Absolute Holiday Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2006)
- Member Of:
- Ministry of Tourism Kenya & Kenya Tourism Federation.
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $100 to $600 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
FR
Email François Almeras | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Really disappointed...
I had a safari with Absolute Holidays Safari in Tanzania. For 2 nights, the lodge booked was not the expected one (a little bit not so good of course). Another day, instead of lodge, I had a camp, with no compensation. Also company in Kenya doesn't want to give name and info about the corresponding company in Tanzania. Transportation was low quality (old vehicle, driver always lost, really not a guide). Last day, I quite missed my plane (several changes in cars; arriving at airport 2 minutes before door closing !). For other people in the car (2 from Miami, 2 from Melbourne) with the same problem in lodges bookings. Avoid this company to organize your tour.
BD
Email Adiba | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Reassuring, friendly and quick at problem-solving
Had an amazing 7-day Safari tour with Absolute holidays. David was our contact point for the whole tour and when we arrived in Kenya and met him at his office in Nairobi we felt tremendously reassured. He helped us exchange currencies and arranged for one of my missed luggages from the Nairobi airport to be sent to Masaimara on the following day. We booked the 7-day tour package (amboseli, masaimara, nakuru) and saw all the magnificent animals in all its glory. Our tour guide Richard even took us to an additional place out of the itinerary --Lake Elementeita -- where we got amazing views of flamingoes. We spent a lot of time on the road but it hardly seemed tiring because the weather was fantastic as was the driving by Richard. All in all, an incredible experience that I will cherish for life.
CH
Email VN | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Pleasant Experience
David was the sales representative I was in contact with. He was very responsive and very happy to find ways to accommodate my requests for modifying the itinerary. David's hospitality was fantastic and exceeds that of other companies. The safari was operated by Big Time Safaris. The driver was very friendly and skilled but not outstanding. The driver was not so familiar with the region, which led us to taking some wrong turns. He could also improve his wildlife knowledge as he mistook Grant's gazelles to be Thomson's gazelles. Overall though, the safari progressed smoothly. The accommodations were nice and the van was comfortable.
Reply from Absolute Holiday Safaris
Posted on Feb 4, 2021Thank you so much Vance for a great review about your Kenya Safari with us, we really appreciate it highly, Thank you also for the great remarks about David. Concerning the safari guide yes he agreed from Sweetwaters to Meru National Park he had some direction issues and assured us that would happen again.
About the operation due to covid 19 we had to have a strong agreement to make sure all confirmed booking that was cancelled due to the pandemic and new bookings either private or group joining is done with as per the agreement and that when we signed the agreement just for the benefit of the clients.
Thanks in advance
with Kind regards
John.
Email Renee | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Highly Recommend!
This was a great budget company to use. The planning from Nairobi was done so well and we were given everything we were promised plus more. Our guide Richard was a great guy who was easy to get along with, laid back and eager to make sure we had a good experience . In Masai Mara we were out on the main days game drive for 11 hours- it was beyond our expectation.The accommodation is very basic but it was clean, the beds were comfortable and we had hot showers wherever we went. The food is simple and similar every day but really tasty and great to experience local food. I would definitely recommend this company. Good value for money!
Email PJSM1956 | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Tour operator is good. The fact that they subcontract out the driving/facilitators creates problems.
We got what we paid for, so the following is not a complaint, but information that you may wish to use to improve your experience. Please note: subcontactors/drivers are not usually directly employed by the tour company, so get phone numbers that you can use in each country, and use local SIM cards.
1. Communications can be improved significantly, as we did not have a local telephone number to call when we went from Kenya to Tanzania - the border crossing "facilitator" was hopeless and left us to stand in the sun waiting for a bus we did not personally have tickets for. A local was kind enough to ring the Kenya phone number we had, and the company then verbally kicked the "facilitator" into fixing the issue.
2. The 2WD small vehicles used in Kenya are very uncomfortable for tall people like me (195cm or so), and get bogged easily - pay for an upgrade to 4WD Landcruiser safari vehicle if it is offered at a fair price. 2WD is adequate, incidentally, but expect the driving to be faster on the rough roads than you would expect. There were only 4WD Landcruisers in the Tanzania part of the trip, and they are much nicer, with plenty of head-room when the pop-top roof is open for animal viewing and photographing.
3. Water is supposed to be supplied on safari - it often wasn't in Kenya. I got a dozen bottles of water for myself and my wife, and the other passengers were so thirsty that they nicked most of them. I do not blame the passengers, incidentally. Water in Kenya was a problem, not in Tanzania.
