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
Great for Kenya, bad for Tanzania
We did an 8 day private safari this past summer, and KWSS offered the most reasonable price and flexible itinerary, plus they were really responsive on email. Once there, the experience was absolutely bipolar, with an excellent guide and experience in the Kenya part of the trip, vs. a terrible subcontractor and tons of problems on the Tanzania part.
You can read details on my blog:
https://bonatravels.wordpress.com/2014/07/29/country-summary-kenya/
https://bonatravels.wordpress.com/category/tanzania/
Reply from Kenya Walking Survivors Safaris Ltd
Posted on Feb 3, 2015Hello Carmen ,Thank you very much for the feedback you gave on your experience with our company and the staff.
Im very happy you experience excellent services on your life time experience on African wildlife in Kenya ,Tanzania and Zanzibar Beach safari,
I apologize and sorry on behalf of KWSS that you did NOT enjoy your trip in Tanzania as you enjoy in Kenya,I want to confirm for you as per earlier discussion before you fly back home we have finally STOP subcontracting our tours/safaris to any tour operator in any country as from September 2014
This has made our clients happier and Most of our clients who travel with us to Kenya,Uganda and Tanzania are very happy because we have employed our local Driver guides and Cooks.
Thank you very much for the feedback ,we take all the review positively to improve our quality services to our clients.
HK
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Nice safari, can catch all big five, accommodation and meal can be improve.
The guide are professinal, show us lots of animal as he can, also the big five. In general, the accommodation and meal can be improve, special the lunchbox when we need to take a long transportation, only biscuit, cake, banana.
Reply from Kenya Walking Survivors Safaris Ltd
Posted on Dec 26, 2014Thank you very much for the Review Mr.Wing chan, we take any positive and Negative review to improve the quality of our services to our clients.
Im very happy that our guides made you happy by spotting all the big five ,Otherwise as per the meals you where given in as per the lunchbox we talk with the tented camp which you use and they promise to change the lunch box quality .
we are very grateful on your honest review this will make our next clients get more perfect services.
Thank you very much and hope to see you again in East Africa country.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beautiful experience; stressful circumstances
First, I must thank Kenya Walking for helping my husband and I have the experience of a lifetime. We visited Tanzania and Uganda and were sincerely amazed by the African wildlife, scenery, and people.
We chose Kenya Walking because of Otieno's quick communication, the ability to customize our itinerary, and the price. We are still grateful to have experienced so much for the price, but feel that it's important for other prospective travelers to be aware of some aspects of unprofessionalism we encountered. They are mostly small things that added up to create an atmosphere of distrust for us.
Examples of unprofessionalism:
-Multiple last-minute hotel changes, including skipping Lake Bunyonyi in Uganda to stay at a poorly rated, loud city motel with water problems (original hotel was around $100, changed to $10 room)
-Incorrect itinerary dates. Even after reviewing our itinerary upon arrival in Uganda, both Otieno and our driver forgot that we were staying two days in the gorilla park to do extra hiking. We had to fight pretty hard to convince them to correct this.
-Over-worked, tired driver speeding considerably and close to nodding off during long drives (I would highly recommend flying into Kisoro to do gorilla trek, or at least requesting a Ugandan guide. Our Kenyan guide had to drive overnight from Nairobi before picking us up and continuing the drive. We also suspect he took a wrong turn which we followed for 90minutes before correcting.)
-Borrowing gas money from us. This favor was asked as a loan until our driver found an ATM, though we never found one. We ended up letting him keep the money as part of his tip, but the company never followed up to thank us or ask whether we got our money back.
-Other small inconveniences included late departures (2hours on our first morning in Tanzania with no communication on their end), spotty attitudes from guides (our Kenyan guide did not like Ugandans... and we were in Uganda), considerable time waiting for guides to deal with problems in banks, broken jeep roof in Tanzania (fortunately this didn't happen until our last day there).
I hate to make this list, because until Otieno asked me to write this review, I had managed to forget all the negative aspects of our trip and only think of the magic moments we had with elephants, lions, gorillas, mountains, and new friends. Even with all the drama of our trip, I don't regret choosing Kenya Walking as I'm not sure we could have packed everything into our time and budget with a different tour operator. I also suspect travelling with Kenya Walking Survivors may be an entirely different experience in Kenya, rather than Tanzania and Uganda where we visited. I have only the best wishes for our guides Mike and Jonas and for Otieno.
If you decide Kenya Walking Survivors is the best fit for your trip, please be prepared to respectfully advocate for yourself and your itinerary.
