35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trustworthy people
Masai Mara is the place to be. This was and has been on my bucket list of things to do , we had one of the best life time safari expedition in kenya thanks to Doyen safaris for being honest and trustworthy! We will be back. Highly recommended
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fantastic trip with wonderful guide and chef
I went on a 4-day budget (camping) safari to Lake Manyara, Ngorogoro and Serengeti with Northern Circuit. I had booked thru Tropical Islands vacations, but then Northern Circuit conducted the trip. I couldn't have been happier with the way it turned out.
Our guide, Elias, was simply fantastic, both as a guide and as a person. He was very knowledgable with all the animals as well as culture and history. He always seemed to know what the group was interested in seeing and doing (without us actually telling him). He spent extra time with us on evening game drives and he went out of his way several times to track and show us more animals (or to let us take the 500th photo of that zebra, when we'd taken 499 already from every possible angle but that single one). He had a peaceful and kind way of doing the safari, without ever being boring. We felt that he was genuinely interested in making this a special trip for us and that he was himself fond of the area and the animals.
Our chef, Sweetbart, was a lively and very likable guy. He cooked us amazing dishes in these rather limited facilities. It was always plentyful and all his dishes seemed to have a personal touch. They were always a bit more than your regular safari food. Actually, it was some of the best food I had in 2 months in EA.
Organization and handling (setting up tents, leaving on time, etc.) was also superb.
I honestly cannot think of anything I disliked about the trip. Of course, the stunning environment and animals also help in making this a unique experience.
I can strongly recommend doing a safari with Elias and Sweetbart.
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
100% in everything
"Ilse" was my communicator by email and was always fast to reply and gave me the extra information I asked for very precisely (where to buy trekking boots in Entebbe). I was looked after from pick-up at Entebbe Airport to drop off at my hostel in Kampala perfectly. There were actually 6 in the group, and our driver David, a complete gentleman, who drove for all those hours with total professionalism. The overnights in the lodge, at Mutanda Lake Resort, were perfect. I have never been in any hotel anywhere with such a magnificent 360 degree panorama. The accommodation was right at the top of the "moderate" range - the food superb. The showers were hot. Now about the actual gorillas...
We were with them for 1 hour 35 minutes, mainly because they were blocking our way out after an hour!!! Thank you gorillas. Seeing them and being so close is a mixture of humbling and overpowering.
We stopped en route both ways for lunch at a really good restaurant too.
A faultless 3-day expedition - keep up your superb work, Matoke Tours!!!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Last minute booking was handled very well.
From the onset of my booking, all options were explained and I managed to make a great choice. Even though it was last minute, Amos was super professional and checked on all aspects of my booking.
Being a solo traveller, this is what I need:guidance.
CH
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
so much more than we expected! professional, friendly and competent!
We had a wonderful vacation. Our luggage didn't arrive, and while Brussels Airlines and the Airport in Uganda were completely unhelpful, Matoke's Sven organized a driver who followed us with our suitecases through the country. This really saved our vacation. The drivers and guides were all superfriendly, flexible and helpful. From the beginning at home to the return everything was perfectly organized to really reasonable prizes. Would do it immediatly again with Matoke and can only recommend them. Bravo!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kruger Park Best place to stay,
It is the best place to get away from all the stress and noice of the towns. The staff is very friendly and helpfull. I have lost a chain in the one chalet on the one camp. I let the them know about it. The next day my chaine arrived at the next camp we stay. The is what you call service. The animals are awsome. We got a lot of elephants and a leopard that was crawling over the road to a few Kudu's that was drinking water at the river. But they escape him.
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Private Safari to Maasai Mara, Longonot and Naivasha
Oakland Tours and Safaris did a great job, it was really a great experience. Everything was perfectly organized, very friendly people and comfortable vehicles. We were free to chose the accommodation that best suited our needs and last minute changes were handled professionally. We can absolutely recommend Oakland Tours and Safaris.
Extremely professional service, tailored precisely to our requirements - great holiday!
I was very impressed by Steady Safaris - we made a last minute booking, the company responded quickly and efficiently to our requests, kept within our budget, and delivered us safely and on time to the airport at the end of the holiday. Steve was a great guide, he liaised with the lodge and the national parks team at Lake Mburu to make sure that we got the most out of our stay, his driving was excellent (no matter what the terrain), and he ensured that we had a smooth and enjoyable trip. Thank-you!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unforgettable Experience
Our first impression of booking with Budget Safari was one of ease. We looked at various competing safari services, email a few and got back responses between 1-10 days. Budget Safaris was almost immediate and with the perfect customer service you expect when you are about to spend a decent amount of money on vacation. Esther personally handled all the communication and asked questions regarding our expectation of how we wanted to experience the safari. We shared with her the options we considered, 1) group safari 2) Semi Private and 3) Private Safari. We also were looking at 7-8 full days in the bush, and most other companies that we entertained only had fix dates of scheduled departures. After a series of emails, we agreed on our experience, Private Safari for two, detailed itinerary with names of the lodges we would stay and cost.
Upon our arrival into Kenya, Henry our driver, met us at the terminal in our safari vehicle, preceded to meet Esther, and we headed out to our first lodge. Upon meeting Esther, she suggested a couple last minute deals and upgrades to our lodges based on availability, which given the extra cost of 200 dollars, we considered it a bargain for the entirety of our stay in Kenya.
In terms of our Driver Henry, there are not enough nice words to describe the added experience his conversations gave our Safari. He shared his experiences regarding the Safari, Animal Behavior, Photography, Culture, Masai Tribes, etc… each hour we had was an experience in itself. During our game drives, he accommodated our schedule to depart a little earlier or a bit later depending on weather, our scheduled meals and animal sightings in the area. I would recommend him and would gladly repeat the experience with him.
The lodges were first class, as mentioned above, we did a small upgrade and got better amenities, great lodges, and all you can eat buffets that are shy of a nice restaurant in any big US city, Lots of variety, including local food, Indian, Chinese and American.
Overall, I would rate this and 11 out of 10 if I could. Esther and her team made this an unforgettable experience for my wife and I.
Thanks again.