US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best Safari Trip
Day 1: Arrived in Nairobi in the evening and our driver picked us up from the airport. We could not find our driver at first because there were so many people with signs picking up passengers. Due to the trouble we had finding our driver, I advise when looking for your driver to tell them you will be by the customer service area. I also suggest OT making a sign shaped like a number 1 so the sign will stand out. We checked in at the Hennessey hotel after a short ride from the airport. People were standing outside of the hotel but it is a gated. Hotel in my opinion is not a mid-range-luxury hotel (which is what we paid for). However it served its purpose for one night until our excursions started. If you stay at this hotel it is considered a 2 star when comparing hotels we are accustomed to in the USA. If you stay in this hotel make sure you are nowhere near the kitchen (room 108) because they start preparing breakfast at 4am. The breakfast was served buffet style. I didn't go for round 2 of getting another plate but it served its purpose as well. Also all restaurants make omelets so I took advantage of that after my first day. Beverages were served at room temperature. When our driver Sam dropped us off, he informed us he would pick us up at 8am and he was promptly on time.
Day 2: We drove to Massai Reserve the morning and arrived at the AA Lodge in time for lunch. Note road is bumpy but my main concern was our safety and we felt at ease. The hotel met our expectations and beyond. Very clean and even though there was limited internet access and no TV we didn't need it. Massai tribe came and entertained us with their ritual dances and chants.
Day 3: We took a hot air balloon ride and arrived to the site in time to see the sun rise. We had breakfast on the reserve and afterwards we had time for our second game drive. The service and food was grade A.
Day 4: Lake Narvasha was our destination today. We enjoyed the boat ride and had no complaints until it was time to check into Camp Carnelley. The room we requested was bandet 2 and was not the same room as described when booking the room. It had very old carpet with stains vs the hardwood as advertised. Comforters had stains and bathroom outhouse was not to our standards. The trailer was aluminum and it held the heat from outside which made it bearable to stay in the mobile home no more than for 5 minutes so we left the room quickly. We were told this was a campsite Lodge but it was a mobile home\trailer. We requested another room, preferably the one like the picture provided on their site as well as Walking Kenya site. They stated they were booked and the room was nonrefundable. Due to this we had our driver take us to the nearest lodge where we had to pay for our own room. We however were going to eat at Camp Carnelley since that is where our free meals would come from. After we checked into Fish Eagle Lodge that took 15 minutes max, we went back to eat dinner at Camp Carnelley. We could not eat at the lodge because they sold our room. Now we were out of a room that our driver was going to stay as well as food. We had to go back to our Lodge and purchase or meals from there. We did get a refund from OT of $160 but it was a month after our trip because they had to work it out with Camp Carnelly first.
Day 5 & 6: No complaints at all with Lake Narvasha and Kimojoro. Peaceful and serene setting.
Day 7: This is when things got tricky. Our next destination was Tanzania to go to Serengeti. As we arrived at the boarder we were not allowed because we had no proof of taking the yellow fever shot. We informed the officer the shot was taken but our yellow card was not signed properly. In addition we were told Americans didn't need to take the shot. I even confirmed with OT but we were given incorrect information. It seems if you are a USA citizen that steps foot in Kenya first that you WILL need the shot. If we came directly into Tanzania proof was not needed. We were told we had to pay additional funds to confirm USA has us on file for taking the shot. We declined and due to that we didn't go to Tanzania at all. I'm glad we waited to buy our Visa's for Tanzania and only purchased Kenya's visa at the time because we would have lost money from visa, game drive and hotel.
Day 8-11: We arranged with OT to book a flight and hotel to Mombasa for the rest of our trip and we stayed our remaining days there. We had no complaints with the exceptions of having to pay yet again for hotel and food.
