35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fun, Flexible, Accommodating - we really enjoyed our experience
We really enjoyed Suricata and our tour Guide Chaz! We got lucky with many animal and event sightings and our tour guide was flexible in changing our program slightly as our wants changed which we really appreciated. The 4x4 LandCruiser was also in clean and new condition.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Personalized Safari and Travel Service with Great Customer Service
I had a great experience with Adipoformes from beginning to end. I received safari quotes from several different vendors, but Syprose was by far the most responsive and collaborative person I worked with. We wanted guidance, but we also wanted the flexibility to customize our itinerary, and Syprose did an excellent job of understanding what was important to us and tailoring our different stays accordingly.
Our itinerary included two days in Amboseli, two days in the Masai Mara, one day in Lake Nakuru, and one day in Naivasha. Adipoformes arranged everything from airport pickup when we landed in Nairobi to our final airport drop-off when we departed. After researching many different hotels and camps, we settled on some of the best places I have stayed in during all my years of traveling. Syprose provided a clear itinerary that included our daily activities, accommodations, pictures, and transportation details, which became the cornerstone of our safari. I also worked with Syprose to upgrade several of our accommodations, and that was one of the best decisions we made—the places we stayed exceeded our expectations.
When we arrived in Nairobi, we met with Silas to complete our payment. He was very flexible and came to our hotel to meet us. I was initially a little concerned about making the final payment in cash, so I opted to pay by credit card despite the 4.5% surcharge. In hindsight, I probably would have been more comfortable simply doing a wire transfer.
We first flew to Amboseli, where our safari driver and guide, Songes, picked us up. We spent the next seven days with him, and he eventually dropped us off at the airport for our flight home.
From the very beginning, Songes demonstrated his experience and knowledge of the parks. He knew Amboseli extremely well and was familiar with many of the other drivers and park rangers, which helped him quickly identify where animals were being sighted. Starting our trip in Amboseli was a great decision because we saw many of the common animals in abundance—zebras, elephants, giraffes, wildebeest, and more. That allowed us to focus more on the big cats—lions, cheetahs, and even a leopard—during the rest of our trip.
In Amboseli, Songes showed us a pride of lions with cubs on both days. One of the highlights of the entire trip was when he spotted a cheetah just before it began a hunt. He quickly alerted other drivers and the ranger, and within minutes there were approximately 50 vehicles gathered. We spent two to three hours following the cheetah and were fortunate enough to watch it successfully hunt and capture a gazelle. It was an incredible experience.
Songes was also very mild-mannered and easygoing, which made the entire trip relaxing. He never made us feel rushed or stressed. He customized our days around what we wanted to do—sometimes we were tired and simply wanted to relax—and he was always willing to stop whenever I wanted to take pictures. Having our own vehicle and guide meant that we didn't have to follow anyone else's schedule. We had the flexibility to spend more time when something interesting was happening, take breaks when we wanted, and even sleep in one morning.
Over the course of the trip, Songes helped us see all of the Big Five, as well as multiple prides and groups of lions across Amboseli, the Masai Mara, and Lake Nakuru. His experience and knowledge made a big difference in the quality of our safari.
Overall, this was a fantastic experience, and I would highly recommend Adipoformes to anyone planning a safari in Kenya.
There are a few things I would mention for both the company and future travelers. The vehicle we used was somewhat older than some of the other vehicles we saw during the trip. My recommendation to Adipoformes would be to consider upgrading the vehicles, as that would make an already great experience even better.
For travelers, I recommend bringing clean clothes for each day and taking advantage of laundry services whenever possible. The parks can be very dusty! I also wish I had brought a buff or similar covering for my mouth and nose.
We also did a hot-air balloon ride in the Masai Mara. While it was a nice experience, I found it somewhat underwhelming and, in hindsight, probably would have skipped it.
One of the best decisions we made was flying from Nairobi to Amboseli and then from Amboseli to the Masai Mara. It allowed us to spend our time enjoying the parks and accommodations rather than spending eight or nine hours driving between destinations. It added approximately $500 per person to the trip, but for us, it was absolutely worth the additional cost.
