US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great experience!
Jimmy was a great driver. We were in a hurry and he wanted us to see everything, even such that he was overtaking other drivers! Clearly very experienced guide. Great safari day
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Engaging, knowledgeable, and well organized tour.
We had an amazing tour of Kenya with James. We were met at the airport in Nairobi and spent the night in a very nice hotel the city. We enjoyed a full day in Nairobi with sites including the Giraffe Center and elephant orphanage. There a few things that can make you smile more than seeing baby elephants drinking from gallon sized bottles and playing in mud. We travelled to multiple parks in Kenya including Samburu National Preserve and Lake Nakuru National Park. We finished our trip in the Masai Mara at the luxurious Kichwa Tembo Tented camp. We saw a large variety of animals, including the big 5.
The tour cost was very reasonable, especially considering we were a small group of 4 and had very nice accommodations for the entire trip. All of the camps and hotel had laundry service which was very helpful. Meals usually included a large variety of delicious options and offered accommodations for my food restrictions.
Our guide, James, was very thorough every step of the way. He gave us options on the parks we wanted to visit and planned the perfect trip. We would definitely use the same tour company if we’re able to visit Kenya again.
BE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
My advice - Avoid Morningstar, There are better options
Before diving into our experience with Morning Star, just a note on the side that we were happy with our lodge Zebra Plains. Nice room and proper food, however all items which Morning Star had to foresee (transport & guide) were far below expectations.
Transport
- Car we very old and not clean
- Some windows didn't open and some didn't even have a handle anymore
- Seat belt didn't work so one of us had to move to the back of the car
- The back of the seats could only be reclined if you put all your weight on it and forced it down
- Every rest spot was a tourist trap next to a local souvenir shop, especially on the way to the Mara when you still hadn't even see anything stopping for souvenirs doesn't make sense. Other companies were stopping at the big fuel station where you had nice restaurants for a break.
"Guide"
- this was the most disappointing of all!
- Our "guide' was a disaster, actually he was not a guide, he was just a totally not interested driver.
- In case we saw an animal he said maximum two lines of explanation, or sometimes we even had to ask to give some info of the animals we saw
- He seemed not interested in us nor in the safari, his goal was to start late and return early to limit his time on the road
- We also noticed the lack of flexibility. An early safari was not possible, for some reason the earliest we could leave was 7 am which is again a huge lack of customer intimacy
- The only day he proposed to start early was the day we had to head back to Nairobi so he could finish early and go home
- He also didn't show any interest in taking our pictures at certain spots. He only left the car for our picture if there were other 'guides' around taking pictures of their customers
- All tips we gave him were a real waste of money
- I have wanted to go to the Mara since I was 10 years old, with a heavy heart I can only say that he ruined our experience and will always leave a stain on our memories of our Masai Mara safari. Zero conversation, zero enthousiasme, zero interest... just a disaster experience with him.
When looking at the other agencies parked at Zebra Plains, we noticed the drivers of Mufasa, African Horizons and the Holiday Dealers were much more friendly towards us.
They asked us several times how we were doing and what we had done on the day, while our guide disappeared as soon as we left the car. On top of that their cars were much more recent, clean and of better quality.
Looking at the money we spent for this safari, it totally doesn't correlate with the service we received from Morning Star.
There are many safari companies in Kenya who offer these tours, we took a chance on Morning Star and it is clear that it was the wrong bad.
So please choose carefully for your safari as well and avoid Morning Star. As mentioned above Mufasa, African Horizons and the Holiday Dealers would be my pick now.
CN
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Off2Africa is a professional, knowledgeable and customer focused agency
Our 9 day itinerary of Zimbabwe and Botswana organised by Sian Edwards totally exceeded our expectations. The choice of accommodation, transport and activities were superb. We were delighted to receive personal attention to resolve any last minute requests and hitches. Highly recommended.
