AE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
trip of a lifetime, amazing team from organisation to the guide and adventure
I did a lot of looking around into which safari company to chose in Tanzania as there are so many options. Lion King Adventures stood out from the crowd and provided my husband and I a truly unforgettable experience. The team before the trip was very efficient with emails and organization to make sure we got the exact experience that we wanted. Everything ran smoothly from the airport pick up in Arusha to the airport drop of in Kilimanjaro. Our guide Ozzie was easy going and friendly, he was also very knowledgeable and made sure we had an amazing experience. Ozzie even took us on the long mission up to nearly the boarder of Kenya to chase the migration - it was indeed a loooong day but so happy we got to see it. Yousif our cook was awesome too, he made beautiful food and was always happy and smiling. When we stopped in the town at the end of the trip, on the way to the airport, Anne the owner greeted us to introduce herself and ask how our trip was - she was really lovely. All in all we had an such an awesome trip, thanks Lion King Adventures for making unforgettable memories for my husband and I :)
SA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceptional From Start to Finish
Our meet and greet at the airport was so friendly and helpful and put us immediately at our ease. The Tour Guide Jimmy who we spent the week with could not have been more approachable, friendly and just went out of his way to make our holiday the best he could. His knowledge of the areas we visited, certainly the Massai Mara was incredible as well as the information he imparted about all the different species we saw. The communication between the guides allowed us to see all the big game and more than we ever expected.
Thank you for giving us some exceptional and profound memories guys and we will no doubt be back to see you again. In the meantime, we will highly recommend you to anyone looking to go on safari in Kenya.
Thank You So Much.....
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
After an excellent trip to Namibia in 2004 this year we tried Botswana, which was wonderful.
The holiday exceeded all expectations. It was incredible.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Everything I could have hoped and wished for! Superb!!
When initially searching for a tour I contacted a large number of companies, Lenchada were quick to reply, friendly and a very good price.
Accommodation:
The guesthouse we stayed in the first night was wonderful and the staff could not have done more for us. The food was also incredible and they even cooked us some food when we arrived as we had missed lunch. We then went on to the Lenchada camp where we stayed in tents with real beds and a full size bathroom, it was way more than we were expecting. When they said camping we literally thought it would be a tent in the middle of nowhere! So we were very pleasantly surprised. Again this camp bent over backwards for us and nothing was too much of an ask for them.
Safari:
We first went to Naivasha Lake where we took a boat ride and saw many hippos, birds and other wildlife. The guy Joseph who took us out was great, very informative and also even let us get off the boat and go over to the Giraffes (this was an incredible experience looking up a giraffe from 3 feet away). We then went on to Nakuru where we went on a game drive around the national park. We saw white Rhinos and many other animals and it was a great way to dip your toe into it before Masai Mara.
Next up was Masai Mara and 'oh my goodness' what an incredible couple of days did we have! We saw everything we set out to see, Lions, Zebras, Hippos, Elephants, Giraffes, the migration, Cheetahs and the list goes on and on and on......
Guide:
Finally....our wonderful guide James! He literally made our trip incredible, I have never met a guide who is so knowledgeable and cares so much about you getting as much out of the experience as possible. Jimmy was in constant contact with his friends on the safari and when he got a call that there were animals nearby he would literally get us there as quick as possible so we wouldn't miss out. I cannot stress how great this guy is and how incredible he made our trip........If I were you I would ask for Jimmy ;)
A word of advice.....if you are thinking about doing a tour definitely book with these guys as you will not be disappointed!
AE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A little complicated
There was a misalignment on my expectations (wanted to see the Great Migration) versus what the safari package finally delivered (normal safari not focused on the Great Migration), I had chosen the package I did because it was supposed to focus on the Great Migration.
I have to admit that despite the misalignment of expectations I saw a lot and I have done a couple of safaris before in other countries.
Meru Slopes is a very good safari provider, just make sure you discuss the details before deciding on a package.
P.D. They offered a quick and good service recovery (discount on a future tour) once they realized that I was not entirely happy with the service they delivered.
