50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Experiences of a Lifetime!
We had travelled extensively around the world for 25 years before we took two Compass Odyssey tours because we had never experienced Africa. Their client profile fitted us as we like to engage with cultures wherever we travel and go off the beaten track away from tourist "packs" to have special encounters. We had a fantastic time and still cherish the amazing insight into South Africa that Darren and Kate gave us. We met real people and had experiences that will remain with us forever. Their ability to give us the information we needed to enjoy the moment without bombarding us with facts, and subtly creating moments around exquisite food, views, places or people was remarkable.
I can't recommend Compass Odyssey highly enough for the quality of product and price that we enjoyed in South Africa.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A fantastic experience!
I had no idea what to expect with a safari and spent some time looking for something suitable particularly as I was travelling by myself. Mike was very helpful and there was a lot of email exchange talking about options. I was so happy to see Dennis my guide on the agreed date and he was really knowledgeable about the animals and plants. It was an absolutely amazing experience seeing all the animals in their natural environment. I liked the lodge I stayed in as it was near a town and going for a drink there in the evening was totally unlike anywhere in the world! I would happily recommend this operation to anyone especially friends and family.
Asante!
Paul
CN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Good service, Experienced guide, Great tour, Nice arrangement
we total 6 people had wonderful time with this tour operator. 1) very knowledgeable in tour planning and itinerary arrangement. Lucia knows pretty well where to visit at when. I would suggest client listen to her suggestions on itinerary planning and lodge recommendation. 2) this operator take care of client very well. i wasnt aware that i overpaid lodge bill until we left almost 30 minutes. Lucia help me to get refund at next lodge - Perfect !! 3) She kept eye on my flight status, help me out when Precision Airway cancelled flight to Nairobi. 4) the guide, named Eric is very very good, magic eye in searching animals. He is also very good to provide suggestion. we all love him. 5) this tour operator quotes reasonable rate. i compared at least 10 vendors, this is not the lowest, but the best in performance - price ratio!
NG
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
My Fears squashed!
I booked this trip after a recommendation from a cousin who had used Real African Tours before. Not having been to this part of Africa I had no idea what to expect. Quite honestly, I feared for the worst. On arrival I was pleased to see that my fears were unfounded. The lodge in the Mara was clean, spacious and the staff fantastically friendly and helpful. The unit we were given was large spacious and more than adequate. The lodge is quite remote so you do need to be prepared to move around to get provisions and to fully enjoy your stay. Maasai Mara is breathtaking! The drives were interesting as I got to see animals I only saw on TV. I spent three days in the Mara and I will be forever grateful to the Real African Tours team!
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
An amazing experience with fantastic tour guides.
Crusty (Darren) and lovely partner Kate were wonderful people and extremely knowledgeable guides. We visited amazing places and experienced being around the African wildlife which was a dream come true. The food was amazing and accommodation was very comfortable. Don't think about...just do it!
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic!!!!
Last year we went with Touch Africa to the Mount Meru. The organization was perfect!!!
And for this trip we decided to also organize with them the safari. It was a fantastic experience! They are kind and very professional!
I recommend it to whoever wants to have a marvelous experience and wants to avoid western operators. Besides Touch Africa is managed by a fantastic person, a true masai, that he devolves part of the result to help the tribes of the tanzania.
We have been very well...in short! Recommended under all the aspects!!! Good trip!
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A birthday to remember
I had never imaged that I would be going to Kenya and I was a bit nervous about experience. But I should not have been. Odyssey had everything taken care of. They sent us all the information well ahead of time. They met us at the airport and got us our our way! Everything was arranged and there were zero issues along the way.
Our guide, Simon, was always punctual and was very knowledgeable. When he got a tip on a good sighting, he was a man on a mission to get us there. Yet he could be patient. We spotted a lioness and her cubs moving into the bush. He turned off the engine and told us to wait...sure enough the mother and 4 cubs emerged a few minutes later. He had a great eye and found us many interesting sights.
We celebrated our daughter birthday on the last evening. I don' think she will ever forget the experience.
If I had a complaint it was that the van was too full. With 7 adults plus our 10 year old and all the luggage and water it was very tight.
I would travel with Odyssey again!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Outstanding service from beginning to end
The itinerary Pembury Tours put together for us met our wishes perfectly. The itinerary was displayed in a document with descriptions and images so we could get excited long before we even travelled. All arrangements all went smoothly throughout our three week trip which was lovely long time to explore the Cape Province. We stayed in wonderful accommodation that all had that bit of a wow factor and in amazing settings and the recommendations on what to go and see along with our own research made sure that we could enjoy every day to the full. Nice feeling too that someone knows where you are when you are on the other side of the globe. Pembury Tours come highly recommended for their knowledge and service.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great safari tour company in Kenya
I arranged a four-day safari with KWSS over the internet. I was traveling on business and I was impressed that they did not charge me a single supplement. The communication with their office was very fast. After establishing a departure date I provided the 50% deposit via Western Union without a problem. They picked me up exactly when they said they would. Because I was traveling alone, I had a private safari van and driver/guide. My driver/guide provided excellent information about the land and people. In the Maasai Mara, he got me as close to the animals as possible and let me spend as long or as short a time as I wanted in any one particular spot. He listened to the CB radio on which other drivers reporting sightings of hard-to-find animals and got me there quickly. A pride of lions walked directly in front of our car, which was spectacular. KWSS provided exactly what they described in the itinerary. I felt they were honest and treated me well. I would definitely recommend them to others.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceeded Expectations
My wife and I wanted a real celebration of our 35th anniversary so I sent out feelers on our first safari. I found Simon at East African Safari and Touring Company easy to communicate with and he took our desires and suggested an itinerary that seemed perfect for us. James was our guide and he could not have been better. I would highly recommend him. It's hard to appreciate how a dependable and stable vehicle is important but we did not have the slightest hiccup along many miles of pounding dirt roads. Speke Bay Lodge was excellent with a tour of the fishing village with John. Mbalageti Lodge was spectacular and meeting Alexander there was probably the greatest treat of all. He is a very special young man. The Serengeti was next for three days in a tent. Tenting at 62 years of age is quite an experience but those taking care of us worked very hard making our stay as pleasant as possible and our close proximity to the animals could only be described as way beyond my dreams for a spectacular wildlife experience. The animals along the way and driving into the Great Migration was overwhelming. Ngorongoro Crater and staying at the lodge was another experience that was spectacular. Lake Manyara National Park and Tarangire ecosystem just added to the sensory overload of the wealth of animal life. Boundary Hill was beautiful and "Comando" and "Patrick" would do anything for us. A foot trek with our Massai guide "Papa" is not to be missed. Ol Tukai would not have been so rich a time if it were not for the people there taking care of us. Joel was one I became particularly fond of during our time. They really seem to love to sing and a song from them was another highlight. Simon met with us at the end of our trip and asked for our comments. He put us up in a day-room close to Kilimanjaro Airport for a much needed shower and repacking. Everything about the trip can only be that it "Exceeded My Expectation".
PS. I read so much about crime that I was a little freaked but found that my health and safety were always watched out for and the hearts of the people in the places we visited were more righteous that any I have ever met. I knew the animals would be spectacular but I was not expecting the people to impact me so profoundly.