Reviews of safaris to Maasai Mara National Reserve
109 holiday reviews from our travellers of holidays which include Maasai Mara.
Ms M.
London
"My Jan 2024 trip"
I visited Kenya between 23 Jan 2024 and 5 Feb 2024
"We had a lovely holiday and, as has happened twice before, we’ve come back wanting to go again!!!
Everybody we met in Africa was welcoming and helpful and all the camps we stayed in were delightful. Our tents were luxurious and the grounds well-maintained and pretty.
We had excellent wildlife sightings overall, even if those in the Mara National Park were a little disappointing, and we eventually had our fill of big cats!
Our visits to the Elephant Orphanage and the Giraffe Centre were a pleasant way of beginning and ending our holiday.
Richard couldn’t have been more helpful during the booking process and with our visa applications and everything run like clockwork once we arrived." Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 12 on a Kenya safari
Everybody we met in Africa was welcoming and helpful and all the camps we stayed in were delightful. Our tents were luxurious and the grounds well-maintained and pretty.
We had excellent wildlife sightings overall, even if those in the Mara National Park were a little disappointing, and we eventually had our fill of big cats!
Our visits to the Elephant Orphanage and the Giraffe Centre were a pleasant way of beginning and ending our holiday.
Richard couldn’t have been more helpful during the booking process and with our visa applications and everything run like clockwork once we arrived." Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 12 on a Kenya safari
Overall trip
Excellent
Mr & Mrs E
Northumber
"My Jan 2024 trip"
I visited Kenya between 19 Jan 2024 and 29 Jan 2024
"Not as good as most previous years due to lack of access to the Triangle and to the Mara.
Mostly due to weather conditions but also due to lack of investment in terms of accessing the conservancy." Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 9 on a Kenya safari
Mostly due to weather conditions but also due to lack of investment in terms of accessing the conservancy." Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 9 on a Kenya safari
Overall trip
Good
Mr & Ms B
Florida, US
"Our 2023 trip to Kenya"
I visited Kenya between 16 Sep 2023 and 16 Oct 2023
"Before visiting Kenya, we have been to four countries in Southern Africa (Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe) five times, and each one of those trips were highly enjoyable.
Nonetheless, we figured it was time to check out East Africa for a change. To be honest, we were a little apprehensive about this trip, because many guidebooks or websites tell you that in both Kenya and Tanzania visitor numbers are much higher than in the South of Africa. As the New York Times wrote earlier this year, they witnessed a cheetah hunting and making a kill in the Maasai Mara, and in no time, the poor animal was surrounded by 50 vehicles. Well, even though the number of cars per sighting was, on average, higher than in Southern Africa, we experienced none of such extremes. I guess, we were lucky with the choice of camps and/or locations.
For instance, we took great care in picking camps that are using open vehicles with a maximum of six passengers and not vehicles with pop-up roofs, let alone minibuses. For a serious photographer, such conditions would seriously limit your freedom to move, and in the case of pop-up roofs you would have to stand up and, often, you would look down on animals. In other words, it would be a nightmare ruining my trip. I realize that the camps we picked are significantly more expensive, but this goes hand in hand with providing better guides, better amenities and facilities, and better service. The good news is that in our experience, the camps in Kenya are not quite as pricey as Botswana accommodations.
One more comment about the number of cars per sighting: The official rules in the Maasai Mara clearly state that the maximum number of vehicles per scene is limited to five (per animal, not animals!). Taken literally, a pride of 8 lions could be visited by 40 cars, and we have witnessed scenes with up to 20 cars. On other occasions, for instance when observing cheetahs or leopards, we have noticed that local wildlife rangers do in fact make sure that there are no more than 5 cars on the scene. Throughout the entire trip, we were blessed with guides that showed great patience and perseverance to stay at a scene for longer. Quite often we were also lucky enough to be the only two guests in the vehicle. The only camp where there were six passengers in a car was Lewa Safari Camp.
As in previous years, I enjoyed recording our wildlife sightings. Overall, we saw more animals here than in any other place in Africa. And our encounters with the big cats were especially noteworthy, because often they were full of drama. I should point out though that we did not see any wild dogs anywhere. Of the four areas visited, the Maasai Mara was, thanks to our guides, and despite the higher number of vehicles, a photographer’s paradise.
What we also appreciated in all five camps was that they allowed each party to have their own tables at mealtimes.
