US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Simon is the best safari guide.
This is my second safari with Odyssey and hopefully there will be many more. They are willing to do whatever it takes for you to have a safe and fabulous safari. Simon was the driver for both trips and I hope to have him a third time. He is extremely knowledgeable about wildlife and Kenya.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The heart of the Serengeti
My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our visit into the Serengeti with Makasa for several reasons:
1. We wanted to understand as much as we could about the ecosystems, more than just animals but all the flora and fauna
2. We wanted comfort and coziness but not obsequious luxury and we had great accommodation-just right for us.
3. We wanted to see and understand what we saw; the staff (Ngomi and David) did a superb job.
4. The office through whom everything was set up was clear and efficient in the process.
Overall, a great experience and we intend to go again soon with a son and grand daughter added to the experience.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Ask for Erastus for you tour guide - By far the best!
Beatrice and Mark planned this trip for my sister and I and did a great job selecting a vacation package that was best for us and in our budget. We did the tour from Boston to Nairobi and it was a Friday to Monday trip (10 days total) - flew from Boston to Amsterdam to Nairobi and then back.
Pre-Trip Preparation: My sister and I got a few shots before (Yellow Fever, Tetanus, Polio, and Hep A) - but they weren't necessary for us - but no harm getting them just in case. We also took anti-malaria pills before, during, and after the trip - total of 14 days (also not needed).
Need a passport - but don't get your Visa until you get there ($50 USD) - much quicker and easier than doing it ahead of time.
Packed: Money Protector, Cash, CC, passport, Tablet & plug, Blanket, bathing suit, long pants (linen are best because it’s hot then cold), sweatshirt/pants because it’s very cold t night, Unscented shampoo (keeps away bugs), Safari hat, 5 Toothbrushes & paste (in case one touches tap water), Tums, Advil, Dramamine, Imodium, Prescription Pills in original bottle, Sunglasses, Sunscreen, Power adaptors, backpack, Mosquito Net, 99% Deet Bug spray, Hand Sanitizer, Good Binoculars (I wish I had bought a Monocular), disposable Poncho, Travel Toilet Paper
When we arrived: got off plane, went through Immigration (got our visa), got our bags and then "went through customs" - we didn't really need to do anything except hand them a form. Then we walked outside and saw Erastus (our tour guide) holding a sign with our names. He brought us to the Safari truck and brought us to the hotel.
1st Hotel: Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi - great location and accommodations - lots of restaurants to chose from, rooms are very clean and nice, breakfast is included, pool, lots of weddings here - only negative was their beds were extremely firm.
Safari: woke up, ate breakfast, and Erastus was waiting for us in the lobby to take us to our first safari destination. We had 2 other people with us (an older couple) so there was plenty of room for us to put our stuff and relax on the long rides.
The ride to the first location is about 5 hours - but you really don't notice it at all because there are a few "stop-overs" to use the bathrooms and look at souvenirs and the people-watching along the way is fascinating.
Ashnil - Samburu: This is a tented camp - rooms are little huts with real doors but tent walls - you feel like you're really in a hotel room - nice beds and showers and they give you water bottles for tooth-brushing. The food all over africa is terrible if you're an american. We were told not to eat fruits, uncooked veggies, the water, or unpasteurized dairy products. That doesn't leave many options - so the food is the only thing I could complain about on this trip. There is a male elephant that comes right up to the electric fence daily - it's really cool. There are Vervet monkeys that try to get into your rooms at night - make sure you zip the tents closed! Beds are really comfortable and there is a generator to charge your phone/camera/laptops about 18 out of 24 hours a day.
The game drives here were amazing - the goal of the whole safari is to see the "big 5" and we saw a lion, (not one of big 5 but...)cheetah (with her cubs AND a kill), hippo (it's extremely rare to see any Hippo in Samburu), and a bunch of smaller animals and birds.
We went to the Samburu village - $30 per person extra - it was worth it. We got to see how they live off the land, and go into their little huts and see the school etc. They do try to sell you a bunch of souvenirs at the end - and I think it's better to buy gifts from them than the souvenir shops.
