Come As Guests, Leave As Family.
Odyssey Safaris
- Located In:
-
United States
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2002)
- Member Of:
- APTA, ATA & KPSGA
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $400 to $600 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
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Email Ariela | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a lifetime
I loved my trip with Odyssey Safaris. Our guide Erastus, was so wonderful! From the moment we met him, he had a big warm smile on his face. He was friendly, extremely knowledgeable, funny and patient with all of my millions of questions. I can't say enough good things about him. He was great at spotting the animals & knew so much about them. He was just so great! The safari's themselves were amazing. My photos don't do it justice. It's something I recommend everyone to see once in their life. The staff at Odyssey- Beatrice, Lucy & Mark, were so great and helpful. They would respond to my emails quickly & were also patient with all of my questions. Highly recommended. I can't say enough good things about this company. Really hoping to go back to Kenya again, and will definitely use Odyssey Safaris again!
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Email Linda | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
5 Star Experience from Start to End
My husband and I were introduced to Odyssey Safaris (OS) through Groupon (which we decided not to use--keep reading). We contacted OS and received an immediate response. We were impressed that a real person, Mark Cahill, made himself available to speak to us. He proposed a safari in Kenya that was comparable in pricing to Groupon but in keeping with our availability. Prior to paying for our package, there was a political incident in Kenya that compelled us to ask for a change in destination. In short order, Mark prepared an alternative package in Tanzania--visiting 4 natonal parks within close proximity, at nearly the same price. He suggested that we consider doing a stopover in Amsterdam on our way back to the US, which was rewarding and gave us a break from a very long flight back to the West Coast. He also accommodated our request to pay for the airline (KLM) fare directly.
We had never done a safari and were a little apprehensive. Even though they provide a detailed itinerary and responses to FAQs, I sent Odyssey a few emails about logistics. They responded almost immediately with helpful information (even though some had been answered in their brochure materials).
Now, about the trip itself. We were amazed beyond belief. The entire experience was flawless. We were met at the Kilimanjaro Airport by Mweta, who was a very experienced guide. (He said he's almost ready to retire but he had plenty of energy for us!) He stayed with us for the entire trip being guide, educator, and driver. I don't understand how a person can manage to avoid the major pits of the road, identify birds in flight, and see a giraffe in distance, all while answering our questions about the culture, the weather, the politics, etc. Every single day was unique: we saw dozens of animals on our very first day (Tarangire). But every subsequent day we saw new animals as well as coming across those we'd seen in different habitats and different situations. The quality of the guide will shape your experience and ours was exceptional.
We appreciated the sequence of the National Parks, spending approximately one day at each. We started with Tarangire (which is sometimes skipped in shorter safaris of fewer than 7 days: what a shame!); then Lake Manyara--not to be missed; then Ngorongoro Crater; finally Serengeti for 2 full days. By the 8th day (our first day was just for landing, dining, and sleep), we were ready to go home, satiated on a feast of mammals, birds, some reptiles, panoramic scenery, and a few experiences with the Maasai.
Let's move on to lodgings and meals. We were again, delighted with our accommodations. We had no idea that they would be as luxurious as they were. Even the "tents" were completely furnished with beds with firm comfortable mattresses, mosquito netting, bedside tables, sitting areas, and complete bathrooms including hot showers and flush toilets! Several of the tent sites used solar power, which made sense. Every lodging was unique, e.g. the tents on boulders overlooking a lake; the tents in the middle of a plain, set in a circle; the lodging on the top of a large hill, with a bathroom suite that would rival any 5 star hotel in Europe or the US. The safari-lodgings we stayed in were run by a French company but, thankfully, the staff were all Tanzanian. They were, without exception, gracious and accommodating. The meals were (to us) tasty and healthy. The breakfasts catered to Westerners, i.e. fruits, croissants, toast, eggs, bacon. We wished they offered an occasional choice of local cuisine...Maybe next time. Important to note that neither of us became even slightly ill during the entire trip.
In addition to being able to observe wildlife and take in breathtaking scenery, we were able to take a walk with a few Maasai men across the plains as they talked about their everyday life; and visit a village to see a welcome dance, go inside one of the dwellings, and visit a kindergarten. These were just glimpses but will leave lingering memories.
