NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Venture Safaris: well organized visit to amazing parks in Kenya
Organzied by Venture Africa Budget Safaris, we had an unforgettable 4-days trip to Masai-Mara and Lake Nakuru. Both parks were amazing beatiful, the weather was great, making the trip a huge success. Price-quality ratio was perfect, also the drive to both parks was well organized. At the start, we departed from Ngong (1-hr from Nairobi) to Venture’s office. Prior, it was quite unclear were to meet Venture’s employees in Nairobi. After many questions to the organization, it became more clear where they wanted to meet. Hostels and food was good. During our drive, the car crashed. It took many hours before we continued our trip to Nakura, that was a pity and required a lot of energy. Overall, the organization was well done and really enjoyed the trip. Afterwards, we were a bit spammed for writing this review, so be prepared ;)..
QA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Both Good and Bad Experiences (9-day trip with kids)
I just came back from a 9-day safari trip from Kenya and Tanzania. I want to write down both good and bad experiences. We have 2 adults, one 10.5-year boy and one 2.5-year girl.
Good experiences. (Peter is the one who runs the company)
1. Peter is very nice, from email contact to meeting me in the airport.
2. Peter upgraded my last night room in Nairobi for free, since I had some bad experience (see shortly below).
3. The travel guide is good.
4. The hotels are good.
Bad experiences.
1. On the trip from Masai Mara to Serengeti, Peter told me that it will take 4 hours. In fact, it took 14 hours, which was a terrible mistake. Although Peter said later that there is another route that he tried to ask the driver to use, however, I don't quite trust it since (a) the > 12 hours route is written in the itinerary; and (b) we have met in that day, if he knew another way, he should change it. BTW, the 12 hours driving is without traffic, but with very bumpy and dusty road.
Things got worse that night that the car we ran out of gas, in the middle of the big Serengeti national park. I don't know how professional people can make such mistakes. That was totally a mess, and we were lucky that the Tanzania guide found his friend to fix the problem, which took one hour. The worst case could be that we stayed in the car with kids for the whole night.
2. The car in Tanzania was bad, with a lot of dust, which made my daughter coughing and in fever for 2 days. Peter has no ability to change it, since it is from another company.
3. From Ngorongoro to Lake Manyara in Tanzania, it should take only a little bit more than one hour. However, in fact, it took us 4 hours. The reason is that Peter forgot to buy the pass. In Tanzania, you cannot even pay cash for the national park, the money should be transferred and the car should be registered before hand. This made us very unhappy since my son was sick and we wasted >2 hours for the pass (ticket) that was not prepaid.
Adding to the above bad experience is that, if you take more hours (for nothing) on the road, simply you have less hours to see animals, which you have paid for.
Again, Peter is very nice and he is very sorry for my bad experiences. However, I have to write down my experiences.
LK
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Masai Mara National Reserve by Rajiva Wijesinha
Fascinating to be there and the animals were all present, but not so easy to see given the size and also the sad state of our vehicle. The driver was young and followed the herds, so we missed out on cheetahs and rhinos, but still we did see a great deal in the short time we had.
LK
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Hell's Gate National Park by Rajiva Wijesinha
The scenery was unusual and we had a wonderful walk in the gorge, to the Devil's bedroom.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Mikumi National Park by Veronica Merotta
too many people though great nature
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Masai Mara National Reserve by Jamie Foley
Was expecting to see the wildebeast migration, but they were very late. Without that volume of animals it was actually very empty. I've just seen better wildlife in other parks.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Lake Nakuru National Park by Jamie Foley
Solid option for a 1-day stop. Lodge was right in the park, and views from the rooms were absolutely spectacular.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Lake Manyara National Park by Puneet Patel
Very melodramatic park, not much to see or do.
US
Go with a more experienced company!
We booked a two-week trip which included both Kenya and Tanzania after having multiple, thoroughly detailed e-mail communications with Beatus. While Kenya was smooth sailing, Tanzania was another story. After picking us from the Namanga border, we get to Lake Manyara only to be told by Beatus and his driver that his park entrance "credit card" has expired and if we wouldn't mind using our personal credit card for the entrance fees to Lake Manyara, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro Crater. I was told I would be reimbursed as soon as we reached Arusha. Long story short, didn't get reimbursed until quite literally our last morning in Tanzania and that too was told part of the reimbursement would have to be in Shillings. If you are looking for efficiency, integrity, and professionalism, this is not the company for you. Again no complaints with our Kenyan tour guide, but I felt that Beatus let us down with Tanzania. From a driver that wouldn't stop yelling down on his cell phone for a majority of our day in Serengeti to the poor hotel selection in Arusha, Beatus tried but wasn't quite successful with living up to his promises while booking with his company. Word of advice: while not mentioned anywhere in the email communications, apparently the expectation is that you google each and every hotel/camps he books you from the itinerary because specifying standard accommodation can still lead you to a god awful, mosquito infested hotel room with a piece of ROOF MISSING. And when you have a problem with that, you are told "I sent you the list of hotels with the itinerary. Why didn't you google them?" Gee why? Because I thought that's why I hired you as my tour coordinator!?! Standard accommodations, the last time I checked, involved an entire roof over my room for sure. Yes Beatus got us a better hotel upon our adamant refusal to stay at that place, but the point is that we should have never been put up there. Overall I think they are perhaps too inexperienced to put together a seamless trip but I did appreciate Beatus trying to resolve our issues. At the end though there were just too many issues in my opinion.