2-Day Safari in Taita Hills from Mombasa

The best trip of our lives thanks to Jimmy

We did the 3 day 2 night safari experience as part of our honeymoon. We were picked up at our diani hotel by our guide Jimmy and this is where our experience begun. Jimmy made this experience for us. We can’t thank him enough - what a man. His warmth, humour, patience, kindness, knowledge, work ethic and attention to detail were outstanding. We had two other couples in our Jeep, so 6 guests in total, 7 including Jimmy. Jimmy took the time to get to know each of us, what we liked, what interested us and engaged with us all individually. He was attentive, inquisitive and genuine. We built such a special bond with him and can’t imagine having done the trip with anyone else. His knowledge beyond the animals, nature and wildlife was so informative and interesting. We spoke about everything from the animals & landscape to history, social issues, football, work, family and more. It enabled us to learn about Kenya far beyond the safari making us feel so passionate about Kenya and the wonderful people here. On safari Jimmy was amazing - his commitment to finding good viewings & having amazing encounters was due to his deep knowledge of the animals and parks which really made the trip amazing. We were so blessed as on our first drive we got to see so much so quickly and this continued across all of our drives. Jimmy had so much information about all of the animals, we learned so much both through him guiding us and volunteering the information freely and happily answering all of our questions. On the first day one of the people in our group was unwell and he was very good, ensuring they got medical assistance and they were able to quickly recover so only missed two drives. He was very attentive and caring. We had too many amazing encounters to recall (every moment of each game drive was special) but all but the massive herd of elephants we drinking & bathing at the lake in Taita Hills and a lion hunt on a morning drive were maybe my top two moments. It’s been a life long dream to see elephants in their natural habitat and we had so many different encounters with them. However Jimmy loves birds and his passion & knowledge was so contagious that he made me also fall in love with them. He also loved the Common Eland antelope and his joy seeing these was equally as contagious - he makes you fall in love with animals you had never heard of or weren’t particularly interested in through his excitement and depth of expertise. We had so many encounters beyond anything I imagined was possible to witness in real life. I cried happy tears every day because it was so special and Jimmy made sure we all had the most incredible time. The jeep was clean, comfortable, always stocked with water, there were plugs to charge our phones, deep pockets for our essentials, holders for our bottles and it felt very safe. Jimmy’s driving was brilliant and I always felt safe with him. Jimmy had good binoculars with him too which were so much better than mine so we used his which was kind of him. Jimmy was very considerate and ethical when it came to the animals, respecting their space and environment. It wasn’t at all like the videos I have seen at the Masi Mara where there are hundreds of jeeps around one animal, speeding and getting too close. All of my concerns about doing a safari were relieved by Jimmy and it felt like the best way we could have done it. The benefit of doing smaller parks is that there are less jeeps so you aren’t all competing for encounters or racing. We had two experiences where there were lots of jeeps but it was still nothing compared to the videos I have seen from other parks. The first was in Tsavo East and there were maybe 15 jeeps trying to get a view, pushing in front, making it hard for others and getting irresponsibly close however Jimmy did not do this. He waited patiently, respected the animals space and also the other jeeps. Similarly when we saw the lion hunt in Taiti hills, there were about 10 jeeps that followed. We were the second to arrive but Jimmy made sure we got a good view whilst being respectful to the animals and other jeeps. You could see he had a good relationship with other guides and is obviously well respected. We were so glad we had chosen this over Masi Mara which we had considered doing given it’s the great migration season but in hindsight was the best decision. We still got to see the Wilderbeasts but without a singular Jeep around us. The entire safari felt very intimate and private. Jimmy asked us if we wanted to visit a Masi village on our last day as we drove back to Diani. We all wanted to and it felt like a very ethical way to do it - the money was given directly to the village who showed us around and were happy to have us. They talked to us, showed us their homes, sung & danced. They got us involved with the dancing and taught us to make fire. It was a really great experience and did not feel exploitative at all which was always a concern I had. We did not do a private drive, we had two other couples who we met in the jeep when we were picked up. Both couples were amazing and we felt we had got so lucky. Of course, this was pure luck but really helped to make the experience even better. We will definitely be back and requesting Jimmy again but maybe to do other parks. We have already recommended him to our friends and family and will do so for anyone visiting Kenya. Both hotels were lovely. We stayed at Taiti Hills first, it was clean, comfortable and so beautiful. We arrived late so didn’t get to swim but I woke up early to swim before our morning drive. The infinity pool was special - it overlooks a waterhole so I swam as the sun came up and had a view of the zebras drinking. Salt lick is special - the 360 views from all parts of the resort, the views from our bedroom & of course the underground viewing hut where you can watch the animals drink at eye level. It was so magical to be so close to so many animals and get to watch them in their natural habit from our rooms, the restaurant or bar. The staff at both hotels were so so so lovely, helpful and friendly. The food was great at both with something for everyone. I ate the traditional Kenyan food and fish, but there is pasta stations, Indian food, European food, salads and more. It’s all freshly made and delicious. I particularly liked these hotels knowing that they are Pollmans Tours & Safaris are so lucky to have Jimmy - he is a real asset to their business and should be cherished. We would absolutely recommend Pollmans and in particular Jimmy to anyone doing a trip to Kenya. Jimmy speaks English & Spanish so if you speak other language, do request him as your guide. Thanks so much for making this the best experience - it was worth every penny and more. We will never ever forget it or Jimmy. A final note. If, like me, the idea of a safari holiday makes you battle with the tension between supporting conservation, seeing amazing animals & wildlife and local economies. But also equally questioning whether tourism is commodifying wildlife, restricting or displacing communities, exploiting poverty, and funnelling too little or none of the money back to the people who bear the costs of living alongside protected areas. Then this tour, the chosen resorts and guides can make you feel somewhat more at ease and make you feel comfortable booking one (if I haven’t already persuaded you). Both resorts are inside a wildlife sanctuary (Taiti Hills) where research and conservation initiatives take place, rather than simply being a hotel next to a national park. The sanctuary's stated purpose is explicitly to combine wildlife/biodiversity conservation with tourism for the benefit of the wider region. That mattered to me because the tourism profits is directly connected to maintaining the conservation area as well as empowering local communities. They have conservation programmes that began in 2010 rather than just using “eco” as marketing like many others. I learned that the sanctuary works with local communities on Taita cultural tourism like traditional food and basketry, and development of trails to historic Taita caves. This means there is a less stated mechanism for local people to earn from tourism through their own culture and skills, rather than simply being passive scenery for tourists. There is still clearly wider work to be done and when you see the villages you pass driving from Diani to Tsavo, that is evident and humbling. I have since learned that there is an ongoing dispute in the wider Taita Taveta region over this. The county government has been long arguing that it should, rightly, receive a fairer share of revenue generated by Tsavo and that local people should be more involved economically in conservation. The issues include revenue sharing, employment for locals, human-wildlife conflict and community involvement. So whilst it isn’t a community-owned conservatory which I understand is the most ethical model. By staying here and doing drives here, it means that your money contributes to a tourism/conservation system that demonstrably funds conservation and has community involvement programmes to support and empower local communities. UN Tourism explicitly promotes community involvement, local economic benefit, cultural preservation and rural development as positive forms of tourism. So whilst it’s not perfect in Tsavo and there is much work to be done, it certainly feels like one of the more ethical and sustainable ways to do safari so I am very glad Pollmans continues to partner with them and do trips here.

