The Team Behind Kenya Walking Survivors Safaris
Kenya Walking Survivors Safaris Ltd
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2003)
- Member Of:
- Eco Tourism & Kenya Wildlife Services
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $64 to $490 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
CZ
Email Jan | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great company, nice experience, no problems at all, just enjoy the animals => definitely recommend!
10 days safari (Kenya + Tanzania), January 2017
Preparation:
We (young couple, no kids) have chosen Kenya Walking Survivors Safaris for 10 days trip in Kenya (7 days) and Tanzania (3 days). The boss, Mr Otieno, was very helpful with communication in advance – before choosing specific trip and paying deposit I have exchanged quite few emails with Mr Otieno to clarify all the topics. He was replying fast and efficiently. Upon arrival in Nairobi we have visited Mr. Otieno at the office and just confirmed what we already agreed over emails.
Kenya:
Our guide for Kenya was Antony and we also had a cook Sam for few days with us. Both of them were really great – Tony could find all the animals and drive to great spots to take picture and watch it. We visited Masai Mara, lake Naivasha and Amboseli in Kenya. In Masai Mara we were lucky (+ Tony made a great job) to see most of the animals we wanted to see: from all common zebras, warthhogs and wildbeest as well as elephants, buffalos, ostriches, hippos, giraffes to cheetahs, leopards and lions. We were even able to watch the black rhino strolling the plains. In lake Naivasha we added plenty of birdlife, hippos and some nice 2 hour walk in safari and ending our Kenya tour in Amboseli was highlight as well. In contradiction to dry Masai Mara (it was dry season) Amboseli was partially green and thus more herds of animals were coming to these green spots. And Tony could find and show us all the animals. Kilimanjaro is visible clearly from the park so it adds to it’s appeal. We also visited Masai tribe village nearby to investigate how life goes in there.
For Sam, the cook, he was the best:) We liked his food most of all the dish we had in Kenya, including some quite fancy camps/lodges, where the food was really great!
Thanks, Tony & Sam, it was really nice experience!
Tanzania:
The guide for Tanzania was Rama. He has great knowledge about the animals and is great in spotting them. I wonder what eyes both guides have – they could saw what took us 10 seconds to find with binoculars:) Rama is a good guy, trying to care about his guests as much as he can, he keeps you informed about how much further till park etc. In Tanzania we visited three places: Lake Manyara, Serengeti and NgorNgoro crater. We spend only 3 days there and should be more to properly see everything. From high level the animal spotting is more or less same with Kenya – it depends on your guide, luck, time what will you see. For us we saw similar animals as in Kenya – lions, elephants, zebras,... For Lake Manyara we did not see the tree climbing lions, it seems to be quite rare to see them, on the other hand we saw many pelicans and water birds, hippos and other animals. Serengeti is one ecozone with Masai Mara so it was full of life here as well: we saw many lions, cheeta, leopard, hyenas there. By the way it’s best to go early morning or evening for safari – you will see more animals active. If it’s cloudy it should be fine during a day as well – it was cloudy in Serengeti and animals were pretty much active. There were also big herds of wildebeest roaming. We slept in a camp inside the Serengeti with no fence, so it’s possible for animals to come in the camp. Don’t be afraid though – after dark a staff member will escort you to your tent if you need and during day it’s safe to walk around. It was really wonderful place to be. NgoroNgoro is wonderful – it’s 20x15km crater with a lot of life inside – lions, elephants,...we saw black rhinos from far distance. The athmosphere of the creater is wonderful and Rama can provide you with details about the life there as well as rocks or anything you are interested in. Last day Rama rode as to the border with Kenya where he handed us over to David to drive us back to Nairobi airport.
Thank you, Rama, for the tour!
Accomodation & Transport
For the accomodation and transport – everything was fine. Accommodation was good, always with own toilet and shower, most time something between big tent and cottage (sorry don!t know the exact name for it). It were nice, cosy and clean places with some bonus usually: In Masai Mara small monkeys, in Naivasha you can watch hippos mowning lawn after sunset (you need powerful flashlight!) and in Amboseli were some Masai people performing dance at fire after dark, Serengeti has wonderful inside-park-no-fence camp (best accomodation!), NgoroNgoro was wonderful resort with small swimming pool etc. Also we watched the stars.
