JOCKY TOURS TEAM
Jocky Tours and Safaris
- Office In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2002)
- Member Of:
- AMREF & KWS
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $50 to $200 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
Email Ann | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Lenny is excellent, kind and has a warm soul
Travel with them anyday anytime. They are excellent in everything. Won't regret it trust me.
Email Abdishakur | under20 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fantastic
To be honest they made my trip super nice and and enjoyable
FR
Email Giulia & Marion | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
You can choose Jocky with your eyes closed !
We are glad we chose Jocky Tours for our safari in Kenya. We took the 7 days offer (with 4x4 Jeep) through Mara, Naivasha, Nakuru, quick view of Hell’s gate (the gorge being closed for now for safety reasons, even if other guides propose illegal tour : just so you’re aware that when Hell’s gate is part of the itinerary, you won’t get the full « Hell’s gate tour », at least not legally for now), and ended by the amazing Amboseli which worth the effort of the long distance ride ! Really our favorite…
Before the safari, Minneh from Jocky Tours answered very clearly all our questions, was transparent on the conditions and the price. We appreciated that, and wanted to choose a Kenyan company. We could see a very good organisation here.
During the safari, we were guided and well drived by James, accompanied by his apprentice, Josh. They were very nice, professional, thoughtful and good at finding the animals. They made sure we could see all of them. James knew a lot about the animals and the birds, he answered all of our questions. To improve, I would say that we would have loved to have more theorical explanations about the animals and the surrounding.
For example, we arrived at Nakuru where the lake overfloaded few years ago and destroyed part of the park. The animals there were clearly starving, sick and dying, overall the buffaloes : it was a sad show I have to say, really sad. Big problem but the authorities must be overwhelmed by the situation said James. But about this, we would like to be warned before, get explanations and not discover it entering in this desolation place. It would have been interesting to have the opportunity to speak to the park authorities, to ask what they are doing to protect the animals and prevent them to be sick, what do they do with the entry fees.
So, we would have loved more explanations (even about negative things) than the pure observation even if it was amazing ! But we understand seeing is the most important thing in safari for so many tourists !
For the accommodation during the safari, we kept the lodges proposed by Jocky, they were all nice except the food at the Lenchada (not great, but their tents and the staff were nice. )
To end this review and confirm that you can choose Jocky with your eyes closed : we had two unforeseen events independent of them (luggage delayed at the airport and a problem with our train at the end of the safari) and they really helped us even if they didn’t have to, showing that they will take care of you whatever happens and are really trustable.
We were so lucky to have them, and we made a lot of good memories (and photo!)
Thank you very much Jocky ! Marion & Giulia
US
Email Esther M. | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fantastic, knowledgeable and jovial!
I submitted inquiries to several tour guides and Jocky Tours responded in a few hours. I was looking for a tour guide for a family of 6 (2 grand-parents, 2 parents, 2 kids), and Jocky tours offered the best deal for 2 nights. Communication with Minneh was professional and everything was explained clearly. One thing I liked is their flexibility- we encountered issues getting to Nairobi and had to move our tour in a day's notice. Adjustments were made quickly! We stayed at Lenchada camp. Our tents had very comfortable beds, they were clean, the toilets flushed and there was hot water for showering. All of our meals were tasty and every member of my family ate heartily! Helen made sure we were always comfortable!
Our tour guide was Khalifa, and he was phenomenal! He picked us up at our hotel in Nairobi, and from the time I began communicating with him, he made sure my family and I felt relaxed. He also had the carseat I wanted for my toddler. Right from Nairobi, he began sharing information and his knowledge on major attractions in Nairobi! The drive to Maasai Mara was over 5 hours, and he kept my family and I were entertained with his knowledge of Kenya. We had great conversations throughout! Khalifa knew the park very well and he made sure we saw almost all types of wildlife at Maasai Mara including the elusive leopard! He had so much knowledge about the animals, the park, the Maasai people, and Kenyan culture and politics. He shared all this during our 3 days together, and my family felt like we gained a new family member by the time he dropped us off in Nairobi! One other thing we really liked about Khalifa was that he was such a careful yet efficient driver! Khalifa helped create the kind of experience we were hoping for during our safari tour- we had an enriching yet relaxed time!
CY
Email Mario Theocharous | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Professional, reliable and awesome
This tour was one of the best experiences of my life. I loved every minute and jocky tours made sure everything went perfectly. I would rate this tour best on relatability, professionalism and value for money. Our guide Kikitu was the best person we could have with us on this experience. Kikitu was more than a tour guide he was a friend who we laughed with and had so much fun. I will definitely book again with Jocky tours and Kikitu for any future safari experience.
