US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A bucket list visit to Kenya safaris
My family and I had the pleasure taking 6-day Kenya safaris visiting Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Amboseli national parks in August 2024. August is the prime season for Kenya safari so it’s not easy to find the perfect accommodation. We booked the safaris from Africa Starpal Tours & Safaris. From the very beginning, Africa Starpal operational manager Paul helped us to pick the right safari package, select the best hotels/camps, and provide us useful information about eTA application and travels. Paul was always online responding to my email.
Paul and our guide/driver James came to our hotel at Nairobi to pick us up on the first day of the safari. From that moment on, we were being taken care of by James during our 6-day tours. James was very professional and helped us find the hotels/camps for each night. James was extremely knowledgeable about the national parks and where to find animals. We saw 4 of Big-5 animals including elephants, rhinos, lions, and buffalo. Seeing elephants walking 5 feet in front of us and thousands of wildebeest migrating in a perfect line were something to brag about. Although we didn’t see leopards because they are usually active at night, we saw its cousin cheetah. In addition, we saw hundreds and thousands of wildebeest in migration, zebras, impala, Thomson’s gazelle, pelicans, and flamingos. James told us back stories about elephants and lions. James even helped other safari guides/drivers repair their vehicles along the tour.
We stayed at Jumpo Mara safari lodge for 2 nights which exceeded our expectations, Eagle Palace Hotel for 1 night which was very convenient, and Nyati safari camp for 2 nights which was very basic considering there are not many luxury camps near Amboseli national park. James arranged to make restroom stops and find pharmacy stores along the way so we felt very comfortable during the safari tour. The safari tour was a bucket list for my family and I had to say that it exceeded our expectations largely due to Paul and James from Africa Starpal. I highly recommend them to anyone thinking about visiting safaris in Africa. It’s an opportunity of the lifetime.
ES
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent organization and professionalism, definitely worth it
Our trip had 3 different parts:
- Climbing Kilimanjaro in 6 days via Machame route. For this hard adventure, Israel was our main guide, with Oscar as our assistant guide, their experience and professionalism, as well as that of the dream team, took us to the summit (roof of Africa).
- 6 days safari at Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro area. We saw all the animals (cheetah and rhino included) with very amazing scenes and pictures :). Thanks to the best driver ever Dickson!
- 6 days at Zanzibar to relax after it all.
In general, thank you to Serengeti African Tours, in particular to Safina, for these memories, one of the most important trips in our lives. Chosing the perfect accomodations, guides and making it possible!
We truly recommend the company!
CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A DISAPPOINTING Safari Experience with a DISRESPECTFUL guide!
My friend and I chose Imani for a 7-day trip in July, hoping for a memorable experience. Unfortunately, we encountered a series of disorganized and disappointing events that left us questioning the agency’s professionalism.
The issues included accommodation and itinerary errors, lack of communication, a rush itinerary, and the disrespectful guide, Fred.
1. Accommodation and Itinerary Discrepancies:
(1) Downgrade of accommodation: On July 24, our driver informed us that our originally booked hotel, Mara Kati Kati Camp, was destroyed by a wildfire. We were left with no choice but to accept an alternative hotel they had arranged. However, upon checking in at the Untamed Migration Camps, we discovered that this hotel was significantly inferior, holding merely 3 reviews on Tripadvisor, compared to the initial booking's 1724 reviews. We reached out to the manager, Mike, hoping for clarification and a refund of the price difference, but his response lacked any apology. He simply stated that it wasn't his fault and that Untamed Migration Camps is better than Mara Kati Kati Camp, and then ceased further communication. Later, we met another group from the same travel agency who were upgraded to a better hotel (Baobab Lodge & Camp) due to the Mara Kati Kati being fully booked, not destroyed by fire as we were told. This discrepancy in stories left us doubting the veracity of the wildfire claim and feeling deceived.
(2) Mistaking us for the wrong accommodation: On July 26, we were mistakenly taken to the wrong hotel, Manyara Secret, and endured a half-hour wait and more unapologetic responses from management. Our eventual accommodation at Escarpment Luxury Lodge proved inadequate with issues like malodorous rooms and a leaking air conditioner, which necessitated a midnight room change. The staff then moved us to a standard room type—larger, cleaner, and more organized. Only then did we realize that, even after the hotel mix-up, the agency had initially booked us into the most remote and least desirable room in the hotel. We ended up having to pack and move rooms in the early hours of the morning.
