THE A TEAM
Axis Africa Expedition & Safaris
- Office In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2016)
- Member Of:
- KATO & TRA
- Tour Types:
- Mid-range & luxury tours with set start dates and a fixed itinerary
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $2,602 to $20,814 per person per day (MXN, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
AE
Email Aoife | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Khalifa was absolutely incredible we could not fault him he had buckets of info and stories to share
We chose Axis Africa as it was recommended from another group of friends. I was in contact with Lennox who was organising our trip. The safari itself was incredible and our driver Khalifa made it more special. He shared loads of information about the animals we were seeing and always had a funny anecdote to share which kept everything so interesting! Unfortunately, Lennox scheduled and charged us for a day of activities that we were unable to complete as he didn't allow for transfer time to the airport that day which was a bit disappointing. He didn't have any way to compensate for this and my last two emails to Lennox have been left unanswered.
Reply from Axis Africa Expedition & Safaris
Posted on Apr 25, 2023Thank you for taking your time to share your wonderful experience with our guide Khalifa Ahmed. Glad that you enjoyed every experience on this 3 days safari.
Regarding the refund, as i tried to explain to you via our email conversation, you were on a 3 days 2nights itinerary and its unfortunate that your flight back home on the 3rd day was coming up at around 2pm which based on experience it would have been so risky to do activities of Day 3 in masai mara and still drive back to Nairobi to catch your flight(keeping in mind you need to be at the airport 2-3hrs in advance), in consultation with guide Khalifa we squeezed the activities of day 3 to have you do them on Day 1 on arrival, according to initial plan day 3 was to be a visit to Masai Village, and you did this on Day1 after the evening game-drive. This therefore meant that we freed Day3 for traveling back, we highly apologize for overlooking the fact that you were not aware that Masai mara is some 5-6hrs drive away from Nairobi, and for squeezing the itinerary with the thought that we were creating a risk free travel back to Nairobi airport.
Regarding compensation we thought that since we managed to do all the activities as planned, we had nothing to spare to do a compensation,however we still offered free transportation to Giraffe Center, before heading to drop you at the airport, this was a detour and was not part of the tour plan, it unfortunate this was not a good enough compensation plan.
We highly apologize for this, and appreciate you taking the time to share your experience with us, and we're sorry to hear that your visit didn't meet your expectations. Your feedback is important to us, and we will take it into consideration as we continue to improve and evolve our services. If you have any further concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We hope to have the opportunity to make it right in the future.
ES
Email Ana | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great work online
The online communications with Axis Africa was amazing. Lennox answered always fast and clear. But the reality afterwards wasn't that good.
I paid for a upgrade and I stay in a low category camp in Masai Mara. Also I was said I will be in the Sopa Naivasha. In from of the lodge I was said then that I was "upgraded" to another lodge. I wasn't. The Naivasha Lodge was worst than the lodge I had paid for. It was a disappointment.
Then, Robert the driver made us leave the last day from Amboseli before time, only because he wanted to go to " no man's land", in the Tanzania-Kenya border to buy grain. Quite a surreal experience! I guess this kind of things happen a lot in safaris, but it was quite surprising for me.
SE
Email Sebastian | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great driver and game drives. Not that great planning.
We took the six day safari with Masai Mara-Naruk-Amboseli. We ordered our safari via Axis, in our car we were 7 people. We were the only ones from Axis. So it’s hard to rate Axis on our trip.
We suffered a bit due to this since all travel groups had different itinerary and accommodations. We spent hours waiting on people and driving to different lodges/tent camps. This made that our tour didn’t followed our itinerary and we had to argue to get what we paid for.
You should be aware of this or demand to be in a car with a group with 100% same itinerary/accommodation if you plan to order this trip.
With that said we had a great safari. We saw the big five on our first full day game drive. Richard, our driver should have the Nobel peace prize for handeling one of our co-travelers that was very demanding. He handled our van with great skills!
Richard and animal-viewing was five stars, the planning with different itineraries in one car was one star!
DE
Email Dennis | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Wildlife, no so great Driver
The Safari was very nice, and we were really lucky, despite rain season. However, out driver always seemed to be in a hurry outside the park and the extra-activities seemed to a nuisance to him
KR
Email Sonia | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Safari... not what I expected... maybe...
