Kenya & Tanzania Adventure

It was an absolutely amazing trip. We saw the Big 5 plus their babies. We also saw the Ugly 5. Plus thousands of zebras and wildebeests and hundreds of different gazelles.

The 14 day experience was truly amazing for me and my son. The whole experience including the organisation, camping and hotels was outstanding. The trip involved some long days, long drives and early morning but you soon forgot about this as you were rewarded with amazing sunrises, stunning wildlife in at least five different national parks or wildlife area and beautiful scenery. Our local guides and Exodus team were extremely friendly, professional and knowledgeable. The final few days in Zanzibar allowed us to chill out on a beautiful white beach and enjoy the Indian Ocean. The optional trips including the Serengeti Balloon Experience, the snorkelling in Zanzibar and the Maasia people tour were brilliant.

This trip exceeded all expectations in terms of the iconic wildlife we saw and the spectacular scenery, with a wonderful guide and crew. Also we had a good group of only 7, and being outside peak season camp sites were quiet, and there was less competition between safari vehicles for prime viewing spots.

This was my fifth trip to Kenya and my second to Tanzania and it didn’t disappoint. It was a small group of seven and we had a great team to lead us. There were several changes to the itinerary and all enhanced the trip. We camped the first night near Lake Naivasha and had a great boat trip the following morning, seeing hippos, fish eagles and other water birds. When it came to game watching in Nakuru, Masai Mara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro we couldn’t have done better. We saw a pride of lions devouring the buffalo they’d just taken down, a cheetah and prey, a leopard up a tree with its impala prey as well as vast herds of zebra and wildebeest between the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater. Our two days at Cristal Resort at the end provided a relaxing end to the trip, apart from a noisy first night. We ate very well throughout thanks to our cook, Dan, who provided a wonderful range of freshly cooked meals, many of them vegetarian together with African specialties such as mandazi and ugali. Ben was an excellent driver and he and Godfrey were ever helpful, putting up and taking down our tents most efficiently. Caroline was an excellent tour guide, always cheerful and informative, always striving to improve our experience.

We were only a small group, the tour leader, the drivers and just three guests. This worked well for us as we were then able to take a cruiser rather than the large truck but it was very hard work for the trip leader as he was leading us and going out of the game drives and then once we got to camp he was then cooking too. We got to see the highlights of the area with the Maasai Mara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro, these are very broadly similar but they each have their own distinct feel to them. We mainly went for the animals and basically saw everything that we hoped to see.

We got very lucky on our trip and saw so much wildlife, including the Big 5 - even the black Rhino and Leopard! Our group leader and crew were all amazing and so helpful. The journeys are very long and bumpy, and can get very dusty - but you see so much, its worth it. We were given the option to upgrade our accommodation a few times, which was nice to get a bed. But the basic camping was also a great experience and still had decent facilities like showers and toilets. The beach stay at Paje in Zanzibar was a lovely end to the trip - I didn't want to leave!

From initial contact through to updates and advise this was a very smooth and brilliant experience.

This was my first proper holiday since the pandemic started and was well worth the wait. Overall the intinery was very well considered - we had just about the right amount of time at the two major highlights - the Serengeti and the Masai Mara. The time at Ngorongoro is short but also happens to be as much as the tour operators are allowed so don't be worried about missing out. I had a few misgivings about Zanzibar as I'm not really a beach person but it was a nice way to wind down - and also a very welcome return to having a bed instead of relying on a sleeping bag. Obviously the animals are the highlights of the trip. We saw all of the animals that you'd expect - highlights being a couple of cheetah finishing off a meal, a lion trying and failing to take down an impala at speed, giraffe necking. The one I'd really not expected to see was a serval at Ngorongoro. The success of any trip is made by the rest of the group and, crucially, the ground team. Jacob was an excellent and resourceful tour leader, Ray was a great chef - good variety of food both hot and cold throughout the camping part of the trip, Sam kept us safe with his driving on some very rough roads and Cash did some of everything. In fact - all four of the crew cover all of the roles - lead, cook, driver, mechanic - and there was real teamwork here.

