I safaried with Believe Safari in Nov 2024. It was unBELIEVEable!

This was a lifelong dream pursuit and I did lots of research before committing to Believe Safari.

My chief concern was safety. This was also the primary concern among my family and friends. Would I be safe traveling? Would I be safe in Nairobi? Would I be safe as a single woman travelling? Would I be safe overnighting in luxury tent camps at Lake Nakuru as well as Masai Mara?

The answer to all of those questions was a resounding “YES”!

I have always been a copious consumer of news both domestic and international. I am a US citizen but have lived abroad and travelled abroad so I appreciate that strife and conflict anywhere can have local impact. So I kept up with happenings in Africa/Kenya via BBC, PBS, CNN and the US State Department for 2 years prior to departure. The conclusion I drew was that there was indeed conflict in Kenya, but there is also conflict here in Florida where I live and across the US (including mass shootings). The Kenyan conflict was mostly directed at their government and was staged at government facilities/grounds and began as civil disobedience. It did escalate but the protesters achieved many of their goals by demonstrating their disenchantment with their elected officials. Similarly, the shootings in Florida, while abhorrent and violent, were not in places I would ever go.

I have been to NYC several times as a tourist. Once, my friend and I jumped on the subway and missed our stop so we had to travel to the next stop before exiting. When we stepped out of the subway car we were immediately aware that no one around us spoke like us or looked like us despite the fact that we had not left the US. They eyed us with contempt and disdain and we were afraid. We jumped on the next open car and eventually made our way to our destination. This will NEVER happen when you are in the capable hands of the Believe Safari crew! You are never alone and they have planned an itinerary that is incredible.

Your time in Nairobi is extremely limited. It is not a place for leisure travel but neither is downtown Orlando (6 miles from my home), nor some communities in Miami-Dade County. If you had to navigate your way around Nairobi without guidance, it might be a little dodgy. However, you are always in the care of the Believe crew who know the most direct routes and ensure your travels are safe and comfortable.

Flying into Nairobi airport, bleary-eyed from travel, I grabbed my bags after a quick queue at passport control and walked about 50 yards to Ikua who greeted me with “JAMBO” and hugs! I have never experienced that level of service upon arrival anywhere! We waited a short time for 2 others arriving just behind me and once collected, were driven to our hotel by the Believe crew. The hotel was grand without being grandiose, check-in was simple, and at no time did I feel unsafe.

To illustrate the safety aspect further, a marathon was staged that ran past our hotel the day after arrival. This Nairobi Marathon included 25k participants, and awarded nearly 100k in prize money. An event this significant would not be staged unless the safety of participants/vendors/spectators could be assured. It was a huge success!

The rest of this trip was more than any of us could have hoped for. As for luxury tent camps, we always had escorts with lights to guide us to and from our quarters after dark. All the tents had electricity and bathrooms and four poster beds and the word “tent” was re-defined! They zipped us into our tents and there were Masai guards outside all night although we never needed protecting it was reassuring to know they were there! When we had refreshments on the savanna, there were always folks who stood watch to ensure our safety.

You will be provided with lots of information about health and safety protocols to follow which you can verify with your personal physician. I have been asked if I experienced any gastrointestinal issues and I am happy to report that I did not. The food was exceptional!

Just BELIEVE and go!