US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Awesome family vacation
Our family of 5 (ages M53, F53, M22, F20, and F17) decided to climb Mt. Kili and then go on a safari in Tanzania. Our guides (Sylvester and August) were great and although it was cold on the final day of the climb, we were all successful getting to the top of the mountain. Everyone was in decent shape, so don't think you can just show up, but the key to making it up the mountain is acclimation; do the 7 day trip. We tackled the Machame route and were not disappointed. I'd recommend using foot-warmers (maybe 2) in your boots as you climb to the top on summit day.
Our Safari lasted 8 days and were fortunate to see everything we hoped for. Highlights included: The Big 5, cheetahs, 3 wildebeest crossings in the northern Serengeti and even some lions mating from 15 feet away. Simply amazing. David, our guide, was the right fit for our family and was a pleasure to be with throughout the entire trip. He even introduced us to his favorite local restaurant in Arusha on the last night, making it a trip that was truly memorable.
Sunny Safaris helped create a trip that was tailored to our requirements of 'somewhat rugged', not too expensive, yet with the right amount of luxury/comfort to keep us in budget. After tenting on the mountain, we spent our evenings in nice, yet simple "luxury tented camps" where the service was great and the facilities were excellent. Other evenings we were in the Sopa Lodges in south Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire. We also visited Lake Manyara. If you are short on time, you can have a great 4-5 day trip and simply go to the Crater and then the Serengeti. If you want to go to the northern section because the wildebeest are crossing, strongly consider flying. We had 8 days so driving was an acceptable and cheaper alternative (saved $1200), but we also had one long day of washboard roads that lasted about 8 hours.
For our family, this trip will be one of the most memorable trips we ever take. If you enjoy the outdoors, learning about life and world around you, and are open to new and adventurous things, this type of trip needs to be at the top of your list.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
My husband and I loved every moment of the trip. Wildlife just out of the car was amazing.
We were a group of six family members who chose Kenya Walking Survivors Safari (KWSS). My husband and I flew from the U.S., and my parents, and my cousin and his wife flew from India. We were happy with the communication since the beginning. Mr. OT is great at both verbal and written communication. Also, Ngutto, our driver and tour guide was very fluent with English. We really enjoyed being with Ngutto. He is witty, joyful, and helpful. There were a couple of things which makes our overall rating with KWSS a 5-star excellent. The first one - Our group is strict vegetarian and initially we were concerned about our dietary restrictions. But, we were given a cook for part of the trip, places where we otherwise would have had hard time finding veg food. We loved our cook, Byron. He understood us and communicated well to us. He also prepared excellent food! The second one – We were initially planned for the second last day in Tanzania and starting to return back to Kenya very early (2:00 am) next morning, which was still going to cut close to our departure air flight. Since we finished Tanzania earlier than expected, we called Mr. OT to arrange for an earlier return to Kenya. He was flexible with it and ensured us that our comfort was his primary goal. He arranged for our hotel rooms (3 rooms)for a night and we did not have to pay a single extra cent! We were able to return to Kenya plenty in time and stay in a nice hotel room. KWSS took care of our individual needs very well. We highly recommend Kenya Walking Survivors Safari to anyone who is considering a trip to the African Safari!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Expert advice and planning
When arranging a holiday to a foreign country it helps to get a local expert's advice on what to do, where to stay, and what to see. Debbie was a invaluable resource when planning our trip, as we didn't have time to do everything, and didn't want to miss out on the "must see" activities. The sundowner cruise on the Zambezi was small, classy and intimate - thanks to Debbie. She also ensured that our trip ran smoothly, and there was always someone to meet us and take us to our next activity. No time was wasted planning while on our trip, or sorting out problems. Thanks for a wonderful experience!
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Perfect organised safari in a wunderful Country
We booked a two weeks privat tour in Ugande with matoke. Because we have already made many Safaris in Africa, we had exact images like ours travel through Uganda should be. The communication and tips from Matoke while planning the holiday was great. Most of our wishes could be made by them. Special thanks to Anna Grodzki for good service, quick answers and always be there if we had another question.
Our driver/guide was Mussa. He was able to maneuver his Jeep trough the 'massage' roads and the wildlife in order to get us the best spots. He knows exactly the behavior of each animal, he gave us a very professional explanation and many information about live in Uganda. And ,not least, we had a lot of fun with him. Many thanks to Mussa, he did a great job! The accommodations we selected were all very good. The best of all Gorilla Safari Lodge at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Only in the hotel Birds Nest at Lake Bunyonyi we have something to complain about. Here we lost our booked room and got a bad room (smale sized without a balkony) because a big group was expected. So this hotel is not recommended for individual travelers. But Matoke also tried to solve this problem so that we could change the second day in a very nice room.
