Kenya

The holiday Jane arranged for us was spot on. I don’t know whether to thank her or curse her for doing such a good job. Curse because now we’re keen to buckle down, save save save, and get back out there for another holiday. All the accommodation was superb and meals etc just right. The horse riding was very good, and an excellent way to see the animals… it ticked all our boxes.

February 2012

We would just like to thank Safari Consultants for what we now consider to be the best holiday that we have ever had in Africa. Our Kenya trip this year was our 42nd trip to an African country. Over the past 32 years we have seen 18 leopards. This time we broke our record of seeing six leopards in one week and on the last day we saw three adult leopards together – something our guides said was unique. We are extremely grateful to Safari Consultants for this exceptional holiday and will certainly be planning our next holiday with you over the next three months.

January 2012

Fantastic is a word that barely describes the time we had. In fact, and we both agree, there isn't a word in the English language that comes close to adequately describing our trip. Many thanks, Jane, for a job very well done.

February 2012

Michele, this is the third holiday to Africa you have organised for us and they have all been great. We value the service and advice you give. We look forward to planning our next trip with you in the future.

January 2012

Hi Rob, we got back from Kenya last weekend and wanted to say thank you for finding for Henry and myself such a perfect last minute holiday that exceeded all our expectations and was below our budget. I certainly couldn’t have arranged it myself and my best decision was having the sense to call you. Overall, it was an exceptional holiday.

January 2012

Mary, many thanks for your e-mail and apologies at the delay in replying. We had a wonderful time! Sosian was my personal highlight of the trip. Everything was perfect. Christmas eve under the stars with Annabelle and Steve and their family, a Taittinger soaked x-mas lunch, then camel rides on Christmas day. What more could we ask for? The Mara was of course great but felt strangely busy after Sosian and quite wet! As with our previous trips with you I cannot say thank you enough for your organisation, personal service, and attention to detail.

December 2011

On the way home we commented “How can we top that? Where can we go that what be such an enjoyable experience?” Everything went very smoothly. Your choice of camps in Kenya was ideal, each different & excellent in their own way, all provided very comfy accommodation & a good variety of food (possibly too much!). We want to thank you for putting such a splendid holiday together for us. Having only had a couple of conversations Jane managed to pitch the whole experience just right for us and we are very grateful. We are already looking longingly at Botswana … we know where our starting point will be.

November 2011

Hi Rob, we really had a great time. Thank you so much for two very good recommendations. Everything was perfectly organised, all the travel arrangements very smooth. We are delighted. Thanks again Rob. You did an excellent job.

December 2011

Dear Mary, How sad we are to be back but we cope by living on our memories of yet another wonderful holiday. Asha Cottage and the beach were without doubt a little bit of paradise. As you promised we were looked after as treasured guests and virtually family members. It truly is a wonderful place for those who just want to relax in peacde and quiet. As far as how you can improve your service - that is impossible! Everything works like clockwork exactly as you set out in our itinerary and everyone who looks after us is both efficient and friendly. We just can't find anything to complain about. Thank you so much for everything and all the care you take and for keeping your finger constantly on the pulse. We hope to see you again before too long.

December 2011

Thanks for getting in touch Mary. We had a magical time, particularly at the Kicheche Camp which everyone loved. It was a great choice. Probably should have spent more time there on reflection and less at the beach, but don't worry, the Baraza Resort was terrific as well. The only (minor) downside was all the travelling, particularly on the way back but we knew that was going to happen and it's one of those things. Thank you very much for all your efforts in organising it, and being so calm when we had to switch it all around. Top job!

October 2011

Exceptionally good trip. Both Kicheche camps had excellent staff. Msambweni was incredible – amazing service and fantastic food and accommodation. Safari Consultants have been excellent all the way through - especially regarding the problems over Lamu – Mary Grimwood in particular has been outstanding.

October 2011

I can’t thank you enough. Endless trouble taken by Michele to listen before advising itinerary and selection was spot on for our party. Lewa was a perfect introduction to Africa and game-viewing. Meru, remote – several days we saw no other vehicles on game-drives and elephant visited our camp! Kicheche was everything you led us to expect. Beyt al Chai was stylish and friendly with an excellent restaurant. All logistics worked perfectly. Very reassuring. We’ll be back when we can afford it!

