65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing introduction to the mobile safari experience in a diverse range of National Parks
Thoroughly enjoyed the safari, excellent value for money with so many game park drives.
Booking holidays on "spec" and on the internet is always a gamble but there was no need to be concerned, everything worked out perfectly. Christa was extremely helpful, made sure that the booking experience was a smooth process and answered all my questions almost immediately.
Andrew our tour leader/driver/guide had uncanny game spotting skills. His joy in showing us the animals and his love of his country was obvious. His enthusiasm guaranteed that we enjoyed the experience to the full. I think spending time in a diverse range of parks - Liuwa Plains, Kafue and South Luangwa ensured we saw a variety of landscapes and animals (usually without any other vehicles in sight). I would highly recommend this safari.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Not recommended for Kilimanjaro
I booked a Kilimanjaro climb with Tin Tin and was unfortunately was overall unimpressed and would NOT recommend this company for a Kilimanjaro summit. Highlights and lowlights are below.
Pro:
-Supporting a local KPAP company.
-The porters (Rashidi "happy happy", Ayubu, Gabriel, Lamiki, Rashidi) and camp manager (Mido) were kind.
Cons:
-Communication. The main POC, Fred, was very responsive at first. However I began getting email auto replies that his email was over quota after I had paid for my trek and it took him a week or so to respond to anything. My guide, Rama, was also hardly fluent in English. He could not understand questions I asked him.
-Safety. I am not convinced my guide was first aid certified considering he did nothing when I had a fever on the mountain. Health checks were not done twice daily with blood pressure and oximeter readings as originally promised.
-Experience. My guide made me uncomfortable with things like asking me to guess the age of all the other staff members in front of them and bringing the entire group into my tent with no warning when I was sick. He also did not pace well. During the summit hike, we hiked too quickly up the mountain and had to slow down a few hours in. It made for a frigid hike and I was unhappy to miss seeing the summit in daylight.
-Gear quality. My tent was not waterproof and had cigarette burn holes in the bug netting. I rented a waterproof bag from them and it had holes around the straps. I did not notice until my clothing was wet on the trip.
QA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Starvel safaris is the best for an awesome experience
I can highly recommend Starvel safaris as a safari operator. We travelled to Amboseli, Naivasha, Nakuru and the Mara over 9 days, and had an an amazing experience.
Esther was incredibly helpful in putting together a suitable itinerary, answered all emails promptly and allowed full flexibility with regard to itinerary and accommodation choices. She kept us informed about bookings, sending confirmation vouchers and updates. She also met us at the airport on arrival, along with our guide , to double check we were happy with everything. The Starvel safaris office were constantly in contact with our guide throughout the trip to ensure everything was going to plan.
All the accommodation choices as recommended by Esther were excellent, very comfortable with good food and exemplary service.
Our guide was without doubt the star of the show. Throughout the trip he was friendly, enthusiastic, incredibly knowledgeable and clearly keen for us to see as much as possible. This was exemplified by taking a couple of detours on entering the Mara late in the afternoon to see a leopard and a pair of cheetahs, even though we had been on the road for many hours and the easy thing would have been to head straight to the camp for the evening. Despite him feeling a bit under the weather for the last couple of days, his mood never dropped.
On returning to Nairobi we were once again met by Esther to see how we’d enjoyed the trip, and gather any feedback we had on possible ways to improve their service. Judging by the number of different companies’ safari vehicles we saw on the road, this is clearly an incredibly crowded marketplace and we felt that Starvel safaris focus on customer service helps set them apart from their rivals. We would have no hesitation in using their services again.
SE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We could not have asked for a better experience
We booked a 3-day trip to Masai Mara through Twinkle Star. We got excellent help from James who made sure we got exactly what we were asking for. He even contacted us afterwards to make sure we were satisfied with the trip. Our guide Miqal picked us up in Nairobi and from the first minute we felt really welcomed. This whole trip was totally living up to our expectations thanks to Miqal who genuinely cared about giving us the best experience we could ever dream of. We had the greatest time and we will definately be choosing this company again.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Incredible Safari Experience
We booked a 3.5 day safari with Samora explorers and we are extremely happy with our choice. My fiancée and I were looking for a budget option for our first Safari together, and what we got for the price far exceeded our expectations. Everything you could want from a Safari was absolutely perfect, from day 1: the conversation about what the safari would include, the booking and payment process, the pickup from and transfer to the hotel, the accommodation, and, of course, the safari itself. Iddy always instantly responded to my many emails, and was even super flexible with the payment (I paid in multiple different currencies). He was very accommodating with our logistical needs (meeting us late at night at our hotel the evening before the safari for a briefing, making sure we got to the airport both on time and well fed, thanks to a great lunch box).
Our guide and driver Iddy, in just a few days, managed to show us the Big Five and countless other animals, as well as incredible landscapes. He created such a welcoming atmosphere. What I valued in particular was that we always felt a 100% safe, thanks to his driving, his immense knowledge about the wildlife, and the fact that he knows the area extremely well. An added bonus for us was that Iddy speaks German in addition to his perfect English.
There are many safari operators in Tanzania, and while we didn’t have much experience with safaris (I did one in Kenya before), what stood out to us is how kindly Iddy interacts with his staff and other people around him. So for anyone looking to support a local safari operator who treats his people fairly while offering a decent price, Samora Explorers is an excellent choice.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Perfect
Great experience, great service, the customer care was perfect. Great staff.
Thank you Lulu safaris
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
This guys know their job really well.
It was an amazing experience. I loved the way they worked together with other guides to locate animals to our advantage. Extensive knowllege of parks, flora and fauna and general information was a big plus. I will not hessitate to reccomend henry kimani of DUME Africa trails for any safari in kenya.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Perfection
My husband and I booked a month long holiday with Marieke and Marijnke of African Travels. In January 2020 we arrived in Cape Town to begin the 30 day journey that was perfect in every way. From our initial meeting in Cape Town to our airport drop off in Tanzania 30 days later, all was perfectly orchestrated. There were open lines of communication at all times. Our guide and driver in Cape Town was a remarkable human being and a knowledgeable, well informed citizen of this unimaginably beautiful city. All of the guides, drivers and tour companies we dealt with on this trip were top notch. The hand off from one country to another was seamless. There are no words to describe how absolutely satisfied we were with African Travels. This trip went far beyond our expectations leaving us with indelible memories of people, places and experiences.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A wonderful DUme Africa
Dime Africa Trails are amazing! We had a great trip with my family. We were able to see a head of elephant, lion so I highly recommend that you use Dume Africa and am sure you will be very pleased if you use his services.
QA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The amazing people
Amazing people to travel with, it was such a good experience