IN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Awesome service from Bonfire Adventures
Our Travel agent was not only informative but very patient. I was booking this package together with my wife and Maureen was very patient. We kept on changing the camp and she explained to us and helped to choose Keekorok lodge. This hotel is at the heart of Maasai mara and we had a good time.
Our guide James was a good driver guide who explained to us about animals, about maasai culture and we went to maasai village where we enjoyed a fire lighting training and maasai culture.
I will definitely want to travel to other destinations later and make sure my family and i get James as our tour Guide.
EG
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
amazing safari
So There are many safari companies in Kenya, after a long search for a Masai Mara safari, I chose Bencia and it was so amazing , here is why: they are Punctual, Clean car, Decent meals, Friendly driver, Sanitizer in car. our driver did the best day and he didn’t save any effort to please each of us. Thank you for the amazing experience.
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Highly recommend
Initially I booked a 2 days/1 night safari to the Maasai Mara through WhatsApp (awesome and easy way to do it I must add) I was picked up on time by my fantastic guide, dropped off at BAAS offices to finalize my booking and for payment. Unfortunately (not really in the end) another of my tours got cancelled and I was convinced by the very helpful guys at BAAS to book an extra day, which I did. Best decision I made, because the second day we did a full day safari and we basically saw all the wildlife possible. Absolutely amazing experience with an even more amazing guide (some top notch driving was displayed). Overnight stay at the camp in “tents” was above expectations (hot showers and electricity). Also super flexible at fitting a safari tour to everyone’s needs, which sometimes makes it all a little chaotic (different agencies, companies use the same camp/guides to do the tour, so people might have different itineraries), but the guide was very flexible and wanted to give everyone the best possible safari experience, so we came to a decision as a group. Would definitely book with these guys again, highly recommend.
Perfect
Isaya is an excellent guide and driver!! the organization of the safari was perfect! I highly recommend kihindo tours and safaris!!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Knowledgeable, accommodating, polite, understanding and willing to do what it takes to make it perf!
I booked to celebrate my birthday...this tour was far more than I expected! He made all of our accommodations, was timely and always had us in the prime spots to see the best animals. It was extremely evident that we booked the best guide! I'm so thankful that I chose to book with Kihindo tours. It was a literal dream!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Southern Circuit Safari
Amazing experience with Isaya for a 10 day safari including Nyerere, Mikumi, Ruaha and Udzungwa! He was always quick to respond to all my questions from the moment I requested a quote from Kihindo Safaris. Very personable, knowledgeable about the animals and their behaviors and has a good eye for finding animals in the parks. All around amazing person, through his expertise and personality made it the trip of a lifetime. I wouldn’t book with anyone else. He went above and beyond to make sure I had exactly the safari I requested. All around exceptional experience :)
AE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
An awe-inspiring experience!
Truly a once in a lifetime experience and the team exceeded my expectations. They were very responsive to my WhatsApp messages ensuring that all of the details were taken care of. We requested to make a change to our itinerary while on the ground and the team worked hard to accommodate us. It was much appreciated! Our guide Mico was very professional and extremely knowledgeable. He made sure that everything went smoothly and all we had to do was relax and take in the incredible experience. Thank you for enabling us to create such amazing memories! We would recommend your services to anyone traveling to Rwanda!
NL
under20 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A Harsh Paradise
I have visited Namibia multiple times, most recently for a duration of 4 months. I am certain to return. Its many sensations and moods often return to my thoughts accompanied by a certain happy nostalgia. Namibia is an impressive country, raw and wild; it rewards further exploration but is also immediately beautiful. If you are anything like me, you may find yourself with a new look on life, certainly if this is your first visit to Africa.
Certainly if this is your visit to Africa, there is no better destination. In Namibia you have vast wildlife, fascinating culture, beautiful landscapes; from lush wetlands to parched deserts, and unlimited adventure. Importantly it is very safe, crime is low and the politics are stable, the infrastructure is remarkably good and everything is well run. Tourism is well established in most areas and is a vital part of the economy, but at the same time it is geared towards low volume-high revenue, meaning you are unlikely to see crowds.
Most visitors to Namibia follow the same circular route, clockwise or anti-clockwise. This route typically takes two to three weeks and covers a lot of the incredible must-see sights and areas and can be done in a rented 2WD drive car. I can not emphasise enough how beautiful and varied this country is; there is far too much to cover in three weeks, but this standard route is perfect in that it pays sufficient attention to the highlights and still allows a great sense of adventure though Im sure one would always wish it had been longer.
