURU (Kenya), MASAI MARA (Kenya), SERENGUETI (Tanzania), NGORONGORO (Tanzania), LAKE MANYARA (Tanzania), TARANGIRE (Tanzania), AMBOSELI (Kenya).
During the tour we had two driver-guides: Willie in Kenya and Hoza in Tanzania. We did the part of Kenya with Willie in a convertible vanette which, for two people, is sufficient since most of the parks in Kenya do not require a Land Cruiser and that, logically, makes the trip cheaper. Willie was an excellent driver-guide. He was always aware that we had the best service, the best room, the best position to see and photograph wildlife and he showed great solvency in solving situations that, without his action, could have turned into big problems. Thanks to his recommendation, we were able to see the Great Migration from the sky, as Katlen Blixen would say ... "With the eyes of God". On the third day of our stay in the Masai Mara, we took a balloon ride to admire this magnificent spectacle from the air. It really is an overwhelming natural spectacle. A 10 for Willie. He is also tremendously friendly and funny. We did the Tanzania part with Hoza, also an excellent driver-guide. He was always aware of locating fauna and placing us in the best position for photographing him. He gave us excellent knowledge about the national parks and their fauna and also about his country, Tanzania. With him we use a Land Cruiser since in Tanzania if necessary to move around its national parks.
The accommodations chosen by TWINKLE STAR TOURS were very nice and of good value for money.
In short, everything was wonderful, from the first contact with TWINKLE STAR TOURS until we said goodbye to their services at the airport. If I decide to return to Kenya and Tanzania again, which I do not rule out soon, or someone asks me for a recommendation, I would not hesitate to advise you to contact TWINKLE STAR TOURS. They are excellent professionals. And, without a doubt, I would return with Willie and Hoza as guide-drivers. They made the trip very easy, enjoyable, and instructive. And, it goes without saying, that Kenya and Tanzania are wonderful destinations to always visit and especially in this time of COVID, when the safest and most fabulous vacations are in nature, on safari.
Thank you very much TWINKLE STAR TOURS, Willie and Hoza for this magnificent experience and see you soon.
Gloria and Manuela
Reply from Twinkle Star Tours & Safaris
Posted on Aug 23, 2021Jambo Manuela,
Thank you for traveling with us on our 15 days private safari in Kenya and Tanzania and taking your time to provide good feedback about your safari experience.
We appreciate the positive feedback of your experience on, the organization and planning of the safari handled by James and your Safari guides Willie and Hoza who were very knowledgeable, accommodating, and also great at spotting animals in the parks.
Hopefully, this shall not be your last Kenya-Tanzania holiday safari with us. We look forward to hosting you and your friend and family in the near future.
Best Regards
James Oketch
US
Email Irmgard Christine | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Absolutely awesome 5 stars all the way
I booked the Tour from the USA. Received a Quote. I agreed and wired the down-payment from my Bank to their Bank in Kenya. I arrived in Kenya, was greeted by one of the Employees, sign the Contract and the next Day, Simon, the Driver was on time at 7.30AM and off we went to the Masai Mara. It was an absolutely perfect Experience and definitely would chose Twinkle Stars again. The Driver Simon had an unbelievable knowledge of the Masai Mara.
Reply from Twinkle Star Tours & Safaris
Posted on Aug 31, 2021Jambo Christine,
Thank you very much for choosing Twinkle Star Tours and Safaris Ltd for your 4 Days/ 3 Nights Masai Mara Safari. We appreciate a lot for sharing your experience and rating our services. Thank you for acknowledging Simon your 4 days safari guide who demonstrated a lot of skills and knowledge during your safari. We welcome you again in the future with your friends. Asante.
Best Regards,
James Oketch