October 2011

Dear Bill and Mary, well we returned safely from another trip to Africa thanks to our good friends at Safari Consultants. As for the trip itself we can only say thank you for always knowing our needs. I was not expecting too much game at Laikipia and were we surprised. Besides the joy of seeing Andy and Sonja again the game viewing was excellent. We saw a Cheetah kill 2 baby Warthogs, which was a bit unsettling for Terry but it was all part of nature. We even saw a small pack of Wild Dogs on hunt early one evening. That is the only time we have actually seen these dogs hunting. Amazing animals. Unexpectedly Mara North was quite green and the game viewing was over the top. Here we saw the Wildebeest crossing the Mara back into Tanzania. Quite a sight. One became dinner for a lion and another for a Crocodile. At your request Patrick met us at Mara Camp and was our personal guide for both Mara and Bush Camps. He was terrific and we'd like management to know that. Bush Camp was exactly as we remembered. We are also pleased to report that several other guests mentioned they booked their Safari through Safari Consultants and had only good things to say about your attention to detail and concern for your clients. What more can I add about how pleased we are that we found you in Zimbabwe in 1995? We are already saving for our next trip and expect to bring another couple with us. Thank you again.

September 2011

Hi Rob, yes we had a fantastic time, loads to tell you!! Kicheche Laikipia was as beautiful as ever although it had changed a bit since the drought in 2009! The new lake managed to swallow a large bull elephant who spent a wonderful time swimming and diving, and thoroughly enjoying himself. We had some fantastic encounters with our guide Mohammad including a pack of Wild Dogs and an Aardvaark. We spent a whole day following the dogs and were eventually rewarded when they hunted down an impala. During that day we also saw a zebra giving birth and stayed to watch until the baby was on its feet and trotting next to mum – took about 20 mins, amazing! Sarara was wonderful. What a beautiful area – I could have spent longer there. We saw two leopard kills and lost count of the number of leopard sightings. Did lots of walking at Serian Main Camp. Saw a leopard strolling past the camp on my walk on our first afternoon. Another day I went walking without Amanda and came across three lion on a kill!

September 2011

Dear Bill, this has to be the best trip yet, wonderful sightings everywhere we went. After the gorillas we feared the rest might be a bit of an anti-climax, but it was nothing of the sort: Chimps, Colobus, Blue Monkey and Blue Turaco in Nyungwe, and Rwanda is a beautiful country. Then in Kenya Lewa gave us lion, leopard, cheetah, rhino and many others including lots of birds; Walking Wild with Kitonga was real walking where we saw so much and had a very close encounter with a family of white rhino. Kicheche gave us cats again plus serval, elephant, hippos, crocs and a great range of antelope. Thanks for all your effort in putting the trip together, faultless as ever.

September 2011

Dear Rob, we simply had the most fantastic time. Thank you. The birding was excellent. Wildlife sightings far exceeded our expectations. We even saw 4000 wildebeest cross the Mara complete with crocodiles and lions picking them off! It left us breathless. At Mdonya we saw lion, cheetah and leopard before lunch one day! We have some fantastic photographs. Met other clients of yours at Kicheche who were just as happy with you as we are. We had the time of our lives and hope to return to some places.....thanks for all your organisation which was FAULTLESS.

September 2011

Fantastic trip - great planning and guidance. Thank you so much. Words cannot describe what an incredible time we had!

September 2011

I can't find enough words to describe our holiday, it was a wonderful package you put together with Lewa first and then the Mara. Both camps had excellent staff, which made for a most memorable, trouble free holiday!

September 2011

Overall we had an absolutely fantastic holiday. The service we received from Safari Consultants was excellent and the Kicheche camps exceeded all expectations.

September 2011

Hi Michele. Just a quick note to say that we had a wonderful holiday, way ahead of our expectations, and constantly said to each other how grateful we were to you for taking so much trouble over it all. Many many thanks.

September 2011

Hi Mary, just to let you know we had a great time in the Maasai Mara. You were correct - no need to worry - everything went to plan and the camp and guides were terrific. Roy is working through over 2000 photos. The wildlife was very plentiful and managed to pose almost to order. All in all an experience we wont forget. Thank you for all your help and advice.

September 2011

We had the most memorable and wonderful holiday and all thanks to you. I was remembering that day last November when I first received your email, Rob, with an outline itinerary and for the first time felt a flutter of excitement when the whole trip had just appeared so daunting. Now it is all over but against the odds I made it to Uhuru Peak, Pole Pole! Asante sana.