Not sure if it’s obvious but guide and driver is one person:) Roads are often bumpy and dusty, but the car is comfortable. We even had car broken but were able to fix it quickly with some local „servis“ in about 20 min. In Kenya it was for 7 passengers (tuned minivan) while in Tanzania it was original safari 4 wheeler. In both cars the rooftop is opened and you can perfectly watch the animals – if you are lucky you can see lions or elephants or other animals from several meters and hearing them breath, eat and move is wonderful. Be sure to take binoculars, it’s helpful, if the animals are further or you want to see the details. You have breakfast and dinner at hotel while for lunch you are provided with lunch box – usually grilled chicken meat, sandwich, fruit, snack, juice and some other things. We liked the food and were positively surprised – we did not expect to be fond of it (some paper guides refer to the food as not-highlight).
Summary:
It will depend on season but you should see a lot of wildlife in both countries – Kenya or Tanzania. Guides do know a lot about the animals and are able to find them (that’s even more important). Still you can be lucky or not – one day in same place we saw rhino, lions, elephants, cheetah etc. within 2 hours, next day you can spend half day wondering and not seeing much, luckily there is always some zebra, gazella, wildbeest, warthog or some other animals, so it’s not big deal.
Accommodation was nicely thematic (african style), always with all necessities (toilet, shower, bed, mosquito net), clean, usually quite simple (don’t expect 200 square meters palace). Transport was comfortable, of course when it’s bumpy, it’s bumpy in every car, between safaris it can take some time, usually several hours, but that’s just the distance you have to cross in every vehicle.
Both guides took care of us well, se we really had no problems at all and just enjoyed the holiday by watching animals. It was perfect time.
So definitely Recommend from us.
US
Email Nola Lara | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our Amazing Ten Day Kenya, Tanzania Safari with Kenya Walking Survivors Safaris
I cannot thank Mr. OT Otieno and Kenya Walking Survivors Safaris enough for the absolutely amazing 10 day safari that Mr. OT and his company arranged for us. My review is long overdue because after our safari, we continued on in Zambia, South Africa, and Qatar for 5 more weeks. So, in order to help people decide if what we chose to do is right for you, I will first give a short highlighted summary, and then will follow with a more detailed version.
We chose a driver/guide type safari and NOT a fly in,out safari because we wanted to see the land and meet more people. The roads are rough, very rough at times. So keep that in mind in what type of transportation you choose. Other roads are perfectly paved and smooth. But you have the whole safari van/ jeep to yourselves. I took some Dramamine because I get motion sick in a tub (seriously) used my jacket as a pillow, and enjoyed the ride because I was in the real world of the Great Masai Warriors, the Great Migration, the fabulous Serengeti and everyday people. We saw it all. We loved it all. We felt safe at all times, even when we heard the lions roaring at night from our tented lodge in the Masai Mara.
We chose the 10 day luxury upgrade Kenya/ Tanzania safari and paid a fraction of the cost that other big name safari companies were charging. (We originally chose the standard tented lodge safari, but we are closer to 70 than 60 years old and wanted a few more comforts. But the standard ensuite lodging probably would have been just fine) Also, only lodging changed when we upgraded, not itinerary or mode of transportation.
The upgraded version included 2 nights Masai Mara at Osero Tented Camp, 2 nights Lake Naivisha at Sopa Lodge, 1 night Amboseli at Kibo Tented Lodge, 1 night Lake Manyara at Serena Lodge, 2 nights Serengeti at Sopa Lodge Serengeti, 1 night Ngorongoro Crater at Bougainvillea Lodge. Several of the places included authentic evening entertainment. (Separate reviews for each lodge will be written under each lodge's name). In summary, each tented lodge/ lodge was beyond luxury, (Osero even had a bath tub) each lodging gave turn down service during which the mosquito netting was set up for extra protection. We never saw a single mosquito in our lodging. There were fans but no AC, but not needed. It really cools off at night as you are pretty highly elevated most of the trip. Hot water bottles were provided in our beds at a couple of places for heart. This was more than enough and we had plenty of blankets. Never slept so well.! (We went end of December/beginning January) They seem to go above and beyond for getting rid of mosquitoes at these camps, lodges. However we still did all the recommended precautions, malaria meds, vaccinations, and sprayed 30% deet morning and night. We were picked up by our first driver, Ken, at our Nairobi hotel(Fairmont Norfolk where we left our 2 big suitcases)got to meet Mr OT, went on our way for 10 glorious days and night, and we were safely returned 10 days later to our Nairobi Hotel, where we stayed for one night before flying onward in Africa.
