20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Lake Nakuru National Park by Dan
It is a pretty park with a variety of wildlife. However, there is a good deal of development around the park which is especially evident after dark, when the light pollution is visible.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceeded Expectations
My wife and I traveled from the end of June into early July. This was our first trip to Africa and it exceeded all expectations. It will not be our last trip.
Transtrek made booking painless. Daniel was responsive, offered suggestions without being pushy, and handled everything quickly. Our main driver and guide, Peter, was pleasant, knowledgeable, and always helpful. We hope to return to Kenya and will be contacting Transtrek when we do.
Our itinerary included Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, the Masai Mara National Reserve, and the Naboisho Conservancy. While the Mara and Naboisho were undoubtedly the highlights of the trip, the two lake parks afforded us the opportunity to see very different environments and some species not present in the Mara region. Naivasha is home to scores of bird species, which can be viewed quite closely during guided boat trips. Time in Nakuru allowed us to see both white and black rhinos. The sweeping, wildlife strewn, vistas of the Masai Mara were captivating. We even witnessed a leopard stalking a small group of Thomson's gazelle. The Naboisho Conservancy lacks the wide open spaces of the Mara but more than makes up for it with high wildlife density (notably lions) and the increased privacy found in the conservancies. Private conservancies also allow night drives and Bush walks, experiences not to be found in national parks and reserves.
Concerning our accommodations: we stayed in Sopa properties at Nakuru and Naivasha and Basecamp Explorer properties in the Mara and Naboisho. I would not hesitate to return to any of them. However, the Basecamp were a cut above, Eagle View in particular. Both Sopa properties were comfortable, had pleasant staff, and the food, served in a buffet, ranged from fine to good. The variety was good. Basecamp Explorer Masai Mara and Basecamp Explorer Eagle View are permanent tented eco camps with a strong Bush feeling. Masai Mara (12 tents) sits just over the Talek River from the reserve and Eagle View (9 tents) is arrayed along a ridge line within Naboisho. Both serve excellent meals created by in house chefs. Benson's food at Eagle View made sufficient impression for me to purchase his cook book. This is not something I typically do.
Fantastic experience!
We absolutely loved our SA trip! The safaris were amazing and we saw everything we hoped to! The Big Five and more. We spent a day on the Panoramic Route Tour and while it was a bit rushed fitting all the stops in in one day, the experience didn't disappoint.
SK
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
nice / friendly companions providing expert service :-)
I was looking forward to wake up and meet our driver Jolis, who made our days.
We saw serval, gepard, leopard huting, lions, elephants, rhino, ...
+ the kitchen was better than 5 star hotel in Instanbul (where we spent 1 day before going here)
Excellent job!
Thank you, Raimund
IE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kenya Safari
Alan was excellent and provided a very professional service. He is an honorable person, we found him to be trustworthy and honest. He stood by what he promised. Airport pickup and drop off (and hotel transfer) included as part of the package. We opted for 5 day safari covering 3 parks ( Massai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Amboselli), but in hindsight this is too much for 5 days as it requires a lot of driving every day (6 hours a day). If we were going again, we would recommend 2 parks would suffice (skip Nakuru - long drive for limited wildlife viewing). Driver was very knowledgeable on wildlife/animals, and handled the 4WD very well (had to switch to 4WD on one bad mountain road). Massai village visit included as part of package, but in the village we visited in Amboselli, the village chief's son who guided us around the village, was on a serious sales pitch - far too much. Significant pressure to buy items at extremely inflated prices and to donate money to the local school. This was uncomfortable and took away from the village visit.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable Safari Experience
Diana from Venture Africa organized an amazing trip for us which took us to Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Navaisha, Hells Gate and Amboseli. Diana kept in contact with us during the entire booking process. Our driver and guide for the trip was the fantastic (and famous) Ambrose, who was extremely knowledgeable and untiringly ensured that we saw as many animals as possible. On our trip we saw many different animals in all kinds of situations and were lucky enough to not only see the big five but also to see all kinds of baby animals. The accommodation provided on safari was excellent and the vehicle was comfortable.
I would wholeheartedly recommend both Diana and Ambrose for anyone looking for an unforgettable, value for money safari experience in Kenya.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Exciting and Relaxing 5 day Safari in Tanzania
My husband and I recently returned from a 5 day, 4 night Safari in Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater June 29th – July 2. Our Safari started in Serengeti after we flew from Kilimanjaro Airport to Seronera airport. We were happy we chose to fly instead of drive because this allowed us time for a game drive on the first day (and avoided extra bumps and dust while driving) and we loved the atmosphere of the Seronera airport. We were picked up by our driver Dickson who was friendly and extremely knowledgeable. He provided great recommendations but tailored the trip around our needs and how we wanted to spend our vacation (for example starting a little later in the morning because we needed some extra sleep after 2 days of flying).
