Taking you to the exotic African wild!
Morning Star Tours & Travel
- Located In:
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2018)
- Member Of:
- IATA, KATO, AMREF & TOSK
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $2,320 to $13,955 per person per day (MXN, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
CA
Email JV | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great planning, reliable service, and unforgettable wildlife experiences
My wife and I did a 10-day private safari in Kenya and Tanzania with Morningstar. We started in Nairobi and went to Lake Nakuru National Park (1 night), Masai Mara National Park (2 nights), Northern Serengeti National Park (1 night), Central Serengeti National Park (1 night), Ngorongoro Crater National Reserve (1 night), Tarangire National Park (1 night), Amboseli National Park (2 nights), and finished in Nairobi again.
We saw everything we wanted and more. We saw the Big Five, the wildebeest crossing the Mara River, and animals very close by. We even saw a lioness hunt and catch a wildebeest.
On the booking side, we quoted with four different companies. The prices were very similar, and what made us choose Morningstar was the reviews, but mainly the booking process. The digital itinerary provided was excellent. It had all the information we needed, including recommended stays and alternative options with costs. That made our lives easier since we wanted to choose where to stay. Dennis was also great at replying quickly and addressing all our concerns.
As we did Kenya, Tanzania, and then back to Kenya, we had three drivers/guides. All three were punctual and respectful.
Rono was our driver in Kenya, from Nairobi to Lake Nakuru and the Masai Mara. He was amazing. He always wanted to know our goals for the day and did his best to find the animals. He positioned the car perfectly for sightings and was a great spotter. I mentioned I was interested in birds, and he noticed and pointed out many of them.
Jackson was our driver in Tanzania. He was also great in different ways. He was calm and patient, and he waited with us for five hours to see the wildebeest cross the river. He kept the car super clean every day and drove very safely. The only downside was that his car seats didn’t recline, which matters on long drives between parks.
Our last driver, Masila, was not as good. We stayed with him for three days from the border to Amboseli and Nairobi. Each morning, the car smelled bad, similar to marijuana. He didn’t put much effort into looking for animals and was not monitoring the radio much. On the positive side, he followed our requests for departure and return times. However, his drive back to Nairobi was too reckless, speeding and driving a bit dangerously.
Roads in general are rough. Many main routes between parks are unpaved and very bumpy, especially from before the Masai Mara up to Ngorongoro. This made the transfers uncomfortable. My wife was motion sick almost every day after day three, so be prepared with medication if you are prone to it.
If we were to do a safari again, we would choose fewer days and fewer parks. A 7-day safari would be more than enough, as the long drives get tiring. We would also spend more nights in fewer parks. For us, Lake Nakuru, Masai Mara, and maybe Amboseli (for elephants) would be enough to see everything, except the river crossing, which we saw in the Northern Serengeti.
Most of the stays we had were mid-range, and they were really good. All were clean, beautiful, organized, and had good food. We even gained some weight during the trip. We loved the tented camps, which were well organized and even had hot showers inside the tents. I would say it is not necessary to book luxury lodges, since you don’t spend much time there anyway. Most days, we arrived around 5 or 6 PM and left again between 6 and 7 AM. One thing we didn’t like was that the staff gave us too much attention. They often wanted to ask how our day was, which was kind, but sometimes we were just too tired after a full day in the car.
I really loved the trip. It is expensive, but it is a trip of a lifetime. I spent almost the whole day looking through the roof of the car for animals when we were in the parks, and I enjoyed every bit of it.
My wife had a different take. Because of the bad roads, she got motion sick for several days, and for her, the discomfort outweighed the excitement at times. She also didn’t enjoy being in the car for almost 12 hours a day, with only a picnic lunch and quick bathroom breaks in the wilderness.
Still, I definitely recommend Morningstar Safari Tours. They delivered on what they promised, and it was an unforgettable trip that we would do again with them.
PT
Email Irina, Dmitry and Mike | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect First Safari Experience
We are a group of three travelers in our mid-30s, and this was our first trip to Africa. We planned our safari together with Joysharon from Morning Star Tours & Travel, and from start to finish everything was perfect!
From July 25 to July 30, 2025, we explored Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli National Park, before heading to Diani Beach.
Joy was incredibly friendly, always quick to respond, and organized every detail at the highest level.
Our guide Augustine was outstanding! He is a very skilled driver and very knowledgeable about wildlife and the local tribes. He shared fascinating facts during our drives, spotted animals and always made sure we felt comfortable. His politeness, patience, and warm personality made the trip even more enjoyable. Big hugs to Joy and Augustine!
We came home with unforgettable memories, stunning photos and videos, and a deep appreciation for Kenya’s beauty.
We highly recommend Morning Star Tours & Travel to anyone planning a safari! They truly made our dream come true!
Email Theresa | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Personable, Resourceful, and Highly Knowledgable
My family and I just completed a six day safari and culture tour from Maasai Mara through the Serengeti to the Ngorongoro crater! We had an incredible time and were able to successfully visit all of the Big Five thanks to our amazing drivers/guides (Joseph in Kenya and Chris in Tanzania) who went above and beyond to make sure that we were comfortable, answered all our questions, and worked hard to make sure we had an unforgettable experience – including seeing baby lion cubs, plenty of elephants, a scene between a male lion and a buffalo, and fortunately both a leopard and rhino on our last day!
