MX
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great guides but little support from management during Safari
I have mixed feelings regarding Wildebeest Safaris. The first part of the trip was absolutely perfect, communication with Noah and Samuel at the beginning was very good but sadly everything changed towards the end.
Our trip started in Kenya where we met Jeff, our first safari guide. Jeff is the absolute BEST! He ensured we could see all the animals we wanted, he was very caring, funny and made sure we were having a good time at all times. He took us from Nairobi to Lake Nakuru and then to Masai Mara, accommodations in both places were amazing, they felt very luxurious and staff was very helpful and friendly.
From Masai Mara we went to Serengeti where we met Hamza, our 2nd driver and guide. Hamza was great, he is very experienced and knows A LOT about animals, plus, he knows great spots for photos ;) Both Jeff and Hamza drove 4x4 Land Cruisers, perfect vehicles for safari.
The issues started in Tanzania. One day before reaching Serengeti, the agency contacted us to inform that they had made the booking on the wrong dates so we didn't have valid accommodations anymore. Luckily we are not the kind of people who freak out and only asked for reservations at similar lodges, however, I do have to say that this was an unexpected situation and it was a bit stressful since they noticed only a day before! In the end they fixed it and booked alternative camps for us but one of them didn't have basic facilities like hot water.
From Serengeti we drove to Ngorongoro Crater and then back to Kenya's border to go to Amboseli. When we crossed the border, our 4X4 Land Cruiser was changed to a Mini Van, this was more than a huge disappointment because this type of vehicle is not made for safari, nor the roads in Kenya/Tanzania (way too bumpy + fishtailing when going at more than 20km/h, hence you have to go really slow and takes double the time to cover the same distance), most importantly is that is not the car Noah promised on the very first email he sent me. Our 3rd driver (Peter) tried to contact Noah to find a solution to this problem but we had no luck, he never answered. I also tried contacting Noah and Samuel by email... and we also didn't get any response, we were just ignored (up to date we haven't received any sort of explanation). We had to stick to the Mini Van the last two days of the safari and it became so uncomfortable that we decided no to go on a safari drive the last day.
It's a pity that a trip that started so well and that could have been rated a full 5-star was just thrown away because of poor management at the end.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
60th birthday tour
We just returned from a 13 day safari in Kenya and Tanzania. It was the trip of a lifetime and I can't thank The Safari Partners enough for helping us to organize such an incredible birthday trip. The guides, accommodations, food, everything was outstanding. It was incredible viewing the multitude of animals in their natural environment and the hot air balloon ride was amazing.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Terrible !!!
We booked a 7 day safari of Tanzania and the travel agent outsourced it to BMS. What a disaster. The vehicle provided was in horrible shape ( it had over 473,000 kilometers) and shook like crazy. You could not speak or hear for the noise created by the land cruiser while traveling off road. We were passed by every other vehicle ( the other safari vehicles’s suspension could handle the washboard roads just fine ) so it took many extra hours to get anywhere. Our driver/ guide was switched at the last minute and Baraka ( the driver ) spoke very little English so he could not or would not explain anything. The driver did not know where our permanent camp in the Serengeti was and he had no map or directions. We got lost and the radio did not work properly and he had no cell service. Then the land cruiser broke down after 8 hours traveling (transmission). He did not have a proper tool kit. Some other vehicles helped us and took us to camp 2 hours late. He fixed the vehicle that night but 2 days later it broke down 4 times( fuel leak) and we run out of gas! Another safari operator took us to our lodge an hour away.
Two days out of six on safari were lost to extra long driving days ( car could not go as fast as the others )coupled with getting lost and the multiple breakdowns
I was able to communicate with the office through Whatsapp but Buhambo, the owner/manager (?) just kept saying he was sorry or he was working on the problems. Since our diver did not speak english( though they assured us he did) we had to ask others to help us but he could not explain the animals or birds or the vehicle breakdowns and timing of travel. We had been on safari in other countries for weeks so we knew quite a bit but what a disappointment.
We kept asking for a new vehicle but apparently they were all out on safari and this was rented but how would we have been able to prevent this? I booked this safari 8 months in advance and the original company I booked through was appalled but what can you do when you are in country?
The camps and lodges were very good and Tanzania is a beautiful country. Just do not travel with BMS Safaris! We have traveled to over 145 countries and this was our worst experience by far.
