epic adventure
Blacksands safari is well organised and personal with its clients. It made good their promise and delivered beyond their promise.
I was thoroughly impressed.
Keep up the great work.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect Safari Adventure!
We did a four day safari through Tangiere-Serengeti-Ngorogoro and were so pleased with our trip! Our guide from KTM answered all of our questions and helped us not only find the Big 5 and all of the other wonderful animals, but also to find champagne for a special new years toast! He drove safely over the roads and thus avoided the breakdowns that we saw often on the side of the road. We were happy to be so well taken care of! It was an absolutely unforgettable adventure.
We also climbed Kilimanjaro with KTM and would highly recommend their services in this endeavor as well. It is clear that the team works together well and their biggest concern was our happiness and safety. Could not recommend them more!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Still owe us over £1200 over a year in and you don't think this is robbery?
Dreadful. See previous entries. Shocking admin, shocking ability to follow up complaints and still owe us over £1200. Admitted at start of December that they HAD had the money we sent in December 2016. Over a month later from their admission they have still to repay it. So they have now had our money for over a year... Am now looking at contacting police as cannot see any other way to get the money back. Let alone any thought of an apology, compensation for lost interest etc. Such a beautiful country and with many great people Unfortunately this is not a company to trust at all.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing safari experience with Rhino explorer tours and safaris
1) The communication with tour guide via email and whatsapp was excellent
2) The driver and chef were very friendly. The driver/ guide was very punctual and helpful.
3) We spotted a lot of animals in Serengeti and Ngorongoro. Our safari was very interesting.
4) The stay at Venice hotel was very good. It is a comfortable hotel with good food for breakfast and dinner. Some of the staff at Venice hotel reception were very unfriendly. We were quite shocked to see them working in the service sector ( reception) but this could be the culture at Tanzania and their reaction towards foreigners. The restaurant staff at the hotel were however very friendly.
5) the 6 seater Toyota Land-cruiser was very comfortable for our safari, with adequate space for our luggage
6) Special mention to Chef who made sure we had healthy vegetarian food. Chef always served the food hot and fresh. The soup and pop-korn he served were very tasty
7) Sleeping bags were provided by the safari organizer
8) Overall a very good safari. I would highly recommend this trip for everyone.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
For best fun and educational experience
Its all fun professionalism and cost effective. Friendly staff who are very knowledgeable in their field.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Attentive and friendly operations made for a fantastic safari
I am mid-50s American male making my first trip to Kenya and on safari. I was traveling home on some much anticipated R&R from my job in the Middle East, and decided to treat myself to a few days to relax en route home.
I had no real idea what lay before me, but I packed for all sorts of contingencies, most of which never even came to consciousness while on my trip with Flights and Safaris.
I had decided on an itinerary covering 4 nights and 5 days, covering Amboseli NP, Lake Naivasha (and nearby Hell's Gate NP), and Masai Mara. My dates on safari were Monday, 4 December to Friday, 8 December.
I was interested in rustic camps to include those within some of the protected reserves, but as I sleep with the aid of a CPAP (positive air pressure) machine, and the camps generally turn off their generators at night, I would have been miserable and sleepless. So, I researched the lodges, and asked Flights and Safari to provide me a quote for staying where I could avail myself of a good night's sleep. My costs went up from the camping level, but I thought it still affordable. And the food, 3-meals a day, was surprisingly good and better quality than expected.
Robert, my driver and guide, arrived promptly at my downtown Nairobi hotel on the morning of our start, and took me by the offices to complete payment, and secure the luggage I was leaving at their office while out of the city. I was surprised (and elated) to find I was the only person going on our trip, so, poor Robert, he was answering my questions for a full 5-days, as I had him all to myself.
Robert was very patient, knowledgeable, funny, and had a very good eye. I can write that he located not one, but two (2) leopards during our time at Masai Mara, which made for a very rare experience within his past tours. He amazed me with picking a large owl out hidden high in a tree from at least a 100m distance. He has been touring Kenya as a driver/guide for 12 years, and I can't recommend him highly enough here.
For those looking for details, I will try to provide those herewith.
The drive from Nairobi to Amboseli took us perhaps 4-5 hours. The traffic on the main route between Nairobi and Mombasa was quite heavy, but once we left the main road, we had open roads.
Upon arrival at the AA Lodge just on the outskirts of Amboseli National Park, I was shown to my cabin, and then to the restaurant for a delicious and well-catered lunch. (The AA Lodge was a very beautiful place, ideal for a couple's getaway, and I wished I'd had my companion and more time just to relax and enjoy the fauna, the pool, the sunshine, and for a clear glimpse of Mt Kilimanjaro's peak. Surprisingly, the first week of December, the customers seemed to be me, Robert, and a young French couple. It was otherwise deserted.) I stalked some baboons hanging around one of the elevated water tanks, went for a leisurely swim, and relaxed until our 1500 departure for the park and my first game drive.
