35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Meektrails delivered a well-organised safari with a fantastic guide & excellent wildlife experience
Booking Experience:
I found Meektrails on SafariBookings while planning a 5-day Amboseli–Nakuru–Masai Mara safari. After comparing quotes, I chose them for their fast responses, competitive pricing, flexible payments, and fully refundable cancellation policy. Paul was responsive throughout and helpful in finalising the itinerary.
Constructive feedback (reason for that one star less):
I would have appreciated stronger guidance on whether visiting three parks in five days was realistic. In hindsight, this made the trip very travel-heavy and less relaxed. More proactive communication around issuing invoices and payment receipts would have helped. While Paul was always responsive and trustworthy, the process felt a bit informal — especially when booking for Kenya for the first time.
Important Travel Reality Check:
Irrespective of what itineraries may state, our actual drive times were long: Nairobi to Amboseli took 6 hours, Amboseli to Nakuru took 9–10 hours, and Masai Mara to Nairobi took about 6 hours. We spent a significant amount of time on the road between parks, which reduced actual park time.
Arriving at Nairobi Terminal 1A was chaotic — long queues, no AC, and 2 hours at immigration. Departure was similar with multiple security checks, so allow 3 hours. Thankfully, Meektrails’ airport transfer was smooth and reliable.
Safari Experience with Meektrails:
The next morning we were welcomed at the hotel by Paul, Jamal (our guide), and other Meektrails staff. We completed the final payment formalities and received complimentary Meektrails caps before departure. We travelled in a Toyota Land Cruiser safari vehicle that was clean and comfortable, with 6 bucket seats, built for rugged terrain, and equipped with a fridge for water and juices. There was no AC, but that honestly wasn’t an issue. Tip: ask for binoculars in advance if you need them, as ours did not come with one.
Our Guide – Jamal:
Jamal truly made the trip special. With years of guiding experience and many friends across the parks, he was extremely knowledgeable, a safe and confident driver, passionate about wildlife, patient (even with our two noisy kids!), and always smiling despite the long drives. He went above and beyond, even negotiating lunch arrangements en route to a resort to keep things smooth. If you book with Meektrails, I would highly recommend requesting Jamal. Game Drives & The ParksWe visited in mid-February, meaning no wildebeest migration, but lots of offspring and easy spotting due to fewer water sources. The game drives were absolutely incredible. Each park offers something different and all exceeded expectations. Stunning landscapes, abundant wildlife and birdlife, sightings of the Big Five, and even a National Geographic-style lion hunt. Jamal knew the parks extremely well and positioned us perfectly for sightings. You simply cannot be disappointed with these parks.
Accommodation:
We stayed mostly in resorts inside the parks or very close to the gates. I would recommend staying inside or just outside park gates to maximise game drive time. On Day 1 in each park, entry formalities take some time, but after that it is much quicker. All hotels were lovely — it’s just a shame we didn’t have much time to enjoy the first two, as we mostly arrived, had dinner, and slept before moving on again.
Final Thoughts & Tips for Future Travellers:
If you’re planning a Kenyan safari, stay at least 2 nights per park for a relaxed experience. Distances between parks are significant, so plan realistically. Buy a Safaricom SIM card at the airport (best coverage) with at least 10GB of data. Kenyans are incredibly warm, welcoming, and almost everyone speaks English.
Overall Verdict:
Meektrails delivered a well-organised safari with a fantastic guide and excellent wildlife experiences. The main learning for future travellers is itinerary pacing — fewer parks with more time at each would make the experience even better. Despite the long drives, the wildlife experiences were unforgettable and truly once-in-a-lifetime.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Triminate shabangu. Very nice guy, good guide.
Seems great so far. Good drop off driver and guide was very nice. So was everyone who served us lunch, which was good. Thank you.
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Detail oriented with a personal touch!
I cannot recommend Blingson Safaris enough! From the moment I decided to travel to Kenya, they took care of absolutely everything and made the entire experience seamless and unforgettable.
What truly impressed me was their professionalism and care when my flight from Nairobi to Zanzibar was suddenly cancelled due to internal airport issues. Sara immediately stepped in and reorganized the rest of my holiday, arranging a smooth alternative plan to Diani Beach in Mombasa. I havent paid any extra. She was incredibly supportive and responsive, checking in constantly to make sure I was safe, comfortable, and enjoying my trip — all the way until I arrived back home.
Thank you for turning what could have been a stressful situation into such a beautiful adventure. I will definitely travel with Blingsons Safaris again! 🌍✨
DK
under20 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Good but a long day
Our 2 days safari to lake Navashia and lake Nakuru was wonderful however we were quite surprised of how long we had to wait before we had lunch and also that we had to eat with our tourguide at a random hotel which we were unaware of and ended up being quite a wierd experience. But overall the experience with Arosy safari was good and we absolutely loved our 1 night stay at lake Navashia crescent camp where the staf was nothing short of incredible.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great!
I did a 6 day tour of Tanzania and loved it! Eli was great - he was very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. Nothing was an issue and his wildlife spotting was amazing. And Kevin's cooking was delicious. I enjoyed camping and having the full experience. I have no complaints about my experience.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great!
I did a 6 day tour of Kenya and loved it! John Walter was great - he was very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. Nothing was an issue. I stayed in basic accommodation which was clean and provided sufficient amenities. I particularly enjoyed the glamping sites. I have no complaints about my experience.
CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
please come for trip
The internet connection was unstable at times, but the hotel service was excellent and the value for money was quite good. The travel agency was very reliable. Overall, the safari experience was great and we saw the Big Five.
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Experience whit Rioba Safaris and Denis
I contacted Rioba Safaris, and from the very beginning they were extremely helpful and patient while we were planning and deciding on the safari route. Jonas was very informative, kind, and always available to answer my questions.
I was welcomed immediately upon arrival at the airport, and we left straight away for the safari. Denis, our tour guide and driver, was very patient, knowledgeable, and experienced. He was always helpful and made us feel comfortable throughout the trip. Thanks to him, we were able to see the Big Five and many other animals. The drives were very smooth and comfortable, allowing us to fully enjoy the journey without stress.
I spent seven fantastic days on safari. At the end of the trip, Rioba Safaris also organized the transfer from Arusha to Kilimanjaro Airport with Jonas in a very comfortable van.
If I return, I would definitely book another safari with Rioba Safaris and Denis.
Points for improvement:
After I paid the deposit, I was informed that some of the hotels were no longer available. This was communicated only after the payment had been made. It may have been due to the fact that it took about one week to organize and finalize the customized tour. Still, availability could have been checked more carefully before requesting the deposit.
That said, suitable alternative hotels were offered, and we were very satisfied with the accommodations in the end.
The only small issue during the safari was that there was just one binocular available, and it was not really suitable — more like a toy than proper safari equipment.
With our tour guide, we spoke both English and German, although the German could be improved.
For these reasons, I am giving 4 stars as an incentive to further improve the service. I hope to give 5 stars next time.
Overall, we were very satisfied with the experience and had a wonderful safari.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Quick response, flexible planning, fine for a budget safari
We had a good experience, very quick and easy communication with the kind office woman Jemimah, flexible planning according to our wishes. Kim and Bonni our guides were very nice. Bit of a mix and match with different people you meet on the way but makes sense as it is a budget safari.
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Good people - few snags in process
Booked many months ago and coming up to date had heard nothing - sent emails and called and everything quickly ironed out
Had good Safari driver in Pilanesberg - Moloko, and good driver from there to Cradle of Humankind and then hotel - Carson