We could say so much more but it would take many pages. Suffice it to say, we would use Odyssey Safaris to plan other trips in the future.
For those of you who are new to safaris (as we were): you'll experience much jostling in the vehicle as you dodge thousands of ruts (our guide was a genius in his ability to maneuver around them but you'll stlill be jostled); dust in capital letters, and the noise of the vehicle can be noticeable. But these are details if you want to see animals in the wild, sometimes within feet of your vehicle; if you want to see panoramic scenery and skies like you've never seen before, stretch before you; and appreciate the friendly waving of children by the road as they herd their goats and cattle.
Don't miss this experience: it will bring a new meaning to the word awe.
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Experience level: first safari
Awesome Kenya Safari
An awesome safari, the only way to describe my 7 night Kenya Safari hosted by Odyssey Safaris. My internet searches led me to Safari Bookings a one place site that I could use to research and compare what was on offer. One safari stood out. It ran every week (which meant definite departure) , the price for each weekly departure was published (I hate those from $... prices call us for details) and it was an US and African co-owned business (this meant Odyssey had skin in the game both in taking my money and providing the service). In addition I liked the itinerary and the quality of the accommodation and the inclusions.
This led to the initial tentative call that ended with me feeling a high level of comfort with Odyssey Safaris. Mark who is a director of Odyssey Safaris answered all my questions and within an hour emailed me an 80 page information package with everything I needed to know such as itinerary, accommodation, inclusions, exclusions, what to expect, how to get a visa, insurance options etc. What stood out during the booking process was the promptness of the responses. And also a no pressure approach. A couple of weeks before departure we received details of our guide which included a photo. I really appreciated this.
Our guide was Odyssey's head guide Erastus. He was outstanding, great sense of humor and amazing eyesight. Our safari began with a long drive from Nairobi to Samburu national reserve. On route we met Eliud the African director of the company. We appreciated the short meeting and it reflected the value that Odyssey placed on ensuring a great experience for its clients.
Day to day:
Samburu national reserve (2 nights): I had no idea what to expect of Samburu. But I was pleasantly surprised by the large elephant herds we came across. My best memories of Samburu are of elephants drinking and playing and cooling off in the river. Our camp Ashnil, Samburu, was inside the park next to a river. Great location as on day two we had three elephants feeding behind the tented camp and one more big guy come & push a Duma palm tree to knock the fruit off & pick & eat the fallen fruit. All this right behind our camp about 20 feet from us. The key to accommodation is location (best inside the reserve) while comfort and food are secondary. However, Ashnil Samburu is very comfortable with good food and pleasant service.
Also on day 2 in Samburu, our guide spotted tracks of a large male lion along the dirt road. Soon joined by a another large male. We followed the tracks but lost them as they left the road to cross the river. That same evening our guide searched for them but to no avail. But when we returned to camp, we were told two big males had walked past the camp on the other side of the river. Man, lions can be sneaky. But we did see a lioness on day one and two cubs hiding in the tall grass on our exit from the park. We could hear lion calls during the night.
Sweetwater Game Reserve (1 night)
Sweetwater tented camps had the bets location. Right by a waterhole, teeming with Impala, waterbuck, warthog, some rhino and buffalo. A constant change of animals coming to drink & feeding on the plain. All visible from the camp. It also (along with Saravo Lion Hill Lodge in Lake Nakuru NP) had the best food.
Our game drives led us to vast plains full of various antelopes, rhino and buffalo plus a pride of 5 lionesses. A word of caution. Our guide did say that when he was here a month earlier the plains were mostly empty.
Lake Nakuru national park (1 night)
The accommodation and food was on par with Sweetwaters. Also great views of the lake. But since the lake level has risen and its alkalinity changed, the flamingos, it was famed for have all left. But it has rhino, zebra, buffalo & giraffe. We missed out on seeing a large pride of lions which others had seen. But that is the way game drives go.
Masai Mara game reserve (2 nights)
Two nights at Ashnil tented camp right by a river full of hippos. We could see them all day & hear them all night. Highlights of the game drive was a 2 day old hippo kill attended by hyenas and vultures and a failed hunt by a cheetah. It was surreal to see how the cubs followed mum at a distance & lay down during the hunt. We also came across lions on several occasions but they were mostly sleeping, I guess full of hippo.
