REDEFINING TRUE AFRICAN EXPERIENCE!
Bateleur Eagle Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2017)
- Member Of:
- Ministry of Tourism Kenya & Tour Operators Society of Kenya
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $150 to $300 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Adam Joyce & Julie Ballinger | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
“The Black Leopard” 3rd time booking, only gets better and better.
Where to start? We can’t thank Newton, Mathew and their team enough. After two bookings before with my (now) wife. I set them their biggest challenge yet!
After a failed trip to South Africa with my Mum in 2020 (some thing called Covid). We thought this trip wouldn’t happen.
We messaged the Bateleur team in early November who quickly collated a highly bespoke schedule to our exact requests.
It took a little while to confirm our side, and the various lodges / camps availability had changed. With a long list of questions from me (I would say us but I’d be lying!), the team managed to completely rejig our schedule and delivery our dream trip.
Starting in Nairobi we headed North to Samburu, but not before a surprise. We had asked if Jack the incredibly knowledgeable guide from my first visit to Kenya was available. We’d been informed he had some family matters and our guide would be Anthony. The team had arranged for Jack to be with us, but kept it a secret until the departure… from both of us! It’s not often that I’m speechless! And we were off to Samburu, catching up all the way.
We asked to dive off the road to sample the Dragonfruit and Mangoes grown and then sold along the edge. Jack picked the right place where we managed to interact with the locals as if we were local ourselves.
We enjoyed 3 nights in Samburu, watching leopard, elephants, lions and an unbelievable 360 degree sighting of a lazy cheetah.
We left for Laikipia, but dropped in by our guides childhood school in the foothills of Mount Kenya. My Mum is a teacher and wanted to see how children were taught in Kenya. Jack arranged for us to sit in on a Maths lesson and have a tour of the school.
We spent a few nights looking for leopards again (with luck!) and Striped Hyena / Wild Dogs (with no luck this time). But the show was stolen by an encounter with Giza, the now infamous black leopard of Laikipia. A true bucket list experience. We then spent the last morning tracking Kisiwa, the large local male leopard before our paths crossed on one of the tracks when heading back to camp.
We finished off with a couple of nights in Lewa, a real haven of Rhinos. So hard to find in so many places, we even managed to find a handful of Black Rhino.
We rounded our trip off with a meal at Carnivore with Mathew, Newton and Jack - dawa’s all round. And if it’s your Birthday possibly a surprise song…
Jack, assisted by Alex in Lewa, and the team live off making the dreams of their guests come true. They have a high level of expertise, but are also really open and accommodating to people specific (and often demanding!) requests.
You can never see everything, but the Bateluer Eagles Safari will get you as close as it’s possible to get.
We might not be able to get back soon, but we will be back.
Email Adam Joyce | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Redefining African Experience!
Trip number 2! We trust Newton and Mathew with our first trip to Africa in June 2022 with a Safari experience across Kenya, this time we returned as Newlyweds with a Bateleur Eagles Safari booked and organised trip to Zanzibar.
They matched our needs (knowing us well by this point!) with a local guide for a tour of Stone Town and then transfer to our resort. Our guide was really helpful and even took the time out to find us a baobab tree to visit which was on my bucket list!
We made some changes to our schedule after deciding one thing was a bit “tourist trap” and everything was swiftly changed without a murmur.
Making memories is their specialty.
AE
Email Vasilina | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Responsible and punctual team with extra attention to all customer needs.
Bateleur Eagle Safaris team are truly great company with an amazing organization of safaris in Kenya who anticipated all our needs and made our trip unforgettably enjoyable!
Professional guide made our trip not only spectacular but also full of and interesting information and facts about animals wildlife.
Professional and responsible team will definitely recommend!
Email The Booies | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Bateleur - A genuine, reliable, expert company with a family friendly approach and brilliant staff
We contacted Newton after a friend’s great experience on a Safari booked through Bateleur Eagle Safari’s. Our first contact with Newton was relaxed and friendly as we were novice first time Safari trekkers we had so many questions and queries and he dealt with every single one, none too much trouble. He and his team discussed which animals were important to us to see, what we wanted from the holiday and any special events. It was our 25th wedding anniversary whilst on the Kenyan Safari and as a family of 4 adults, Mum, Dad and two sons in their early 20’s, we needed two rooms at every venue and wanted very good quality accommodation and our own personal guide and big jeep with the raised roof for 16 nights!
Nothing was too much trouble and after 6 different itinerary’s that Newton did tirelessly we finalised our special anniversary safari – payment was easy and relaxed with no pressure dates and the odd change like adding a Balloon Safari was never an issue.
We arrived at 10pm and knew were meeting Dan or Philip from Newton’s team. He helped us and drove us from Nairobi airport to The Eka Hotel – fabulous staff and a great breakfast. Then the adventure commenced – we met Jack our guide for the entire 16 nights Safari and in our own 8 seater Toyota Landcruiser – 6 suitcases packed and we were off to Amboselli Serena Lodge for 2 nights. Jack was amazing, funny, helpful, knowledgeable and so friendly.
Amboselli took in 4 Game drives – AMAZING – Mount Kilimanjaro, Elephants, Lions, Hippos in abundance and on our main game drive day we witnessed our first live kill! A lonely hyena was spotted by Jack our driver, roof up and standing taking photos we saw 2 lone male lions walking towards us. They spotted the hyena so we videoed and photographed the two lions stalk, creep, attack and kill the hyena – yards from us – Jack had our car quietly parked in a prime slot…….what an experience on day 3 of our Safari. The BIG FIVE was on our check list – our first game reserve, Elephants, Lions, Hippo’s & Buffalo all ticked off the list.
Next stop Samburu in the north – a long journey, so Newton arranged a stop-over in Nairobi at The Tamarind Tree Hotel to visit Restaurant Carnivore for an amazing food experience. Hotel again outstanding and what a treat experience.
Off to Samburu and The Ashnil Samburu for lunch – what an unbelievable location and our lodge rooms on the river’s edge. Met with an outdoor poolside lunch followed by our first game drive. Jack again as our personal driver/guide was amazing, knowing all the best areas and viewing spots in the reserve. Our aim here after an amazing Amboselli experience was the last missing BIG FIVE, namely a Leopard.
Jack knew this and after a short time, we were speeding across the plains to find a lone Leopard walking and seemingly stalking a prey. We tracked the Leopard for almost an hour criss-crossing – great photos and videos finally seeing it jump up into a tree and lie down high above the plains – The last BIG FIVE ticked off and only our second reserve. What an experience.
We thought we’d seen it all, but Jack had heard talk of a pride of Lions, and after a drive to find them we were lucky enough to see around a dozen Lionesses and baby cubs stalking Warthogs. Following them, walking past our jeep just feet away! Don’t forget loads more Elephants, Monkeys, Antelope, Birds – everywhere you look a wild creature just metres away at times.
Day 7 and we drive to Olpejeta Conservancy and the Sweetwaters Serena Lodges – yet another 5 Star experience – a different reserve – Conservation at its heart – Monkey Sanctuary visit arranged and the last two Northern White Rhino’s in the world, the Rhino sanctuary plus 4 game drives. Rooms amazing at what a view out on a plain filled with Zebra’s, Antelope in our garden and Rhino’s. Here you see the memorial stones to so many Rhino’s killed by poachers – an thought provoking moment and makes you sad to see how wild animals have been treated for their horns.
Jack managed to show just how good of a driver he is, with another live kill. This time another pride of female lions stalking a family of 5 Warthogs – slowly slowly approaching our jeep, the Warthogs unaware in the long grass. With our cameras and videos recording the lead Lioness attacks… one Warthog caught before she sees another. Two killed, the remaining three scatter – the pride of Lionesses run – babies included for a fight for food and a feast of nature in real life up close and personal. Our second of three live kills and to add to it we saw the elusive striped hyena twice.