1. We researched over 500 different safaris and over 100 safari planning companies and decided on Kenya Walking Survivors Safaris (KWSS) because of the high praise and reassuring reviews we read on TripAdvisor and other safari review sites.
2. We chose a locally owned company, (Mr OT, a Kenya native) because we wanted to use a company that gave back to the local community.
3. Mr OT returns emails and phone calls swiftly and thoroughly, even once final payment is made and even while on safari.
4. You must have an open mind to other cultures and be willing to see the real Africa or you may not enjoy yourself.
5. I requested of Mr OT safe, knowledgable drivers. Ken (Kennedy) was our driver/ guide in Kenya and Khalid in Tanzania. They were fantastic drivers, very knowledgable, and courteous beyond fault.
6. My husband did the hot air balloon ride over the Masai Mara. He really enjoyed it. But I would not prepay. Too many weather conditions can prevail. You can book it at the Masai Mara lodge. However, if you go in high season, you may want to firm things up, but I still would not prepay. But that would be your call, of course.
7. At the border, you change cars and drivers. I requested that Ken stay with us until we cleared customs and met up with next driver and of course he did.
8. Because roads are very rough in spots you may be lucky enough to have a couple of flat tires along the way or need car repairs, another area we were lucky enough to experience. We met so many more locals and never felt unsafe. Never once felt unsafe. Mr OT 's driver have 2 way radios at all times, as well as phones. And there are other safari vans passing all the time. One flat tire is how we met a family from France. Another flat tire we met many locals who invited us to their local shops for 30 minutes. The drivers always have spares, but the passing drivers all know each other and want to help. I might add that we saw some very pricey safari companies having similar problems along the way. It is one of the chances you take driving with your own driver versus flying. But flats can happen anywhere and do can repairs.
9. I only point out the above #8 in order to help you decide what type of safari to choose. We had fun through it all. Always felt safe. We never once regretted what we chose. (Driving everywhere versus fly in,out safari) I just want to share our experiences and we enjoyed ever single experience. And I will hopefully help you in your decision making.
10. Mr. Ot's drivers knew how to find the animals sooooo well. We saw lions mating from 15 feet away, we saw the Great Migration where it is in January (Serengeti at that time) We saw all big 5 and many many more. Our road blocks were herds of wildebeests crossing or families of elephants, babies included. Our "selfies" were "photo-bombed" by giraffes and monkeys. All meals were included and we had some picnics in the most beautiful spots.
I hope I have given you the "feel" for what our safari experiences were. Please keep in mind that no one can guarantee duplicating any life experience. The safari is what you make it, with Mr OT's help, and your drivers' help, and all the wonderful people you meet. But I can add this, just in case one of your worries is safety: I am an adventurous scaredy-cat. That means I am cautiously adventurous, always, always putting safety first. And I can honestly state the Kenya Walking Survivors Safaris and Mr. OT and his wonderful drivers Ken(Kennedy) and Khalid delivered to us an enjoyable, amazing, safe safari. My husband and I hope that amazing and safe travels will always follow you. Salvador and Nola Lara
US
Email Mo | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great safari overall
We did a package that included safaris in several major national parks in both Kenya and Tanzania, plus climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. All transfers between different places were smooth. All safaris and the climb were led by very professional and friendly guides. We experienced/saw almost everything we expected.
The only recommendation I'd give them is to make it more efficient in getting park permits to avoid long waiting time.
Overall, a great experience, especially at a very competitive price.
Email Catherine | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A brilliant first safari experience and excellent value for money.