Our family thoroughly enjoyed it

This was one of the most fantastic holidays of my life. Crew on the truck were excellent and Clara the tour guide was a brilliant leader. The other guests were great and we all got on and they supported me as the oldest in the group. Unfortunately Zanzibar was not as good. After a hectic time on safari with early mornings and sometimes long drives it would have been better to go to the beach bungalows first to recover before going to Stone town which was so busy with it's narrow streets and always in danger of being run over by car or scooters. I would rather have had a day in Nairobi to recover from the overnight flight rather than getting off the plane at 4.30 am and being driven to Kembu Farm campsite. One day less in Zanzibar would have been good especially as it rained hard on the last day and we were just hanging around until 4.30 pm drive to the airport.

This trip was a once in a lifetime trip and the memories we made will last a lifetime!!

My wife and I had been on this trip previously in September 2016 where we were lucky to see the migration. We thought that it would be good to see the other end of the season and hoped to catch the migration at the southern end, but alas they had travelled further south than we were going. Lake Nakuru NP was more productive this time as well as the Masia Mara with us seeing the 'Big 5' in the first 2 days, the first time that has occurred in more than 24 years of travel! Although the Mara Triangle and the Serengeti were very devoid of animals this was more than made up for by the Ngorongoro Crater, which was incredible.

We have returned from a tailormade trip to Kicheche Mara Camp in Kenya and Fumba Beach Lodge in Zanzibar. I must congratulate Charlie Potter for his organisation and what a great trip it was. Kicheche Mara Camp, what a fabulous place. Tents were absolute luxury, better than some hotels. The staff were ALL excellent, smiley and friendly, they couldn't do enough for you. This camp is in the Mara North Conservancy and I strongly believe this is the way forward for Safaris and camps. The camp was small, just 8 tents all well spaced out with fabulous views right amongst nature itself. Wildlife frequently came into camp and you could hear their calls at night time. In the hours of darkness you were always escorted to your tents. Each night someone goes and puts a hot water bottle in your bed whilst you are dining. Every morning at 5.30 you are woken with a hot drink and freshly baked biscuits - each in the shape of an animal, different each day. Then when you go to the Safari vehicle there is a hot water bottle on your seat - yes this was needed some mornings. Each evening before the meal there was a camp fire where you shared details of your day with others as well as having a drink under the stars. Also Michael gave us a thought of the day, which was always appreciated. The food, what can I say it was 5 star, as good as any top hotel, all cooked on the premises. All the bread, biscuits and cakes were freshly done. Presentation was always excellent as was the service. Always smiles on the staff faces and the camp managers - Ray and Tony - always ate with you. It was great when there was a celebration as all the staff took part and a cake brought out or even champagne. Breakfasts were taken on the early morning game drive and again the food was excellent and it was a good chance to stretch your legs. Back at lunch time for another excellent meal, then afternoon tea before going out again. Then sundowners and snacks on the drive. What more could we ask. We certainly never went hungry. The game drives were superb, we had Saruni and he was always pointing things out, spotting animals and birds and finding the necessary game to view. He was a great friendly guy always smiling and chatting with us. In fact your game drive starts from the moment you land at the airstrip. We followed Cheetahs after an Impala, chased across the valley to watch Hyenas take a Topi down. Gazed at Lionesses with their cubs and prides playing or sleeping in the sun. Elephants tramping through the river Mara. You name it we saw it except for the Leopard, but we did try. We did see a Serval one evening, how Saruni spotted it I don't know as they blend in so well. Lions in large numbers, giraffe, zebra, plenty of Topi, Jackal to name a few plus the great variety of birdlife which is fantastic.

