Jean Hardwick - Ithaca, New York USA
February 26th, 2012
_ I used Maa Supreme for my
recent visit to Kenya. This was my
first trip to Africa and I was somewhat nervous about traveling in a country
that was so different from traditional Western standards. Thanks to the folks at Maa Supreme, who
coordinated all aspects of my trip, my worries were needless. They picked me up at the airport and
arranged for my accommodations and travel during my entire stay in Kenya. Simon, who was my primary trip
coordinator, was amazing!
During my stay in Kenya, we did several different trips. The most exciting component was the safari trip to Maasai Mara. Prior to the trip, we spent a night at Savannah Sunset Resort, also run by the folks at Maa Supreme. This is a beautiful spot, just an hour or so outside of Nairobi. They have permanent tents with beds, all on a ridge overlooking the valley. There are hiking trails and at night they build a campfire for us to sit out and gaze at the stars. The food was great and the people there are so helpful and full of knowledge about the area. I felt incredibly safe there! Simon picked us up at Savannah in the morning, along with our driver and guide in the Mara, Izo. It’s a lengthy (and bumpy!) drive to Maasai Mara, but Simon brought lots of water and we stopped for lunch at a restaurant along the way. During our stay, we stayed at a camp just outside the gate to the National Park. This was another great location. Again, permanent tents, with big beds and a private bathroom. The next morning, we spent a full day riding through the park. This was an amazing experience! Our driver, Izo, knew the Mara “like the back of his hand” and could answer every question we had about the animals and plants we saw. We were fortunate enough to see an entire pride of lions – we counted 17 – eating a buffalo they had recently brought down. The lions walked right up next to our vehicle! We also saw cheetah, zebras, gazelles, impalas, elephants, hyenas, giraffes, hippos, monkeys, many different birds (including ostrich, cranes, guinea fowl, vultures, and many others), iguana, mongoose, and so much more! The next day we did a short morning game ride and visited a local Maasai village. After that, we left the Mara and headed towards Naivasha. There, we visited Hells Gate, another National Park. At Hells Gate, we rented bikes and biked through the park (past herds of zebras, warthogs, buffalo, baboons, etc.) and then hiked the gorge. Incredible! Simon arranged a hotel for us in Naivasha that night.
We also spent a few days in Mombasa, on the coast of Kenya. Here, we stayed in Diani Beach on the Indian Ocean. The folks at Maa Supreme arranged bus transport for us to Mombasa and then we took a taxi to Diani Beach. We stayed at the Diani Beach Chalet – where we had a two bedroom unit with a kitchen and patio facing the sea. We spent two relaxing days enjoying the beautiful beaches and warm water of the Indian Ocean.
Overall, this was the trip of a lifetime, in large part due to the efforts of the folks at Maa Supreme. I can’t recommend them enough. I felt safe the entire time I was there and they went out of their way to make sure that I was always comfortable and happy.
During my stay in Kenya, we did several different trips. The most exciting component was the safari trip to Maasai Mara. Prior to the trip, we spent a night at Savannah Sunset Resort, also run by the folks at Maa Supreme. This is a beautiful spot, just an hour or so outside of Nairobi. They have permanent tents with beds, all on a ridge overlooking the valley. There are hiking trails and at night they build a campfire for us to sit out and gaze at the stars. The food was great and the people there are so helpful and full of knowledge about the area. I felt incredibly safe there! Simon picked us up at Savannah in the morning, along with our driver and guide in the Mara, Izo. It’s a lengthy (and bumpy!) drive to Maasai Mara, but Simon brought lots of water and we stopped for lunch at a restaurant along the way. During our stay, we stayed at a camp just outside the gate to the National Park. This was another great location. Again, permanent tents, with big beds and a private bathroom. The next morning, we spent a full day riding through the park. This was an amazing experience! Our driver, Izo, knew the Mara “like the back of his hand” and could answer every question we had about the animals and plants we saw. We were fortunate enough to see an entire pride of lions – we counted 17 – eating a buffalo they had recently brought down. The lions walked right up next to our vehicle! We also saw cheetah, zebras, gazelles, impalas, elephants, hyenas, giraffes, hippos, monkeys, many different birds (including ostrich, cranes, guinea fowl, vultures, and many others), iguana, mongoose, and so much more! The next day we did a short morning game ride and visited a local Maasai village. After that, we left the Mara and headed towards Naivasha. There, we visited Hells Gate, another National Park. At Hells Gate, we rented bikes and biked through the park (past herds of zebras, warthogs, buffalo, baboons, etc.) and then hiked the gorge. Incredible! Simon arranged a hotel for us in Naivasha that night.
We also spent a few days in Mombasa, on the coast of Kenya. Here, we stayed in Diani Beach on the Indian Ocean. The folks at Maa Supreme arranged bus transport for us to Mombasa and then we took a taxi to Diani Beach. We stayed at the Diani Beach Chalet – where we had a two bedroom unit with a kitchen and patio facing the sea. We spent two relaxing days enjoying the beautiful beaches and warm water of the Indian Ocean.
Overall, this was the trip of a lifetime, in large part due to the efforts of the folks at Maa Supreme. I can’t recommend them enough. I felt safe the entire time I was there and they went out of their way to make sure that I was always comfortable and happy.