IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Avarage quality honeymoon
The communication before departure was slow and sometimes not efficient, during the trip I had no response from them at all. Overall the trip was good, but not excellent as anyone expect for honeymoon. The company did not respect the itinerary we agreed upfront, the fridge in our jeep was out of service and the guide tried to took advantage of us more than once. I am sure there is better on the market.
BE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Is the best choice
Safari service is parfacty, i enjoyed my stay with them last year when i was Rwanda in the holday every was okey. Thanks for all I recommanded to every one
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
bumpy road
On the whole, this was a decent experience.
We weren't aware the road into Masai Mara was so incredibly bumpy, and with two small children and a pensioner on board, this was information that should have been passed on to us from the start as a matter of courtesy. The car itself was very loud and the windows were quite shaky, which of course was magnified during the bumpier parts of the journey.
There was a question about money and residency status that was problematic, but eventually resolved after a few talks on the phone.
Our stay at the eco-center was pleasant, the people were friendly, and the food was lovely.
Our driver was kind and knowledgable.
Because we had two young children with us, the morning outing on the 3rd day was scrapped.
Unless a different van was available, I don't think we would ride with Safariline again.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
unfortunate experience *updated*
Update February 2nd, 2017:
The owner of the company called me with concerns about my review, so I will clarify that further.
I said the food was not good, which was too blanket a statement. There was a buffet for every meal, and most people could find something in it that appealed to them. There was always a certain amount of Indian food, as Kenya has a large East Indian population. I wouldn't go expecting gourmet offerings, but the food was satisfactory. Mark (the owner) said he eats fruits and vegetables every time he goes there, but it seemed to me like no one wanted to risk it on my trip.
As for options that cost more, I was referring to side trips that are offered if you have the time.
Another point I didn't make in my review was to be sure to bring extra cash-like at least $250. There are many things you will need it for, and they gladly take American dollars, so no need to change money.
Original review:
My experience with Odyssey started out well: I though they had good communications and returned my emails and calls promptly. Where it all fell apart was when they had a problem with the return ticket and did not give me accurate and timely information. This caused me a lot of anxiety and anger, because they were not honest and forthcoming about what was happening. It turned out fine in that I did get home, but my feelings about the trip are tainted.
The tour itself seemed to be ok, with a lot of driving and very little rest or down time. Also, the food was not good. Many of the options are not really available at all, and most cost extra money.
I would caution anyone interested in this company to be aware of every detail stated in the package, and keep a careful eye on arrival times and any changes that are made.
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The experience was ok but not over the top considering the name 'celebrity tours'
The lodge was great, the safari was not good, there were no animals to see. Our driver din't communicate clearly e.g he Said it was 20 dollars to visit a masaai village n on arrival to the village, it was 20 dollars Per person. Some drivers were getting to close to the animals n he Said it was not allowed and he was actually obligated to report if he saw one but he din't coz he Said they were masaai's. Our car had a problem driving back to nairobi which made everyone tense.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A good safari, but planning and driver could be better.
Very good coverage by the agency at the airport. Good communication with the agency. Good service in the hotel before and after the safari.
The guide was more interested by the girls of the group than in his work of guide
We lost too much time to go shopping (1/2 day on the first day and 1/2 day on the last day)
Bad planning of the day. We had to build up tents in the night and have the diner around 10 PM
The driver did not respect the rules in the park (driving out of ways)
Overspeed on the road is not safe (the driver toke a overspeed bill)
EG
Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wecam: Highly responsive, okay service, some missed key details
Wecam was mostly good but got quite a few significant details wrong, so I give them 3 stars to make a point that the operator in a situation like a Kenya/Tanzania safari trip should come with strong experience, clear recommendations, and quality equipment to soothe over the difficulties of a trip like this. Wecam overall provided okay service, were honest and responsive, but fell short on the details. I emphasize the details missed below.
Starting with the positive, Wecam was the most responsive of the operators contacted, which counts for something. They also were honest enough to pay for an error in a flight booking that I showed via old emails was there fault. While that represents missing a detail, on the flip side, they were honest enough to pay for the flight even having already paid for the safari in full at that point. So the positives of their service along with one strong lifts them from below average.
We chose a safari and beach vacation. The first vehicle assigned for our safari was the oldest we saw around and a bus rather than jeep-style, better suited to the terrain. More importantly, the windows did not shut well to keep out the cold morning draft (which the limited heat could not offset sufficiently) or dust, with one periodically even falling out when I opened it to take photos. Nor did it have air conditioning as an option to keep drafty windows closed and prevent my girlfriend from coughing from a mild allergy to the dusty road. The second vehicle assigned in Tanzania was significantly better, though it may have been a governmental requirement. It also lacked air conditioning, plus the trunk stopped working, which would have been a big problem if we were more than two people. The first vehicle advertised that it had wifi, but they didn’t send the driver with the wifi unit so that it could work. The second vehicle didn’t advertise wifi onboard though the driver had the unit, and didn’t clarify it was available until we were out of range of towns anyway and then ran out of airtime promptly and couldn’t get it back working. The first driver wasn’t that great with English or explanations, although the second one was outstanding, raising Wecam from two stars.
Another significant detail missed was that I specifically made it a much more expensive two-country safari to see the Great Migration in action, which was heading from Masai Mara to the Northern Serengeti. However, they had the itinerary skip right past the Northern Serengeti. Good thing we were lucky enough to see a decent number of wildebeest including a river crossing in Kenya and so many lions in Central Serengeti, or we’d feel really miffed.
There also were problems with estimating time. Drivers generally under-estimated amount of time to arrive, while the central office person initially estimated our timing to arrive at the airport four hours early for merely a domestic flight. The second driver was better at estimating time. Wecam booked internal flights without engaging us as requested with respect to flight time, they ignored one message with a specifically-requested time that was available, and they communicated a slightly incorrect flight time. They also put us at a hotel a 90-minute drive away from the airport after a long day of driving and flying when much closer options were available, even if without quite as nice a beach, turning a long, tiring day into a late, exhausting one unnecessarily. Wecam did not provide clear recommendations from among mid-range hotel options, forcing me to try to review choices and advise though without sufficient time while working a busy job to check accurately, leading to staying in a couple second-best stays among the second-rate places.
Overall, there were a number of positive elements in their service and strong responsiveness. For the price paid though, I expect stronger assistance with providing recommendations and smoothing out the details.
FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Who cares about the agency, it's all the same
First of all, I'd like to say that any agency you book through (at least, in the "low prices agency") it's all the same : you will be put in a group with other people who will do exactly the same tour, but that will have book through another agency.
Good things about Spot Kenya Safari :
- was answering quickly
- good price
- give you the itinerary you want
Bad things :
- Told me that I could pay with American Express, and it was then not possible (once I was there !)
- Gave me a very expensive price (900 dollars for 6 days), that I had to bargain to arrive to 700 dollars. People travelling with me had a 680 dollars immediately, without bargaining through another agency.
Then the trip was very good, good driver, many places seen, good hotel ... but this does not depend from Spot Kenya Safari I guess, as the people I was travelling with were with another agency and had the same tour.
LT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Lake Manyara National Park by ramunaskr
This park is called "Home of tree climbing lions" - never saw any lion in 3 hours trip inside this park.
I've been in mount Kilimanjaro national park. This park is not in the list here.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Tarangire National Park by Toffael Rashid
amazing for birds and elephants!