35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Responsive
I dealt with Paul and he was very responsive. I booked quite late (1 month) and so struggled with accommodation options. I asked for guidance between somewhere outside the mara or inside (the Lorian camp- somewhere I had found on google) and he has suggested that the one I found may be better in terms of luxury and being inside the mara and getting an extra game drive in the morning as we were travelling out. Unfortunately the camp was basic and the extra game drive did not happen as that camp was so far from the gate and you have to keep the windows up, we had to rush out without seeing a thing. I fed back our disappointment to Paul and he took this well. Overall Paul and the driver were very reliable and had excellent communication.
DE
Not a legitimate company !!! - Nairobi Parklands Police Station proved
We believe that Bon Voyage Safaris is a fraudulent company that offers regular tours to four famous National parks in Kenya. They lure people in by offering a luxurious stay at the well-known Mara Serena Lodge in the Maasai Mara as part of the itinerary. They then increase the deposit from 50% to 75%, claiming that all hotels and itinerary have been confirmed. However, upon arrival in Kenya, all accommodations are changed to extremely poor quality hotels. They falsely claim to be working on behalf of the government to extort park fees and service charges from customers without providing any receipts.
Despite customers' objections, they constantly change the itinerary and accommodations. For example, they may charge customers $600 for a three-day pass to Maasai Mara National Park but only allow entry once, continuing to scam money from customers. The overall experience is extremely poor.
When customers try to report this company to the authorities, the police discover that the company's address (The Urban Queen Properties,S.K offices suit B5 on Google) and phone number are fake. The company does not exist. The Nairobi police called each and every one of them, but none of them exists. These telephone numbers are +254 114 192199, +254 797 922062, +254 105 167866. Alle this information is proved by Nairobi Parklands Police Station.
It is important to warn everyone not to choose this fraudulent company.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our operator went above and beyond to give us a memorable vacation experience.
The owner Samson Simon is very quick at communicating both before and during your Safari for any needs big or small. The service was excellent with both the safari driver and chef working very hard to provide the best experience possible. The value of the safari seemed very fair compared to other quotes I received. The reliability of our particular safari vehicle was not very good, as we had a few breakdowns that required repairs, resulting in a few hours of lost daylight. The owner Sam did follow up after the safari to show me pictures of the vehicle under a through maintenance repair. The tour itself was unbelievable, game drives in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater were the best, I would not recommend Lake Manyara as much of the park is now shut down due to flooding.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The BEST in the business!
To say our trip with Sababu was anything less than spectacular would be an understatement. My wife and I decided we wanted to go on Safari for our honeymoon and through Elsewhere, we were connected to Denise and Sababu Safaris. We had a wonderful hour long chat with Denise to craft our itinerary which included everything from spending a day learning about the Maasai culture to a hot air balloon during sunrise in the Northern Serengeti. We were paired up with Robert for game drives and enjoyed being in the car with Robert throughout the duration of our trip just as much as we enjoyed seeing the animals. His knowledge of Tanzania, the animals, the culture, and his overall positive energy in making our trip the best trip ever was contagious. We never wanted to get out of the car. Robert made us feel so comfortable and safe from the moment we met him at Maasiland to the moment we said goodbye in the Northern Serengeti. We were so fortunate to see every animal during our game drives (Leopard, Elephants, Cheetahs, Zebras, Lions, Topi, Dik-Diks, Serval cat, Buffalo, Hippo, Giraffe, etc). Plus we saw two crossings...and even some crocodiles that got lucky with a feast! It was as if Robert knew exactly where they were going to be at every turn we took. Not to mention the lodges were absolutely incredible. There was something special about having coffee delivered to your room each morning and watching giraffes walk by in the wild. The staff at every lodge made us feel so special and Denise and Robert were so amazing in letting them know we were on our honeymoon. The food everywhere we went was also something that surprised us as it was delicious, plentiful, and varied each meal. Sababu Safaris also goes above and beyond to give back to the communities that you visit. We had the opportunity to visit and gift a local Maasai village a water filter and two solar lights that will help them tremendously. The smiles on their faces when they saw Robert and the Sababu cruiser will never be forgotten. It was these moments we will always remember and cherish. We genuinely wouldn't change a single thing about our experience and will remember the trip of a lifetime thanks to Denise and Robert. There isn't another group we would recommend more highly than Sababu Safaris.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Tried hard to accomodate for my needs and my request.
We went with my brother ,his wife and 2 other persons, appreciated the small group numbers. We were blessed to see all animals on our wish list except Cheetah. It was amazing. Andrew our guide went out of his way to show us animals and teach us about animal behaviour. He has a great deal to organise and manage over the 2 weeks ,he did it well! It was getting a bit hot towards the end of August so July may be a better month. Be prepared to have days of travel from one National Park to the other on dirt roads and plenty of dust. The positive is very few tourists and safari vehicles chasing the animals for viewing. We all agreed it was a great adventure!
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
WOW, exceeded our expectations
We have just arrived home after a month in Kenya and South Africa. We are so pleased we added Kenya as it was without doubt the best for wildlife in all the places we visited. We flew to Nairobi, went to Lake Navashia, the Lake Nakaru. (not sure about correct spelling) Masa Mara, Amboseli. It was fabulous and made more special by our guide John, a Masai Mara warrior who just knew how to spot an animal from great distances. Just amazing, we saw double of everything except the Leopard which was just bad luck and timing.
I would urge anyone who is looking for games drives to choose Kenya. A couple of reasons, they don't allow game hunters which was paramount for me. They can go off road unlike all the other places we visited, stuck on a bitumen road hoping to see something! Don't waste your time and money. Research before you go as it's something I didn't realize. Kruger, Chobe, Namibia all only have on road drives so it's difficult to see unless the animals are crossing the road.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Travelling in Tanzania is HORRIBLE
This was my second trip to Tanzania. I was there to watch the Great Migration. I was able to witness a small version of the migration in Northern Serengeti and was left with much to be desired. Tanzania charges an exorbitant amount for the visa and the taxes on tourists. However you get little to noting in return for the steep prices and cost of traveling in that county. The roads are a total disaster and guarantees total damage to your overall skeletal system specially your back. Where all the visa and tax money goes is beyond my comprehension. My driver told me that the roads are not paved since my country, the United States, asked the Tanzanian Government to keep things rustic. I have never heard such hogwash ever in my life. What interest would the US have in interfering with how Tanzania maintains or ignores its infra structure? I will never return to that country again. Besides Kilimanjaro and the animals there is nothing worth making the trip to expensive Tanzania.
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Lake Nakuru National Park by Rhondda Devin
OMG, just beautiful, hippos, eagles, water buck, giraffe, monkeys, the list goes on
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Masai Mara National Reserve by Rhondda Devin
We saw everything here except the leopard. Just magic and beautiful
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Tarangire National Park by Aruna Marathe
Grossly over rated park. Not worth the visit.