In particular, our guide, Chris was with us every step of the way from two days in the Serengeti, through a few bumps on the road on the way to Ngorongoro Crater, a last minute tour to a coffee farm in Meru District, and ultimately, a bittersweet send-off at the airport. The Morning Star team was responsive and checked in on us via WhatsApp, and we were even upgraded to Lalashe Camp in Maasai Mara which was a truly luxurious experience. Our favourite was the Embalakai Camp in the heart of the Serengeti, and we were blown away by all of the animals we were able to see and the beautiful scenery each day. Highly recommend for your family vacation. I am so grateful I got to experience this once in a lifetime trip with my parents and family!
TW
Email Celia yang | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Really great!
I think my tour guides are all very professional and friendly! Special thanks to Boniface and Jackson, our tour guides.
The hotel we stay are pretty good! And the communication with morning star company is very efficient.
Only an advice is that, I think if they arranged one day at north Serengeti and two days in central Serengeti would be much better!(this time we stay three days all in central Serengeti.) Because we visit here at end of June, most of the great migration are already go to North Serengeti, we totally missed that part, which is very sad 😔
However, overall the tours are amazing!
MX
Email Jose | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing Kenya and Tanzania Safari
My wife and I visited Kenya and Tanzania for an 8-day safari, which resulted in one of the best trips we have ever done.
Morningstar was great since the beginning. After just one day of sending my request for a quote, Dennis replied with a full 20-page itinerary with different accommodation options and with everything I previously requested. After that, Dennis was on top of everything giving us different options and following up with our visa and yellow fever vaccine status. The coordination and planning of the trip was impecable.
Regarding our drivers, Rono and James were nothing but amazing. Since the first day they built rapport with good conversation and great service and attention to details. They both taught us a lot about their country and the animals we were looking at. At the end of the day, in this type of trip, you spend 10-12 hours a day with your drivers in the Land Cruiser, so they are key for having a great safari experience. When we come back, for sure we will be asking for Rono or James.
Many thanks to Morningstar for making this a memorable experience, count us in for our next safari.
Email Aspen | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing personalised experience through towns and national parks
I did a 9 day tour through Kenya and Tanzania with a friend through Morningstar safaris.
The communication from the director was prompt, and the itinerary was tailored to our interests.
We were picked up at Nairobi airport and then spent the next day with our guide going to places we wanted to see - the elephant orphanage, giraffe sanctuary and Kazuri beads.
Our first guide Rono was very friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable, and provided us with some incredible up close views of animals. The Masai Mara was the highlight, as well as the hot air balloon.
For Tanzania our guides Chris and Eric were able to teach us about Tanzanian culture, food and wildlife, and you could see how proud they are to be Tanzanian and safari guides.
Unfortunately our vehicle had some car troubles which meant some unplanned lengthy stops to get it fixed, but this wasn’t the fault of the guides.
The accommodation booked was incredible, a highlight being the Serengeti Embalakai Lodge, where we heard a lion prowling around at night and the glamping tents were beautiful.
Private tours are costly, but for the ability to tailor it to our interests as well as have room to see all the animals and take photos, I thought it was worthwhile.
To note: Drinks are not included at the accommodation throughout the tour - alcohol or soft drinks, however water is.
IN
Email Anumeha | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The trip felt authentic and not overly touristy.
My safari in Kenya with Morningstar was absolutely amazing! The whole trip was well-organized, with great hotels and everything running smoothly. The trip felt authentic and not overly touristy.
We met our guide, Willi, on the first day when he picked us up from the hotel and right away I could tell we were in good hands.
Willi really went the extra mile on the game drives making sure we got to fully experience the magic of the Masai Mara — all while being respectful to the animals.
Willi’s also super knowledgeable. He really entertained our curiosity and shared so much about the wildlife and local culture. It turned into such a cool learning experience!
All in all such a memorable trip. If you're thinking about a safari, I can’t recommend Morning Star & Willi enough — he’s hardworking, genuine, and clearly loves what he does.
Email KJ | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent
From start to finish the service from Morningstar, particularly Alice Moraa was excellent. She planned our trip per our specifications and everything ran according to the schedule and itinerary she had planned for us. We did the luxury 5 day safari in Kenya which included only road transfers (no flights), excellent lodges, and the hot air balloon safari. We had John as our guide and he was great; very knowledgeable, friendly and flexible. The only negative is that we had an older Landcruiser for the first day of our trip with ripped seat covers and dust; it was clear looking at other safari vehicles that ours was not up to par with others. However, when I brought this up to Alice on day 2 of the trip she was able to get us a new vehicle within about an hour since we were driving through Nairobi- which was excellent service on her part. The only feedback we would have to Morningstar is to just upgrade all of the vehicles, as it unnecessarily hindered our otherwise overwhelmingly positive experience. Thank you Alice and John for planning an unforgettable trip!