September 2011

We had the most amazing time in Rwanda and Kenya. We were pleasantly surprised visiting Rwanda, as we just did not know what to expect – such a beautiful country and it is very interesting to see how they are rebuilding their towns and roads, but also how hard they work to improve their reputation. A country we would certainly recommend visiting, even more so to experience the best time of our lives by meeting and observing the gorillas. Absolutely stunning! Our time in Kicheche Camp was better then we ever had hoped for: the staff, the location, the view, the wildlife, the wonderful tent, the food, a very informative & fun guide – it all contributed towards the excellent safari experience. We felt we lived in some sort of ‘bubble’: an experience which is difficult to describe at home – that’s how good it was. Michele, your enthusiasm and knowledge made us choose Safari Consultants. We wish we could plan these trips a lot more often!! We appreciate all your help and quick responses at all times. Thank you! Hope to speak to you again.

August 2011

July/ August 2011

The whole experience was excellent, and exceeded our expectations. The all important guides were very knowledgeable, very experienced at finding wildlife, and all had a good sense of humour. Their love of the wildlife and countryside shone through. On our final day fantastic to see a wildebeest migration crossing... Thank you again Jane for organising our holiday.

August 2011

Dear Rob, Just a quick message to say thank you so much for so brilliantly putting together our wonderful trip to the Mara, which, I imagine, with eighteen of us to organise, was no mean feat! Everyone had a fantastic time and I'm sure will treasure the memories for a long while to come. Thank you again.

August 2011

Thank you so much for all you did to make our time in Africa so enjoyable. It was all a great success and your organisation was meticulous.

August 2011

Hi Mary, We have had a fantastic time. It all worked prefectly and was an amazing time. So much so we would like to go back!

July/ August 2011

It was an exceptional trip – the best game watching I’ve had in Africa – and thanks so much for making it go so smoothly.

July 2011

Dear Rob, We had a fantastic time. Everything went pretty much as planned and exceeded our expectations: there were so many animals and birds to see and the camps were wonderful with great hosts and knowledgeable friendly guides. Laikipia had had some rain in the weeks before our visit and everything was much greener than I'd expected and the animals all looked in very good condition. I think we were very lucky as we managed to see all of the "big 5" in the first two days, although it was only a fleeting glimpse of a leopard. We were glad we'd decided to go to Loldia as the day at Lake Nakuru was really good. So much more to see than just the flamingos. Kicheche Mara was also an excellent choice with animals all around. I apparently slept through a Zebra being killed not far from one of the tents and one evening 6 zebra galloped through the camp as we were having drinks around the camp fire. Asha Cottage was also ideal just to relax and catch up on sleep. Many thanks again for giving us a great holiday and some wonderful memories.

Late July/ August 2011

First of all, can I say that we had a wonderful trip which far exceeded our expectations; both camps were excellent and Pinewood also looked after us very well indeed; Edna was a gem who helped us every time we asked and our chef was also very special. Thank you, Mary, for arranging what was for us, the trip of a lifetime.

July 2011

We saw the big five in the Mara, and lions, rhinos and buffalo at Lake Nakuru. We also saw the migration and crossing of the Mara River! Simply magical. Mara Intrepids was so fabulous and well run, and we absolutely loved it.

July 2011

This was our first safari trip. Contacting Safari Consultants (Rob Slater) was the best decision we made. Rob spent a lot of time and trouble understanding the needs (and hopes) of our family and putting together an outstanding package. We could not have asked for more. We spent 11 days in Kenya, visiting 3 contrasting camps (Lewa Conservancy, Sarara and Kicheche Bush). All were excellent in their distinctive way, providing the family with an unforgettable experience.

July 2011

Hi Jonny, I just wanted to tell you what a fabulous time we had in Kenya.  Thank you for managing to arrange the holiday at such short notice.  Everything about it was excellent: beautiful accommodation, superb guides (particular mention to Jacob and Stanley who were both exceptional), camp managers (in particular James), wonderful staff and plentiful and delicious food.  All the travel arrangements worked smoothly.  We saw every animal that we hoped to see, including the wildebeest migration. It was a holiday to remember and we hope that we’ll have a chance to return to Kenya at some point.

July 2011

An excellent trip! Safari Consultants, particularly Michele Seamark, were superb. All questions we answered promptly and in detail and every part of the holiday ran incredibly smoothly.

