Andrew will take you to remote places
Wildebeest Safaris
- Located In:
-
China
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 1997)
- Member Of:
- ETT & TRA
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $100 to $450 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
CA
Email jotravels | Experience level: first safari
Rock, Rattle and Roll
I have to say that Wildebeest was a disappointment for sure. Communication before our trip was excellent. I checked references and all was great. However, following our trip, and before writing this review, I gave Noah, the owner, a chance to respond privately to my concerns and he said he would look into it, but I have not heard anything.
1. Itinerary
My instructions about what we wanted was the Big 5 and the Migration. We did not see the Big 5--missed the rhino. We understood that seeing the actual crossing of the wildebeest is not guaranteed. However, I think that too many days were scheduled to try and see the crossing both in the Mara and the Northern Serengeti. We would have been better off remaining in the Mara for another day, rather than spending a day travelling to the Northern Serengeti--essentially wasted time. We saw thousands of wildebeests, but they did not cross when we were there. It was a very expensive part of the trip and I think, having had the experience, we would have been happy with just the Mara and skipped the northern Serengeti. As i said, it took a lot of travel time, and waiting around for hours on end, for the second time, became a bit boring. The other animals were not plentiful, the accommodations were not good. It also have been better spending more time in the central Serengeti and Ngorongoro. We had less than one day of viewing in each of them and in Ngorongoro we paid extra to extend our viewing in the crater as we were only scheduled for 3 hours. It was very badly planned in this respect. Also, I would recommend staying a second night in Ngorongoro, despite some extra costs. Again, we felt that we had too much wasted time travelling to a second lodge.
2. Vehicles
We had a number of concerns about the vehicles used. The first one, in the Mara, was okay, but the seats were permanently reclined--so not wonderful, but it was only a couple of days. The second vehicle which we had for 6 or 7 days was not up to par. We rocked, rattled and rolled---and though we did survive without a breakdown, the vehicle was below standards. It was old and literally rattled all the time so it was impossible to hear the guide unless you were sitting beside him. There were no seat belts in rear seats--which we believe was not legal. The windows did not operate well and were old and blurry--not good for viewing. The walkie talkie was not fully operational--and we think this had a significant impact on communications resulting in less viewings. We will never know! There was no cooler and water supplied was in huge bottles that got warm and were covered in dust. I had inquired from Noah about an air conditioned vehicle and was told it was not necessary because it was not the hot season. This was not correct. There were parts of the journey that we would have definitely closed the windows to avoid the dirt and dust, and this was not possible without the air conditioning, which was not working in the vehicle.
3. Accommodation
Our accommodation were all very nice except the Northern Serengeti where we were lodged in the Angata Migration Camp. The facilities were a bit too basic--not even an hand towel in the public bathroom and only tissue with no waste basket--kind of ridiculous in a place that was billed as "luxury". Also no hand towels in the room, rough floors, and extremely poor lighting. But most significant was that the bed netting was poor, it had holes and was dirty. This is in an area of the Tse Tse, so I spent 15 minutes every night re-arranging the netting. Food was okay at most places, but lunch boxes were not the greatest.
4. Guide/Drivers
We had two different guides. Eustice, in Kenya was very personable. knowledgeable, helpful, but very strict about rules, which we cannot hold against him! In Tanzania, our guide, who was a contractor, was very knowledgeable, but we had to ask questions to get the information. He was quite serious in personality and our main concern with him was his extreme confidence in himself which we felt prevented him from getting information from others. He also, without informing us, decided not to go to see some rhinos that were reported spotted, thinking they were too far away. He did not consult us and others at our camp were able to view them. He told us after we were back in camp! In the end, we never did see the rhino, and we do have some resentment over this. We would have said to go to see them for sure.
IN
Email Vishal | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
They way they asked for the money spoiled all the positives
This review may put a new light to how this company wildebeest safari operates and i may be one of the unfortunate ones who have faced this immoral and shallow behaviour from the owner. As a background, i was in touch with Noah, the owner of wildebeest safari for a private 4 night 5 day safari package from nairobi including hotel booking etc. Good communication and the price was agreed and i paid 40% advance. His manager came to meet and greet us at the hotel and it was agreed that the balance payment will be made post completion of the trip. So no hesitation at this stage from Noah or anybody from wildebeest safari. Now on day 2 at flamingo camp in lake nakuru, i had a robbery in my room and usd 3500 worth of stuff gets stolen. Andrew was our guide and driver and was very supportive and a gem of a person. We did the police complaint etc and decided to continue the trip. Come last day and enroute masai to nairobi airport in middle of nowhere, andrew(driver) told me that i have to pay the balance before a certain town or he will drop us there and not take us to Nairobi. I was crossed like hell on this unprofessional approach and then when i talked to noah on this matter, he virtually harassed me to make the payment or the driver will take me to the police station and i will miss my flight etc. In short further misery to my already spoiled holiday. Now all this happened in a span of 2 hours on a lonely strech between masai and the nearest town. I was traveling with my wife and 7 year old son and got scared and out of fear paid the remaining balance. Now paying the money is not a problem but the way i was forced to pay the money was unreal, unprofessional and very shallow. Not sure if this is the was tourists are treated in kenya but that was my experience.
