$1,671 to $1,855 pp (USD)
2 travelers on Start dateThis Tour Is Offered By
Maasai worior
Native Afrika Voyages
- Office In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2020)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
-
KE
Native Afrika Voyages is a family-owned African Tour Operator offering creative, bespoke and innovative tour ideas to the hidden treasures of East Africa. We provide agile, personalized and tailor-made luxury safaris cupturing the essence of Adventure Of A lifetime memories with backing of professionals with tradion of excellency.
Reviews97
IN
Cheated, misled on itinerary, tipping pressure, very poor service, no sense of responsibility
We recently booked a 5-night, 6-day safari with Native Africa in June/July, and unfortunately, the overall experience was extremely disappointing, especially given the high price we paid.
Main Concerns:
1. Currency Handling
We paid the company in USD (as instructed), but when it came to returning change, they gave it back in Kenyan Shillings. If payment is accepted in USD, change should also be returned in USD.
2. Vehicle Switch & Misleading “Complimentary” Safari
Although we had paid for a 4x4 Land Cruiser, we were transferred in a van on Day 1, with the excuse that our vehicle had met with an accident.
Later, the company claimed they were giving us a complimentary game drive, but this was misleading — our first lodge (Jambo Mara Safari Lodge) was inside the park, which already included game drives in the package.
3. Lake Naivasha Detour
Our guide diverted us to Lake Naivasha (not in our agreed itinerary) and took us to a boating area that seemed unofficial and commission-based.
For lunch, he stopped at a roadside, unhygienic restaurant, making us miss the hot lunch that was already paid for at our Nakuru lodge. We ended up paying extra out of pocket for a poor experience.
4. Amboseli Safari Mismanagement
The guide delayed our arrival to Amboseli and showed little interest during the safari.
On the evening game drive, he cut it short, refusing to stop for cheetah sightings despite other cars enjoying the view.
5. Final Day – Serious Misconduct
The itinerary clearly mentioned a forenoon game drive in Amboseli (10 AM–12 PM), but our guide ended it in less than an hour and drove us out of the park by 9:45 AM.
When we questioned this, he became defensive and insisted that he “does not drive in the evening” due to safety, even though leaving by noon would still get us to Nairobi by 4 PM — well before evening.
The most alarming moment came when he stopped the car in the middle of nowhere with our luggage inside and told us he “could not travel with us anymore.” He suggested we stay behind in Amboseli, book another safari on our own, and even take a flight to Nairobi — despite the fact that we had already paid for the safari vehicle. This was shocking, unsafe, and completely unprofessional.
Feeling unsafe and left with no option, we had to agree to return with him. We reached Nairobi by early afternoon, proving our point that starting later would not have caused any evening travel issue. Still, our last safari experience was wasted, and this ruined the entire trip’s ending.
Other issues:
- We faced a tipping pressure, with the guide openly asking for $20–30 per person per day, though the company had initially indicated $10–15.
- The tribal village visit felt staged and overpriced, with repeated “chiefs” and pressure to buy overpriced jewelry.
IT
Review of Native Voyagers – Safari in Kenya (Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha)
1. Professionalism and Organization
The agency proved to be responsive and punctual in answering all our pre-trip requests. Upon arrival at the airport, we were warmly welcomed by the staff, who outlined the itinerary. A nice and much-appreciated touch was the gift of gadgets (water bottles and hats). However, the proposed itinerary was not optimized: it would have made much more sense to visit Masai Mara – Nakuru – Naivasha in that order, avoiding long and unnecessary back-and-forth transfers.
2. Punctuality
Overall, they were punctual, but the program management was left too much to our own judgment. The guide did not set a realistic schedule, which resulted in the loss of valuable time during the trip.
3. Hotels
No negative remarks here: we had chosen them ourselves from Italy, and they met expectations.
4. Guide
We had requested an Italian-speaking guide to gain deeper insights into the flora and fauna, but the person who accompanied us, although kind and sociable, did not have the skills of a true tour guide. He turned out to be more of an escort than a safari expert. On the last day, the Nairobi tour was limited to an insignificant walk around the city, when we would have preferred a more structured visit.
5. Driver and Vehicle
The driver was reluctant to go off-road, and the vehicle did not match the one shown in the photos: it was very old and lacked a radio for communication. This limited the chance to coordinate with other jeeps, so we often arrived late at wildlife sighting points. In addition, the driver drove very slowly and stuck to the main tracks, without attempting alternative routes. On several occasions, we had to point out where other jeeps had stopped to observe animals.
Conclusion
The overall experience was positive thanks to the unique beauty of the places and the abundance of wildlife, which alone makes the trip worthwhile. However, Native Voyagers’ service needs improvement: a truly knowledgeable safari guide should provide in-depth explanations, greater knowledge of the territory, and a more structured time management. Moreover, a suitable and well-equipped vehicle would make a real difference in wildlife viewing. With a few improvements, the quality of the experience could rise significantly.
IT
Safari to kenya
We did a safari in Kenya of 3 nights and 4 days, we found the tour consistent with what we had agreed, the quality / price was excellent, the staff very kind, and helpful, the only thing that was not good was the very few knowledge of the Italian language of the guide who had to be a guide who spoke Italian as per agreements but it was not so, even if kind and with the desire to learn, but not up to par.
IN
Michael bonded with us like a family member. Highly recommend Native Afrika for your safari needs!
I was in touch with several tour operators during my research for Kenya safaris. Amongst all, Native Afrika Voyages stood out due to the efficiency and speed of communication. Mary diligently followed up every couple of days to ensure the lines were open and her email was on top of my inbox. She provided all the necessary information about every segment of our trip in a concise and lucid manner. The hotels suggested by her across different budget options were also great.
We were genuinely and pleasantly surprised by the welcome at our hotel, accompanied by the useful gifts. Although the van provided for the ride lacked general excellence, Michael’s assortment of descriptions of the surrounding view with humorous detail and sleek driving skills well compensated for it. Michael is a knowledgable guide and kept my father well entertained and engaged throughout the trip.
The overall experience would have been excellent had we been provided a better vehicle (or would have been given a headsup about the van through sharing of photos in advance etc.). Nonetheless, I would definitely want to re-engage Native Afrika Voyages in future.
Great safari company
We had an amazing experience and would recommend this tour operator. Our tour guide, Cyrus, was excellent - very knowledgeable, accommodating to our needs, went over and beyond to find us the big 5 which was spectacular! A brilliant and a safe driver. We thoroughly enjoyed our safari and would love to visit Kenya again.
