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nickelp03
We recently completed a Kenya/Tanzania safari with East Africa Adventures. The entire 8 days on safari was amazing. We visited Lake Nakuru and Amboseli National Parks in Kenya and Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater, and the Serengeti in Tanzania. All the parks were excellent and we saw a huge variety of wildlife in the different parks. Both our drivers, Kizito (in Kenya) and Saba (in Tanzania) were great at finding exciting wildlife for us. Both were very knowledgeable about the parks, animals, and spotting wildlife. All of our accommodations were lovely and we really enjoyed the great variety in places Fred had booked for us.Planning the safari with Fred was very easy. We started with one of their pre-set itinerary's and changed it slightly to match our needs. When we had to cut the number of days due to not being able to get as much time off of work, he worked with us to create a shorter itinerary. He was always very fast at responding to our emails. Yes, it was slightly nerve wrecking wire transferring half the price to them and taking the rest in cash when we left for the safari. But there were no issues with payment and everything went smoothly. Our only small complaint was, we were told water was included so we didn't buy any water at the airport, but when we got in the safari van at the Nairobi airport we didn't have any water until we reached the lodge at Lake Nakuru. The rest of the safari we had ample water, but maybe just making sure there's a bottle of water in the car on pickup would be nice after getting off a long plane flight. But we had an amazing safari and if we are to return to Africa, we would definitely use East Africa Adventure again.
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J5808RLjenniferl
My husband and I just finished the ten day Kenya-Tanzania Safari with East Africa Adventures, and it was incredible!Our itinerary hit the following accommodations and parks:Sarova Panfric in NairobiFlamingo Hill Camp at Lake NakuruSarova Mara Luxury tented camp at Maasai MaraMbalageti lodge at SerengetiRhino lodge and Ganako Luxury lodge at NgorongoroEka Hotel in NairobiThe safari itself was unbelievable. We came in low season and got to see everything we wanted--certainly the big 5, on multiple occasions. We managed to catch a couple of black rhino mating in ngorongoro. We got up close and personal with several families of giraffe, some lions, and elephant. There are too many favorite moments to name. Our Safari drivers were Leonard in Kenya, and Saba in Tanzania (the vehicles can't cross borders without being registered Iin both countries so halfway through our itinerary, we switched vehicles and drivers at the border. Both our drivers were excellent in different ways. Leonard was patient with great instincts, and Saba was boisterous yet knowledgable. They both paid close attention to our experience to ensure we were having a good time.The accommodations were excellent. Our favorite places were Sarova Mara for tented camps and Ganako for luxury. Food was great at each site-- mostly buffet style and lots of variety. The boxed lunches they prepared for us on applicable days were incredible and adorable!Some notes for future travellers:-definitely bring binoculars or a telephoto lens. We brought both (just a little telephoto lens-- 55-250mm) and used them often. Especially at ngorongoro--you're not allowed to leave the main roads so the animals can be pretty far away.-for currency, everywhere we spent money accepted USD but gave us change in shillings, so bring small bills for tipping. And make sure they are recently printed bills. We had some trouble as places won't accept bills printed before 2006. As a result, we ended up with quite a few outdated bills that we couldn't use.-for shopping, make sure you bargain. The prices they quote you at first are insanely high, and I still feel like a paid too much after negotiating...-for payment to East Africa Adventure: they require a 50% deposit upon booking and the rest upon arrival. Your only option for the deposit is to wire transfer via western union or bank. For the balance, you can either wire transfer two weeks in advance, or cash/credit card upon arrival. The credit card route is iffy, though, as the machines often don't work for MasterCard, and the banks impose A 5% surcharge for using credit cards. We wire transferred the deposit, then brought the balance in cash. It was perfectly safe and we didn't encounter any difficulties (except at my own bank with the wire transfer, but that was because the teller was inexperienced.)- for visas to enter kenya/tanzania: it costs $50USD for Canadians at each border. We bought all our visas on arrival at each border. Lining up for a visa at the nairobi airport after a long flight was excruciating due to the sheer number of people in the queue. Getting into tanzania was a breeze, as was returning to kenya after tanzania. You don't need a new visa upon reentry into kenya after tanzania--I wasn't aware of this before getting there but was glad to have saved some money. Do note that I knew a few people who had done a kenya Tanzania safari before and one of them had to pay $100 usd per person at one of the borders for some reason. We didn't encounter any issues with bribery or anything. All in all it was an incredible experience and would highly recommend East Africa Adventure for future safari goers.
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270harveyb
The staffs in East Africa Adventure are very kind and professional. Fred was always ready to help you with your safari plan, he replied our email instantly and professionally. Ambrose was our guide. He always show up in advance and never be late. And the accommodations just beside the gate of Maasai Mara was very cool. The chef was good at the meat and the chapati, we like the food he cooked. The view upstairs of the restaurant was so wonderful that we could not stop loving it. During the first day's safari, we saw so many animals like Zebra, Buffalo, Wildebeest, Gazelle, Giraffe, Hippo, Elephant, Lion. we were so excited to be close to them and close to the nature.The second day's safari was even more exciting. At the early morning, we saw several male lions walk across our safari cars, towards the shrubbery. It was their hunting time. Then we saw two lovely lions were mating. The male lion was waiting for the female to have the interest. They just lay on the ground quietly, opening their eyes once in a while. Several minutes later, the female lion stand up, and followed by the male one. then the most lovely scene showed up (only 10 seconds later, they ended up and lay down again). Then we saw other animals like a lion family, one sleeping cheetah, giraffes and elephants in group, Ostrich couples and Warthogs resting under lonely african tree.It was so great to have these experiences in Maasai Mara National Park. Our guide Ambrose was very professional and very kind to others. Many thanks to Ambrose and his colleagues in East Africa Adventure. I will come back next time!
