This Trip Reviews
1.
| Client: | Nadine & Richard - from New Zealand |
| Trip: | This Trip: Kenya and Tanzania Lodge Safari |
| Rating: |  rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | Thankyou for your email and the opportunity to provide some feedback...after our time in Africa, we continued our honeymoon in Europe so we have only just 2 days ago returned home to New Zealand. We absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVED our time in Africa!! We were nervous booking our trip through a company offshore but we were so pleased we did! EVERYTHING was perfect! The attention to detail and effort Siema put into organising our itinerary for us was beyond superb. We felt completely looked after from the moment Siema met us at the airport, throughout our entire trip, and even when we were transferred to the airport at 1am for our departing flight! Our driver/guide Amos was fantastic! He was helpful, caring and full of so much knowledge that he willingly shared with us. We never felt we were asking too many questions which is such a nice feeling when you are immersed into a new culture you want to learn so much about. Our transition to your sister company for our trip through Tanzania was smooth and without hassle, again we were so well looked after. All our accommodations along the way knew we were on our honeymoon and each did something of their own choice to make our stay romantic or that little more memorable - we felt so special! We will never forget our time in Africa, nor the new friends we have made in Siema and Amos. If we ever return to Africa or have friends and family wanting to visit Africa, we know exactly which company we will be contacting! Thanks so much for the trip of a lifetime -definitely a top score of 10 from us! |
2.
| Client: | Aniko Keri - from Australia |
| Trip: | This Trip: Kenya and Tanzania Lodge Safari |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | The tour operator was very professional and the trip went 100% smoothly. Our luggage weight was too heavy and they took 1 suitcase back to their office for us. By the time we discovered that we left all our papers e.g.(itinerary) they were gone. After a quick phone call, they assured us that they will call ahead to each lodge, telling them that we DO have vouchers, but not with us.True to their word we were expected everywhere. I found this operator on the internet,and to tell the truth I was a bit worried as one never knows.... They proved fantastic above all expectations. |
3.
| Client: | Elaine & Darrell - from Canada |
| Trip: | This Trip: Kenya and Tanzania Lodge Safari |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | Our safari went far beyond our expectations. The team were very personal and professional at the same time. Whenever we had questions they were addressed immediately before we traveled and during the trip our sales consultant, Bernard Muchiri, phoned and asked how our trip was going and could they be of any help in any way. Bernard also came to the hotel and introduced himself at the beginning of our trip. Our guide was superb, exhibiting a great deal of knowledge about his country and getting us to a place where we were able to see and photograph the animals. He did everything in his power to make our trip memorable and enjoyable. We highly recommend this company because it is doing everything right in showing off the country. On the Tanzanian part of our tour we also had a most memorable experience. Our guide was a veteran driver/guide who knew where to find animals and birds. He was very considerate of our personal well being. He was proud to be showing us his country and also gave us background on its history and people. Both of these tour groups were just excellent. |
4.
| Client: | Yen-ti Verg-in - from Micronesia |
| Trip: | This Trip: Kenya and Tanzania Lodge Safari |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | Our trip with was wonderful. The consultant and tour guides were very informative and helpful. We had an enjoyable and memorable trip. thank you for the good service. |
5.
| Client: | Ray Noble - from United States |
| Trip: | This Trip: Kenya and Tanzania Lodge Safari |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | Michelle and I thoroughly enjoyed our trip and both the travel and accommodations were well organized. We also had an excellent driver/guide and enjoyed our trip. There were no hidden surprises and we felt there was good open communication between the operator and us. I would recommend the tour company in the future. Thanks for asking and look forward to a future visit. |
6.
| Client: | Mary Want - from United Kingdom |
| Trip: | This Trip: Kenya and Tanzania Lodge Safari |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | Have just returned from this safari and have been exceedingly happy with the arrangements, from Siema's pre-trip organisation, to the accommodation arranged in both Kenya and Tanzania. Both our driver/guides - George in Kenya and Nuru in Tanzania - were excellent, careful drivers and very knowledgeable about the areas, animals and birds. |
7.
