A Fantastic and Truly Memorable Experience - This trip was a big deal to our family and took months of preparation. Reflecting back now we could not have chosen a better tour operator. From start to finish, you are dealing with a truly professional crew. Grace and her team helped us with the planning of our family safari (a family trip of 8 travelling from 3 countries to meet in Nairobi for this epic voyage) which was custom-tailored to our wishes. Grace was always responsive immediately and we all felt so fortunate to have used her company for this trip. We grew to love the Kenyan spirit; they are remarkably friendly and courteous. All of us have left this country with special memories. We also felt incredibly lucky to have had Stephen as our guide and driver! We have made a new and dear friend in the family, as Stephen became one of us sharing so much of his patience, knowledge of all things regarding wildlife, and kindness to our family. We have missed him dearly since our leaving Nairobi. Stephen somehow ensured that each and every one of us were happy and that our goals were achieved. His skills spilled over into the mechanical arena as we had a minor setback with the vehicle on one occasion, he never left its side to ensure it was corrected properly. He managed to keep us all on schedule and never missed a beat. I would not have changed a thing about this trip - it simply could not have been better! One day we would love to return and it will only be with GracePatt tours - and hopefully Stephen would take us on again!! We cannot thank them enough for the enchanting memories we have walked away with. Merci beaucoup!

Overall this was a great experience. - Overall this was a great experience. We were picked up from the airport a little later than scheduled at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by our driver Steven. Steven did a great job looking after us through the whole trip and I don’t know how he keeps going during the long drives while we were drifting off to sleep in the back. I truly cannot thank him enough for the high quality of service he provided. There are links to all the accommodation we stayed at, at the bottom of the review. The first stop on the safari was Samburu National Park, we spent the first two nights here. It’s over 300Km north of Nairobi but it’s worth the drive. During out visit we managed to see a Leopard, Elephants, Reticulated Giraffe, A Lioness with 2 of her young, Baboons, Vervet Monkeys, Gerenuk, Impala and more. Not to mention the wide range of birds; Heron, Crane, Guineafowl, Storks, etc. The camp which we stayed at was in the middle of the reserve and some of the Elephants came up near the electric fence just meters from our tent. On the third day we headed to our next stop, Lake Nakuru where we would spend just one night. This was another 300Km drive which gives you a good chance to see other parts of Kenya. Also, there is a short stop off at the equator with a short demonstration of the Coriolis effect with a tub of water and a floating matchstick spinning as it drains. As soon as we entered the park, we found a White Rhino, Zebra, Buffalo and Warthogs. Further into the park there were Baboons, Waterbucks, Impala and more. As this park borders the city, the lodge where we were staying has a few more amenities and more resembles a hotel. After our night there we headed out on a drive down to the Lake itself with its abundance of flamingos. As well as some more White Rhino, Buffalo and Zebra. After a couple of hours, we headed south through The Great Rift Valley to the Maasai Mara. On our way we stopped at the city of Narok to pick up a second guide, part of the Maasai Tribe he was with us during the 3 nights we spent there. The first day was a visit to the nearby Maasai Village which lasted around two hours. Before heading out into the Maasai Mara National Reserve. The park is giant and there is no returning to the Lodge for lunch. You eat it out in the wild under an acacia tree. Over the 2 full day game drives we saw everything; Mongoose, Cheetah, Leopards, Lions, Elephants, Maasai Giraffe, Hippopotamus, Tortoise and even managed to spot a Black Rhino. Definitely a highlight of the whole trip. After our third night we headed North again. We stayed at Lake Naivasha for 1 night. Again, being next to a city it had more amenities, in fact the Lodge had the first Television we had seen in our time on the Safari. When we arrived at Naivasha there was a boating Safari which is not included in the price of this tour but well worth it. Taken out on a boat around the Lake for some Birdwatching and some Hippo spotting. The main attraction of this being when the tour guide throws a fish into the water for an African Fish Eagle to swoop down beside the boat to collect its free meal. The next morning you head out to Hells Gate National Park. There is a (optional) bicycle ride through the park, followed by a walk through the Gorge. The Gorge is quite tricky and some shoes with good grip is advisable. The break from driving was welcome, even although we didn’t participate in the bike ride. The Gorge walk was great in itself. After the park begins the longest drive of the trip down to Amboseli National Park. The longest drive of the trip and on one of the most boring of roads after you pass Nairobi. This is a long day with a short stop on the outskirts of Nairobi for lunch. When we finally arrived, the sun was just setting but the views of Mt. Kilimanjaro were phenomenal. Our second to last day was spend watching Elephants eat and play as they make their way down to the water. There were also, Ostrich, Hyenas, Giraffe, Wildebeest. We also managed to spot a Lion having a staring contest with a Thomson Gazelle. And it was all to the beautiful backdrop of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Our final day we woke up early to head out and see the sunrise in the park. Before breakfast and then the drive back to Nairobi. A great end to a great experience. Ashnil Samburu Camp (2 Nights) https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g298254-d1238407-Reviews-Ashnil_Samburu_Camp-Samburu_National_Reserve_Samburu_District_Rift_Valley_Province.html Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge (1 Night) https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g303975-d7923472-Reviews-Lake_Nakuru_Sopa_Lodge-Lake_Nakuru_National_Park_Rift_Valley_Province.html Maasai Mara Sopa Lodge (3 Nights) https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g294209-d504786-Reviews-Mara_Sopa_Lodge-Maasai_Mara_National_Reserve_Rift_Valley_Province.html Lake Naivasha Sawela Lodge (1 Night) https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g317067-d2402433-Reviews-Sawela_Lodges-Naivasha_Rift_Valley_Province.html Amboseli Kibo Safari Camp (2 Nights) https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g1600222-d736165-Reviews-Kibo_Safari_Camp-Amboseli_National_Park_Amboseli_Eco_system_Rift_Valley_Province.html