IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A perfect safari in Masai Mara, lake Naivasha and Nakuru
We made a safari for 4 days and all was perfect. Driver David was very friendly and experienced: we saw the big 5. Safari was organized very well by Susan.
CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The best
5/5 stars! Kiliclimb made our trip absolutely unforgettable. Our guide, bakari, was super knowledgeable about wildlife—we spotted the Big Five smoothly and he shared fascinating facts about animals and local culture. The 4x4 jeep was comfortable, transfers were on time, and the lodges were clean with great food. No hidden fees, flexible schedule, and the team cared about every detail. 100% recommend for an amazing African safari experience!
BR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fantastic and very commited!
This tour was amazing and well organized! The agency communicated with me all the time prior and during the tour. The driver (Samir) was very gentle and answered all of our questions. The was polite to everyone was kept us on time. The tour itself in Aquila us unforgetable and magical! We saw 4 out of 5 from the BigFive and have an amazing day admiring the African wildlife!
CN
Great safari
An absolutely fantastic safari experience! Our guide Jackson is incredibly professional—he knows every detail about wildlife tracks and habits, always pinpoints the best viewing spots, and gives detailed, vivid explanations. He’s patient with all our questions, thoughtfully shares photography tips and safety reminders throughout the trip. The itinerary is well-planned with a perfect pace. With Jackson, we not only caught countless amazing wildlife moments but also learned a wealth of nature knowledge. The experience was truly top-notch, highly recommended!
LT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The true Tanzanian experience
I was fully taken care of by the organizers and the company I joined with, good food, amazing guide Justine, experienced and full of knowledge! Ngedere was the perfect place to rest and sleep.
SA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Professional, flexible, well-organized safari operator.
We had a great time during our 5-day safari in Kenya organized by Beacon Safaris. We stayed at the Serena Lodges in Masai Mara and Amboseli. Beacon Safaris organized everything. We flew to Masa Mara and were received by Anthony. Anthony was a great guide and really showed us everything that the Mara offers. We go out twice a day. Early in the morning and late in the afternoon in Beacon's Land Cruisers. We flew to Amboseli and were received by Daniel, which was also a great guide. Amboseli is different than the Mara, however it has its charm of its own. From Nairobi to the Mara and from the Mara to Amboseli we flew with Mombasa Airlines. Great little planes and you get to see a lot of the countryside. From Amboseli we drove back to Nairobi. We did an additional safari with Beacon to the Nairobi National Park and also had a great guide, Alex. The main attraction is to see the white rhinos, which we saw 10. Overall, a very good experience.
LT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Smooth and very well organised
We were travelling to Nairobi and the Masai Mara as a group of five people. Two of us had some previous experience with East African safaris, while for the rest of the group it was their first time in Africa. Since I personally have experience both working and travelling across the continent, I had some reservations regarding the services - you always have to keep in mind that something might go wrong or at least not go according to plan. This time, however, it was a completely different experience. The Axis Safaris team was accessible and well organised, and everything went according to plan, on time, and as agreed. They provided us with excellent accommodation partners, including a last-minute upgrade to a better location in the Masai Mara. Our tour guide, Kevin, was outstanding. It’s clear that he is a true professional who genuinely loves his work and nature. Lucy from Axis Safaris is also a true professional, and I will definitely recommend them to our friends who are planning to visit Kenya. The cherry on top was that we managed to spot the Big Five in the Masai Mara, which made it an unforgettable first-time experience for all of us. Truly great memories and an excellent experience for a lifetime.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unbelievable experience
Everything went so smoothly with Jungleroam and I will 100% use them again when we plan any safaris or adventures.
Our guide Kush was incredible, full of knowledge, full of jokes and just a lovely lovely person.
He found us 4 of the big 5 on the first afternoon drive. He got us in prime photo taking positions and still respected the animals. You could tell he respected the animals and it made the trip for us.
I hope we get Kush again in the future
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Terrible experience, stay away from this tour operator.
Hello,
I wanted to report a truly unpleasant experience that recently occurred with travel operator Shinzelle Safaris during the period of natural emergency and severe rainfall that affected the Limpopo and Mpumalanga regions. Usually the quality of a travel agency shows when problems arise, not when everything goes according to plan.
We had booked, many months in advance, a rather expensive 4‑day package in January, which included accommodation, meals, transfers, and safari activities in private reserves and inside Kruger National Park. The day before our arrival, we were informed of the serious emergency unfolding in the region and especially inside the park. When we asked whether it made sense to cancel the experience (we still had time to reorganize a different itinerary in South Africa), we were told to stay calm, that all activities were still confirmed, and that we only needed to prepare for a bit of rain. So we left, still very excited.
Day 1:
We arrived at the Lodge around lunchtime, and despite the 6‑hour trip from Johannesburg to Hoedspruit, we were informed only upon arrival that the afternoon safari activity planned in a private reserve had been cancelled. They offered us an alternative activity (spa and massages at the Lodge), which we accepted, but magically there was no availability anymore. We asked to reschedule it in the following days, but it was never recovered.
