Kenya: reviews from our travellers

"Amazing." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 11 on a Kenya safari

"Kenya is one of my most favourite trips. Even with my itchy uncomfortable skin condition, I enjoyed myself immensely.

The guides, aside of the Tanguila guides, were excellent. I was hoping to see more lions and maybe a hunt but instead we saw leopard Natito and her cub, twice and you can't beat that. I was surprised at how close the guides could get us to the large animals.

We got to see big Tusker Craig up close and personal for over an hour. We had the most comfortable accommodations and fabulous food.

I liked the lined ponchos provided by Kicheche camp. Early mornings are cool and they were fabulous.

Overall, as they say, a trip of a lifetime. I'd like to do it again but can it be topped?" Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 12 on a Kenya safari

"What can I say? My best friend of 65 years said that she had never seen me at a loss for words about anything before.

This trip was beyond beyond. I now understand why people go back time and time again. The animals, the people, and the land get under your skin and into your soul. I told my brother that the only way to describe it is that it is everything that is real. Animals living their lives the way they are intended to. A good day for a cheetah hunting and catching a young gazelle, not a good day for the gazelle. The circle of life and all that that means.

To witness: a large elephant family moving across a huge dry lake; seeing hundreds of thousands of wildebeest, elephants, zebras, cape buffalo, all together on the move; meet and see Craig the Tusker, that magnificent old elephant; and giraffes nibbling on tree tops; there truly are no words...it is all emotion.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, for everything, for every little detail and putting us into the care of so many exemplary people in Kenya.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Not one!" Read full review: 24 nights in Africa; 13 on a Kenya safari

"Another extremely enjoyable visit to Kenya, organised by Expert Africa. All travel and ground arrangements worked faultlessly. The Asilia camps were comfortable, run in a very professional but friendly way and our two guides - Abdi and Jackson - were both caring, knowledgeable and willing to do whatever they could to give us a good safari experience.

Game viewing wise, this wasn't perhaps the most exciting safari we've ever had - no leopards, no wild dogs, only one dozy cheetah - but, as always, there were some unique moments that will remain long in the memory. Just three examples: two giraffe families together, each with a baby no more than a few weeks old. Also, a single male lion, early morning, trying to find his mate from the previous night. We spent about an hour with him as he sniffed the air and the ground, scent marked and peed on our and the other three or four vehicles that were present with him ... all in beautiful dawn light: magical. Thirdly, a rare, good sighting of a serval, initially hidden in the grass but then walking out into the open.

Waterlovers hotel on Diani beach is a great place to stay for a few days to recover from a safari. It's small enough (~ 30 guests max?) for the service to be personal, just five minutes from Diani airport, has very good rooms and decent food. The Indian ocean is a few metres away if you want it.

Final comment re the Wildlife Survey: please note that the numbers given for some sightings are "there or thereabouts" ... we sometimes saw a rhino or a giraffe or a ... in the far distance and therefore have no photos to stimulate the memory: I suspect we saw more than listed. Apologies for my lack of scientific rigour (CSL)." Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 12 on a Kenya safari

"When planning the holiday we asked for camps that not only offered the potential for high quality game viewings but were also high quality; intimate; a little off the beaten track; and a bit different from each other. Expert Africa pointed us towards Kicheche Laipikia (3 nights) and Kicheche Mara (4 nights) and the combination delivered in spades.

Both were luxurious yet intimate, feeling like you were in the heart of the African bush. Both were a little away from most other camps, meaning that many viewings were on our own. Both provided an excellent service and dedicated and knowledgable guide to show us around. The food was excellent at both camps as was the camaraderie around the fires in the evening.

However, the main reason you come is for animal sightings and we were not disappointed. The two camps offer slightly different landscapes. Laikipia is more bush and has a proliferation of rhinos. Mara is more classic African plains where the big cats are a bit easier to find.

Over the seven days we saw plenty of black and white rhino (all in Laikipia), 3 cheetahs (2 Mara, 1 Laikipia) and 2 leopards (1 each). Lions were too many to count - well in excess of 20, along with numerous elephants, giraffes and hippos.

It was an exceptional trip in all regards and will live forever in the memory." Read full review: 9 nights in Africa; 8 on a Kenya safari

"A very good trip. We have steered clear of Kenya for many years because it has become so popular and crowded but felt we would like to give it a try again in the hope that we might see the wildebeest crossing the rivers with all the action that the crossing produces.

In the event we were unsuccessful in that regard because animals are not always predictable! Having entered the Mara pretty much on schedule they decided to turn round and go back into Tanzania. In fact this the third year running they have not travelled as far north as previously.

In this respect it was our fault for relying on historic data and we had not taken the trouble to update ourselves on recent trends. It will always be difficult to make predictions on this subject and while there are websites which give up to date information this is not relevant at the time one has to make a booking.


This disappointment was compensated by several rare sightings. We were able to spend a lot of time and able to follow a Serval mother and three kittens and on two separate occasions we witnessed a cheetah making a successful chase and kill right in front of us. Over many years of going on safari we have occasionally seen cheetahs with the result of a successful chase and kill but never before have we seen the actual chase right in front of us.

We selected the two camps because they are operated by a company with several locations in southern Africa and who work with Expert Africa and whose camps we have visited at four other locations in Tanzania and where we were suitably impressed.

One particular aspect which pleased us was the flexibility of the ranger/guides to check with their guests on the duration of the trips. The fact that we always had a packed breakfast with us meant the duration of each trip was not governed by the need to get back for a cooked meal." Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 10 on a Kenya safari

"This trip was designed to satisfy my desire to return to northern kenya.


I wanted to see Meru again (last visited in 1978!)
I was very keen to see the Rhino Sanctuary .

Inspired by the book 'Flowers for Elephants' by Peter Martell
I also wanted to see how a northern conservancy and how it is embracing tourism & conservation issues

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Not really. I have used Expert Africa several times, all have been excellent." Read full review: 7 nights in Africa; 7 on a Kenya safari

"Overall an excellent trip, Expert Africa's team - Lyndsey in primis - was attentive, highly communicative, competent and were able to suggest the best itinerary and options given our budget and our wishes.

We were very happy dealing with them, as well as with the quality of their partner companies and staff on the ground, and would highly recommend them to anyone wishing to undertake a safari trip in Africa." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 8 on a Kenya safari

"The trip was excellent with everything arranged perfectly bar a small hitch with arranging private game vehicle which I recommend if travelling with children.

Accommodation was above expectation. 3 days on safari with a 10yo is enough and kept him engaged, before heading to the beach for snorkelling etc.

There are a few people on the beach in Diani trying to sell but they are generally polite and can be waved on.

Overall the trip exceeded expectations and we will go back!" Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 9 on a Kenya safari

"Another wonderful trip to Kenya. We were only gone for a bit longer than one week, but the intensity of such trips and all the things we saw along the way makes it seem like a much longer trip. We have many great memories and hope to return soon." Read full review: 9 nights in Africa; 8 on a Kenya safari