To summarise, the main places visited on this circuit:
The Namib desert, which is a unique ecosystem of endless shifting sand dunes and mountains. There is plenty opportunity for walking and to drive along the long gravel roads is awesome. One of the most astonishing natural features on earth is the Sossusvlei and the Deadvlei. The former is a green oasis among the dunes, and nearby the latter is a photographers dream: a clay pan dotted with dead trees.
Swakopmund, a quaint germanic seaside town surrounded by sandy flats. A tourist hub from where it is possible to go on many excursions to interesting birding sites, seal colonies or adventuring in the desert.
Damaraland, a beautifully arid region dotted with rocky hills and villages. It is possible to track down here the famous desert-adapted elephants and there is a large population of free-roaming black rhino. Amidst the other wildlife and still subsisting are the Damara people who graze their cattle. Twyfelfontein is Namibia's only world heritage site (so far), an ancient rock art site.
Etosha, the most famous national park offering the 'classic' safari experience in a rather unique setting. It is dominated by a vast clay pan, the southern edge of which is scattered with waterholes. Particularly in the dry season you will see vast herds of animals waiting to drink as predators such as Lions block their paths. Ive seen incredible amounts of lions here and Rhinos are almost guaranteed at the Okaukuejo waterhole.
A lot of people also visit a reserve called Okonjima. This is the home of the Africat foundation which works to conserve Cheetahs and Leopards. You will almost certainly see these two cats if not truly 'wild'. Ive recently decided no longer to recommend this place due to various ethical issues I became aware of during a volunteering stint.
There are countless other things to see and visit, but I will also summarise here the kost significant regions:
Kaokoland, a large desert area inhabited by the nomadic Himba people. Incredibly remote and rugged, wild, it shouldnt be attempted by unexperienced 4x4ers and certainly not solo. Expect to find vast sandy valleys lightly grassed and not another soul for miles.
Caprivi, a small region crossed by many rivers and characterised by swamps and forests. It is densely populated by a variety of peoples living in a largely traditional manner, but still wild and untamed and there is a large population of Elephants.
Kalahari, a vast semi-desert with sparse but interesting wildlife. Large portions are monotonous and uninteresting but some areas are fascinating. The Khaudum park has much wildlife and is remote and bushmen in the area can demonstrate their skills and way of life.
Fish River Canyon, the world's second largest canyon. Breathtaking and challenging hiking.
Finally, a very small place which I feel deserves more attention is the Mundulea reserve. This is a reserve being restored to its natural potential, and effectively conserves a great deal of endangered species. Visitors here will be received exclusively and be given fascinating lessons about the local nature.
It is easily possible to reach the vast majority of these places in a normal car, and once there tourists of all kinds are catered for. One can have great luxury with expert guides and astonishing views from your room, or one can experience the wild rhythms first hand while camping - of course intermediates are also possible.
Namibia is a truly beautiful country with great variety of things to see and do. It is easy to travel here and there are many options available for accommodation. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone.
US
35-50 years of age
Best park of our safari!
Three friends & I booked a private safari and visited the Masai Mara (3 days), the Serengeti (3 days -- 1 in the western area & 2 in central area), Ngorongoro Crater (1 day), and Tarangire (2 days). Without a doubt, our favorite area was the Central Serengeti -- although it didn't have the masses of wildebeest and zebra as the Masai Mara (since the Great Migration was in the Mara during that time), the sheer variety of wildlife and animal interactions in the central Serengeti was astounding.
In our two days in the central Serengeti, we saw two cheetah hunts (both unsuccessful), five leopards (including a mother with two teenage cubs in a tree), ostrich dancing & mating (not to be missed), hippos fighting in the Retina hippo pool, and so much more. The other safari areas were wondeful as well, but the central Serengeti was the real highlight and highly recommended, any time of the year. However make sure you have a great guide as our Tanzanian guide had so much more bird & wildlife knowledge than our Kenyan guide, and that made a huge difference in the enjoyment of our trip.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well Organized Trip
We had amazing time in Kenya Parks. The tour guide was really professional and shared all his knowledge about nature with us. Experience of nature, tribes and wildlife is amazing. Our customized safari was great and truly exceeded my expectations. Thanks Boundless Africa Journeys for making our honeymoon such a memorable trip.