The team
Karibu Safaris In Kenya
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 1986)
- Member Of:
- KATO, Tourism Regulatory Authority & Eco Toursm Kenya
- Tour Types:
- Small & medium group tours (Mid-range & luxury)
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $80 to $280 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
MX
Email Alejandro | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great adventure and good price
We contact Karibu Safaris via email, Robert answered pretty fast the same day. We chose Karibu cause they had the cheaper price for a 4 day Safari to Masai Mara and Nakuru. They picked us up at 6:30 am as they told us cause our camp was a bit far. If this is your case be sure to be on time cause the traffic is terrible. We spent two hours to get to the city center. The van for the safari was ok, it's conditions wasn't the best though. And be prepared for 4 days of bumpy roads. Our driver was Isaac, he was friendly and helpful. The camp where we stayed was just outside Masai Mara Reserve and it was a beautiful and confortable place with big tents and beds, and the bathroom was ok too with hot water. Note that you would have power just a few hours during the day. The Masai Mara Reserve experience was awesome. We were able to see a cheetah hunting, lions, elephants, and many more. The hotel where we stayed in Nakuru was of very good quality too. And in the Nakuru park we were able to see rhinos and baboons. If you are on a budget I definitely recommend Karibu Safaris in Kenya.
Email Alina | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Super safari trip and a great team
It was amazing safari journey! We had Patrick as a guide and he is so wonderful teller with a great humor! It was clear that he's experienced cause we often were the first on the place with animals. The safari trip was really good organized and very nice! We've met the great 5 and so many others! Me and my husband really enjoyed it.
I would like to share 2 short stories that show this team.
First, Karibu Safaris company organized a birthday cake during our stay in Naivashi. It was so nice and warm evening, thank you guys! Cake was very tasty! And we didn't expect that it will be free for us, thanks!
And another one. When safari was ended Patrick and the company proposed us to leave our bags in the office cause we had a bus to Malindi at 8 p.m. After we took our luggage at the evening we suddenly met the company boss (so sorry that we don't know his name!); he recognized us and was very surprised that we didn't have any accompanying person with us to go to bus station. He said it's not saved for us and called and paid 2 guys from company. He was so kind I can't express my feelings about that situation! The way was really crowd, dark and dangerous. This man said that he feel responsibility about their client every time! Thanks a lot you, Karibu Safaris!!
I recommend this company as very good and kind team with excellent organized safari and Patrick as the best guide!
IN
Email Mahesh Shah | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
excellent and value for money, he is Best
We have started 1st day from Nairobi with a driver cum Guide James, he has picked up from our hotel at right time and took us to Masai Mara Safari for game ride, he was most aware about all routes in a so big field and showed us all most all animals available in Masai Mara and arranged a trip to Mara village, his aim was our satisfaction, and we found he has achieved their aim, we have enjoyed a good vegetarian food and shafe of camp is specifically taking care of us as being vegetarian, we have ultimate experience with karibu safari and I will surly recommend my upcoming friends to use their services fear lessly, Robert has booked my tour with proper communication and response of my mail and queries.. Thanks to team Karibu safari for their excellent coordination and cooperation.
AE
Email Rosh and Liz Thomas | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Experience the real Kenya thru Karibu Safaris
We loved every bit of it! All our wishes and requests were full filed by the team from start to finish. Martin our driving partner was fantastic and he enhanced our trip with his amazing stories. Thank you!
Email Denis S | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Not as expected
Had to pay in cash in USD, reason given, that all park fees had to be paid in cash USD. Some on the tour had paid online, but using another company. Would be great if Karibu accepted online payment.
Supposed to be 7 passengers, with window seat for all. Day one we were 9, of which 2 kept us waiting after lunch to join up. Lunch was in Narok town not at the camp. We were delayed for the 7th to 9th passengers. One insisted on seating next to the driver and was accomodated after lunch, so all had a seat. No game drive after lunch as promised, but we managed to see some animals on the way to camp. 4th bed added in a 3 bed tent, no mosquito net. Lights from 6:30 to 10 and from 5:30 in the morning. Bathroom basic but functional. Towels provided. Second day, we were promised 2 would be left at camp. Did not happen. Very uncomfortable full day safari with 9 in the van. The promised water was distributed at midday. 6 bottles per person at one time, quota for the whole tour. This after correspondence with Karibu. Guide was not informed on the first day, so we bought our own water. He was very good on the safari, trying to get us the most out of it on this day. Night was spent in another camp close to the Masai village. Horrible, 3 beds touching each other in a 2 bed tent. No mosquito net. Had to squeeze between a bed and the wall to get into the bathroom. No towels or toilet paper provided. Not polite people running the camp either.
Day three was mostly spent on driving around dropping people off and picking others. Morning was an optional 10$ Masai village visit and evening was an optional 20$ boat ride at lake Naishava. No game drive. One stop at a souvenir shop and lunch at a road side restaurant. Unhygienic place, flies in the buffet lunch and impolite wait staff. 2 unpleasant lunches here.
Night was Hotel Citymax in Nakuru. Nice people, comfortable hotel, internet worked. I could not see AC or fans, but the weather was pleasant and mosquito net available. Meals were basic, served at the table, but adequate.
Day 4 started good early game drive and then long drives to swap people. Car supposed to do that at the lunch stop didn't turn up. Our driver was driving like crazy, quite a lot off the road to beat the Nairobi traffic. We reached Amboseli after dark, but safely. Day 5 was good in Amboseli, only 5 in the bus, much more comfortable than being cramped up like before. Guide was also in a less stressed mood. Camp was better, shared hut with a female, but she didn't mind for 2 nights, so all well. Nice camp workers too. Got stuck in the swamp, but guide handled in quite well.