The drive from Samburu to Sweetwater was about 3 hours
Sweetwater: This is a tented camp with a lake in the middle (elephants and other animals gather at the lake after dark - it's very cool to see them up close while eating dinner). The tents are on stilts and you have to actually zip the entrance. There are a TON of weird beetles there - but no mosquitos. The rooms were cozy and comfortable beds - showers/bathroom was nice and they also give you water. The food was a little better. At every tented camp, food is included with your package but drinks (even water) is not. We just took waters from our Safari truck (there was enough for the week in there) and brought them to meals. Wifi is good here in the rooms and lobby.
Game drive: We saw black and white rhinos, stopped at the Black Rhino sanctuary and the chimpanzee sanctuary. Saw 2 others of the Big 5 - the African Cape Buffalo as well the rhinos. We saw more lions, zebra, ostriches, giraffes, and stopped at the Equator for pictures and a water demonstration.
From Sweetwater to Nakuru was about 4 hours.
Nakuru: This is a lodge hotel - no tents - very nice here. One tiny problem we had was that ALL of our rooms at the 5 hotels were so far away from the lobby - if you're handicapped or old, you should definitely ask for closer rooms up front. The lunch here was very good - the best meal of the whole trip. The rooms were comfy and clean and very nice. We heard a lion roar in the early morning hours! Here we were supposed to see FLOCKS of flamingos - but there were only about 30. Again, we saw rhino and buffalo and the other animals. Still, no leopard though (the last of the big 5 to spot for us).
Trip from Nakuru to Masai Mara was about 7 hours:
Ashnil at Masai Mara: The rooms are just like the ones at the other Ashnil camp - same food as well. Comfy beds and clean rooms. Food was just OK. Hippos are right outside the dining room - we saw a hyena as well. The game drive here was AMAZING! We saw a huge pride of lions and so many other animals. On our way out of the park on the very last day, we FINALLY spotted the leopard - and WITH A CUB! We were so happy! AND a cheetah jumped on our safari truck - sat there for about 1/2 hour looking for her next meal - not bothering us - was so cool! Before it jumped on our truck, she went on the roof of another truck, went over to the open sunroof and shat through the open roof onto the tour guide hahahaha. We got to step into Tanzania for a minute.
The ride back to Nairobi was about 6 hours with stop-overs at interesting locations.
Back at the Safari Park Hotel, we went to the Elephant Orphanage, a mall, a black market, and a little sight-seeing of Nairobi with our tour guide before flying back home.
I travel a lot - and this was by far the BEST trip I have been on. Erastus was an amazing tour guide - he knew so many interesting facts about the animals, Kenya, and the people who we saw along the way. It's very important to tip your tour guide - at LEAST $10/day per person - we recommend twice that if you have Erastus as your guide - he truly loves his job and is so good at it!
Some things to remember about Safaris and Kenya:
1. Don't expect to go into the game drive reserves and see animals roaming everywhere - you will see a few every 10-15 minutes - it's part of the fun trying to spot them. They are not just all hanging around everywhere - they are living in their natural habitat and hiding from prey/sun/us.
2. In Nairobi, people are pretty much the same as in the US - they have the same things and do the same stuff. They are more religious though - everyone goes to church on Sundays. However, the farther out you go - like to the game reserves, the people become more and more primitive with their houses, livestock, jobs, food, etc.
3. Ask as many questions as you can think of while on safari - your tour guide is full of information and there are just so many interesting facts about Kenya you would never think of.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Adventure!
We had an excellent experience with Tanzania Serengeti Adventures. Our driver-guide, Philimon, was an excellent guide with a vast knowledge of the landscape and wildlife. Our safari would not have been the same without him! His 20+ years of experience really shows; we highly recommend him to anyone looking to do safari. For comparison, we had the opportunity to chat with other guests at the lodge who utilized different safari companies; they were continually astounded at the amount of wildlife we were seeing. When we described what we saw (Big 5 + tons more) they were astonished. We attributed this to Philimon’s knack to seek out all the right spots; something gained after 20 years on the job! In addition to his excellent skills as a driver/guide, Philimon is a very respectful and fun person. Our group really enjoyed chatting with him and learning more about the local culture as the miles flew by. If you’re searching for a safari, you can’t go wrong with Tanzania Serengeti Adventures – and make sure to request Philimon as your guide!
