I'll summarize my experience: day 1: Hotel pickup scheduled for 6:30…actually 7:45! Fairly long route. The stop at the famous balcony over the Rift was a bust due to the mist and pollution at the bottom of the valley crossed by the road that connects Uganda and Sudan. Insane traffic! Lunch upon arrival around 3:30 p.m. I opted for the visit to the Maasai village 500m away. ($20) instead of the $200 park entrance fee…Day 2: superb excursion, lots of big cats and the chance to see a lioness a few meters away devouring a wildebeest. Left at 7 a.m., returned at 6 p.m. Day 3: the driver from the day before was returning to Nairobi with the rest of the group and until 7 a.m. I didn't know what my fate would be for the day, which theoretically was supposed to be different from the day before…I doubted it because the park is relatively small (compared to the Serengeti). But it was still pleasant because animal life is full of good surprises, like the huge herd of wildebeest that was getting ready to cross the Mara River but was prevented from doing so by the mind-boggling number of 4x4s blocking their path…(that's also what a safari is). Day 4. Return to Nairobi (7 hours) on a road that was just as congested as ever. The driver didn't know that lunch was planned and obviously hadn't brought the "lunch box." Well, lions don't eat lunch whenever they want either! The camp-lodge (Rhino camp) is clean and pleasant but quite basic, tents with a good bed, shower, lukewarm water, small sink, Wi-Fi, paper, soap, and a large towel. Simple but decent food. General impression of improvisation (with our Western perspective?) but with some very good moments! The only big downside is the entrance fee of $200/day/person! My opinion: a single full day can be enough if you are in a hurry... there you go, I'll let you judge....
Thank you for taking the time to share such a detailed review of your safari experience. We truly appreciate your honest feedback, as it helps us improve our services. We are sorry about the delayed pickup on the first day and the missing lunch box on your return journey. This should not have happened, as lunch is included, and we will address this with our operations team and driver to ensure it doesn't happen again. We are delighted, however, that you enjoyed the game drives and were rewarded with incredible wildlife sightings, from the lioness with her prey to the massive wildebeest herd gathering near the Mara River. Nature always has a way of creating unforgettable moments, even when the migration crossing does not happen as expected. Thank you as well for your comments about Rhino Camp. We are pleased you found it clean, comfortable, and welcoming. Regarding the park fees, we completely understand your perspective. These fees are set by the Maasai Mara National Reserve authorities and apply equally to all visitors, independent of tour operators. It was a pleasure hosting you, and we hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back to Kenya for another adventure in the future. Safe travels! Regards, Lesley
