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 $600 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
DK
Email Cecilie Lykke | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic experience, but a horrible, bumpy ride.
AbsoluteHolidaySafari offers safari trips where you get a lot of value for your money. We chose a 3 day safari in Maasai Mara, and really looked forward to it. We were picked up at the airport and driven to our hotel on our first day in Nairobi, which saved us a lot of hassle finding taxis at the airport. They also picked us up on the first day from the safari and to the office where we met up with the others we were sharing a car with.
I was expecting like a range rover safari van, but when the trip is as cheap as ours was (300$ pr. pax) we had to settle for a Toyota van with 9 seats. And trust me, the trip to Maasai Mara and during our safari was horrible. If I could choose again, I would spend a little more money to get a better car, but we made the best out of it.
The safari in general was amazing!! We had Richard as our driver, and he's sort of the veteran of all drivers. He really gave us a nice experience and we got to see so many animals. We saw cheetahs 2 times, which we learned was very rare, and a lot of lions, elephants and other animals. You really get to see all the animals you want to on this trip, and if you're going on a safari to see animals and not for luxury, I would highly recommend this trip.
The beds are hard, the facilities are on a low standard, but not too bad. The food was okay, but as others have written here, there can be quite long gaps between every meal, so you should bring some snacks. And remember to bring water, you only get 1 litre per day, which is NOT enough...
We really enjoyed our trip and got to know some really nice people during our stay at the camp. If it's your first time on safari, this is a very nice tour that is affordable, where you still get to see so many animals.
TN
Email Haifa | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A great tour and a great guide
The tour was great, Masai Mara was everything we expected it to be and more: Wildebeest, Antelopes, Cheetah, Leopards, Hippos, Elephants, Lion cubs, sunrise over the hills... Lake Nakuru was also lovely.
Gibson, our guide and driver was perfect
IN
Email REX B M | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A buget safari with all details coverd
I went to Masai Mara-Nakru-Amboseli 6 days safari in Sep-16 ....3rd week
Highlights:
1. A worth visiting place & safari...a must see place
2.. Absolute Holiday Safaris is a reliable company and the Manager David was polite and good to us.
3. Driver cum Guide Stanley was extremely good. Initially he looked to be little different but he made the trip enjoyable
4. Stanley took us every where ... even near to the animals when other vans did not dare to do it.
5 . When I lost my video camera in Lake Nakuru and traveled 15 km with out knowing it , Stanley took every effort , called some one there and got back my camera safely.....Weldone....Thanx Mr. Stanley. God Bless you.
7. We enjoyed every hour of the day ....especially Amboseli,,,, but could not see Mount Kilimanjaro due to misty condition.
8. Over all the safari was well organised.
Negative points:
1. The tented accommodation was not up to the expectations.
2. Always the food was bread, jam/butter/ Watermelon /some rice/etc .
But I really enjoyed the safari .
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.
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.
FI
Email Mikko | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very good safari experience
The safari was arranged in a group of about 8 people. Everything important worked fine. The driver/host was adequately on top of things and knew the masai mara area and wildlife well. There were smaller issues like we had to do some negotiations to get our waters and some hassle around they drives (expected in africa, though). I would really recommend this operator taken, of course, that this is a budget safari.
Recommendations:
- Surprise, surprise 1 litre of water is not enough per day -> buy some of your own
- The food is provided but sometimes the gaps between are quite long -> if you get hungry easily take for example protein bars with you.
- If you do participate the visit to masai village, prepare for an interesting evening but also some quite manipulative selling situations.
IN
Email Tepa | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Absolute Holiday Safaris do know their territory, and their birds and animals.
It was a pleasure to do the safari with Asolute Holiday Safaris.
The booking of the hotels took some back and forth-ing and while responses were very prompt it did require constant input from us. We were fortunate to know friends who had been on a safari before and could guide us.
The vehicle was slight disappointing. We expected much better for the price considering the fact that we had booked the high end luxury tour. The guide was loud but good natured, and once we understood each other the holiday was good.
The biggest negative however, was being told how much to tip (which was exorbitant, by every standard), and not on the basis of the overall experience. We gave what we felt was very fair, even generous, but the guide's annoyance at this was not at all pleasant. Sadly it was not a happy end to a good safari.
Reply from Absolute Holiday Safaris
Posted on May 4, 2016Hello Tepa
Great to know the experience you had with us and really appreciate,we are concerning on what spoiled the good trip,i as the contact person am shocked to know that you were told how much to tip. Kindly we does not work like this as the clients experience determines how much to tip.
We are also shocked that the driver was annoyed..... Kindly you came for the Holiday while i was too on holiday and on behalf of the entire office i really apologize for that.
Kindly we will make a follow up and make sure this does not happen to our future clients.
with kind apology
david
IN
Email Sunandan Bhatta | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A 'get away from the routine' was a wonderful experience
The trip was well planned out and co-ordination was good. However, the camping facilities at the park were quite basic; for instance electricity for only 4 hrs in the evening and no charging points in the room.
The itinerary, though packed, was fun filled - with lots of time spent inside the park.
Worth recommending to friends.
IN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful african safari experience
We used to know about it from the NatGeo and Discovery. But this time I saw them with my own eyes. It was truly a wonderful experience.
TW
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
6 days safari in Nakuru, Navasa, Masaai Mara, Amboseli
This company take cares of customers a lot, . I feel very warm of my contacter, David.
However, some of the accomondations they cooperate weren't good. One camp electronics had problems, we didn't have power all day and had to prepare troops by our own. One camp didn't save enough showering water. And cooks always cooked so late and sow, one night we ate dinner at 9pm, and one day, our driver told us leave at 5:45am, but cook served us breakfast after 6 am. And cook still ask us give him tips. And they didn't give us one liter water every day as what contract said, in Nassau Mara camp, when I asked water, the staff of the camp told me with bad attitude said no more water, don't ask me more water!
But the driver of the safari was experimened, he found many animals, we saw many animals in our trip.