Reviews of safaris to Maasai Mara Conservancies
386 holiday reviews from our travellers of holidays which include Mara Conservancies.
Mr & Mrs B
Bath
"Masai Mara, Kenya - October 2015"
I visited Kenya between 2 Oct 2015 and 12 Oct 2015
"We are seasoned travellers and have been on many safaris previously.
However, we had never seen the migrational activity. We were pleasantly surprised and thoroughly enjoyed Kenya (maybe not Nairobi though). The quality of the game viewing, big cats, river crossings and some rare encounters - serval cat, bat eared fox den etc made it a very special trip. The highlights would be the wildebeest crossing the river, the big cat population and Mara Plains camp, which is exceptional." Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 10 on a Kenya safari
However, we had never seen the migrational activity. We were pleasantly surprised and thoroughly enjoyed Kenya (maybe not Nairobi though). The quality of the game viewing, big cats, river crossings and some rare encounters - serval cat, bat eared fox den etc made it a very special trip. The highlights would be the wildebeest crossing the river, the big cat population and Mara Plains camp, which is exceptional." Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 10 on a Kenya safari
Overall trip
Excellent
Mr & Mrs LN
London
"Kenya again - Sept-Oct 2015"
I visited Kenya between 30 Sep 2015 and 11 Oct 2015
"Richard delivered again! After looking to book with various companies I am so glad we came back to Expert Africa. Richard's in-depth knowledge and enthusiasm for Kenya is a refreshing change from those companies whose 'expert' did a flying trip of a few camps but actually know nothing about the actual country. Keep up the research and the actual trips to Kenya Richard as your knowledge is invaluable.
My husband and I lived in Kenya previously and have visited regularly but this time I took my Canadian 24 year old nephew on a safari that he had been promised since he was a child. It could not have been a more successful nor enjoyable trip!
We stayed for 2 nights at Macushla House (Nairobi), 1 night Aero-Club (Nairobi), 2 nights Elephant Bedroom (Samburu), 3 nights Governors (Masai Mara), 2 nights Encounter Mara (Naibosho Conservancy - Mara).
Nairobi traffic jams are crazy and are only going to get worse. Choosing your hotel and what you want to do needs to take this into account. We wanted to visit the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage (please go there), the Giraffe Sanctuary (good fun) and Nairobi Game Park (much underrated) and a few shopping areas. Staying at Macushla House meant this was possible without having to deal with much traffic which suited us. We decided to use taxis for one day and then a driver for the second. In hindsight having a driver means you can really please yourselves and change your plans if you want to and I would do this in the future rather than taxis. If you want to go into the city and experience the restaurants and city life then possibly a more central hotel would suit you better.
We had a very early flight out the next morning so rather than chance the traffic and have a ridiculously early start we stayed at the Aero Club which is on Wilson Airport. This is a Nairobi institution and the bar (where we also ate our dinner) was welcoming and interesting and, best of all, was a 5 minute trip from the terminal. The accommodation is very basic but it worked for us. I do not think it would not suit most people.
Elephant Bedroom in Samburu was fantastic in every way. My only complaint is that we did not have time to spend 3 nights here as we usually do. It is one of my favorite Reserves and very different from other locations. This was my second stay at Elephant Bedroom and all of the tiny problems have been dealt with now and the welcoming and efficient staff were fantastic. The animals have the right of way through camp and that makes for wonderful experiences especially with elephants. My nephew's many questions were answered with accurate information delivered with enthusiasm from the guards through to James our guide. Because it is usually so dry you do not get the quantity of game here you get in the Mara but you get varieties of animals you can not see elsewhere and the elephant sightings are incredible. The scenery is also fantastic.
We mixed our time in the Mara between Governors (in the Reserve and a large camp) and Encounter Mara (in Naibosho Conservancy and a small camp). This was the best mixture and each offered us something different and special. If you want to see animals you can not beat the Mara and boy, did we see animals in both places. It should have been the end of the migration but there were still lots of wildebeast and we actually saw a crossing. Where there is food there are predators and we saw lots of them as well. The Mara was still busy so going to Encounter Mara meant we saw wonderful cat sightings with very few vehicles. Encounter Mara also allowed us walking safaris, night drives and a (non-commercial!) boma visit. With their lovely guides and staff we will go back there and I hope others do too as it deserves to do well.
