AT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Safari and Meru-Trek
We wanted to do a 4day Safari and a 4day Mt. Meru Trek. Therefore i compared several offers and found Mike's offer to be the best - because it already included transport (from and to the airport), all meals and accomodation. Furthermore, Mike responds quickly to mails and answered all my questions in advance!
The accomodation on safari was better than expected (and even better than booked!) - tented lodges and the great Mountain View Lodge. Our chef cooked great meals in the evening and for breakfast! The lunch boxes were okay, maybe a little bit more variation would be nice. We booked a "joining group" safari and thus shared the car with 1 to 4 other people - but there is enough space in the car.
Our driver Nickson was a real expert in game drives - he stopped at the best spots for taking pictures and had a perfect sense for animals included loads of information concerning fauna and flora. After Tarangire and Ngorongoro (both breathteaking parks and incredible animals!) we had already seen the big 5! In Lake Manyara there were plenty of elephants and birds and Mike offered us to make a walking safari with an armed ranger in Arusha NP - which was also a great experience.
All in all, the safari as PERFECT!
The next day we were picked up by our cook and two porters and went to Mormella Gate in Arusha NP, where me met two other porters. Those guys carried our backpack, sleeping bags (Mike organized very warm sleeping bags for us which are very important because it gets cold), plenty of food and water. We walked with a group accompanied by an armed ranger to Miriakamba Hut on the first day. On the next day, we asceded to Saddle Hut and Little Meru. On day three, we started our summit-ascent at 1 am. The weather was perfect but it was cold! At 6am we reached the summit and watched a breathteaking sunrise next to Kilimanjaro above the clouds - wow! After this incredible moment we descended to Saddle for a snack and continued to Miriakamba. Next day down to Mormella Gate.
We were astonished at the meals - our cook Freddy did a great job. He offered us african and european cuisine with five star quality on 3500m - incredible! The huts were also better than expected.
All in all, the Trek was PERFECT too :)
The next day, Mike gave us a ride to Arusha airport and we went to Zanzibar for another week in paradise.
You can trust Mike and his team to make your safari and trek to a wonderful experience in Tanzania!
The only negative thing is the "tip-culture" we experienced all over the coutry. A tip is regarded as a fixed part of the salary and will be required for safari and trek. Although we would have tipped anyway because all guys did a great job, it's sometimes annoying when you're asked about the tip you will pay.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beautiful experience; stressful circumstances
First, I must thank Kenya Walking for helping my husband and I have the experience of a lifetime. We visited Tanzania and Uganda and were sincerely amazed by the African wildlife, scenery, and people.
We chose Kenya Walking because of Otieno's quick communication, the ability to customize our itinerary, and the price. We are still grateful to have experienced so much for the price, but feel that it's important for other prospective travelers to be aware of some aspects of unprofessionalism we encountered. They are mostly small things that added up to create an atmosphere of distrust for us.
Examples of unprofessionalism:
-Multiple last-minute hotel changes, including skipping Lake Bunyonyi in Uganda to stay at a poorly rated, loud city motel with water problems (original hotel was around $100, changed to $10 room)
-Incorrect itinerary dates. Even after reviewing our itinerary upon arrival in Uganda, both Otieno and our driver forgot that we were staying two days in the gorilla park to do extra hiking. We had to fight pretty hard to convince them to correct this.
-Over-worked, tired driver speeding considerably and close to nodding off during long drives (I would highly recommend flying into Kisoro to do gorilla trek, or at least requesting a Ugandan guide. Our Kenyan guide had to drive overnight from Nairobi before picking us up and continuing the drive. We also suspect he took a wrong turn which we followed for 90minutes before correcting.)
-Borrowing gas money from us. This favor was asked as a loan until our driver found an ATM, though we never found one. We ended up letting him keep the money as part of his tip, but the company never followed up to thank us or ask whether we got our money back.
-Other small inconveniences included late departures (2hours on our first morning in Tanzania with no communication on their end), spotty attitudes from guides (our Kenyan guide did not like Ugandans... and we were in Uganda), considerable time waiting for guides to deal with problems in banks, broken jeep roof in Tanzania (fortunately this didn't happen until our last day there).
I hate to make this list, because until Otieno asked me to write this review, I had managed to forget all the negative aspects of our trip and only think of the magic moments we had with elephants, lions, gorillas, mountains, and new friends. Even with all the drama of our trip, I don't regret choosing Kenya Walking as I'm not sure we could have packed everything into our time and budget with a different tour operator. I also suspect travelling with Kenya Walking Survivors may be an entirely different experience in Kenya, rather than Tanzania and Uganda where we visited. I have only the best wishes for our guides Mike and Jonas and for Otieno.
If you decide Kenya Walking Survivors is the best fit for your trip, please be prepared to respectfully advocate for yourself and your itinerary.
PR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
No words to describe the most amazing experience
In August 2013, we decided to visit South Africa so I started looking for help because we were going to travel with friend and I did not want to mess up anything. We were going to Africa from San Juan, Puerto Rico (Caribbean) and our friends were travelling from Sydney, Australia. Since the first contact, until the day we arrived back home from our trip (Sept, 2014) the service provided by Shelley was superb.
