Travel reviews by jocelin from florida
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
1
Lodges stayed in
6
Excursions taken
0
My Jan 2025 trip
Kenya between 9 Jan 2025 and 27 Jan 2025
"It was a fantastic trip overall and the itinerary for birding was amazing - we saw so many species.
We had great guiding, especially at Kifaru and Tortillis and were lucky enough to get a private vehicle at both. At Elsa’s we shared a vehicle with 2 charming like-minded people so that was great too. All of our dietary needs and other preferences had clearly been communicated and management everywhere could not have done more to accommodate us. Really impressed with Elewana and would recommend them to anyone. All of the transfers were seamless except going from Air Kenya to Safarilink at Wilson.
Not sure if I had to do it again whether I would drive from Amboseli through East Tsavo with a one night stop. It was a long, hot, uncomfortable drive on a container route for the most part, we didn’t see much of Tsavo, and from Satao to the coast was full of day-trippers and their crazy drivers. However, I did get some great birds so…
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Not really…everything was great. I love your website and refer people to it all the time."
We had great guiding, especially at Kifaru and Tortillis and were lucky enough to get a private vehicle at both. At Elsa’s we shared a vehicle with 2 charming like-minded people so that was great too. All of our dietary needs and other preferences had clearly been communicated and management everywhere could not have done more to accommodate us. Really impressed with Elewana and would recommend them to anyone. All of the transfers were seamless except going from Air Kenya to Safarilink at Wilson.
Not sure if I had to do it again whether I would drive from Amboseli through East Tsavo with a one night stop. It was a long, hot, uncomfortable drive on a container route for the most part, we didn’t see much of Tsavo, and from Satao to the coast was full of day-trippers and their crazy drivers. However, I did get some great birds so…
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Not really…everything was great. I love your website and refer people to it all the time."
Arranged By Tamara Hoskyns-Abrahall
The Emakoko
"The Emakoko review"
2 nights
Arrived
9 Jan 2025
"Beautiful room, great hospitality and wonderful access to Nairobi National Park."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Sightings report
Black Rhino
1 sighting
Buffalo
Many sightings
Giraffe
Many sightings
Lion
Many sightings
White Rhino
Many sightings
Zebra
Many sightings
Kifaru House
"Kifaru House review"
3 nights
Arrived
11 Jan 2025
"Beautiful property in a fantastic location.
Wonderful stay for anyone interested in birds as, in addition to all the species in Lewa Conservancy, there are so many really spectacular species on the property. The guiding was also excellent and we had multiple sightings of rarer species like Grevy’s Zebra, Reticulated Giraffe and Gerenuk.
Food is generally very good but dinner menus choices were red meat only and the vegetarian options were weak."
Wonderful stay for anyone interested in birds as, in addition to all the species in Lewa Conservancy, there are so many really spectacular species on the property. The guiding was also excellent and we had multiple sightings of rarer species like Grevy’s Zebra, Reticulated Giraffe and Gerenuk.
Food is generally very good but dinner menus choices were red meat only and the vegetarian options were weak."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Excellent
Sightings report
Buffalo
Many sightings
Eland
Many sightings
Elephant
Many sightings
Giraffe
Many sightings
Lion
Many sightings
Zebra
Many sightings
Elsa's Kopje
"Elsa's Kopje review"
3 nights
Arrived
14 Jan 2025
"Very interesting lodge in a fantastic location.
Meru is beautiful. There are lots of steps to get around the property but everyone was very accommodating on driving you around if you wanted it.
Rooms are huge but they need a bit of a refurbishment which they are getting in April. Common areas lovely.
The bed was the most comfortable of the trip and the food, especially the lunch, was just outstanding.
Staff all exceptional."
Meru is beautiful. There are lots of steps to get around the property but everyone was very accommodating on driving you around if you wanted it.
Rooms are huge but they need a bit of a refurbishment which they are getting in April. Common areas lovely.
The bed was the most comfortable of the trip and the food, especially the lunch, was just outstanding.
Staff all exceptional."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Sightings report
Buffalo
Many sightings
Eland
Many sightings
Elephant
Many sightings
Gerenuk
Many sightings
Giraffe
Many sightings
Leopard
1 sighting
Lion
Many sightings
Oryx
Many sightings
White Rhino
Many sightings
Zebra
Many sightings
Tortilis Camp
"Tortilis Camp review"
3 nights
Arrived
17 Jan 2025
"Beautiful property, very nice rooms, staff excellent and the guiding fantastic.
It’s a bigger camp than we usually like, but it was very well run by charming hosts. Y
ou can walk around the property since it is fenced and the public spaces overlook a very active waterhole."
It’s a bigger camp than we usually like, but it was very well run by charming hosts. Y
ou can walk around the property since it is fenced and the public spaces overlook a very active waterhole."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Sightings report
Buffalo
Many sightings
Eland
Many sightings
Elephant
Many sightings
Giraffe
Many sightings
Hippo
Many sightings
Lion
Many sightings
Wildebeest
Many sightings
Zebra
Many sightings
Satao Camp
"Satao Camp review"
1 night
Arrived
20 Jan 2025
"A very traditional tented camp with all the basics.
The beds were hard as rocks, it was very hot and the fan provided was fairly useless, but there are impala and fantastic species of birds coming to your tent so, to us, worth the trade off.
Staff excellent, food was buffet style and very good.
The bar was great for birdwatching but the drinks were expensive."
The beds were hard as rocks, it was very hot and the fan provided was fairly useless, but there are impala and fantastic species of birds coming to your tent so, to us, worth the trade off.
Staff excellent, food was buffet style and very good.
The bar was great for birdwatching but the drinks were expensive."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Activities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Sightings report
Giraffe
Many sightings
Oryx
Many sightings
Zebra
Many sightings
Hemingways Watamu
"Hemingways Watamu review"
5 nights
Arrived
21 Jan 2025
"Lovely relaxing stay.
Beautiful view from the room and the public areas. Staff is wonderful.
Beautiful pools and the grounds are beautifully maintained.
Activities were impossible to book so if you expect to be active, go in the high season when there are more takers.
The food is very good and varied, mostly buffet, with an emphasis on Indian flavors."
Beautiful view from the room and the public areas. Staff is wonderful.
Beautiful pools and the grounds are beautifully maintained.
Activities were impossible to book so if you expect to be active, go in the high season when there are more takers.
The food is very good and varied, mostly buffet, with an emphasis on Indian flavors."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Activities
Poor
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent