Maurice, Your Personal 24hrs Safari Consultant
Africa Safari Classics
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2008)
- Member Of:
- ATTA, ASTA, NTA & FTA
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $4,340 to $7,811 per person per day (MXN, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Daniel Taillant | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Once in a Lifetime Experience (or twice!)
Wonderful experience. Maurice (from Africa Safari Classics) helped us out from beginning to end. Waited for us upon arrival in Nairobi, ensured we got to our hotel safely, picked us up the next day and took us to the plane waiting for us to go to the Savanna! We did a 5 day safari to two camps (Ashnil and Il Moran) in Samburu and in Masai Mara, respectively. They were both great, and complimentary. We saw all kinds of animals, except the elusive Rhino (which gives us a reason to return!). Food was great, sunsets spectacular, service stellar. Make sure you take binoculars and a good, high resolution camera. Don't rely on cell phone zoom or live shots, they are horrible and you'll regret it on your return when you want to blow up that awesome picture of the Lion eating a Giraffe! We went in March, and if we return we'll definitely aim for June-August for the big migration. You may want to take a few electrical adapters to charge equipment. Remember to tip your guides!
Email Tony C | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Maurice was responsive, thorough and competent, and booked an exceptional safari trip for us.
We recently completed a 10 day safari adventure with Africa Safari Classics. It was one of the best travel experiences I have ever enjoyed. Maurice was extremely responsive and promptly and thoroughly answered all of my questions and e-mails. He reviewed options with me, and assured he booked us in the accommodations we desired. Maurice coordinated our pick up at the airport, and all of our guides and transfers for the entire trip. Peter and Levi were awesome as our guides, and our tent rooms at Satao Elerai and Mahali Mzuri were incredible. We felt safe and well cared for the entire trip. I would highly recommend Maurice and his staff for your safari planning, he provided the trip of a lifetime.
Email Shauna Ryder | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Maurice M Nzwii was wonderful, thoughtful, thorough and listen to what we wanted and delivered.
If you're looking for an incredible safari experience in Kenya, I highly recommend booking your trip through Africa Safari Classics, Maurice our travel agent was fabulous. He made sure all the places we stayed new it was our 25th wedding anniversary. They made each place stay so special. Our trip to Kenya, which included stays in Nairobi, Amboseli, Samburu, and Masa Mora and Diani Beach was nothing short of unforgettable.
Firstly, to Nairobi. The highlight of our trip was definitely visiting the Sheldricks Elephant Orphanage and witnessing the feeding of the adorable baby elephants. I also had an incredible experience at the Giraffe Center where I got the chance to feed these majestic creatures and learn so much about them from the knowledgeable guides. Another highlight was visiting the Kazuri Bead Factory where I learned about its inspiring mission to empower single women and observed the intricate process of bead-making.
Next off to Amboseli, we stayed at Tortilis Camp that overlooked the stunning Mount Kilimanjaro. The views from our room were breathtaking and the lodge was well-equipped with all the amenities we needed. The highlight of our time at Amboseli was getting up close and personal with the elephants during a game drives well as a pride of Lions with babies. We were able to watch them play and interact with each other in their natural habitat, which was a truly special experience. We also visited the local village of the Masa tribe. the people were so friendly and you could see the importance of community with in the village. It truly was inspiring.
Then to Sumburu, which was another amazing destination. We stayed at Samburu Saruni Villa. The scenery from our suite was breathtaking, with the mountains in the distance. During our game drives, we were able to spot a wide variety of animals, including zebras, giraffes, baboons and a three sibling cheetah eating a resent kill.
The last of our safari's we ended with Masa Mora. It was an absolute highlight of the trip. The Entim Mara is stunning and the staff are incredibly friendly and accommodating. We went on multiple game drives during our stay and were lucky enough to see a whole pride of lions with cubs, a herd of elephants with babies, hippo's, cheetah and hyenas to name a few. The food at Masa Mora was also exceptional, with a great variety of dishes that catered to all dietary needs.
Finally, we ended our trip at Diani Beach in Kenya. It was absolutely unforgettable! We stayed at the Almanara Resort, which was nothing short of breathtaking. The view from our room was simply stunning, with a picturesque view of the beach and the sound of the ocean providing the perfect backdrop for our stay. The accommodations were top-notch, with every detail thoughtfully considered - from the comfortable bed to the air conditioning that kept us cool while we herein the room. One of the highlights of our stay was spotting monkeys on the resort property. Overall, Diani Beach is the perfect destination for anyone looking to relax, unwind, and soak up the natural beauty of Kenya's stunning coastline. I highly recommend the Almanara Resort for anyone looking for a luxurious and unforgettable experience.
Overall, I highly recommend booking your trip to Kenya with Africa Safari Classics. The guides were knowledgeable and passionate about the wildlife, the accommodations were top-notch, and the overall experience was truly unforgettable. I can't wait to book another trip with them in the future!
PL
Email Jakub | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Tanzania with Zanzibar - best trip in my life
I had the great pleasure of taking a private, two and a half week trip to Tanzania, safari and stay in Zanzibar, organized by Africa Safari Classics. The safari included the National Parks: Arusha, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Conservation Area and additionally Olduvai Gorge. Accommodation at Venus Premier Hotel, Tarangire Osupuko Lodges, Migunga Tented Camp, Robin Safari Camp Serengeti was very good, close to the entrances or in the parks itself with delicious food and excellent, very friendly service. In particular, Migunga Tented Camp very close to Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro Kuhama Camp – both tents very clean, without any insects. What's more, from the lodge in Osupuko Camp at Tarangire National Park, I had the pleasure of observing a herd of waterbucks in the morning and at evening, and in the Migunga Tented Camp - Marabou storks. The internal As Salaam Air flight from Arusha Airport to Zanzibar and the transfer to the Nur Beach Resort Hotel went very smoothly.
Staying at the Nur Beach Resort right on Jambiani Beach on the east coast of Zanzibar was also a perfect choice. I had my own hut, the food and service were excellent, and thanks to the complete silence around the clock, I could relax. It was also difficult to find a better location on the whole island (during my stay in Zanzibar I was also on the beaches of Nungwi and Kendwa – very nice but relatively small and very crowded with tourists) – from the hotel I could go for many hours long walks along the beach, because in this part of the island individual beaches form a several-kilometer-long series of beaches – the longest in the whole of Zanzibar. I also had the opportunity to take tours of the island, which allowed me to explore Stone Town, Prison Island, Jozani Forest, spice farm, and Mangapwani Cave.
Maurice, Sales Director deserves special recognition for the excellent organization of the entire trip, including the choice of accommodation, professionalism, excellent contact, daily support and commitment to ensure that the program is done in the smallest detail and with safety. I am no less grateful to the guide and driver Ally, who constantly provided me with a great deal of knowledge about the country, the characteristics and customs of the wild animals observed. Thanks to his excellent commitment and perfect daily cooperation in spotting animals, I had the opportunity to see many animals, not only: elephants, lions, buffaloes, zebras, giraffes, wildebeest, Grant and Thomson's gazelles, hippos, ... but also many for the first time in nature – with the leopard at the forefront in the Serengeti Park.
All this makes the trip to Tanzania and Zanzibar organized by Africa Safari Classics an unforgettable experience for me and without a doubt the best trip I have made so far in my life. I highly recommend Africa Safari Classics!
CA
Email Bruce | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderful guiding to several parks with many exciting wildlife settings.
I booked a safari for my wife and me in Kenya through Africa Safari Classics starting in late January. I started with a suggested itinerary on its website and made some modifications, based on our interests and helpful suggestions from the manager Maurice Nzwii. Our safari included 2 nights in Tsavo West, 2 in Amboseli, 1 at the Ark at Aberdares (with its lighted waterhole), 2 in Samburu, 1 in Ol Pejeta Conservancy, 1 at the Sunbird Lodge at Lake Elementaita with an evening game drive at Nakuru, and 2 in Maasai Mara, before returning to Nairobi. Except for the 2 lodges, we stayed in very comfortable tent camps that all provided good to excellent meals. Our enthusiastic driver/guide Tony was wonderful. He was excellent at spotting and identifying game, and was able to quickly get us to prime sightings reported in Swahili on the short wave radio; he is highly familiar with the maze of roads in all of the parks. Tony was adept at positioning the vehicle for prime photographic opportunities.
