AT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Lacks organization and needs consistency in services
We recently booked a safari in Serengeti and Ngorongoro, followed by a few days in Zanzibar, through Amshar Travel Agency, with destinations we personally selected (Mara River, Central Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Villa Kiva Hotel in Zanzibar).
Overall, the wildlife experience and destinations were absolutely outstanding. Serengeti in August is incredible, and we were lucky enough to witness the Mara River crossing of the wildebeest migration, along with a huge variety of wildlife. The safari experience itself exceeded expectations.
Our safari guide, Major, was excellent throughout the trip. He drove safely, had a great knowledge of wildlife, and shared interesting information without being intrusive. He struck a very good balance between explaining things and giving us privacy, and was consistently patient and professional. A big credit to him.
The safari vehicle was suitable for game drives inside the parks—spacious and comfortable. However, on normal roads it felt quite old and slow.
There were, however, some organizational issues at the start of the trip. Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport, we were met by a driver (not our safari guide) who was supposed to take us to Arusha for a same-day flight to Kogatende Airstrip in northern Serengeti. Unfortunately, the agency had not communicated the flight details or timing to him. When we arrived at the airport, the driver was unsure about the situation and even asked if we had the tickets.
This created confusion and stress, and only at that point did we receive the airline booking confirmation via WhatsApp from the agency. We then realized we had only about 30 minutes until boarding. Despite going through security and trying to make it, we unfortunately missed the flight.
The agency did try to resolve the situation afterwards, and arranged for us to be taken to a hotel in Arusha, with a new flight scheduled for the next morning. As a result, we lost half a day of our safari itinerary. While apologies were given, there was no form of compensation or gesture offered for the inconvenience.
The hotel in Arusha was average, slightly unorganized, and the food was also below expectations.
The following day, everything continued smoothly and we began the safari properly with Major.
The camps during the safari were mid-range tented camps. Heritage Mara Camp was decent but fairly average. Kon Tiki Serengeti Camp was excellent, both in comfort and overall experience. Ngorongoro Wild Camp was acceptable, but located quite far from the crater without a clear advantage to justify the long drive.
Food quality varied depending on the camp, since breakfast and dinner were taken there, while lunch was provided as boxed meals during the day. The lunch boxes did not match what was described in the itinerary (which mentioned more “fine dining” picnic-style meals), and were quite basic overall. Kon Tiki Camp offered the best food experience among the camps.
In Zanzibar, Villa Kiva Hotel fully met expectations. The location is beautiful, right on the beach with sunbeds just steps from the sea. Service was good, and the food—mostly à la carte—was excellent. Special compliments to the chef.
In summary, the wildlife experience and guide were outstanding, and Zanzibar was a very relaxing and high-quality stay. However, better organization, clearer communication, and more consistency in services would significantly improve the overall experience with the agency.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Damien was friendly, knowledgeable, welcoming and incredible at what he does!
Can’t recommend this company enough! I would also highly recommend DAMIEN as a guide.
We did a 4 day camping safari and learned from others that it really makes a difference to your experience who your guide is!
Everything ran smoothly and efficiently with this company. You do have to go with the flow when it comes to safari as schedules can change and it’s a long day to spend driving in a car however Damien made the whole experience so enjoyable. He created a fun but calm atmosphere and you could tell he was genuinely passionate about the animals and giving us a good experience. He was an incredibly smooth driver and great at getting the good spots which makes all the difference.
Camping set up on safari is simple but has everything you need and is so cool to camp out in the wild with animals and spending time with other groups round the camp fire.
We had breakfast, lunch and dinner provided with water throughout the day and both alcoholic and soft drinks in the evening. Food was delicious! A mix of traditional and western. We had chef Jeremiah with our group throughout the trip who was excellent, friendly, and even made us pizza one night!
We couldn’t have asked for a better experience!
PL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
nice
Very nice organization, everything was clear from the beginning. The cars were very comfortable and the driver was super nice and helpful. One thing I would change would be the standard of the hotel we were staying for one night (there was a problem with the towels and water). But overall I had a really great time!
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
12 Days Accessible Safari Tour in Kenya: A Journey Beyond Expectation
A month ago, I took part in a twelve-day accessible safari group tour to Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli, arranged through Judy at Lorna Safaris, an accessible tour company, traveling alongside a group that included both people with and without disabilities. As a wheelchair user, I had wondered just how accessible the tour would truly be, and whether it could accommodate the needs of people with disabilities. However, those concerns were quickly dispelled — thanks to the well-arranged accessible rest-stop facilities during the five- to six-hour journeys from Nairobi to each national park (most participants chose to fly, but I deliberately chose to travel by jeep instead), the thoughtful transportation, and the accessible lodging along the way.
The wildlife itself exceeded every expectation. We witnessed a lion feeding on a zebra, and after waiting quietly for a full hour for a cheetah to stir, we were rewarded with the sight of it in motion — a moment our guide assured us was a genuine stroke of luck. Just as memorable, though, were the long-distance jeep rides between Nairobi and parks. Being jolted along unpaved roads for hours — what's often wryly called an "African massage" — was far from comfortable, yet I found myself captivated by the chaotic, vivid scenes passing by the window: scattered villages, children waving and calling out from the roadside, vehicles and pedestrians weaving together, and vendors selling their wares amid the flow of traffic. It was through these long drives, more than anything, that I felt I truly experienced Kenya's communities and its magnificent scenery.
If you really want to see the real Kenya, try traveling to the parks by jeep. It's a long drive — five to six hours from Nairobi, with bumpy roads for the last stretch — but it's absolutely worth it.
