Reviews of safaris to Maasai Mara Conservancies
416 holiday reviews from our travellers of holidays which include Mara Conservancies.
"My Jan 2020 safari"
"Kenya - Jan 2020"
"Kenya 2020"
The Mara area had experience more rainfall than usual in the weeks prior to my arrival and as a result the grass was taller than I had expected in a lot of areas making it difficult to see the smaller animals and difficult to get unobstructed pictures of other animals. This was a bit disappointing as my prime objective on this trip was photography." Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 11 on a Kenya safari
"A mixed bag indeed"
Kicheche Valley in Naboisho Conservancy and Il Moran in the Mara Reserve were wonderful places to stay. The welcome, the location, the staff, the food and the guiding were all very professional and we would certainly go back to both of them.
Satao Elerai is in a beautiful location especially if you are lucky enough to see Kilimanjaro. Satao Camp is tired and would benefit from some energy from management.
The guiding problems we had with Southern Cross definitely affected our safari in both Amboseli and Tsavo East. Guides are vital to the enjoyment of these wonderful places and make a huge difference to what you see, learn and enjoy. If they are not of a suitably trained standard, temperament or not enthusiastic about all wildlife, long-anticipated (and expensive) trips will be spoiled. Quick fixes, such as offers of treats or bottles of wines, do not detract from the very bad taste of having to complain and try to get someone to take us seriously.
As travellers are told to do, we complained to the management and sent emails with our concerns and experiences to Expert Africa. Although Richard was liaising with Southern Cross what he was being told was often not what we were experiencing on the ground. In fact, he was being given false information. Six of the last 7 days on safari had problems. Julius at Satao Elerai did discuss things with us and try to sort out a solution. The problem with that is that the low standards should not have been acceptable to the Lodge or Southern Cross in the first place. During the last 4 days with the final guide, neither camp management nor Southern Cross management dealt with us directly. We are left feeling frustrated, angry and disappointed with a reasonable part of our trip." Read full review: 19 nights in Africa; 13 on a Kenya safari
"Another good holiday, despite the rain!"
We enjoyed our holiday nevertheless but the issues with wildlife mean that, if we're being honest, it wasn't as good as our first trip last year. We're not very experienced Safari goers and haven't got to the stage that more sophisticated guests might be at, of wanting to look very hard for animals; we want to come out of our camp and see herds of animals across the plains for as far as the eye can see and, at times this year, there was nothing very much as far as the eye could see!
We would like to note that none of the guides we had this year were as good as the excellent ones we had last year.
It's also worth mentioning that there was a misunderstanding about our pick-up time from the airport hostel to go to Solio. Some months ago, we changed the time from 7.30 am to 10 am, and this later time was clearly on our itinerary. However, Patrick from Safari Collections turned up at 7.30 when we were still in bed! He was very good-natured about it and waited for us to get ready and to have breakfast. He was pleasant and chatty throughout the drive and when he came back to Solio to collect us and drive us to Elephant Bedroom. We're not in any way complaining about this. These things happen but we thought you'd like to know." Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 11 on a Kenya safari
"My Dec 2019 trip"
"Kenya in Nov. and Dec."
The only suggestion I have is to get rid of the juice boxes and their plastic straws. Juice can be dispensed in glass containers too." Read full review: 9 nights in Africa; 9 on a Kenya safari
"Trip of a lifetime "
My eleven year old daughter and my parents in their seventies were equally delighted and astonished. We visited Kenya during the short rains in early December and felt it was a perfect time of year to go. Incredible wildlife!!!!!" Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 12 on a Kenya safari
"Great service with Expert Africa"
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
No..would recommend." Read full review: 19 nights in Africa; 15 on a Kenya safari
"Luxury Kenya 2019"
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service
Many Thanks to Lyndsey and the whole team.
I´m 100% satisfied and if I want to go to Africa once more, I would book with you
Many Thanks" Read full review: 9 nights in Africa; 9 on a Kenya safari

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