| Client: | Christoforos Socratous - from Cyprus |
| Trip: | This Trip: Kenya and Tanzania Lodge Safari |
| Rating: |  rating 4/5 |
| Comment: | In general, the Safari was very well organised in both Kenya and Tanzania according with our requests. The drivers were very good and friendly and willing to accommodate us and the hotels during the Safari were very good. The only issues we have relate to the last day and relate to two things. Firstly, the shuttle bus from Arusha to Nairobi took about 7 hours in horrible roads (all under construction) instead of 4.5 that we were told and also the accommodation arranged the last night in Nairobi was of a very low standard and it cost $120 for 4 hours we spent there. While we understand that both the above points are not the direct responsibility of the operator and we took these options mainly for not increasing the cost of the overall trip unnecessarily, they should have warned us about the conditions we would have to face both during the shuttle bus journey and the stay in the Nairobi hotel. If we have been informed we would not mind at all spending a bit more to fly back to Nairobi and stay in a decent hotel for the last afternoon/night. As a final comment, we are quite satisfied with our Safari trip and the tour operators organisation. We just feel that we should have been warned of the conditions we faced in the last day so that to avoid all the unnecessary inconvenience for some extra cost |
8.
| Client: | Roy & Helen Clayton - from United Kingdom |
| Trip: | This Trip: Kenya and Tanzania Lodge Safari |
| Rating: |  rating 4.5/5 |
| Comment: | Sorry for delay in responding its been a bit hectic after returning from our wonderful holiday in Kenya, Tanzania & the Seychelles. Apart from a small hiccup when we arrived in Nairobi ie; no one there to meet us from our flight (that was on time). That was soon sorted by a phone call to a mobile number we had by a very kind chap from a booth in the airport. Our driver Michael had been given the wrong arrival time 2hrs late! he was apologetic and welcomed us to Kenya and Africa (it was a bit worrying at the time as we had parted with a lot of dollars) we can laugh about it now though!! We found the tour operator & their team & their Tanzania tour partners to be fantastic without exception! from our first e-mails with Bernard the tour consultant to our safari tour guide Fuhanael Kileo to Juileus who took us to & met us at the airport with our safari bags that had been looked after whilst we were away on our holiday in the Seychelles. It was all just GREAT their whole team looked after us very well the service exceeded our expectations, our safari guide Fuhanael was great company & very knowledgeable who actually made the safari a trip to remember, we would certainly recommend them to anyone looking to safari in Kenya or Tanzania they were very professional and accommodating sorting the whole safari just as we asked fantastic accommodation Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge, Mbuzi Mawi Tented camp & Kiruruma Tented Lodge all different but all very good. Score 9.5 out of 10 would have 10 but for the hiccup at the airport. Asante sana to tour oerator & their team & The Africa Guide for the recommendation. We are looking forward to another safari once we have saved up! |
9.
| Client: | Kathy and Keith Caddy - from United Kingdom |
| Trip: | This Trip: Kenya and Tanzania Lodge Safari |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | Our holiday in both Kenya and Tanzania can only be described as undescribably incredible - no words are sufficient for describing the beauty of the place. Everything was well organised, our guides, Julius in Kenya and Silva in Tanzania were both outstanding - they had great knowledge and were always full of enthusiasm. The animals, the bird life, the scenery, and the Masai village visit (well worth doing), have all left us with wonderful memories. Please could you feedback to our guides how wonderful we thought they were. |
10.
| Client: | Val Smith - from Australia |
| Trip: | This Trip: Kenya and Tanzania Lodge Safari |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | Not long back from a 3 week safari to Kenya/Tanzania including 4 relaxing days in Zanzibar, all organised the this tour operator From the day we arrived in Nairobi where Ben, our guide/driver for the Kenya leg, was waiting for us until 3 weeks later when a driver saw us off at Dar Es Salam Airport, everything went without a hitch. The accomodation was well above what we expected. Driver/guides very informative on wildlife, local history , flora and customs. Always on time with a smile. It is hard to choose highlights from a trip where every day brings something exciting and special, be it a leopard sitting under a tree watching us watch him or a lioness with her cubs walking right beside our 4x4. The following are highlights for me from a trip that I would repeat Night Game Drive at Sweetwaters Tented Camp – We witnessed a lioness kill a gazelle, 2 lions roaring at each other before sitting down to enjoy the meal. The sight and sounds will stay with me forever. Hot Air Balloon Flight over the Mara – Well worth the early morning call. Watching the sun rise as you drift across the river, seeing an abundance of wildlife from above. Followed by champagne breakfast out in the bush. Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp – All our accommodation was great but this one we found exceptional. Imagine sitting out front of your luxury tent or floating in the swimming pool watching a rhino and two giraffe drinking from the waterhole 500 metres away. The management and staff, including the driver/guides all said they enjoy working here, it certainly shows in the happy atmosphere. Best camping I have ever done. Ngoongoro Crater- Breathtaking, both for the wildlife and the sunrise. Tarangire National Park – Beautiful park and the place to go for elephants in great numbers. I would have no hesitation recommending them to anyone thinking of travelling through East Africa |
11.
