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William Rhoades
US
Visited:
January 2020
Reviewed: Feb 7, 2020
Email William Rhoades | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
The thrill of a lifetime
Let me give you the backstory so you can understand the true value of Jocky Tours.
When I first contacted them, Minneh did her best to give me tailored options. Most clients seeking a Masai Mara safari experience want to go on a 3 day platform: 1st day drive to Masai and have afternoon game drive, 2nd day full day in Mara and 3rd day a short game drive or visit to village and then back to Nairobi by late afternoon on the third day.
For most this fits perfectly because they will see a good deal of the Mara and have memories of a lifetime.
Yet I wasn't going to be a "usual" customer. I was there to try and specifically get images of cheetah: images of "the gang of five" ( 5 male cheetah who hunt together) and a mom who had cubs ( 2
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of the original 7 were still alive and doing well).I was staying for several days, not just 3.
So, Minneh explained that to do it on my prefered budget, I would be with a different group and different drivers after day 2.
Not to worry. That is precisely why and how I can write a review which has greater insights into how YOUR trip may go. I saw different drivers and got a feel for the entirety of Jocky's services.
That being said, I can assure you that no matter who ends up being your guide for the trip to Masai Mara, you will have the best possible experience one can have.
The trip itself is one which takes expertise. Driving the roads going to the Masai Mara, and inside the park is very tedious. It is extremely difficult at times and requires attentiveness. The drivers all did exemplary jobs in that regard.
That may not sound like such a big deal, but trust me, it is. You won't want to spend time stuck in the mud, or turned over. One day, a driver (from another company) of a land cruiser ( and thus a much more costly safari) flipped the car on its side while negotiating the muddy roads.
The drivers I had, Isaac, John, and Albert all did OUTSTANDING jobs of navigating and keeping us from being stuck in the mud.
That is only half the equation. The other half that contributes greatly to your safari is their abilities as guides. All the drivers have radios and are vigilant to listen to, and act upon, intel as it happens.
This aspect is very important.
While no one can guarantee that you will see any animal specifically, like all the Big 5, having drivers like Isaac and John will make a world of difference in your enjoyment of the days drive.
One day, for example, John managed to put us in position to see 4 out the 5 big five. He also got us up close and personal with the gang of five cheetah males. WOW! Believe me when I tell you he does his absolute best to ensure EVERYONE in the group has the best day possible. I was fortunate enough to have two seperate days with him.
Isaac was my initial driver and he too does an OUTSTANDING job. His goal is to try and make everyone in the group HAPPY. And there is no doubt that he does just that.
One day, Isaac managed to get our group right up to the mom cheetah with her two very energetic and playful cubs. He did this TWICE in one day, in the early morning and again in the evening. I was in heaven! And judging from the rest in the group, so was everybody. We had Isaac to thank dirrectly.
On another day, Rhaheem got intel on the illusive black rhino. He managed to get us in a position to spot it, before it "wandered off" out of sight. That was the only day "we" spotted the exremely hard to spot, black rhino. So kudos to Rhaheem.
The other driver I had was Albert. His skills navigating the muddy and treacherous roads are unmatched. He like all the drivers for Jockey did his level best to have you "take it all in"....and with a glimpse of a leopard, he got us 4 out of the big 5 too.
Now, as to the accomodations. I stayed in a tented campground Lenchada Tented Campground.
This is a budget accomodation. Yet it suited my needs purfectly. It was spartan in terms of amenities, however I am there for the safari drives, not a mint on my pillow or 600 thread count satin sheets.
There was always hot water available for showering and the electric is on from 530 to 930 and again from 1830 to 2200. There are AMPLE outlets in the dining hall for you to charge camera batteries and your phone.
The food there was basic homey fare. Not fancy but DELICIOUS and plentiful.
And I mean absolutely delicious!!!
Helen and her staff does an excellent job and is "Johnny on the spot" if you need any help with your room or have dietary concerns ( like you are vegetarian, etc). They also pack the picnic lunches for your day in the Masai.
However, if you need a more "high end" accomodation, not to worry, Jocky can provide you with those type accomodations too. And you will seemlessly intigrate with a tour group.
The bottom line, though, is no matter where you stay or how much you pay, it always comes down to the knowledge and skill(s) of your driver/guide. You will be assured that with the guides/drivers from Jocky you WILL have the best possible experience one can have in the Mara. Bet on it.
I can't thank Minneh enough for all the efforts she had to put into making a tailor made experience for me, at a cost so reasonable it would make your jaw drop. Nor can I amply thank the drivers, especially Isaac and John. ( although tips do help show appreciation....so dont forget to tip your guide)
Do yourself a favour and look no further. Truly, when it comes to touring in Kenya, nobody does it better than Jocky Tours, nobody!
Matteo Laurenzi
IT
Visited:
December 2019
Reviewed: Feb 11, 2020
Email Matteo Laurenzi | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience, Masai Mara Safari is an immersion into nature’s wildlife
We went to Kenya during Christmas/nye period and it was an amazing experience; safari was great, We saw a lot of animals thanks to our guide, food was ok and accomodation was better then expected even in the low-budget tents. We were quite lucky with the weather because it did rain only one night and some days before our arrival (this can cause issues with the streets).