Reply from Wildebeest Safaris
Posted on Mar 28, 2023Dear Vishal,
Thank you for your feedback. Regarding the payment issue, we both agreed on email before your arrival that you will be paying upon landing in Nairobi. Upon been requested by your guide, you mentioned you are working on it. You proceeded with the tour. The driver/guide Andrew asked for the balance a day prior to end your Safari but your promised you will do it next morning which you never paid again. Our accountant asked the driver to make a stop for the balance to be paid before reaching Nairobi is when you settled it with him. Unfortunately this is not what we had agreed upon.
Kind Regards,
Noah
US
Email Will Sherman | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great Overall--A Few Issues
Positive: Noah works with you to customize and he does it all at a very, very good price. I asked for Luxury hotels/lodges and all were wonderful, including a few we requested specially. Our driver was smart and well-informed and affable. We saw all the same stuff everyone else saw, possibly even a little more as Mike was pretty in the know and has been doing this 10 years.
The initial (and all) Communication with Noah was great--he is very responsive and willing to take a lot of time. The downside was that maybe I didn't ask all the right questions or get across to him that I wanted to spend the least amount of time in the car. As such, our route involved a bit of backtracking and as one is in those cars on bad roads enough as it is, the backtracking sucks. In the future I would fly to Serengeti and go one way to Arusha (or vice versa) if you have the money, hitting all the parks on the way. Also, spend 2 nights at each hotel if you can afford it. Hotels are nice with good food and it makes the trip less rushed and more relaxing--just my preference.
A few Downsides: The vehicle is old and sort of a POS. When it rained, our stuff got soaked--even in the suitcases. And when it rained or was cold, since neither the air or blower or wipers worked, it was sort of a disaster. As it is an old model, the windows are shorter so it is tougher to see out comfortably. I think it may be time for a vehicle upgrade and I would pay more for a company with a better vehicle and one cleaned a little more often.
Driver/guide Downside: Again, Mike was overall very good, however he talked loudly a lot on his cell phone both during game drives and even in our hotels. Was really, really annoying. I think in the future I would also request a non-smoking guide, but I really liked Mike and probably would go with him again anyway.
Other Downside: They were not waiting to pick us up when we arrived at the airport to start the safari. No big deal, but when I called I felt the reason they gave--too much traffic in Arusha (??)--was not credible. They were 45 mins late and everybody else seemed there on time. Not very apologetic about it either. I think they forgot we were coming on that flight.
But overall, a good experience at a good price and I would recommend Wildebeest (with a few modifications (car and routing) next time).
You spend a whole lot of time in the car on rough roads in these safaris, so I was hoping to minimize that. We ended up doing a lot of backtracking and as I had no idea of the area, I think they could have helped me avoid that. (Tip: Fly to Serengett if you have the $ and then backtrack to Arusha (or vice versa) and fly out from there. The round trip is too much driving.
US
Email Amy | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Best holiday of our lives, and we've been to over 30 countries. Special beyond words
WOW!! I honestly don't know where to start.. my husband and 5 year old daughter went to Kenya for a 5 day safari - we went to Amboseli, Lake Naivasha, and the Masai Mara all very beautiful and amazing
1. Noah, the man who responds and organises all the tours was amazingly patient and so very helpful!! I'd send him an email, mind you we are 9 hours behind and I'd get emails straight away, he answered all our questions, we forgot to see about getting a car seat for our 5 year daughter until we arrived in Africa. I emailed him from the airport and when Eustace, our fabulous guide, showed up the next day car seat was in the car! My husband realised the day before we were leaving Kenya he forgot his credit card at the hotel in Lake Naivasha ( we'd stayed at 3 nights prior a bit annoyed with the hotel that they didn't call us or Noah as we'd booked through them but definitely not Wildebeest's fault!) so Noah sorted it out got our card to Nairobi. Eustace got it to us before we left for the airport- mind you he had to leave his house early in the morning to get to the courier office to pick up the card, then get to our hotel as the traffic was terrible he abandoned his vehicle got on a moped taxi to make sure we got it before we left for the airport at 9AM. Amazing customer service!!
