CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Awful experience - will never use this company again
After arriving from a fabulous trip in Masai in Kenya which was exemplorary - Kruger experience in terms of accomodation and service whilst trying to resolve the situation was disappointing to say the least. We had spent almost 10k CAD for 6 people and after seeing where we were accomodated (between a caravan park and gas station) and that we would be required to spend most of our family time in this dump (between 2 drives - we decided to leave after 10 minutes of arriving. Our kids would not even sleep on the beds provide in teh chalets (size of a washroom) and washrooms and shower were pathetic (unlike pictures sent to us).
People i dealt with were Bjorn Van Huyssteen and Alexis Boshoff amongst many others...
What a wate of 100 000 ZAR
Spent 2 days driving back to JHB as we could not get a return flight and miscommunication wth tour operator. Alos promised a refund which unsurprisingly we were later informed after numerous call - that they will not refund a cent.
Emabarrassed as a South African who previously spoke highly of SA and services offered here. Never again will i use this company or anyone assocaited with them. Especially as they did not even have an idea of whwre we were staying or never visisted thsi place.
Was also advised that ony after payment was made that airport taxes will be an additional 17% of total package already paid...
BTW - 3 star meal and wine - meant shhopping at local store and cooking in a common kitchen and then carrying your own chairs to "dining area" about 400m away..
IL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
fantastic tour, amazing guide
thank you Jo for the enjoyable 4-day tour, overall your diligence and willing to go the extra-mile are exceptional. i will definitely recommend you to my friends.
thank you again !
DK
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Selous Game Reserve Safari
We had a great safari with Kanuth Adventure Safaris. The food was absolutely great. On the first safari day we spotted many different animals and the guide Joseph was good to explain about the animals and the wild life. The second day we unfortunately had to help a couple of other cars, which broke down. That was a bit frustrating, because we only had two days of game drive. But we still saw many animals, which was great. Both the boat safari and walking safari were very good with passionated guides. On the safari we drove in a Toyota Land Cruiser with plenty of space and four wheel drive, which was a perfect vehicle for the safari trip.
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing!
Everything was perfect: Travel, food and accomodations (we mainly appreciated tented camps near Tarangire and the ones in Serengeti). We visited Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro. The latest two were wonderful. We saw many animals and big cats, our favourite! We stayed only few hours in the Ngorongoro, we'd liked to stay there more, considering the beautiful landscapes and animals. Thanks to our guide Hoffman to let us meet so many big cats!
IN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It Started and Ended Extremely Well!
Highlights:
- Very informative and helpful sales team
- Reasonable pricing, offering multiple lodging options to suit your budget
- Extremely informative website
- We had a wonderful extremely cooperative and driver/guide for our safari
- Very good with their adherence to timelines getting you to your destination promptly
- Have the option of pop up top minivans or 4x4s
- Their packages are all expenses included. We only paid for tips and alcohol at all the places and lodges we stayed.
The first thing that drew my attention to them is their very informative website that takes it a level further by giving you a brief of the many parks and national reserves across Kenya. While they do have off the counter packages to choose from based on the number of days you're in Kenya, they allow personalisation of your itinerary, as most operators do. You should leverage on their description of the places to plan your itinerary.
Planning:
I got in touch with them well before our trip via email and they were very prompt in the replies and very informative at the same time. Right from letting me the pros and cons of the options we had, the logistical feasibility, they were very frank about what could be managed and what couldn't. They even offer you multiple lodging packages based on your budget, and with multiple recommendations under each package. At the same time, they allow you to choose your own hotel and have them coordinate with the chosen place of stay. Well before we landed in Kenya, everything was already laid out.
Guide:
Our driver/guide, Charles, was a relatively quiet but was a gem of a person accommodating all our little requests here and there and helping us out any time we asked for it. He may not have been the more charismatic of guides, but he did his best to ensure we were comfortable at all times. We loved the football banter we had with him. He put his vehicle through hell to make sure we get to all our places. This included a mad rush to the Mara triangle on news breaking out of a herd of wildebeest making the river crossing and our final road trip back to the airport in Nairobi from Masai Mata at 5:00 am, planning for traffic contingencies along the way. I'm told they're very particular about their selection process with drivers and guides, and you can see they are.
Execution:
We were only 3 people yet were given an exclusive vehicle and guide to ourselves. Their on ground team deserves a lot of credit for their work. We kept them waiting, if anything, at the airport on landing. We reached every single location well on time and everything in the itinerary was well prepared and ready for us before we arrived at our different destinations. The hotels they had recommended in all but one location were fabulous.
There was just one minor problem we'd faces during the trip regarding the inclusion or exclusion of a safari organised by the lodge we were staying at. After a bit of a struggle to get in touch with their Nairobi team, the entire thing was resolved by them paying out of pocket for it within 30 minutes or so.