Reply from Kenya Walking Survivors Safaris Ltd
Posted on Oct 20, 2014Hi Sarah, thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear you were disappointed with your Part of the trip while on safari.
ACCOMMODATION
I would like to confirm with you that before you use the facility ,we had to talk and discus with you and you agree, This was because you took a lot of time at the equator stopover and by the time you arrive at the town which is 12kms from lake Bunyoni Resort it was late in the evening and due to the security alert I could NOT let you Drive to your booked Hotel at Bunyoni Resort due to security on the way.So I had to give you the briefing and also alert my Driver and we did this because We value our clients life after discussion with you.Then the following day you where transfer you your early booked Hotel
The loud music was from the Neigbour hotel and the accommodation was well and it was the same rate but in town compare with lake Bunyoni Resort which was at the lake side,I admit thus was the difference. And we apologized for that difference if you did NOT like the facility
ITINERARY
I would like to Re-confirm with you that we discus with you all the program in Uganda and all was fine,And I accepted you to add your Exra activity which you did the following day trek to the Rwanda boarder at no Exra cost to the company.
Secondly our drivers always wake up early and sleep early,They are to have at least minimum sleep of 8hours.I apologized if truly you saw him nodding ,because he is the same guide who has been doing a lot of the trekking for Gorilla tour to our clients
GAS
You remember when you ask the driver to drive you upto the boarder of Rwanda to go and see the Batwa tribe.
I would like to inform all the travelers that due to security we don’t give or make our Drivers carry more than USD$200 .why?Due to security , if they miss/lose the money the clients will be stranded and they always carry the money which is fine for them for the fuel depending on the distance,
Now you made a decision of the change of itinerary after the Gorilla trek that he was to drive you about 80kms one way for the Batwa tribe ,there was no ATM anywhere he could get money for fuel and he inform you ,But he had to do this because you told him you will top him up the gas,because he wanted to drive back to look for the ATM to top up the Gas,
So im again sorry for topping the driver up at no Exra cost for your benefic and he Refund it back ,But at the end of the day when he wanted to refund the cash you told him this was his tip the money which you gave the drive was totaling USHS.150,000 which is equivalent of USD$58.
EXPEREIENCE
As you said you suspected the driver to take wrong side,but what happen is that he was told that the route you took was block a head so he had to turn back for another route which was NOT block.so thus why he return and took another turn,
Most of our drivers are over 15years in this land and very experience on guiding and driving.
If he did not communicate on this We apologized that next time you will have the communication on any small change on road from the driver to any clients.
LANDCRUISER 4X4
I would like to inform all our travelers that we have bad roads in Africa especially in the parks which make vehicle both 4x4 and 2x2 breakdown i.e on the wheels,body parts, engines so you should expect this as part of Africa Road which we don’t have nay control but should we have any breakdown we always make sure we fixed them to control the waste of time for the game Drive.We again apologized for this and im happy you where happy when it was solve very faster.
REVIEW.
I would like to confirm that I ask you to write a review on this trip ,so that both positive feedback to be maintain and improve and Negative feedback should be check on so that the next group don’t get to the same problems again.
Otherwise im very happy again that you are fine with our organization and we apologized for any aspect which did NOT make you enjoy your trip.But you are still welcome to East Africa next time. We promise all our clients will NOT have the same mistake.
Thanks you again for all the positive and negative feedback you have given us,This will make us to be on our watch list on the services we provide our clients.
Thanks a lot Sarah and Partner
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
My experience with Kenya Walking Survivors is certainly pleasant, but there's room for improvement.
To start, I just want to provide a little background about the trip so that it's easier to understand the pros and cons. It was a 16 days trip that includes Safari(8-9 days) in both Kenya and Tanzania and Trekking in Mt. Kilimanjaro(6 days).
I thought the pre-trip communications could have been more effective provided that it's a fairly lengthy trip and that a lot of preparation is needed for the climb. The company didn't clearly convey to us regarding what to prepare and what to expect. Nevertheless, the Safari part of the trip went very smoothly with no problems. The lodging was mostly delightful and the guide was very knowledgeable and patient in showing us all the wild lives.