Day 6 morning short game drive on the way out of the park, back to Nairobi. One couple had to catch the 10 am bus to Mombasa. Luckily mount Kilimanjaro was visible.
Driver/guide did the best he could, much appreciated. Poor organising and not enough support given to him. I feel the answers to my messages were less than honest or uninformed. As a courtesy to your co passengers please come to Nairobi a day early and leave a day after the safari. This way others are not waiting for your flight to turn up or hurrying back on day 6. Just carry the baggage you need. Excess baggage in the cab is uncomfortable. Snoring at night, with strangers in close proximity is not going to make you friends.
TH
Email Miyo | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beyond my expectation
First of all, I'd like to say thank you Robert and his team that my dreamed vacation made fantastic.
He responses all of my questions promptly, and arrangement was perfect.
All of my guide/drivers, Ambrose, Gene and Stanley are very professional; they won't miss anything with their eagle eyes and excellent communication skill together with driving skill yet very safe driving technique.
I could see Big 5 together with migration at Masai Mara!
Lake Nakuru and Amboseli shouldn't be missed; I'm so glad to be included on my itinerary.
Email bell caspi | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
BEST SAFARI FOR SOLO TRAVELER!!!!
first of, it was the best worth for the money, one of the cheapest price from the safari agencies. the safari was far beyond my expectations.
I got picked up from the airport straight after my flight, and the driver Dan was really nice and welcomed me although I was terrified because it was my first time in Africa.
and then I met with Robert (sultannnnn) , the director of the agency, he was extremely helpful and funny to talk with. (if u really want to laugh, ask him to do a little rap for u)
so lets talk about the safari itself, it was FRICKIN INCREDIBLE!!
adward (this cobra Mann) was soooo helpful, supportive and was helping me with everything I needed including planing the rest of the trip in kenya, and actually I booked another safari with them right after I finished the 3days tour.
so adward did us very long game drives was fun! he was very sharp on spotting the animals , so we got to see the BIG 5, and even the most rare animals on maasai mara like rhinos and leopard which quite hard to spot. we saw even cheetahs trying to hunt and even the river crossing!!!!
then I took 2 days private safari to Amboseli and tsavo west with bonnie (coolboy), which is so cool, funny and very easygoing. he was professional and was ready to set the safari according to my needs. In Amboseli we even saw a lot of flamingos which never ever happens.
so definitely highly recommend !!
US
Email Jared | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Budget doesn't mean bad quality! We had an amazing time, but be prepared to sit in a car for a long
I will separate the reviews in two since Karibu is just a booking service and doesn't actually operate the tours themselves. For Karibu, Robert was always responsive to my emails, however seemed to answer my questions with minimal effort and detail so that was a bit disappointing but went with them anyways since they have good reviews. The airport pickup they provided went smoothly and the payment in the office as well.
For the tour itself, we did the 6 day Masai Mara, Nakuru and Amboseli safari and had an amazing time thanks to our driver Gibson and the other 6 people in our van. The tour itself beat my expectations due to our driver and that the overall quality was better than I expected. We were worried 6 days might be a bit too long at first, but each park was so different that it was perfect. My only warning to people is that you should be prepared to spend A TON of time in the car (10-12 hours per day i'd say). If you don't like long car rides, or uncomfortable bumpy roads for hours on end, then this tour is not for you. But your only alternative is flying between places and that gets expensive, so no budget tour is for you in that case.
Driving - Our driver Gibson was very knowledgable, funny and an excellent driver. Usually on the game drives we were one of the first vans to discover an animal before the rest flocked over. We saw the big 5 and more, Gibson made sure to give us the best experience and he clearly knew his way around each park. The van was comfortable enough and we all had a proper viewing spot with the pop up top. As reiterated before, we were surprised at how much time is spent in the car and also how terrible the roads are...so just something to keep in mind, but nothing the company did wrong here.
Accommodations - This was originally what I was most worried about doing a budget tour, but actually ended up being totally fine. The first camp in Masai Mara there was no hot water and the electricity was quite hit and miss. The hotel in Nakuru was a nice step up from the camps, and the final camp in Amboseli was actually quite nice even if basic.
Food - Also a major worry of mine before, but was a big surprise that it was actually quite decent. We are vegetarians and had a good selection of things to eat and they fed us plenty every day. Also everyone is given 1 liter of water per day which was nice, with the option to buy more.
Optional tours - We did the morning nature walk with the Masai guides in Amboseli and the boat ride in Lake Nakuru which I would definitely recommend both! I can't comment much on the Masai village tour since we didn't do it, but as far as I heard they just try to sell you all their arts and crafts aggressively which we hate those type of tourist trap things.
Overall, i'd totally recommend this tour to anyone who is looking to do an affordable safari trip...we feel like we got our money's worth and more. This tour is not for anyone expecting comfort and luxury, but if your goal is just to see some amazing animals at an affordable price then don't hesitate and do the tour!
Email P. Onungah. | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Perfect trip to the coast - Diani.
A trip to remember,very proffesional driver guide,always on time for pick ups,jovial n ready to help when need a rises, can't wait to do another safari with you guys,Thanks so much Raymond. Anyone planning a safari, karibu safaris in kenya won't disappoint.
RU
Email Max | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent
Thank you very much for the safari. Especially to Robert for his help in organizing and for solving additional questions.
Great organization. Very friendly and helpful staff.
It's a pity that it was only 2 days should have to take a safari for at least 3 days.
Highly recommend.