Overall, Adipoformes, Syprose, Silas, and especially Songes made this an unforgettable trip. I would happily recommend them to anyone looking for a personalized, flexible, and well-organized Kenyan safari.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great experience they arranged a wonderful last minute Safari in the Masai Mara
This great tour company arranged a quick wonderful tour of the Masai Mara National park with a stay at the Fantastic Mara Engai lodge in the Mara Park. Our fantastic driver guided was so knowledgeable about the Mara and the incredible animals within we saw Elephants, Lions, Leopard, cheetahs Hyenas Giraffes zebras Hippo crocodile Cape Buffalo wildebeest and so many types of antelopes and birds truly incredible experience
CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Professional, responsive, flexible, and genuinely committed to making the trip great
We just finished an amazing 10-day safari in Kenya, visiting the Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, and Amboseli, and we were very satisfied with the whole experience from start to finish.
From the planning stage, Morris was very responsible and helpful. He always tried his best to accommodate our requests, suggested different alternatives when needed, and helped us work out an itinerary that suited both our preferences and budget. Communication with him was smooth and reassuring throughout the preparation process.
Our guide, Douglas, was definitely one of the highlights of the trip. He is a very experienced and knowledgeable guide who seems to know almost every animal and bird we encountered. More importantly, he knew where and when we had the best chance of seeing wildlife, which made a huge difference to our safari experience.
Douglas was also very easy-going and flexible. He was always willing to adjust the schedule based on what we wanted to see or how we were feeling that day. On many occasions, he stayed out much longer than originally planned so that we could make the most of our game drives, and he never complained about the extra hours.
Beyond wildlife, we also really enjoyed talking with him about Kenya itself. He shared a lot with us about local life, society, and the socioeconomic conditions of the country, which gave us a much deeper understanding of Kenya beyond what we saw in the national parks.
Overall, this was a wonderful and memorable trip. We really appreciated the effort Morris put into organizing everything and Douglas's professionalism, knowledge, patience, and flexibility throughout the safari. We would definitely recommend them to anyone planning a safari in Kenya
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Experienced
We were a group of nine who arrived in Kilimanjaro from Durban for a 9-day mid-range safari, with the highlight being the Great Migration and, hopefully, experiencing the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Unfortunately, due to a misunderstanding regarding the itinerary, we did not get to visit the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro. This was disappointing, particularly as we had specifically planned to arrive in Kilimanjaro for this experience. In hindsight, we could have travelled directly to Arusha, which would have saved both time and resources.
Accommodation
Most of the accommodation was of a moderate standard and generally adequate for a safari.
At Kaliwa Lodge in Moshi, however, we had an issue with our first room, which had a large number of big black ants running around the room, including on the bed. There were also house lizards on the wall. We brought this to the attention of the staff and were promptly given another room, which was much better and comfortable.
Our stays at Ngorongoro Marera Mountain View Lodge, Lala Salama Serengeti Luxury Camp and Masek Tented Lodge were particularly good and stood out among the accommodations.
Food & Meals
The hotels generally made an effort to consult with our group about our dietary requirements and preferences, which we appreciated. However, we found that the meals were quite basic, particularly considering the length of the safari.
Unfortunately, at one point during the trip, seven out of the nine members of our group became very unwell with symptoms consistent with food poisoning. This was obviously very unpleasant and affected the enjoyment of the safari for those involved. While we cannot say with certainty where the illness originated, we feel that food handling, storage and temperature control during the safari are areas that deserve particular attention.
One suggestion would be to pack picnic lunches in properly insulated warmer boxes, rather than conventional picnic baskets. On some days, the lunches remained in the hot safari vehicle for an extended period before being eaten. Where possible, an earlier lunch stop would also be preferable, so that food is not left in a hot vehicle for several hours.
We believe that paying closer attention to food storage and temperature control would significantly improve the comfort and safety of future safari groups.
