IL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The most professional and reliable company you will find!
After months of testing and deliberation, my family (my wife and our three children) decided to hire the services of the amazing Ann from Blue Mountain Trekking Safaris. From the first moment we saw the professionalism and availability. They built a 9-day safari itinerary for us, tailored exactly to our needs and desires. We had an amazing experience, we saw lots of animals in their natural environment and Anne constantly cared about our comfort and safety. Highly recommend the company and Ann, you will be in good hands.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Very Skilled Safari Team
After a lot of research, I had selected African Jacana Safaris for organising our safari in Botswana. The two key differentiators for African Jacana are, which caught my eye were: (a) locally owned business with staff born and brought up in the region (b) no middle-man involved. These are important as the first gave us access to the great insider knowledge and network that the team has and secondly, cutting out the middleman keeps them competitive. Of course, some excellent word of mouth recommendations sealed the deal. We went for an 8-day safari trip across Okavango and Chobe with them. At every stage, from queries, booking, accommodation to safari, Gideon and his team’s hospitality and effort is noticeable. The accommodation and the facilities provided during the entire stay is brilliant. The food is cooked fresh everyday and very good. They do look after your every need and make you feel at home the best that can be done in an African bush. Gideon’s local knowledge and “bush sense” really comes in handy during the safaris and our viewing were extraordinary. Each and every member of the team worked hard to make our stay and safari experiences as memorable as can be. I cannot fault anything with our entire safari experience and highly recommend Gideon and his team for being very skilled professionals and good at what they do.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Perfect, worry free safari in Massai Mara and Lake Nakuru
I booked a Savannah Woods 4-day Massai Mara and Lake Nakuru safari in conjunction with a work trip to Nairobi. Having never been to Kenya before, I wanted something all-inclusive and worry free. The communication throughout the process was great. I was in consistent communication with them via WhatsApp. On the day of the safari, their driver picked me up at the hotel on time and took me to meet Andrew, my safari driver, and the group who would be on safari with me for the 4 days.
Andrew was incredibly experienced and well informed. We saw so many awesome sights that I wasn’t able to experience on my first safari to Kruger NP. Andrew’s instincts were impeccable, timing our stops to witness a leopard prepping a buck in a tree and pulling it down out of the tree, a pride of lions feasting on a downed water buffalo, and a serval basking in the sun. Following the safari, Andrew handed me off to a driver to take me to the airport.
Post safari, I was to head to Zanzibar for a few days and come back through Nairobi on my way back home. Savannah Woods even offered to hold my large luggage (for a small fee) while I was in Zanzibar. I took them up on the offer and they held my suitcase at their office. The driver remained in contact with me via WhatsApp and confirmed he was waiting for me at the Nairobi airport well ahead of my scheduled arrival. He met me at the check in line for my outbound terminal with my bag in hand.
Savannah Woods provided top-notch service from booking all the way through the safari and beyond the safari through the end of my trip to Africa. I enthusiastically recommend them for anyone looking for a worry free safari experience in Kenya.
SE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
More than a safari guide
We had the luck to share days with George in Nakaru and Masai Mara. He shows great pride in he’s work and is always on alert looking for how to make the experience as good as possible. Except being excellent in finding animals (the big five, cheetahs etc) he has great knowledge about the animals itself, explaining the circle of life on the savannah adding extra flavours to the tour/experience. To this he is also a really funny guy with a great sense of humour making the trip enjoyable in a relaxed way. We had some crazy adventures in Masai Mara driving around 450km during one day, and even though you can never give guarantees in the wild life I think George with he’s 21 years of experience is one of the best there is to find the big five + cheetahs, with a great network of friends in the savannah sharing information of whereabouts with him. I also want to add that we never felt unsafe riding with George even tho we had some adrenaline-raising chasing of animals.
So, to summarise! George added a great, almost invaluable, experience to our trip with he’s great personality, friendly but yet very professional setting and a great sense of humour. We saw a lot, we got taught a lot, we laughed a lot and we shared some great memories together. And it’s as beautiful as it can get when you still feel that pure love and pride over what you do even after 21 years.
As you already figured out, I can’t give a better recommendation even if I try than this. 10/10 communication, 10/10 value for money, 10/10 reliability and 100/10 the tour itself.
IL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
AMAZING
All of the safari was great. Front the transfers, hotels, lodges and the safari
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Trip with a Few Hiccups
We booked this safari almost a year in advance. There were a couple of things that required me to send reminders but it was taken care of promptly. The trip had many wonderful highlights — Kenya was excellent and the gorilla trek in Uganda was truly unforgettable. Those experiences went smoothly and gave us memories we’ll treasure.
That said, not everything was seamless. Some of the planning around Tanzania didn’t come together initially as hoped, and there were a few logistical and communication challenges that made this part of the trip feel less organized. This led to some downtime and a guide who wasn’t quite the right fit. While these issues didn’t take away from the beauty of the wildlife, they did add some stress that could have been avoided with more careful coordination.
Overall, the safari had incredible moments and we’re glad we went! With better planning and coordination this could have been a smoother, more consistently outstanding experience.
IL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
John Faru is a great operator, kind funny caring and enriching 💙
Great experience, reliable and good service and Good value for money.
AE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Reliable
We had an amazing three-day safari with John Faru as our guide. From the moment we met him, John was professional, friendly, and incredibly knowledgeable about the wildlife and landscapes. He always knew the best spots to find animals, and thanks to him we were able to see the Big Five and so much more.
John was also very patient and attentive, always making sure we were comfortable and enjoying every moment. His explanations about animal behavior and the local environment made the trip not just exciting but also educational.
We felt completely safe and well taken care of throughout the journey. If you are planning a safari in Kenya, I cannot recommend John highly enough. He made our trip truly unforgettable.
IL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
John faru is the best person in Kenya, he was so kind and funny good vibes only
It was great, residence was perfect, everything is on time, would deffenetly recommend
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Local Business providing 5* Luxury
I was initially nervous about traveling solo as a woman, but Arcadia Safaris made everything seamless. My guides, Brian and Stanley, were incredible — I never once felt alone. They catered to my every need and treated me like royalty while remaining professional, warm, and attentive.
I saw all of the Big Five and had experiences I’ll never forget. The accommodations were excellent — I chose mid-range, and it was the perfect balance of comfort and authenticity.
What stood out most to me was choosing a truly local company. It gave me peace of mind knowing my money was supporting local businesses, and although I was hesitant about international transfers at first, Arcadia Safaris proved to be completely trustworthy and excellent value for money.
Whether you’re traveling solo, with friends, or as a family, I have no doubt you’ll receive the same outstanding hospitality and professionalism. This trip exceeded every expectation, and I can’t recommend Arcadia Safaris highly enough.