I hold nothing but heartfelt gratitude for Judy and her team of drivers and guides — Jimmy, Don, Anthony, and Teddy — who provided us with truly exceptional service throughout our journey. Their skillful driving, expert guiding, deep knowledge of the wildlife, remarkably keen eyesight for spotting animals from a distance, and thoughtful attentiveness to accessibility needs left a lasting impression on me — as did their unfailing kindness, warmth, and sense of humor.
When the Amboseli lodge's entrance proved inaccessible, Judy and her team of guides/drivers worked with the hotel to address it, and by the very next day it had been flawlessly renovated — a level of responsiveness I can hardly imagine back home in the U.S. or Japan.
By journey's end, I had grown genuinely close to this team, as though they were family, and saying goodbye was surprisingly difficult. As someone who navigates life from a wheelchair, being able to travel to Africa once again and have such a remarkable experience is something I owe entirely to Judy and Lorna Safaris. I am truly, deeply grateful, and I hope they continue crafting many more extraordinary tours — and go on offering services that allow so many individuals with disabilities to realize the items on their own bucket lists.
I highly recommend Lorna Safaris, whether you have a disability or not. And if you go, be sure to ask for Jimmy, Don, Anthony, or Teddy — they're some of the best guides/drivers around.
PL
under20 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
perfect
excellent place with beautiful views, especially the Safari part when we can so so many animals
PL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unforgettable experience
Value for money, the most comfortable cars and care
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent Service and an Amazing Safari Experience
Great Last Minute Safari Experience
We had to arrange a two-week safari at the last minute, just one day before we were supposed to start. Luckily, the hotel staff in Nairobi connected us with Taha and his colleague from White Horse Safaris.
Taha came to our hotel right away, listened carefully to what we wanted, and immediately started working on the itinerary. He and his colleague spent hours on the phone with their local partners and were able to put together a trip that matched what we were looking for. Thanks to them, we were able to start our safari the very next day. They really saved our trip.
During the safari, Taha was always available on WhatsApp and responded very quickly. We made a few changes to our plans along the way, and he and his colleague were very flexible and worked hard to accommodate us. The safari itself was amazing, and we had a wonderful time
We also needed to take care of some matters in Nairobi during the trip. The White Horse Safaris driver took us where we needed to go and patiently waited for a couple of hours while we took care of everything. We really appreciated that extra help.
At the end of the safari, Taha and his colleague met with us in person to get our feedback. We were happy to tell them that we had only good things to say.
We had a great experience with White Horse Safaris and would definitely recommend them. Taha and his team were responsive, flexible, and genuinely helpful, especially when we needed to organize everything on such short notice.
CH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An unforgettable experience
We spent four truly unforgettable days on safari, and a huge part of what made this experience so special was our guide, Mike.
From the very beginning, Mike was incredibly friendly, helpful and professional. He told us that he is passionate about nature and wildlife, and throughout the entire four-day safari he truly showed us just how much he loves what he does. He was extremely knowledgeable about every animal we encountered and, beyond simply identifying the different species, he always shared interesting facts, characteristics and little curiosities that made every sighting even more fascinating.
The safari itself was absolutely top-notch: dynamic, engaging and never boring. We even had some “study moments” and fun little quizzes created by Mike to see if we had been paying attention and remembered what he had taught us. It was a fun and original way to involve us and made the whole experience feel much more interactive.
We were lucky enough to see all the animals we had hoped for, and we are extremely satisfied with the experience. Mike’s passion, knowledge and enthusiasm definitely made these four days even more memorable.
If we could mention one small area for improvement at the agency level, it would be the availability of replacement vehicles. If a vehicle breaks down, having to wait for the same vehicle to be repaired can unfortunately cause some inconvenience for both the guide and the clients, and during a safari this can mean losing valuable time. Having a backup vehicle available could therefore make an already great service even more efficient and reassuring.
Overall, an amazing experience that we would absolutely recommend. A special thank you to Mike for making these four days so enjoyable, educational and unforgettable!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
New friends and unforgettable memories
Baxanekhwe Safaris hosted my parents and I for five days. Sleeping next to elephants and waking up to wild dogs on the hunt is an unforgettable experience, but the genuine warmth and hospitality of Teko, Rose, and their team is what I made this trip so incredible. Teko is a knowledgable and experienced guide with incredible stories to tell, and Rose and her team provided comfortable and warm accommodations. We returned from each safari to hot water in private showers, clean tents and insanely good food prepared by Chef George (he somehow made better celiac-friendly food in an outdoor kitchen than I do at home.)
Corporate safaris just can’t compare. Accommodations were personalized and sweet, and we got a more genuine and down-to-earth experience of Botswana that I didn’t know existed for tourists. I cherish the new friendships I’ve made. Thank you Teko and Rose for the adventure!
TW
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Willy: a truly wonderful and excellent tour guide.
A fantastic animal migration tour, and a wonderful driver and guide – Willy. He knew the park‘s routes well, was knowledgeable about birds and mammals (which are also my interests), and had up-to-date animal information. Having seen the Big 5 early on, we had more time to observe even more wildlife hunting behaviors.
Even more amazing was witnessing wildebeest crossing the Mara River twice, at 8:30 AM and 1:30 PM on August 19th – simply incredible!
In addition, we are very grateful to Winnie for her prompt response and enthusiastic assistance, which allowed us to resolve the issues immediately when things didn‘t go smoothly during our trip.
Thank you again, Willy: a truly wonderful and excellent tour guide.
Jennifer & Tom 8.20.2026