BE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Bona fide organisation with good knowledge of what foreign tourists expect (quotation, safari, etc)
This company clearly has experience in dealing with foreign tourists asking all kinds of questions and requesting a detailed programme with segmented prices.
Good communication and also once in Kenya they are easily reachable (they actually return your call, not all companies do!) and they tend to any additional enquiry you might have.
We booked a car and safari driver for 4 days/ 3 nights (stayed in Tawi Lodge and Acacia Camps which we booked ourselves), the driver Mr Joseph proved a safe and careful driver who has good knowledge of his country and the animals in general, he's good company without being the pushy kind.
The car, a typical safari minivan, was in good condition and was cleaned every evening.
Ancient Wild Safaris profiles itself as a budget operator but I find they're perfectly able to handle more upmarket tours as well, just clearly inform them what your standards are and what you expect from the trip.
My next safari will be booked again via Ancient Wild Safaris and yes I recommend them to friends and family.
Thank you Michael for making our 1st trip to Kenya a memorable one!
CO
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Diverse awesomeness
I was in Kruger National Park and also in a smaller game reserve near Johannesburg. In both experiences, I was able to be very close to nature and animals, which was an extraordinary experience. If you like nature, I definitely suggest doing a safari. The bush is really quiet, and I loved that the most. It was magnificent to see and hear Elephants in their natural habitat, playing in the water and among themselves. The people are extremely friendly and nice, and always open to answer to your questions about the area and about animals.
Johannesburg has its own vibes, and you feel how vibrant the city is.
NL
Very nice scenery, a lot of wildlife
Very nice scenery, a lot of wildlife, good guides, knowledge of the guide, nice people
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Arusha National Park by adambrownephotography
We went through the park on our journey up to the summit of Mount Meru, soeven though we went through the park we didn't go on safari
DK
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Not so Manu animals
Ok place,but we dont se so Manu animals. The food was good and varios and the room Ok .
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Once in a lifetime experience, memories that will last a lifetime. Kenya is amazing!
Our family of three had a great time in Kenya. I really wish that we had more time to get a bit off the beaten track, but we made the most of our 9 days and visited Nairobi National Park, the Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, and Hell's Gate NP with the help of a safari tour operator, and Mombasa via the SGR train both ways. We could easily have spent at least another whole day at each of those destinations. They were each quite different in terms of landforms an ecosystems, and we really enjoyed the wildlife, the birds, and the scenery. Our daughter's favourite animal was, wait for it... the rock hyrax! In early February it was much greener than we expected, and nowhere near as hot. The weather was lovely, with refreshingly cool mornings and nice breezes most of the time in Nairobi and the Rift Valley. Mombasa on the coast was hot when you got any distance at all from the beach and sea breezes.
We chose a fairly budget safari with Daylight Adventures and Safaris who did a great job helping us plan and taking care of us while we were with them. Many of the costs are fixed such as park entry fees, fuel, etc, so much of the difference in price comes down to standard/style of accommodation and the vehicle, and whether extras such as alcoholic and other drinks are included. So think about what you want and need, and talk with your safari operator about your options and preferences. We had no need for the 'sundowners' I read about so often, so it didn't bother us that they were not included. The camps and lodges we stayed at had everything we needed, and a couple were even fancier than expected for the price. Meals were plentiful and good, coffee in sachets left a fair bit to be desired, but the ubiquitous African tea is a winner. Everywhere we stayed had hot water for showers, but it seems like many toilets don't always flush particularly well. Be prepared for very rough roads once you leave the main highways - they really give you a good shaking up. We're surprised none of us sustained minor head injuries in the vehicle. Seriously, if you suffer from osteoporosis or have a bad back, think twice about going on a driving safari - the roads can be that bad. But the views and the wildlife are magnificent. The massed pelicans and flamingoes at Lake Nakuru are breathtaking.
I am a birder, and this was my first (probably only) time in Africa, so the sheer quantity and variety of new birds was almost overwhelming. Before this trip to Kenya, all my birding experience was in southeast Asia and Australasia. The homework I did beforehand to become somewhat familiar with what to expect really paid off. We decided on a 9yo-friendly general safari rather than a specific birding tour, so I was pretty much on my own for IDing the birds, but I still logged over 130 lifers with the help of photos taken by my husband. Would easily have been well over 200 with an experienced birding guide and a clear birding focus.