For the Trekking in Mt. Kilimanjaro part of the trip, the services that were provided to us unfortunately didn't live up to our expectation. Kenya Walking Survivors seemed to have contracted with a Tanzania local travel agency called Africa Royals in handling the Mt. Kilimanjaro part. Therefore, we were handed over to the Africa Royals immediately following the completion of the Safari. Africa Royals is disorganized at best. As you probably know, staying dry is one of the most important factors that play into whether or not one would succeed in reaching the top. However, our clothes got wet the very first day of the climb and, as a result, we were suffering for the remaining of the climb. Another area that invites criticism is camp management. Every single day, we were the last group to start the climb and once we reached the next camp site, we often have to wait for an hour or two for the porter to arrive and set up the tent. My last complaint is the fact that the principal guide doesn't sufficiently communicate the time table of activities of the day to us and even if he does, he's usually the one who doesn't abide by it. For instance, on the night of reaching the peak we were told that we would start climbing at 1am. and that someone would wake us up prior to that time to get prepared. We woke up ourselves at 1:30 am and the guide was still sleeping in his tent. We would have missed the sunrise at the peak.
All in all, I think Kenya Walking Survivors provided decent service for the Safari part, but partnering with Africa Royals for providing services to customers on Mt Kilimanjaro is in desperate need for improvement.
US
Email Christi | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An excellent way to experience Kenya and Tanzania on a budget
There was always a driver or guide waiting to pick us up at each airport. This is very important for feeling safe and secure in a foriegn country. The Safari and guides were fantastic doing everything they could to ensure that we stayed on schedule and saw everything! It is a very bumpy but fun and priceless experience to drive to each of the parks in a safari van! The lodges were all beautiful and top notch with lots of lovely staff to meet all of our needs. Restaurant services were excellent at all the lodges and most provided boxed lunches for all day game drives. My least favorite lodge was the 67 Airport motel, mostly due to it's unimpressive scenery and poorly designed and built rooms/bathrooms. However the overall look of the hotel and the hotel staff and restaurants were lovely, plus it was very secure and close to the airport. There were a couple of scheduling snafus on the part of Kenya Walking. This involved a hot air ballon ride being delayed for an entire day that resulted in us the next day having to drive all day non-stop and arriving at our one night stay at the next lodge late at night. It was a beautiful lodge and we should have had the day to relax and enjoy it, but that didn't happen. The other complaint was having to wait 3 hours at the gateway to the Serengeti due to non recipt of payment for our entry from Kenya Walking...However Kenya Walking more than made up for inconviences by providing us with some other unplanned wonderful tours free of any additional charge. Overall, they are a great tour company and I would reccomend to anybody. The only reason I would not give 5 stars is because of the hot air balloon scheduling problem that set us back a day. It would have had to have been flawless for 5 stars.
Review about Safari Kenya Walking Survivors
In July 2018 we have had a wonderful safari to Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Naivashu with your organization. It has been marvelous and we want to thank you for all you have done for us. Peter was an excellent driver (which is very important) and a good guide who led us to so many spectacular wild animals. We have seen the big 5, except for the panter and many other animalspecies which are just as interesting. Also the hotel-arrangements were nice and comfortable, with good meals.
The Kenya Walking Survivors Safaris Ltd. has done an excellent job which was worth every penny and more!
US
Email Anastasia | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
The adventure of a lifetime.
Our group had a wonderful time in Kenya. We saw lots of wildlife, and a great deal of the country traveling from park to park. The places we stayed were very nice, clean, safe, great food, and good gift shops! We were able to visit a Maasai Village and that was a highlight. Our guide, David was a wonderful, capable guide and a good driver, navigating rugged roads and rain-swept terrain with confidence. Our vehicle was an old one, so there were a couple of times when we had to wait for the good graces of passing vehicles to get a jump-start. Furthermore, the drive times to each of the destinations were longer than described in the tour materials. Be that as it may, our group had a good time.
US
Email Tim | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great trip despite difficult circumstances for KWSS.
We arrived 9/5 and after very long flights and a 90 minute wait for our visa were so pleased that our driver from KWSS was still waiting to take us to the EKA hotel at 11p.m. We had booked a 12 night mid-range package that included Masai Mara, Samburu, Elsemere and a flight to Entebbe where we went to trek with gorillas. I must admit, I was a bit apprehensive, but the outstanding reviews for KWSS eased my mind so we followed through and went with KWSS. We had the trip of a lifetime. Our experiences, the lodges, and the food were all outstanding. Gorillas by far the best for us! The only down side, being in our 60’s, the drives were much longer than we anticipated so it made it challenging for us, but then we would have missed the countryside and cultural experiences if we had not driven. When we were on our way back to Nairobi on the 14th we were told OT had been in a serious auto accident. This had us very concerned, but our driver took us to the airport for our flight to Uganda, and everything went as planned. More long drives, but beautiful countryside and the gorillas were worth every minute. On our return flight to Nairobi on the 17th our driver was there to meet us at 9:30 at night. He told us more about OT’s auto accident and that he was in a coma. We were concerned for him since we had met him and found him to be a very nice man. We also realized that we had been extremely fortunate that this did not happen before or at the beginning of our trip. I have read the nightmare stories from others since our return, and we know those stories could have been us. We believe OT and KWSS were a very good company before OT’s accident. I understand how this situation created nightmares for others, but am so grateful that because of the timing ours was so wonderful.
