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
NO
Email Gaute | under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
He was sosial, full of surprises, he had many friends and was kind. But he was a bit quiet sometimes
He was sosial, full of surprises, he had many friends and was kind. But he was a bit quiet sometimes, we saw many animals and he was a good driver, we think we was lucky with the driver.
DE
Email Tobias Schäuble | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
James Gichina was an awesome tour guide <3 !
Unforgettable Masai Mara Safari with James Gichina
James Gichina was an outstanding tour guide, and our experience in Masai Mara was truly unforgettable. Thanks to his expertise and exceptional guiding skills, we had the rare opportunity to see the Big 5—lions, rhinos, cheetahs, leopards, and elephants—up close, along with so many other incredible animals.
James’s knowledge of the wildlife and the Masai Mara ecosystem was impressive, and his clear and engaging explanations enriched every moment. He tailored the experience perfectly to our wishes, ensuring we felt heard and completely taken care of. The off-road adventure was absolutely breathtaking, offering moments we will cherish forever.
What stood out the most was how seamless and effortless the entire experience felt. James handled every detail, allowing us to relax, enjoy the stunning scenery, and simply marvel at the wonders of the Mara.
If you’re planning a safari and want a guide who is professional, knowledgeable, and passionate, James Gichina is the one. He made our dream safari come true, and we couldn’t recommend him more highly!
Thank you, James, for an awe-inspiring journey we’ll never forget! ❤️🦁
SE
Email Pernilla | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing! 10/10!!
We did a 4 day safari and couldn't ask for a better experience. We were lucky to have Johny as a guide who was incredible in all ways. He made sure everything went smoothly and went out of his way to make sure we got to see all the animals up close and always found the best angles for the pictures. Can really recommend going with Jocky tours and with Johny as your guide you will never regret it. It was truly an incredible experience.
US
Email Anon | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
We had multiple issues
We would not book again with Jocky tours due to the following issues:
Pre tour:
- Communication - spoke to 3 different people to organise the tour, kept getting transferred to different phone numbers on Whatsapp
- Payment Issues- We tried to organise bank transfer (lower fees) and did not receive a reply until we followed up, when they told us it was then too late to do so. We were told certain payment methods attracted a 5% fee, this was incorrect for us.
- Airport pick up - the website and jocky emails say this is included. I was told on the day that this attracted a further 20 usd fee. I questioned this with 2 different people and it was eventually agreed it was included. We later were told our tour price had an extra 20 usd per person compared to others on the tour for airport pick up, I would suggest specifying not to include this in the price as Uber costed us <$10 USD.
Day 1: we waited in jeep for over an hour after paying - unsure what for. Delayed the afternoon game drive, possibly shortening it as other Jeeps left earlier.
Day 2: our guide/driver got stuck in mud twice for an hour each time, possibly further shortening game drive.
Day 3: the itinerary on the Jocky website and Safaribookings site says an early morning game drive - this did not occur. No game drive this day at all.
Day 4: guide told us to be ready by 7am - at 745 he was having breakfast. Jeep arrived at 8am. Guide's card did not work to pay park entry fees due to what he said was a bank issue - he asked us to pay and he would give us cash. Our cards did not work due to being unable to 2 factor authenticate, when asking guide about other options he raised his voice at us and I felt uncomfortable. We waited over 1 hour to get into the park.
We were initially told by the guide the boat ride was an extra 20 USD - I checked our itinerary which showed it was included and had to tell the guide this.
During game drives, the guide was speaking on his phone almost constantly on speaker phone. We were told to look out for animals while he did this and almost missed some rhinos. I was ignored when I asked a question as he was on his phone.
Day 5: the visit to the geothermal power plant and hot springs was not included - despite being in the park we were not given the option to do this. When we asked the guide, they said this was because some tour members had to go to the airport however they arrived there 5 hours early. We were not informed of this until after leaving the park.
CA
Email Rejeanne lacoste | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Better speak to your manager at the camp , she was not very happy to serve us , the food no good
We have nothing to say about our guide PITA , he was excellent , he try hard to find animals in the safari to show us, he explain everything , I recommandent him , his the best. But about the camp , the ladies there were not very at there place to received tourists, always said , wait a minute…no smile, they laughed together, they said that the power is on at 6 to 10 , but it was not that. And the food , so bad for the price Jocky Tours charge us. We have the same night meal , 2 times, the beef was too hard in our mouth, you have to review your meals and the staff at the camp. We were 2 couples and my friends had a frog in his bathroom and ants in his mattress…
CN
Email Jess zhao | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Living in my best life
I had the most incredible safari experience thanks to our exceptional tour guide Johny. From the moment we set out on our adventure, it was clear that we were in the hands of a true expert.
Johny’s knowledge of the local wildlife and the natural habitats was astounding. He could spot even the most elusive creatures with ease, and his passion for conservation and wildlife preservation was truly inspiring.
