savannah woods safaris consultants team
Savannah Woods Safaris
- Office In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2019)
- Tour Types:
- Customizable private tours and fixed group tours
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $1,214 to $6,244 per person per day (MXN, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
IN
Email Divya | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The driver was good and knowledgeable.
The safari was good, the vehicle was well maintained. Only bummer is they fill it with all 7 people and during Safari no-one wants to sit in the back seat as the view is limited.
Otherwise, we could see most of the big five except the rhino and buffalo
KR
Email Soohyun | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An Outstanding Safari Led by an Exceptional Guide, Despite Operational Issues
The four-day, three-night safari tour was truly breathtaking. Being able to witness animals living their lives freely, exactly where they belong, with my own eyes felt like a profound blessing and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
My driver, Moses, had deep knowledge of both the safari and the wildlife. He was exceptional at tracking animals and always attentive to their movements. He also thoughtfully considered the direction of the light and positioned us in the best spots, allowing me to photograph the animals in the most beautiful way possible. I was genuinely impressed by both his professionalism and his considerate attitude.
The safari experience itself deserves a 10 out of 10. However, there were significant issues with the lodges where we stayed. In both lodges, internet access was not available in the rooms and could only be used in the communal areas, which was frustrating. Neither lodge provided a hair dryer either.
More disappointingly, the staff at Masai Mara Sopa Lodge repeatedly made mistakes and behaved rudely, despite this being a service-oriented environment. There were no apologies offered unless I raised strong complaints, and only then were the issues addressed with delayed apologies. Staying there felt unpleasant and uncomfortable.
In addition, the tour payment was split into two parts, and there was a serious issue with the second payment. The amount communicated to me was incorrect, and as a result, I almost overpaid by 500 dollars. This caused unnecessary stress and should not happen in a professionally managed tour.
The contrast between the wonderful safari experience and the disappointing lodge stay was quite stark. If these issues, including accommodation and payment accuracy, were properly addressed, this tour could truly be an outstanding experience overall.
Email Hezekiah Wamurwa | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Caring
The tour operators were keen to know what we needed during the tour. Provided us with sanitizers, ensured all the questions we heard were answered and got us a magnificent hotel to stay in
PT
Email Filipe | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Okay, but
The safari experience was incredible, we were able to see the animals up close, we just didn't see the rhinos, but we saw many other animals.
Positive points: water was provided during the safari, driver/guide was very friendly
Negative points: in our jeep with 8 people we were in 4 different hotels, which delayed the start of the tour on the 2nd day, during the tour we were given little information about the animals, a 3-day tour that is only worth it for the second day, the rest of the days are long trips on very damaged roads, although this is not the fault of the company that organizes the tour, however, the jeep could be more comfortable, the semi-reclining seats could not be adjusted, in short the jeep was very worn and not very comfortable
(automatic translation from Portuguese)
DE
Email Michaela | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Savannah Woods Safaris – 6-Day Safari (Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru & Amboseli)
I chose Savannah Woods Safaris because I wanted to support a smaller, local company, and the communication with Lucy beforehand was excellent. Looking back, however, this might have been a mistake.
I had booked a 7-person group safari, but in reality, we were mixed together with people from different companies, and many of us stayed in completely different accommodations. At times, there were even eight of us in the vehicle, which made it quite cramped. Because we were all staying in different lodges, we lost a lot of time every day picking up and dropping off people — it often felt more like a hop-on hop-off bus than a group safari. Guests were frequently exchanged along the way, which made it difficult to build any real connection within the group.
Unfortunately, I got a stomach issue already at the first lodge (Jambo Mara), which lasted for two days. The two other guests staying at the same place also felt sick afterwards, so I suspect the food or hygiene might have been an issue. Lucy did check in once during the trip, but after that, I didn’t hear from her again.
Our driver – I hesitate to call him a “guide” – was careful and drove safely, but he seemed rather bored and disengaged. We received very little information about the animals, and often started so late in the morning that we missed most of the early wildlife activity.
The Masai Mara itself was spectacular and definitely worth visiting; the hot air balloon ride was a real highlight. However, since the guides all share sightings among themselves, we probably would have seen the same animals even with any other tour operator.
Lake Nakuru, on the other hand, was disappointing and involved a lot of unnecessary driving for very little reward. I would personally skip it next time. Amboseli can be stunning, especially early in the morning when Mount Kilimanjaro is clear — unfortunately, we arrived too late to enjoy that view.
On a positive note, the Amboseli Sopa Lodge was fantastic — a truly beautiful place to stay.
In hindsight, I would rather book with a larger, more established company, or even through a European operator, to ensure better organization and reliability. It’s really important to confirm that all travelers in the group are on the same itinerary and staying in the same accommodations; otherwise, you lose a lot of valuable time waiting around.
I can’t recommend Savannah Woods Safaris based on my experience. No one ever asked me for feedback afterwards, and after the booking was completed, I felt pretty much left on my own — which was disappointing, especially as a solo female traveler.