Day 2:
The full‑day safari went ahead successfully. We entered the park through Orpen Gate at 5 a.m., and despite the heavy rain throughout the day, we had fun and truly enjoyed the experience (it was our very first safari), without paying much attention to the weather conditions.
Day 3:
Panorama Route interrupted after just a few hours. Our boat tour was postponed from the morning to the afternoon, but the rain conditions were dramatic from the early hours. Despite this, they still made us leave, but the road was crazy and the vehicle was at serious risk of skidding off the road. Along with the rain, dense fog prevented any visibility of the canyon, making it impossible to enjoy the views. After about 3 hours of driving, we were called back (obviously all boat tours had been cancelled), as conditions had become prohibitive and the main road back to Hoedspruit had already been closed. We returned to the Lodge around lunchtime and spent the entire afternoon and evening in our room.
Day 4:
Morning safari—an optional activity paid separately from the standard itinerary—was scheduled in a private reserve but cancelled the night before, with no alternative activity offered despite our request.
Summary: Two safari experiences cancelled and the Panorama Route interrupted in dangerous conditions. Communication with Danielle, the operations manager of the tour operator, was always prompt during the booking phase and when it came to cancelling activities along first days. But as soon as we asked for replacement activities, responses became vague and never timely. It should be noted that despite the adverse weather, we always maintained a calm and even enthusiastic attitude about the experience. But when the last activity was cancelled, we politely asked—despite the frustration—for a partial refund for the activities not carried out.
From that moment on, Danielle literally disappeared for more than 48 hours, without even acknowledging us (not even a simple “no, it’s not possible, our terms and conditions do not include refunds for weather cancellations, we are handling emergencies and will get back to you”—nothing). We were completely ignored until we returned to Johannesburg and flew back to Europe.
We are fully aware that their terms and conditions give them the upper hand, but we would have expected at least a different attitude, more empathy and cooperation (which we showed throughout the cancellations and especially when we were put at significant risk on the roads under heavy rain, all documented with photos and videos). We were not even offered a partial refund for an optional activity paid in advance. Unfortunately, we felt misled throughout the stay, when it would have been easy to avoid wasting our money, time, and putting us in dangerous conditions. Strangely, we were contacted again only after we sent an official complaint by email and after posting our first negative review on their social media.
They even pointed out that we received an upgrade from a 4‑star Lodge to a 5‑star one—an upgrade we had not requested, though appreciated—and for this reason we supposedly had no grounds to complain, despite some issues with the food (little variety, overly spiced) and having to shower with cold water one day (reported and then resolved). They said they offered us two meals and drinks (one vegetarian wrap lunch when the first safari was cancelled, one wrap lunch upon returning from the Panorama Route—although lunch was already included in the itinerary—and two drinks), which didn’t even remotely cover the cost of the lost activities. Only later did we realize that the upgrade (from a well‑known luxury lodge chain) to a private lodge placed us right next to the company’s headquarters inside the Hoedspruit Estate.
After many years of travelling around the world, we have never encountered service like this from a travel agency. We were very surprised by the treatment received and the total lack of empathy and customer care. Why not offer at least a partial refund, even just for the cancelled optional activities, as a gesture of goodwill toward a clearly disappointed customer? Especially when you, as the tour operator, organizing the activities directly with your own resources, did not have to bear any cost? We would have been satisfied even just to see some willingness to meet us halfway. Instead, we were treated merely as a number, yet another tourist to take advantage of.
Looking back, we can consider ourselves lucky to have been able to return safely to Johannesburg and not have had any accidents along the way. According to them, they met all safety standards and consumer care requirements, but unfortunately the facts told us a very different story.
We came back home sad, disappointed, and deeply bitter.
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A wonderful day lead by a knowledgeable guide.
We joined a 1-day safari to the Moremi Game Reserve from Maun. We were collected promptly from our hotel for the drive to the Moremi Game Reserve. Although we visited during the ‘wet’ season when the animals are dispersed, we were shown an excellent variety of both fauna and flora. The highlights for us were spotting a cheetah resting under a tree, 3 jackal cubs playing under a bush, a small herd of batchelor elephant bulls bullying a lone hippopotamus bull in a watering hole and African Painted Dogs. We also saw plenty of elephant, giraffe, buffalo, zebra, impala, waterbuck, red lechwe, baboon and numerous wild fowl.
Our guide took great care of us, ensuring all our questions were answered, and more importantly that we were well fed and watered. He was very knowledgeable of the environment and was always willing to broaden the discussion to explain the various interactions between the various animals, plants, etc, bringing the terrain to life. He also had excellent all-terrain driving skills which are necessary for the park roads.
We were returned to our hotel at the scheduled time.
Am area for improvement is eye-care for the guides. Vision is all important in life, and it would be re-assuring to know that the guides have been trained in care of their eyes, both while game-spotting in the harsh African sun and while driving without windscreen protection. I offer this advice having being raised in Africa as a child when the perceived wisdom was not to provide children to ‘toughen-up’ their eyes; needless to say my eyes were damaged and I have already had to have cataract surgery on both eyes.