To summarize, this trip was so good that we are almost certain to return to Kenya in the near future." Read full review: 30 nights in Africa; 20 on a Kenya safari
Nonetheless, we figured it was time to check out East Africa for a change. To be honest, we were a little apprehensive about this trip, because many guidebooks or websites tell you that in both Kenya and Tanzania visitor numbers are much higher than in the South of Africa. As the New York Times wrote earlier this year, they witnessed a cheetah hunting and making a kill in the Maasai Mara, and in no time, the poor animal was surrounded by 50 vehicles. Well, even though the number of cars per sighting was, on average, higher than in Southern Africa, we experienced none of such extremes. I guess, we were lucky with the choice of camps and/or locations.
For instance, we took great care in picking camps that are using open vehicles with a maximum of six passengers and not vehicles with pop-up roofs, let alone minibuses. For a serious photographer, such conditions would seriously limit your freedom to move, and in the case of pop-up roofs you would have to stand up and, often, you would look down on animals. In other words, it would be a nightmare ruining my trip. I realize that the camps we picked are significantly more expensive, but this goes hand in hand with providing better guides, better amenities and facilities, and better service. The good news is that in our experience, the camps in Kenya are not quite as pricey as Botswana accommodations.
One more comment about the number of cars per sighting: The official rules in the Maasai Mara clearly state that the maximum number of vehicles per scene is limited to five (per animal, not animals!). Taken literally, a pride of 8 lions could be visited by 40 cars, and we have witnessed scenes with up to 20 cars. On other occasions, for instance when observing cheetahs or leopards, we have noticed that local wildlife rangers do in fact make sure that there are no more than 5 cars on the scene. Throughout the entire trip, we were blessed with guides that showed great patience and perseverance to stay at a scene for longer. Quite often we were also lucky enough to be the only two guests in the vehicle. The only camp where there were six passengers in a car was Lewa Safari Camp.
As in previous years, I enjoyed recording our wildlife sightings. Overall, we saw more animals here than in any other place in Africa. And our encounters with the big cats were especially noteworthy, because often they were full of drama. I should point out though that we did not see any wild dogs anywhere. Of the four areas visited, the Maasai Mara was, thanks to our guides, and despite the higher number of vehicles, a photographer’s paradise.
What we also appreciated in all five camps was that they allowed each party to have their own tables at mealtimes.
To summarize, this trip was so good that we are almost certain to return to Kenya in the near future." Read full review: 30 nights in Africa; 20 on a Kenya safari
Overall trip
Excellent
Mr & Mrs B
Middlesex
"My Sep 2023 trip"
I visited Kenya between 5 Sep 2023 and 14 Sep 2023
"Our trip was excellent. The advice we received from the outset was clear and accurate.
The two camps where we stayed were exactly as described and exactly in accordance with our stated aspirations for the trip. They also combined well with each other i.e. the "vibe" was similar at both but they were sufficiently different to give the trip some variety and contrast.
Expertafrica clearly enjoys a good reputation in Kenya which appeared to derive from the fact that representatives of the company have visited camps to gain first-hand knowledge of their particular qualities and also the fact that their clients arrive with appropriately managed expectations." Read full review: 9 nights in Africa; 8 on a Kenya safari
The two camps where we stayed were exactly as described and exactly in accordance with our stated aspirations for the trip. They also combined well with each other i.e. the "vibe" was similar at both but they were sufficiently different to give the trip some variety and contrast.
Expertafrica clearly enjoys a good reputation in Kenya which appeared to derive from the fact that representatives of the company have visited camps to gain first-hand knowledge of their particular qualities and also the fact that their clients arrive with appropriately managed expectations." Read full review: 9 nights in Africa; 8 on a Kenya safari
Overall trip
Excellent
GERRY COPSEY
Frome
"SARARI & ZANZIBAR 2023"
I visited Kenya and 1 other country between 5 Sep 2023 and 16 Sep 2023
"From the first conversation with Richard we thought the level of service from Expert Africa was outstanding. The attention to detail and the diligent way the many paperwork requirements were set out was faultless.
Every question was answered in depth and very helpfully and all the recommendations were accurate.
Having spent 30+ years in the travel industry it was a delight to travel with another company who understand and practice the highest levels of customer service that we always tried to do.
Well done one and all
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Really I don't. It seemed like we were travelling under the wing of a class outfit who did the ground work so well we didn't need much help overseas at all.
The icing on the cake was that we happened to be lucky enough to have the best guide at Little Governors. From talking to other guests who had minor frustrations with their guides, we soon realised that Tom was giving us a masterclass in how to be the perfect guide." Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 6 on a Kenya safari
Every question was answered in depth and very helpfully and all the recommendations were accurate.
Having spent 30+ years in the travel industry it was a delight to travel with another company who understand and practice the highest levels of customer service that we always tried to do.
