Andrew will take you to remote places
Wildebeest Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 1997)
- Member Of:
- ETT & TRA
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $1,736 to $7,811 per person per day (MXN, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Tim | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Everything was great!!!
Everything regarding the safari tour was great. Would not hesitate at all to use Wildebeest Safaris for any future safari tour needs, and would highly recommend them to anyone considering a safari tour.
CA
Email Kevin | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
They tell a better story than they can consistently deliver.
We did two safari's with Wildebeest. Masai Mara was awesome with a great guide (Andrew), vehicle and accommodations. The second one a few days later had likely their worst vehicle (doors and windows that were hard to open and dirty inside) and a guide that really did not seem to know or was unwilling to share much about Amboseli - including getting some of the animals wrong. They had many excuses (other vehicle broke down, busy time of year, no previous complaints for that guide, etc.). At least the accommodations were good. So be careful when you book with Wildebeest - you simply don't get consistent quality.
Email Zach | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Too much driving
My wife and I did the 8 day safari with Wildebeest safaris and it was the worst vacation experience we have ever had. The itinerary is not very detailed and we had no clue we would spend sooo much time driving from park to park. 6hr drive, 9hr drive, day off, 11 hr drive, day off, 5 hr drive, 8 hr drive, and 7 he drive is what our 8 day safari consisted of. The guides were good and the accommodations were good, however this much driving completely ruined our experience and I would never do it again. There was two days we were supposed to do 2 game drives but we didn't do any since it took all day to get to destination.
Reply from Wildebeest Safaris
Posted on Sep 19, 2017Dear Zach,
Thank you for your review we truly appreciate. Prior to booking the entire package we usually send guests itinerary which usually indicates driving hours between parks. Kenya parks are far away from each other and it even shows on the maps we usually send to guests.
We are happy you enjoyed the services of our guides and accommodation favolities we recommended to you.
Yours Sincerely,
Noah Kuti,
Business Development Manager
CA
Email Joy and Allan Vezina | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Top notch from start to finish. Every need was attended to promptly and courteously.
Safari in Kenya and Tanzania
What an amazing trip to East Africa we have experienced. Fourteen days and eight camps. Later we arrived home knowing that we left our hearts in Africa.
This tour (our first) was arranged thru Wildebeest Safaris and orchestrated through Noah Kuti. We had planned it perhaps four months before we left and had many back and forth emails to and from Noah. Even with the seven hour time difference, Noah answered our email questions promptly. We don’t know when that man slept.
We flew to Amsterdam and then after a layover we took a flight to Nairobi, Kenya’s capital city. Our very first stop (that we had requested) was at the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage. Their hours are limited to visitors… just one hour per day at eleven AM. That is because they work so hard with these little creatures that their time is devoted to that. We are now “fostering” our very own little soul. We “took” one that has a very bad, unable-to-be-repaired knee, just like ours. We are “giving” elephants this year to all those on our Christmas List.
Once you leave Nairobi there are no more “roads”… just back road trails. They are bumpy, they go up and down, they are narrow and washed out in many places by the rain and often blocked by animals.
Our first camp was Larson’s Samburu Camp. It was our first realization of how badly the drought has affected the area. Our “tent” was literally at the edge of a river but there was no water. There were however, monkeys. Many many monkeys. Everyone uses the adjective naughty when describing them. Our tent was to remain closed and locked at all times as these fast moving creatures would enter and have a field day trashing it. We complied. At mealtimes, a Maasai would stand alert with a slingshot to keep the monkeys from joining us at our table. He succeeded.
Our first dinner was served at our tent on a lovely set table. The food and ambience was nice. Following that, we zipped up our tent and had no trouble falling asleep. In the morning, we walked around our camp site and enjoyed the flowering trees, the walking paths and even those monkeys. The Staff there numbered more than the guests which was sad. The drought has affected so many. Upon leaving there and going on our first game drive, we saw the result of no rain in two years. You hear about drought but until you see it for yourself, you cannot imagine it. We saw hundreds and thousands of animals in brown fields with no greenery or water in sight. It’s heartbreaking to see. How do they sustain themselves?
N.B. About ten days later we heard they had rain. We looked at pictures of it on our guide’s phone and realized that yes, they did receive rain, but now it was flooded. Larson’s had even fewer guests now as they had to temporarily close.
