20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderfully coordinated trip
We’ve just returned from our 2 week safari + beach trip to Kenya and I’m so happy we booked our trip with Seven by Far. I started corresponding with Sylvester in the spring and throughout this entire process, he has been incredibly patient, even as I changed my mind on our itinerary and lodges. I did find that communicating with him on WhatsApp as we got closer to the trip was easier than over email. I normally plan all my travels on my own, but it was wonderful having Sylvester and his team on our side to coordinate everything. We had a few minor hiccups during the trip but Sylvester sorted them out in due time and I’m glad we had him to sort things out. Sylvester also helped coordinate our PCR Covid tests required to leave the country – we didn’t even have to leave our hotel room in Nairobi!
Our driver for the first half of the safari, Anto, picked us up at NBO after an evening flight and dropped us off at a hotel by the airport. We departed the next morning for our drive to Ol Pejeta (1 night) and then drove to Samburu (2 nights). The driving distance and time wasn’t too bad for the two legs and the 4x4 was well-maintained and comfortable. Anto is a great driver and guide – we were able to see the Big 5 and Northern 5 during the first few days. After Samburu, we flew to the Mara, where Sylvester arranged for our stay at 2 camps – 1 in the National Reserve and 1 in the Naboisho Conservancy. At these two lodges, we used the drivers/guides in the camps. In the Mara, we also did a hot air balloon safari – a wonderful experience that Sylvester helped coordinate.
After our safari, Sylvester arranged for our flights and local transport at Diani Beach. Upon our return from Diani, Sylvester arranged for another driver, Joseph, to meet us at Wilson airport and a few days later, drop us back off at NBO for our international flight home. Thanks to Sylvester, Anto, and Joseph for a wonderfully coordinated and worry-free trip!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
nice operator
nice operator and very reliable. we had a great day and saw lots of animals. lunch pack including, nice car in good condition
CH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Safari, which was great organised!
The Safari with Hyrax was well organised and also Peter was a great driver and company.
Have done the a 3 day Safari and had a great hotel. Peter was always punctual which I think is also really important.
Peter is a great mechanic and can also fix something if necessary, he also helped other tourists when there was a problem with the care of them.
All in all a great experience and I can recommend Hyrax and Peter to every person or group which like to visit Kenya!
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing safari which far exceeded all my expectations
I was on the 7-day group joining safari from Baboon Budget Safaris at the end of August. My guide was Joseph and he and the whole safari was just amazing. Everything went well, I was picked up at the airport the day before the safari and brought to my hotel. The entire 7 days were perfectly planned, the camps / hotels were very comfortable and clean. My expectations about the safari were more than exceeded, I was able to observe some lions up close and of course many other animals. Joseph always tried his best to give us the best view of the animals. Thanks to his many years of experience as a guide, we were able to get the best out of the safari. Furthermore, Joseph always knew some interesting facts about the animals we spotted. After the breathtaking game drives, we always had enough time to relax or to sit around the campfire for a drink. All in all, it was just a perfect time to which our guide joseph made a significant contribution. I can really recommend everyone to book a tour with Baboon Budget. I will definitely come back again! :)
UA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Awesome trip.
Every aspect of our trip was perfect. Emanuel has supported us every time. He organized a transfer from airport, for instance.
We slightly tuned our safari (2 night we spent in lodges instead of tents and lodges were perfect.
So, great value for money.
BE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Choose Lion King, you won't regret it ! A true once in a lifetime experience !
After nearly two years of preparation (thanks Covid !), I have never regretted to choose the Lion King company for my 9 days safari in Tanzania. They provided high quality service from their very first response (Pendo was just AMAZING) to our many questions we had. I took the time to contacts many differents tour operator but with Lion King, it was different. We had such a good feeling about them from the beginning and we where not to be disappointed, trust me ! Everything went as planned, perfectly executed and I would not change a thing!
Our guide Ali Fa and our cooker Karim were just amazing at their work. But they were even more amazing as person and we will miss them as for us, they are part of our unforgetable memories which they filled with joy, knowledge and humour all along the way. I will never thank enough the Lion King company for making this trip such a wonderful and unforgettable experience!