I highly recommend Odyssey Safaris.
This experience helped me remember past safaris while introducing different animals and habitats.
Our safari included Masai Mara and Samburu - two totally different environments and experiences. James, our guide was well versed in both and added information about the animals, landscape, trees and differences between the animals in the two parks. How different the animals were when only separated by a few hours drive was intriguing and something I didn't expect. James was very accommodating when requesting specific times for game drives, specific animals that we wanted to see and helped our photography by positioning the vehicle to capture the best angle and in some cases the best light. We have some of the most fantastic shots of leopards. Not something everyone gets to see in the wild. We enjoyed out time with James just getting to know each other and sharing stories as well. We even had the opportunity to recommend James/Odyssey to other people on safari that were planning to return to Samburu. He definitely enhanced our trip and our love for the animals of Africa. Beatrice was our contact for arranging and planning our trip. She was very responsive and very friendly - even through email. So- thank you all for a wonderful trip. We are still sharing photos and stories with our friends.
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Email Lorilee | Experience level: first safari
Kenya in All Its Glory with Simon
Odyssey Safari met all my expectations as a "first time to Africa & Kenya" journey. The accommodations were good and in many cases excellent. The price was very reasonable. The best part of my trip had to be the excellent guide, Simon. He listened to our requests and really knew where to see as many animals as possible.
He took pride in his country and relayed wonderful information about our environment and the animals of Kenya. He was a skilled and patient driver and a pleasure to interact with on even the most challenging experiences (flat tire - fixed in 15 minutes and on our way.) I would highly recommend Odyssey Safaris to anyone who wants the best experiences with a special request for Simon.
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Email Rachel | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Hands down the best experience of my life
Everything about this experience was just beyond what words could describe and far exceeded my expectations. The people, the accomodations, the landscape and wildlife... I fell in love with Kenya.
Communication with Odyssey Safari staff before (for booking and questions), on the date of departure (an unecessary last minute panic on my part), and even after return (follow-up to see if anything could be improved) was excellent and expedient.
The only thing I was a little apprehensive about going into this trip was all of the sites we were traveling to, and the fact that we'd be in a vehicle on game drives and driving between lodging. So, just a lot of car time. But in reality, the scenery and the company made it fly by and I found I didn't mind a bit. All of the sites we stayed at had their own positive sides, and I found we ended up staying two nights at both of my favorite reserves (Samburu and Masaai Mara), which I was grateful for.
James was our guide and I similarly can't say enough positive things about him. He shared so much knowledge about not only wildlife and the parks, but also about Kenyan culture and by the end I truly felt he made the trip as much fun as it was. I was grateful to have him as our guide, and when I return for another trip to Kenya (which I DEFINITELY will), I will request him as a guide without hesitation. It was clear he had both love and respect for the wildlife and land, which is obviously what one wants to see when doing a trip such as this. One of my favorite quotes of his: "we take nothing [from the reserves] and leave nothing behind."
Mark Cahill asked me after I returned if there was anything I would do to improve the experience and I could not think of one thing.
All-in-all, it's an experience you need to have rather than hear about. I'm already recruiting family and friends and have been in communication with Mark Cahill...I plan to return through Odyssey Safaris next year. Highly recommend.
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Email Therese and Ryan | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Once in a lifetime experience
Odyssey Safaris planned and ran an amazing honeymoon for my husband and I. Being busy with the wedding and early parenthood we had no time to really invest in planning our own honeymoon. We knew that we wanted to see elephants up close as well as partake on a general safari. Lucy and her team at Odyssey planned a customized trip that outdid our expectations 100%. Our guide Erastus was truly outstanding and knew every park like the back of his hand--including where particular animals were known to be in the past. He was also a pleasure to spend time with during the drives between national parks. The accommodations were outstanding and we were really taken care of when my husband got a bit of a stomach bug. Planning a trip with an overseas agency can be a little intimidating and you don't exactly know who to trust---Odyssey is a company I would 100% recommend to anyone looking to do a safari in Kenya. Not only do they know their stuff but their customer service (which also has an office in the US) is outstanding.