I think the balance of Nairobi Game Park, Samburu Reserve and the two locations in the Masai Mara gave my nephew a varied glimpse of Kenyan wildlife and countryside. He has not stopped talking about it. He absolutely loved the trip but confessed that he did not realise that sitting in a vehicle and looking for animals could be so exhausting! As for me, Kenya has so much to offer that I will return again (and again and again)!" Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 10 on a Kenya safari
My husband and I lived in Kenya previously and have visited regularly but this time I took my Canadian 24 year old nephew on a safari that he had been promised since he was a child. It could not have been a more successful nor enjoyable trip!
We stayed for 2 nights at Macushla House (Nairobi), 1 night Aero-Club (Nairobi), 2 nights Elephant Bedroom (Samburu), 3 nights Governors (Masai Mara), 2 nights Encounter Mara (Naibosho Conservancy - Mara).
Nairobi traffic jams are crazy and are only going to get worse. Choosing your hotel and what you want to do needs to take this into account. We wanted to visit the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage (please go there), the Giraffe Sanctuary (good fun) and Nairobi Game Park (much underrated) and a few shopping areas. Staying at Macushla House meant this was possible without having to deal with much traffic which suited us. We decided to use taxis for one day and then a driver for the second. In hindsight having a driver means you can really please yourselves and change your plans if you want to and I would do this in the future rather than taxis. If you want to go into the city and experience the restaurants and city life then possibly a more central hotel would suit you better.
We had a very early flight out the next morning so rather than chance the traffic and have a ridiculously early start we stayed at the Aero Club which is on Wilson Airport. This is a Nairobi institution and the bar (where we also ate our dinner) was welcoming and interesting and, best of all, was a 5 minute trip from the terminal. The accommodation is very basic but it worked for us. I do not think it would not suit most people.
Elephant Bedroom in Samburu was fantastic in every way. My only complaint is that we did not have time to spend 3 nights here as we usually do. It is one of my favorite Reserves and very different from other locations. This was my second stay at Elephant Bedroom and all of the tiny problems have been dealt with now and the welcoming and efficient staff were fantastic. The animals have the right of way through camp and that makes for wonderful experiences especially with elephants. My nephew's many questions were answered with accurate information delivered with enthusiasm from the guards through to James our guide. Because it is usually so dry you do not get the quantity of game here you get in the Mara but you get varieties of animals you can not see elsewhere and the elephant sightings are incredible. The scenery is also fantastic.
We mixed our time in the Mara between Governors (in the Reserve and a large camp) and Encounter Mara (in Naibosho Conservancy and a small camp). This was the best mixture and each offered us something different and special. If you want to see animals you can not beat the Mara and boy, did we see animals in both places. It should have been the end of the migration but there were still lots of wildebeast and we actually saw a crossing. Where there is food there are predators and we saw lots of them as well. The Mara was still busy so going to Encounter Mara meant we saw wonderful cat sightings with very few vehicles. Encounter Mara also allowed us walking safaris, night drives and a (non-commercial!) boma visit. With their lovely guides and staff we will go back there and I hope others do too as it deserves to do well.
I think the balance of Nairobi Game Park, Samburu Reserve and the two locations in the Masai Mara gave my nephew a varied glimpse of Kenyan wildlife and countryside. He has not stopped talking about it. He absolutely loved the trip but confessed that he did not realise that sitting in a vehicle and looking for animals could be so exhausting! As for me, Kenya has so much to offer that I will return again (and again and again)!" Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 10 on a Kenya safari
Overall trip
Excellent
V & C
London
"Unforgettable Kenya experience"
I visited Kenya between 26 Aug 2015 and 8 Sep 2015
"We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Kenya and Richard at ExpertAfrica was instrumental in orchestrating the perfect trip for us. We had communicated our preferences to him in terms of wildlife, activities, budget and also the mix and sequence we were seeking to achieve and he was thoughtful, creative and flexible to put together a truly unique trip for us that exceeded our every expectation!
The highlight of our trip was our time at Samburu, where we enjoyed (perhaps with some luck) exceptional moments (lions stalking impala herd, lion stealing a leopard kill, leopards climbing trees, cheetah making a kill among others) and had the privilege of travelling with one of the best guides we've ever experienced in Francis at Saruni Samburu - a breathtaking setting for a lodge!
Our time at Meru at the start of our trip and just before getting to Samburu gave us an intimate and involved experience which was a perfect way to kick-off the Kenya experience. After Meru and Samburu we enjoyed the overwhelming abundance of the Mara. Our stay was initially in the Mara North Conservancy where we were able to enjoy more flexible activities like walking safaris and night drives and concluded in the main reserve with spectacular river crossings on our last day in Kenya!
