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
US
Email Ronald | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Over promised, and under delivered.
The guide Joseph was fine. He was accommodating and knowledgeable.
The accommodation at Lenchada Tourist Camp was super sub-standard.
1. I was in a single tent that looked nothing like what was presented on the website. The bathroom looked like a prison bathroom; it was unclean with plenty of cracked tiles and mold.
2. There was no Wi-Fi, even though the website promised Wi-Fi. When I inquired about the service, I was told, "It's broken".
3. The food service was chicken; chicken and more Fing chicken cooked the same exact way every dinner. And it was not high-quality food. It was a buffet designed to spend the least among of money. They frequently run out of food.
4. The security was below standard. My tent zipper kept malfunctioning and would not close properly. A baboon was able to entire my tent and steal my backpack while I was on safari. Although the backpack was recovered, my clothes were spread on wet ground, plus my laptop and camera were damaged.
5. Luke warm water that you had to request be turned on.
6. Limited electricity (6:30 pm - 10:00pm and 5:30 am-7:00 am). Again, this was not disclosed in the advertisement.
7. Dirty carpet and plenty of insects.
8. A mosquito net with holes.
Not worth the $340 cash (they insisted on cash for a good reason, I would contest the charge on my card if they accepted credit or debit) I paid for three days. In short, the trip was over advertised and under provided.
RU
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Overrated. Had no luck with a guide driver.
So the main complaint is about information. It seems that our guide driver Matu was a lier! Or a joker, but it was not good that information about animals he gave us and other guides gave was very different. As not an local we cannot prove anything so it was kind of unfair. Also, he was late every day. Talked a lot with somebody on the phone and with other drivers. It was very uncomfortable to travel with him. He never commented his actions. We were driving about 3 hours under the hot sun with no words where are we go and what a going to do. And he had very bad accent. He always said "glass" instead of "grass" and other words.
Also it is a complaint about hot drinks. It was highlighted in the contract that drinks like sodas and beers are not included. But they didn't say a word that hot drinks are not included into lunches and you should buy it!
But they gave us a better price for that time. But at the same time the hotels and camps they are providing are so poor and incomfortable. Other proc is that they didn't want a prepayment (you know that e-payment systems are not brillliant in Africa) and the water was included in price.
I want to say a big thanks for Vinsent.
Reply from Jocky Tours and Safaris
Posted on Mar 13, 2015Thank you Faridah for your honest feedback about your safari Experience with us.We have made follow up with our guide Matu and found out that he indeed acted very unprofessional.All the drinks were included and you were not supposed to buy any drink by yourself,Matu says he didn't read the program well,which is nonprofessional. About "glass" and "grass" its his local/native language accent influence which we regret and apologize.We also apologize for learning that the hotels and camps we recommended you to didn't meet your expectations,though its because of the budget you wanted.
Thank you again for your honest feedback that will help us better/upgrade our service,We have suspended Matu for being unprofessional and sincerely apologize for any inconveniences caused to you.
We would like to invite you or your friends back to experience better service.Again Thank you Faridah
EG
Email Nermine | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wilson is very good tour guide very helpful and want us to see everything and to enjoy our time.
We didn’t like the camp lachanda camp the one in masai mara it was catastrophic not clean there were babons outside the tent and we didn’t sleep also it was very expensive , really bad experience but Wilson is very good tour guide very helpful and want us to see everything and to enjoy our time we like him so much
IE
Email Edel | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Dissbility Awareness Required
I spent four days on safari. Whilst I enjoyed seeing the animals, hearing the driver describing everything and sharing his knowledge, I felt that there was a lack of understanding at times.
I had physical challenges during my trip which proved difficult at times. If somebody uses a Mobility Device, they use it for a reason. Everybody needs Washroom Facilities so leaving a wheelchair behind at camp is not on. If people are getting out of the jeep for picnic lunch and visiting Curio Shops, a person with mobility issues cannot be exoected to stsy in the jeep for hours on their own or in the extreme heat.
I did enjoy the safari but feel that some DisabilityvAwareness Training would not go a miss.