Well done one and all
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Really I don't. It seemed like we were travelling under the wing of a class outfit who did the ground work so well we didn't need much help overseas at all.
The icing on the cake was that we happened to be lucky enough to have the best guide at Little Governors. From talking to other guests who had minor frustrations with their guides, we soon realised that Tom was giving us a masterclass in how to be the perfect guide." Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 6 on a Kenya safari
Overall trip
Excellent
Mr and Mrs M
London
"My Sep 2023 trip"
I visited Kenya between 2 Sep 2023 and 12 Sep 2023
"An amazing experience.
The service provided by Expert Africa was excellent and Richard Trillo’s knowledge, advice and recommendations were fantastic.
The organisation of the trip was outstanding and we loved the 3 camps that we visited.
For our first safari our experience surpassed our expectations, we loved every minute of it." Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 9 on a Kenya safari
The service provided by Expert Africa was excellent and Richard Trillo’s knowledge, advice and recommendations were fantastic.
The organisation of the trip was outstanding and we loved the 3 camps that we visited.
For our first safari our experience surpassed our expectations, we loved every minute of it." Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 9 on a Kenya safari
Overall trip
Excellent
Family B
Essex
"My Aug 2023 trip"
I visited Kenya between 24 Aug 2023 and 2 Sep 2023
"It was fantastic. We really can't fault anything!!
The whole experience from the quality of game viewing, the quality of the camps, staff and guides was better than we could have hoped.
It was also great to know that, typically, smaller camps are used with strong links to the local communities helping them benefit from our holiday.
Jessica was really helpful and planned the perfect trip for us." Read full review: 9 nights in Africa; 8 on a Kenya safari
The whole experience from the quality of game viewing, the quality of the camps, staff and guides was better than we could have hoped.
It was also great to know that, typically, smaller camps are used with strong links to the local communities helping them benefit from our holiday.
Jessica was really helpful and planned the perfect trip for us." Read full review: 9 nights in Africa; 8 on a Kenya safari
Overall trip
Excellent
G & K
LA
"Our Wonderful Trip to Kenya - Aug 2023"
I visited Kenya between 14 Aug 2023 and 15 Sep 2023
"We had a fantastic, incredible, fun trip to Kenya - all the superlatives!
We went to four camps and Richard planned the trip perfectly, particularly the order of our itinerary. Everything went off without a hitch.
We'll recommend Expert Africa to all our friends." Read full review: 32 nights in Africa; 17 on a Kenya safari
We went to four camps and Richard planned the trip perfectly, particularly the order of our itinerary. Everything went off without a hitch.
We'll recommend Expert Africa to all our friends." Read full review: 32 nights in Africa; 17 on a Kenya safari
Overall trip
Excellent
D & C
Kent
"My Aug 2023 trip"
I visited Kenya between 9 Aug 2023 and 23 Aug 2023
"Wow what an amazing, unforgettable experience!
We have never been anywhere in Africa before so it was very reassuring to have the expertise of Richard ensuring that everything was so organised as well as offering us great advice and answering all our questions.
Everything about this holiday was perfect and Expert Africa deserve a lot of credit for that, selecting and recommending amazing accommodation. The website is also one of the best I have ever used- clean and clear layout, easy to navigate, whilst still being very informative with detailed reviews and information.
I would without a doubt recommend Expert Africa to anyone thinking about booking a holiday to Africa." Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 13 on a Kenya safari
We have never been anywhere in Africa before so it was very reassuring to have the expertise of Richard ensuring that everything was so organised as well as offering us great advice and answering all our questions.
Everything about this holiday was perfect and Expert Africa deserve a lot of credit for that, selecting and recommending amazing accommodation. The website is also one of the best I have ever used- clean and clear layout, easy to navigate, whilst still being very informative with detailed reviews and information.
I would without a doubt recommend Expert Africa to anyone thinking about booking a holiday to Africa." Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 13 on a Kenya safari
Overall trip
Excellent
Helen B
London
"My Aug 2023 trip"
I visited Kenya between 7 Aug 2023 and 19 Aug 2023
"The trip not only met but exceeded my expectations. It was a special holiday for a milestone birthday and a chance to celebrate with my family. We all now have special memories of Kenya, both it's people, it's landscape and it's wildlife. The combination of safari and beach worked very well for us and the input and advice from Expert Africa at the planning stage was much appreciated. There had to be some hasty rearrangements at the start of our trip owing to flight problems from London. Expert Africa responded immediately and got us back on course."
Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 11 on a Kenya safari
Overall trip
Excellent
109
reviews of Maasai Mara by travellers since August 2007
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