Throughout our trip, we felt very safe and the locals were always welcoming, cheerful and always happy to help and went the extra mile to make us feel comfortable and at home. We also had a vegetarian dietary requirement which was perfectly catered for throughout our trip at all the lodges. Recent events have hurt the tourist business in Kenya which is a real shame as the country, its people and its wildlife have a lot to offer and a lot for the rest of us to learn from!
We would absolutely visit Kenya again and almost certainly call ExpertAfrica on our next African holiday! Thank you very much for helping us with this memorable Kenyan experience!" Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 8 on a Kenya safari
The highlight of our trip was our time at Samburu, where we enjoyed (perhaps with some luck) exceptional moments (lions stalking impala herd, lion stealing a leopard kill, leopards climbing trees, cheetah making a kill among others) and had the privilege of travelling with one of the best guides we've ever experienced in Francis at Saruni Samburu - a breathtaking setting for a lodge!
Our time at Meru at the start of our trip and just before getting to Samburu gave us an intimate and involved experience which was a perfect way to kick-off the Kenya experience. After Meru and Samburu we enjoyed the overwhelming abundance of the Mara. Our stay was initially in the Mara North Conservancy where we were able to enjoy more flexible activities like walking safaris and night drives and concluded in the main reserve with spectacular river crossings on our last day in Kenya!
Throughout our trip, we felt very safe and the locals were always welcoming, cheerful and always happy to help and went the extra mile to make us feel comfortable and at home. We also had a vegetarian dietary requirement which was perfectly catered for throughout our trip at all the lodges. Recent events have hurt the tourist business in Kenya which is a real shame as the country, its people and its wildlife have a lot to offer and a lot for the rest of us to learn from!
We would absolutely visit Kenya again and almost certainly call ExpertAfrica on our next African holiday! Thank you very much for helping us with this memorable Kenyan experience!" Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 8 on a Kenya safari
Overall trip
Excellent
The M family
Michigan
"My Aug 2015 trip"
I visited Kenya between 21 Aug 2015 and 4 Sep 2015
"Kenya has left an imprint on our souls. 20 years ago I came to Kenya, and have been dreaming about returning ever since. Being able to return with my husband and children in tow, is truly a dream come true. Any and all expectations I had, or we had as a family, were shattered. We were amazed by the beauty, the wildlife, the people of Kenya, and we will never be the same. We are truly better for it. The education my children received on this adventure is beyond anything we could have provided in books, and they will never forget it.
Richard Trillo is fantastic, knowledgeable, and worked hard for us to build us an itinerary that would fit our young family and our budget, not to mention putting it all together very last minute. He also worked behind the scenes with my mom to surprise me on my birthday for a spectacular Champagne bush breakfast, and went out of his way to secure little things like car seats in Nairobi, and I am sure many other things I am unaware of. There was not a single hiccup with all of the flights, transfers, cabs, drivers, hotels, camps, etc. Everything ran smoothly, we felt extremely well taken care of, and never had to worry about a thing. I would definitely recommend Expert Africa, and Richard Trillo, to anyone wanting to plan something truly special.
Special Thanks to Sweetwaters Serena Camp, Offbeat Mara and Pinewood Beach Resort for being the lead roles in our trip of a lifetime.
My only regret is having to come home. You will fall in love with Kenya, your heart and soul changed forever. We only hope to be able to visit again, and not 20 years from now. We wish to inspire others to travel to Africa, Kenya in particular, thru our stories and our photos on our website www.diagnosiswanderlust.com. We met solo travelers, honeymooners, couples, and families and it is a wonderful destination for all of the above. If you have been dreaming of an experience like this, don't wait, make a plan, and just do it. You will never regret it.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
I honestly cannot think of anything.
I promise to let you know if I think of anything. Everything was professional, complete, and fantastic." Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 12 on a Kenya safari
Richard Trillo is fantastic, knowledgeable, and worked hard for us to build us an itinerary that would fit our young family and our budget, not to mention putting it all together very last minute. He also worked behind the scenes with my mom to surprise me on my birthday for a spectacular Champagne bush breakfast, and went out of his way to secure little things like car seats in Nairobi, and I am sure many other things I am unaware of. There was not a single hiccup with all of the flights, transfers, cabs, drivers, hotels, camps, etc. Everything ran smoothly, we felt extremely well taken care of, and never had to worry about a thing. I would definitely recommend Expert Africa, and Richard Trillo, to anyone wanting to plan something truly special.
Special Thanks to Sweetwaters Serena Camp, Offbeat Mara and Pinewood Beach Resort for being the lead roles in our trip of a lifetime.
