Kenya Equator photo for Natures Group visit on the
Nature's Wonderland Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2003)
- Member Of:
- KATO, ATA & Africa Birding Club
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $180 to $1,000 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
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Email David Lenderman | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing Kenya photo safari
I recently finished an amazing three week Kenya wildlife photography tour with Joesph Mwangi of Nature’s Wonderland Safaris based in Nairobi. The trip was planned to maximize the diversity of wildlife to be seen and photographed. Working up the plan with Joesph was easy. He made suggestions on different parks to see/photograph our target species and Joseph then made all the necessary bookings. Our trip included visits to Nairobi National Park, Amboseli, Giraffe Manor, Samburu, Sweetwaters, Lake Naivasha and three different lodges on the Masai Mara. Our lodges/camps ranged from small tented camps to larger full service hotels, all were clean, comfortable and had good food. My favorite was Enkakenya which is a small tented camp surrounded by the wildlife of the Masai Mara.
On a typical day we spent about eight hours on games drives seeking out wildlife. Joseph has amazing eyes and was constantly spotting mammals, reptiles and birds for us to photograph. Joseph has an incredible understanding of animal behaviors. He seemed to know what the animals will do next and where they will go. He can often predict when the lions will mate (again!), when they will yawn and when they will get a drink of water. All of these predictions help us maximize our photo opportunities. Joseph is a serious birder so he was able to identify and tell us about the behaviors of many species that we were not familiar with. Joesph is also a photographer so he has a great understanding of lighting angles and backgrounds. He seemed to always know the best spot from which to shoot the subject to take advantage of light angles and to maximize clean, distant backgrounds. There were many times when Joseph would move the vehicle to a position that turned out to be the best possible spot for photography. This is extremely important when jockeying for position with a bunch of other safari trucks as animals are on the move.
Joseph really made our trip fantastic. It is great that after guiding for years he still gets excited when spotting animals. In addition to his wildlife spotting skills he was great to talk to and never tired of my silly jokes and unending questions. All aspects of our trip ran trouble free and we hope to book another trip with Nature’s Wonderland Safaris in the near future.
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Email Sue Watson | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best Safari Outftter!
We spent over 21 days on safari with Nature Wonderlands and we had a wonderful experience and we would highly recommend this business to others. Joseph was amazing, highly professional always managed to get us in the right position at the right time to get the best photographs. He knew every animal and could anticipate their next move. His knowledge of birds is unparalleled. He knows every bird by sight, call, habitat, scientific name, etc. Our time in Kenya was perfect, well planned and executed by Joseph and his staff. We give him the highest recommendation!
Email Joseph | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A tour operator that goes the extra mile
Joseph met us at our Nairobi accommodation and introduced us to Anthony our driver/guide with their impressive Safari truck. Ours was a private 3 day tour staying at the Ashnil Mara Camp so we had the six seater to ourselves.
An amazing experience all round. Anthony did a great job and did his level best to ensure we had a fantastic time.
Seeing is believing so check out my video https://youtu.be/rlfy0qNQoCw
Email Steve | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent
Joseph Mwangi of natureswonderlandsafaris.com is just great. He was warm and friendly from the get go and made all feel welcome.
Joseph’s knowledge of African wildlife is excellent and he possesses laser vision and was able to spot animals and bird what seemed miles away!
He made our trip to Kenya very memorable, his organisation skills and communication are spot on.
I would have no hesitation in recommending him.
Email Alan | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fantastic
Joseph is an excellent guide with a very deep knowledge of the wildlife of Kenya.
The itinerary he arranged allowed us to see all the exciting wildlife Kenya has to offer.
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Email Cliff Hodge | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible Customized Birding Photo Safari
I scheduled a five-day birding photo safari with Nature's Wonderland to take advantage of a trip I was already taking to Kenya. Joseph built a custom itinerary to help me see as many birds as possible and coordinate around the rest of my Kenya itinerary. We built an aggressive schedule and he communicated with me regularly during my planning to make sure I had the right gear in my kit and that I didn't miss any of the planning steps for visa and other travel planning.