We normally had 2 game drives per day and had plenty of wonderful sightings. The camps were all located at scenic spots providing opportunities for animal and bird viewing. Among the highlights were about 10 cheetahs spotted up close (including 5 brothers), several leopards including 2 with small cubs, many lions including a lioness with 4 cubs who had just killed a zebra, 5 rhinos at Ol Pejeta including one white, and lots of birds. We saw a broad range of terrains and habitats in the various areas of Kenya. While all the parks and reserves provided good scenery and some dramatic wildlife sightings, we especially enjoyed the density of wildlife in lush green settings at Amboseli and the Mara, as well as the excellent birding at Lake Navaisha. This was an ad-on to our initial itinerary suggested by Tony, based on our interests. We also added a visit to a Maasai village, which was interesting, but there was a lot of pressure to purchase handicrafts. We had also added a balloon ride over the Mara at sunrise. It was an interesting experience an we saw some wildlife including elephants, a lion, a huge herd of buffalo, and a hyena den, we more enjoyed our closer wildlife encounters on the ground. The balloon ride did provide a good opportunity to see the topography, including the many wildlife trails.
We arrived in Nairobi at 4:00 AM. Maurice had arranged for us to be transported to a hotel near the airport for breakfast, where we met him and our guide to begin our safari.
Maurice and Tony were in frequent communication by cell phone during our trip and we always felt we were being well looked after. There were some long distances between camps and sometimes challenging driving conditions that Tony managed well. Those drives provided opportunities to view the diverse terrain of Kenya (including views of Mounts Kilimanjaro and Kenya). It also provided opportunity to observe village life. At the end of our safari, Maurice arranged for a driver to take us to local sights of interest near Nairobi. At his suggestion, we had upgraded our safari vehicle to a Toyota Landcruiser rather than a Toyota van. This allowed access to more remote areas, especially in the Mara. In summary, we were extremely pleased with the wonderful service provided by Maurice and Tony.
Email Michael | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience. Budget friendly
Africa Safari Classics was an excellent and help us create a safari of our dreams within budget.
Booking Process: Maurice was extremely helpful and gave us different options that fits our needs. After seeing what options there is and what to look for, i was able to customize our safari with Maurice. Which is an excellent because there is so many different options you can choose from (which part, which hotel/camp, how long). I would start on their recommendations and then start researching which hotels/camps to stay at, Maurice will then give you estimate on your preference.
Safari: Our guide was excellent, his goal was to shows us as much animals as possible. Which is definitely shown on how active he is (he listens to the radio and ask drivers that drive by, we can definitely see the effort). He got us up and close to animals but at the same time we felt completely safe. We heard something on the radio and then he rushed over to give us an unforgettable view.You can tell he had many years of experience and know what to look for. I would highly recommend a private tour (max 4 people per minivan or keep); this allows you to have room to move around and to fully see animals. Mini van vs jeep, as long as you have 4 or less people it doesn't matter. The jeep looks more comfortable if its full(7 people), but it looks very pack and would not recommend. Overall guide makes a big difference and this company has the best. We saw other tours and they weren't as active as we are.
Hotels/ Camps: Don't skip on the hotel/camps it makes the trip so much better if you choose the right one. We stayed at the following:
The Ark Forest Lodge (highly recommend)- Hotel in middle of a park. Hot water: Yes, Wifi: Yes, Clean: Yes. You don't stay here for the luxury hotel rooms, but for the view. Its next to a water hole and we saw ton of animals and was extremely close (overnight). The experience itself was unforgettable.
The Cliff - THE MOST AMAZING place ever (5 star). The luxury tent was overlooking a the lake and the tent was a luxury (bath tub, clean, hot water, high class). Food was amazing and staff was excellent. I would stay here again in a heart beat. Only ten tents so i would book in advance.
Mara Serena Safari Lodge - It was not bad but compared to other place i wouldn't recommend. Food was a buffet (which is not that good honestly); we ate because we were hungry but lacking in flavor. The view is nice, but after you see it, it gets old. Rooms are nice, i would call it 3 stars.
Locations: honestly part of it is to be lucky and the other part is a good guide (that listen to the radio and communicate with other tours to see where the animals are)
OL Pejeta Private Wildlife Conservancy(1 day) - saw a giraffe cross the road up and close. Park has a private rhino (you get to pet a rhino) and chimpanzee area , which is very nice to get up and close.
Lake Nakuru National Park(1 day) - saw a rhino up and close. We were debating between Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha. I would recommend to Lake Nakuru and ask to add the $30 boat ride of Lake Naivasha (thats all you really need). Best of both worlds. Since they are close its doable to do both.