Overall would I use Kenya Walking Survivors Safari again? YES!!! They were always professional, assisted with our needs and most importantly answered all of our questions. Some monies were lost but we gained an experience that was priceless!!!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
More than we expected
We were a group of 7 people and shared a common dream of visiting Africa. It came true recently when we made a trip to Northern Tanzania. We started with contacting several tour operators and finally zeroed in to Bright. From our first email exchange with them, we felt a positive vibe and hoped that we can partner with them. Msangi is the owner of the company and a wonderful person. He chalked out a initial draft of the itinerary and asked for our suggestions. We suggested few changes and he incorporated them all. Special mention should be made of Lake Natron. Lake Natron is an off beat attraction with no proper connectivity. Most of the tour operators were not ready to cover this place and discouraged us from going there. But Msangi readily agreed to it without a slight hesitation. This is what was really the deciding factor in the favour of Bright. And we are thankful that he agreed to take us here; for this place is really unique in its landscape and a different world compared to other parts of Tanzania. You can see Ol Doinyo Lengai (Mountain of God) - an active volcano on way to Lake Natron and drive through volcanic ash strewed paths. Feel free to call him up to discuss your plans as I did. Everything was arranged meticulously and per the plan agreed upon. We all flew in from different parts of the worlds and arrived in different times. Separate pickups were sent to the airport and one even at midnight. We visited Tarangire NP, Lake Manyara NP, Lake Natron NP, central and western Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. The vehicle provided was in top shape, fitted with charging points and a minibar. The lodges we stayed were all very good and top quality. To be frank given our budget, we were overly surprised at the quality of the accommodation provided. And finally special mention must be made of Osman, our guide. You will be lucky to have him as your guide. He is a very pleasant person with a smile on his lips always. He is very knowledgeable about the wildlife and would patiently answer all our questions. He is a very good spotter and spotted a lioness on a tree top at Serengeti which just blew our minds off. He is also a good and safe driver as we came to know when we drove to Lake Natron. Overall, it was a wonderful trip, much beyond our expectations. Asante Sana Osman, Msangi and Bright African Safaris.
Maasi Mara safari
We had a great Safari and Paul (manager) did a good job in communicating via email to all my queries. I had to transfer 50% as a deposit which I was a bit afraid off, but it worked out okay. He was flex to our needs and was there at the appropriate times to pick us up.
Richard the driver guide was easy going and made sure we saw all the animals in the park.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
unforgettable experience
My husband and I went on a 7 day safari to Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Lake Eyasi, Serengeti, and Nrongoro Crater with Bright African Safaris. I started pricing safaris and comparing itineraries from home about 6 months before the trip. Msangi Charema from Bright African Safaris stood out from all the other companies with his rapid and detailed responses to my questions. The price was reasonable for the two of us going on safari on our own with our own guide and cook. We had an amazing trip! Modhi was our guide and Jamal our cook. Modhi was a wealth of information about all the animals we saw. And the birds! He knew everything about every bird and could name the type of bird even when seen from super far away. We saw over 50 lions in the Serengeti and Nrongoro in 2 days! Jamal was a great cook who accommodated both my vegetarian needs and my husband's carnivorous preferences. I have already recommended this company to friends. I would be happy to go on safari every day, I miss my time in Tanzania!
CH
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Serengeti National Park by Herbert Assigal
Wide, bumpy roads, animal migration, climbing lions, millions of Zebras and Gnus
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Trip to Arusha, Moshi and Ngorongoro crater
Aardwolf Africa has good tour guides, well informed in their work and work with precision. The choice of the hotel was good for the team and worth the money. Team members were satisfied with the quality of service including the transportation from Nairobi through the various destinations and back. Communication before during and after the safari was excellent and appreciated.
I highly recommend Aardwolf Africa
CH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A small company with a friendly owner who is willing to improve his services
The communication was too passive. Changes of the tour programm were not discussed. We told this our tour guide and he was thankful for the input. We are sure that he will improve the communication for further clients. The tour programm and also the accomodations were perfect. We saw a lot of animals. The guide was an excellent driver according to this we were able to make some incredible photos! We had a good time and can recommend Asili.
NO
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unforgettable
We had such an amazing time in our travel.
I remember spending time in the Kruger park and we got to see so many great animals. Specially the big five and a leopard we spotted early in the morning.
I'm so happy I got this opportunity and having tour guides showing and telling us everything we waned to see. They make your travel experience unforgettable.
CA
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Mikumi National Park by V.P. (Vince) Mayne
Near the end of the dry season, most water holes attract few animals.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing expirience with Bright African Safaris
In March 2016, my husband and I went on a private 5 day wildlife safari in Tanzania with Bright African Safaris. We were very pleased with the accommodations, national parks visited, and most importantly, our excellent guide and driver, Juma. He made every effort to show us his beautiful country and the awesome wildlife that call it home. We saw 4 of the "big 5" on our very first day of the safari! By the end of our journey, Juma found the elusive rhino through much patience and what we believe to have been his sixth sense. He was wonderful; very knowledgeable and friendly. On a side note, we mentioned that we were interested in the local nomadic tribe, the Maasai. So, on our last day with Juma, he stopped by one of the villages for us to visit. It was such a memorable experience to have this opportunity to meet the people who call the Tanzanian wilderness home, as well. They welcomed us with ceremonial dance and song, and were pleased to show us around. It was truly a trip of a lifetime for us! Thank you Bright African Safaris!