2. Eustace, our lovely guide, he was so nice and very patient as we had our 5 year old daughter who can be a bit difficult. Every morning he'd have a smile on his face waiting for a new day. He was knowledgeable about the animals and the places we were, very well spoken, and now very much loved by our daughter and our family he made our trip so very special. My little one was desperate to see lions, her favourite animal, and every time we stopped to talk to another guide he'd ask if anyone had seem some.. We were very lucky and saw a mating pair in Masai Mara- we were the only jeep around for a while totally amazing!!
3. Lodges- we stayed in 3 different lodges during our 5 day safari - all were beautiful, clean and had wonderful beds!
4. Journey- we drove to all our destinations and I now see why people fly in and out of the safari camps the roads are horrible but of course this isn't Wildebeest's fault… However if we hadn't driven we wouldn't have seen the great divide and have fond memories of Nairobi traffic, going off road on the highway because there was a huge hole in it, seeing camels, cattle, goats, and chickens as road blocks, and getting our Kenyan massage! ( riding on an unpaved very bumpy road for about 3 hours!)
I highly suggest using this outfit the customer service goes above and beyond. The pricing is so very competitive!! I don't know how they did it but one of the hotels we stayed in was roughly $600/night we stayed 2 nights our whole safari was only $2500 for 2 adults and 1 child…. We considered that a fantastic deal!! When we head back to Kenya, this is definitely who we'll be using!! Fab time!!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best vacation ever (with a few glitches!)
An African safari has always been on my bucket list, as well as my mothers, so we were both excited for this trip. Noah was great in preparing our itinerary, which we changed numerous times to fit our wants. His communication was excellent; he was always prompt in replying to our questions (remembering that he is halfway around the world!) All of the lodges he selected were superb!
Our trip did not get off to the best start, as there was no guide to meet us at the airport (there were about 100 other guides there though!) A gentleman at the airport was able to call Wildebeest Safaris for us, arranged a cab to our hotel (which Wildebeest covered), and confirmed that our guide would meet us at the hotel the following morning. Our guide, Dennis, was there early, and we left by 7:30am. Two of the first three police safety checkpoints stopped our vehicle, questioning the condition of the tires (they were worn out) but let us proceed. The roads in Kenya are terrible, and sure enough, a couple of days later, we had two flat tires within an hour (both rear tires). Luckily most safari vehicles carry two spares, so we were able to make it to our lodge in Maasai Mara only a little late for lunch, and Dennis had the tires repaired by the next morning. Our only other issue was the trip between Kenya and Tanzania. We were required to change vehicles and guides upon entering Tanzania, and there was a mix up as to who would provide our lunch, so no lunch for us that day. Hamsa did offer to stop and get us something to eat, but we had some snacks with us, and figured we could eat a big dinner. (The lodge food was excellent everywhere we stayed!)
Other than that, the trip was fantastic. Both Dennis and Hamsa (our Tanzanian guide) were very friendly and knowledgeable. They knew when and where to find the animals we wanted to see, and showed us many additional things we did not expect to see. They both worked with the rangers and other guides via cell phone and radio to find out where the animals were that we wanted to see, and they were great at making sure each days' game drive offered something different. Hamsa was especially knowledgeable, expanding on our questions and giving very thorough answers. He explained the education process he went through to become a guide, and he seemed to know all of the other guides we saw.
The last day of our trip was back in Kenya (Amboseli NP), and it was Dennis again who met us at the border (on time, and with 4 brand new tires!) He again was very good, planned ahead, and made sure to get us to the airport early (no easy task with Nairobi traffic on a Friday afternoon!)
The safari vehicles had some minor issues (i.e. the aforementioned tires, a broken door handle, etc.) but being 70 series Landcruisers , had certainly lived a rough life. Most safari vehicles we saw appeared similar. Just remember this is Africa - don't expect to be chauffeured around in a brand new Cadillac! The issues we had prevent me from giving a full 5 stars, but I would certainly use Wildebeest Safaris again.
CN
Email bonnie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The entire journey exceeded expectations and it was wild and exhilarating.
The journey exceeded expectations, offering unique and thrilling experiences, unlike many places I've been to. It was wild and exhilarating, and having been to Kenya, other destinations didn't seem as captivating anymore.