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
our experience Tanzania Specialist was amazing we never expect to see so much wildlife, fantastic
Last year we booked a safari with Tanzania Specialist and it was amazing,the first day we ended up in a group of 24 lions and they even noticed that we were there. the guide really knows what he was talking about, we was very friendly and help full. We stayed for five night in de most beautiful lodges hidden in the beautiful landscape of Tanzania. so tank you Tanzania specialist for our amazing Safari
TH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great experience ever
I started looking for a safari tour on Safari bookings.com and we got offered from several companies but Kikwetu Cultural Adventures is quick enough and good responses to us also great offer.
By the way in this great offer but less reviews made us wonder if it’s a real company or really have this company so today I will tell you guys they are real and will share my experienced.
Kenneth is great responses also their service is very good but their vehicles are painful. They are very old and not comfortable at all.
We bought 10 days 9 nights include Hot Sir ballon package.
First they come to pick us up at the airport with a very old vehicle and all trip with a Toyota van. I’m not mind old cars if they are still works and comfortable seats. In Nairobi we selected walking tour and our guide very good and knowledge. I forgot his name. I have to say people here are nice and friendly but sometimes they are just very hard sell.
After one day in Nairobi we went to Samburu National Reserve and stay at Ashnill Samburu Lodge. Our driver and guide for our all trip is name Masaga. He is well knowledges and took us to see like us requested. We never miss any good ones, very impressed. In this reserve gave me feeling like I am in Jurassic Park movies. Very cool! We saw giraffes, lions, lioness, elephants, monkeys, baboons, chetahs, zebras and many more. We stayed here for two days.
Then we went to Ol Pajeta Reserve. This Reserve have so many zebras and we saw super big rhinos here. Our lodge is Jumbo Mutara Camp. Very beautiful lodge I had stayed in Kenya ever but their service was ok. We stayed here only one day and head to Abebare National Park. In this NP mainly we saw many elephants as we stayed at Tree Top hotel. The elephants came here to eat pink salts and drink water.
Next day we had super long ride and painful road to Masai Mara. But when we are there, we just forgot how tired we are after we saw super beautiful savanna of Masai Mara and amount of wilderbeats crossing the river also many of animals. We stayed at Ashnill Masai Mara, saw many hippos and crocodiles in the river just in front of the lodge!
On the way back to Nairobi we stop at the Masai village. I don’t think they really live here. Seems just for tourists to see.
So I have to say if you are looking for great safari experience in Kenya, I would recommend this company if you are not mind about the old vehicles.
Last I would like to thanks Masaga (our driver and guide). He is the best and would like to thanks Kenneth that you tried to served us best.
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Not reliable and fraudsters
I booked a tour with the agency Bencia Africa Adventure & Safaris based in Nairobi, starting from Kenya - Nairobi and that was to end in Tanzania - Arusha and then continue to Zanzibar. The tour involved crossing the large parks to follow the migrations, more than visits to sites of interest along the way. Obviously we knew that being in Africa and in a country where accuracy is not there we would have to adapt and not ask too many questions even if the price we had paid for two was very high. In any case, as we expected, throughout the trip we were not adequately informed about the program, giving us vague information and changing it continuously program, in fact three times we have changed the structures where to sleep, previously communicated, changing them with others not always of the same level proposed and the discovery of the change occurred only on the spot, without giving us the opportunity to accept or change. The first excursion was to Mount Kenya where we were told a generic "let's visit a cave", but we were not told that there were four hours of trekking and that we had to be equipped for a very rough path. The moral of the fairy tale, after half an hour of march a storm broke out and not being equipped we had to go back. And so it was throughout the trip. The most serious episode that happened and that ruined us all the rest of the holiday happened after 5 days of travel, when we arrived at the northern border between Kenya and Tanzania. They told us that they had to wait for their next guide before continuing their journey. They left us at a taxi saying that the driver would wait for us in the next city because he couldn't come there, we didn't have many problems because we were used to that way of doing and we went to the meeting in the next city. The guide we met, after a long wait, on the trip told us that he was a replacement for our driver who had the car broken and that would wait for us in the Serengeti Park. The trip was tremendous because he ran like a damned because we understood he didn't pay much and he wanted to get rid of us soon. We made the whole trip without water and lunch that were included. Arrived at the entrance of the park told us that we had to pay the entrance, which was already included in the price, but told us that not being he our guide, once arrived we would refund, we trusted and we paid. Once we arrived we immediately realized that the place was not the one we had booked. We had booked a tent with beds and instead brought us to a public field with a tent where we slept on the ground. The guide was not there and we tried to get him called by the person who had brought us them, telling us that he would arrive after an hour and a half. We waited for the guide and in the meantime we called the agency asking for explanations on the spot that was not the one booked, also because we did not know it, we were not equipped to camp, after my continuous insistence answered me that it was too expensive the tent with beds and changed structure and attached me to the phone not answering me anymore. We waited for the guide who had never arrived and stayed in the camp for two days without water or food, providing our own needs. We stayed two days in the camp sleeping in this public tent with sleeping bags recovered who knows where, because we didn't have the chance to leave, we were stuck and every now and then some characters told us that someone would arrive who never arrived. We were wandering in this camp that was not sure, so much so that one night a hyena chased us and we had to escape.