Well where to begin in reviewing this trip? I guess at the start and it certainly is as advertised an adventure, and an adventure you will never forget. From the very beginning arriving into Nairobi airport everything was superbly organised and it wasn't long before we met up with our group of fellow travelers and we're introduced to our exodus team, consisting of our leader Patrick, our driver David, cook Wilson and helper Jessie, what a great team they were too so friendly and welcoming to us all. I don't believe that within the budget of this trip it would be possible to see so much of East Africa as we managed to see on our holiday. Through Kenya, onto Tanzania and then ending in Zanzibar, everyday spent marvelling at what each location has to offer, just as you think things can't get any better in the Massai mara you're into the Serengeti and even greater sights, and then to top it all off my personal favourite was a morning in the ngorrowgorrw crater. Along the way we were lucky enough to see the big five, a cheetah kill a hare, countless giraffes, elephants, wilderbeast, hippos, and so many other animals I can't write them all down. We slept in camps where you could literally hear the lions and hyenas and they sounded so close. We woke mornings to find zebras munching grass within touching distance of our tents, on this trip all this just seems natural, but when you get home you really think about it and realize how lucky you were to see it all. You will sleep in 2 man tents which are a little on the small side but you're so knackered at night you really don't care so long as you can put your head down and go to sleep. There is an awful lot of traveling, there has to be to cram so much into the trip, the truck is pretty comfortable and there is generally lots to see, but take a book or 2 as there are a couple of really long days of transiting destinations. I would thoroughly recommend this trip, indeed if you're reading this review you're obviously considering this holiday, I can offer one piece of advice stop considering right now and book it! I guarantee you won't regret anything unless you don't do this holiday it was for us the trip of a lifetime. Oh and last but not least I have to mention the food which we were a little concerned about before we got there, it was delicious, plenty of variety, and Wilson's soups were really tasty, don't know how he managed it but great cooking really enjoyed every meal.

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It was a great trip, wonderful to see the animals in their natural habitat. Some long days of driving but well worth it in the end. Erellah was great leader, pointed things out that we would've never seen without his help. Wilson, Sam and Esther were great assets to the trip and made it all the more enjoyable. It was my first trip with Exodus and plan on more.

Although we had previously visited Kenya six years ago (on the Gorillas and Masai Mara trip) we had never seen the wildebeest crossing so I had really hoped to be lucky this time. Also our former trip had been an excellent experience so I had no hesitation in booking this trip with the added Tanzania experience.

Saw all the infamous National parks & so much awesome wildlife, too numerous to mention. Great group, relaxing tour pace & even the camping was great! The way the trip is organised & run by the crew is flawless, I am so impressed & will definitely have consider this type of trip again.

A truly memorable experience with some long journeys along some very bumpy and dusty roads but the rewards of close encounters with so much of East Africa's wildlife made it all worth while. Our group was 17 strong with 4 crew who worked tirelessly to ensure that we were able to enjoy our trip to the full and the truck had plenty of room for all of us to be able to enjoy the wildlife and catch some magic moments on camera. Camping is a great way to enjoy and experience the wildlife and although some of the camp sites are very basic the location more than makes up for it together with the fact that often we were the only campers.

A great introduction to the wildlife of East Africa, there is nothing quite like the excitement of animal/bird spotting that is an integral part of this tour. Camping allowed one to feel close to nature and was even better as few had other campers close by. Kip and his team were superb hosts keeping us informed of local life, both human and animal, while ensuring we were well fed. On the cultural side we visited a Masai village in the Serengeti and had guided tour of a typical local market in Musoma.

An excellent time we had; I hadnt expected to see so many animals. What a great crew, thankyou.

This is an amazing journey around Kenya and Tanzania with some long journeys on the truck but it ended up feeling like our second home!

What a trip, greatly exceeded my expectations. We saw thousands of animals of every variety.

Very well organised and enjoyable trip. The cook was amazing, everything was kept so clean and hygienic. The driver always made you feel safe and the leader was one of the best I have travelled with.