In Nairobi we also went to the National Museum of Kenya and the adjoining Snake Park. These were worth the visit and quite interesting and informative. Everybody we came across in Nairobi and on safari was friendly and kind, except for one guy who accused us of taking photos of him and other people without consent when we went for a walk outside our accommodation. The visit to the Maasai village was interesting and informative, with a stange and slightly uncomfortable mix of feeling both staged and overly personal and intrusive. The men danced for each small group of visitors in their full traditional costumes, showed us their village and fire-making skills, and took us into one of their own homes. We felt kind of obliged to buy some of their jewellery. The local school serves 1000 students from kindergarten to Grade 8, many of whom stay in dormitories on site for weeks at a time since their homes are far distant. The oldest students were learning about subatomic particles that day going from what was written on the blackboard, and the walls of the school had diagrams of the structure of the heart and circulatory system painted on them. Again, we felt a bit pressured to make a donation at the end of the tour. No-one gives you any idea of what an appropriate amount is, but they did write everything down in a ledger in the interests of transparency.
In Mombasa we spent the morning on Nyali beach and our daughter enjoyed playing in the sand and exploring the rock pools as the tide went out. There was the option of camel rides on the beach, and we could have taken a guide to show us around the rock pools and mud flats and find some of the creatures that live there. In the afternoon we visited Fort Jesus as we wanted to understand and appreciate some of the long trading history of Africa. I'm not sure the guide we had there was worth the $20 - a bit rushed and spoke very fast so hard to understand. But some of the other guides seemed to be doing a good job. He also 'offered' to take us around the old city. It was a Sunday and all the traders were closed, but he still asked for an extra $20 which we declined since we had not realised that was not part of the original deal with him. Overall our impression was that people in Mombasa were not as friendly as most of the people we met in the other parts of the country that we visited, but we were still glad we went, and it would have been nice to have time to try a trip on a dhow or visit the marine parks.
Overall I would heartily recommend Kenya as a travel destination, and I would love to go back one day. My dream holiday in Kenya would be a camel-assisted walking safari in Laikipia, but it would put more of a hole in our bank account than we could justify. It was a great experience just to drive through the towns, villages and countryside, watching herds of both domestic and wild animals roaming across the savannahs, catching a glimpse of the red-draped Maasai herdsmen in the distance as they watched their flocks, and gaining the beginnings of an understanding of how they live side by side with large and dangerous wild animals. The Great Rift Valley is spectacular, and its well worth seeing and experiencing this major continental-scale geographical feature. We met some wonderful and fascinating people, and overall had an adventure we will never forget.
FI
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Nice trip with our driver with 6-Day Etosha, Swakopmund and Sossusvlei (Lodging)
Nice trip with our driver with 6-Day Etosha, Swakopmund and Sossusvlei (Lodging) 3-Days in Windhoek was nice also staying hotel hilton best was pool area
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beautiful wildlife in an amazing environment
We loved doing the Safari tour, everything was arranged so good so you didn’t have to think about anything. It was nice to do the early tours so you had the late afternoon and evening off. The Amboseli national park was very big with a lot of different views, as in there were some dry parts, but also a small lake with flamingo’s and more green parts with high grass. The variety of small birds and the big animals was nice.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Not so far, but so good
I arrived in Kenya last December. I'm a country representative for a NGO working in Soweto slum, Kahawa West. There is no much time to travel and enjoy the beauty of this country. Still, being here I've been collecting a bunch of business cards from tourist agencies - just in case. At the beginning of July, with two volunteers and my best friend, we decided to take a Sunday off to the Nairobi National Park. After a long run of calls to the above-mentioned agencies, we found the one offering the best deal.
At 9 am, we were entering the main Park's gate and after few hundred meters the first hippo and a crowd of white big birds welcomed us nearby a pond. We had a minivan with an opening roof, the view was stunning with the skyscrapers contrasting with the wildlife around us. Plenty of giraffes, zebras, gnus, elands, gazelles and impalas are to be seen all around the park. The giraffes are incredibly elegant and charming while the zebras are covered with the most fashionable animal dresses: much better than a parade in Milan or Paris.
When the sun rose high in the sky, the animals were gathering around water basins. We approached a stunning black rhino and, at the sun peak, we saw three young lions (two females and a male) leaving the shadow of the tree and heading towards a fresher place.
The park is quite magical and seeing the capitol's skyscrapers in the background is such a rare contrast.
Tips: find a smart driver who knows the areas within the park and animals' behaviors.
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Ngorongoro Crater by Simone
we were a bit unlucky .. it was a bit cloudy and cold .. not too many cats but a lot a lot of wildebeast and buffaloes .. we might give it another try coming back from Serengeti as it is on the way!!