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Rwanda at its best
We from Isimila Tanzania Adventures had sent our clients after a safari in Tanzania with Bernard to explore the wilderness and beauty of Rwanda. The hightlight was no doubt a Gorilla Trek. Our clients were delighted by the quality and outstanding services of Bernard. He did anything to make our clients happy and exceeded their expectations. They had a great time and experience with those fascinating animals. We are very happy to do business with Bernard on a regular basis and highly recommend him. Bernard, you are the best...
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
We had a wonderful experience with a great guide
The tour seemed very well organized. Santos our guide was very informative and saw to our safety and well being. Santos suggested a bike tour on our cultural day which was a wonderful experience. The communication and details of our safari was good. We had hoped to see many animals on the safari, which we did. We were given time to observe the animals and never felt rushed. Thanks for a wonderful time.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beautiful Botswana Safari
My husband and I went to Botswana and Victoria Falls for our honeymoon and I couldn't be happier I entrusted Safari Online to do the booking for us. Walter was our agent and he is top notch. From beginning to end he was extremely detailed, a great communicator, and just downright pleasant to work with. He consistently checked in with us as our trip time approached to make sure all details were in place and to make sure that all our questions were answered. When we took our trip, we couldn't believe how smoothly everything went. We just had to show up and there was someone waiting there to take us to our next lodge, plan, or car ride. We saw so many amazing animals on our safari and met some incredible people in Botswana and we will cherish those memories for life. Thank you again Walter for helping us create this amazing experience.
MX
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
There are not words for this marvelous and exciting trip
Everything was excellent: the caps, lodges, all the staff, the guides, the food. I will never forget this marvelous experience. Thank you very much indeed.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
AMAZING Safari!
Our family of 5 (3 kids aged 13, 11, and 9) recently returned from a safari arranged by Rama and his team at Hazina. We could not have been more delighted with our trip. Hazina takes care of every detail, from airport transfers, to lodge accomodations and beyond. Our safari guide, Praise, was wonderful! With his knowledge we were able to see all of the animals on our wish list, and so many more! One of our daughters wanted to see lions - we were able to see so many lions we lost count - including a huge pride with 10 cubs that walked directly in front of our safari vehicle.
We spent our time on the Serengeti in absolute awe, observing herds of Wildebeest, Buffalo, Giraffes, Elephants, Baboons, Lions, Cheetah, Leopards, Hyena, Hippos and we were even able to see the elusive Black Rhino in Ngorongoro Crater. Our safari was the trip of a lifetime and we are so grateful to Rama and Hazina Afrika for helping us make it happen. Hazina truly offers a personalized safari experience, and Rama put together an absolutely perfect 10 day, multi-park itinerary for our family.
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Would highly recommend Compass Odyssey!
Just returned from a 12 day trip to South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana planned through Compass Odyssey. Darren was so helpful in planning the trip. He worked to keep the costs within the budget we wanted and was always open to changes I came up with! Unlike a couple of other travel companies I had contacted, Darren never grew impatient with my questions or ideas for consideration for this trip. I would use this company again in a heartbeat if we are ever fortunate enough to return to Africa!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fantastic Budget Safari in Kenya with Arony.
Communications with Karibu were very good and prompt. I did notice that we stayed at a different camp in Mara and different hotel in Nakuru. Not sure if the others in the trip description were better? Especially Nakuru..
The service was good and Arony collected us on time at our accommodation as arranged. From there the fun began. Arony was the most fantastic driver and guide. He really made our trip so enjoyable. Arony drove incredibly well in the very difficult Kenyan traffic and the rough road to Mara and Miti Mingi camp. The camp was comfortable and the game driving and sightings in Mara exceptional. Arony was very knowledgeable and he made sure that we saw all the game that was possible. Navaisha and Nakuru were also good and we had a wonderful game drive in Nakuru seeing black and white Rhino as well as Rothschild giraffe. The CitiMax hotel was very disappointing. The rooms were fine but the dinner was a shocker. In fact 2 of our group had upset stomachs. Also one can't relax anywhere and cant even buy a beer! We also had 8 people in the van which was not ideal. It was only for about 24 hours but when booking the tour it did state maximum of 6. We then continued to Amboseli and Kimana camp. A very long drive but handled incredibly well by Arony. Kimana camp was the best camp. Staff very friendly and food was good. Arony again was a star with the game drives and he was always ready to satisfy our needs. In general a most enjoyable trip. It was definitely was made more enjoyable by Arony who did his job exceptionally well. 10 out of 10. Knowledgable and interactive. We really enjoyed ourselves. Thank you very much Arony.