Amboseli did not disappoint (though the clouds on Kilimanjaro persisted, denying me a view of the peak throughout my stay) with baboon, impala, zebra, ostrich, 2 male juvenile elephants, and a female giraffe and her baby all visible within the first 5 minutes following entry to the park. From there, it only got better, with encounters with many elephants, and sightings of all varieties of birds, African buffalo, hippos, gazelle, impala, waterbuck, and even a rare sighting of a female hyena and three juveniles egressing an in-ground den in daylight. We spotted and watched a male lion from a distance, and his 4-5 female harem laying in a group taking in the afternoon sun, totally impervious to our presence. We lingered there watching the lions for probably 30 minutes, with the only sound hear at all being that of the idling or starting of engines on passing or departing safari vehicles. The quiet was amazing.
Robert timed our return perfectly, as we passed out of the gate right at dusk, returning to our lodge for dinner and sleep.
The next day was a long day in the vehicle returning via Nairobi and then heading West to the Great Rift. It probably took us 7 hours to get through heavy traffic and down the steep Rift road to Lake Naivasha. After settling in there, Robert kindly took me to Hell's Gate, and then retrieved me from my bicycling ordeal again at dusk. The following morning he had me to the Lakeside for another private ride, this time in a boat out on the lake for about an hour.
We drove that late morning to Masai Mara, and after a delightfully hard shower, we took a long drive into the reserve.
Again, on Thursday, as I had opted out of the usual visit to a Masai village (or mock-up thereof, designed to sell local craft products) and the balloon ride, Robert kindly had arranged a picnic lunch, and we took an all-day drive through Masai Mara reserve.
Friday was a long drive back up the Rift road, and into Nairobi, where we arrived in mid-afternoon. After a stop off at the office to collect my luggage, he had me deposited at Jomo Kenyatta Airport before 5pm, for my late evening flight out to Europe.
Robert was great; the itinerary worked very well for me, and he was generous in sharing his binoculars with me. The front office was prompt in their communications with me, and flexible in meeting my wishes.
Only one critiques to offer- The AA Lodge at Masai Mara does not provide electricity at night, which I had stipulated as a necessity for lodge bookings, so I did not sleep well.
For my own part, I would suggest that visiting Hell's Gate in late afternoon was not well advised (it was my suggestion) and the visit was curtailed due to darkness. I would have done the boat ride on the lake at that time, and tried Hell's Gate the next morning before our trip to Masai Mara.
Flight and Safaris, and the Kenyan wildlife, provided an excellent, wonderful, memory-filled adventure, and worked well with me in designing my itinerary. The vehicle was reliable, Robert was a fount of knowledge (and patience), the vehicle was clean, safe, well-maintained, and spacious (when there is only one passenger!)
The lodges were all clean, comfortable (no a/c, and wishes for electric fans to move air in the night should be requested, in advance, or upon arrival), and spacious. I stayed at the AA Lodge in Amboseli and Masai Mara, and the unbeatable Sopa Mara lodge in Lake Naivasha.
SI
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Safari with Pride of Africa Adventures was a great experience!
PAAS organised for us 8-day trip. Kenya; first day they show us around Nairobi where we get all the information about safari trip. Next day we were on our way to Amboseli national park. We had our driver and personal chef. Both guys were amazing - everything was exactly like we agreed. Thanks to our experienced guide/driver we saw a lot of animals and had a great 2 day of Kenya safari. Then we went towards Tanzanian border, were Tanzanian driver pick us up. He was on time and we were in Arusha just according to schedule. For the next 3-days we were in Ngorongoro Conservation Area, which was amazing, we also went to see Lake Eyasi and visit a tribe Hadzabe where they show us how they live - how to make a fire, hunt etc. We also visited Monduli village and meet the local people. From there they took us to the airport and we were on our way to Zanzibar for the rest of our vacation.
Pride of Africa Adventures organised everything for us, from airport pickup, safari, drivers, food, hotels, plane ticket … so they did a great job! Thank you, Stephen and the rest of the team, for this great experience - you gave us more than we were expecting! I would definitely choose them again for any kind of organisation in Africa!
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
At all times Davis was fun, welcoming, and professional to provide me with an outstanding trip.
My second trip with Davis and Gorillas Homeland Safaris proved to be as spectacular as the first.
Walking with rhinos in the sanctuary
Murchison Falls spectacular water falls, “out of Africa “ boat trip up the Nile and outstanding games drives
Kibale for the forest walk and chimps
Lake Mburo for savannah animals and finally Jinja with source of the Nile and horseback riding along its banks!
All game drives delivered great animal viewing with few other vehicles. Big lion pride, many many elephants and a leopard with fresh kill.
The accommodation was terrific in all locations . I had elephants by the pool, monkeys in the forest camp and spectacular views for miles!
Davis worked hard to provide all the details for a superb trip.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our tour was so well organised, and our guide was so knowledgeable and friendly!
Matoke was such a great company to tour with. Our days were packed so we made the most of every day, our guide seemed to know everyone and everything- he was so knowledgeable and taught us so much about Ugandan wildlife and culture. The tour exceeded all expectations, we will be using matoke again!!
SE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very good experience with a well educated and kind guide
This was my first time in safari but the second time for my boyfriend and we were lucky enough to experience three kinds of safari; boat safari, regular safari and a walking safari on the three days we stayed at Hippo Camp. The first guide we had was very helpful on the way to Safari but unfortunatley he got sick so we got a freelancer as a guide instead. A very educated and enthusiastic man who spoke english fluently and really did his best to make us experience all kinds of animals. Overall it was an interesting and instructive safari with helpful staff. I higly recommend it to everyone:)
