Travel reviews by Ms F & co from Sacramento

"We had only two nights here and what amounted to game drives only on entry and exiting the park. But, still we saw a number of animals including a distant view of a black rhino and baby...and closeups of rock hyrax on roofs and paths!

In addition, our park guide connected with an outside driver who took us into Nairobi to visit two NGOs...and then picked us up at the end of the day at the park entrance. Those arrangements all went smoothly, including a packed lunch for us to eat en route to Nairobi.

Chris was our host and was delightful, the staff was helpful and friendly, the food and views wonderful, our guide very knowledgeable and good humored. Overall, a delightful introduction to Kenya. We left wishing we could stay another night or two."

"What a wonderful experience we had at this camp. Animals, yes, but also a couple of excellent hikes with gorgeous views, plus a memorable visit to a Maasai village, its school and health center, where our twin 14-year old grandchildren joined the local kids for a hard-fought soccer match. (We had brought balls and a pump, which were quite a hit).We had hoped to see Kilimanjaro but it remained hidden in fog; under the right conditions, it would be a stunning addition to this camp.

Our Maasai guide Parashi and spotter Kereku were excellent and we really enjoyed their company. The rest of the staff was attentive and congenial and, of course, Luca and Claudia were the ultimate host and manager. We were pleased to be able to support the Maasai community by staying at the camp and applaud its work through both the camp and its foundation.

Then our final night was nothing short of spectacular. All guests were invited to visit the lava tube that we'd heard about and went expecting a tour of the cave before dinner. In fact, the evening included a Maasai dance and discussion and then an amazing formal dinner for 18 or more in the cave itself, romantically lit and kicked off with a flute performance by one of the young guests. It was a magical ending to a magical stay at this camp."

"Serian was as comfortable and homey as any camp could possibly be. Our hosts, including their baby daughter Charlotte, were delightful; the staff friendly and attentive (and very willing to share thoughts on Kenya's political and social situation); our guide, Judy, and driver excellent; the food scrumptious; and the animal viewing outstanding.

Our tent overlooked the Mara River, with a dozen or so hippo lolling in the water so we could watch them while having coffee on the porch. We had hoped to get a glimpse of the Great Migration but it had not yet started in earnest; we did see the herds of wildebeest gathering in the savanna prior to their fording the river.

And, we saw plenty of other animals, often with time to actually stop and observe their behavior: elephant, buffalo, several types of antelope (including topi, eland, waterbuck and dik-dik), giraffe, lions, hyenas, jackals, mongoose, and, of course, many, many wildebeest, zebras, giraffes and hippos.

Serian was a wonderful experience for all of us, including our 14-year old grandson and his dad who enjoyed an exciting overnight in the tree house, complete with a delivery of home-made pizza! That was just one example of the kind of wonderful hospitality and personal attention we found at Serian."

"After a long flight from the US the previous day and our two short flights to get to Footsteps, we were delighted to be out and walking our first afternoon. We weren't sure this would work well but it certainly did for us.

Immediately immersed us in the experience, got us tired enough to sleep well. Our guide, Alberto, was very knowledgeable and led two very interesting walks.

Based on our experience, we would do another walking safari, maybe for two or three nights next time."

"This is a wonderful camp, made even more so by the fact that during our visit the previous camp managers (Barbara and Bruce) were then providing relief for the current managers, who were on leave.

Managers Barbara and Bruce, our guide Bee, major domo Julius and virtually everyone else on the staff were absolutely top-notch. The guiding and activities were superb, the best of our trip. Vehicles were new and comfortable. Food was excellent, so was the service.

The site of the camp is wonderful and its overall design just lovely. We would definitely return to this location. I would rank this camp the top overall rating of the four we visited and would recommend to anyone."

"Camp managers Tessa and Stuart bring a delightful touch to this camp, making guests feel as if they are visiting a wonderful home that just happens to be in the bush. They are naturals for the role, even though they are young and just starting out.

Our guides Rain and Simon were younger and not as experienced as Bee at our Shinde camp...but Bee is really extraordinary and a very tough act to follow. Rain and Simon were particularly good during our walks, where they each contributed great information from their different areas of expertise.

The staff was fine, very congenial, and the meals tasty and delightful, again thanks greatly to the graciousness of Tessa and Stuart. Jib has more limited activities than Shinde; it also was hotter and less comfortable when we visited. And, the vehicles are older and less comfortable than Shinde's. Nevertheless, I'm giving it an excellent overall rating for anyone wanting a smaller camp experience, which has its own particular charm....and because of the excellent camp managers."

"There were many things we loved about Selinda: the gorgeous public areas and beautiful views, excellent food, an enthusiastic and helpful staff, a great wine cellar (from which guests can choose a bottle for sundowners or dinner). But it doesn't quite come together as the terrific experience it could be.

I found the rooms almost over the top. Why spend so much on a stunning bathroom (great though it may be) and still have older, less comfortable vehicles? Most important, why not put more resources into getting or training experienced guides...rather than more luxurious surroundings?

The experience just seemed quite uneven -- not uniformly excellent the way it was at Shinde. Our guide, BB, seemed bored with guiding (unlike his younger brother Alberto who was our Footsteps guide and clearly loved what he was doing.)

So we saw interesting animals but without him exhibiting the enthusiasm and interest of all of our other guides...and without sharing additional information as our other guides did. Even if our guides at Jib were less experienced, they tried harder."