All in all we can recommend Matoke as a tour Operator.
IL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
3 days kruger with crazy Dave
It was excellent.
Dave was all around, he was funny, knowledgable, took care to all our needs and made our trip even better than we thought it would be.
We liked it very much
Thanks a lot.
CY
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kenya Walking Survivor Safaris planned our honeymoon in half a day!
If it wasn't for Mr OT, we wouldn't be able to have a honeymoon this year due to a misfortune with another travel agency in our Country. We were able to trust him almost immediately with his polite and assertive manner and we were not wrong to do that. He planned an amazing trip for us including an 8-day safari in Kenya and Tanzania's national parks, safe drives, nice lodges and an excellent stay in Zanzibar at the end of our trip which tipped of the experience, ending our honeymoon in a relaxed and simultaneously excited mood. We definitely recommend Kenya walking survivors safaris!!!
IL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Eight days private Safari tour through KWSS - excellent experience and mostly recommended
We just returned from 8 days private safari tour organized by KWSS. We got a great driver-guide (Mr. Ochieng, I hope that I spelled it correctly) and a private cook. The views and animals were terrific and the explanations of Mr. Ocheing were on time. We were lucky (and also due to the guide’s experience) to watch all big 5’s several times including eating a fresh prey.
First in my recommendation list is of course the Masai Mara that is a must and I recommend the full day game drive within the reserve as it allows you to get to the Mara River (crossing point of wildebeests). Second in my list is lake Naivasha which you could relax in walking safari tours (Crater rim park is the best if you have only one to take) and the optional boat tour is a must do. Lake Nakuru is good as we observed Rhinos but if you are short in time – you can spare it.
About KWSS, this is my first experience with Africa and with African tour operators and I had a very pleasant surprise with KWSS (managed by Mr. Otieno). I had no previous recommendation and I chose them from Safaribookings.com based on the price and continued negotiations with them because of the quick and efficient email responses from Mr. Otieno. So – I got an 8 days full board private tour in a very reasonable and even cheap price (as compared to other tour operators) and yet all worked perfectly and we very much enjoyed the trip and the sounding conditions.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great photo safari. Great service.
We had the best experience with Image Travel. They picked us up at the airport and off we went. The Guides/Drivers were safe, knowledgeable and friendly. Abdul and Anthony were the best. We also had them drive us around and outside Nairobi for three additional days. The trucks were up to the task of the poor roads and since we only had 4 people per landcruiser it was quite comfortable. We did more driving than I think was necessary(Nairobi to Amboseli, then to Lake Nakuru, down to Masa Mara and then back to Naivasha), but perhaps that was due to accomodations not being available. Our guides made sure we had the best opportunity to see the wildlife. They really worked hard at that and communicated with all the drivers in the parks. They were also on time and ready to go both morning and afternoon. We enjoyed their company very much and I think I can say that for our entire group of eight. The accomodations and food were excellent and in most cases exceeded my expectations. If we return to Africa for a safari we will try to book with Image Travel again.
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beautiful experience
I did two safaris. Two days of safari on Lake Manyara and a day on Mount Kilimanjaro. The organization was impeccable and waiting for me was a wonderful dinner! the guides were-trained and have had great care in giving me information about what I was observing. I'll surely be back next year for another safari!
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Mountain Gorilla in Bwindi Impenetrable National park
Travel Explore Africa Safaris (T.E.A) planned for us a great safari 8 days/7 night’s safaris to Track in PNV and Bwindi impenetrable National park. Everything was well planned and organized -- which we appreciated! And, we highly recommend Wilson Bisaso as a driver! Not only is he an excellent driver with a very good solid car, he is God fearing and very personable and knowledgeable. He is willing to go the "extra mile" for the customer. Really his calm demeanor and reliable services made our tour/trip seamless.
For lodging, we loved the Mountain gorilla view lodge and the Chameleon Hill Inn. These were both highlights. We did two gorilla treks -- one at Volcanoes Park in Rwanda and one at the Bwindi Forest in Uganda. Both were amazing. The guides and rangers were very informative. We were glad to be able to trek in both countries, as the experiences were different. If you go on these "hikes", bring hiking boots if possible, as the terrain is very slippery. There are no "trails" -- the guide simply clears the forest using a machete. And, the gorillas don't follow any set routes. Be sure to hire a porter as well. These local people are very helpful and they depend on the income.