The driver is an important part of your Safari experience. His knowledge of the parks and roads is what will ensure an eventful but safe experience. Dickson had several years of experience, so he knew the roads, the animal habits, and how to avoid potential issues with the vehicle while navigating the rough terrain.
In Serengeti, we stayed in the Kati Kati camp and were very pleased with the accommodations, food, and service. The camp feels isolated and rustic, but has all the comforts one needs. In Ngorongoro, we stayed in the Ngorongoro Wildlife lodge which had great views of the park; the food here was not as good as Kati Kati. We enjoyed both accommodations but preferred the Kati Kati Tented camp.
While in Serengeti, we did the Hot Air Balloon safari and highly recommend the activity. It was expensive, but probably the highlight of our trip. We got to see plenty of animals from the balloon and enjoyed a terrific breakfast afterwards. Overall, everything went smoothly and as planned and we recommend using Shadows of Africa for a Safari in Tanzania.
under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Belen went above and beyond to accommodate me even when i had to do last minute changes.
Belen always communicated very quickly and was able to make last minute changes for me even when I ended up not needing to add more people to my group. The accommodations were very generous and the flexibility my tour guide had for me was amazing. The knowledge my guide had about the different parks of Tanzania and the history of Tanzania truly made it a very memorable experience. I would definitely recommend this company for organizing any safari.
Best. Adventure. Ever.
Great company, amazing people. We traveled to Tanzania, and stayed at the Ngorogoro Crater and in the Serengeti.
Trip planning from initial outset with Jake and Stacy at SOA was so stress free and fun. They happily provided solid recommendations and answered each and every question (no matter how trivial); their replies came within the day if not immediately. As an unexpected bonus, they created an interactive online trip itinerary, with a map of our trip, descriptions of the camps/accommodations, and general info on the areas we would visit, among other things. Each and every time we changed plans, they updated the itinerary. Without prompting, Jake and Stacy sent loads of information on travel reqs/visa/vaccinations, packing, and also on the areas, animals, and culture. And they were so friendly while doing it! Their advice and answers made it all fun, and we felt very prepared at each step while there. Jake and Stacy also happily connected us with their representative in Zanzibar, who was happy to book transfers and a tour for us, although we had arranged the flight/hotel to Zanzibar on our own (also great service there!).
As for the safari itself, our guide, Loma, deserves a separately devoted paragraph, with super special appreciation and recognition. Loma was a perfect fit for us, he was so fun and friendly, and our trip would not have been the same without him! He picked us up from the airport in a happy mood, and even after spending 5 days in the car with us (many 12+ days) and away from his home, we became friends and were promising to return to visit his family and kids. Having grown up in the area, Loma is very knowledgeable about the areas (seriously impressed that anyone can navigate the Serengeti without a map!), the culture and people (he had an answer every time we asked what or why), the vegetation/plants, and definitely the animals (even the birds!). He knew the specific habitats and behaviors of each animal, and made very good on his promise for us to see each of the Big 5 -- twice! He also tracked the ever-elusive cheetahs! Loma allowed us to get some very great photos. He was also very attentive in general, and made sure that we were always comfortable and doing well, even when we got to the camps. He got up and out early with us and made sure that we experienced every bit possible, but remained totally flexible to whatever we wanted (shopping included!). On the last day, he even arranged a trip to the local village at Mto wa Mbu to see the banana plantation, meet the local tribes, and shop their art and carvings. Loma went above and beyond to make our trip extra special. It really felt as though he was enjoying his time on safari with us, and I hope that he enjoyed it as much as we did.
The jeep was comfortable and clean, and appeared no different than any of the other jeeps that we passed, except perhaps even a bit nicer than most. It has a roof which easily pops, binoculars, a power strip, and a cooler where we sometimes packed wine for lunch. There were only 2 of us, and we had plenty of room to move around.
SOA offered 5 star service from our initial inquiry all the way through. I would return and use this company (and guide!) time after time.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Outstanding Operator
Communication was excellent throughout, suggesting and adapting itinerary to suit our requirements, helpful suggestions given prior to travel. The fact that apart from tips and beer the quoted price was for all took away stress of budgeting and was excellent value for money for a well organised, stress free trip.
Service throughout was outstanding from Eman (CEO), Shafi (Driver) and John (Cook).
Safari in the Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire and Manyara were beyond expectations, accommodation was great for budget camping option, vehicle was comfortable, and the guides purchased blankets for us as our luggage failed to arrive via Abu Dhabi which had all the warm clothing (it is needed for Ngorongoro). Food produced by John was outstanding, was not expecting to put on weight on safari but somehow managed to. Quality was excellent and quantity sometimes too much! Saw the big 5 plus more on safari. Responsible driver who had the knack of finding things and followed the rules unlike some other company vehicles who were witnessed going off road and haranguing animals.
Highly recommended safari company, 7 nights and 8 days that were truly unforgettable. Eman knows what he is doing and creates a travel option to suit budgets and interests. Thankyou to Eman, Shafi and John for creating an unforgettable experience. Do not hesitate to use this company.