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Email Ryan | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable experience!
My wife and I went on our honeymoon with Odyssey to Kenya for a custom tour, and it was one of the most amazing experiences in our lives. Each detail of the trip was carefully planned out and taken care of when we got there! Odyssey accommodated us with each request we had, from the hotels to the parks and type of game we wanted to go see, and everything went flawlessly. Odyssey headquarters were easy to contact and quick to respond when we had questions during our trip, getting back to us within an hour each time.
Erastas, our guide, was one of the nicest people we met in Kenya and an amazing guide. He really took pride in his work, and went above and beyond finding animals that we were interested in, even spending extra time in the drives to seek out animals. I couldn't recommend him more, as the trip wouldn't have been the same without him.
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Email Marilou | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing!!!!!!
The best trip I ever had. The food, accommodations, and the safari, What an awesome experience! Our tour guide James, the best! Made sure we see all the animals, very patient. I will send all my friends who are going on a safari to your company. I'm in love with the people of Kenya. So beautiful.
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Email Heather H. | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The Perfect Experience
This is an experience of a lifetime! Odyssey Safaris is spectacular!
Our Tour Guide - There is no doubt that our guide, James (Kiarie), is the best safari guide in all of Kenya. He was able to track and spot every creature. His well established network of guides in every park enabled us to locate the most elusive animal. Hearing him share his expansive knowledge of each species was like having a National Geographic documentarian in arms length. James was patient through our first sightings and our special needs related to getting just the right photo. Additionally, James is a talented driver and navigates the under developed roads with skill and courtesy. He curated our stops along the way and advised the group on how to interact with the locals. He built trust with each of us from the start, with his impeccable manners and smart guidance. He customized each days times and priorities based on our needs. We affectionately called him James Bond.
Sightings - We spotted the Special 5 and Big 5 within the first 2 days of our adventure....but that was only the beginning... 3/4 of the field guide was checked by the time left. James helped us all learn the variations of antelope, birds, rhinos, zebra, giraffe, etc.
Hotels and Staff - The hospitality in the tent camps are outstanding. The staff was extremely friendly, welcoming, and helpful, particularly at Safari Park Hotel, Samburu Ashnil, Sarova Lionhill Lodge, Sweetwater and the Masai Mara Ashnil. The guards were my favorite staff members- they help you feel safe and they are more than happy to chat with you about their unique tribes, traditions and culture....and they are very curious to learn about your world as well. Sweetwater was amazing for the watering hole - we called it the lazy man's safari. My least favorite hotel was Masai Mara Ashnil, the staff was far less friendly and accommodating than the all others- with the exception of the guards and bartenders. I think we were spoiled by the A M A Z I N G service everywhere else. We stopped for a rest at Mara Serena Lodge - this looked and felt like a much better experience...I will opt for this one next time. Overall, amazing wonderful staff that added to the magic of Africa.
Village Visits - Visiting the Samburu Village and Masai Village was a wonderful addition to our trip. I preferred the Massai Village as it seemed more authentic and less about selling goods and asking for money. I am thankful that we visited both and could compare the two.
Karen Blixen Museum - If you love Out of Africa, you will L O V E visiting her home. Don't expect bells and whistles...this is a very simple, straight forward museum experience. Just spending time there was delightful. Learning more of her story will stay with me. I recommend the book about her life in the gift shop.
Itinerary - Our 10 day package was perfect. This Odyssey excursion is well-curated, with a variety of different experiences. You are given the flexibility to opt in or out of drives, which helps when you are weary mid-week. It was fun for my 70 year old mother and for me at 42. We visited Sambaru-Buffalo, Lake Nakuru, Sweet Water, Masai Mara. We had plenty of time to take in the overwhelming beautiful scenery, shop for souvenirs, enjoy cultural entertainment and, of course, see every animal our heart desired.
Preparations - Odyssey made it easy for us to plan for this extensive trip with their well organized pre-trip packet. All relevant information was included about immunizations, safety precautions, weather, accommodations, options and an easy to follow day-by-day itinerary. The staff was very responsive to our pre-trip questions and we felt completely prepared for our adventure, which eliminated much stress prior to departure.