(3) Meals not covered during the first-day trip: Contrary to our itinerary, meals were not provided on the first day. We had to cover these costs out-of-pocket, with the agency only reimbursing us for lunch after a discussion with the manager.
1. Unreasonable Itinerary Planning:
We booked a 7-day safari trip through Imani but were not informed in advance about the overly rushed schedule. In practice, we only had 5 days of actual safari, with a significant portion of our time spent in transit. Our time in the Serengeti was rushed, limiting our encounters with wildlife. On the last day, with almost no activities scheduled by Imani, we had to independently arrange a village tour and a visit to a Maasai village. The agency failed to provide a clear and flexible itinerary that would have allowed us to adjust or reduce activities to enhance our experience.
2. Communication Shortfalls:
Although Imani uses communication apps such as WeChat, they did not provide these contact details in our email exchanges, hindering effective communication. Besides, during our initial email correspondence when we expressed enthusiasm about booking their tour, they did not supply a final itinerary, leading to numerous misunderstandings and errors during our trip.
3. The driver Fred is a very unprofessional and disrespectful guide. We did not feel that he prioritized the passengers' experience, and we even sensed his disdain. His unsatisfied behaviors include but are not limited to:
(1) UNAUTHORIZED USE OF PERSONAL BELONGINGS: The driver Fred, realized his camera was malfunctioning, and I told him that if he wanted to take photos, he could borrow the camera from mine when needed. However, on July 25, he took my camera without my consent, inserted his memory card, and used it to take photos. He even posted Instagram stories of him holding my camera. This was done without any apology and is the most incomprehensible and infuriating issue I encountered.
(2) POOR COMMUNICATION and Lack of Consideration During Safari: Throughout the safari, the driver dictated all movements without any discussion—driving when he decided and only stopping when he chose to. When I requested a brief stop to capture better photos of the lion family, he declined, claiming that we were not allowed to linger in that area (why? and why cannot we get the permission?). This made every wildlife sighting incredibly tense, as I was always worried about missing the opportunity to take photos. Such an experience was profoundly unsatisfactory.
(3) Neglect in Customer Experience: After exchanging Instagram accounts, I noticed that the photos he took after spotting a group of elephants closely were from a much better angle than ours, which was taken from a rear perspective. The prioritization of viewing angles seemed skewed to benefit Fred’s own photographic interests rather than providing guests with optimal wildlife viewing experiences, as evidenced by the superior angles of his photos compared to ours.
(4) Uncommunicated Personal Errands: The driver often had his own errands, such as delivering supplies to his friends or buying personal items. We understand that these tasks might be necessary, but he never informed us in advance nor did he communicate his plans to us.
After expressing our frustrations, the agency offered a paltry $250 refund and a complimentary airport transfer. It hardly compensated for the multitude of issues we experienced. The trip culminated in an apology from the manager, but it was too late. This trip has left such a negative impact that I am disinclined to visit Tanzania again. I have traveled to more than 30 countries and have lived in several countries, but had never had such a poor travel experience.
It is crucial to share our story to help others avoid similar negative experiences. The level of service provided by Imani was not only disappointing but unacceptable, and I caution potential travelers to carefully consider their options when booking a safari in Tanzania.
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
AMAZING! Everything was just perfect! We had a 7days safari where we enjoyed the magic of Tanzania
Where can I start from?
Kiboko Explorer is an amazing Tanzanian Tour Operator, wich means two important things:
- all money you pay go in the hands of local people, wich means you can pay a little bit less than if you choice a Tour Operator from your homeland;
- the people who work in Kiboko Explorer are all expert about safari and beasts, wich means they will present you an amazing experience in the heart of Africa.
First meeting: we arrived 4 hours late bcoz of the flight. They patiently waited for us, and welcome (karibu) us with a big smile and bring us to our amazing hotel where we had a delicious late dinner.
The day after we had a little briefing before enjoy safari, and two ours later we were in the middle of Tarangire, what a paradise! Our guide, Pius, a local guy with 16 years of experience like safari guide, explained us all the secrets of the park and the wildlife we were observing.
