IN
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A great12 day tour arranged by Trevaron Tours
Ours was a 12 day tour arranged by Hannah of Trevaron Tours in September 2013. She was there to received us at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and personally guided us to the Safari Park Hotel for our first night in Kenya. From there Simon, our capable and affable guide and driver for the next 11 days took over - Masai Mara ( Serena Lodge) for 4 days, Lake Nakuru Lodge, Mt. Kenya National Park Mountain Lodge, Samburu Game Park Lodge and our last night at the Mt. Kenya Safari Club. The game lodges that were arranged for us were excellent and the wild life viewing was great except for lake Nakuru where due excessive flooding, the alkaline nature of the lake had changed resulting in the flamingos flying to other alkaline lakes. We went on to Lake Bagoria where we did see some flamingos but not in such great numbers as we had seen on a previous visit to Kenya. Our visit to Kenya in September was dictated by non availability of accommodation in the Mara in August. We did see the end of the great migration but the best time would be August, to be there in the middle of it. So book early.
AE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
8 Days Samburu | Aberdares | Lake Nakuru | Lake Naivasha | Masai Mara
The 8-day safari with Africa Holiday Tours was simply everything I had expected it to be. The driver/guide was very knowledgeable and accommodating, and the experience was fantastic. It was exactly what I had negotiated with the company, a budget safari leading to upscale. I would highly recommend Africa Holiday Tours.
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Adventure and fun!
The safari itself was a good experience, we lived the african experience deep and we enjoyed it. We would have liked another kind of timetable for meals, because we had lunch at 10 am and dinner and 20, so that means a lot of time without eating. Despite this detail, the safari was great, we saw many species and took awesome pictures. the volunteering program was the best of all, both medical and orphanage programs are a great , life-changing experience.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very nice experience
The tour was well organized. Although it was flexible in relation to what was originally planned all the visits to the parks were done. Driver guides were very nice and always ready to explain and do anything we needed. They were always ready to search the animals we wanted to sea, and were always in communications with the organizers of the tour. They know very well the parks and the local communities. Lodges and tented camps were as expected; some budget, and some luxury, as well as the food.
We could see lots of animals, and the drivers always knew how to get close to them trying not the disturb them.
There is a nice way to see the geography of the SW part of Kenya and visit the parks in one week. Very nice place and experience. Thanks Michael, Joseph and Peter.
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Lake Manyara National Park by Simone
We did not see any cats .. the least actractive parks of the northern circuit!! you can skip it but for the marvellous Hippo Pool
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Ngorongoro Crater by Simone
we were a bit unlucky .. it was a bit cloudy and cold .. not too many cats but a lot a lot of wildebeast and buffaloes .. we might give it another try coming back from Serengeti as it is on the way!!
NO
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
I had an excellent hike in Aberdares NP, the crew took good care of me at all time.
I booked online from Norway and the communication was excellent. Everything went as planned. The pickup in Nairobi, luggage store, the hike itself and drop off at friends in Muhoti was preformed as planned. The crew was excellent company during the hike (I was the only client and could easily felt lonely) and took very good care of me. I can recommend Archtreksafaris for others.
FI
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
5-day safari trip (Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Tarangire).
We had planned a 5 day long safari. The prize was the best available. Arrangements were also good. We would begin our safari after visiting Mwanza. We would have to pay entry fees only once.
Organizer
The Organizer Mobutu offered a very good price for the safari. At first we were doubtful. Could someone offer a good safari trip so cheaply? Finding out that he was actually an old schoolmate of our internship supervisor Simon Kitereja, we gained the trust and paid most of the services in advance. We had some money transferring problems, but he kindly guided us through several banks and places for us to be able to pay for Ngorongoro and the company services.
Guide
Our guide Samuel was a professional. He knew everything we asked him. He even knew the history of the natural parks. With his eagle eyes he spotted various animals from sleeping lions to road-crossing tortoise.
Only negative thing we can come up with is the fact that our guide and driver got along little too well, sometimes forgetting us clients while talking to each other or on breaks. However, that didn’t happen too many times, and we didn’t miss any animals because of that. Other times he was very good at customer service. He understood our needs.
Cook
Our cook Suddy was truly a professional. The food was amazingly good. The food was also ready in schedule. We never had to spend the precious safari time waiting for food. It was especially unbelievable, how he could turn even the simplest soups into a delicious dish, which we will no doubt miss back in Finland. There was also never too little food. We could never eat everything he prepared for us, as there was so big selection of different things.
Driver
We knew our driver John beforehand. We had full trust on him, being driven around Arusha by him many times before with the Institute car. He was always willing to stop for us to take pictures of the animals and landscapes.
At the end we were tired but happy. It was unforgettable trip. Even the cheapest camping equipment’s were adequate. We can recommend this trip to others as well.
BE
Good service, but do ask more questions
I've booked a tour to Jinja with the silver-back safaris. They were very fast in their responses over the e-mail and helped me made the booking. The only minus is that they never specified the exact itinerary of the trip, so I've unfortunately missed a couple of objectives which I though they were included in the price. It is also my fault that I never checked or ask them directly, so for anybody traveling with them, don't forget to ask all the details.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Not so far, but so good
I arrived in Kenya last December. I'm a country representative for a NGO working in Soweto slum, Kahawa West. There is no much time to travel and enjoy the beauty of this country. Still, being here I've been collecting a bunch of business cards from tourist agencies - just in case. At the beginning of July, with two volunteers and my best friend, we decided to take a Sunday off to the Nairobi National Park. After a long run of calls to the above-mentioned agencies, we found the one offering the best deal.
At 9 am, we were entering the main Park's gate and after few hundred meters the first hippo and a crowd of white big birds welcomed us nearby a pond. We had a minivan with an opening roof, the view was stunning with the skyscrapers contrasting with the wildlife around us. Plenty of giraffes, zebras, gnus, elands, gazelles and impalas are to be seen all around the park. The giraffes are incredibly elegant and charming while the zebras are covered with the most fashionable animal dresses: much better than a parade in Milan or Paris.
When the sun rose high in the sky, the animals were gathering around water basins. We approached a stunning black rhino and, at the sun peak, we saw three young lions (two females and a male) leaving the shadow of the tree and heading towards a fresher place.
The park is quite magical and seeing the capitol's skyscrapers in the background is such a rare contrast.
Tips: find a smart driver who knows the areas within the park and animals' behaviors.