We were extremely pleased with the Safari company we chose. They assisted us throughout planning the itinerary and selecting hotels/lodges based on our preferences and schedule. We highly recommend OL TUKAI LODGE. The arrangements for airport pickups and drop-offs were spot on.
Our guide, Dennis, must be the most handsome in all of Kenya. Tall with a great physique, he gave us a strong sense of security! The vehicle was kept clean and tidy every day. Ultimately, we each tipped about $120 for the seven days. Having a competent guide during a safari is crucial. Dennis has a keen eye and was always the first to spot signs of animals in the plains, leading us to lions, leopards, and other creatures. Whenever he received notifications from others, he would rush to the location immediately!"
Here is some advice for safari：
The sand is so thick it feels like suffocating in the dirt.
I wake up every day between 4 and 5 AM.
I set off at 6:30. Before 6:30, it's so cold that I have to wear a thick fleece hoodie.
The car ride is extremely bumpy. Sitting in the last row, I could even bounce off my seat and land back down, haha!
It's very sunny at noon. Wearing just a tank top isn't too hot, but don't forget sun protection.
The sun sets around 6:30 PM, and by 8 PM, the temperature drops.
Amboseli isn't cold. You can even shower, put on makeup, and apply face masks inside. However, in the Masai Mara, it's so cold in the evenings and mornings that I didn't feel like showering or putting on makeup. You can hear various animal noises at night.
The stars are stunning, and you can even see the Milky Way with the naked eye. If you're interested, bring a tripod.
It's worth bringing a telescope to see animal expressions and actions up close.
Sunglasses and contact lens solutions are essential, especially when there's a lot of wind and sand which can dry your eyes.
I wore long pants, but some of my companions wore shorts/skirts. Two of the four of us developed rashes, possibly allergies, or perhaps from mosquito bites.
I wasn't bitten much by mosquitoes (probably because they were all after my travel mates, haha!).
Bring vitamins or immunity boosters since the daily early starts and late returns can be exhausting, potentially lowering your immunity.
From 6-10 AM and 5-6:30 PM, you'll see more animals and they are more active. During other times, they mostly sleep. It can be frustrating at noon when it's scorching hot and animals are hard to spot.
The gift shop at the Amboseli Lodge has the most variety, including T-shirts. I regret not buying more to take home.
You can usually see all the animals. When one vehicle spots animals, the guides quickly communicate via radio, and everyone rushes over.
A long-focus lens is essential. A 70-200 lens might not be enough for enthusiasts, but it's okay for amateur photographers like us.
I exchanged $300 in cash before the trip, and after tips, there wasn't much left.
Even though they say it's not a tipping culture, tips are always accepted. For services like helping with luggage or walking safaris, tipping is customary.
It's a good idea to bring earplugs and a neck pillow. The ride is so bumpy that your ears will feel it's too noisy.
My total expenses were around 3.5-4k (not sure of the exact amount), including cash and card payments. I found the safari group on XHS.
Masai is safe, and so is Nairobi. There was a disturbance during our trip, so the last half-day of our safari was canceled. We left for Nairobi at 4 PM to rest. Once back in Nairobi, everything was fine. Without the disturbance, it's a safe place with a mature tourism industry.
It's a good idea to bring snacks. You won't feel hungry often, but sometimes you'll need a bit of energy during long drives.
Good eyesight is a real advantage! One of my travel mates with 20/20 vision often spotted small animals. For those of us with myopia, spotting animals felt like an exciting game, collecting sightings.
After buying a SIM card, don't restart your phone. Keep the PIN card safe, because if you restart your device, you'll need to re-enter the PIN. Without the PIN, the SIM card becomes unusable.
CZ
Email Jan Hocek | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Not recommended by travel professional
I honestly wouldnt recomment this company. We booked the Kilimanjaro climb and the safari with them for family of 3 people. We requested german speaking guides, which was promised, but in reality they didnt provide german speking guide, so communication was not possible.. The worst thing was, that during the kili climb the guide decided to shorten the climb by 1 day withou asking - reason was that the climbing team wanted be at their homes for Christmas.. So instead of planned hike last 3 days was rush and run on the mountain.. Ongoing safari was OK, instead of vehicle in very poor condition, even for african standards. Apparently this company doesnt have many own cars or guides - they subcontract from other suppliers, so they dont have much controll over quality. After journey was finished, they refused to compensate us for the missing german guide and the 1 lost day in Kilimanjaro. Jan
Reply from Wildebeest Safaris
Posted on Mar 28, 2023Dear Jan,
Thank you for your review and as always we look forward to clients feedback after every Safari to ensure service improvement. Our contact person specializing with Mountain Climbing didn't go with what we had agreed on pen and paper. My colleague had sent an email requesting for your bank details for the refund of one day together with Translator fees but it wasn't provided. We will be happy to revisit this issue.