By day the camp was empty and we were left only two close to the tent and a small structure where they ate. We were really desperate, until we managed to bargain with a guy a passage to Arusha, interrupting the journey that was ruined. But not having the entry tickets to the park that the driver had brought with him, we would have had to pay the 400 dollars of the passage, the fine for tickets that we did not have, the two days of stay in the camp and the entry and exit in the park of Ngorongoro that necessarily had to pay to get out of the parks. At that point we decided to call the rangers who brought us to the police where we made the complaint and where magically occurred the driver who had disappeared. He was very surprised by the complaint and he justified himself by saying that the car had broken down and that he was finding a solution, he offered to let us continue the journey with him but we did not accept, the police forced him to give us the money of the entrance to the park, he paid us the car until Arusha and crossing the other parks. We also had to pay one night in the hotel, but once we got there the driver told us that he didn't have the money but we were relieved to have come out of that nightmare and we were very happy to be able to choose us a structure and get rid of them. The agency came alive when it heard about the complaint, apologizing and justifying that it had relied on this partner in Tanzania and that would have made us pay ... to date has never arrived anything. But the fact that I explained that it was his responsibility, because I had made a contract with him and that in the moment of need he had disappeared was a concept difficult to understand. We are now trying to find a solution to get compensation even though we know that it is impossible to get it.
Maybe we were a bit unfortunate but nothing justifies their way of behaving and the absolute lack of professionalism, exposing ourselves to risks and leaving us in a foreign land at the mercy of ourselves. Even just because of the stress their behaviour causes you, absolutely avoid them.
AE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Good and cooperative
Stephen and the big boss Elias are very nice I took a 3 days safari to Masai mara but kindly take atleast 5 days tour b coz 2 Full days goes in travelling itself...
Few tips for travellers
Take a 4*4 veichle instead of van b coz ground clearance very low and can’t reach in many routes
Ensure your veichle has an Air conditioning and operative b coz your whole body will be covered by dust road from Masai from narok is very poor
They have a free pick up but ensure it’s within their radius from airport other wise u should pay extra
Our camp was good but was outside jungle still try to stay inside the jungle if you are with family for night safaris
Take a camera with night vision big lens to spot animals, binocular,and snacks and some emergency medicines
Take drinking water with u only 1 liter
free per day
Enjoy your trips
IL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Good choice for tailor made safari in a reasonable price
Emmanuel was very communicative and efficient preparing the tour and replying immediately all our doubts. He tried to respond to all our special requests. Morris, our driver, was very professional, careful and cheerful. Driving in Uganda is not easy and Morris did a great job. Only, we learnt that we had to draw information about what is next and how to get dressed for each part of the trip. Some of the lodges Emmanuel had chose for us originally were replaced without consulting us but, anyway, we didn't have high expectations, so we weren't disappointed either way. When they promise hot showers and WiFi they have a wide definition for that. Over all, We enjoyed the safari very much, the vehicle, the people, the animals were great and we highly recommend the boat safaris. We took 3 and they were the highlights of our trip.