On the way to our second site, Sweetwaters Serena Camp (Ol Pejeta Conservancy), we experienced another game drive. Again, and this is important, there are no real roads… just those bumpy, really bumpy trails. We won’t write about these game drives but please be assured that there were so many animals on each of them. For now we are talking about our campsites. Sweetwater Camps was unbelievable to us. There was a large man made pond for the animals and the animals did come. Elephants, giraffes, water buffalo, rhinos, zebras, wildebeest. Anyone searching for birds would find many varieties. There was a huge plain leading up to the watering hole so we could see them as they neared.
Mealtimes were amazing. It was like going to a first class restaurant but served buffet style. Not like our typical buffets served here. Different areas were set up according to food types and they skimped on nothing. It was hard to decide which was better, the animals or the food. In the Reception Room there was a large book entitled “Animals I Saw Today”. Entries included so many experiences such as one from a five year old boy which read, “I saw a lion kill a baby giraffe today. Its mother was mad.”
Our “tent” and that word is used so loosely, was equipped with a king sized bed, a lovely washroom, side tables and such a view. I asked about a hair dryer and one was immediately brought to our tent. The service was wonderful. We were sad to leave but we discovered soon that we were sad to leave every place we stayed.
Venturing on, we came to Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge (Lake Nakuru National Park). What luxury. This was in a National Park and impossible to describe. Our tents were really cottages as we would describe and we were taken by golf carts to our temporary homes from the Reception areas. Everything there was pure luxury. The open shower was equipped with teak floors – something never seen by us. Our main room had amenities usually seen in high-end hotels only. Never by us!! There was an amazing lookout that had just a couple of weeks earlier been the scene of thousands of pink flamingos. It was the only time on our safari that we saw rain but even that was delightful as they lit the fireplaces. Reminded us of a getaway place where you just wanted to relax, have a drink, enjoy the view and veg out.
Campsite number four was Sand River Maasai Mara in the Maasai Mara National Reserve. This was our only three day stay and we absolutely loved it. We faced onto a river, but again totally dried up. We still saw many animals It was relaxing to sit on the deck and listen to the birds and see whatever wandered by. The first morning we were there, there were four water buffalo asleep right in front of our place. They had the same rule that the others had – no going out between evening and mornings without an escort… always dressed in the native garb. If we wanted any help or an escort, we waved our flashlights and immediately one arrived. We were equipped with a whistle and flashlight just as a precautionary measure.
Our second day there we witnessed part of the migration right in front of us. Could never count how many wildebeest or zebra there were. Had not realized before this trip that the zebra travelled with wildebeest. They do. Sand River was very special to us and we can’t verbalize why… it just was. It was such a welcoming place to return to after our game drives and those bumpy trails. They no longer can even be counted as “roads”. Probably our favorite part were the outdoor showers. Absolutely phenomenal. There is nothing like showering outdoors watching animals in their natural habitat. Showering was a favorite activity. Part of this writing couple was in tears when we had to leave.
Our 5th campsite, Asanja Africa Camp (Central Serengeti) was totally different than any we had experienced before. In truth, the part of this team who wasn’t crying at leaving Sand River was near tears now. The word ‘authentic’ was used a lot by me. We were to be here for two days and the other half was prepared to stay in the Land Cruiser the entire time. It didn’t help when we were cautioned not to leave shoes outside the tent as the hyenas would steal them. That being said, it turned out to be a wonderful adventure. It truly was authentic and such a different but excellent experience. The staff (like in every place we went) was beyond wonderful. Conservation of energy was and is important. Lights went out about eleven for the night. We thought it may be a problem but it wasn’t. We had flashlights! Also hot water was to be conserved. To take a shower was fabulous. We would tell the staff whenever we wanted to shower and then the fun began. Someone (a Maasai) would heat the water, climb a ladder outside the tent and pour the warm water into a bucket and onto us. He would wait until we told him we were thru and then he would climb down and return to whence he came. We loved every warm drop of it. Such an experience. When we left there, when our time was up, there was a lesson learned: Just give things a chance. The other places had been so high end and beautiful that it was odd to see the other side. That’s not to say that this place wasn’t comfortable or well-equipped because it was. The Staff there was friendly beyond words (as were they all) and came out to the trail as we were leaving to wish us well and have pictures taken.
Camp number six. Wow. And wow again. We were situated on a coffee plantation at The Manor in the Ngorongoro Region. This was the only place we wished we had brought some clothes that weren’t safari related or not exactly clean. However we could not have been made to feel more welcome. The beauty of this place was like nothing ever seen by us. Our accommodation was definitely not tent-like or even cottage like. It was as described, a Manor. The huge gardens were cultivated beautifully. Coffee bean bushes were everywhere. The trees were glorious. There was a library in the main house as well as billiards, a media room, and so much more. We could (if only we had had the time) visited the spa, had a massage, a pedicure, hair… the works. There was horseback riding. There was a swimming pool. In our rooms (yes, plural) were flowers place on the bed, the huge tub, the slippers, the coffee station, the list goes on. There was a back to back fireplace that we decided no we did not need lit. It was swanky! When we went for dinner, we were met before we entered by our waiter, Shariff who called us by name. (Just like here, don’tcha know). It definitely was five star dining with a five star menu along with the five course dinner. Even water was included… for free. In Africa that is a real find. The wine etc, was also included but we were more excited about the water and drank to our hearts’ content.
