US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent,enjoyable and fascinating. A thrill of a lifetime.
Excellent. Very well coordinated. I plan to go back to Kenya as often as I can.
NZ
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was a great and unforgettable experience!!
Kenya Walking Survivors Safari helped us to organise our trip through East Africa. Everyone in the company was friendly,honest and reliable. Every game drive we did with them was just amazing!!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Best Tour Operator & Safaris for Masai Mara
As suggested by number of colleagues that Absolute Holiday Safaris was one of the best i first emailed David our plan - immediately I got a response with the detailed itinerary. We were travelling from DRC to Uganda to Kenya and then moving ahead to Tanzania. If you plan to do this route with the Masai safari, this tour operator is the one you have been looking for. David, the owner, gave us John Wanjau as the guide, locally known as the AniMal for he knows the jungle like the back of his hand and he will show you all the animals and places like nobody else.
The company helped us for our tours ahead with no extra cost - looking after minutest details. David is available on Whats app for any requirement one can have. Should you need to travel to Kiliminjaro, Zanzibar or other places in the continent, David's network is as reliable as himself and I would trust them as much as I trust him.
Definitely somebody you should contact for all your trips in Africa...
Thanks Absolute Holiday Safaris, we all had a lovely time. Looking forward for our next visits.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Experience varies with drivers/itineraries
I booked with Absolute Holiday Safaris based on price and the superb, friendly communication with David prior to traveling. I was so happy that David really is as kind and genuine as he seems through email! I was very pleased to meet him in Nairobi.
I booked 8-day safari: Maasai Mara, Nakuru, Naivasha, Amboseli. We began the trip with John AKA Animal for 3 days in Maasai Mara, and learned from other passengers that he is one of the best drivers. He was very knowledgeable about the animals, and very professional. Sadly, we only had him for 3 days and were bounced to 4 other drivers for the rest of the trip.
The other drivers were Sammy and Stanley. Neither of them was at the same level with Animal. They both sped in the parks, and Sammy actually almost hit 3 zebra (I was riding in the front seat and was horrified). There was also a small child in the back seat who was bouncing around and flying off the seat. Both Sammy and Stanley were on their radios talking and laughing (presumably not about animals, since we weren't really seeing much...) the whole day and it ruined the peace of the experience.
We were also abandoned one morning in Hell's Gate National Park. We were to be picked up at 10:30AM and were not picked until around 1PM due to miscommunications within the company. We luckily had David's business card on hand and the kind women working at the park let us call David several times until we were picked from the park. Other changes were: switching hotels in Nakuru with no notice, changing our itinerary around during the trip itself. We never got offered a boat ride at either Lake Nakuru or Lake Naivasha, and we missed one morning's game drive in Maasai Mara which was on the itinerary.
The overall experience was wonderful; I love Kenya and want to come back already! However, I would book with this company again only with guarantee of a great driver (Animal) for the entire trip. Now that I have more awareness of how things work I would try to lock things down a bit more.
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Unforgettable time
Great Organisation, extremely friendly and knowledgable guide and staff, too good cooking. It is great to have the local People with you on tour - they know best ow to track and find the animals, predict their behaviour.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Works without a hitch
Kathi Simons was very helpful in planning out our itinerary. Everything went very smoothly.
US
35-50 years of age
I primarily used their Fixer/Driver for Video Production - No Safari
As noted we used the "Fixer" portion of their business but Paul was very helpful in navigating the tricky Ugandan traffic. Most importantly we had no problem getting about $70,000 worth of production in and back out of the country without hassle. He was also very patient as many days he was on call for us but we didn't have much for him to do. It was a little hard to pay them initially but once we used Pesapal it was quite easy.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great instinct, amazing experience, the perfect overnight safari!
My safari surpassed any of my expectations. Upon arrival at Ruaha we had the camp site set up in minutes and a delicious lunch prepared right away. On our first drive I was thrilled with how much knowledge Ernest has of the safari animals (even an extensive acumen on the birds!) and his sharp eye spotted a cheetah laying in tall grass! Just amazing! The dinner was delicious and coffee around the campfire was a complete thrill. Ernest's instincts the next morning told him to travel on the hill path and within 20 minutes we were no more than 20 meters from a Leopard! He was calling all the other guides to let them know where the action was. I could not recommend him enough, and his personality and insight only enhanced the experience, A+ 5 star trip!
US
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.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We climbed on the mountain Bisoke in Ruanda. It was an wonderful Trip!
The Service was on Time, everything was without problemes. I really enjoyed the trip! It was great, thank you for the nice adventure.