Reply from Morning Star Tours & Travel
Posted on Mar 26, 2025Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful experience with us! We're delighted that your five-day luxury safari in Kenya was a memorable and meaningful journey. Having a passionate guide like John makes all the difference, and we're thrilled to know he helped create such memorable moments for you. We're also delighted that Alice provided excellent support during the booking process, creating an itinerary that made the most of your time.
We appreciate you bringing the issue with the vehicle on the first day to Alice. To uphold our high standards in the tourism industry and ensure we deliver exceptional service to all our clients, we have acquired a new fleet of 4x4 Land Cruisers, one of which you used for the rest of your safari. We have also upgraded our vehicles to ensure the safety and comfort of all our guests during their adventures.
We’re honored to have been part of your adventure, and we’d love to welcome you back for another unforgettable journey in the future!
CN
Email lingwang | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Morning Star is a big cheater.
Morning Star is a big cheater. They owe me a total refund of $8,372 which hasn't been returned yet. During the process, they kept telling us that they would transfer the money to us, but they kept delaying it. It has been almost a month since the trip ended, but we still haven’t seen the remittance.
I would like to ask if this company still has any integrity and if it is so difficult to bear its own mistakes. Why should tourists pay for your so-called hacker mistakes? This is outrageous.
Reply from Morning Star Tours & Travel
Posted on Jul 10, 2025Hello,
We would like to take a moment to address the concerns raised in the review mentioned above.
Our client, Lingwang(the same group as Shi and Junjie/Marshall Ding), had booked an 8-day Kenya Safari, starting and ending in Nairobi. Due to unforeseen failures with our banking systems, our clients faced unexpected challenges while checking out of the hotel, which forced them to pay the outstanding hotel balance. We fully understand how frustrating this situation must have been for our clients and sincerely empathize with the inconveniences they experienced.
To ensure they did not miss their game drives, we suggested they pay the park fees directly with the assistance of the driver-guide, assuring them that we would refund these costs as soon as our banking systems were stabilized.
Special Note: Our technical team worked tirelessly to resolve the issue, and we are relieved to share that we have successfully processed a full refund for our client.
It saddens us to see our clients dissatisfied, especially when we strive to provide memorable experiences, as evidenced by the feedback of other clients.
We are committed to learning from this incident, and the following actions have been taken to ensure a similar situation won't happen again in the future;
1. Transitioning our banking operations from the current bank to a new bank.
2. Adding an additional signatory to our banking operations.
We want to assure you that this situation is taken very seriously, and we remain dedicated to providing all our clients with the attentive service they deserve.
Thank you for your understanding and support.
CN
Email SHI | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It's really a terrible experience! We feel that we have been cheated !!!
Before our trip to Kenya on September 28th, we had paid the full amount for the tour. However, on the morning of October 5th, the last day of our stay, we were informed by the hotel that Morningstar had not paid them, and therefore we were not allowed to leave. We were forced to stay at the hotel for nearly 2 hours. During this unexpected situation, our contact person Alice completely disappeared and refused to answer our calls and WeChat messages. In order to catch our flight back home, we had to pay nearly $4500 for the hotel fees in advance. But right after we paid, Alice showed up and claimed that she had an emergency and would refund us later. Out of trust in this company, we kept communicating with them actively after returning home. But until today, we haven't received any refund, and the people from this company are full of lies! They said the refund had been sent to us at one moment, and then claimed they needed to confirm the specific details of the expenses with the driver at another moment. They always put off giving us the remittance receipt! We also confirmed with the bank over the phone that we hadn't received any remittance information.
If you don't want to advance payment for a fraudulent company and don't want to be helpless in a foreign country, please don't choose this company. It's really a terrible experience!
Reply from Morning Star Tours & Travel
Posted on Jul 10, 2025Hello,
We would like to take a moment to address the concerns raised in the review mentioned above.
Our client, Shi (the same group as Lingwang and Junjie/Marshall Ding), had booked an 8-day Kenya Safari, starting and ending in Nairobi. Due to unforeseen failures with our banking systems, our clients faced unexpected challenges while checking out of the hotel, which forced them to pay the outstanding hotel balance. We fully understand how frustrating this situation must have been for our clients and sincerely empathize with the inconveniences they experienced.
To ensure they did not miss their game drives, we suggested they pay the park fees directly with the assistance of the driver-guide, assuring them that we would refund these costs as soon as our banking systems were stabilized.
Special Note: Our technical team worked tirelessly to resolve the issue, and we are relieved to share that we have successfully processed a full refund for our client.
It saddens us to see our clients dissatisfied, especially when we strive to provide memorable experiences, as evidenced by the feedback of other clients.
We are committed to learning from this incident, and the following actions have been taken to ensure a similar situation won't happen again in the future;
1. Transitioning our banking operations from the current bank to a new bank.
2. Adding an additional signatory to our banking operations.
We want to assure you that this situation is taken very seriously, and we remain dedicated to providing all our clients with the attentive service they deserve.
Thank you for your understanding and support.