We had a great experience on a tour of Masai Mara and Lake Naivasha. The booking process was straightforward with easy communication by email with Mr Otieno. The safari itself was an incredible experience- our guide Newton was extremely knowledgeable and made sure we saw as much wildlife as possible- all of the Big Five. We opted for basic accommodation and we're really pleased with the options chosen. The food was also excellent- freshly prepared by Moses, our chef.
SE
Email phillips | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well organised trip of na lifetime (Kenya,Uganda and Tanzania)
KWSS was referred to me by a friend,Nothing outweighs best assurances from sources you can trust,above all i was not disappointed.I went ahead and booked my safari with them,KWSS,.The planning and booking process was smooth with suggestions and adjustments which Otieno was the best.
We came up with a comprehensive itinerary tailored to our specific requests ,generally the organisation was smooth and quick.On the actual trip ,Benson was professional and very supportive,the trip was good overall and i enjoyed every experience.He became my friend and made me feel at home.The campsites were standard and decent than expected,pure class.meals were great and delicious and i miss them .During daytime ,temperatures were sometimes too high considering a person coming from tropical weather and was not well adapted to it,but all was great.Thank you guys!!
The 17 Day Safari covered the major parks in kenya (Samburu ,Masai Mara,Amboseli lake Naivasha and lake nakuru ),Uganda( the main aim was the gorilla trek) and Tanzania (Lake Manyara,And Serengeti). We Were lucky to see all the big five in almost all parks.The good memories will remain with us for a long time.
Note:You Need enough time in Masai Mara.
The hotels,the campsites and places visited,everything was fantastic.
Thank you again
keep the good work.
BR
Email Augusto Scorza | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very good and reliable. Recommende
We got a 12 days tour. Everything according to what was hired. We made part of the payment in advance and the remaining in Nairobi. Mr Otieno was very correct and kind. Good lodges with nice food. Tented camps are very good and confortable. Lodges located in wonderful sites with fantastic landscapes. Good car cleaned everyday. They have Toyota AWD vans made specially for safaris. Extraordinary tour guide, very careful driver, with perfect knowledge of the environment and animals. Very kind people everywhere. If your time is short go to Masai Mara where you can see more animals. Amboseli is a wonderful wetland very interesting as well. If you have time take the full tour. We will be back to go to Uganda. But always keep in mind that it is a safari in Africa not a coty tour in Paris. Lots of dust and unpaved roads. Road side restaurants could be better but I think that there are not too many options. Go and enjoy!
Email Gladys | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing safari with KWSS
this being the second trip under KWSS all i can say is thanks to Mr Oteino who made everything possible for me and my family. this time we decided to go to lake naivasha, maasai mara amboseli. the trip was well organized and the price was reasonable and affordable. thanks to the driver Mr Daudi for making us experience the best and explained every question we asked regarding the nature. we were a family of five and everyone enjoyed. looking forward to having another awesome moments. thanks to KWSS.
PK
Email Dr,Zahoor Khan | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Samburu Masai mara
Excellent response to emails and good response to questions asked well organized, vehicles did not have airconditioning Roads to Masai mara vbad and dusty got very hot inside the vehicle got exhausted good guides good choice of booking camps
Email Joniz Wheelz | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A great place to switch-off!
I stumbled on Kenya Walking Safaris on 22nd Dec 2016 and they made us a family booking the same day at the Mara Sekenani Luxury Tented Camp. They organised my booking and we were picked by a very friendly tour guide ( John) who was very knowledgable and polite. Our stay at the the camp was great with hospitable staff and great food. Its the place to swith-off with pin drop silence after the hussle and bussle from town. Thanks to Kenya Walking for getting me a booking in such short notice.
Regards,
Joniz Wheelz
Adventure with KWSS
Being my Second safari in africa,i wanted to try tracking the Gorillas .I booked the Five days Bwindi impenetrable and Queen Elizabeth Safari with KWSS and OT. I paid in advance 8 months earlier for the permit.
I booked a safari to join a larger group and our driver /guide David briefed us what to encounter on this countryside adventure .He would Stop the vehicle at any time in case you see something of interest worth taking photographs .We finally caught them doing their daily activities ,playing ,resting and feeding their young ones.The experience was awesome
This was a memorable moment with them and an experience worth your money and time.I recommend KWSS as they are reliable and deliver on their promise.