CY
Email Stephanos | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very professional definitely recommended
The safari with Jocky Tours was an amazing experience -definitely recommended to use them if you are in Kenya! Kikitou was our guide and he is a great guy with lots of energy and experience in safaris. He made the safari experience even better!
US
Email Luciano | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Jimmy was incredibly professional and intelligent, incredibly well read on the local wildlife.
My experience with Jocky Tours was fantastic, the operator heading the tour was incredibly charming, charismatic and intelligent. He had answers to every question I had about the local fauna and flora. There wasn’t a question he didn’t have the answer to. The over all experience was extremely pleasant and I met some fantastic people along the way, I’ll hold this one in the memory bank for years to come. If you’re thinking about going on a safari Jocky Tours and Safaris should be your go to, they’ve definitely become mines!!!
Email Jazz | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Good price, bad safari.
If you can only afford a budget safari and just want good pictures of animals, then this one might be a good option. The cost includes all meals, park entrance fees, transport and everything was well organised. However, if you would like a good safari with nice animal encounters, then I'd recommend going with another operator.
We were driven around in the Masai Mara for 3 days by Isaac from Jocky Tours. Isaac had his radio on constantly, listening out for reports of sightings. As soon as a sighting was reported (which was pretty much constantly, the charm of the Mara!), he'd put the accelerator down and drive full pelt to the sighting location. You'd be thrashed around at the back of the vehicle. Isaac would go off road at every possible opportunity. The Mara is scarred with tyre tracks, even though guides are supposed to stick to the roads. Once we'd reached the animal, Isaac would do all he can to get in the path of the animal, and as close as possible. Sadly, most other cars had the same idea, making the animals very stressed as lots of cars (most of the time 15+ cars) fight to move within 2 metres of them. As the animals move, the cars move too, constantly creeping closer and interrupting their path. This meant that most of our animal encounters were actually just distressing, rather than enjoyable. This appears to be a problem with most drivers in the mara, not just Isaac, and needs to be sorted.
We asked Isaac if he could slow down, stop driving in the animals path and we said we did not want to go close to the animals and cause them stress. However, he didn't listen and continued to do as he liked.
There were a few nice moments with animals, where we asked Isaac to stop and turn the car off. But any peace was disrupted by the radio or him on the phone. He'd also decide quite quickly that he was bored and start the car and drive off, cutting our nice moments with animals short.
I left the Mara feeling quite sad, realising that the chaotic and cruel interactions between animals and the drivers that I'd experienced, most likely happen on a daily basis.
If you are looking for an enjoyable safari and a guide that actually cares about the wildlife, I would not recommend Jocky Tours. Despite the price tag for this Jocky tour trip being so appealing, I'd recommend finding another operator and being clear to them before booking about what type of safari you'd like to go on.
IE
Email Shane | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An amazing tour with the best people from start to finish.
Each and every person involved, from start to finish, is absolutely fantastic.
I opted for the 4-day Masai mara and Lake Nakuru tour. The tours were done in a 4x4, which was new, clean, and comfortable.
Our guide for Masai Mara was Richie. The man is a pure gent and absolute legend. You couldn't ask for a better, more knowledgeable and professional person.
It's a life changing experience. We got to see every animal in Mara except the illusive Rhino. Watching a Leopard hunt and kill a mongoose or even seeing a lioness hunt for her 3 cubs was unbelievable. Richie gave in-depth information about each animal, plant's and area we were in. Thanks Richie.
The camp site I stayed at was set in the bush. Upon our arrival near the camp, we saw elephants and giraffes casually eating. We were greeted with the warmest welcome and some delicious food. There are large tents with double beds, mosquito nets, a shower, and a toilet. The people running the site were so nice and attentive. Masai warriors guard the site to ensure no baboons or other animals come in.
Richie dropped me to my next tour guide, John. John took me to my hotel near Lake Nakuru, where I got to chill out and get some rest before an early start.
John collected me in the morning after breakfast and took me around the lake. Luckily for me, it was just John and I, so I had a private tour. He was very friendly and very knowledgeable. We got to see Rhino and a huge amount of flamingos. He talked me through every animal and bird, along with information about the history of the area. We became good friends, and on my journey back to Nairobi, we stopped for some traditional Kenyan goat. We shared the meal and swapped stories.
I hope to meet both Richie and John again some time.
I really enjoyed every part of the trips and all the people involved.
You guys are amazing. Thank you.
AE
Email Aine | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very good service
Good, reliable company. Our safari driver was Albert, very knowledgeable and punctual driver. We stayed in Jambo Mara safari lodge. Rooms were clean with hot water. The only wifi that worked was in the restaurant, which only worked when it wasn't busy.