SE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An Amazing 8-Day Kenya Safari with Hallmark Travel Planners
We chose Hallmark Travel Planners for a 8-day Kenya Safari. We started with Amboseli National Park from Nairobi. The next morning wewoke up in the morning, we saw the largest herd of elephants ever. Steve, our driver- guide took us very close, but kept a safe distance. The next day we went to Lakr Naivasha. I will never forget about the boat ride to crescent Island and the walking safari. Priceless. Then on to Masai Mara. On our first morning game drives there we saw a family of lions, one large male, several females and baby lions. That was amazing. We can't even remember the number of giraffes and zebras we saw during the safari.
Accommodations were clean and comfortable. The food was top bladd and delicious. Lewis supervised everything from start to finish. Our driver- guide was very friendly and helpful. The entire trip went smoothly. I would definitely recommend Hallmark to those who want to go on a safari in Kenya for the first time.
CA
A Little Scattered
My partner and I did a 2 night safari to Amboseli National Park in Kenya. The park is amazing and would highly recommend!
The issue we had was around the miscommunication we had with the tour operators and feeling like we were constantly waiting. The tour we paid for included a morning pickup on the first day in Nairobi and a game drive that day. However, we were left waiting to be picked up and the time kept being pushed back. We didn't end up getting picked up until the afternoon by a driver and then we had to wait for the guide. We finally got to our safari camp after dark, and did not do a game drive.
The next morning we got into the park much later than we were told. For some of it we were even waiting at the park entrance and our guide was standing around talking to people.
The next morning we also left later than expected and missed sunrise in the park. We also had to pickup other people from the group from another hotel and ended up waiting for them for a while. This meant we barely got a game drive the second day, and needed to join another tour to leave the park. This really cut into our time when we only had 2 days.
Our guide was a little slow getting things moving but when in the park he was searching for animals and even tried rushing across the park for an lion sighting.
Our primary issues were the tour being different than the itinerary we were quoted for, and multiple people having different interaries, which led to too much logistics planning. If you are to go with this tour group I would recommend confirming the tour you are quoted for is what you are doing, and seeing if you will be moving around to different vehicles throughout the tour, which reduces time on game drives. Also, when bringing up these issues to our point of contact over WhatsApp, we were ignored.
Amboseli Park is amazing though and i would highly recommend going there to see all of the elephants and views of Mount Kilmanjaro. The game drives were really good once we got going. There is so much wildlife to see all across the park. Also, the Osutua Rafiki Camp was really nice! It exceeded our expectations and would stay there again!
CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kla Adventures is a highly recommended tour operator.
Kla Adventures is a highly recommended tour operator. We found them in China through the internet. They assigned patient Kusekwa to coordinate with us, helping us plan the itinerary for Kenya and Tanzania and offering competitive prices. After confirming the itinerary, they also helped us book hotels, tickets, etc. After a smooth connection in Africa, our journey began. The guide in Kenya was named Charles, and he was a kind guide, overall satisfactory. The guide in Tanzania was named William, and he was a meticulous, diligent, highly professional, calm-tempered, always responsive, and well-mannered guide, highly satisfactory. We had an unforgettable time spending time with him.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Tazama Africa Holidays is a reliable and trustworthy safari operator.
We had an amazing 9-day safari with Tazama Africa Holidays, and I highly recommend them to anyone planning a trip to Kenya!
I compared several local operators before choosing Tazama, and they offered the best value, with competitive pricing and excellent accommodation options. The owner, Anthony, was very responsive to emails, and communication throughout the planning process was smooth and efficient. He genuinely tried his best to accommodate all our requests, even arranging the specific rooms we wanted.
Our tour guide, Fred, was absolutely wonderful. He is reliable, trustworthy, patient, and kind. He never overpromises, but he always remembers your requests and does his best to meet your needs. He was punctual every day, drove safely, and consistently made sure we were comfortable throughout the trip. We felt we could completely trust him, which made the experience even more enjoyable.
Thanks to Fred, we had incredible wildlife sightings, including all five of the Big Five and all five of the Ugly Five, along with so many other beautiful animals. It was an unforgettable experience!
Overall, Tazama Africa Holidays delivered an excellent safari experience, from the initial planning to the trip itself. If you’re looking for a reliable operator offering great value, wonderful accommodations, and a trustworthy guide, I wholeheartedly recommend booking with Tazama Africa Holidays.
CN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wild East Africa: A Heart-Melting Safari Journey with Festo
A wonderful journey, an unforgettable memory. This trip fully met our expectations. Festo took us galloping all the way, enjoying the ride on the "African massage" (bumpy dirt roads). In Tarangire, the Serengeti, and the Ngorongoro Crater, we saw the Big Five, giraffes, zebras, and flamingos as we had hoped, and experienced the magnificent "Great Migration" river crossing (wildebeest migration). When we saw the baby elephants and lion cubs, our hearts just melted. In short, highly recommend Summer Winnter and our guide Festo!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A Trip of a Lifetime !
Thank you to Afrishare to help make my safari dreams come true ! It was an adventure of a lifetime for sure, everything that I imagined and more ! Our safari guides Jeff (Kenya) and Deo (Tanzania) were absolutely wonderful in every way and completely took care of us ! I booked the trip through Ibrahim and we kept in touch through email and WhatsApp with a quick response time. The lodges and tented camps were just adorable with extremely comfortable beds, large attached bathrooms and showers plus electric outlets for charging phones.
