The best place to see rhinos in Kenya
It took us about 15mins to get to Solio Ranch from our accomodation at Sandai Farm. The park entry fee is expensive - $80 per person for non-residents, Ksh2,000 for residents and Ksh1,000 for citizens - but well worth it! Rhinos are almost extinct, but there are more than enough of them in Solio. We decided to self-drive in our 4x4 without taking a guide (but we bought a map for Ksh1,000), which worked well. There are clear paths to follow and the map is quite detailed. We were able to drive up really close to herds of rhinos, buffaloes, zebras, oryx and gazelle. We also saw several families of warthogs trotting around and a jackal.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent trip
My girlfriend and I booked a gorilla trekking and Queen Elizabeth Park game trip with Cycads. Everything was handled flawlessly. Our knowledgable and friendly guide Ashadu was a very safe driver and always on time. We booked the deluxe accommodations - which only cost a little more than the budget places - and were rewarded with the most spectacular views either one of us have ever seen from a hotel we were staying at. Halfway through the trip we decided to add chimp trekking in Kyambura Gorge in QENP (highly recommended) and this change in the itinerary, which added an extra day, was handled without issue. Overall great company, definitely check them out.
BG
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellend organized time and we enjoy every minute
Everything was perfect. In case of need we could have a support from the officce. And we asked all the time is everything ok. Very polite people and excellent profecionals.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great team and efficient service
After countless efforts to find accommodation in Victoria Falls, Falcon Safari came to our rescue and helped book us suitable accommodation in no time. The elephant ride safari and their cruise is not to be missed for anything. I would not hesitate to recommend them to any traveler.
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
One of the best Safaris in my life!
For me it was the 4th time I did a tented Safari withs Bushtravellers. Each time it was a great adventure. We saw almost all animals you can see in the Okavango delta, at Savuti, at the Chobe river or in the Nxai pan.
This kind of Safari is the best way to explore nature. You don't have other people with you at the camping places and you can hear at night all the noises of the bush. In one word:
BRILLIANT!!!!!
(and by the way: it is the cheapest way to do a safari in Botswana!)
IN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding experience!!!
I travelled to Tanzania with my family in March 2008 for a wildlife safari experience. Journey Beyond helped us with our travel arrangements. I found them on the internet and wrote to them about our desired itinerary. They answered promptly, understood our requirements and also made suggestions where they felt we could have a better experience.
It was a pleasure interacting with skilled professionals who advised us at every step, and took into account all our reservations and questions regarding hotels, travel and activities. They made us aware of the wonderful experience we could look forward to, and went ahead and delivered it. In all we visited four different parks and saw a large variety of wildlife and vegetation, while also imbibing the local culture. It has been the most memorable holiday for me and my family, and I still remember every detail of the trip.
I am grateful to Ms. Tanya Robinson from Journey Beyond, for all her efforts in putting together this wonderful program. She was prompt and straightforward throughout and left us with no ambiguity about any part of the trip or experience. We also received a 'welcome home' email at the end of our visit. I am very impressed with the entire team who made this possible, and would recommend them to all for their African holiday experience.
Amazing, Lucia and Simon took care of us from the first email to the last goodbye
If anyone had asked me if I wanted to go to Africa I would have said I had given it no thought at all! Then my daughter was the lucky recipient of a Safari trip prize from Safari Infinity....from that moment we thought of nothing else. Lucia and her staff went above and beyond any expectations to ensure we had the best experience ever. Our accomodations were wonderful, breathtaking in some instances, and we had the best "safari guide" in Kelly. From the moment we exited the airport we were looked after, and on the drive to Arusha learnt many things about the area and the culture from Kelly. Once the safari was underway we were completely blown away but the sights, smells and wildlife we were exposed too. It's hard to describe the first time you set eyes on and elephant, see a lion pride feeding off a recent kill, we saw a tiny lion crawl into the exposed rib cage and the lioness and a young male lifted the rib cage up and there was this tiny little lion staring at us only a few feet away. Kelly made sure we covered as much area as possible and we saw so much wildlife, cheeta's, leopards, lions, I could go on and on but truly this was a great adventure. We stayed in Arusha for 5 days after our safari and STILL Lucia made sure we had all we needed and Kelly drove us to see different things. We were truly blessed to have this experience and if anyone asked me if Africa was on my list I would say that it is never out of my heart and long to see it again with Safari Infinity, a truly first class company. Thank you Lucia, Simon and Kelly for the trip of a lifetime
Review about Kenya by Tom Vohya
Kenya has quite a lot to offer from beautiful coastal beaches, wildlife, sceneries and beautiful climate.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a lifetime becomes, when can I go again!?!
The entire trip exceeded our expectations. While I originally said it would be a "trip of a lifetime", I've now modified that, as we know we want to return! I think our overwhelming delight with the entire trip is attributable African Welcome Safaris (Kathi) understanding my wishes and then organizing such a great itinerary and followthrough, with excellent service and promptness. In fact, we were in similar travel situations with others throughout the trip who didn't quite have the ideal connections, pickups, etc. that we had and I think that is because African Welcome Safaris does the job so well.
I will take the trip, place by place and provide additional comments. However, I'd just say overall that all of our airport pickups and deliveries were great! We easily found our person and they were most efficient in getting us where we needed to go, informative and courteous. Plus each of them stayed until we were all checked in!
