20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing
I loved how organized the team was…so friendly and welcoming,I enjoyed every bit of it and I will always choose Bencia…The trip was great
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Good value for money
From a lot or research beforehand and our experience, I would recommend Bencia over other companies for a value-for-money budget safari, despite one con. The review is very long becuse it can be hard to find specific details about most tours which in the end is the difference between getting what is promised and getting tricked.
Pros
1. Accommodation at Lake Nakuru is inside the park (Wildlife Clubs of Kenya - Nakuru) which is a big advantage over other tour groups because it means we could do an afternoon and morning tour on the same 24hr ticket. A 24hr ticket for Lake Nakuru only allows for 1 entry and exit. Though other companies say they offer both morning and afternoon tours, when I actually enquired how this was possible when their accommodation was outside the park, they then stated it was either morning or afternoon, not both. Bencia was the only budget safari I found, from emailing many companies, who could actually offer what the website says.
2. Our guide was thoughtful about the welfare of the animals and didn't harass them, unlike other drivers we saw. He was also nice to chat with about wildlife and Kenya in general.
3. Great in-house chef who travelled with us and adapted well to a vegetarian menu. An example of our meals, though each chef may be different, was: breakfast (omlettes, toast, sweet potato, pancakes, fruits, instant coffee/tea), lunch ( tasty and fresh buffets on the road between locations, and a huge packed lunch for the full day safari including fruits, sandwich, juice and snacks) and dinner (rice, great mixed veges, beans, potatoes and fruits). We were always so full, no snacks are needed to complement the meals.
4. Accommodation was good for the price. Good enough mosquito protection. The accommodation in Lake Nakuru is particularly good as the animals are all around the camp gates.
5. The joining tour ran with even 2 people, as promised, which not all companies could promise us and seemed important for changing circumstances like Covid. It also meant by luck we had a private tour.
6. Really, really responsive emails from the office beforehand always getting back within minutes or just a few hours.
Con
1. We felt we our driving hours and timing was not quite what was agreed upon and we had to negotaite to remain close to our planned schedule which was a dampener. As noted below, a bit too little time for the MM afternoon (which could have simply been credited the next days but wasn't). Additionally, it was very important to us, and promised to us in emails, that we would do a morning tour day 3 in MM from 6:30-8:30am. When we were there we were told we could do 6am-5pm on day 2 instead of the morning drive on day 3. We said no because that is not what was promised. Strangely, the last day we entered quite late going from 7am-9am which was the same duration but not the hours we were promised or that we asked for the night before. It seemed strange they would offer to enter at 6am on the long day but not on the short morning. I know some companies do an afternoon drive day 1 and then a long day 2 so they save money on gate fees nut but charge you for 2 days on entry fees, despite what their website programme states. So I was pleased that they at least stuck to the promise of 3 days of driving and not 2.
Trip details:
The order of our trip changed and we ended up doing 4 days nd 3 nights with Lake Nakuru first, which in the end felt better going from a small park into the huge expanse of the Masai Mara.
There is a lot of unavoidable travel in between parks, though I think we spent too long between Nakuru and Masai Mara trying to arrange picking up some more passengers which cost us time that afternoon at Masai Mara and this was never made up later.
Rough timing; Nakuru to MM - 7 hours (should be much quicker), MM to Nairobi - 5hrs, Nairobi to LN 7am from hotel to 3pm arrival.
PL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Affordable, well organized and delivered even more than promised
We booked 2 days Tarangire & Ngorongoro safari. Everything went smoothly from the booking process to drop off at the airport in Arusha. The guide was very kind, always on time, took care of us. We really enjoyed it, we had great time.
BR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excelent Experience!
About the Safari, we really liked it!! It was a wonderful experience! Good Luck, our guide, was amazing!! We really liked him, he was very patient and always concerned about offering us the best experiences and memories!!
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
True luxury, excellent organisation and communication, highly reliable and very friendly.
We had a truly great experience from the pickup at the airport to the drop-off on our last day. Everything was perfectly taken care off, the hotels (Governor's Residence in Kigali and Five Volcanoes at the national park) were wonderful and our hikes to see first the gorillas and then the golden monkeys were amazing. Food and service were very good and the little extras such as fresh water bottles in the extremely clean and tidy car, gaiters for the hikes and a foot massage and shoe cleaning after each bike provided for a feeling of luxury. Very good value for money! Would highly recommend choosing this tour operator.
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The best tour operator
Perfect organization and good value for money. The safari was incredible. Highly recommended.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent safari capped off by Wild Dogs at Naitolia Camp while on a early morning walk.
My wife and I did a 12 night safari in August 2014 with Eastco (East African Safari and Touring Company) starting in Mwanza and ending at Boundary Hill Lodge Tarangire. The various accommodation were excellent, food great varied and plenty. African soup is special.
The high light of the safari was the night spent at Naitolia camp ( 1 night) and the walk to Boundary Hill Lodge the next morning, we saw while walking wild dogs running along the road in front of us before they slipped off into the bushes and grass. Even our guide was amazed.
Boundary Hill Lodge perched on top of a steep bluff provided beautiful views over the conservation area below. There were a lot of elephants in the area and even some we saw drinking out of the pool.
Boundary Hill also offered Masai village visits and Tinga Tinga painting.
We also stayed at Speke Bay lodge (5 stars) Mbalageti (5 also) We camped at Eastco's Horizon camp, simple, clean but very nice wildlife everywhere but then again this was the Serengeti.
Perhaps the only disappointment on the trip was our stay at Sopa Lodge, I agree the descent road is an advantage but the lodge is extremely large and what I would call part of the institutanlized safari accomodation so often offered by Tour Companies. We preferred the smaller more boutique lodges and camps. These camps are a speciality of an Eastco trip. The communication before the safari was excellent, the service from the guide and all staff at Eastco also excellent. The trip exceeded our expectations to such a degree we have booked a 30 day trip for 2015 again with Eastco.
Simon certainly knows how to design a private trip to suit individual needs.
The 4 x4 was clean and excellent for the type of bush roads we went on.
All in all Tanzania is an excellent safari destination and Eastco (East African Safari and Touring Company)
an excellent Tanzania based tour operator
Excellent, exceeded my expectations
Well coordinated. I would like to comment tour consultant by the name Real Munyiva. she made my bookings easier with all required information i did not have difficulties. the transfers were made on time with no delay. will use again
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
a great experience, life chsanging
excellenrt service and good clean envuronment. also the safari was exceptional.
under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Breathtaking experience
We were on a 4 day safari. Our guide Emanuel was very kind and he provided us lot of further information about the animals. We were also able to see a lot of animals thanks to him, even crocodile that is not easy to spit(a lot of cars just passed by without stopping). Every meal prepared by our cook was delicious and we got enough of it. You dont have to be afraid of food. You will have various options of different meals and there is no chance you will be hungry anytime during your trip. Our family was very pleased with the staff and the whole trip in general.