Not only was our guide incredibly knowledgeable, but he also had a fantastic ability to share his insights in an engaging and entertaining way. He made the whole experience both educational and fun, ensuring that everyone in our group was captivated by the wonders of the animal kingdom.
Safety was a top priority for him, and he always made us feel secure during our encounters with wildlife. His experience and professionalism was evident in every aspect of the safari.
Moreover, Johny 's warm and welcoming personality added a personal touch to the journey. He was always ready to answer our questions and share stories about his experiences , making us feel like we were exploring this beautiful landscape with a friend.
In summary, our safari experience would not have been the same without our outstanding tour guide. His expertise, passion, and hospitality created a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that I will cherish forever. I cannot recommend him highly enough. Thank you for an unforgettable safari trip!
DK
Email Lotte | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A great authentic experience with a lots of animals
The communication with the agency was without any issues, and they were always fast to respond.
The safari was definitely value for money! The campsite surprises us positive and it was quit cozy.
On the safari we saw a lot of wild animals like we expected, so no complaints.
The only thing that could have been better was if the guide offered a bit more information about the program of the day and more about the animals.
We will still highly recommend it.
Email Robert | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A first rate safari experience
We enjoyed a wonderful three day safari with Jocky Tours and our fantastic driver/guide Jeff.
What a memorable experience!
Jeff was absolutely focussed on giving all in the group a great safari by using his wide experience and knowledge.
We felt Safe with his driving across absolutely all sorts of terrain in his pursuit of giving us the best chances of experiencing a wide variety of wild animals across the park - and we did. We got to see all we had hoped for and much much more besides
The camp was very comfortable with beds, and hot water readily available, staff were friendly and attentive, food choice was limited but wholesome, and our packed lunch for our full day drive extensive!
Jeff, was the perfect guide and driver.
Email Antonio | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Less than 3h of Game Drive for a 2 day tour in Masai Mara - Avoid it!
Terrible experience. I absolutely recommend against the 2 days 1 night tour to Masai Mara as the total game drive was 2.45h for both days. It's simply unacceptable. I have been to daily safaris of 5-6h of game drive.
Some good things though: My guide was great, the accommodation and food were good for being a budget safari.
Tour happened as follows:
Day 1: pick-up at 7am in Nairobi. Departure at 8am. Arrival at camp at 3pm. Game drive started at 5pm. It finished at 6.30pm.
Day 2: pick-up at 6.15am. Game drive starts at 6.45am. Game drive ended at 8.30am. I arrived at Nairobi at 3pm.
The drive from Nairobi to Camp will never be less than 6h and it can be up to 8h,
Take at least the 3 day tour or don't do it!
For respect for your time and well-being it is a brutal waste of time, money and energy don't do a 2 days 1 night tour. It was so frustrating to have ended a 2 day tour at 8.30am! I was shocked.
They never offer to refund partially or offered a discount for another safari.
I cannot recommend Jocky Agency. Avoid them!
Reply from Jocky Tours and Safaris
Posted on Nov 28, 2022Hi Antonio
Its very unfortunate that you are putting the blame squarely on us, its should be known that you had booked a 3 days 2nights safari with us, which you later reduced to 2 days 1 night on short notice. We explained to you the pros and cons of joining a 2 days safari and even gave you an itinerary to go through which you subscribed to and agreed to proceed with a 2 day tour over 3 days tour.
We talked over phone about this while on safari, but you never brought forward a compensation claim but instead you told me it was your own fault on reducing your stay by 1 day. Its amazing that you have gone forth to write an official negative complaint even though it was your own idea on reducing your stay.
Regardless, we would like to pass our apology for not being able to convince you enough to drop the safari all together if you couldn't manage a 2 days Private safari or the initial 3 days group safari, which for sure would have offered you more time in the wild and would have been more relaxed safari. We apologize for any inconveniences caused.
Email Anna | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Once in a lifetime experience of African wilderness
This was my first safari experience. Overall, it was an incredible experience. We saw so many beautiful animals in their wild and breathtaking habitat, ate plenty of authentic food in a communal canteen, slept well in comfortable tents (at Lenchada Tourist Camp), enjoyed hot showers and were treated well by our hosts and driver/guide Joshua.
The only slight negative was that it is a long time in a vehicle. Our full day meant spending 10 hours in the car and even though we could stand up to look out the roof of the vehicle and had two quick pit stops, this felt like a bit too long and meant we decided not to go on the game drive on the final day as we already had the 5 hour drive back to Nairobi to sit still through. This is not a criticism of Jocky Tours, just the nature of this type of safari trip.
Our guide was good at explaining about some of the things we were seeing, but I would have liked him to be a bit more forthcoming. There was also some confusion about whether lunch was included on the final day and moments where Joshua had to work out how to please different people in the same vehicle having paid for different packages that included different hours game drives/different activities. This created a few awkward moments.
Other things to enjoy on this trip are meeting other people in your vehicle (there were 8 of us though not all staying at the same camp), others at camp and evenings round the fire with Maasi men.
Overall, would thoroughly recommend.
