Travel reviews by Mr K & Mrs A from Kent

"This was an amazing experience and the best part of a wonderful holiday.

24 hours after leaving Tunbridge Wells we found ourselves camping with our own exclusive crew of 10 Maasai and Samburu tribesmen beside the Ewaso Nyiro river. Their welcome made us feel at home immediately and the good care, companionship and superb cooking (on a wood fire) they provided fortified us for the twice daily forays into the surrounding bush.

Normally we started about 7.30 am after an early breakfast beside the river and walked for about four hours. After a light lunch and siesta, we went out again at 4.30pm for about two and a half hours. That was our routine but they will adapt to whatever you want to do. Not that there was really anything routine about it. One morning at breakfast my wife noticed dik dik and impala running on the other side of the river: the Karisia boys had noticed it too and immediately led us across the river to find a pack of six wild dogs. The tracking skills of Rana and Keshine were astounding.

On another occasion, they picked out elephant tracks they thought were only minutes old. 20 minutes later we had caught up with the herd and enjoyed wonderful views from less than 100 yards - downwind so that they didn't even know we were there. It wasn't all frantic activity - a surprise sundowner on top of Ol Donyo Nanyuki, with views of hyrax and paradise flycatchers as well as the stunning landscape, was one of many memorably peaceful moments.

We also visited a local Maasai market. Everything about the safari was extremely well organised with appropriate attention to safety. I should point out that we stayed at the permanent camp on Tumaren Ranch, although most of their safaris involve walking from one location to another. I cannot recommend Karisia highly enough - we'll be back for more."

"If you like luxuriously appointed 'designer' lodges, El Karama probably won't be for you but we loved it.

The buildings, overlooking a river, are largely constructed from materials sourced on the ranch itself and blend into the landscape perfectly. We enjoyed a mixture of game walks and drives led by our excellent guide, Joseph, and eagle-eyed driver, Andrew, and were lucky enough, over a period of four days, to get perfect views of the sequence of animals feasting on a buffalo carcass - lions, jackals, vultures, tawny eagles etc. - among many wonderful wildlife sightings.

Every mealtime was a mini-safari with a variety of colourful birds waiting for the leftovers and a visiting genet ready to take advantage of any lapse in the waiter's security regime. This a refreshingly unpretentious place that offers an authentic, back to basics safari experience but with all the comfort and convenience you need."

"This is our second visit to Mnarani Club and it remains our favourite hotel anywhere. Perfectly situated, overlooking the beautiful Kilifi Creek, it has its own beach and a coral reef just a few yards out. There's also a water sports centre offering sailing, diving, kayaking etc. It's biggest asset, however, is the wonderful staff - they take tremendous care of everybody and really made us feel like we were returning to our second home.

The food is excellent and Kilifi town is a 15 minute walk or a quick Tuk Tuk ride away, should you fancy a change of scene. Sadly, the latest Foreign Office advisory meant we had to leave before the planned end of our stay, although we felt perfectly safe. For the hotel's sake (and ours) we desperately hope that the situation returns to normal as soon as possible because there's no place we would rather return to."

"It may seem illogical to describe Pinewood Resort as disappointing but give it a 'good' rating. The reason is that it wasn't our choice - we were moved here by Expert Africa after Foreign Office security warnings about our previous location in Kilifi.

It's a perfectly decent place which might well suit honeymoon couples or those seeking complete relaxation - gorgeous beach, nice pool, attentive service etc. - but, for us, not nearly as enjoyable as Mnarani Club and in a location that wasn't as interesting or attractive as Kilifi. What we did enjoy was the wildlife - beautiful weaver birds nesting beside the restaurant and daily visits from Sykes monkeys (even though one of them made a lightning raid on our lunch).

Like everywhere we went, guest numbers were vanishingly small and this would certainly have affected the ambiance."