Also, for my french speaker companions, coming from Belgium I wanted to have a guide that would be able to speak French, don't miss out to ask for Ali Fa our guide who has been to the Lycée français in Dar Es Salaam and his french is just perfect!
In short, do not look for another company in terms of quality/price you won't find something better! Trust me, it took me 2 months to compare at least 50 companies and I have never regretted my choice!!! Once again, thank you Lion King,
20-35 years of age
Amazing adventure
We just came back from our kilimanjaro tour. We did the lemosho route in 7 days and it was really amazing. We had the best team with Enosa expedition. Every single member of the team tried their best to make our dream come true. The food, the service and the guides were great. We felt safe and comfortable all the time. We can really recommend it to do a trekking tour with Enosa. We will never forget this incredible week!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing!! Very reliable and delivered beyond expectation
Omg..Thank you so much Savannah woods safaris for ur amazing services.My parents really enjoyed their vacation at Baobab resort Diani.Lucy God bless u for planning the whole trip the great follow up u are truly the best u made the trip easy ....words cannot express how truly grateful I am.Will definitely be back!!!!
BE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Thieves
We booked the safaritrip "The best of East Africa" in 2020. Because of covid we had to postpone to 2021.
The trip we booked was fully options, parkfees, logies, meals etc.
When we arrived in Nairobi Peter and Peninah were waiting for us together with our driver.
They said everything was arranged for our trip.
At day 4 the troubles started, we had our lunch in a restaurant on the way to Masai Mara and the driver paid 6.000 KES for the lunch.
A hour later, the driver told me he had a call with Peter about the lunch and h said that Peter told him to ask the money back to me and that he would pay me back when we were back in Nairobi.
The same day a recieved a mail from Peter asking me to pay the parkfees for Masai Mara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara and Amboseli, because the were not payed yet.
Because we were already on our way to Masai Mara, I wrote him that I could do that if we could pay with creditcard at the entree of the park and that he would repay us whn we were back in Nairobi.
He replied, no problem.
So, we paid the park fee for Masai Mara.
Then we went to Tanzania and that driver said that they had contact with Peter and that we would pay the park fees in Tanzania.
I said , yes, if we can pay with creditcard at the gates.
That was impossible he repleid, in Tanzania the fees are paid through the travelco and you cant pay at the gates, because they have no cardreaders.
So, we drove to one ATM to another, collecting cash money, because I reached that day the maximum of cash redraw, we would do the same when we came from the Nogorongoro crater.
The amount we had to pay was also much higher than Peter wrote me in his mail.
So, I wrote Peter that same day, that I will stop paying and that he had to find a solution.
I never recieved a answer on that mail, so after visiting the crater we had to go again to ATM machines to collect the rest of the money.
When we went back to the border of Kenia, to visit Amboseli, we had to show our PCR test, but nobody told us, not Peter or the touroperator in Tanzania, that we had to do the test.
So, instead of going to Amboseli, we had to return to Arusha, to do the test.So, we lost our stay in Amboseli and we had to pay $110 for the test.
The normal price for the test is $49, but we had to pay more, because the testcenter was already closed and they found a doctor who would do the test, but only if we paid $110.
So, the day after we went back to the border and straight to Nairobi.
I sent a mail to Peter to meet us in the EKA hotel, so he could pay me back.
Once arrivbed in the hotel, a few hours later Peter, Peninah and one other lady showed up.
After explaining what we went trough and how much they owned us, the discussing started.
They did not had the money to pay us back and they told us we had to wait until they recieved money from another group that would come the second week of September.
So, after 4 hours of waiting and discussing, we had to call the tourist police.
When they arrived and because they could not explain what they did with our money we paid for our tours, they arrested them and put them in jail. Before we went of to the police station another issue popped up, even our hotel was not paid for our last night and diner.
Last week a recieved our first payment, but we are still waiting to get the rest of our money back.
What should be a splendid holiday, became a nightmare, we lost more than 4 days, first driving to one ATM machine to a other one, than because of the PCR test we never had the change to visit Amboseli and our two last days in EKA hotel, where we spend more time in the police station than in the hotel.
Thanks Ms Leonorah Kasina for planning my Turkey trip.I really enjoyed everything.You are the best.
Vacay deals are the best,they have never disappointed me.
Am so grateful.