Sunnycreek Safaris Team
Sunnycreek Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2017)
- Tour Types:
- Small & medium group tours (Budget & mid-range)
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $50 to $400 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
SA
Email Abdelrahman Babiker | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An enchanting experience that is relatively affordable and complete in one package.
SunnyCreeks provided my friend and I with an amazing experience that I truly recommend everyone should try out. They really made the most of the amount whilst not being too expensive. Everything was adequate and good for the price housing, food, safari car, everything! We went with Alex as our driver and guide and he did an amazing job at explaining and talking about all animals that we encountered. Alex really went out of his way to make sure each and every one of us had a good time and that I loved. We were able to spot all big 5. Though I have a few minor concerns over the whole experience.
1. I wish the tipping/fee culture was explained more adequately for someone who comes from a different culture tipping is not the norm however when visiting the masai mara village, then going over the river we were expected to tip, as well as pay a masai mara entrance fee which threw us offgaurd as I didn't expect to spend cash during. (thou the tipping wasn't a lot ~20-40$) I still would have appreciated an earlier headsup. I would have honestly preferred if the price of the package was increased to accommodate the tipping as I found it to be a negative part of my experience. As budget travelers we try to calculate everything involved and these unexpected fees do harm the experience.
2. The third day could have included more activities we visited the masai mara village (took around 2-3 hours) and travelled to the lake to check in. I really think we could have done a lot more in terms of visiting local attractions or just going around in the city or even a group entertainment activity. In the evenings there was a lot of emptiness we wished could have spent better.
3. I wish we were given more tips about pricing and tourism merchandise earlier. Just general tips that help when it comes to bargaining and discussing. We were cheated by the village people who guilt tripped us into purchasing mass produced items that were described as "unique and locally made" and paid 2-3x their usual prices. For many this might be the first thing we try in Kenya so general tips would be nice.
However, the above concerns still did not ruin the experience sunnycreeks is still an amazing provider and I would definitely come back with them again. Even before we landed in Nairobi Maureen made sure our itinerary was correct and that our airport pick up went smoothly. Sunnycreeks gave us nice recommendations of places to enter and spend time as our flights were in an awkward timing. and Maureen made sure our return to the airport went smoothly and even offered us rides to the airport on the way back.
Email Stephanie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
I would recommend Sunnycreek Safaris to everyone!
Before arriving I was in contact with Maureen to arrange the safari. Her level of customer service was outstanding and made me feel comfortable that I had chosen the right company to book with. She replied to any questions I had instantly and always kept me updated on the itinerary.
The actual safari was amazing. Jeff was my guide and driver. He was great fun and made sure we got fantastic sightings of the big 5. Jeff never rushed the group, allowed us time to take photos and provided any information we wanted about the animals we were viewing. I would highly recommend him and Sunnycreek as a company in general.
KW
Email Everett | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Jeff is passionate about delivering a top-notch experience to his tourists/guests! Thank you!
I am not even sure where to begin about my experience here in Kenya, especially the four-day safari I booked through Sunny Creek Safaris. I will do my best to keep this as brief as possible.
From the beginning when I was picked up from my hotel and transferred over to meet my tour guide, Jeff, the experience was hassle and pain-free. Jeff was very friendly and polite from the moment he introduced himself to our group, and made it a point to encourage us to ask questions and not be afraid to raise any concerns should they arise. For anyone who has not experienced traffic like Kenya's traffic, you're in for an experience. However, I was not concerned at all given Jeff is a very safe driver and could anticipate other drivers'actions. This was peace of mind for someone like me who likes to be in control when it comes to "road trips."
I will lump up my experiences at Masai Mara, Lake Navaisha, and Lake Nukuru together. This experience was one that I could not even begin to put into words, nor will all the photos I took ever do it any justice. A majority of this safari was just soaking it all in and enjoying the many moments I had. The land and terrain are just too surreal to try and explain, and all I can say is one needs to experience this for oneself. Something I truly enjoyed and found to be indicative of Jeff's passion for what he does were the impromptu "quizzes" he had for our group. This was not to "test" us or put us on the spot, but I realize Jeff's goal was to inform us. He was genuinely engaged with us and wanted us to soak up and take as much information back home with us.
Some things I can offer from my experience (personal preferences) to maybe help those considering this trip in order to better prepare themselves would be, if you enjoy Coke Zero, Diet Coke/Pepsi, you may want to bring your own as there was none available during our stay at the campsite for Masai Mara. Additionally, there was no sweeteners such as Stevia or Splenda. Again, these are personal preferences. I want to ensure that it is known, this is as close as you can get to "roughing it" while still having amenities available to you. The weather was amazing during my time here, but even during warmer months, I would still very likely wear long pants and long-sleeves because of the elements (bugs, mosquitoes, etc.). If you choose to wear more comfortable clothing, bring repellent. I love the fact that any type of service for cells was very limited because this would take away from the experience. The staff at every point of our trip was very friendly and helpful.
If you have any reservations or are just contemplating this adventure, I highly recommend you do yourself the favor and book this trip and prepare for an amazing experience!
BR
Email Rafael | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The experience of a lifetime, trustworthy and professional.
Our safari trip was amazing!
From the booking, Maureen was very attentive and assured us we would have vegan options available for all meals included in the tour.
For strict vegetarians, the breakfast on the camping site could be improved, for example, with an option of spreadable as peanut butter and a vegan pancake. The package lunch for the sexond day could be improved too, but we saw that they were making an effort to accommodate us and they came to ask us what could and could not be included in it, which we appreciate. Dinner on the camp-site itself and the meals on roadside restaurants and the hotel all had a decent amount of vegan options and everything was very tasty. We loved the Kenyan cuisine!