via Tripadvisor

Taita Hills Santuary

We were incredibly lucky to have Aswan Aswad Ali Khan as our guide during our safari, and we can honestly say that he was the absolute best! ❤️ He’s a little crazy, in the very best possible way! 😂 but above all, he is a truly wonderful person: funny, energetic, kind, and incredibly passionate about what he does. Thanks to him, we were able to discover and appreciate the incredible beauty of the savannah in a completely unforgettable way. He made every moment exciting and fun, always keeping us entertained while sharing his knowledge and passion with us. Some people you meet while travelling simply stay in your heart, and Aswan is definitely one of them. He made our safari an even more special experience, and we couldn’t recommend him highly enough. If you’re going on safari, ask for Aswan! Trust us, he’s number one! 🐘🦁❤️

Response from the operator: Thank you so very much for this heartfelt review. We are truly delighted to hear that your safari at Taita Hills Sanctuary was such a special and unforgettable experience. We will be sure to pass along your wonderful words to Aswan. It means a great deal to know that his energy, humour, kindness, and genuine passion made every moment so exciting and fun, and that he helped you discover the beauty of the savannah in such a memorable way. It is guides like Aswan who truly stay in the hearts of our guests. Thank you again for such generous praise and for recommending Aswan by name. We hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure in Kenya. Kind regards, Mohammed Hersi Director of Operations Pollman's Tours & Safaris

via Tripadvisor

Perfectly organised, truly unforgettable

Our two-day safari in Kenya was absolutely wonderful — one of the most beautiful adventures of our lives. Everything came together perfectly: the pace, the itinerary, the accommodation and a guide who took care of every detail. There was no rush or chaos, and each part of the trip flowed into a coherent, well-thought-out whole. You could feel that the organisation was of the highest standard, while everything still had a sense of authenticity and real joy in discovery. It's an experience we'd happily repeat. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who dreams of a real adventure.

Response from the operator: Thank you very much for your time in writing us this lovely review! We are thrilled to hear that your safari was such a special and unforgettable experience. It means a lot to us that you enjoyed the pace, itinerary, and accommodation, and that your guide helped make everything run smoothly. We’re glad to hear that you felt both the care in planning and the genuine spirit of adventure—this is exactly what we aim to create for our guests. We’d absolutely love to welcome you back for another adventure someday. Thanks again for your kind recommendation!

via Viator

Excellent

We had 2 days Safari with Sudi as a guide. It was such a nice experience. Sudi is a great person,he did his job very good and we also laughed a lot during our travel. Thank you so much Sudi,it was a real pleasure to meet you. Hakuna Matata! Bests. Marina&Christian

via Tripadvisor

Unbelievable experience

What an unbelievable and unforgettable experience. We actually went on a four day/3 night Safari which was breathtaking. Our driver Omar went above and beyond to make sure we saw all the animals and his passion, knowledge and attention to detail was outstanding. I cannot recommend this company enough. I would have given this Safari more than 5 stars if possible! Thank you Omar we will never forget the time we spent with you .

Response from the operator: Hi Carl, thank you for your wonderful review! We’re delighted your safari was memorable and that Omar made such a great impression—his passion and dedication truly reflect our standards. We’re thrilled you enjoyed the experience and hope to welcome you back for another adventure soon!

via Tripadvisor