My only regret is having to come home. You will fall in love with Kenya, your heart and soul changed forever. We only hope to be able to visit again, and not 20 years from now. We wish to inspire others to travel to Africa, Kenya in particular, thru our stories and our photos on our website www.diagnosiswanderlust.com. We met solo travelers, honeymooners, couples, and families and it is a wonderful destination for all of the above. If you have been dreaming of an experience like this, don't wait, make a plan, and just do it. You will never regret it.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
I honestly cannot think of anything.
I promise to let you know if I think of anything. Everything was professional, complete, and fantastic." Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 12 on a Kenya safari
Overall trip
Excellent
SarahSW19
London
"Kenya 2015 - Absolutely fabulous !!"
I visited Kenya between 21 Aug 2015 and 3 Sep 2015
"Really sensational trip !
Some of the best wildlife viewing I've ever had .
Lovely accommodation - would definitely go back to Rekero .
Feel a bit mean about comments I made regarding Little Governors , and I know it's very popular with many people , but
I just felt they are falling behind the competition somewhat. Particularly the food .
Many thanks to Richard Trillo for all his advice in the planning of this trip !
Will definitely use EA again
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Tell people that if they already have a visa when they arrive at Nairobi airport - do nand in the ""Visa"" line at immigration
Use the ""Other passports"" line
( go figure !)
Otherwise you will have to queue up twice!
Our transfer cars were absolutely great . Our driver Eddie said to say Hi to Richard Trillo.
We were told that the morning visit ( 11am - noon) to the David Sheldrick elephant orphanage was a bit of a bunfight and that as we had adopted two elephants and therefore qualified to visit at 5pm when they come home to bed ( by arrangement) - we should do that and not go at 11am.
The experience was great and there were only about 25 people there .
But the shop was closed at 5pm - and we had wanted to buy a hat that we had seen somebody else on our travels wearing.
So go early if you want to visit the shop too.
Nanyuki airport is really nice and has Wi-fi . Good restaurant and souvenir shop.
Nobody weighed our luggage anywhere except at Wilson airport - and even there they were not as strict as expected" Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 12 on a Kenya safari
Some of the best wildlife viewing I've ever had .
Lovely accommodation - would definitely go back to Rekero .
Feel a bit mean about comments I made regarding Little Governors , and I know it's very popular with many people , but
I just felt they are falling behind the competition somewhat. Particularly the food .
Many thanks to Richard Trillo for all his advice in the planning of this trip !
Will definitely use EA again
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Tell people that if they already have a visa when they arrive at Nairobi airport - do nand in the ""Visa"" line at immigration
Use the ""Other passports"" line
( go figure !)
Otherwise you will have to queue up twice!
Our transfer cars were absolutely great . Our driver Eddie said to say Hi to Richard Trillo.
We were told that the morning visit ( 11am - noon) to the David Sheldrick elephant orphanage was a bit of a bunfight and that as we had adopted two elephants and therefore qualified to visit at 5pm when they come home to bed ( by arrangement) - we should do that and not go at 11am.
The experience was great and there were only about 25 people there .
But the shop was closed at 5pm - and we had wanted to buy a hat that we had seen somebody else on our travels wearing.
So go early if you want to visit the shop too.
Nanyuki airport is really nice and has Wi-fi . Good restaurant and souvenir shop.
Nobody weighed our luggage anywhere except at Wilson airport - and even there they were not as strict as expected" Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 12 on a Kenya safari
Overall trip
Excellent
The F family
Somerset
"Always breathtaking."
I visited Kenya between 21 Aug 2015 and 2 Sep 2015
"A well planned and executed trip, with every detail and eventuality carefully considered and expressed by Richard Trillo.
A pleasure dealing with Richard and the team who care passionately about Africa and the experience they provide, helped by the enormity of knowledge and experience so invaluable when advising others.
Would have no doubts in recommending to our friends and family. So glad we were recommended to them in the first instance. A huge thanks from us for what was a very provocative trip." Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 11 on a Kenya safari
A pleasure dealing with Richard and the team who care passionately about Africa and the experience they provide, helped by the enormity of knowledge and experience so invaluable when advising others.