We were on a 5 day, 4 night package. The safaris for the first two days were handled by local guides but paid for by their team. The last two days at Masai Mara was a safari in their vehicle. The constant communication on their radios ensure you don't miss anything someone else spotted.
If I were to plan another trip to Africa, and had these guys as an option for a safari operator, would definitely go with them.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very good 2 way contact before the safari and a well organised comprehensive tour of the Maasai Mara
From the moment I sent my request for information Doyen Safaris (Kennedy) was very quick to reply and was able to provide answers to all my questions. As this was my first visit to Kenya and my itinerary was not confirmed I requested several variations on my initial specification and Kennedy responded quickly and thoroughly to each request. As I was booking with less than 2 weeks before the safari the quick responses were just what I wanted. Some companies made their initial contact with me over 48 hours after my initial query which was not good enough to satisfy my demands.
The cost of the package was competitive and the itinerary was very clear. The international money transfer for the deposit went smoothly and the balance was paid in US $ on the day of departure.
Kennedy met us at the hotel on the morning of the Safari and introduced us to Richard who was to be our driver for the 3 days. We were soon onboard the transport bound for the Maasai Mara. The three days were filled with unforgettable experiences and Richard was a great driver and guide. He made sure that we witnessed as much of the sights and spectacles as possible. The accommodation and food at Miti Mingi camp was as advertised on their website. The picnic under a tree in the middle of the Mara was very enjoyable.
On our return to Nairobi we met Kennedy who was keen to know if the safari had been to our satisfaction and so that he could get feedback on our trip, there were a few very minor points which he said that he would address.
Overall a great experience and the many email conversations before arriving in Kenya supported by the attention to detail by Doyen Safaris made it an unforgettable experience. I have no hesitation in recommending their services.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Well rounded
I recently took the Amboseli 2day, 1night tour with Africa Flash Mc Tours and had an excellent experience. Whilst the destination meeting expectations is a huge part of the trip, the customer service can really add or destroy the experience. In this case I must say that Leonard was an excellent guide and ambassador for his country. Africa Flash Mc Tours really went out of their way to respond to all my questions immediately and were very solution focused. Nothing got in the way of finding a solution for me.
As it was I ended up being a solo traveler and not only did they not increase the cost to me, they also didn’t cancel based on no other travelers taking part. That is dedication to customer service. Leonard knew that I was obsessed with seeing Mount Kilimanjaro from the Kenyan side and eventhough this is not guaranteed as there might be cloud cover, the moment he saw Kili “peeping out” from above the clouds he pointed it out to me. What a sight!!
We stopped at a Maasai village which I’m glad we did, however, I did find it a little “commercialized”… That could be from the basis that I am from Africa and had on some level romanticized what it would be like. I expected it to be a far more “remote” experience.
Leonard was very knowledgeable across a lot of different subjects which made it really special for me. We discussed from wildlife, to nature, culture, personalities regardless of nationality, the origin of different nationalities across the world, Corinne Hoffman’s book “The White Maasai” etc… Leonard was attentive and picked up on the things that would make a difference to me and then made sure I experienced them – for example climbing up a hill to a truly special view point….. no tourist trap experiences.
In closing, as a woman travelling alone, security is of the utmost importance and at all times I felt safe with Leonard on the Africa Flash Mc Tour. I cannot wait to have another trip with them.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The Migration crossing the Mara River
Wild Compass Tours in California worked with The Untamed Portfolio group to put together a fantastic photography tour of the Wildebeest migration. The tour was beyond my expectations with not only the river crossings, but also seeing and photographing the "Big Five" animals. The Serena Lodges in Nairobi and Maasai Mara are the best Kenya has to offer and were great. The cost of our tour was very reasonable and can't be beat. I highly recommend Wild Compass PhotographicTours and The Untamed Portfolio.
NZ
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Chris organised out safari which was way above our expectations in both accomadation and excitement
Our driver was Johna he was easy to get on with and great sense of humour,great in getting us close to the action and good photo positions.Driving through towns and small villages was very interesting seeing how locals live.Ol Ppajeta,Sambura,Aberdares were all great with excellent game drives seeing big five the number one for my wife and i was Maasai Mara this place is unbelievable and a must see with lion prides,leopards,cheetas,black and white rhino ect in great numbers. the road being rough in parts is well worth it.So thank you Beacon Safari and Johna for giving us an adventure we will never forget. Thankyou
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
African Adventure in Tanzania
Our 7 day safari in Tanzania with Wildebeest Safari exceeded expectations.
From the initial enquiry, through to booking and even on safari, everything was seamless.
I would highly recommend Wildebeest Safari to anyone and recommend our driver/guide Steve.
His experience, knowledge and willingness to cater to our request added to our experience.
The accommodation provided on safari was of the highest quality.