July 2011

My wife and I have booked a trip to Rwanda, Kenya and Zanzibar for September. Michelle Cooper dealt with this and gave an excellent service, setting out various options clearly with the relevant pros and cons. She dealt patiently with a whole host of fool questions from me and in the end the trip sounds quite fantastic. Subsequently my son wanted to book a very cheap safari and I contacted your company to see if they could help or advise. Even though we were below your price range Jonny gave good, clear advice about time of year and options and quite unbidden came up with a possible trip that you could arrange. Even though we are not taking this one up we have been impressed with the friendliness, helpfulness, clarity and sheer professionalism of Michelle and Jonny. Both have also responded with impressive promptness at all time. So my thanks to both of them and I wanted you to know how well we have been served.

September 2011

Hello Mary, Louise and I wish to sincerely thank you – and your colleagues at Safari Consultants Ltd – for again organising a superb safari at Lewa Downs and Bateleur. It was a truly memorable holiday. We were greeted at both camps as most welcome returning friends. The accommodation, the care, the guiding and wildlife were superb at both bases. We have possibly bored our friends about the great time we have had and also told them about the great friendly professional service given by you and colleagues at Safari Consultants Ltd.

March 2011

We had a wonderful holiday – truly a trip to be remembered and memories to cherish.

February 2011

We didn’t expect the food on safari to be that special – but it really was a case of ‘fine dining in the bush.

February 2011

My recent trip was absolutely excellent and just about the best safari trip I have done. In terms of game-viewing, conditions could simply have not bee better. The Mara North Conservancy was like a parkland with short green grass and wexcellent visibility. Lions were seen on almost every game drive and we saw a pair of mating leopards. The grass was longer at Laikipia/ Ol Pejeta but there was no problem viewing the animals. Apart from the rhino sanctuary, highlights here included seeing black rhino out in the open (three in on day!). An encounter with a female cheetah and two almost fully grown cubs was also brilliant. There were plenty of elephants visiting the waterhole in front of the lodge. These conservancies in Kenya are brilliant for wildlife watching – particularly combined with staying in a small camp.

January 2011

Everything about our holiday exceeded our expectations. Even our briefing notes were superbly accurate.

January 2011

Dear Michele, A very big THANK YOU for the amazing holiday in Kenya and Zanzibar. After receiving information from two other organisations, I was not happy and my instinct told me to look further afield and this was a decision that I shall be thankful for. You knew exactly what we were looking for and even with the short notice you came up with a perfect itinerary and provided every detail necessary. Your advice about tipping, clothing, luggage etc., was followed and paid dividends. I do not know how you managed it, but the amount of time at each Kicheche Camp and at Ras Nungwi and Stonetown was perfect. Not too little and not too much. What I was dreading the most was meetings and transfers as I have had bad experiences. There was no need for concern as everything went off without a hitch and we had the most wonderful people meet us and make sure we were taken care of. I think our biggest hassle was filling out Immigration cards on the aircraft. If you especially arranged for us to see every wildlife imagineable - then thank you. I don't think we missed anything. My only (half-hearted) complaint was that the food and drinks was so superb I put on weight. Thank you Michele and everyone at Safari Consultants, We shall be back.

December 2011

To relax, I still close my eyes and in my mind wander through our wonderful itinerary in Africa.

December 2010

As always, a brilliant holiday. Rwanda was quite a surprise – a beautiful country and lovely people.

October 2010

We had some amazing sightings in the Mara – each day we thought we had seen it all’ and each day there was more – cheetah with six 3 month old cubs, leopards, mating lions etc! Once again, Rob, thank you!

October 2010

We would like to thank Mary Grimwood of Safari Consultants for all her hard work throughout the entire planning & booking process. I was very impressed with the service she provided from the moment Mary called me after receiving my online enquiry – detailed questions were asked of what I was looking for and then an itinerary was swiftly emailed which was changed many times due to my indecision. Throughout Mary was extremely helpful answering the many questions I raised. It made a big difference that the places she recommended she had actually visited. Thank you Mary – I know who to ring when planning my next safari!

October 2010

Huge thanks to Mary for her help an advice from my initial enquiry at the Bird Fair to us departing (& returning). This was an experience well outside our ‘comfort zone’ and we are so pleased to have booked with Safari Consultants. The ‘added value’ meant we had the most wonderful experience we could and was worth every penny to us. This was our trip of a lifetime but we do hope perhaps one day to do it again! Many thanks to all at Safari Consultants.

September 2010

Absolutely fabulous trip.

September 2010

Undoubtedly the highlight for us was the 3 days walking wild with Kitonga. He was a superb guide, extremely knowledgeable, great sense of humour and lovely companion.

September 2010

Couldn’t have been better.

September 2010