4. Hot water was not often available for showers.
5. "Eco" camps that we used TRIED to do well, and in Kenya were at lease moderately comfortable (with beds) - but did not care that the roof leaked water onto the bed during a storm. The ones in Tanzania were camps (i.e. tents that were not waterproof , sleeping bags that needed fixing and washing, no hot water for showers, oh, and no towels supplied if we decided to have cold shower). Pay for upgrade in Tanzania, please.
6. i.e. Kenya basic cars, adequate accommodation; Tanzania much better cars, terrible accommodation. Even in the Serengeti there are proper hotels near the camps - pay for an upgrade if you hate tents and boring food, trust me. The tour company can juggle just about any request.
7. Finally, some changes were made without our permission, such as the order we saw some parks, and where we were staying or camping. We did, however, go to each and every place we were supposed to see, just out of order a bit.
Overall, I have to say that the tour operators are extremely competent, offer good value for money, and can accommodate almost any changes within reason.
(It was not my first safari, but the camping issues and my age has made it my last, as I am not a kid anymore and I have now seen what I want to see in Africa - don't let this affect you, as I am just commenting. Also 2 fellow travellers were a pain in the arse, complaining again and again about everything from not seeing lions feeding (they mostly rest during the day), to not getting the photos up close that they wanted IMMEDIATELY, wanting to change drivers because he could not arrange for a pair of binoculars to be returned {left, by them, in another vehicle} IMMEDIATELY, and so on. Animals move, so opportunities change, they were carrying a 65x zoom camera so should not be bitching about the photos of animals being too far away. My Nikon and 200mm lens was more than enough, and sometimes we were so close to animals (especially lions) that I had to change to a 18-55mm lens. I got photos of everything from lions in trees, leopards, cheetah, spotted hyenas, all sorts of herbivores imaginable, flamingos (2 types, up close) and more. In fact I photographed even more variety of animals than I expected (and expectations were high), and was simply blown away by the Serengeti migration. The animal numbers are simply staggering over a vast area. Seeing Kilimanjaro is fantastic, as was the photographs of elephants with Kilimanjaro in the background. Good trip, recommended highly, and my comments are just for your information should you want to do a similar 2 week Kenya/Tanzania budget trip.
CN
Email FU | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great experience
Due to mailbox problems, it's only two years later to evaluate absolute holiday safaris. It was a great travel agency. The arrangement was perfect. My friends and I felt very happy. I saw a lot of animals, zebras, lions, elephants, giraffes on the prairie. It is completely in line with the imagination of the grassland, and I hope to go again. Thanks to MR. David of Absolute Holiday Safaris for answering the questions in the mail. Thank you driver Peter, thank you for your 8 days of companionship and service.
Email Roger Simmons | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Good communication, great animal safari for the budget - but lots of travel and a moving itinerary.
I travelled with my sister on the 12 day safari in Kenya and Tanzania.
David is an excellent communicator, which made booking informative and simple.
Collection from the airport prior to the safari was a nice complimentary service.
When we were collected to pay our itinerary was changed.
Our driver in Kenya, Stanley (Stano), was fantastic. He knew where to go to find the animals and was always happy to pause so we could take photo's. The accommodation in Kenya was varied from very nice to functional. Keep in mind its a budget holiday so manage your expectations on the temperature and volume of water in your shower.
Do take a power bank to recharge your phone - electricity access is variable. I took a solar charger and power bank and didn't need any mains supply.
Minivan transport in Kenya was fun as we shared with 6 other people, who helped make the holiday. The roads are bumpy and some of the driving styles are not what you might normally expect - but its fun.
We did the hot air ballon, which is very expensive for an hour's ride and it is hit and miss what you drift over. The champagne breakfast is also nice and we were glad we took the opportunity.
The transfer from Kenya to Tanzania was lengthy and involved a series of transport changes. The shuttle bus is public transport to Arusha and would have been improved by a dedicated tour operator vehicle.
We were issued a revised itinerary in Tanzania, same places but in a different order - which was fine. It appearered this part of the safari had been subcontracted out to another company. Our booking of tents with bed and bedding was downgraded to tent with mat and blanket. We did ask for the original but when we got to the camp we still got the mat and blanket.
Accommodation in Tanzania was mixed, some very nice and some a basic tent which you take with you on the 4x4.
