Great experience with a few issues
For our honeymoon we had booked to take part in a safari starting in Kenya to visit the Maasai Mara National Reserve, then through to Tanzania to visit the Serengeti and Ngorongoro National Parks.
Our main contact was Frankline and everything had been going well up until the point we were waiting for our flight to Nairobi. We were told that because we had paid via card we owed more money, something which had not been mentioned until this point. Desperately we had to withdraw some money at the airport which meant we had a terrible exchange rate.
When we arrived in Nairobi we were picked up by a driver and taken to our first hotel, Mokka City Hotel. The staff were nice, but the hotel was average. We met Frankline and our driver, Eric the next morning. We were offered an evening game drive for an additional cost which we accepted, Eric was fantastic. A great driver with a lot of knowledge and made us feel comfortable.
Our evening was spent at the Jambo Mara Lodge which was very nice, the food was lovely with plenty of choice, the hotel was clean and the staff were very friendly. Eric was very accommodating and asked us was time we wanted to start the next morning for our first full game drive. We saw some incredible things thanks to Eric's hard work and we can't thank him enough.
We spent another night at the Jambo Mara Lodge ahead of a morning at a local Masaai Village which was very interesting, we then embarked on the drive back to Nairobi. This is where confusion started. We were told that all meals were included, except those at the hotel in Arusha (something which I had clarified prior to travelling to Africa). After having no lunch and arriving at the Mokka City Hotel again, I contacted Frankline about this and was told that food was not included. We hadn't budgeted for this and I told him that we had confirmed that food would be included prior to starting the Safari. Eventually at around 10pm we received a Chicken salad from the hotel.
The next morning we were picked up by a different driver and taken to our shuttle bus. The shuttle bus itself was not great, it was very warm, overcrowded and took a long time to get through to Arusha in Tanzania. Upon arriving in Arusha, I contacted Frankline to see if the shuttle bus would take us directly to the hotel, he said it would. However, we were told to get off the bus with everyone else. I then looked at my phone and the hotel we were supposed to be staying at (Tulia Retreat) was only down the street, so we grabbed our things and walked to the hotel. When we arrived the receptionist said we didn't have a booking here and it was actually at their sister hotel (Tulia Boutique). I contacted Frankline who proceeded to tell me that it was my fault that the booking had been messed up (despite the receptionist confirming that it had nothing to do with me). We were disappointed as we had paid extra to stay at this hotel for two nights as a nice break in-between a lot of travel time. However, the hotel was fully booked and reluctantly we had to wait for a taxi to take us to the sister hotel.
At the sister hotel, the hot water didn't work, the room was very small, the shower door was missing. I mentioned this to the staff at reception and they moved us to another room, which was better, but still not what we were expecting. After the long drive from Nairobi to Arusha and the issues we had, we were tired and just wanted to get some sleep.
The next morning we was picked up by Eli, he was very friendly and made us feel welcome. We drove from Arusha through to the Serengeti, stopping on the way for photos and lunch. Eli was a fantastic driver and managed to get us up close to a lot of Lions, Cheetahs, and even 3 Leopards etc. He worked very hard and we stayed out until it was almost pitch black. We were then taken to the Shuhudia Lodge. This was a tented lodge in the middle of the Serengeti. The food was fantastic, the staff were great and we had a very pleasant evening there, even seeing some nosey Hyena walking around camp.
The next morning Eli picked us up to take us over to the Ngorongoro National Park. Here we completed seeing the big 5 and managed to see 3 Rhino. We stopped for a nice lunch and then made our way back out of the park to stay at the Octagon Lodge.
The Octagon Lodge was amazing, the room was large and we were the only people staying there as we were just before the high season. The staff were really friendly and we would definitely stay there again.
We then departed back to Arusha and because of the issues with the original hotel, we had been in contact with Frankline and agreed that we would once again stay at the sister hotel (Tulia Boutique), as the Tulia Retreat was still fully booked, but to compensate for this, we would be given a private transfer back to Nairobi. This ended up working out well, as the transfer was a lot quicker and more comfortable.