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medonte13
Hi Ron and Sharon, thank you for traveling with Jenman Safaris. Your feedback is much appreciated and it fills us with pride to know that you had a wonderful time with us in East Africa. It is a really special region with so many beautiful landscapes and wildlife to explore and see.Charmy is a great guide and asset to the Jenman East Africa team and we are sure to pass on your message. He will be glad with your positive review.We hope you will be able to come down again one day for us to show you more amazing highlights of what Africa has to offer, take care and feel free to keep in touch via our Facebook and Twitter accounts.Kind regards,Jenman Management Team
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185seany
I had four days to kill between business meetings and contacted East Africa to take a safari during that period. I thought that because I was rolling solo I would be stuck with a large group of people who I didn't know for better and worse. However, when Kizito picked me up on Saturday morning I was the only one in the van and it stayed that way for the rest of the trip. As far as the trip went it was amazing. I saw all of the big 5 by the 2nd day as Kizito was working the radio hard to find out where the hard to find game was. My advice is just to let them do their thing and they will get you set up for a great trip. I also was amazed at how easy it was to see the animals and how close you would get. Literally lions and elephants who were 10' away. Just incredible. Now for my guide. Kizito was the man. Four days together alone and he took great care of me in making sure I saw everything, was comfortable, and generally having a great time. I would say that you should request him if at all possible. Finally, what a great trip overall. It was all amazing. I can't wait to do it again the next time I'm in Kenya.
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Lynne146
Kudos to East Africa Adventure Tours for the best holiday vacation ever! Tour director Fred put together an outstanding schedule of national parks, game lodges and tent camps,and many game drives. His communication prior to the safari was perfection --answering every question, making adjustments, suggesting alternatives, We ended up with a dream vacation for 4 adults and 3 kids (ages 12, 10 &8). Leonard in Kenya and Saba in Tanzania were excellent guides/drivers. We found the Big 5 quickly but also had many close encounters with other African wildlife in Amboselli, Ngorogoro Crater, Serengeti and the Masai Mara. These guys know their jobs! I recommend EAAT without reservation-- you can't go wrong no matter what kind of safari experience you want in Esst Africa.A few observations on visiting East Africa in general. It was our first experience! Bring lots of US dollars -- there isn't an ATM In the bush but everyone take $ for visas, food, shopping and tips. Read other reviews for help with tip amounts, extra options on safar like the Masaii Villages, when to visit Africa etc. Expect delays at border crossings but thank goodness English is spoken. Expect long days in your safari vehicle. By all minds choose the Jeep not the van! We really wanted to hit the most park areas in our 10 days for the best chance of seeing lots of animals. Fred will spell out driving times for you so you can figure how much time on the road and how long you will have in camp. I planned two nights in Serengeti and three nights in the Masai Mara. I Am glad allowed more time to relax at the wonderful tented camps there. Wish I had done the same for the Sopa Lodge on the rim of the crater!Fred checks in daily with his drivers,. He and his staff are keenly focused on giving the best service and truly once in their hands, you can relax and enjoy the safari. Don't hesitate--GO!
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AltafSarangi
We had a fantastic time in East Africa. From the beginning Fred was very prompt and accommodating and took care of all the logistics. Within a short time, we had a personalized program to my satisfaction. We included almost everything - White water rafting in the Nile River; Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi; 9 different game parks [I added 2 as we went along]; hot air balloon over Masai and much more! Fred recommended great accommodations and we were very pleased with all the facilities. All 3 drivers in the respective Countries were fantastic - Duke in Uganda; Leonard in Kenya and Sabba in Tanzania. I was very disappointed with the dreadful shape of the roads in all 3 Countries and it didn't help that we were on the go all the time but that is what we opted for. We saw all the different types of animals and birds. I would recommend this trip for anyone and it helps greatly if you have the right tour operator - EAATS :)
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nivinpk
This review is long overdue and our apologies for it! :)We had a great 2 week safari with Fred and his exceptional team in June 2014. The accommodation that he had arranged was top notch and so were his staff. Leonard was a blessing and went out of his way to show us the sights and always had some great tips to share. Fred was great to deal with and kept checking in to see if things were going fine. I'd wholeheartedly recommend them for a great experience in East Africa.
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joer108
Truly a fantastic, once in a lifetime experience! I was in Kenya for business and was contemplating on safari with a tour or private vehicle. I'm so glad I chose the private vehicle and East Africa Adventure Tours. Fred was very easy to deal with and very accommodating. The hotels were 5-star all the way and were staffed with some of the friendliest people I have ever met. Even though it was the off season, there were so many animals! Also the temperature was mild and there weren't as many tourists either. Lions, leopard, cheetahs, giraffes, elephants, hyenas, wart hogs, wilder beasts and endless water buffalo, zebras, impalas, and gazelles. My guide was Leonard, a kind and gentle man with 18 years of tour experience. You could tell he was well liked and respected by his fellow tour guides and staff. He knew the Maasai like the back of his hand! Incredible!Will sign up again the next time I visit Kenya!!!
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tamar555
We did a private two week safari with East Africa Adventure Tours in July, in Kenya and Tanzania. We stayed at one place that was simply dreadful, but Fred made adjustments to the itinerary so we didn't return as scheduled. Also, while the animals were stunning, we did spend longer driving than we expected from the tour itinerary. The animals in Kenya were amazing, and there were just no crowds - and our guide was a great tracker and very good at educating us during the long journeys. Tanzania was great as well, but the hoards of large groups of tourists with unscrupulous guides detracted from the experience.