They picked us up at the hotel on time and after paying for the tour in the office, we met our fellow travellers and went off to Masai Mara. We had to wait a bit since one other guest was a bit late, but everything worked out well.
We stayed 2 nights at a tented camping site outside the park, near the Masai Village. The camp was really nice, organised, clean, secure and had very good food! We literally felt like going to an expedition into the wild (tip: bring a small paddock to lock your tent against local tree dwelling thief's, aka baboons.. They would run around in the camp in the mornings and eventually try to go inside the tents looking for food, which only added to the whole experience!)
Our driver and guide, Charles, was the best! He was very knowledgeable about the animals and very good at finding them in the savannah. We felt safe the whole time and had fun on the way too. It was definetely the adventure of a lifetime and the expectation of not knowing what animals we would find next was thrilling, when driving throught one of the more remote locations, we felt like on a Jurassic park movie (on the beginning of the movie, when all is going well... Hehe)
On our third day we drove to our hotel near Lake Nakuru. The hotel was very nice and also had very good food, and the game drive on the park the next morning was also amazing.
We were not sure about booking 3 or 4 days and in the end we loved having booked the 4th day at Lake Nakuru. The park is much smaller than Masai Mara, and has denser vegetation and higher trees, but we were lucky enough to get a much closer encounter with a family of white rhinos.
Also, Charles told us that because the water level of the lake has been rising lately, there are not as many flamingos as before, but there were a lot of them and we loved it nonetheless.
On the way to and back from the safari, we stopped for lunch and also on a giant gift shop with a huge variety of arts and crafts, prefect to bargain for that souvenir to take home.
In the end, we were dropped off at the airport on time and will definitely miss Kenya a lot.
Overall, we couldn't have asked for a better experience. They were very professional and made sure we could enjoy the trip to this marvellous piece of preserved wild nature.
There are only two last things to point out: 1) on the safaribookings website, it was advertised 6-7 people per vehicle and we had 8 in ours. Everyone in the group was very nice and easy going, so we had a great time and, 2) the communication prior to the trip could have been a bit better, since we had our tour combined with another safari company who actually handled the payment, which per si is not a problem and Maureen was there on the day so we had no problems at all, but it would have been nice to know that ahead of time. Anyway, as they say there "hakuna matata", after such an unforgettable experience, we definitely recommend them for your safari on Kenya and also do ask if Charles is available to guide you, again, he was the best and made sure we had the best experience possible!
Email Christelle | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Sunnycreek Safaris offers a professional service of the highest quality.
From the beginning of my contact with Maureen at Sunnycreek Safaris I was put at ease. She responded quickly to my emails, and answered all of my questions. I travelled as a female by myself, and I can honestly recommend Sunnycreek Safaris to anyone who is considering traveling solo. You will be in safe hands, and experience Kenya and all that it has to offer to the full! Thank you for such an amazing experience!!! Charles, our guide was also extremely professional. He answered any questions we had of the wildlife or area, and he was accommodating of everyone who was on the safari. He is a very good driver and you will be in safe hands with him as your guide!
Email Rosie Ashworth | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Professional tour operator that excelled our expectations
We highly recommend Sunny Creek Safaris. Maureen is an excellent communicator who replies quickly to emails and ensures that your safari is completely tailored to your requirements. John was a fantastic guide and always made sure we were one of the first to arrive at any big sighting. We saw an amazing number of animals including a leopard, numerous lions, elephants, giraffe, buffalo, cheetahs, a huge wildebeest crossing and even a close up kill. This was all thanks to John's knowledge of the animals and the Masai Mara terrain. Thank you Sunny Safaris for an absolutely amazing trip. We will definitely be back for another safari with you in the future!
HR
Email Samanta | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience
I looked into booking budget safari last second, so I send some inquiries 5 days before departure and decided to go with Sunnycreek as they seemed most upfront and knowledgeable about my questions, and without constant calling and pushing. Communication was amazing, everything went as planned. Land Cruiser was a definite go to, and our driver and guide Jeff was amazing. Super knowledgeable, kind, shared good moments with us, but wasn’t too much in our space which was appreciate. I am a solo traveler so it was great meeting other people in jeep, and our team was so great! Jeff took us to places where we were not always surrounded with other vehicles, as it’s busy season, and that was amazing, because he knew where to go, and those times we saw lions on multiple occasions. He as well always got us in the best positions for picture taking, and to close proximity as able to animals. Amazing experience.
Accommodation was honestly better than I expected. First two days tents was good, even with bed and bathroom inside, and following accommodations in hotels was really good for budget safari. You will not regret going with Sunnycreek and Jeff.
NL
Email Wagner | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing time
We had a great time with this company, our guide was very kind and helpful, also the company was very transparent with the communication, plus their chose stays was also very comfortable.
NL
Email Paula | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing tour
My husband and I had an amazing time with our guide John. He is very knowledgeable and answer all our questions. Besides that he was the best on the game drive, giving us the best spots to see all the animals. We got very close to all of them and it was amazing.
We loved our tour and recommend for everyone. It's an amazing company with fair prices, and their partners like restaurants and hotel's are all amazing.
DE
Email Kaibo | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great value, excellent communication, the budget Safari company to choose!
We did our Masai Mara and Nakuru tour with sunnycreek and are very happy with everything. From the smooth communication to the very competitive pricing, to the good tour guide, the accomodations and the willingness to be creative to fulfill our personalized requests. It was a 10/10. We recommend sunnycreek and the remarkable back office lead by Maureen