US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Good Experience, clear communicator
I really want to leave a five stars review for Top Cream Safaris and his crew, but the experience left me with a bittersweet taste in my mouth.
We had three days in Masai Mara, and while the experience was amazing, the driver—despite having a limited English vocabulary—was good. There was a questionable pit stop at a wholesale gift shop that made us wonder about the legitimacy of his intentions, as we later found out that we had significantly overpaid for some items to bring home to our dears. However, Top Cream was helpful in accommodating a last-minute change in our dates due to a miscalculation on my part. In terms of service, I would give them five stars.
The problem arose even before the trip started. I had never gone on a safari before, and I assumed it would be in a Jeep. Initially, the very first estimate sent to us did mention a van, but I hadn’t noticed it. When we received the final quote and signed off on it, the type of vehicle line item was removed. So, it was surprising to see a van outside the hotel instead of a Jeep on the morning of the trip. When I called to inquire, they mentioned that the initial estimate included a van as a line item. Genuine mistake perhaps, but it’s a detail worth noticing since we were fairly surprised.
In short, if I were you, I would make sure to clarify what type of vehicle is included in your estimate if it’s not mentioned explicitly. Request this information to avoid surprises like we experienced.
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Budget safari 6 days
This Safari trip was very good. The guide/driver James Gichina was very professional and led us to see many animals, all the big five and much more and explained us their lifestyle. It was really great to see the animal world with our own eyes. In addition, the accommodation conditions were simply but good. It was an unforgettable travel experience.
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Great safari in Zimbabwe and Botswana!
We were a group of three travelers who chose Zambezi Exp for our shared safari to Zimbabwe and Botswana. Overall, we had a positive experience with the company. We were always in touch with Silence from the office, who was always ready to respond to our questions and needs during the trip. Our driver, Francis, was extremely friendly and willing to help us with all our needs.
The major problem we experienced was the lack of details in the program provided by the company. It was a mutual mistake, as we didn't ask for more details prior to the trip, and their program was very general. I would recommend adding more details so that travelers know exactly what they will do during the safari, as many activities and meals were not included in the total price or were not clear (for example, the experience in the bush).
Despite that, the team organized last-minute activities for us that were not included in our package, and we enjoyed all the safaris. The guides were very knowledgeable about the wildlife and parks. The accommodations were perfect for our needs and corresponded to what we had paid for. We did have some dietary misunderstandings with some accommodations and a lack of options (the three of us are vegan), but overall, we had access to plant-based options. This needs to be addressed better.
As for the activities, we really loved the quieter safari and wildlife-watching experiences and enjoyed them more than the "sundowners," which were more crowded and loud. I'd rather have those as optional activities and include birdwatching and other safaris as part of the paid program.
I highly recommend the company promote the use of refillable water bottles and water jugs instead of single-use plastic bottles, as plastic waste is a major concern.
Despite these points that need to be addressed by the company, I recommend Zambezi Exp for their promptness and kindness in assisting us. I hope to see you guys on another adventure!
IN
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Good transportation with knowledgeable and courteous drivers cum guides, stay arrangements not ok
We were a group of 19 from India , right from the beginning of the tour till the end the guides cum drivers (Mr. Geoffrey, Mr. Tony and Mr. Peter) were very courteous and had good knowledge of the jungle routes ,animals and birds. They were patient enough to wait for us whenever we requested for a good sighting. Our stay and food arrangements were not up to the expectations we had as being mostly vegetarians the options very few, quality of rice was good and fresh, in most of the jungle camps electricity and Wi-Fi/network were very limited or totally absent. Overall a good experience. Advise to all , the local cell network works best with "Safari", "Telkom" is useless ,it available only within Nairobi city limits.
QA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Flexible and easy to customize your trip
I recently had the opportunity to visit Kenya and it was truly a wonderful experience. I was able to see all of the amazing animals that I had been dreaming of seeing. Jastro was very easy to communicate with and was able to customize our safari trip to fit our needs perfectly.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Charismatic, informative and open to a vast number of questions.
With a little trepidation I decided to do this tour of the Township but it gave me a very real understanding of the vast differences found with the African people from who is well off and rich to others seemingly living in abject in poverty.
A visit to the Apartheid Museum which provided an in depth explanation of the long road to free themselves. Sadly little seems to be accomplished in that time.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Very Enjoyable!
We enjoyed our experience with Kenya Bush expeditions. They were very responsive in all communications and even accommodated our need to change the itinerary when we mistakenly booked for the wrong date! Our driver and guide, Erick, was very enjoyable and did a great job! We visited 3 different parks (Amboseli, Tsavo West and Tsavo East) and though there was a lot of driving...the game drives were good and each resort we stayed in had a unique safari experience (the Photo Hide @Tsavo East--excellent--so close to the elephants..amazing!).
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
He is one of the best
A unique feature of our safari was spotting the famous tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector. This rare sight was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. In the afternoon, we had the chance to visit a local village and learn about the cultures and traditions of the Ugandan people, which added a meaningful cultural dimension to our trip.
BE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was a remarkable and unforgettable experience
It was indeed an amazing experience to escape the cold season in Europe and enjoy wildlife & nature. Thanks to Kerata.
They cooperated & helped while I was abroad until arrival with their spontaneous communication and reliability.
I would recommend to friends and colleagues to experience Kerata's tremendous services while in Tanzania.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Delivers what is requested!
Booked basecamp package via Julius, his rates were very reasonable compared to booking direct. I paid by credit card. Communication was good although a couple of prompts were needed at times. Julius is very genuine and WILL deliver whatever you request. He must be incredibly busy so give him time to respond and just follow up if you are unclear about anything. Julius also sorted out transfers to and from the airports, John our driver was on time, well mannered and was very helpful. I would definitely use Julius again if I’m lucky enough to go back to Kenya.