Joseph met me at the airport upon arrival (at 11 pm) and dropped me at my hotel for the night. I planned an extra day in Nairobi to allow me to adjust to the time difference (highly recommended) and Joseph took the opportunity to show me the Nairobi Nature Museum and brief me on the birds we would see on the trip. This proved extremely helpful (the museum has over 900 taxidermied specimens) as I was not very familiar with the birds of Kenya before my arrival - we would refer back to these specimens often.
Getting out onto the safari, I was very impressed with Joseph's knowledge of the birds and wildlife in Kenya - there was not a single question from me that he could not answer with great detail and extensive background on the subject. We visited several wildlife reserves at Lake Naivasha, Lake Baringo, and Lake Nakuru with excellent lodgings at each. I was expecting rustic lodges for this journey, but each place we stayed was a high quality accommodation that even my picky wife would have been happy to stay in.
Joseph also stopped at some of his "secret" birding locations, where we saw some hard to find birds - including some that exist in very few other places. All told, Joseph got me out into the field, seeing wildlife up close in great numbers (at one point, so many new birds that we could hardly keep up counting the new species). He also focused (no pun intended) on not just seeing the animal, but also making sure you could get in the right position to get the best possible photograph to capture a studio quality memory of the experience.
Overall, I was extremely happy with my work with Joseph from start to finish. Working with a naturalist who understands, not just the big game, but the birds and other wildlife as well, made this a truly memorable experience for me. Doing the birding safari, where I could hike the trails, hills, and savanna rather than only view from a Land Rover (which we did plenty of as well) was an added treat.
I should also add that Joseph's concern for my safety and security on this trip was even greater than my own - traveling with him was like getting to hang out with your older brother who knew everything and wanted to make sure you stayed safe while you followed him around. I consider Joseph one of my new great friends, and will definitely ask him to help me plan my next trip to Kenya when I hope to bring my wife along for the experience.
I could not recommend Nature's Wonderland Safaris highly enough for the outstanding service, superior knowledge, and excellent pricing compared to the big-name travel companies. My only regret is that I didn't schedule more time - each of the places we visited could have been a week's stay on their own, to fully explore the birds and big game there.
Email Peter | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Nature's Wonderland Safaris is reliable and professional. They have enough fleet for large groups.
Nature's Wonderland Safaris gave me and my family a wonderful experience during a tour of Mt Longonot. The drivers are knowledgable about various destinations in East Africa and they gave good tips for our trip.
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Email Bindu | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Reasonably priced, knowledgeable tour guides and very responsive.
Tony, our tour guide was very knowledgeable and intuitive. He was very clued into what our needs were and went over and beyond to ensure that we had the best experience. It was clear he knew what he was doing and his love for wildlife and nature translated into his work. I would highly recommend them.
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Email Stephan L | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Look no further for the perfect African Safari Tour!
Amazing, beautiful and breath-taking 3 day tour of Amboseli National Park in Kenya. Joseph Mwangi was our guide. He was knowledgable, insightful, passionate, reliable and a delight as a tour guide. He made sure the entire trip went smoothly and was very flexible with our time schedules. Amboseli was all that and more - vast plains of wildlife from playful hyena pups to the majesty of lions after a kill. Would recommend Nature's Wonderland Safaris without hesitation.
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Email Erin | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great experience. Great guide. Great safari!
I booked a safari for group of 6 over a long weekend (3-day, 2-night) to Amboseli. Despite booking at the last minute, everything was coordinated seamlessly. We paid 20% up front to secure the lodge accommodations and the rest at the time of the safari. I selected this group based on reviews online and their comprehensive website, including an online chat feature allowing you to book the same day if needed. We stayed at Amboseli Serena Lodge which was great, with good foot options for meat-eaters and vegetarians. Joseph, the company owner, was our guide and made the experience wonderful. He ensured our safety throughout the trip, was knowledgeable about all wildlife in the park, especially birds, which he studied prior to becoming a guide and starting his own company. We were able to see everything we wanted on the trip, including a cheetah, hyena pups, and lions eating after a kill. In addition to his laid back and jovial demeanor, Joseph has a knack for setting up the perfect photography shot for you as he himself is also a photographer - check out his Instagram (@naturesbirding). I cannot say enough good things about the trip…I would recommend this company to anyone!