Additionally, Iris & Jordan (management) were great & custom tailored our safari to our needs. Pricing was very reasonable and payment was secure and seamless. The vehicles are top notch and all seats have safety belts. Additionally, binoculars were supplied, which was a nice touch. Go with TSA – you won’t regret it!
An exceptionnal trip
We had a very nice trip in South Africa, thanks to our guide who did a wonderful job preparing our journey through South Africa.I enjoyed Tsitsikamma Park, and the time we spent walking in the bush.
All the restaurants we went to were deliciously chosen, guesthouses were just perfect.
Biwakwango has a very well studied team: Thierry, our precious guide, Garret our kind driver and Cardy the Masterchief of our meals in the bush. Everything was over our expectations and I truly recommand this company if you want to spend a wonderful time discovering South Africa.
IN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Safari Holiday
We booked a safari camping trip for five days four nights in Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro with AHLA. The communication before hand was excellent and the price quoted was very competitive. The Lodge in Arusha is basic but clean rooms and beds. It is a steep climb from the entry point which is a slippery foot path (rains) but there were people sent down to collect our luggage from the bottom of the hill. Our children enjoyed the climb.
The safari itself was with Ibrahim and Yonno as our guide and cook. Both of them were excellent. We saw all the animals Big 5 and the rest. Only regret not spotting the Cheetah. The campsites we stayed in were well maintained although the first night was a bit scary with hyenas howling and lions roaring in the night. On the whole but for the breakdown of the Jeep on the way back to Ngorongoro it was an amazing holiday. We have never seen that many Wildebeasts, Zebras, Gazelles. We even managed to see several prides of Lions, a near kill and an after- kill feeding Lion.
I would definitely recommend them if you are on a budget and want good value for your money.
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A Fabulous Walking Safari
My mother and I visited Tanzania intending to climb Kilimanjaro, but had to change our plans at the last minute. With only a couple of weeks to spare, we went hunting for a less strenuous, off-the-track type of walking safari. Safari Infinity came through and put together an absolutely perfect itinerary. Without another tourist in sight, we hiked down the Rift Valley Escarpment and along a dry riverbed. Another walk down the Empakai crater was equally excellent, accompanied by the most beautiful, lonely country we saw in our entire 3 weeks tour. A canoe trip rounded things out, with fantastic birdlife. Lucia executed our every request, and she and Simon met with us afterward to discuss our trip and any concerns we might have had. Our driver George was superior; he was a courteous, well-spoken bird encyclopedia! We couldn't have asked for better, and would recommend Safari Infinity to anybody. Five stars!
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Out trip was an amazing experience and exceeded our expectations
We took a tour going to Samburu,Sweetwaters,Nokuru, and Masa Mara. The lodging and food was fabulous. Our driver James made sure we saw all the species of animals and made sure the trip was one we will remember for the rest of our lives. I would highly recommend odyssey safaris to anyone looking to take a safari.
Trip of a Lifetime
Amazing experience from beginning to end.. Excellent communication when booking the safari with prompt responses and informative answers to MANY questions that we asked. Made us feel comfortable as we were booking this trip online from the USA. They made an excellent recommendation for B&B prior to pick up as we travelled from Cape Town to Joburg the day prior to leaving for the safari. On time pickup from B&B. Tour guide.. Susan Wilson was AMAZING... Extremely knowledgable about all aspects of the trip from travel from Joburg to Kruger National Park. Excellent experience with her for our 3 day, 2 night trip. Knowledgable to all wildlife and the park itself. Accommodations in park were nice, well maintained and clean. We will use Wildlife Safaris when we book out next safari.
IE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
African Welcome Safaris organised the holiday of a lifetime for me and my wife in South Africa.
From my initial enquiry in February 2013 to the thank you letter when we arrived home in September Kathi Simon of African Welcome Safaris was more than helpful in arranging the holiday of a lifetime for me. I am lucky to have travelled extensively but never before without a problem or two. Our tour was amazing from the beginning in Johannesburg to the end in Cape Town. I am planning to return to Africa in 2015 and will be contacting African Welcome Safaris to organise it for me.