He also answered very weel to all our questions during all the 7 days safari, and listened to all our requests about time to go to hotel excetera. He has a perfect knowledge about the territory, the cities and people, so we discovered and enjoyed this magic land in total safety and with pure joy!
He has been able to find animal wich were perfectly hide in the nature, and understand also theyr behaviour so, for example, he discovered two hide lions who were sleeping and 20 minutes later they had sex. What a magic experience. Thanks, Pius!
Choice them, because they will bring you in a travel you will keep in your heart forever!
I will never forget Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Manyara Lake, and Serengeti. I don't see the time to come back to Tanzania with them!
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Patrick is a walking encyclopedia of the natural history of Botswana but especially the bird life.
We spent nearly 2 weeks on a mobile (tent-camping) safari with Patrick as our guide and owner of the company. Our group was made up of a lot of wildlife biologists/natural history enthusiasts as well as birders so we valued his knowledge of all-things natural history. The staff were great as were the tents, campsites and meals. He also took us to the village of his family for a unique cultural experience. This was our second trip with Patrick (did one in 2017) and we saw more birds and mammals this trip than we thought was possible. Seeing a pack of wild dogs at their den was one of the highlights as they had just returned from a successful hunt. Because of Patrick's knowledge of the area, he was able to change course easily when something of interest popped up (like the wild dogs). Botswana is his home.
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Suricata Safari - an unforgettable experience
We relied on Suricata Safari for our first Safari in Africa.
Although it can be difficult to rely on a tour operator by booking directly and remotely, we can say that we were not wrong!
Communications with Suricata Safari have always been simple and clear.
The tour was exactly as described, the guide (Edgar) was very knowledgeable and the transfers well organized.
If you choose the camping experience obviously you must be adaptable, but Suricata Safari in any case provides you with everything you need for the stay (tent, sleeping bag, mattress). The food that is prepared for breakfast, lunch and dinner is phenomenal.
We shared the tour with 4 other guys and we had a great time.
Thanks to Suricata Safari we have created beautiful new memories.
Asante sana.
(automatic translation from Italian)
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Impeccable organization
Together with my girlfriend we chose this four-day safari.
We found right away, even before confirming the booking, the maximum availability to clarify our doubts. Communication via WhatsApp was always very fast and punctual.
Upon our arrival at the airport the staff was waiting for our arrival for the transfer to the hotel.
The next day, Edgar picked us up from the hotel at the agreed time to start our safari.
For the four days of safari I don't think there are words suitable to describe the wonder of the experience as a whole. Lions, antelopes, zebras, elephants, leopards, giraffes, unforgettable landscapes, hippos, hyenas, birds, cheetahs, buffaloes... you will surely build indelible memories. I recommend binoculars to appreciate everything at its best.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner were always prepared in an excellent manner by our chef Salim, with surprising quality and quantity.
The campsites we stayed at were well-equipped and allowed us to fully experience the safari (one had no electricity or hot water, but that's part of the game. If you want, you can stay in more comfortable, well-equipped lodges).
A huge thank you to Edgar, Salim and all the staff at Suricata Safari, trust them with your eyes closed.
(automatic translation from Italian)
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our expectations have been exceeded
We did the 4 days safari and it was simply amazing. First of all our guide Robert was absolutely perfect. We had the chance to see the big five in one single day. Furthermore Robert did everything to make our experience unforgettable, he had a great knowledge about the animals and where to spot them, simply just a great guy. Then we had Samson, our chef. All the meals were freshly cooked and everything was always ready when we arrived at the campsides after a long day. He took great care of us and our wellbeing and exceeded our expectations.
Overall, from booking until the actual safari everything was well organised and ran smoothly and even though we had a little misunderstanding, Suricata solved everything instantly.
We can definitely recommend Suricata.
JP
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
game drive was so fun!
Game drive was so fun.The driver worked very well and cleared big5. But the driver couldn't manage guest's schedule . Because all guests had their own schedule and we had to waste so long time because of connecting other guest .
My schedule was 4 days,but activity was almost 2 days.
We should wait for the car long time ,because there was no seat to go back to Nairobi.
SK
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing time in Uganda
We had such a wonderful time with Barack during our journey through Rwanda and Uganda. His kindness, sense of humour, knowledge, and contagious laughter made our tour unforgettable.
Thank you, Barack