More great travel mates - 6 of us plus the driver, Gervas - who was excellent and the cook.
The food is mixed but good considering its travelling with you and cooked on site.
The trip back from Arusha to Nairobi is again very long after a long safari, but I must say both companies were very helpful in adjusting our travel arrangements after my sister was unwell and unable to travel.
Overall I would probably just stick with Kenya for safari. I'm not sure adding Tanzania added to what we saw but did significantly add to the travel time. As long as you can go with the bumpy roads and 'flexible' itinerary its a great budget holiday.
US
Email Ben | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Stick to Kenya and don't expect great customer service
We had combined 10 day safari in Kenya-Tanzania. Everything was great on the Kenya side. Driver was fine, would answer questions if you asked, but you did have to ask. Accommodations were better than expected with private bathrooms and actual beds in tents. They definitely work to find animals and make the most of the time in the parks.
Tanzania - nothing went right at all. We were supposed to be met by the director Abraham at the bus depot and he was not there. So very confusing getting us to our hotel in Arusha.
Day 2 the driver, George, brought us to Lake Manyara when our itinerary said to go to Serengeti NP. We were dropped off at camp around 430 near the lake, not in the Serengeti. He refused to t call anyone to check on the mix up for us. Basically that it was not his problem and we were stuck.
Day 3 We should have had a full day in Serengeti national park. We did not arrive until 2 or 3pm. George told us breakfast was at 730 and we would leave at 8. . We did not depart until 10am. No one could give us an update on when we would leave. They claimed the delay was due to the chefs. Who produced fried chicken so burnt we couldn’t eat it at lunch. We had our driver changed 3 times that morning. Though Etome ended up as a very good guide. The Serengeti camp ended up being far superior to where we stayed near Manyara
Day 4 The game drive was very good this day though it was only 6 hours not the full day we paid for. We had a brunch and dinner instead of 3 meals. No time on the trip were we given the chance to visit Olduvai gorge and the museum. Also no evening nature walk was offered at the Simba camp.
Day 5 The game drive this morning was very good. However we did not enjoy a picnic lunch in the crater as described. We were driven back to camp to have lunch which was not as scenic. David did meet at at the border for our transfer back to Nairobi airport and did not ask us for additional money when the police pulled over our car and asked for bribes to continue on.
However, he claimed that he would rectify the situation that had happened in Tanzania and we would hear within a week. When we contacted him a week later he said he was still working with his Directors and Abraham in TZ. 2.5 months later and we have never heard from him again. No refund or any other compensation for going to the wrong park and wrong lodging.
Kenya was great but avoid working with the TZ company. They will lie and not stick to the paid for itinerary. And once on the trip you have paid and are stuck going where they bring you. Very disappointing that David appears to communicate greatly until they have your money then they don't care what happened to you.
CH
Email Christian | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Perfect tour operator
We booked two weeks customized privat safari in Kenya and Nairobi. Planning the tour was done within 1 week and everything was perfect, at least for the Kenya part. Unfortunately their partner in Tansania was not good at all (see SandLand Tours reviews), but Absolute Holidays Safari did a very good job. all three shuttle services as planned. David was allways there for questions. If you plan only safari in Kenya, this is the perfect one to ask. If you plan to include Tansania, checked first that the partner is not SandLand Tours. We have advised David to look for a more reliable partner in Tansania. SandLand Tours tried to get more money from us by saying one park fee (300$) was not included and we have to pay. Absolute Holiday Safari gave us back the money within 1 day when they heard the story. David met us on the Airport when arriving and also when coming back to Kenya to get a feedback from us about the tour. There is absolutely nothing to complain about them, except that their partner in Tansania should be kicked in the ass.
Well Done!
I just came back home for our 3-months trip that’s why have late review.
Below are special thanks to their crews:
David; the contact person. He booked additional Nairobi lodging to me at my budget, keep frequencies contacting, and solved my enquiries.
Oukozakaro; the driver-guide. He was able to spot and let us as virgin spectators into various animal adventures (quoted Prat’s wordings). The highlights are:
One lion family (13 lions including lion, lioness and cubs),
One sleeping lioness lying on a treetop,
One sleep cheetah at woods,
One wijd/white rhinoceros family (3 wijds),
More than 10-times of lions (single, twin)
Of course, wildebeest great migration, lion hunting process, leopard and her prey on a tree, cheetahs and their prey and so on, and so on….
Additional review will post in TripAdvisor