Would have no doubts in recommending to our friends and family. So glad we were recommended to them in the first instance. A huge thanks from us for what was a very provocative trip." Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 11 on a Kenya safari
Overall trip
Excellent
Mr & Mrs S
Waco, TX
"would have been 5 Paws without Selous/Manze"
I visited Tanzania and 1 other country between 14 Aug 2015 and 24 Aug 2015
"Selous should not be marketed as having meaningful elephant populations
everyone in the country seems to know it but it was not indicated to me
Lake Manze is overpriced by at least double
should be sold as a budget camp for families going to cheap beach hotels in Zanzibar
because we are very experienced travelers we don't let any single issue spoil a trip but--
We usually do our own bookings but made an exception for this trip due to the number of domestic flights
and our preferred tight flying schedule .Iwas impressed by the service from both Richard and initially, Clare and
the details such as flights,transfers hotels,time usage were well done
I have never paid the pricing of Lake Manze/Selous and received as little
I rate the camp and game experience below modestly priced South African Private reserves near Kruger
eg: Nkorho or Gomo Gomo which are 50% lower
Kwihala was an excellent recommendation and Kicheche was as advertised
I do not think the location of the camp can compare to Karen Blixen tents on the River
where i have stayed previously but they have a different manager from my last visit there
and Kicheche was very satisfying." Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 6 on a Tanzania safari
everyone in the country seems to know it but it was not indicated to me
Lake Manze is overpriced by at least double
should be sold as a budget camp for families going to cheap beach hotels in Zanzibar
because we are very experienced travelers we don't let any single issue spoil a trip but--
We usually do our own bookings but made an exception for this trip due to the number of domestic flights
and our preferred tight flying schedule .Iwas impressed by the service from both Richard and initially, Clare and
the details such as flights,transfers hotels,time usage were well done
I have never paid the pricing of Lake Manze/Selous and received as little
I rate the camp and game experience below modestly priced South African Private reserves near Kruger
eg: Nkorho or Gomo Gomo which are 50% lower
Kwihala was an excellent recommendation and Kicheche was as advertised
I do not think the location of the camp can compare to Karen Blixen tents on the River
where i have stayed previously but they have a different manager from my last visit there
and Kicheche was very satisfying." Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 6 on a Tanzania safari
Overall trip
Excellent
The C family
S London
"Overall, a fine safari in Kenya"
I visited Kenya between 31 Jul 2015 and 15 Aug 2015
"I think I've summed it up elsewhere"
Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 14 on a Kenya safari
Overall trip
Excellent
Mr & Mrs Q
Berks
"July 2015 Trip"
I visited Kenya between 30 Jul 2015 and 10 Aug 2015
"Great trip all camps lived up to expectations all offering something different. Game drives excellent lucky to see both leopard and cheetah kills which is rare to see both.
The full migration not yet happening as wilder beast content with grasses in Tanzania and major crossing not expected until Sept/Oct
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
No
Would certainly recommend Expert Africa to other travellers." Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 10 on a Kenya safari
The full migration not yet happening as wilder beast content with grasses in Tanzania and major crossing not expected until Sept/Oct
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
No
Would certainly recommend Expert Africa to other travellers." Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 10 on a Kenya safari
Overall trip
Excellent
Mr/Mrs E
Wisconsin US
"A fantastic safari trip"
I visited Kenya between 19 Jul 2015 and 29 Jul 2015
"The trip as a whole was fantastic! I am especially grateful to Richard Trillo, who worked with me through the long process of selecting regions in Kenya to visit, and the sites and the activities. He was very knowledgable and we had a fruitful email "conversation" as we sorted through the details and my wife and I made our choices.
The different parts of the trip - airport pickup with Southern Cross Safaris, the flights, the safari camps and the transfers - all worked together seamlessly.
It was an unforgettable trip, and I feel fortunate to have worked with Richard in crafting it, and am grateful to Expert Africa for having pulled it all together! I will recommend them to friends and family for future travels.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
This is not a complaint as much as something to consider. The trip was a large expenditure - akin to buying a small car, for our family! If it made sense to gather information or provide recommendations on travel insurance, that may be worth considering adding to the Expert Africa portfolio. We ended up using SquareMouth, which worked well for us (caveat: we made no claims)." Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 9 on a Kenya safari
The different parts of the trip - airport pickup with Southern Cross Safaris, the flights, the safari camps and the transfers - all worked together seamlessly.
It was an unforgettable trip, and I feel fortunate to have worked with Richard in crafting it, and am grateful to Expert Africa for having pulled it all together! I will recommend them to friends and family for future travels.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
This is not a complaint as much as something to consider. The trip was a large expenditure - akin to buying a small car, for our family! If it made sense to gather information or provide recommendations on travel insurance, that may be worth considering adding to the Expert Africa portfolio. We ended up using SquareMouth, which worked well for us (caveat: we made no claims)." Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 9 on a Kenya safari
Overall trip
Excellent
386
reviews of Mara Conservancies by travellers since August 2007
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