OM
An amazing adventure
Our trip was excellent , the wildlife was wonderful, from the Elephants of Etosha to the very smelly Seals at Cape Cross , we saw various animals everywhere throughout our tour and 120 species of birds without having to look very hard. the scenery is spectacular and ever changing from mountain passes to the changing colours of the desert.
We booked a bespoke tour with Safpol Safari's and they sub contracted out locally based Fire Lily Tours, Wilfried our guide , and owner was excellent with wonderful local knowledge of Namibia , and always ready to stop for us to take pictures, our vehicle was a large 4 wheel drive with plenty of boot space. All the local people we met on route were very friendly helpful.
The weather for us was very good, as we live in the middle east, the generally warm days and cool sometimes cold evenings were perfect.
Accommodation was generally very good as was the food, but as we rarely got to stay more than one night because of our itinerary and lack of more time, we didn't get the chance to look around most of the venues - arriving late afternoon and departing at 08.00, because of the travelling distances involved.
The experience was wonderful, the people and whole country are a highlight, just beware when planning the distances involved, we averaged over 300 km a day on top of our site seeing.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Experience of a lifetime
I have been back 2 weeks and I'm already thinking about how I can save to go back to Kenya! When deciding to go on my first-ever safari, I chose the Maasai Mara because it is supposed to be the best for big cat viewing. It was a lucky decision, because Kenya has SO much more to offer. The scenery, and the chance to sit and watch elephants walk by very closely with just the sound of their tromping and chomping and no other vehicles in sight, was just one among many unforgettable moments.
We stayed in a budget tent camp which suited us well, because we were able to put the savings to a private safari (rather than a group tour) and the accommodations were better than expected! We had flush toilets, a comfortable bed, and zebras eating right outside our tent every night. The camp also was very accommodating to my dietary needs (I'm a vegetarian). The Maasai Mara is an amazing magical place, our tented camp overlooked part of it so we could see giraffes and wildebeests as as we pulled in.
Last but certainly not least, our safari guide MADE our experience. Although at other times interacting with various businesses catering to tourists I felt very much an outsider/a potential customer, our guide spent 4 days with us and treated us like friends. He was also extremely knowledgeable about Kenya's history, animal behavior, and conservation needs.
This was my first safari (but certainly not my last). My travel partner had been to South Africa and enjoyed it, but she said our Kenya trip was 8X better! The all-day private game drives, the amazing interactions with so much wildlife, and the knowledge and warmth of our guide made the difference for her.
DK
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Intense safari but poor accomodation
We had booked a 3 day safari in Masai Mara. We were picked up and dropped off in Nairobi. That means a very long drive for about 8 hours each way to get to and from Masai Mara. When we arrived at Masai Mara we were accommodated in a smaller lodge than payed for. It was not what we had ordered, but a lodge of very poor quality. The people at the lodge was extreme kindly and friendly. On the day of arrival we reached a short trip of about 2 hours before the sun went down. Next day we started early and had almost 10 hours of safari. We saw all animals. But it's hard to sit in a car where the bumping is going for hours. Our guide did a great job finding all the animals. The Masai Mara itself is exciting to drive around and it is amazing with the big scene and big flocks of animals. But the trip to and from Nairobi, the poor accommodation and the high price mean that we do not generally can recommend that kind of safari.
AE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Best company to deal with !
Fantastic response to queries, affordable rates, excellent staff, fulfilled all promises.
Had an amazing time with my family.
Efficient and friendly tour manager - Mr Allan Milambo.
Knowledgeable and friendly guide/driver - Mr Stanley.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Awesome experience, will definitely go back!
The entire safari experience was great. Our guide, Matthew, from African Safari Guru, picked us up in Johannesburg and made sure we had everything we needed (including helping us to get a local SIM card for our phones). During the transfer to Arathusa, Matthew provided tons of interesting information about the area, the people, the economy .. the country in general. After 3 days at Arathusa, Matthew picked us up and drove us to Lukimbi. He took us through Kruger National Park, took us to the top of a "koppie" to get a 360 degree view of the park, which was amazing. My husband finally understood what I meant when I said "the bush" ... After our stays at the lodges (6 nights total), Matthew drove us to Nelspruit airport where we caught a flight to Cape Town where we spent another week. The lodges (Arathusa and Lukimbi) were very different but both amazing in their own way. The food and service was excellent all around. I can't think of anything negative at all. It was a great experience and we plan to go back. African Safari Guru did not disappoint and we will use Matthew again.
JP
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
fabulous!
Everythig was great! When I visit next time, would like to ask the same guide to go around with us.
US
Fantastic
We booked Beacon Safari through Safari Bookings for a 3 day safari to the Maasai Mara in Kenya. Beacon was very responsive and delivered on all promises. Our driver/guide was very knowledgeable about the animals we saw. The Maasai Mara is very beautiful and we saw all of the Big 5 within 24 hours of arriving in the park. We also saw a wealth of other animals and birds. All in all, we really enjoyed Kenya.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Professional, efficient and delivered in every way
I booked a one week safari in Kenya for two people through Go2Africa, all done by email. A bespoke, varied programme was put together for us which proved to be quite excellent. We stayed in Porini camps in Amboseli and the Mara which embrace the conservancy project which empowers the local community. Our camps and our guides were superb and we were well looked after and saw lots of amazing sights. All arrangements worked well and we were always met at the right times and places by friendly knowledgeable people. I highly recommend Go2Africa and the local company Gamewatchers who were responsible for all local arrangements.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Magical
I was a solo female traveler who was eager to see the wildlife but was also nervous about traveling by myself. I should not have been. The safari was wonderful! Fantastic and knowledgeable guides, incredible scenery and excellent lodge all of which quickly relieved me of any trepidation. The lodge itself was built overlooking a small valley and a vast open-air balcony. It was a beautiful and restive spot for wildlife viewing. The staff were warm yet professional, and the service was excellent. Food was also very good. I went on morning and evening game drives. Our guide grew up just outside of the park, and was informative about both wildlife and Zulu culture. I also went on a bush walk which was the highlight of my trip. Why travel so far and stay in a car when you can walk with the animals and see things you would otherwise miss? For me the only drawback was that I am a birder. The game drives were in jeeps with five to six other people who were not asinterested in stopping to see the birds as was I. As a result, the bird watching was rushed but we did see many animals including four of the big 5.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic experience, incredible value!
My 24 year old daughter and I booked the 3 day 2 night safari to the Serengeti and Ngorongo Crater a few days before arriving in Tanzania. The company, Suricata safaris, picked us up at Kilimanjaro airport, drove us 45 minutes to a simple clean hotel in Arusha, drove us to meeting point just outside the park where we boarded a Land Rover and spent 3 amazing days traveling through the 2 parks viewing an incredible array of wildlife and unspoiled nature. We saw all the main species except rhinos and most from a very close distance. We camped in tents with mattresses and sleeping bags and meals supplied. The food was basic but plentiful. We went to bed with Cape buffalos grazing a few dozen meters away and woke up to a herd of zebras all around us. Hyenas and monkeys were also about looking for leftovers. Almost all our time was spent on game drives, each us with a window seat and pop up roof for great viewing and photos. After game drive on 3rd day we were driven back to hotel in Arusha for the night then to the airport the next morning. All of this for $800 Canadian dollars each! I highly recommend this trip to anyone who doesn’t mind camping and is willing to forego the luxuries of the fancy and expensive lodge experience. A huge thanks to Hilary and Derek and their professional staff for offering such an incredible and affordable experience!