First of all, I don't blame Axis Africa if my safari was less than ideal. I think for the price, I got a great deal. I saw lions, cheetahs. leopards, lots of elephants. giraffes, zebras. Pic-up, drop-off, camps and game drives were exactly as promised. I guess I really came with little experience and expectations. I was in a (nice) pop-up van with a bunch of foreigners (like me). The guide spent most of the time on a radio with other guides. We could guess when he spoke a lot and we say all the vans heading in one direction it was a lion or something "big". It did kind of feel we were harassing the animals, even caging them in with vans. Only once did our driver seem to participate in this (on the last day, he gunned the van to try to get a rise out of a cheetah, who did not respond-- and several of us let him know we didn't think it cool to do this-- but we did notice other vans harassing animals, shouting at them and trying to provoke them. I did get the feeling that the guides on these "budget" safaris would do "whatever" they thought made the guest happy and earn more tips. We clearly went off-road when it was marked. I also had a bad experience at the camp when a driver from another safari made sexual comments and reached into his pants and (well whatever) while speaking to me. (He asked it I was in a tent alone --I wans't) and then I just left.. I probably should have taken his name or photo-- but I was in shock! Anyway, this was not the fault of my company, but it did mar my experience.
In my further travels in Africa, I did another game drive in Botswana that was actually cheaper and more professional. We didn't drive as close to the animals but that actually felt better,
I did feel Axis Africa gave me what they promised in a budget safari. That said, I am not sure what i got what what I anticipated. I did see a lot of animals. They were mostly wild and free, except that we caged them in with our vehicles (and they did seem OK with this). Our guide, while not particularly knowledgeable ("there ix a big elephant and a little elephant") was pleasant enough. I hope this post alerts other women who may be harasssed to take a photo and report it as I wish I had.
FR
Email Naj | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A Disappointing and Overpriced Experience with a Problematic Guide
I regret to say that my safari with Axis Safari fell far short of expectations, especially considering the significant price I paid. I booked what was described as a mid-luxury tour to Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru.
My primary issue was with the value. For the price (approximately $1000), I expected a consistently good standard. While the first lodge was excellent, the accommodation at Lake Nakuru was, in my opinion, very poor. The room was tiny, the food for dinner and breakfast was disappointing, and excessive noise made it impossible to sleep well. I was traveling with others who had booked the cheapest option, and from my perspective, I could not see a justified difference in the quality we received for the extra cost. I feel I did not receive value for my money.
Unfortunately, the experience was significantly worsened by our guide/driver, Yasin. His demeanor was consistently grumpy and he appeared annoyed by our questions about the animals or the tour. He was frequently on his phone while driving and while we were on game drives. He would often start driving without warning while we were still standing up taking photographs, which felt disrespectful and unsafe.
The most unacceptable incident occurred one day in the vehicle. After a misunderstanding about the itinerary for the following day, I tried to clarify. Yasin became very angry, stopped the car, and raised his voice at me in front of the entire group. This outburst made everyone extremely uncomfortable and was utterly unprofessional. While he apologized later that day, the incident left me feeling very upset and it ruined that entire day of the safari for me. His general inattentiveness, fast driving, and lack of guiding commentary made me feel he was more of a disinterested driver than a guide.
The Masai Mara itself is absolutely breathtaking and worth visiting. However, based on my personal experience—feeling overcharged for uneven quality and being subjected to a guide whose behavior was, at times, unprofessional and intimidating—I cannot recommend Axis Safari. I believe there are operators who would provide better value and more respectful, engaged service for a similar price.
Reply from Axis Africa Expedition & Safaris
Posted on Jan 27, 2026Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are sorry to hear that parts of your safari did not meet your expectations.
We would like to clarify that the tour booked was our standard 4 days Group Joining Safari, Cost Option 3 which clearly involves a mix of mid-range and budget accommodations, as outlined in the itinerary and final confirmation voucher provided before travel. During your safari, you stayed at Jambo Mara Lodge (Mid-range Hotel) in Masai Mara for two nights and Buraha Zenoni Hotel (a well-rated budget hotel) in Lake Nakuru for one night. Guests seeking uniform mid-luxury accommodation throughout are always offered dedicated mid-range or luxury itineraries at a higher cost as indicated in Cost Option 4 of the Standard Itineraries. That said, we regret that the Lake Nakuru accommodation did not meet your personal comfort expectations, particularly regarding noise and room size.
Concerning your experience with the guide, we take such feedback very seriously. We have followed up internally regarding the incident mentioned, as professionalism, safety, and guest comfort are extremely important to us.
We truly appreciate your acknowledgment of the beauty of Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru. Thank you for bringing these concerns to our attention, as they help us improve our services.
CN
Email Wilma | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The guide is lazy and less experienced.
I regret to give him too much tips .I gave him 2000Kes . Later I ask several other teams other groups other friends they join other company’s safari team,they told me they gave their guides less tips ,they only gave there guides 1000 Kes every one person for three days safari ,but their guides lead them find much more animals ——They saw Five Majestic Beasts of the Maasai Mara Grassland . They also saw lots of wild animals cross the sand river during 11:00~12:30 at noon on 17 July. But our guide only find three kind of Five Majestic Beasts. He even didn’t want to bring us to the sand river to wait for the wild beasts crossing the river at the same day . Although I already told him to give us chance and time to wait for the famous and precious crossing . At last at the afternoon he lead us to the sand river after we ask him go there but we saw nothing because the crossing finished already that time. He said several times it’s too far away to go to those crossing points of sand river to wait the crossing .
