NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Four Star Big Five Safari
I just wanted to say thank you for such a fantastic vacation on my five day safari. Everything that was promised on your website was exactly as stated. The hotel was excellent and the safari's suburb. All of the reps were really helpful and gave a good insight into what we were seeing. Although cold in the mornings (I would say to your customers to bring winter clothing) it was worth the early start. You responded to all my questions quickly and gave very good advice. Once again many thanks. I will be recommending your company to everyone I know that will embark on a safari.
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kind, Flexible and great communication.
I'm from Italy. I will travel to Kenya in August 2014 with 9 more people. So this is a Pre-review.
Up to today I have only positive things to say about Kenya Walking Survivors Safaris Ltd. They were really fast to answer my first enquiry and also open to changes and ready to solve all our problems.
Mr Otieno answered all my e-mails at lightning speed (some safari operators answer after months), always ready to answer questions and doubts. We also had a phone call (and will have more) which is positive to have a better "human" connection. I also found the prices very convenient compared to many other operators. Especially the ones selected by travel agencies.
We can't wait to start the adventure.
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent Tour Operator
I'm a solo traveller. I began to correspond with Patrick 6 months prior to my actual visit to Livingstone. He was patient to explain to me various options. Finally when I arrived at Zambezi Sun, he sent his colleague to finalise my activities. At 10am I went to the Fall with Charity, the guide. She made sure that I’d be able to walk through the very wet bridge at the Fall. It was a great experience! In the afternoon I joined River Safari on a small boat. I enjoyed the natural environment along the river. As I wanted to go to Livingstone Museum without a guide, Patrick advised me how to get a taxi to/from the museum. So I did so on the following day after the helicopter flight with UAC. I found Patrick an excellent travel consultant. Thank you so much for helping me organise my activities!
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best event in my life - a safari with Charles and safari porini
Last June I had my best four days in my Life! How? By doing a camping safari in the National Parks of Tanzania. Not only because a safari is a really overwhelming event but also because I had the best guide: Charles Njau and his Safari Agency ‘safari porini’ (www.safariporini.com). On the first day we were picked up at our hostel in Moshi and took direction to the Tarangire National Park. Here we made our first game drive and even saw lions which are very rare in this park - thanks to Charles, guide and driver. He did everything to show us as much as possible even if he had to speed through the Tarangire Park or had to drive through a muddy hole to give as the possibility to watch a lion mother with her three children from a close view. This was on our second day in the Serengeti where we spent the night in the middle of this National Park without any fence or other protection around the campsite. The third day began at 6am to see the sunrise in the Serengeti with a following game drive. We saw two hunting lions and a leopard eating his prey on a tree. And again it was Charles’ great experience and engagement that we had one of the best points of view every time. We spent our last day in the Ngorongoro Crater after a very exciting night and morning – buffaloes and elephants are the usual visitors there - at the campsite with view down into the Crater.
I have to add that we had really great luck because even though you have the best guide you must keep in mind that doing a safari depends a lot on the animals, their behavior and the environmental conditions. Therefore the best season is June until August when the raining season is over and the ‘winter’ begins. Then the rivers and lakes have more water again and it is colder for the animals to be agile.
Last but not least I have also to mention that not only Charles allowed us this great experience but also his friend and our cook indulged us with great meals and the best lunchboxes I ever had! It was a lot of fun with these two kind and affable guys that I would never chose another safari agency!!! Their motto is: Giving the clients their most unforgettable event in life! Or when the conditions aren’t that good: Doing everything to allow the clients a good event that is worth keeping in good memory!
Amazing 8 day in Serengeti,Ngorongoro,Manyara,Tarangire and Arusha National Park
We had a wonderful stay in Five National Parks. The guide was helpful and very knowledgeable about wildlife (flora and fauna). We got to see all animals include big five, we go closer during hiking escorted by Park Ranger. We really enjoyed a lot with lakengozi Tours.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
4 day safari to South Luangwa staying at Thornicroft
We couldn't have wished for more friendly tour guides and lodge staff. Land and Lake were very helpful and responsive to all our queries when we were planning our holiday. The drive from Lilongwe to South Luangwa was comfortable and our guides were both fun and interesting - there was never a dull moment in the car. Thornicroft is a very attractive lodge with a very friendly owner and staff. The rooms were comfortable and clean. The game drives were wonderful and were all the more special for having such a knowledgable and friendly safari guide who was very keen to show us as much as possible with a great sense of humour.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Bad experience with Terminal Tours
My friend and I signed up for a 3-day Masai Mara tour with Terminal Tours (Kenya).
Terminal Tours arranged for us to stay in Rhino Camp for 2 nights, which turned out to be quite a bad experience. Firstly, the electricity was unavailable during some parts of the promised hours and hot showers (generated by wood fire) were mostly unavailable during the promised hours too.
Our driver (and guide) Sammy does not seem enthusiastic in leading the tour. He was often quiet during the game drive and only spoke when people in the tour group asked him questions. Furthermore, he seemed clueless to some of our questions, to the extent that two of the Canadians in our group sarcastically told him to "at least make up a reason to tell us when we ask you again".
Also, the apparent owner of Terminal Tours - Nelson, practices price differentiation to a huge extent. For example, people on the same tour were charged in varying amounts between USD$360 and USD400+. Hence, it might be wiser to book a tour with a tour operator that has a more transparent pricing structure. On a side note, it is intriguing that Nelson issued me with an invoice with a stated amount which is lower than the amount I had paid him and he told me that it is okay.
Lastly, do not rely on their promised free transfer service. Terminal Tours was supposed to pick my friend and I from our hotel to the bus terminal at 6:15am in the morning to catch a bus at 7am. We waited until 6:25am and no one turned up. I have explicitly mentioned to both Nelson and his assistant - Steven, the day before our departure, that the driver must before 6:15am as we needed time at the bus terminal to have our tickets confirmed. Eventually, we had to fork out money from our own pockets to pay for a taxi to the bus terminal. Nelson eventually arrived at the bus terminal himself, just before our bus departed. Ostensibly appearing apologetic, he started arguing that I have told him to send the driver to our hotel at 6:30am instead. I was totally disgusted by his actions and words.
In conclusion, I will not recommend anyone to sign up for a tour with Terminal Tours. As my friend says, it was "a ruined experience in Kenya".
FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect days
Our guide, Anthony came to get us at our hotel. As soon as we met him, the holidays began....He's very nice, he laughs all the time. We were lucky enough to be only 4 with him, and we felt privileged. He's a real bushman, with great knowledge about the bush and South Africa, always available, but most af all, he's a great person. At the end, we considered him as a friend and were very sad to leave him.
About the safari, the landscapes are amazing, we could see very animals, even leopards, lions, elephants...
Two weaknesses:
- The visit of the elephant sanctuary after 3 days in the Kruger is not a good thing. Elephants are locked like in a zoo and we didn't enjoy it at all.
- The drive night was not with our guide Anthony, but with guides from the Kruger Park. We had to take a bus for 10 persons, and felt like tourists. It was too crowded. It was not so interesting as it's too dark and you can't see animals.
Thanks to Wildlife Safaris for their availability, flexibility and enthousiasm!
20-35 years of age
Uganda
All round great experience. Would recommend to anyone as it was a life changing experience!
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
One of the best guides I worked with, ever
Phillip was great from every point of view: organization, site choice, problem solving and group entertaining and communication. A great trip companion with a strong background and a deep passion about nature. I strongly advise you to call them for a trip!