2 great days and nights here are a different experience, with the conservation as paramount but what Newton did arrange privately was a NIGHT DRIVE – what an experience with our own private guides picked up at the hotel – so much better than a hotel trip – we saw in the dark another Leopard, striped Hyena, Elephants, a pride of Lions and a town of Hyena’s in a spot only the conservation can drive to! 20-30 all out of their hideouts together – you don’t get that on the hotel trip!!
Day 9 – our 25th Anniversary and a drive to Lake Nakuru and the amazing Cliff Hotel for two nights. What a special place – high up with individual tent lodges with spectacular views, food is superb and a wonderful bar, staff amazing but to top it all off a special Sundowner experience followed by a private poolside dinner and our room decorated in rose petals in heart shapes and scattered in our room – all organised by Newton and his team. The drives here again are so different with the huge lake and forests – the landscape and animals just as amazing – the perfect romantic Safari stop-over.
After 2 nights of bliss we move for a two location Masia Mara treat to include a Balloon Safari. First stop the Loyk Mara a totally unfenced tented lodge experience with Masai tribe guards carrying spears and knives. You won’t find much better than here for a real life live among the animal’s venue. Lodges are luxurious, foods amazing again but the atmosphere is just so different. After 6pm you need your own personal Masai tribal guard to escort you from lodge to restaurant/bar because during our stay we had Giraffe’s, Hippo’s & more walking through and next to the lodges through the night. The Masai guys are amazing and to see animals comfortable to mix with us was something else. During dinner we had a fantastic 20 minute Masai tribal dance performed in front of us – the same guys serving us drinks, food and escorting us – they become part of your trip and were unbelievable. And here at Loyk we witnessed our third live kill – CHEETAH’s - two males we followed over a river bed to a herd Thompson Gazelle’s where we witnessed a high speed dominant kill followed by a close up of them enjoying their feast.
The second Masai Mara stop was Mara Serena – a cliff top type location totally different to Loyk Mara – spectacular views – a pool to dip in where as you bathe and relax you watch a Pumba (warthog) stroll past feet away. As with all Serena’s its buffet food rather than a menu choice. Changing venues gave you different food experiences and locations – everything top notch.
The early morning Balloon Safari Newton organised off hotel was unbelievable – what a once in a lifetime type trip – quietly drifting feet above the Mara, watching the Elephants grazing as the sun rises, the sound of the burner only – photographic heaven – an hour trip that leaves you speechless. A MUST DO at least once and let Newton book it, not the hotel. You start further out and see more. After the exciting landing in the middle of nowhere you have a full cooked breakfast with unlimited fizz and the Ballon Captain issues you all with certificates – memories to last forever.
The Masai Mara just before the ‘Great Migration’ is a breathless expanse of reserve. Long grass hides the animals in places, then open ground for miles – The Mara river full of crocodiles and Buffalos & Zebra’s drinking and of course the odd unfortunate victim being eaten by a ‘float’ of 20-30 hungry crocodiles. Jack once again parking the jeep in the perfect spot to take photographic memories.
The final two-night stop was at Lake Naivasha and Naivasha Sopa Lodges. Once again a fantastic venue with Zebra strolling around the grounds and by the pool – the room again amazing and two days doing trips like a Lake river boat safari checking out Hippo’s, to a sanctuary with a 3 week old Giraffe. On another day we visited Hell’s Gate National Park, the venue of the WRC World Rally due a few days after and seeing stages being prepared. Driving and walking high in the mountainous area where we saw the ‘Pride Rock’ from The Lion King.
Unfortunately, the last day did arrive but Newton had arranged a packed day to keep us busy before our 10pm flight – Jack drove us for the final time back to Nairobi where he took us to the Elephant Sanctuary, the Karen Blixen Museum and Giraffe Sanctuary with lunch in between meeting Newton & Mathew before Jack dropped us off at the airport. Such a sad time leaving such a wonderful country, the trip of a lifetime and memories to treasure forever but with a deep desire to return once again.
This was the greatest adventure and holiday for the 4 of us and we have been to some places. Words cannot properly explain the emotions we lived through, the laughter we had with Jack who left his family for 16 days to travel and stay at our Lodges throughout the time. The knowledge he has after 18 years as a guide was unbelievable, his enthusiasm and commitment and time spent has made him a part of our family. Newton & Mathew have just been the best throughout the booking process to the final goodbyes. We still keep in touch now we are back in England we have shared so many memories as we toured the amazing Kenya, with many photos and videos uploaded already onto the Bateleur Eagle Safari’s social media. Their commitment to making our holiday the trip of a lifetime from initial enquiries to itinerary’s, booking, payments, constant contact and assistance during the trip, the personal touches for our 25th anniversary, the extra trips and all the accommodation being top notch, you could use a better company than Bateleur Eagle Safari’s. Value for money compared to booking a normal travel agent and with all trips individual and personal, you can’t find any fault at all.
Book with total confidence and let Newton & his team take care of everything - 100% RECOMMENDED – we will definitely book through them again.
US
Email Katina | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very professional and took good care of us.
First off, I want to say that this trip has been one of the best I’ve ever had. Mathew did an amazing job with planning the itineraries for 2 countries (Kenya and Zanzibar). My friend and I had some major difficulties with our flight landing us in Kenya 2 days late. However, Mathew still found a way to squeeze in most of the excursions that was originally planned. He was always available and made us feel comfortable and safe. We were assigned to
El Kannah to be our tour guide in Kenya. He was well cognizant about the game drives, very professional and took good care of us. I will definitely refer my family and friends. Same experience in Zanzibar. Very beautiful experience.
AE
Email Asmahan | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Efficient and highly responsive
Excellent experience..
Fully organised trip from hotels/Lodge bookings, Safaris, transfers, even restaurants reservations..
Fully customizable itineraries ...
Everything went very well and smooth.
US
Email Tsarina | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Best safari experience so far!
Booking was very fast and efficient. They provided all options available and tailored our safari to fit our needs while still giving guidance . Communication was prompt,we were picked up on time and we felt like the trip was worth the money. Our guide and driver were very friendly and reliable too.
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Email Ernest | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Everything was epic, I can't say more..
Pick up was on time, the driver ( Antony ) was so professional. Him together with one of the company executive made sure we had an epic moment. We saw tones of different animal's. Most big fives. Then the sweet moment for safaris when it's rain season came, we got stuck inside masai mara. This came with mixed feelings, fun plus anxiety....we really enjoyed..
Excellent 4 days and fantastic customer service
Our itinerary was planned around what my Mum and I wanted so it was personal to our needs. They sent the itinerary and quote over email and WhatsApp so I could ask further specific questions efficiently. Overall, we expected it to be an expensive holiday but we don’t regret paying what we did because the hotel (Lyok Mara Luxury Camp) was amazing. Our personal driver was so kind, provided excellent knowledge about the animals and took good care of my Mum’s mobility needs. We saw hippos, elephants, giraffes, lions, hyenas, buffalos, crocodiles, various species of birds and the beautiful scenery of the Masai Mara. We also did the hot air balloon Safari which ended with a champagne breakfast plus visited the maasai people village. I highly recommend anyone using Bateleur Eagle Safari.
AE
Email Jenny | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Bespoke Safari holidays for every type of traveller
Right from initial communication through to air port drop off, this was one of the best holidays my husband and I have experienced.
The company made arrangements for everything and anything giving a range of options according to our budget.
Exceeded our expectations with customer service from start to finish! Have already recommended to my friends!