Ever since, we already have our Company fully registered in Tanzania with full operations unlike before we were using a third party.
Kind Regards,
Noah
Best safari experience you can have in Africa
We’d travelled with Wildebeest Safaris for our safari trip in Kenya and Tanzania last November. It was a super fantastic trip with full of memories. Wildebeest Safaris did a very good job for us, make our Africa dream came true.
Before we started our safari, we did a lot of comparisons between different safari companies. The manager of the company Noah Kuti gave us lots of useful advice on the itinerary. He knows everything about the safari, destinations, lodges etc. Also provided us a very reasonable price.
With our safari guide Andrew and Hamza, the whole trip went very smoothly. They are both very knowledgeable about the wild animals and Africa culture. We saw thousands of flamingos in Lake Bogoria, very excited. All of the lodges chosen by Kuti are very unique, we even heard the lion roaring in the mid of the night near our tent when we stayed in Serengeti Tortilis.
We will go back Africa for wildebeest crossing next time, and of course with wildebeest safaris. Anyone who is considering to do safari in Africa, Wildebeest Safaris will be a good choice.
US
Email Allison | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very disappointing safari company
This was a very disappointing safari due to Noah and our guide. Noah added fees once we arrived in Kenya and charged us multiple times for pick up from the airport. He also did not give the guide information about the length of the safari drives we had paid for or the entire last day of our safari. While the guide was friendly, he did not point out many animals and was not able to show us where we were on maps of the Mara or point out any landmarks that are easily found on a google search. He said he had been a guide for 5 years and worked at a lodge in the Mara for over 10 years prior to becoming a guide. He would not take us to the Mara triangle or southen part of the Mara due to mud and the length of the drive but guides for other guests at our lodge were safely driving throughout the Mara. This safari did not live up to expectations Noah had promised. The guide put in very little effort. We paid admission to Enter Thompson Falls at the bottom and walk up a path to the falls. The guide took us to another location which appeared to be free. We have had wonderful safaris with other companies.
Reply from Wildebeest Safaris
Posted on Sep 20, 2017Dear Allison,
Thanks for your review and feedback. We are sorry that we did not make it clear earlier regarding card payments which usually attract 4% surcharge. Though I personally apologized and waived the fee but you didn't take it lightly. I truly apologize.
On the last day of the Safari, guide's plan was to take you for hot lunch first in a local restaurant as a surprise then proceed to Nairobi National Park but you didn't like the idea. So we had to drive you straight to Nairobi National Park.
Eustace was your Safari Guide and he has wide knowledge in Flora and Fauna at the Mara having worked and lived at this National Park. When you go through most of the reviews/feedback guest have mentioned Eustace most frequently as one of our best guides in our team.
Sometimes it'tends to be quite tricky finding the big five, it depends with a lot of factors as we do not have control over nature. But for sure I will address this matter with Eustace.
Yours Sincerely,
Noah Kuti
NL
Email Floris van alphen | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Terrible experience, safaris not as agreed on at all.
We had a very bad experience with Wildebeest safaris and Noah. The safari was not as promised at all. First of all, we had agreed on 4 hour gamedrives on the both first and the third day. Both these days we only spent only 2 hours in the national park. Secondly, our guide, Anthony, did not interact with the clients at all and did not treat the animals with respect. He went off road very often, which is prohibited, and disturbed animals by getting extremely close. Third, our 'semi-luxoury camp' had no electricity and no running water most of the time and if there was, the water had a brown colour.
When we emailed Noah to express our disappointment after our safari, all he did was offer us to go with his company again on our next trip, which is something I would never do again. Noah said he mixed up the itinerarys of a private and a joined safari, however, the itinerary he sent us before was named joined safari and he had confirmed about lengths of the gamedrives after I had specifically asked him. When we insisted on a partial refund for missing out on half of the safari time on two days, Noah simply ignored this and stopped replying.
I won't recommend anyone to ever use this company for a safari.
Reply from Wildebeest Safaris
Posted on Mar 28, 2023Dear Floris,
Thank you for your feedback. As for joining safaris, different tour operators usually combine guests together in order to form budget group departures. Sometimes it becomes very hard to meet each clients interests/needs given that the demands are very high. Given the eventualities we stopped operating joining safaris to only concentrate on Private departures.
Kind Regards,
Noah