US
Email Michael | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Value for your money for 21-day, 3 country safaris (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania)
Had done extensive research on Trip Advisor and Safari Bookings. Trip Advisor does a great job with reviews, but didn’t find it helpful for the tent camps we wanted for our experience in several countries. Would recommend using Safari Bookings since they have an easy search engine for your destinations. https://www.safaribookings.com/
20-Day Safari to Kenya Maasai Uganda Gorilla and Tanzania
Nairobi (Start), Masai Mara NR, Lake Nakuru NP, Jinja (Town), Lake Bunyonyi, Bwindi Impenetrable NP, Lake Naivasha, Lake Sonachi, Arusha (City), Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro, Tarangire NP, Zanzibar (Town & Beach), Nairobi (End) We took out beach portion and added Sambura at his recommendation which was the highlight of our 21 day trip.
Pros: KWSS had the flexibility to cater to our destinations for a reasonable price. Many places charge double what we paid for, but you do get tent camps out in the middle of nowhere a few times.
Drivers Marcus (Kenya), David, Richard (Uganda), and Michael (Tanzania) - all averaged about 15 years’ experience in travel guides. All showed above average knowledge and provided for above average gaming experience.
Cons: The hotels we did stay in cities were mostly concrete and noisy. Do not recommend Sky Hotel in Nairobi, Silver Springs Hotel in Kampala, or Sky Hotel in Lake Bunyoni area I believe. We awoke to noise in each of them. Silver Springs had 2 parties at 1:30 am in the morning. Also had call to prayer at 2 and 5 am from a distance at Octagon Lodge, but we were tired enough it didn’t matter much. Ask for other accommodations before you pay since we had early starts most mornings.
Forget the itinerary time tables – they were almost always off. Lunches and game drives were wrong in many cases even though they were cut out of their standard programs he used for our custom trip.
Road to Masai Mara was miserable, but they are paving a good part of it in 6 months or so. These African safaris are not for you if you can’t take a rough bumpy ride half the time.
Mr.O had promised 4x4’s the whole trip. We got stuck first day out and had our time taken up some and scary crossings due to sudden thunderstorm. Big .5 drop in ratings due to broken commitment. He attempted to make it up which is why it’s not a 1 point drop with extra activities on last day not scheduled.
What to bring:
Toilet paper always with you. Drivers try but many times we had to use squat toilets and no privacy for men urinals. Sometimes “bush” toilets were necessary. Driver usually has extra toilet paper. Not an issue for us, but can be a big surprise to many. Long lenses for cameras – standard lenses will not work in many areas where you cannot travel off the road. I purchased a new attachment for my Samsung 6 with no reviews on Amazon (look under telescopes – takes about a month to get and fits onto many phones with clasp over lenses – a bit of a risk, but fit my Samsung 6 – Ccloon Professional HD camera lens kit -$60 USA – does need refitting several times a day but competes with the thousand dollar lenses)
Flashlight for head is very handy for $15 dollars Energizer Vision HD LED from Amazon – one each. Portable chargers for phones since many tents shut down power after 10 or so.
Get your yellow fever shots a few weeks before going. They are out of stock currently and do check several sources for alternative shot. Nothing else was necessary according to OT. We purchased Deet and mosquito long sleeve shirts. We didn’t need them much in Oct./Nov.
Ponchos or rain gear for Uganda mostly.
Also bring an open mind for local cultures and lots of patience. We are 64 and 59 and in good shape (for Uganda jungle hikes).
BR
Email Claudio, Sandra and Eduardo | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An incredible and amazing experience for life!!!!
It was an amazing experience with the animals in the parks. The guides from Kenya Walking were nice and try to give us the best time in the tour. The cost x benefit of the tour was very good and we recommend for everybody that wants to visit Kenya!!!! Thanks Otieno for everything!!!