When we arrived back in Nairobi for our final night ahead of our flight home in the early hours of the morning, I feel like I was severely let down by Frankline. For a few hours, up until around 11pm, he was constantly messaging me, asking me to leave a review here - telling me that he had an important meeting in the morning and that he was going to lose his job if there wasn't a 5 star review. Because of this, I felt pressured to leave a review, as I needed to get some sleep and I didn't want to risk losing our transfer to the airport if I didn't.
Overall the safari was fantastic, the drivers were amazing and all of the hotel/lodge staff we came across were very accommodating. These are the reasons why we have still given 4 stars. However, I feel like we needed to leave an honest review as we felt let down by Frankline at points during the trip. I have proof of everything which I've mentioned if anyone wants to view it.
ES
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing 4 day safari experience
Lidya helped us very well selecting the perfect itinerary and accomodations and was very patient when we kept changing our mind. The accomodations she selected were a great fit for us and we had the best experience during our 4 days in Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro. Our guide, Yusuph was amazing! He is a great driver, super friendly and went out of his way to show the big 5 and many more animals from up close! The amount of animals we saw and the whole experience surpassed all of our expectations. Asante sana!
PL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best experience one could Think of
There are no words to describe how amazing the trip was. Everything was perfectly organized from sleeping in comfortable tents, through delicious food served by the team to extraordinary Safari drives. Monika is extremely knoledgeable, reliable and helpful. I felt at home from the very first day. We saw plenty of animals, got to know a lot about the bush and Botswana, felt safe and well taken care of. If I were you, I wouldn’t take a second to go! It was the best experience ever!
BE
Great
We travelled with kihindo-tours a trip from zanizibar to kimuni national park , 3 days safari. It was quit an adventure. The team arranged every step of the way, everywere there was somebody to accopagnie us and show us the way! They did great. Snd than our safari was not even begon. Our guide Nuhu is the absolute best of its kind. He guided us in the evening and in the early morning and took us to places nobody else went . It was great and he was both kind and very skilled and knew how to approch the animals. We had an amazing time with him. We wish him and Kihindo the very best !
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fabulous trip, highly recommend
We would like to say a huge thank you to Neema for arranging our last-minute safari. Despite the short notice, everything was organised perfectly, and we had an absolutely amazing experience.
A special thank you to our driver and safari guide, Ali, who was incredibly knowledgeable, professional and, most importantly, made us feel completely safe throughout our safari. With over 16 years of experience, Ali knew exactly where to take us and was able to show us the migration and the Big Five. He was also incredibly patient, waiting while we took lots (and lots!) of photos — he truly has the patience of a saint! 🦁📸
We couldn't have asked for a better guide and would highly recommend Ali to anyone looking for an experienced, knowledgeable and friendly safari guide.
Thank you again, Neema and Ali, for making our safari such a wonderful and unforgettable experience! 🐘🦒❤️
CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
John is considerate, sweet and very good at finding animals for us.
Overall, it is awesome. the itinerary is spot-on and the hotels were characterized and nice.
Amazing experience with Shayona Safaris & Tours
We had an amazing safari experience with Shayona Safaris and Tours while travelling with friends. From the beginning, everything was well organised and clearly communicated.
Our guide, Ndaki, was excellent. He was very knowledgeable, friendly, and always willing to go out of his way to make sure we had the best possible experience. His knowledge of the wildlife and the areas we visited made the safari even more enjoyable.
The itinerary was explained clearly before the trip, and we really appreciated being given different options so we could choose an itinerary that suited us best. Throughout the whole experience, communication was smooth and the support from the team was very good.
Overall, we had a great time and would definitely recommend Shayona Safaris and Tours to anyone looking for a well-organised, enjoyable and memorable safari experience. A big thank you to Ndaki and the whole team!
good in general
John is very kind and helpful. With lots of patience. Willing to help us with lots of questions. He is a great guide.
BE
under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent, we saw animals that other people did not see thanks to him. Thanks Nuhu
Very nice company. I would really recommend, everything was fixed from transport to food… . 10/10.
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderfull Experience With The best Guide
Elias was our guide during the 5 days that lasted the experience. He was always caring of us and was the best driver and guide that we could ever dream of.
They helped us with the delay in our flight and offered alternatives to make our experience the best.
Thank you for all Elias and Mike!