NZ
Email Grant Maslowski | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Much room for improvement
Hi,
I did a group tour with Jocky Tours and Safaris: 7 Days Masai mara/Nakuru/Naivasha/Amboseli. This was my first ever safari, and I followed this with another safari in Tanzania and a Mt Kenya hike with a third company. This safari I rated 3/5 stars, the Tanzania safari 2/5 stars and the Mt Kenya hike 5/5 stars, and I’ll tell you why. Firstly the pickup was 40 minutes late and the excuse was an obvious lie - said to be a car crash but there were alternative routes and the route that was said to have had a car crash had no signs of one (we went this way after he picked me up). This wasted time and waiting around unfortunately was the main theme for this safari - very frustrating. Other team members were often staying at different accommodation and we spent much time just driving between accommodation on dreadful “roads” that had been washed out by recent flooding but also waiting on others to join the vehicle over and over! For example, waiting for nearly an hour outside the Masai Mara gate for one person to join the rest of us. This person was also waiting at his accommodation (under instruction) while we were all waiting for him! Such stupidity of logistics that could so easily be avoided. And we could have driven into the park and looked at the wildlife while we waited for him there and he could have joined us by getting a lift in another company vehicle but no! What really grinded my gears is that the best times of the day for viewing wildlife in action, and in the best light for just viewing and for photography are early in the day and late in the day, and these times and opportunities were repeatedly wasted. I thought perhaps this company was just a bad egg, but the safari in Tanzania was worse - mainly because of the guide who talked bullshit answers when he didn’t know the answers - I happen to be an ecologist who has worked in multiple countries so I often knew more than he did and when he didn’t know what he was talking about. The guide on Mt Kenya said he didn’t know the answers to my questions sometimes and I respected this honesty. Big cats were the priority by far but some people really want to see other wildlife too like elephants, giraffes and birds. We spent a lot of time driving past magnificent wildlife just to watch lions sleeping. My recommendations to Meru Slopes unless you want people to choose other companies like I wish I had: don’t waste peoples time and take advantage of being on safari during the early hours from dawn and then again in the last few hours of daylight. The middle of the day is terrible for wildlife action and photography. Ask people what animals they want to see rather than assuming lions are #1 for everyone. Choose guides that are local (driving a 4WD isn’t that hard, and the Masai people should be employed as the Masai Mara was their land) and perhaps also with relevant degrees in ecology for example - although the local Masai already have a culture of knowledge regarding the wildlife there. This tour has such potential and variety. Until these changes are made I recommend trying a different company or paying more for a private safari.
Cheers,
Grant
CA
Email Sami | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing but disappointed with accommodation
6 days safari Masa Mara , Nakuru. And Ambosii
David was an amazing guide he was punctual, knowledgeable and patient . We saw all the big five . He stopped her let us take many photos . Amboseli was my favourite park saw many elephants.
I was able to stay with the same guide which was great however not everyone got the same experience. I was very disappointed with the accommodations because they advertise and claim you will be staying in particular camp sites but that is not the case . It’s pretty much luck of the draw. I stayed in Rino camp which is not mid range more like low range and I paid for mid range I was suppose to stay at enkok camp but 2 people form our group stayed there and the rest stayed Rhino camp. When I realized what was written on the receipt the accommodations I was suppose to be staying at I was fuming . Also last camp I was upgraded them the last night night the manager down graded and the mattress had a huge Dent in the middle i woke up with back pain . I addressed my concerns with the guide and mini and no one said anything. !!!
Make sure you are staying at the correct accommodations because they changes things last min. You should get what you pay for !!!!!
IT
Email Mara Redaelli | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
5-night, 6-day safari to the Masai Mara and Amboseli
We booked a private safari for 8 people for 5 nights and 6 days. Starting from Masai Mara, to Lake Nakuru and Amboseli.
My rating (3/5) is due to the difficulty of communication via whatsapp before our arrival, I often had to write several times in order to receive a reply. Also in the program sent to us, for the two nights in the Amboseli there was a different facility than the one where we stayed, upon our arrival at the Amboseli they had overbooked and then moved us to a dirty "fallback" facility without a proper bathroom, the second night in the main facility was no better as they saw cockroaches in some rooms.
However, I would like to point out that our guide Denys was faultless in everything, friendly, helpful and we managed to see all the animals we had in mind.
Thanks to him we were able to have an experience that we will hardly forget.
IT
Email Andrea | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Basic tour
The basic tour option is really basic. The worst part was the accommodation. The basic tent camp in Masai Mara (Lenchada camp) is barely acceptable, with 4 hour of electricity per day and low hygiene rooms. The food was ok. The other 2 hotels (hill court hotel and chambai) were ok, but the food at chambai was pretty bad. The parks are really beautiful, with the Masai Mara on top. Our driver, Charles K. was the best, he really loves his job and thanks to him we got to see the big 5 and so much more! I suggest this driver if you want to have the best safari experience.
CH
Email Beatrice | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Positive and negative aspects the basic tour accommodations are below acceptance
The driver (Charles K) was very good. The Masai Mara camp was amazing, many animals. The food was ok. The accomodations for the budget options were below the acceptable level (the hotels are dirty, old, no hot water and no electricity at the lenchada camp). The visit to the Masai village is a bit expensive for what it is and the hells gate is not very interesting.
IT
Email Lara | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
All in the standard, nothing special
Accomodation at minimum level (lenchada camp no hot water and eletricity and all very old, Chambai hotel no services and no good food), the visit to Masai Mara Village no interesting, Masai Mara Park wonderful and driver Charles K. was amazing