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceptional trip
for the first time in our lives we entrusted ourselves to a travel agency for a trip, we were very hesitant, but following some videos seen online and after reading many reviews, shadow of africa was our decision.
It was a wonderful trip and Sonja, the girl who followed us, proved to be extremely professional and patient, answering our thousand questions and giving us lots of useful advices.
all the accommodations were wonderful, we stayed in the heart of the Serengeti first and Gorongoro after with our driver, Dickson, who proved to be exceptional as a driver, as a guide telling us a lot of things about Tanzania and his people, but above all rest assured that he knows the animals perfectly, he anticipates their moves and always arrives first in wonderful places. we saw leopards and lions a few meters away, as well as all the other animals. thanks to dickson we saw all the big five and we will never stop thanking him.
Everything with Shadow of Africa worked perfectly, the drivers all proved to be extremely professional and provided us with a lot of informations, answering our many curiosities.
all the excursions carried out with Tales of Zanzibar, their partner, were magical, we were accompanied by professional people, in love with their work and who gave us unforgettable moments.
our week ended in their office, where Bernard welcomed us with his incredible smile to say hello in person.
we always felt pampered and with the knowledge that everything was perfectly organized so
we give 5 stars to shadow only because we can't give 6. thanks so much to all your stuff
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Let Walking Stick Tours guide you through the essence of this powerful country
If you are seeking to be close to the animals, observe them from your camp chair, watch them roam through the campsite at night and early morning, then this is the safari for you. On this unforgettable 11 day journey we navigated the tranquil waters of the Okavango Delta , up early for daily safaris with our knowledgeable guide OT who prioritises your safety while enriching your adventure all the time incorporating everything magical savannah delivers. The thrill of spotting native wildlife (lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, hippos, Jackal, giraffes, zebras, painted dogs, hyenas, and many more all in the comfort of your vehicle, boat or mokoro. Our meals and sleep were interrupted by the call of the wild, so don' t miss this opportunity to create lasting memories as you soak up and sweat the harsh beauty of Botswana. Lastly, a special thanks to our "safari Squad" OT, (guide), Ollie (cook), Election (driver & camp hand) and Freddie (apprentice camp hand). Everyday you rose with a smile, great food and company as we journeyed through Moremi, Kwai, Delta, and Chobe National parks.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best customer service and caring and compassionate
Good customer service reliable and companionate team thanks all
CN
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
great experience
We really enjoyed the safari with Ozon Light Tours despite the poor road conditions that damaged our vehicle's rear axle. The drivers, including our driver Issa, showed great teamwork in resolving the issue promptly.
Issa was an excellent driver and guide—patient, punctual, safe, rule-abiding, and knowledgeable about animals. The trip was fantastic, but the lunch service could be slightly improved.
In summary, the trip was fantastic, but there is still a little room for improvement. On a scale of 4-5, I would give it a 4.8. After we provided feedback, Nuhu quickly responded that they would improve, aiming to offer perfect service in the future. We hope Ozon Light Tours continues to get better.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic and Responsive!
Earthwings and Martin is the most responsive tour operator among 20+ operators we have contacted with. That's why we chose them at the first place. Martin answered every question and coordinated everything. Our Safari guides Rubeun and John did great jobs finding animals, spots and angles for photographing. We had a great time in our first trip to Africa and first safari. We will absolutely return and do another safari with Earthwings.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Unforgettable 2 day Masai Mara Safari Experience.
Our trip to Masai Mara National reserve was the best. The day started well with our pickup guide Humphrey arriving even earlier than expected. He was an easy guy who got along well with everyone and made our whole trip worthwhile. He was also very knowledgeable about game drive and made every effort to spot all the big five animals with ease. It was just fun and many thanks to Humphrey.
For our stay we were booked at Mara Engai Lodge where again everything met our expectations, the staff were very hospitable, Meals were superb, and accommodation was great . My family even got an opportunity for evening Masai dance experience. I would highly recommend Africa Kenya Safari to anyone looking for a wonderful Safari experience.