SE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Very reliable and flexible. Professional, friendly and helpful organisation. Went to Amboseli.
Having been to Kenya many times, first when I was 15. I am 62 now I had booked 2 nights in Amboseli with John Amwayo from Meterai Safaris. Hoping to get the iconic picture with an elephant in front of Mount Kilimanjaro
I came down to Nairobi after 6 nights in Laikipia where my cameras captured nice meetings with Giza Mrembo, the black female leopard. There I booked direct with the Wilderness camp.
I met John at the office and the driver/guide Jackson on the meeting point at Njuganas.
I shared the Amboseli safari with a very nice Spanish couple. It was not easy to get my dream picture as we are not allowed offroad. But first morning got it. It was so nice also seeing Kilimanjaro clear long time. I walked up to the summit, Uhuru Peak from Tanzania 2003. Also now did a very nice short bush walk with two Massai from Nyati camp.
I have published many wildlife books and reports.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Knowledgeable and well experienced in this field
It was at about 10:00am when I linked up with my tour guide Mercy. We navigated thru the busy downtown and finally got to the Bitenji of a west African origin.
Despite of being from the DRC Ugandan border, I had never heard of the Bitenji origin. I saw those made from DRC, Ghana,TZ, Nigeria and the different fashions that suits most! It was such an amazing experience hearing it from Mercy in Kampala...
The costs of designed bags were friendly! The Congolese market with their most loved cassava greens called "Sombe" and salted Fish as well smoked fish were all interesting to see in the heart of the City! This i personally enjoy so much!!
The service providers of different activities were friendly. Mercy has built a very nice rapport for the company. It's an experience worthy taking on when one finds few hrs in Kampala City.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Perfectly organized Tour
Our trekking was easily organized online. They accomodated all our custom wishes for changes regarding sights and length of the tour. We could always count on a quick response to all our questions. Also out driver was always punctual, easy going and had a Lot of inside Information about the people and the Country.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Predators and Elephants as well as river cruises
Spent 6 days in ad around the Chobe River during the wet season - and it did get very wet on two of the days. 3 game drives in the Chobe NP, which produced good elephant and lion sightings. All lion and leopard sightings by us and other vehicles were in the vicinity of the Serondola picnic site and west of there. As it was the wet season, fewer animals were drawn to the river, so birding was more productive.
Photography on the river was excellent, as were the hippos and elephants in the afternoon. If you have the choice, game drive in the morning - and get there as soon as the gates open, and river cruise in the afternoon.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Mikumi National park -Good
Mikumi national park is huge but there are not too many see as I expected , it was rainy ,clean, staff was extremely goog, friendly , punctual, anyway I enjoyed it
Great value for money tour
The tour was professional, clear, and straight forward. Good value for money. Your guide kept high energy for a long day of safari!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Well versed on environment. Very professional. He has a sense of where to look for wild life.
The operator was on time, very pleasant and knows the area exceptionaly well. If you want a personal experience with nature and not the normal corporate approach, I will recommend steenbok safaris.
under20 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Relaxed
Thomas was a great driver, got us there safe and on time. I highly recommend Safari Link
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Amazing Safari in terms of Wildlife , experience in group not what I expected.
This wasn’t my first time in Africa, as I’ve done several safaris before—but always private tours.
What was new this time was joining a GROUP TOUR with other travelers: my family of three and five additional people. I liked the idea of sharing the experience with others.
ARIPHINE TOUR organized everything for us, nothing to complain about.
I would like to emphasize that this was my personal experience and my following review is based on what Arephine Tour and Safaris organized for us when TRAVELLING WITH A GROUP.
1) I was surprised to find that when you travel in group not all of us were staying in the same lodge. Sometimes the lodges were up to half an hour apart, which meant very early mornings for some of us just to pick up the rest of the group. This often delayed our entrance into the parks, so we rarely started earlier than 7:30–8:00 am and back in the lodge around 5pm . This was disappointing, as the best times to see animals are the first hour in the morning and the last hour before sunset.
2) We chose the budget, but “budget” should not mean poor quality. None of the lodges we were originally indicated were available; we were placed in alternatives that were inferior. I would strongly recommend spending a bit more to secure the accommodation you actually choose, rather than relying on “or similar” options.
Seeing wildlife is always incredible, but what truly makes the difference is having a guide who engages with the group, shares knowledge, and allows you to fully enjoy the moment. Unfortunately, our guide John often seemed in a rush to move from one sighting to another, which didn’t allow us to fully experience what we were seeing. Our driver, John… well… he was often distracted by his phone or social media, which affected the quality of the experience.This was not only my own impression it was shared by the rest of the group too. He had the knowledge of animals and birds, but his attention was frequently elsewhere, so questions from the group were answered only briefly.
Visiting places like Masai Mara, Amboseli, and Nakuru is always wonderful because of the wildlife itself.
That said, in hindsight I would have chosen a private tour for a fully satisfying experience. Group tours can work well if you are very very flexible, easy-going, and open to adjustments, but for those seeking a higher-quality experience, a private safari is definitely worth it.
Despite the challenges, seeing these incredible animals in their natural habitat is unforgettable, and the trip still offered moments of true magic. Next time we come back we will still contact Ariphine Tour but choose a private tour :-)
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
We experienced the best and worst of what Kenya has to offer
We visited Kenya for roughly two weeks in March, 2026. We were on a fantastic safari for seven days which brought us to Amboseli, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, Hells Gate and Masai Mara Parks/Preserves. The lodging, all Sopa Lodges, was superb as was the dining. Our tour company, Marurumi Safaris was excellent - James and Ivy were personable, knowledgeable and a joy to be with. Most of all the wildlife was unbelievable on all standpoints; accessibility, visibility and the abundance of species.
Outside of the Safari we spent several days in Nairobi was well as visiting Oyugis and Kisumu in western Kenya. Our short visit to downtown Nairobi on day one was marred by being confronted with blatant government corruption. I unknowingly took a single cell phone photo of the parliament building from across a four lane street. I was immediately approached by two guards armed with automatic weapons and threatened with jail and a fine for taking the photo; my phone was also confiscated. Luckily, I was accompanied by a Kenyan citizen who knew that what the guards really wanted was a bribe. It took roughly 60 USD to get my phone back.
Corruption and open bribery also reared its ugly head at the parks. It was clear that bribes needed to be paid to park officials as park in addition to the official entry fees. It was also clear that the official entry fees are not used to help improve the parks.
Traveling around the country was great; the scenic beauty of the rural countryside, tea plantations and sunsets over Lake Victoria were awesome. But, the lack of infrastructure, pollution and horrendous traffic detracted from the overall beauty.