Maasai Mara Game Reserve (2 day) - excellent park but huge. If you only have one/two days i would go here cause it has all the animals, but we had so much fun at Ol Pejeta and Lake Nakuru. Most of the time the animals was in the distance and a lot more tour groups.
Tips: Bring binoculars (and a monocular with phone adapter) we got amazing pictures with the monocular with phone adapter. A light jacket in the morning game runs is helpful. Bring bug spray (70-100 deet; i recommend) Pick good hotels/camps (The Ark and The Cliff i would recommend). Look into the extra things you can do (night game drive, hippo breakfast) if its in your budget. Do your research and let Maurice know what you want (he can tell you a cost estimate). Trust me we got everything we wanted and more.
Email Brett | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A solid safari experience with a personalized touch
I traveled to Kenya in June 2019 specifically to visit the Maasai Mara and after much research and outreach to 5 or 6 tour companies, I decided to put my trust and investment with Maurice at Africa Safari Classics. I made this decision based on the many positive reviews for Africa Safari Classics, as well as the personalized response and engagement I received from the company. I also found the price and value to be more competitive than another tour operator I was considering.
From the time of my outreach, Maurice was very attentive and we spoke over the phone via WhatsApp a few times and exchanged several messages leading up to my departure. What I really enjoyed about my booking experience was the ability to customize every detail of my trip - from the local sightseeing in Nairobi, to the types of camps I wished to stay in out in the Maasai Mara.
While I enjoyed visiting the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, Giraffe Center and Kazuri Beads (all great places to include in your Nairobi tour), of course the big highlight was my time out in the Mara. Maurice set me up with an operator called Basecamp Explorer and I opted to stay at two of their camps - (1) Basecamp Masai Mara (Fun Fact: Barack Obama and his family stayed here in 2006) and (2) Wilderness Camp. Both camps were incredible and the staff were very attentive, polite and welcoming. The Wilderness Camp was also more of a nostalgic tribute to the safaris of the early explorers as guests sleep in an individual and spacious tent on the plains of the Masai Mara. During the night, you can actually hear the hoofing of zebras, wildebeest and perhaps other animals passing by your tent. It was exhilarating and yet a bit scary, but the local Masai who run the camp are close by to step in if needed.
Wildlife Highlights: My best sightings included lions (including a majestic male lion with a large mane), elephants, hippos, hyenas, cheetahs, zebras and of course the Great Migration itself.
I also recommend adding on a visit to the local Masai village. It's a fun 1-2 hours and the community comes together to welcome and celebrate your visit with dancing. TIP: Be prepared to purchase some souvenirs during your visit. I wish I knew this in advance. Since I was the only person from the Wilderness Camp to participate in the village tour, I felt even more obligated to buy something as I was the only person visiting the village that day. Luckily the souvenirs aren't super expensive. I bought a bracelet for $10 USD. The Basecamp Masai Mara also has a nice gift shop and I purchased an authentic Kenyan belt. It's absolutely beautiful and I was able to negotiate the price a bit.
Huge shout out to Maurice for all of his help! Not only did he personally meet me in Nairobi (and provided a complimentary gift I could use out on my safari), he also met up with me again once I got back from the Mara to gather my feedback on what went well and what could be improved.
I told Maurice my only regret was that I did not stay longer in Kenya to explore more of the parks and wildlife. I'd love to hire Africa Safari Classics again and hope I can return in the near future. Great job all around and definitely recommend to other travelers considering a visit to Kenya and the Masai Mara.
BE
Email Toby A | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Overall, the trip couldn’t have been better!
Overall, the trip couldn’t have been better!
It was exciting, fun, really, we obviously had a lot of different adventures on the trips and the flooding was quite unique.
The sequence of the trip was really good! Totally good timings and the pace was nice, not too busy, not too slow.
The Safaris were excellent, and given our unique time there, we were very lucky with what was around but also just the car etc.
On the logistics, totally great and you guys did a great job with organizing our trip from Mombasa and Diani.
One thing that would good would be to have local numbers of taxis or drivers in different locations like Diani, as an extra help when you land there, even though this is slightly outside of your core trip.
Last but not least, Tony - He’s a legend! I think having him as a driver made the trip and helped us have such an excellent experience with you guys. He’s an excellent driver, cautious and flexible. Took great care of us and frankly, I couldn’t have been happier with him. He’s also very funny and had the right balance of quiet time and funny conversations. He’s also a very good spotter so that helped a lot.
Genuinely, we have now some very fond fond memories and will likely return!