Reply from Axis Africa Expedition & Safaris
Posted on Jul 21, 2025Dear Wilma, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We are truly sorry to hear that your safari did not meet your expectations, and we appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns.
July is indeed one of the peak months for the Great Migration in the Masai Mara, and many travelers hope to witness dramatic river crossings during this season. However, even during this period, wildlife sightings, including the iconic crossings, remain natural events, influenced by unpredictable animal behavior and environmental conditions. The crossing is not something that any Safari operator or guide can guarantee. While we understand your desire to witness this iconic moment, sightings vary greatly each day, and even with the best planning, nature follows its own course.
We also wish to highlight that for group joining safaris (like the one you had chosen), our guides do their best to balance the interests of all guests in the vehicle. This means that the guide needs to make choices that suit the whole group, including how much time is spent at each spot. For travelers with particular interests, such as spending extended time at potential crossing sites, we usually recommend a private safari for a more personalized experience and itinerary control.
Regarding tipping, this is an open gesture left entirely to the guest's judgment. We provide general guidance, but the final decision is always yours, and we are sorry to hear you later felt unsure about it.
We have taken note of your concerns about the guide and will follow up with our team accordingly to ensure every guest receives the best possible experience.
Thank you once again for choosing to travel with us, and we hope you will give us another opportunity in the future to deliver a more fulfilling experience.
Email Ljubo | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Bad
the mini bus was terrible, everywhere we ate the food was bad, our main day was delayed by an hour because of other passengers and at the end of the day we ran into a rhino and 10 lions on the hunt and the driver hurried home and didn't let us enjoy the scene 10 minuts more
the only reason for rating 2 is that we saw a big five
Email Kandice | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
It was ok, but overpriced and kind of sketchy
The van was comfortable enough but very old and without AC, so be prepared for that. Our driver was nice, the places we stopped for food were not clean. (Bring toiler paper and hand sanitizer with you) All the restaurants are buffet style and left in serving wear that was sitting out for much longer then I feel is safe.
We were meant to go into the Masai Mara for 2 days, but the driver talked us into only going for one "extra long" day, which was only an hour longer then the day was originally meant to be. He also told us we could go into the Serengeti and instead took us to the border and told us that was it. In the end we paid for two days when we only had about 12 hours, allowing them to pocket the extra cash that would have been spent on the next days entry fee.
The place we camped was ok, not like it was pictured but it was acceptable and the people who worked there were nice. There was an overwhelming pressure from Axis to pay up front and in cash. One day included a picnic lunch, which was precooked chicken that wasn't kept in a cooler, but in cardboard box and ended up giving me food poisoning. I would recommend brining your own snacks.
After the trip we were informed that they are being looked into for questionable practices.
I wouldn't book with them again, especially since there are rumors surrounding the legitimacy of their practices.
Reply from Axis Africa Expedition & Safaris
Posted on Mar 26, 2019Hi Kandice
We are very disappointed for this negative feedback that you have chosen to share , there is no way that one can go to Serengeti national park in Tanzania the same day he is doing Masai Mara, the program indicated very well that during the full day you will be inside Masai Mara park and visit the Masai Mara river which is close to the border separating Masai Mara and Serengeti, no where we mentioned that you will cross to enter Serengeti on this day, this is a language misunderstanding that you did not understand even after explaining to you physically.
About the food, we highly apologize, we have since made the camp partner aware of this case and they have promised to change there packaging of picnic lunch.
About overcharging, that's also not so, you were doing a safari that is longer compared to the rest in your group and that would only mean a slightly higher price for you.
We would like to clarify that we are not illegitimate company as you have mentioned, we have an office which you came to and are licensed by the government, this was a case of misunderstanding on the wording of the itinerary, which if you engaged us we have amicably resolved.
We however believe that the customer /client has to be always right and therefore highly apologize for everything that went negative.
Email Astrid | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
If you book with Axis Africa, make sure Jeff is NOT your guide
To be clear, it wasn't all bad. The booking went fine, the agent was informative and helpful, the price was right, and the tented camp we stayed in was pleasant. But what you need most on a tour is a tour guide, and Jeff was anything but. He was our driver, and nothing more.
At the beginning of day 1 Jeff told us to ask questions, and generally one would expect those questions to be answered in addition to the guided tour, but what we got was a few, simple words to answer questions, and further questions seemed unwelcome. In what probably amounted to 20+ hours in the vehicle over 3 days, he maybe said a total of 200 words to us. He would stop, point, and say "impala" (or something similar) and then continue once we were finished taking photos. We got no information about the reserve, the animals, or what to expect from the day. Over several meals at the camp we heard all the other groups talking about what great guides they had and that saddened/angered me.
So, my review is simple: If you book with Axis Africa make sure Jeff is NOT your guide.