Shariff was efficient but very friendly. He made no notice of the safari pants we wore with animal prints on them, the not so clean tea shirts and the muddy shoes. He may have seen this before but he was very classy about it. The food was first rate but the coffee, oh the coffee. Rightly so being on a coffee plantation, but it was indescribable. Never have either of us had such wonderful coffee.
Missing our own cat back home, we were delighted to meet their sweet house cat. I asked if we could have her join us in our room and were allowed. Now it was a true accommodation!
When we had to leave the next morning, the staff met us outside by the land cruiser and gave us each a gift and had pictures taken. So sad to leave were we. But wait… we had a pleasant surprise. We could not leave because there was a large, a very large elephant blocking the trail. And the trails as we had learned were just one elephant wide so no room for us. We would just wait and see. Not a problem until his mate came out of the bushes trumpeting away as if we should get on our way. And eventually we did.
After The Manor, we travelled on to Nimali Tarangire located in Tarangire National Park. It was literally in the middle of nowhere. It had better be worth it after the ride there. I use the word ride very very loosely. It was so worth it. Upon our arrival there were three giraffe there to greet us or at least that’s what I think. In any case they were there. We got settled in our home for the night and again it was located on a river with no water. When we were escorted in for dinner were we in for a surprise. It was not in the main lodge but instead a beautifully set table was waiting for us outside and on a small rise. It had a linen table cloth and wine and china and candles. It was directly in front of a large watering hole where many varieties of animals came to drink. The sky was amazing. Because there were no lights around us, the sky appeared pitch black with shooting stars and the different constellations there for the viewing. Dinner consisted of broccoli and cauliflower soup, filet mignon and chocolate mousse. Coffee of course followed. The weather, as always was perfect for remaining outdoors so we were able to remain as long as we wanted and watch the animals enjoying their water. The part we found sad about this place that when we were leaving in the morning, there were no guests booked for the following day. We had heard that tourism was down but it’s such a shame when places such as this remain empty or partially so. The staff there could not have been more helpful or friendly. We loved everything about it. That outdoor under-the-stars dinner though (our first ever) was the real highlight.
Our final destination was Satao Elerai Camp in the Amboseli National Park. This camp is devoted to conservation and lives what it promotes. There are no fences so animals are free to come and go as they choose. Everything is solar powered. Electric power is turned off between 8:00AM and 6:30. . This is when most people are on safari. We thought it would present a problem originally but it never did. Lunch was done with gas power. Coffee was available 24/7.
One highlight of this camp was a watering hole/pond (we were still in drought) and animals were always there. Many giraffes, elephants, zebras, water buffalo visited it regularly. There was such a comfortable reception room with lookout spots where we could sit and read or chat or play any of the many African games that were provided. A bridge connected the sitting and eating areas with the reception room and it was filled with incredible plant life and water creatures. Every bit of Satao Elerai was built with local wood in its natural form. That meant the buildings, all furniture, every speck right down to toilet paper holders. Our bathroom was larger than any home there or here and no man made materials. Our deck was wonderful to sit and watch Mount Kilimanjaro directly in front of us.
Again, the food and service was such that we could take a page from their book.
Each of these places had its own charm and provided many happy memories. In no place did we have any complaints or concerns regarding the accommodations, the food or the service. Again, in no place did we feel anything but safe.
Africa was nothing we had expected and was so much more than expected.
It was magical in every sense.
We travelled there to see The big Five and The important Ten.
We saw and learned so much more.
October 2017
Joy and Al Vezina
Markham, Ontario, Canada
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great communication, great safari, best guide ever
We would 100% recommend Wildebeest safaris. Great value for money. Great communication from the start. Delivered on all promises and more. Our guide Denis made our trip unforgettable. Fun, flexible, knowledgeable and a great game driver.
CN
Email cui | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best safari experience you can have in Africa
We’d travelled with Wildebeest Safaris for our safari trip in Kenya and Tanzania last November. It was a super fantastic trip with full of memories. Wildebeest Safaris did a very good job for us, make our Africa dream came true.