I selected the 6 day safari which included Masai Mara in Kenya at the Jambo Mara Safari Lodge for 2 nights after which we crossed the border into Tanzania and the Serengeti for single nights at the Serengeti Ikoma Tented camp and the Osero Serengeti Tented Camp followed by a night in Ngorongoro at the Ngare Lodge ( the one location that included air-conditioning). We were lucky to have perfect weather with temperatures ranging from 60 degrees at night to about 85 degrees during the day so all the lodgings had very comfortable temperatures for sleeping. All the locations had very nice dining rooms and a bar for wonderful buffet meals.
Our guides Jeff and Deo took great pride in showing us all the animals we came to see and tried their very best to find them all for us. Finding the big cats (lions, leopards and cheetahs) was the most challenging since they like to hide by nature but we definitely saw them all and got some great photos ! Our animal viewing list included zebras, giraffes, elephants, hippos, rhinos, lions, leopards, cheetahs, baboons, cape buffalo, pumbas (warthog), wildebeest (white bearded gnu), ostrich, gazelle and antelopes.
Our first day it was a 5 hour drive from Nairobi to Masai Mara. After a late lunch we did our first safari for a little over two hours as the sun was setting, breathtaking ! On Day 2 we had a full day safari complete with a picnic lunch under a tree, it was magical ! Day 3 we did another 5 hour drive to the Tanzania gate seeing animals along the way. After going through customs we changed our tour guide and continued on to the first of two tented camps which I loved ! After dark you need to request a guide to walk you to the dining room so there is a flashlight supplied in the room to flash in circles to alert your escort. Day 5 we went down to the Ngorongoro Crater for a different safari experience, we even saw hundreds of pink flamingos ! I commented to Deo that we saw all the animals we expected but I did not see any snakes so at the end of our Safari experience, Deo took us to a snake park observatory near Arusha !
Going on safari is a very bumpy and dusty experience but completely worth it to see those beautiful animals ! Thanks again to everyone involved in us having an amazing African safari vacation !
MX
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great custom made itinerary with a range of accommodations
Since the beginning, Margaret fulfilled all of our trip needs by curating an itinerary that fitted our flights and requests. We went back and forth with many many emails and in the end she helped us craft an unforgettable memory. Shout out to to Eric as well who was a great, funny and educated driver.
CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
the tour operator is very professional and kindness
Donnah and the entire team were extremely professional, and the whole trip was an unforgettable experience. We got to see everything we had hoped to see, including lions, wildebeest, leopards, and cheetahs. Our guide was incredibly patient and knowledgeable, explaining the habits and behaviors of the different animal species along the way.
I do have a few suggestions for improvement. The overall itinerary was quite exhausting, and during the journey, there were only washroom stops, with limited opportunities to get hot water. Although the vehicle had a refrigerator and bottled water, many Chinese travelers prefer drinking hot water, so it would be great if hot water could be made available.
It would also be helpful to set clearer expectations regarding the meals provided during the safari. For example, sharing photos of the safari lunch boxes before departure would allow guests to prepare accordingly, bring some of their preferred snacks or food, or request adjustments in advance.
Finally, when packing fruit for the trip, it would be better to choose options that are easy to store and preserve. Apples, for instance, travel well, whereas bananas can bruise and spoil more easily.
Overall, this trip has left me with wonderful and lasting memories. It was a truly memorable experience, and I am very grateful to Donnah and the entire team for making it so special!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Tony has to be the best tour guide because we still communicate 6 hours apart, 5 months later!
Like I was told by my French tour mates and what I know now, I got lucky and was blessed to go on Tony Mobile Safari. Honestly, I don’t know if I can go with another company.
I had never been a Safari before and didn’t know what to expect or prepare for. Communication with Tony through WhatsApp call gave me the opportunity to ask questions of things I need to bring. The time that I’m free to take vacations are around late May and June. Tony reminded me that in The Bush that time of year in Botswana it is the winter season, bring cold gear. A definite life saver because my Florida thin blood could not take early mornings without proper clothing.
Once the tour started, I never wanted it to stop. A 10-day tour to 3 different parks were magnificent. We saw a different animal every single day of the tour. 2nd day in the morning we saw a lion pride hunt of zebras ahead while the king walked right beside us. Tony and staff easily explaining all questions (i. e. “How do you know the difference between a male leopard and female leopard prints?”). The patience and eagle eye sight to find the animals and explain what they do and how they do it.
Our military style tents were spacious, firm, and The Bush showers and toilet was the best experience. A homemade hot shower around lunch was better than a locker room. The food made by chef Ronald for breakfast, lunch and dinner was delicious. Even the dessert that I normally try to take it easy on, had to be eaten because it was so good.
Again, listening to my other mates that had been on other Safaris expressed how lucky I was because Botswana has a plethora of animals and you don’t have to fight for position to see them because the country is not overcrowded with Industry companies. Starting each day seeing multiple giraffes, elephants, zebras and springbok was amazing. Then the awesomeness of seeing 2 lions eating a dead elephant, a family of pumba’s, hippos running on the river floor and a leopard that walked between our jeeps was all I could ask for.
Not only do I highly recommend Tony Mobile Safaris, I will be taking one again very soon.
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable gorilla trekking in Rwanda with an exceptional guide, Jackson!
We had an unforgettable experience gorilla trekking in Rwanda over four days, and Wagatil Safari helped make it truly special. A particular highlight was our guide, Jackson, who was absolutely marvellous. He was flexible, knowledgeable, and genuinely fun to spend time with. He shared so much about Rwanda, its culture, and its people, making the drives and conversations just as enjoyable as the trekking itself. We had great conversations, learned a lot, and felt we were discovering the country through a local's perspective.
The gorilla encounters were incredible. We would wholeheartedly recommend Wagatil Safari to anyone planning a trip to Rwanda, and we could not have asked for a better guide than Jackson!