The Safari & Our Guides
The safari itself was very well programmed, and we were fortunate enough to see all the animals we had hoped to see. The organisation of the game drives allowed us to experience a wonderful variety of wildlife and, of course, the incredible spectacle of the migration.
We had two 4x4 vehicles with two driver-guides, Godlove and Andrew. Both were extremely knowledgeable, courteous, helpful and enthusiastic. They went above and beyond to ensure that we had the best possible wildlife experience and made every effort to find and show us the animals.
My husband and I travelled with Godlove throughout the safari, and we were particularly impressed by his driving skills. He was calm, careful and professional at all times. He respected the rules, never drove recklessly or unnecessarily fast, and always made us feel safe and comfortable. He also took great pride in keeping the vehicle clean and had it cleaned every day.
Although we travelled in Godlove’s vehicle, I also had the opportunity to observe Andrew’s driving and professionalism. He demonstrated excellent driving skills and appeared equally competent and safety-conscious. The five members of our group who travelled with Andrew were also very happy with their experience and had no complaints.
Overall, we had a very good safari experience and saw an amazing amount of wildlife. The safari was well organised by Serangity Wakana, and the dedication, knowledge and professionalism of Godlove and Andrew were a major part of what made the trip enjoyable.
With clearer communication about the itinerary and some improvement in the standard and inspection of certain accommodations, the overall experience could be even better.
Despite the few disappointments, we will take away many wonderful memories from our Tanzanian safari, especially the incredible wildlife and the dedication of our two guides.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An Exceptional Safari Experience — Beyond Our Expectations
Partway through, our group was merged with another company’s, which I gather is common practice. Far from detracting from the trip, it was a highlight — we met some genuinely lovely people and shared the experience with wonderful company. And, of course, we managed to see the Big Five, which exceeded all our hopes.
The only change I’d suggest is staying in the northern Ngorongoro Crater on the final day rather than outside it, which meant a longer drive out. A minor point, and one worth flagging only because everything else was so well judged.
On our final day, Jacky came and greeted us warmly and joined us for a farewell drink, a thoughtful end to a brilliantly organised trip.
We couldn’t recommend Jacqueline and the team more highly.
IN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Super Responsive
An Amazing Safari Experience with Black Santa Safari!
We had a fantastic 5-night Kenya experience with Black Santa Safari — 3 nights in Masai Mara, 1 night in Nairobi and 1 night at Lake Naivasha.
Herbert is truly the go-to guy — super responsive, helpful, and always willing to accommodate the little things that make a trip special.
Our guide and driver, Isaac, was simply outstanding! Extremely friendly, knows everyone around, has great knowledge of the Mara, and drives confidently without GPS. He made sure we spotted the Big 5 — multiple times!
Highly recommended. They definitely won’t disappoint!
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
5 days safari with surikata
We had a great experience with our guide Pascal. We saw many animals, also the big 5, and nice landscapes. The meals were excellent.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Reginald is extremely knowledgable and experienced and always puts his clients needs first!
My tour guide, Reginald, was extremely thoughtful and attentive to our needs. He was able to navigate uncertainty and adapt to unforeseen flight delays with a Hakuna Matata mindset. He was able to still understand our requests and made sure we were able to visit all the sites despite the schedule changes last minute. Reginald is also extremely experienced with the habits of the native animals. He spotted the Big 5 extremely fast, within the first two days of our 6 day trip. His knowledge of the landscape and animal habits made our drive very calm and eventful. Every moment was filled with wonder and new sightings. There was never a dull moment. We also got an extremely good spot for the wildebeest migration as well, similar to having court side seats at a sporting event. If I ever go back, I would definitely choose Reginald again! 10/10!
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
African Dreaming
This was a special moments tour with Zambezi Quest. It ticked all the boxes. Gerry our driver was always there to greet us each day. He was informative throughout each tour day. The spots the tour took us were amazing. The accommodation was excellent . Comfortable and clean. We would highly recommend this tour company.