Before we started our safari, we did a lot of comparisons between different safari companies. The manager of the company Noah Kuti gave us lots of useful advice on the itinerary. He knows everything about the safari, destinations, lodges etc. Also provided us a very reasonable price.
With our safari guide Andrew and Hamza, the whole trip went very smoothly. They are both very knowledgeable about the wild animals and Africa culture. We saw thousands of flamingos in Lake Bogoria, very excited. All of the lodges chosen by Kuti are very unique, we even heard the lion roaring in the mid of the night near our tent when we stayed in Serengeti Tortilis.
We will go back Africa for wildebeest crossing next time, and of course with wildebeest safaris. Anyone who is considering to do safari in Africa, Wildebeest Safaris will be a good choice.
Email Romesh | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
You should absolutely choose Wildebeest Safaris
This was a once in a lifetime trip for us and I am so glad we chose Wildebeest Safaris. From our first interaction with Noah, we knew we were in good hands. He answered all of our questions patiently and was very accommodating in planning the exact itinerary we needed. Our guides, Hamza and Chotara, were the best that we could have hoped for. They were friendly, charming, and obviously very knowledgeable about the area and wildlife in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater. They felt like a part of the family after 6 days, and we were sad to say goodbye to them. If you are looking for a smaller safari company that will treat you well and customize a trip exactly to your specifications, you should absolutely choose Wildebeest Safaris LTD.
Email Lee | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Well organised. Exceptional guide.
Adequate communication with Noah. Happy to be flexible and adjust itinerary to our wishes. All travellers should have some understanding of safari and what they want and don’t want to assist your companies in organising what can be very diverse style of travel.
SE
Email Vivi | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unpleasant experience and cheating happens
We had an UNPLEASANT experience in Wildebeest Safaris LTD. One of our tour guide, Peter, said he had the card issue for the payment, then he borrowed 300 USD dollars from us to pay the ticket fee for Masai mara National Park, which has been included in our travel fee. He guaranteed that he would return the money to us when we was back to Kenya 3 days later, but we have NOT gotten our money back until we finished our trip. During the trip, we waste a lot of time and stand under the sun to deal with this issue. After the trip, Wildebeest Safaris LTD said they will deal with the money issue and give us money back. BUT each time we asked for the money issue, they always have an EXCUSE, such as bank issue.
Wildebeest Safaris LTD does not regulate their staff properly, they even give all the money to the tour guide (including salary and traveling fee) before trips start. So in the worst condition, guides may throw all the clients away before the trips start and take all money away. SO for you guys want to travel in Kenya, you should take the consideration whether you want to take the RISK of using the service from Wildebeest Safaris LTD. And the guide can work for many companies, so they might take your money without any concern of losing job, like Peter in our case. Besides, communication between Wildebeest Safaris LTD and tour guides is very BAD. Two of our tour guides did not know our schedule at all.
Reply from Wildebeest Safaris
Posted on Mar 27, 2023Dear Vivi,
Kindly confirm you received the refund via your PayPal account.
Kind regards,
Noah Kuti
IN
Email Rohit | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent safari exp. But don't deal with noah
I booked the safari experience from Wildebeest from aug 11 to aug 15th. Nairobi airport pickup - amboseli - Nakuru - mara and back to nairobi.
Our guide was dennis.
I had an amazing time, thanks to Dennis , the vehicle we were in was very good and Dennis made sure we felt safe. He made sure we had a great safari experience and we were lucky to see the migration crossing as well.
I would recommend the experience with Dennis to everyone.
The 2nd part of our journey to diani was riddled with troubles and we had to waste an entire day of our expensive trip because of Noah the owner/manager. Noah is the unprofessional manager who left us high and dry on 3 occassions -
1. He messed up our train tickets and we ended up wasting an entire beach day because of an early bus (our last resort) because of his unprofessionalism.
2. He messed up our mara hotel itinerary and we had to travel 3 hours extra late in the night and had the audacity to blame us for his goof up.
3. He tried to charge us extra park fees - 160$ for his own mistakes.
Notably, we got really bad seats in the train that he did book, his delay in payments for the park fees made sure we waited 20 mins min each time outside the safari gates.
Never once did he ever make an apology that was genuine.
Although my experience with widlebeest was amazing, I have a sour taste because of noah, would strongly urge folks who deal with Noah to document everything on email as proof.
5/5 for Dennis our guide.
10/5 for Kenya and the experience
-5/5 for Noah the owner/ manager.
3.5 for wildebeest, still one of the best experiences of my life minus the issues we had to deal with because of noah.
Go for it but be careful and document everything.