The highlight of the safari was a scene between leo and hyenas fighting for the prey, interrupted by a huge group of baboons
Faatina
SA
Visited:
January 2020
Reviewed: Feb 13, 2020
Email Faatina | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Mind Blowing!
Stephen the guy who dealt with my excursions him & his team were amazing!
Took great care of my needs, honest and reliable.
I cannot complain about anything as being in nature was luxury for me being in the wilderness and heart of mother Africa. I was honored to be apart of this journey. My expectations were low at first but as soon as I arrived in Kenya & started my safari with Raymond I just couldn't believe the things and experiences I went through. Literally had the best time of my life! Saw all the top 5's except for the black Rhino, we also saw lions plenty of them and feeding on their kill, a vulture nesting with her child and a leopard, how remarkable.
Raymond he went beyond the extra mile for us making sure we saw all the animals up close and personal we even got stuck in the mud a few times but that was fun
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the adrenaline of it all was impeccable. I cannot express how grateful I am and I want to let everyone know that it was a beautiful experience. The weather was amazing surprisingly after the safari it was raining quite a lot so I was blessed.Thank you God bless the team and Kenya.
I can't wait to visit Kenya again :)
Family Hansson
FI
Visited:
January 2020
Reviewed: Feb 16, 2020
Email Family Hansson | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent safaritour and holiday in Kenya with KingTomondo Safaris
When we booked our travel to Kenya and asked for offers from different safari providers the reception from KingTomondo was exceptionally welcoming. The contact person Lisa was very nice and accommodating and took into account our specific wishes. She prepared a great trip for us! She also helped us with the logistics from and to the airport and to book a private snorkeling trip to Wasini Island. With KingTomondo we felt very secure from the very first contact. Our Safari guide and driver Hassan had exceptional knowledge about the wildlife animals and the nature as well as the history and culture of Kenya. This made our safari tour into something much more than just a drive in the parks, and made our experience of Kenya a very pleasant one. Hassan's very good driving skills, knowledge about the surroundings and pleasant manners made us feel safe and well taken care of during the whole trip. We highly recommend KingTomondo Safaris. This is a company you can trust to make the best of your trip.
Claudio Salzano Junior
BR
Visited:
January 2020
Reviewed: Feb 18, 2020
Email Claudio Salzano Junior | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing
The tour was very nice and our guide offered all the support that we expected.
The lodges and hotel booked was also very good.
Chanel
US
Visited:
February 2020
Reviewed: Feb 20, 2020
Email Chanel | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
My first Safari experience was perfect!
Charles was our guide. He arrived on time, made sure we were able to see almost all of the big five, and gave us a little history of NNP and Nairobi. Charles made sure we got the best pictures of the animals by positioning us perfectly, and even took pictures of us at the rest stop, that also came out amazing.
We felt safe and informed with Charles, l definitely recommend him and the company. The vehicle was comfortable and updated with a pop up rooftop.
Thank you so much, Mattaw
Chanel and Krystle
Qin Xiaotian
CN
Visited:
January 2020
Reviewed: Feb 26, 2020
Email Qin Xiaotian | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
I just want to say thank you in English, xiexie in Chinese, and asante sana in Kiswahili
We enjoyed our Chinese new year festival break in Kenya and Tanzania 11 days trip. My family were so happy. Driver was amazing, good food, good car, and good service. Price was very fair compare with other agent. I met the founder in their own famous Chinese restaurant Mr Li, very friendly to us, tell us his stories when he came to Kenya in 1980s. Nice people and nice trip.
Recommend Sino Africa to anybody and everybody!
Remco Tieken
NL
Visited:
January 2018
Reviewed: Feb 27, 2020
Email Remco Tieken | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Above expectations
We experianced a perfectly organized safari. Very kind people (guide/travel agent/locals) and beautiful wildlife.
If we need to point out some down sides, than its the cancellation of our last stay due to heavy rain. So we stayed in a bit more crowded lodge.
And the lunch boxes were not very varied. But this is just a minor.
Mr Liu Zilong
CN
Visited:
March 2019
Reviewed: Feb 28, 2020
Email Mr Liu Zilong | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
What a fantasitc trip!
Great hotels with nice people surrounds you, nice driver provides good service to us. All animals are amazing and so close to the window. We saw the big 5, special 5，and much more more. We learned so much about the animals and their behaviors, because our driver Mike was so knowledgable. We saw lions were hunting a zebra. We saw a big group of elephants and with sunrise when doing ballon safari.
Sino Africa is really outstanding, and we had lifetime experience.
Joyce
CA
Visited:
February 2020
Reviewed: Mar 2, 2020
Email Joyce | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
good experience
We enjoyed most aspects of the trip. Would have liked to spend a little more time when we saw a male lion, but driver was not interested.