Johannesburg: We love The Michelangelo. The room was great, the view was great but above all the staff was just so friendly, helpful and courteous. The breakfast offered a great variety and the food was really good. We had dinner out on the square at a restaurant they recommended at the desk which was very good. We felt quite safe in that area and used the ATM in the mall adjacent. Our tour of Jo'burg, Soweto and Pretoria was really interesting. We chose not to go into any museums, etc. but just get an overview of the three locations. Our guide was most accommodating and we learned so much. It was timely for us that Mandela was at his home and we got to go by there. Our guide, Siphiwe, was bright, articulate and very interesting.
The Hide: I can't say enough about this tented safari. We LOVED The Hide. The staff there is super. The size is small enough that everyone gets to know everyone a little, even in three days! The animal viewing is fabulous. It's comfortable and just sort of like what I wanted a safari to be. Then there's the food which was outstanding! The young man who is their chef takes such pride in the food he presents. Everything he prepared was so tasty! It was unseasonably cold while we were there, but they even provided hot water bottles waiting for us in our bed each night. Due to the fact everyone was so friendly while we were there, on the last night they put all the tables in a big square and we all ate dinner together. I also like that our guides ate with us. It provided an opportunity to get to know them or to follow up a sighting with a question, etc. A'Zambezi and Vic Falls: The accommodation was quite lovely. The food was average. Meals were provided in a buffet setting and there was a wide variety. Nice entertainment at dinner. The staff and managers certainly wanted everyone to be happy with everything and did a lot of follow-up. The grounds were lovely and we really enjoyed having the warthogs there to groom the lawn. The Victoria Falls are quite beautiful. It was 103 degrees F the day we went, so we were glad to be in and out early in the day. We also did the helicopter ride over the falls which was nice but if I had to leave something out that would be it. The little town is probably the most touristy spot or at least trying to be that we saw. I bought some items in the gift shop at A'Zambezi and those were very inexpensive--example a handwoven basket for $6. Now before I tell you this, please know there were NO PROBLEMS, however, the Shearwater folks were the least "professional" that we experienced during the entire trip. I might attribute this to Zimbabwe, but I didn't find this to be true at A'Zambezi as well. So . . . take it as you will.
Chobe Chilwero: This was a very beautiful and plush accommodation in the middle of the jungle and we thoroughly enjoyed our time there. Upon arrival, we were welcomed and given all our instructions. Our cottage was not ready nor was lunch, so we were given complimentary foot massages! This was certainly not necessary or expected. However, the ladies did such a great job, both of us scheduled a regular massage for the following day and I even had a third massage the day after. My gal was GOOD! At maybe our first meal, hubby discovered the homemade ice cream--it was the best I've ever eaten. So they had ice cream for him at every meal thereafter regardless of what was on the menu. The food was really good and it was fun to try some of the unusual dishes, e.g. impala, eland, etc. The animal viewing here was also incredible. We saw 3 different leopards while we were there. The boat ride alternative to the jeep safari was a nice change too. I know it sounds silly, but when we arrived they had plastic water bottles with our names on them that we got to keep and it was just a nice touch. They also provided entertainment one evening with some of our staff joining in the dancing at one point. Just a delightful experience!
Cape Town: Louis was a great guide and well-suited for us. He and hubby hit it off quite nicely. The weather was not cooperative for most of our time there but since it was to be a restful time that was okay! Everything we did was fun and informative. We enjoyed ourselves thoroughly! The day we had nothing scheduled, it rained a lot. So we stayed in the hotel most of the day and rested which we needed. The drives were beautiful. The lunch at La Petit Ferme was superb. While the wine tasting was good, we'd done that before so not overly impressed with it. Beautiful, beautiful, countryside. Really enjoyed the V & A Hotel and the waterfront with some really good shops and restaurants.
Grootbos: This is also a beautiful location and accommodation. The weather again did not cooperate but we had a fireplace so that was okay. Everyone there was very helpful and welcoming. The whale watching with champagne was amazing. We saw 40 to 50 whales that evening. The nature walk was great. The food was good. I got tickled because they try so hard to have a fancy menu that a lot of the people don't have a clue what it is. I'm glad we got to see it but I don't think I would go back there. However, keep in mind we live on the beach.
Lion Sands: Very nice accommodation and a very attentive staff. There's a definite line here between management and staff and drivers and trackers. The food here was very good and we enjoyed the Boma dinners on 2 nights, complete with roast marshmallows and entertainment. The animal viewing is varied and very good. There aren't as many herding animals but a wider variety overall. The drives here go "off road" which is different than the others and sure to get one very close. It can also be a rough ride and not for the faint of heart, but fun. We had already seen bunches of buffalo, elephants, along with some lions and leopards, but this was our first for seeing rhinos--making our "big five" complete. If someone has to pick just one place to go to for viewing animals, this would probably be it. The vehicles here were a little more crowded. While we were used to have 3 X 2 riding in the back, at Lion Sands there were usually 3 X 3 or 3 X 2+1. Additionally, in The Hide and Chobe we had someone who served as both driver and guide while in LS we had a driver and a tracker. I'm not sure if we saw more animals because of this or not. And, why was our trip so fantastic---African Welcome Safaris, for sure! Thank you so very much!
The most incredible and adventurous holiday in my life thanks to Safarihub!
I have been on a couple of holidays but I must say that Safarihub are outstanding at what they do. It was easy to work with them as they are very well organised, informative and efficient. My safari was out of this world! Everything was so well taken care off, to top it off I ended with a magical trip to Zanzibar. I would highly recommend booking your safaris to Tanzania through Safarihub, they are amazing and their knowlege on Tanzania is great!