| Client: | Yvonne and Mark Elkin - from United States |
| Trip: | This Trip: Kenya and Tanzania Lodge Safari |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | We have nothing but positive feedback for this safari package and tour operator. Serah, the Head of Sales and Marketing worked closely with us to plan and prepare for our trip. She sent us lists on what to bring with us, tips for travelling in Africa and even provided information on bringing gifts for bartering and giving to the children in the tribal schools. Upon arrival, we were given a comprehensive briefing before setting off on our adventure. During our flight to Nairobi, I had lost a bottle of our malaria medicine while going through security in London. Serah and our driver/guide, Ben canvassed local chemists and doctors to help us replace the pills that I lost. Anything we needed they were there to help us find. The package itself was excellent. The accommodations are mostly at Serena Lodges, and they are beautiful places to stay, with more than excellent service. The staff at all of the lodges couldn't have been more welcoming and hospitable, the food was good and the settings/views gorgeous. My only semi-negative comment for the package is that for us 16 days may have been a little longer than we needed and the one night stay-over in Nairobi between Massai Mara and Amboseli seemed to serve no purpose in the itinerary. However, since you can never predict where or when you might see the animals most of us go to Africa to see, 16 days could be just right. And saving the best for last. Ben our driver/guide in Kenya was absolutely the best. He was extremely knowledgeable about the people, the country, the birds, plants and animals. We learned so much spending 11 days with him and in the course of the trip made a new and dear friend. We went to see the animals of Kenya and take some great photographs and ended up with an in-depth education about the culture, the history and the ecology of a pretty amazing country. He is an awesome ambassador for his country and made us feel like part of the family. And, by the way we saw everything we expected to see. Got the "big five" in the first 5 days and Ben was as excited as we were. So, we would absolutely recommend this package and this operator to anyone traveling to Kenya or Tanzania. We will return, but next time customize our package to see a few new places and to focus on learning more about some places we have already been. And you can bet we will request Ben be our guide. Traveled September 2008 Yvonne and Mark Elkin |
12.
| Client: | Peter & Meg Scholefield - from Australia |
| Trip: | This Trip: Kenya and Tanzania Lodge Safari |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | I could not recommend this operator more highly, their response was prompt, their safari was well organised and went without a hitch, their driver/guide especially in Kenya was just great and the whole three weeks they organised for us was superb. We would have no problem recommending them to anyone wanting a Safari in Kenya/ Uganda/Tanzania, they proved themselves to be efficient, honest and trusworthy, |
13.
| Client: | Toni Thompson - from United States |
| Trip: | This Trip: Kenya and Tanzania Lodge Safari |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | We had a perfect safari vacation. They arranged all the details based on what we wanted to do and arranged the Tanzania leg with their agent and we had the same quality experience there. The guides were fabulous, very focused on our safety at all times, and very knowledgable about the wildlife. They geared each drive to what we wanted to do and see. We spent a lot of time just watching and photographing the animals. We spent a long time at the Maasai village. The guides were very patient and seemed to be proud that we enjoyed Kenya and Tanzania so much. The Serena hotels were magnificent. The food, a combination of African, Indian, and international foods allowed us to venture out to try something new and we could always find something familiar, too. Local entertainment in the evenings allowed to learn more. Our hot air balloon driver stressed safety and cancelled our first flight attempt due to wind. We did get to do the balloon adventure the next day--awesome! I took my son for his university graduation gift. We have memories of the trip of a lifetime! We met so many kind, friendly people! Thanks for a wonderful trip! |
14.
| Client: | Kevin Hojem - from South Africa |
| Trip: | This Trip: Kenya and Tanzania Lodge Safari |
| Rating: | rating 4.5/5 |
| Comment: | I found the operator to be utterly reliable, knowledgeable staff and they delivered what I contracted for to the letter and more. Particular thanks to our Kenyan driver/guide George and on the Tanzanian leg James Ringo – both these gentlemen were polite, knowledgeable and looked after our every need. The Kenyan roads however are a nightmare so the Toyota 4X4 taxi had a suspension that was not suited to the daily slog of moving from lodge to lodge over some fairly long distances on atrocious roads. It was however a superb game viewing vehicle but without the off road capabilities of the Toyota Land Cruiser we had in Tanzania. The Land Cruiser however was superb on the bad roads but for me an atrocious game viewer when seated because all I could see was the roof canopy unless I stood up through the pop up roof. I am 1.84m tall and when seated had no view of the road ahead or a side view unless I sat next to the driver but then had no access for filming through the pop up roof. I would imagine the new Land Cruiser 70 series station wagon would be the best upgrade. We had a bad experience balloon ride at the Masai Serena Lodge. Hit the deck at 40km per hour and dragged for 179 meters – luckily but for a few bruises no one was badly hurt but we were all badly shaken ( as was the Pilot). The short answer to your question however is that I would use the safari operator time and time again and would highly recommend them to anyone planning a similar safari. They responded promptly to all my e mails and queries and their planning and logistics were superb and they employ staff/guides of the highest calibre. |
15.