We have travel a lot and I can say that this was the best holiday ever! Our trip exceeded our expectations. We really appreciate Shelley’s assistance, knowledge, patience, and dedication to make this holiday a complete succeed. Every travel detail was perfectly arranged and the logistics were perfectly coordinated. All the drivers were courteous and punctual and the tours and activities were perfect. There may be people who think that South Africa is one of the easiest countries in the world to book everything yourself and tailor exactly your needs but that is not enough. I have been talking to people who visited Africa before and none of them have been able to see all that we saw.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Infinitely Better than the Rest
There are so many safari companies to choose from. After thorough research, my friend and I narrowed our list to five safari companies. We contacted each company, inquiring about prices and asking general questions. Augustine, from Safari Infinity, replied immediately and provided detailed information. I greatly appreciated Augustine's friendliness, patience, and willingness to answer all my questions. Also, the price was the best in comparison to the other tour companies offering similar tours. After many emails with Augustine, an itinerary was chosen. As the day of the safari got closer I had a lot of questions. Augustine took the time to answer every single question I had, no matter how minuscule, and never made me feel as though I were being a nuisance. During my layover in Amsterdam, my friend became sick so she decided to stay for a night in the airport hotel and urged me to continue on to Tanzania. I was very nervous about going alone, but I went knowing she would join me the next day. When I landed, my safari guide, Eric, was there to greet me. He already knew about the situation with my friend and tried to make be feel better. During the drive from the airport to the lodge Eric and I chatted. He was very friendly and immediately put me at ease. Each day on the safari Eric received an update on my friend from Lucia, the owner of Safari Infinity. On the 4th day, I learned that my friend returned home. Although I was sad that my friend couldn't join me, I wasn't worried because I knew I was in good hands. Every day I saw incredible animals because of Eric. His eyesight is amazing! I couldn't believe how far his eyes could see. Every time Eric would spot an animal he would describe to me exactly where to look. If I couldn't find the animals, he would try to explain to me in a different way where to look. He never gave up on me and patiently helped me. During the safari, I would ask Eric questions that he could answer without hesitation. He would also provide me information about the area and the animals we were seeing. I learned a lot from Eric. He is also very funny and would make me laugh during our long car rides. There was a lot of driving involved on unpaved roads and steep descents, but I always felt safe. At the end of the safari, I met Lucia and Simon. I think it is amazing that they want to meet each of their clients and talk to them about their safari. They seem to truly care about their clients and want them to experience how amazing Tanzania is. Throughout my safari Lucia and Simon was in constant contact with Eric. They always asked about me and how I was doing. They even upgraded me to a luxurious lodge towards the end of my trip. I have been and will continue to recommend Safari Infinity. I hope to visit Tanzania again and if I do I will most definitely book with Safari Infinity.
IS
20-35 years of age
Please be aware. This "tour operator" is running a scam. Do not give them a cent!
** UPDATE MARCH 2015
After six months of hassle, I have received a full refund of the safari trip I booked and pre-paid with Africa Flash Mc Tours last year. I cannot recommend their services, as this has caused me trouble ever since I was in Nairobi in September 2014 waiting for a safari guide that never showed up and couldn´t contact anyone from Africa Flash MC Tours (including emergency phone numbers posted on the company's website).
** UPDATE FEBRUARY 2015
I want to reiterate my review submitted in October 2014. No money has been refunded to me from Peter Njenga. I have been communicating with him for many months. He has repeatedly promised to send a refund but has not been a man of his word. Please avoid doing business with him and his company.
** ORIGINAL REVIEW
I booked a tour with Africa Flash Mc Tours for September 2014 and paid it 100% up front, $1150.
Nobody showed up to pick me up at my hotel as arranged with Peter Njenga, the phone numbers of the company and Peter were turned off and no one answered my email. I never got to go on the tour I had paid for.
I complained to the Kenyan police which is now looking into Africa Flash MC Tours and Peter Njenga. I have not received a refund from the company, I hope the police will stop him from scamming tourists coming to Kenya. Please be careful and do not deal with this company.
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Leopard tour : Game drives in the Kruger Park and Blyde River Canyon
Crazy Dave drove us 4 in an open car which was perfect to enjoy the landscapes and see animals ... We were very lucky to see in the same morning not only the big five but also a lot of different animals, especially giraffas and zebras !!! We went to a funny sunset game drive and enjoy a great dinner cooked by Dave himself. The next day we saw to the God's Window, the Blyde river canyon and the Three Rondavels, amazing landscapes ! Then we enjoyed tasty pancakes in Graskop ... 2 beautiful days, thanks Dave !!!!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An excellent company that went out of their way for us!
I would really recommend this company. We contacted them on a Wednesday hoping to do a last minute safari starting on Saturday. Michelle was so excellent in helping us, lots of emails back and forth - even outside of working hours, to create a really special trip for us. The transfer from Jo'burg was good, the Lodge was fantastic and we saw the big 5 on the first game drive! We couldn't have asked for more. Next time we're looking for a safari we'll contact Thorn Bush Safaris.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Attentive to all details and arranged a perfectly planned and executed trip!
We had the most magical trip to South Africa and Zimbabwe. Both safari and city touring were spectacular. All tours and stays arranged by go2 Africa were top notch , timely and well planned. Service provided was exceptional. Our trip was a trip of a lifetime. The safari at ivory Lodge was beyond anything we could have imagined.
DE
35-50 years of age
Amazing Safari
Our safari with Savannah Explorers was absolutely wonderful, we enjoyed every minute of it!
Ibrahim, our guide, was excellent. He is a fantastic wildlife spotter who will see the ear of a lion sticking out of the grass at 1 km distance - amazing! He was also extremely good in positioning our vehicle always in the best position for observing and photographing, meaning he was excellent in anticipating the animal's behaviour.
In addition we highly appreciated the professional but very unbureaucratic organization of this safari. Roberto always replied immediately to all our inquiries and changes of plan and this made it extremely easy for us.
Thank you all for an overwhelming and unforgettable trip!!!
We certainly recommend Savannah Explorers to everybody!
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
amazing safari
this is the link of my safari diary, wrote in italian with photos!!!
http://www.ilgiramondo.net/diari-viaggio/3080-safari-in-kenya-samburu-nakuru-e-masai-mara/