| Client: | James - from United States |
| Trip: | This Trip: Kenya and Tanzania Lodge Safari |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | They exceeded our expectations as a tour operator. Serah was very professional, well organized,? and reachable during our stay. Raphael, our guide, was knowledgeable, personable and had a great sense of humor. I would highly recommend them to anyone considering a Kenyan safari.? |
16.
| Client: | Ying-Liang Shen - from Taiwan |
| Trip: | This Trip: Kenya and Tanzania Lodge Safari |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | Our safari was 14 days tour visited Kenya & Tanzania. We all had a wonderful time .I would highly recommend this safari operator and their guides.They did a great job. |
17.
| Client: | Paul Lennen - from Australia |
| Trip: | This Trip: Kenya and Tanzania Lodge Safari |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | Our safari through Kenya and Tanzania was terrific, the game parks exceeded our expectations, the accomodation blended in with the scenery, the people we encountered continually echoed Acoona matata. As you can tell we had a terrific time. The safari operator is very professional and provided a memorable expereince. The service is quite tailored to your needs, so you get to see and expereince everything that adds up to making a great safari expereince. Both Sahra and Julious (our guide) made our trip very memorable. For people considering travelling, look into the diversity of offers out there, you can mix a trip up between camping in very nice tents (which include toilets etc), basic camping through to some very nice lodges with game viewing from your front window. Knowing you have a lot of options will allow you to customise your tour to suits your travel style. The local people look for your trade, but remember you can trade more than your currency, pens and paper are very common requests. Don't forget your binoculars and if you ever wanted to upgrade your camera, nows the time. |
18.
| Client: | Anita and Roar - from Norway |
| Trip: | This Trip: Kenya and Tanzania Lodge Safari |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | Time flies but it has never flown as fast as it did in Africa for us. We wanted to prolong each day in Africa, but our almost 20 days there seemed like a moment in our lives. A moment to cherish forever -- or at least until our next trip! Thank you for the fabulous arrangements the operator made for us. As far as we are concerned nothing went wrong and everything was just perfect. If we had been impressed by what we read about them before we came to Kenya, we were even more so after we met them. Congratulations to the operator and their staff for taking such good care of their clients. We certainly appreciate it and are grateful. The game drives were superb, the driver-guides knowledgeable and friendly, the hotels comfortable, the food good, and though the famous potholes on the roads were destroyed even further by the long 'short rains', they were almost imperceptible to us, so lost we were in savouring the beauty around us. Even though Samburu was greener than expected, Aberdares drier, Masai Mara wetter and Serengeti and other northern circuit parks in Tanzania more insect infested than expected, our joy at the large number of animals our guides managed to show us was unbounded. We hesitate to put down the numbers or names of animals we saw, just as we hesitate to describe the beauty of Kenya and Tanzania -- the nature and the people -- for no words could do justice. The pictures are etched in our memories and we hesitate at the moment even to look at the pictures we took or the moments we recorded for fear of spoiling the beauty of what we experienced. Our only regret is that we were the intruders |
19.
| Client: | Douglas Lang - from Qatar |
| Trip: | This Trip: Kenya and Tanzania Lodge Safari |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | From my first correspondence with the operator, they were fantastic. They created a safari that suited my desires, and were always open to making changes and alterations to the agenda. They never forced anything on me; they simply provided all possible options, and let me make the decisions. The safari itself turned out to be better than I ever imagined! We were pleasantly met at Nairobi airport, and we had no worries for the next sixteen days while in Tanzania and Kenya. Our driver/guides in each of the countries were super and did everything they could to accommodate us. The lodges were beautiful, clean, and the meals at them were magnificent. Overall, I would highly the safari operator to anyone looking for any type of safari in Kenya or Tanzania. |
20.
| Client: | Ozzie and Liz Schalm - from Canada |
| Trip: | This Trip: Kenya and Tanzania Lodge Safari |
| Rating: | rating 4/5 |
| Comment: | My wife and I recently spent a wonderful safari in Kenya and Tanzania. We travelled to various National Parks in both countries. Our accomodations and meals were superb. Our guides were very helpful and courteous, showing us many animals to photograph (this was basically a photo safari). The only thing that we found disappointing was that we were discouraged from photographing the people of the country, which to us is an important part of a photographic story. Overall, a good trip. |
